Book 146: Middlemarch by George Eliot (Finished-A Victorian Celebration).

“And, of course men know best about everything, except what women know better.”

George Eliot is always such a treat for me to read. She was one of the first classics writers that I discovered on my own, and I have been happily reading and enjoying her books ever since my first read of Silas Marner. It has been a few years since I last picked up Middlemarch, so a lot of the details were very fuzzy (to be fair, it is a very LARGE book).

As I began reading and starting plowing through Eliot's writing, bits and pieces fell back into place and I remembered who I liked and who annoyed me (Celia annoys me like no other. And I'm not sure why). In any case, it still took me a good chunk of time to get through all 900 pages of Victorian-era commentary (it took 2 1/2 weeks!). But when I set the book down, I realized that I enjoyed it more than I did during my first read quite a few years ago.

One of the things I love about Eliot is that you notice pieces on rereads that you didn't notice the first time around. I had completely forgotten the plot with Fred Vincy, so when I stumbled across poor Fred and his adoration for Mary, it broke my heart a bit. I felt for Fred, who fumbled and who could never quite get his head on straight....unless it came to his feelings for Mary. I believe I paid far more attention to their chapters on this read than I had on the one before.

I think Fred's story, and his struggle with finding a purpose within the confines of Victorian society probably rang true for many in the time period. I am sure that many a young man was unruly and unsure of a path to take. Fred, for example, was clearly not a man that should have headed into the church. As he told Mary, he could do the job, but he wouldn't have passion for it. He needed some kind of work to inspire him and make him a better person. I can relate to that so well! Part of the reason I love teaching is that it challenges and inspires me to try new things, to push myself. I saw a lot of myself in Fred and his struggle. And, of course, I was happy with the way his story ended. 

I also had to chuckle quite a bit at Mr. Brooke, who never intends to be funny, but always seems to bring out a smile. His insistence on stepping in when things get a little bit tough is endearing, especially when he reverses what he sets out to do and muddles things up even more than they already were!

I was also quite drawn to Lydgate and his situation as a new man in Middlemarch. I found the passages pertaining to his medical practice interesting in that he really seemed to have new ideas for the folks living in town. The storyline with his courting of young Rosamond and their eventual marriage was one of my favorites in the dozen or so character storylines. It seemed obvious to me from the beginning that they had different ideals and expectations about their marriage and what it would entail. I should admit that I wanted to yell at Lydgate for going into debt for selfish Rosamond and her "appearances." That's something no one should ever do! You don't need the shiny new dishes or the fancy house for appearances Lydgate! :)

But obviously, the main storyline concerning Dorothea Brooke and her marriage to stuffy Mr. Casaubon deserves a bit of attention. Dorothea is one of those female characters that I love in Victorian literature. She has a strong set of ideas and dreams for her own life, and while others may be persuading her to go one way, she is resolute in the direction she wishes to go, even when she realizes it wasn't such a good idea to begin with! In her marriage to Mr. Casaubon, it was obvious that she had lofty ideas about him as a learned man. As a young girl, she was attracted to the visage of intelligence and hoped that he would be welcoming in his knowledge-teach her and inspire her to learn as well. It became pretty obvious he had no such ideas, but saw her as more of a secretary than a wife. I particularly loved this bit of commentary from her...

"But it is very difficult to be learned; it seems as if people were worn out on the way to great thoughts, and can never enjoy them because they are too tired."

When I read that, I had to agree with her, because yes, focusing and exploring areas to become learned is a tiring process. That piece definitely resonated with me as I continue on in my own exploration of literature and the classics. Sometimes I feel like I am rushing through to get to the next title. That I must push onward and forward in an attempt to get to it all. And I am slowly losing the bits of enjoyment from savoring passages that I love, raving about writing, and loving the characters. So thanks, Dorothea, for reminding me.

What I love, however, is that Eliot gives Dorothea a chance to live her life with the early passing of Casaubon. And while Casaubon is a bit of a jerk in his will (you'll have to read it to find out!), Dorothea finally has the means to pursue her own passions as a free woman. The last two parts or so, where she is finally free, were inspiring. I love a Victorian woman with a sense of purpose. I love that she went against the wishes of her male relatives. She was firey and passionate and everything that I love!

As usual, the writing was superb. Eliot has a such a way of stringing words together to incite passion, force a laugh, and make me bite my nails in anticipation...

