So many books, so little time!...

...That’s what I said the other day while I was checking out the stash of books I found in my mom’s attic – books I thought were included in the already huge stash I have in her basement. Whoa, I have so many books. My goal of reading every book ever written is not going so well lately. I’ve been preoccupied – with travel, with moving, with negative thoughts and emotions that take over my brain, not letting me focus on anything let alone reading a friggin book! Ugh. Drama.

Well, I’m working on getting over that. Although, as I mentioned, I am having a hard time focusing, I think that if I was able to focus on a book it could help me take my mind off of other things. So. I need a book that will capture me and preoccupy my mind. And then I need to get back to blogging.

As you may know, this blog is not for critical review (except when I said the Twilight books sucked), but is instead for me to relate books to myself and my experiences and feelings, etc. Well right now I am feeling a bit melancholy (not heartbroken and devastated like the last time I mentioned that on this blog – oh my god that was tragic; this time it's just more of an impending feeling of loss and static-ness). I need something to cheer me up and occupy my mind. Does anyone have any suggestions? Until I hear any ideas, I may go with my old favourite A Confederacy of Dunces. This book can always make me smile. Or Candide, since I wrote that “‘Everything is not so bad’ when you have a good book”. Well, let’s see what I can do...

Confusion, Zombies, Life

I highly recommend this book.

I really don't want to write much about it, to be honest. I really, really liked it. It was entertaining, compelling, nerve-wracking, humorous, and sad. I think especially for me, it was a bit sad to read. The main character reminds me very much of someone I know who I unfortunately cannot have in my life for self-preservation reasons. This is not really the point I am trying to make; I guess I just wanted to point out why it was a bit compelling for me and intriguing I guess. Can you tell I feel a bit confused about it?
Personal drama aside, it is making me think about this situation...do you ever find a character who so reminds you of someone you know that you feel like you are getting some insight into who the real person in your life actually is? It's funny. In my case, this person cannot be more of an enigma to me. I felt while I was reading this character that I was learning more about my person. But I wonder if that is true. I wonder if this character really is like him, or if it's just that I'm at such a loss for clues as to why he (my person) behaves the way he does/what his issues are that I'm grasping at straws here. I found some similarities so I am comparing and projecting the whole character.
Or maybe you find a character that reminds you of yourself or who you want to be. I haven't found one yet to model myself on. I quite like myself. I rather think characters should be modeled on me. Two of my best friends are always telling me to write my memoirs...
Anyway, this post seems more like a journal entry, but as with all the other posts on this book blog, it's all about how the books make me feel:)

Words from the wise...

That awkward moment when you're at a new library and you have no idea where Anything is so you kinda just walk around in circles...


from my cousin Cali on facebook. I lol'ed, which is a rare occurrence for me.:P

Some Solid Stories

Feeling a bit melancholy (actually heartbroken and devastated) I needed some retail therapy. Buying things to make me feel better. Convincing myself that I am worthy of good things in life. Blah, blah, blah...enough moping... My point is that during my retail therapy, I decided to BUY BOOKS!!!! I spent ages in the book store, trying to decide what books I want, what would cheer me up. I haven’t bought books in a long time, especially new books. Even though I love owning books and want to have a huge, huge library, buying new books lately has been more dream than reality. I just haven’t had the expendable income. Now I have at least a little bit of extra cash, and –  being on the verge of a meltdown –  I felt it was time to spend, spend, spend on books! So I decided to get what I wanted. I ended up with four choices and got all of them!

One of the books I got I had never heard of before. I was somehow drawn to it. As I was turning a corner I saw it on a shelf – a row of them waiting to be bought. I picked it up and looked at its description. The book seemed as melancholy as I felt so I bought it.

I thought, if I don’t like it, then that would be a lesson for me – sometimes (as I heartbreakingly found out recently) things don’t always turn out the way you want or expect them to, but you can always learn something from the experience. (Fiction books teach lessons sometimes, although I usually just appreciate them for the way they make me feel and try to ignore/disregard the critical views that ruin them for would be fans.)

I also thought, if I do like it, well, at least something good came from the entire experience.

As it turns out, I found myself bored with the book within the first chapter. Although I’m not keen on the author’s writing style, I think the book could be good. But I think it was partially me and my state of mind – I actually did not want to continue my melancholy. I wanted to feel good and move on.

I didn’t move on completely... Just as it always is for me when dealing with heartbreak, I just couldn’t let go yet. So I continued reading the book I had been reading up til then – Nine Stories. Now this was the kind of melancholy reading I needed. Something untouchably sad and heartbreaking in its everyday depression and disappointment. This one line sums 'it' all up for me, “The fact is always obvious much too late, but the most singular difference between happiness and joy is that happiness is a solid and joy a liquid.” I think I need to strive for more solids in my life. 

As the kids say, OMG!