“We mortals, men and women, devour many a disappointment between breakfast and dinner-time; keep back the tears and look a little pale about the lips, and in answer to inquiries say, "Oh, nothing!" Pride helps; and pride is not a bad thing when it only urges us to hide our hurts -- not to hurt others.”

For a book that is, at it's core, a true study of the way relationships and marriage worked in this society, it was inspirational and heart-warming. In each of the couples, I found something that I understood and related to as a married woman in the 21st century. In a way, it kind of amazes me that the same issues they faced we still face today. I think this bit from the "finale" says it better than I can..

"Marriage, which has been the bourne of so many narratives, is still a great beginning, as it was to Adam and Eve, who kept their honeymoon in Eden, but had their first little one among the thorns and thistles of the wilderness. It is still the beginning of the home epic-the gradual conquest or irremediable loss of that complete union which makes the advancing years a climax, and age the harvest of sweet memories in common."

Yes, Eliot is a master, and Middlemarch is definitely a great work. But can I be honest? As much as I loved Middlemarch, it's characters, and the messages it portrays, my heart yearned a little bit for The Mill on the Floss. And while I can see why so many love Middlemarch and see it as Eliot's crowning achievement, I'm happy with saying that I think that title goes to Mill. While they both hold a lot of passion and strength, there is something much more powerful in The Mill on the Floss.

But you should still read this one-to savor the language and the various ways that Eliot explores the many facets of Victorian life. There is so much more to this 900 page chunker than I could hope to write about here!

“If youth is the season of hope, it is often so only in the sense that our elders are hopeful about us; for no age is so apt as youth to think its emotions, partings, and resolves are the last of their kind. Each crisis seems final, simply because it is new. We are told that the oldest inhabitants in Peru do not cease to be agitated by the earthquakes, but they probably see beyond each shock, and reflect that there are plenty more to come.”

Book 146: Starting Middlemarch by George Eliot.

I've been avoiding getting back into Nicholas Nickleby, so I started a new chunkster for the Victorian Celebration instead. I've been craving some Eliot since finishing The Lifted Veil last week, and Middlemarch was calling to me off the shelf. After staring at it, Nicholas Nickleby, and Far From the Madding Crowd, the pink cover won out and I started it Sunday morning.

Needless to say, I am flying steadily through Eliot's chunkster. It has been years since I've read it, so bits of the story are "new" to me on this read. I forgot how Eliot begins the narrative in one place, introducing the reader to a character or two...then meanders to someone we met briefly, then to another, and another. It works in some odd way. And while the characters we met in chapter one disappear for 100 pages, I still remembered exactly what they were up to when the disappeared from view for a bit.

I also love the comfort of Eliot's writing as she discusses the "Miss Brookes" and their problems. She has such a warm tone to the way she describes their interactions that it brings a smile to my face as I read. I love Celia's snarky comments, and Dorothea's determination that she knows what is best. I also love the meddling neighbors, the concern over who will wed who, and the silly politics of a sleepy country town. It makes me smile and keeps me turning the pages.

And while I know I've read this before, I am still anxious for the characters and wondering what will happen to them by the end of 880 page edition of the book I have. That is the mark of a great writer-that I can still wonder at their intent. That I can still question what a character will say or do when I turn the page.

The whole thing just feels comforting and warm-just what I need right now.

Author Focus: George Eliot and Giveaway (A Victorian Celebration).

I am really excited to bring you the first in a series of weekly posts highlighting some of my favorite (and soon to be favorite) authors of the Victorian Era. I am hoping that by sharing a little more information, you'll decide to pick up one of their books, or decide to read something by them in the future. Maybe it's the teacher side of me, but I love sharing information about the writers I love. :)

Some of these "Author Focus" posts will also have a corresponding giveaway, so be on the lookout for those opportunities as well.

Today's Author Focus is on a personal favorite of mine-George Eliot. Before I get into some of the details and interesting tidbits of Eliot's life, I need to tell you why I feel such a strong connection to Eliot and her novels.

A few years ago, my grandmother became very sick (she had cancer). Since I was done with college and living at home, I would sometimes take her to her weekly doctor appointments. In the car, we would talk about anything and everything we could think of. She was also a huge reader, so books often came up. She mentioned one day that she wanted something different to read, so I was trying to rack my brain to think of a suggestion.

This was the same summer that I decided to make reading more classics a necessity (I think my rule was for every 3 "fun" books, I had to read a classic). Eliot was one of the first classics writers I discovered on my own, and having just finished Silas Marner, I suggested it to her. I ended up lending her my own copy. She ended up loving it, and I gave her the rest of the Eliot novels I owned (Including The Mill on the Floss, which I hadn't read yet). She loved them all!

Later that fall, she passed away. And now, whenever I look at my bookshelves and see my Eliot novels, I think of her. So Eliot will always be a favorite of mine. She reminds me of the wonderful woman my grandmother was and those weekly trips in the car.

I have been slowly discovering Eliot on my own since that time. I've made it through most of her longer works and just finished a shorter work earlier this week (The Lifted Veil). She is a write I admire, so I'm gong to give you just a little more information about her.

George Eliot's real name was Mary Anne Evans (she also went by Marian). She was born in 1818 and lived to 1880. She was a firecracker of a woman and seemed content with living her life on her own terms. She chose to write under a pen name for a number of reasons. First, she didn't want her work to be judged based on the fact that she was female. Many of her contemporary female writers focused on romance and she felt her novels were more than that. Evans wanted to be taken seriously as a writer, so she felt a male name would help her succeed. Second, she didn't want people poking into her private life and affairs. She wanted to separate herself from society's curiosity, which actually didn't work out for her.

One of the major scandals in her life was her affair and "marriage" to George Lewes. She met Lewes in 1851. Lewes was actually already married, but had an "open marriage" with his wife. When he met Evans/Eliot, they decided to live together and carry on as a married couple. This was okay with his wife, but obviously caused some scandal! It wasn't necessarily an unusual concept, since many of the other Victorians we're reading had affairs as well! I think what surprised most people is that they didn't try to hide their affair, or the fact they were living together while Lewes was legally married to another woman.

When Lewes died in 1878, Evans/Eliot was only alone for a short time. She met John Cross in 1880 and married him (legally). This also caused a bit of a scandal since he was 20 years younger than she was. Their marriage was short lived as she died in late 1880. Because of her lifestyle, she wasn't allowed to be buried in Westminster Abbey, but instead was buried in Highgate Cemetery. However, in 1980, a memorial was placed in Poet's Corner in her honor.

Eliot is most well-known for her depictions of rural life and society, which is one of my favorite aspects of her work. She manages to capture the true nature of her characters-their dreams, desires, and intricacies. I also love that she focuses on those individuals who fall outside the "norm" of society. And while her books can be lengthy, I think they are fast reads!

• Scenes from Clerical Life (1857)
• Adam Bede (1859)
• The Lifted Veil (1859) 
• The Mill on the Floss (1860)
• Silas Marner (1861)
• Romola (1863)
• Felix Holt, the Radical (1866)
• Middlemarch (1871-1872)
• Daniel Deronda (1876)

To honor one of my favorite writers, I'm also giving away a copy of one of her novels to one lucky participant of A Victorian Celebration. To win a new Barnes and Noble edition of her last novel, Daniel Deronda, read the following and comment below:

• This giveaway will be open to anyone who lives in the United States (My international participants-there is a giveaway just for YOU RIGHT HERE)!
• You MUST be a participant of A Victorian Celebration to enter.
• You MUST be 13 years or older
• You do not have to follow me or subscribe to qualify
• You MUST leave me your e-mail so that I contact you if you win
• The winner will have 48 hours to respond or I will pick a new winner.
• To enter, comment on this post with you intent to be entered.
• The giveaway will be open until 11:59 PM on Wednesday, June 20, 2012 EST.

Good luck! And tell me what Eliot novels you've read or loved!

The Lifted Veil by George Eliot (A Victorian Celebration).

 “We learn words by rote, but not their meaning; that must be paid for with our life-blood, and printed in the subtle fibres of our nerves.” 

I decided to sit down a read a book yesterday afternoon. You see, I came home from work at the park and decided to do some blogging. Then I became utterly depressed because while all the participants in my little event are speeding along with their reading, I was still floundering along back at the start waiting to begin. So, I stood and stared at my bookshelves. For a long time. Then I realized I had a volume with Silas Marner, The Lifted Veil, and Brother Jacob. "Couldn't I read one of the latter two titles? They're short, right?" So I clutched my book, sat on the couch, and told myself I couldn't leave until I finished something (except to go change over the laundry).

I decided on reading The Lifted Veil. I hadn't read it before, so I figured it was about time. I've really only read Eliot's longer works, so I wasn't sure what to expect from this super short piece of fiction (I feel I should mention that I love Eliot. All of her work is simply fabulous with The Mill on the Floss being my ultimate favorite-yes, even more so than Middlemarch). So, I sat on my couch and read.