Whoa, young adult dystopian literature! This series is even better than The Hunger Games, albeit much more intense, in depth, and emotionally distressing. In fact, while I have NEVER before in my whole life cried from reading a book, I teared up a bit near the end of the last book. Don’t let my intense description so far turn you off of this series. The books are probably some of the best I’ve ever read. Chaos Walking is the name of the series and the author is Patrick Ness. The three books are The Knife of Never Letting Go, The Ask and the Answer, and Monsters of Men.

 

I don’t really want to write too much about this series. Just that it is incredible. It’s basically on another planet in the future where there is a virus that causes all people to be able to hear each others’ thoughts. All of them. All the time. Except that women can hear thoughts but their thoughts can’t be heard.  The series is technically a young adult book, but I feel that its subject matter is much more adult. Or at least it allows for incredibly adult discussions of some very serious ‘what if?’ situations. Whoa, intense. Have I said that a few times already?

Silly

http://www.theonion.com/articles/books-whats-all-the-buzz-about,10283/

I’m Hungry for More!!!!

Two great things combined to create one awesome book. Young adult fiction + dystopian lit = The Hunger Games!!!!  Oh my god! What a good book. I decided recently to read this book before I even knew it was being made into a movie. I decided to read it purely because Lia recommended it (see the video in my post about Twilight). Now I cannot wait to see the film!

Lia was right, that IS a good book! After reading it, I could hardly wait to get the next one to read (Catching Fire is the second and Mockingjay is the third, which I am waiting to get now). Why is this book so amazing?, you might ask... Well, for me I really enjoy dystopian literature to begin with. I don’t know why, I just do. It’s nice to imagine alternate places and times which, while highly unlikely in my opinion, could exist.  I also really enjoy young adult fiction. It's often easy reading, very engaging and enthralling, and keeps you wanting more. In these respects, The Hunger Games does not disappoint. It is constant suspense –  I often stayed up too late so I could keep reading – and if I had just a whole day to spend reading I could have easily finished the book in one go. It definitely brought me away to another time and place – Panem, a futuristic and dystopic North America.

True, it is hard to imagine this future ever really occurring. I mean, seriously, no other countries would ever really allow America to kill kids and not allow its citizens to leave their particular district, right? Oh wait, let’s think for a minute about the world we actually do live in... I think there are some countries in which the citizens aren’t allowed free mobility to leave and some countries whose citizens we (as Americans) don’t really care about. But anyway, I really am not going into political or social commentary here. That’s not my thing at all. But it just makes me second guess the theory that this would NEVER happen...who knows what could come?...

*DISCLAIMER* The next paragraph reveals some important plot details. Don’t read this if you don’t want me to ruin anything for you.

This book definitely makes me want more. I want to know more about the war that caused Panem to be the way it is. I want to know more about the daily lives of the people in all the various districts. How they all handle the strict and cruel rule they are under. I want to be in the book (without actually dealing with any of the problems there, of course). And with regards to the second book, I want to know more about the various players in the rebellion. How they have planned the rebellion and the things they have done up til the end of the book. Of course, the reader is kept in the dark (so far) about these things in the same way Katniss is. That’s a good way of being able to put yourself in her place and be more easily drawn right into the book.

I cannot wait to read the last book, but then of course it will be over. And that is the sad part about reading books that really keep you captivated like that, that totally engross you until you’ve lost your grip on reality. Eventually you have to go back to the real world and let these characters and places go; you'll never really experience them. But still... Man I love books like this!

Recommendations?

My friend Marine recommended a book to me: http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2012/03/08/johan-lehrer-fourth-culture/.
I think it looks pretty cool and it is a great suggestion for me. I'll be reading it at some point when my obsession with young adult dystopias wears down...

Do you have any recommendations you think I would enjoy? (Let's see who knows me best. :P)

'Everything is not so bad' when you have a good book

The topic today is about one of my favourite books. I have three favourite books (and just by chance they all start with ‘C’):  Candide, A Confederacy of Dunces, and A Clockwork Orange. Why I have chosen these...I don’t know. I never really thought about it too much before beyond the fact that I like them. But upon deeper thought, perhaps it is because for each of the books, I had never before that point read anything like them.

This post, in particular is about Candide, or Optimism by Voltaire. This is a great book and I first read it at a time in my life when I was absolutely miserable. Nothing was going right in my life – or so I thought – and I hoped for something better. This book helped! The misery that Candide suffers while still hoping that he was in ‘the best of all possible worlds’ is funny, sad, and cynical. I love this book! But, I do have a hankering for utopian literature in general. And I would consider this – for me – to be a bit utopian in a sense. Candide is always out searching for his eutopia, and finds it in El Dorado momentarily yet decides it still isn’t good enough because his love isn’t there. I guess it is like some people say...’everything happens for a reason’, or ‘look on the bright side’... Well, I don’t believe in all that garbage. Sometimes things just suck. But it’s not totally cynical and pessimistic to denounce Leibnizian thought or optimism in general. Rather, you can accept that things suck for the time being, or things could be worse, or whatever, and say that ‘everything is not so bad’.