Well, apparently Eliot had a big of courage in her to try something a little different. Maybe I was expecting the usual-pastoral setting, bickering women-folk, and a girl who doesn't quite fit the "normal" role. Nope. Instead I got a story told in first-person from a male voice, and that was vaguely science-fictiony/gothic. It was odd. And not what I was really expecting from my first Victorian piece.

But I dove in, enjoyed it, then set it aside and said, "huh." Yes, I did enjoy Eliot's voice. I feel like I can always pick her out of a crowd-the way she strings sentences together just sings of her work, and I certainly felt that in The Lifted Veil. I also felt slightly uncomfortable...as if she was trying to maintain a firm grip on what she was writing about and maybe wasn't all that sure of where her story was truly going...

The main character has the ability to see some things in the future, as well as hear the thoughts of others if he allows himself to get close enough. This has set him aside from his relations and those in his community. So when tragedy strikes and he eventually marries, it doesn't really bode well for his marriage. It is an odd story, and one that seemed all too short (my edition was only 55 pages). I felt like I was just getting into his voice when I flipped the last page. I felt like the climax was too soon and then it was over.

Looking around online, I stumbled onto a few theories on why Eliot may have written the novella in the first place. Her real name was Mary Ann Evans (a fact I already knew), but she wrote under the pen name George Eliot in hopes of her identity as a woman being protected. Her first novel, Adam Bede, was published under her pen name, and there was a search done to determine the identity of the writer. The Lifted Veil was published shortly after and her identity was leaked. I suppose there are some direct comparisons. Obviously Eliot had to feel some pressure to be under the public eye (aren't all celebrities?), and that might be reflected in her main character here. He pulls away from society so as not to hurt himself (by hearing their thoughts or getting too close), so perhaps Eliot was pointing out the need for privacy?

I'm just not sure I buy that, or whether I want to dive into thinking that about the novella.

In any case, I'm glad to have finished one Victorian piece, so now I can feel better about myself as the supposed host of the event. :) I still have Brother Jacob to read, and I might get to it later this week. I think it is supposed to be more in her usual style than this one, so I'll look forward to it. :)


Yep. This was read for A Victorian Celebration, as well as the 2012 Victorian Challenge and as a title for my Classics Club List. But was it on the original 250 list? Nope. :)

Book 90: The Character of Silas Marner.

I really love the character of Silas Marner. There is something about his transformation from the beginning of the novel until the end that I truly love.

At the beginning of the novel, Eliot begins to describe how Silas came to live in Raveloe. In his hometown, he was accused of a theft and escaped, becoming a recluse from society. He refuses to befriend people in the the new village, and instead spends all his time in his cottage weaving. It is all he has. I love this passage about his loneliness in particular,

"He seemed to weave, like the spider, from pure impulse, without reflection. Every man's work, pursued steadily, tends in this way to become an end in itself, and so to bridge over the loveless chasms of his life. Silas's hand satisfied itself with throwing the shuttle, and his eye with seeing the little squares in the cloth complete themselves under his effort. Then there were the calls of hunger; and Silas, in his solitude, had to provide his own breakfast, dinner, and supper to fetch his own water from the well, and put his own kettle on the fire; and all these immediate promptings helped, along with the weaving, to reduce his life to the unquestioning activity of a spinning insect. He hated the thought of the past; there was nothing that out his love and fellowship toward the strangers he had come amongst; and the future was all dark, for there was no Unseen Love that cared for him," (14).

He is such a lonely old man that I really just want to reach in an give him a hug. Hurt by people he considered friends, he has no choice but to retreat into himself to protect himself from hurt. I can't say that I really blame him. If your best friend framed you, took your girl, wouldn't you feel like you had no one to turn to? I can't blame Silas for escaping and hiding, protecting himself from ever making that kind of connection again.

What I think adds to the strength of Silas' character is how the others in the village view him. He is the center of the town's gossip for a bit, with the townspeople wondering how he came to Raveloe, and why he chooses to remain so silent and removed.

Then Silas begins to hoard his gold. As a weaver, he makes little money from what he makes and sells as he stashes away whatever he can. He collects it, counts it, and it soon becomes his obsession.

One of my close friends who has read this always says that it doesn't make sense for Silas to become a money hoarding fiend. I think it makes perfect sense. For a man who has nothing but his work, doesn't it fit that he would become obsessed with the product of what he makes? He has no one else to speak to, no one else to rely on, so his money becomes his life and his ultimate downfall (but I'm not there yet).

In any case, I am spending more time on this reread soaking in his character, taking in Eliot's little nuances. While Middlemarch seems to overshadow this slim little volume, I think I much prefer this.

What do you think of Silas if you've read this one? love him? hate him? Do you think that someone who is completely alone would justifiably turn to the one thing they can control (in this case, money)? I'm interested to see what you all think. :)

Book 90: Silas Marner and Book Stats.

Title: Silas Marner

Author: George Eliot (1819-1880)

First Published: 1861

My Edition: Signet Classic (pictured at left)

Pages: 208

Other Works Include: Adam Bede (1859), The Mill on the Floss (1860), Romola (1863), Felix Holt, the Radical (1866), How Lisa Loved the King (1869), Middlemarch (1871-72), and Daniel Deronda (1876)

I am a HUGE fan of George Eliot and have read all of her novels except Daniel Deronda. I think she is simply marvelous.

This will be my third time reading Silas Marner. I had to read it for a class in college, and I read it on my own a couple years after that (fairly recently I think). It was the first novel I read by Eliot and it wasn't until I finished that I realized Eliot was a female. :) While not my favorite of her books, I still love this story. It is so hopeful and uplifting-just what I need as I wind down the semester.

I have already read one Eliot for my challenge. The Mill on the Floss was book 22 (my favorite number, btw), and it was one of my favorites reads last year-I would probably say it booted Middlemarch as my favorite! Here are the links to TMOTF posts if you are curious (I recommend the "Passages" post if you are unfamiliar with her writing style-it'll give you a glimpse....gosh I love her writing!):

• Book Stats
• The "Clever Wench"
• Ruin and Relationships
• Favorite Passages.
• Finished.

I've heard that a lot of schools have this one as required reading, but my high school didn't. Did yours? Anyone else read this one? Love Eliot? Just want to say hello?

Book 22: Finished.

I knew I was going to like The Mill on the Floss. After all, I have loved every other Eliot novel and this was no exception.

I have already raved about the beauty of Eliot's style. She creates graceful languages that grabs a hold of the reader and sucks them into the story. Maggie was not just another female character-she was a very dear and intimate friend.

So when tragedy struck, I felt very deeply for Maggie. I felt her heartache and feelings of loss as keenly as if she had been my sister or a best friend.

Eliot had a great gift.

I have to wonder why Eliot never seems to have gotten the same amount of fame as some of her contemporaries, namely Charles Dickens. While she wrote and published at the same time, Dickens claimed all the fame, and he is a name that is really well known. And while Eliot is certainly known by bookish types, Dickens still gets all the honors. In my personal opinion, Eliot is a much better writer and far more interesting, especially since she hid her identity and published under a man's name. Perhaps it is because her body of work isn't as extensive, but it is much better written. Again, this is only my opinion.

In any case, I loved this novel.

For those of you who are interested, here is my synopsis.

Maggie Tulliver is a bright and intelligent child who seems to be misunderstood by her parents. Rather than portray the standards of beauty, she is dark-skinned, dark-eyed, and has dark hair. The shame of her mother and her mother's sisters, Maggie retreats often into a world of books and make-believe. Her older brother, Tom, is sent away to school early on by their father, in hopes that he can escape the same sort of life, as his father is a miller.

Years pass and tragedy hits the family. Mr. Tulliver is engrossed in a lawsuit with a neighbor and loses, which results in the loss of every material item belonging to the Tulliver's. Together, Maggie and Tom have to face the circumstances now thrust in their faces. Giving up their childhood, the forge on to create a new life for themselves out of the misery of their father's.

However, fate steps in and rips them apart. Maggie is outcast by her brother, while Tom is obsessed with restoring his father's name.


Like I said, this is one of my favorite Eliot novels. It is far more gripping than Middlemarch or Silas Marner, both of which I'll be reading again in the future.

Finally, I want to post one more quote to help suck you in to this novel.

This quote I loved because I am sure I am not the only book lover who can relate. This really shows the depth of Maggie's feelings about her appearance and the standard of beauty in this time period:

"'I didn't finish the book,' said Maggie. 'As soon as I came to the blonde-haired young lady reading in the park, I shut it up and determined to read no further. I foresaw that that light-complexioned girl would win away all the love from Corinne and make her miserable. I'm determined to read no more books where the blonde-haired women carry away all the happiness. I should begin to have a prejudice against them,'" (377).

Does Maggie, the dark-eyed, dark-haired beauty find her own happiness? You'll have to read to find the answer to that question....


I need to also say that finishing this 608 page novel also helped me in the Chunkster Challenge, where I am trying to read 12 Chunksters (adult novels over 450 pages in length). This was book 1!

Book 22: Favorite Passages.

I have read Eliot before, so I am not surprised by the fact that I still love her writing. While she can be overly descriptive at times, I still love the overall feeling she gives her novels. Her description helps to build the story rather than hinder it. If her writing style was slightly different, her novels wouldn't be so well-loved.

There was a moment earlier today when I had to take a break from the scene, so I flipped to the afterword in my edition to browse and get some more insight. I found that the author, Jane Smiley, had this to say about this novel:

"The greatest pleasure of The Mill on the Floss is its eloquent, closely reasoned style. Eliot seems to perfectly anatomize all of Maggie's inner contradictions and all of their effects, all of Maggie's relationships and all of their consequences. Characters that might seem too one-dimensional in another novel are softened in their effect in this novel by Eliot's voice and insight. But the greatest virtue of the novel also constitutes an unkept promise that the author's intelligence and imagination will find Maggie a satisfying fate," (603).

She seems to be echoing my own thoughts. It is truly the styling of the novel that drives it and makes it interesting.

Anyway, like most of the books I have been reading, I have kept a handy pack of Post-it tabs at hand to mark my favorite passages and lines. And while I probably marked too many, there is so much to love about Eliot's style. Here are a few of my favorites for your pleasure.

"The promise was void, like so many other sweet, illusory promises of our childhood; void as promises made in Eden before the seasons were divided, and the starry blossoms grew side by side with the ripening peach-impossible to be fulfilled when the golden gates had passed," (211).

"The world outside the books was not a happy one, Maggie felt; it seemed to be a world where people behaved the best to those they did not pretend to love and that did not belong to them. And if life had no love in it, what else was there for Maggie?Nothing but poverty and the companionship of her mother's narrow grief's -perhaps of her father's heart-cutting childish dependence. There is no hopelessness so sad as that of early youth, when the soul is made up of wants and has no long memories, no superadded life in the life of others, though we who look on think lightly of such premature despair as if our vision of the future lightened the blind sufferer's present," (266).

"...our life is determined for us-and it makes the mind very free when we give up wishing and only think of bearing what is laid upon us and doing what is given us to do," (342).

"Yes, Lucy, I would choose to marry him. I think it would be the best and highest lot got me-to make his life happy. He loved me first. No one else could be quite what he is to me. But I can't divide myself from my brother for life. I must go away and wait. Pray, don't speak to me again about it," (498).

"I know that we must keep apart for a long while; cruel tongues would force us apart, if nothing else did. But I shall not go away. The place where you are is the one where my mind must live, wherever I might travel. And remember that I am unchangeably yours: yours-not with selfish wishes, but with a devotion that excludes such wishes," (574).

Sunday Salon: February 21, 2010.

Wow. What a week it has been! Matt and I have been busy with a few things around the apartment. Even though we've been here for a few months, it is finally starting to look and feel like home. We have pictures up and it looks a little more relaxing.

I've also been busy learning some new recipes this week. I've been trying to keep us on a food budget so we aren't spending a ton of money on food we won't eat. It is actually pretty easy to do with just the 2 of us and we've found some things that we really like to eat.

I also went to substitute teacher training on Thursday to get readmitted to the system so I can start getting some sub jobs. Only working 2 days/week gets old pretty fast and while I have lots of time on my hands, I don't get a whole lot accomplished. Hopefully I get some steady work and can balance some subbing with the parks job (which goes back to full time hours and more pay at the end of March!).

I managed to sneak away to the bookstore the other night, which was the first time I had been in a bookstore in a long while! I have been trying to avoid going in because I inevitably want to buy something, if not everything. Since it had been a bit, I made sure to walk around and look at everything. There are a lot of new titles out (especially in sci-fi and fantasy) that I want to read RIGHT NOW, but I'll be patient and wait. The YA section was depressing.

Now, don't get me wrong. I LOVE YA and I read a lot of it, but I feel like amidst all the good books with original ideas are 50 others that don't do a good job. I get it that vampires and werewolves are "in," but I would love to see something different on the shelves. Granted, I haven't read any new YA in about 6 months, so I don't really know. These are merely my impressions from looking at the shelves.

I was also disappointed to see the following on a big display with Twilight and the vampire books that are booming in popularity:




It really just made my stomach turn. It is not that I am against teens finding these books and loving them as much as Twilight....it is the clear marketing ploy. Granted, it is clever, but I feel it takes away from the value of these great works. Try as I might, I cannot hold Twilight in comparison to Romeo and Juliet, Wuthering Heights, and Pride and Prejudice and call them equal.

Anyway, I hunted through the used section last and found a few more titles on my TBR list that I don't own. I finally picked up one of Graham Greene's novels, The Power and the Glory, as well as the other Hemingway that I need to read, The Sun Also Rises. I also found a great collection of some of the Greek tragedies. I haven't even gone near any of the Greek stuff since The Odyssey, so I thought I should get on that. The last book I found was a really cool edition of The Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison.

I went looking for one of Richardson's two novels on my list: Clarissa and Pamela but found neither-not even in the fiction section! There were also no copies of Gone with the Wind to be found, or some of the Virginia Woolf titles on my list! And while it looks like the store is rearranging, I hope that they restock. I was sorely disappointed, especially since it is my favorite bookstore in the area.

In reading news this week, I finished not only The Mill on the Floss by George Eliot, but also Animal Farm by George Orwell. Orwell's book only took an hour or so since it is so slim, but I enjoyed it anyway. I am in the middle of The Shipping News by Annie Proulx...which is an odd novel and newer than most of the books on my list (it was published in 1993). It stands as one of the "modern" classics I am reading.

I also made some new cosmetic changes to the blog. There are links at the top to an introduction to why I am doing this, the list of books I am going to read, as well as the list (in order) of what I have finished already. In the finished list, I also have the titles linked to my personal favorite post about that book. Enjoy!

I have some great things planned in the coming weeks. There is a giveaway that I am waiting to launch once I hit Book 25! Keep an eye out for it in the next week or so.

This week I am planning on finishing The Shipping News as well as Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut, so it should be another good reading week.

Happy reading everyone!

Book 22: Ruin and Relationships.

One of the reasons I love Eliot's writing is the way she crafts her characters and their relationships. In every novel I have read by her (which includes all except this and Daniel Deronda), she creates such spectacularly realistic people.

The Mill on the Floss is no exception. While I think that the beginning 100 pages dragged for lack of action, the characters brought it to life. While I of course love and adore Maggie, the main female character, I think I might love the crazy assortment of aunts a little more.

Mrs. Tulliver, Maggie's mother, is one of four sisters. Each of them is married and boy, do they have opinions about everything. Near the beginning of the novel, the family is called to discuss Tom's education (Maggie's sister). Each of the aunts arrives, with her husband, and conversations that ensue are pretty humorous. There is a lot of, "Well, I wouldn't do that," and "I always said that..."

It makes for enjoyable reading.

I also really like the development of the relationship between Maggie and Tom. While sister and brother, they also seem to be friends, which must be tough for Tom. Even when Tom goes away to school (at a clergyman's house), he still tries to maintain that relationship with his sister. She comes to visit and he tries to impress her with his learning.

One fun scene is when he is explaining how tough his lessons are in Latin. Maggie takes up the book and shows him up.

Score one for the little sister.

I know, even now when I haven't reached the halfway point, that disaster will inevitable strike. Maggie and Tom won't always be friends. I know that life and circumstance will get in their way.

The last character I really want to talk about is Philip Wakem. A student beside Tom, Philip is a hunchback and his father is an enemy to Mr. Tulliver. For a boy who was probably made fun of all his life, and who has no expectations, Philip is remarkably nice to both Maggie and Tom. While he might be more wary with Tom, you can tell that Philip and Maggie have a remarkable budding friendship.

And I guarantee there will be feelings on both sides before the novel is through.

Anyway, I seem to be flying through this hefty book. Time for more reading!

Book 22: The "Clever Wench."

As I am plunging wholeheartedly into The Mill on the Floss, I am already thinking about the heroine...a lot. At the time the novel begins, Maggie Tulliver is just a little girl who seems to be almost unloved by her family. From the beginning she is seen as clever, but not attractive. Where attractiveness seems to equate to blonde hair, light skin, and blue eyes, Maggie's appearance is different-with dark eyes, dark skin, and dark hair.

The only things Maggie really seems to have going for her is her imagination and her cleverness. And apparently those are not appealing traits. Her father continuously refers to her as the "clever little wench" or some variation. While I know he means it as a pet name, it is rather insulting. I mean, being clever is a good thing, but not for women in this time.

So as I am reading about poor little Maggie, I have to wonder if this will follow a familiar story arch. The young clever girl will grow up to realize that while she may be clever, she is nothing else. She is not a beauty and her cleverness is not a positive attribute. So far it seems as this is true in this novel, as Mr. Tulliver is only worried about the education of his son, Tom, who not nearly as smart or clever as his sister.

I have to keep thinking to how many female heroines have these traits. Let's make a list:

• clever
• likes to read
• is rather lonely (no friends her age)
  
• is misunderstood by her family
• is told she is not a beauty
• the opposite of the "norm" of the time
• has their imagination/intelligence stifled at an early age

I don't know about you, but I can think of quite a few who have a few of those qualities. What is it about crafting a character with those traits? Is it that the writers who create these characters felt that way about themselves when they were younger? Or is it that most adult women readers were at one time that same little girl, or can relate to her?

Personally, I know that I can relate better to female characters who have some of those characteristics. I was reading all the time when I was younger and my brothers used to tease me about it. I'm also halfway intelligent and like Maggie, have big dreams for something "more." I am sure I am not the only one. Is that way so many writers create characters like this? So they are relatable to the main audience who reads? I could be completely wrong here, but I feel like many of the most well-loved female characters have at least a few of those character traits, and those traits are commonly held by a large majority of the reading audience.

Again, this is all my opinion, but it is interesting to think about. I'm curious to see if my guesses about Maggie come true.

Book 22: Book Stats.

Title: The Mill on the Floss
Author: George Eliot aka Mary Anne Evans (1819-1880)
First Published: 1860

My Edition: Signet Classic w/ Afterword by Jane Smiley
Pages: 608

Novels Include: Adam Bede (1859), The Mill on the Floss (1860), Silas Marner (1861), Romola (1863), Felix Holt, the Radical (1866), How Lisa Loved the King (1869), Middlemarch (1871-72), and Daniel Deronda (1876)

Eliot also wrote plays and short stories. I have previously read all of her novels, excepting Daniel Deronda and The Mill on the Floss.

For this list, I will be reading The Mill on the Floss, Silas Marner, and Middlemarch.

I am also fulfilling part of the Chunkster Challenge by reading this novel!

Sunday Salon: February 14, 2010.

First I just want to say, "Happy Valentine's Day!" to everyone! I hope you are able to spend some time with your loved ones today. Even if some say that V-Day is just a Hallmark holiday, I still think it is a special and wonderful day that gives you an excuse to be with your family and that someone special.

I am working today, so I will be spending time at the park in the cold. Unlike some other regions of the United States, Michigan really hasn't gotten a great deal of snow this winter. Usually we are the ones digging ourselves out, but we managed to miss the big storms. We did get about 5" on Tuesday night/Wednesday morning, so it is great to finally have snow on the ground and the sled hill open at the park! I love working during the winter and seeing everyone coming out to enjoy the snow.

After work I'll probably be cooking Matt and I some dinner so we can spend the evening together. We don't have any special plans, but I assume after dinner we'll sit down and watch a movie, or better yet "Lost." I am still catching up, but I am getting there! Promise! And now that I am doing the LOST book challenge, I NEED to catch up to make more connections!

I had a good reading week this week. I finished up Washington Square by Henry James, which I found to be a pretty deceiving little book. I have a lot to say about in my posts, which will go up sometime this coming week.

I also signed up for two challenges in addition to reading 100+. The first is the LOST challenge I mentioned, and I think I picked some great things to read for it. I only have until May 23, but that seems to be plenty enough time.

The second challenge was the Chunkster Challenge, where I am going to read 6 of the Chunkster type novels on my list in the come year. It wasn't really hard to find 6 (I mean, I'm reading the CLASSICS for goodness sakes!), but I narrowed it down to 6 with 2 alternates. I decided to be proactive and start one this week. I'm now in the middle of The Mill on the Floss, which is one of two novels I haven't read by George Eliot (the other being Daniel Deronda, which is not on my list). It is a bigger book than what I have been flying through at 608 pages, so it might take me a little longer.

Anyway, goals for this week:

• Have all my Washington Square posts up by the end of the week
• Finish The Mill on the Floss
• Start reading Lord of the Flies by William Golding (for the LOST challenge).

It should be a good week.

Happy Reading everyone!