Here are some of my favourite quotes from Candide (the translated version you see in the picture above):

‘A hundred times I wished to kill myself, but my love of life persisted. This ridiculous weakness is perhaps one of the most fatal of our faults.’ – the old woman

‘When one cannot come to terms with one world, one can always do so with another. ‘Tis a great delight to see and do new things.’ – Cacambo

‘If we find nothing pleasant, at least we shall find something new.’ – Cacambo

‘...when one is tolerably at ease in any place, he should remain there.’ – King of El Dorado

‘Fools have a habit of believing that everything written by a famous author is admirable. For my part, I read only to please myself, and like only what suits my taste.’ – Pococurante

‘Such are my sentiments. I speak my mind, and am perfectly indifferent whether others think as I do.’ - Pococurante

World Book Day

Thanks to my friend, Ania, for bringing this to my attention.
1 March 2012 is World Book Day!!!!
http://www.worldbookday.com/
Enjoy your books:)

Breaking Molds All Over The Place

Another post to break the mold.... I normally don’t read too much non-fiction, unless it’s for school or something. But while I was at the bookstore a few weeks back, I came across this book – Living Dolls: The Return of Sexism, by Natasha Walter. This book is very good and it made me think a lot and also made me pretty irritated with the way things are for many women and men in the world today. I know I face sexism every day (hello, work), but not to the extent a lot of people do. I consider myself lucky because I can make my own decisions. This is a point, though, that is brought up in the book. Everyone has a choice. But it is important to consider the circumstances under which our ‘choices’ are made. In a society that, in general, largely expects certain behaviour from men and women, it’s no wonder we (men and women alike) make some of the choices we do.

One interesting topic that was brought up is the unfair objectification of women in politics. Men in politics are judged mainly on their merit and whether or not they are doing a ‘good’ job. Women in politics are often judged on whether or not they are hot. If they are not hot, then somehow, they are ‘unnatural’ and shouldn’t be trusted – regardless of how intelligent they are or if they are satisfactory politicians.

Another interesting topic was about the ‘choice’ that men make to go back to work very soon after their child is born. This is often seen as a choice, even though men are sometimes not given the same leave rights as women after childbirth. This reinforces stereotypes and gender roles.

A final topic I will mention is the very narrow view of masculinity and femininity that is projected on people even from birth. Men and women – boys and girls – are expected to behave differently – to behave in certain ways. Some people argue this is biologically instilled in humans, but Walter points out that in fact there is better scientific evidence that shows no biological basis to ‘masculine’ or ‘feminine’ behaviour. (I will note that I have not researched the topic or read the scientific papers she references myself, but I am more of a leaner towards social factors influencing different gender behaviour expectations.) I really hate being pigeon-holed into behaving and looking a certain way. I am not a wee dainty girl. I’m 6 feet tall, I’m never gonna be petite. And you know what, it often makes me feel bad about myself the way I see people (men and women) drooling over petite skinny girls as if they are the only ones who are beautiful. “Oh I’d destroy that”, I often hear at work. Thanks, co-worker, for objectifying that poor girl who is just out shopping and doesn’t really care if you’d like to have sex with her until she breaks in half. (Ugh, rant over.)

And finally, a quote from the book: “We will never challenge the ways that women’s freedom is still constrained if we simply acquiesce in the idea that women are biologically programmed to fit in with the most limited stereotype of femininity.” And I’d also like to say I feel the same way for men and masculinity as well.  

I recommend this book for everyone, women and men. It is important for everyone to be aware of these issues. Even if you don’t consider yourself to be sexist at all, these things are happening in our world everyday and could affect your loved ones. Hell, they probably affect you even if you don't realise it. Also recommended for parents who want their children to be free to choose who they are. Personally, I am glad I was given free rein to run around like a wild child, climb trees, ride bikes, smash rocks with a hammer to see what was inside (ok, parents might not know about that one), and explore the woods like a mad woman rather than sit inside and play with barbies and put on makeup all day dressed in pink. I probably wouldn’t be the awesome woman I am today otherwise.

Further recommended reading: 

http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Ftogetherforjacksoncountykids.tumblr.com%2Fpost%2F14314184651%2Fone-teachers-approach-to-preventing-gender-bullying-in&h=dAQEWyrUwAQFOqeX8elz14iUKZfVGduMeU4UYiBylKnaMEw.

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6378897-living-dolls (see this page for some more in depth reviews of the book)

Sci Fi Reblog

I don’t usually do posts like this here – reblogging stuff from other sites – but since I did it last time too, maybe I’ll start doing it more often as a trend. Only when something is really cool though. This time I am reblogging http://www.npr.org/blogs/alltechconsidered/2012/02/24/146817285/what-science-fiction-books-does-a-futurist-read. (NPR is cool and NPR Books rocks my world, especially that three books series http://www.npr.org/series/three-books/.)

Anyway...I thought this particular blog was worth sharing, a) because maybe you have never heard of NPR books, and b) because it makes me think about how my taste in books has changed over time. At this moment, I think this NPR books blog post is really cool. And I want to read a lot of those books listed. But as a young reader (I’d say even into my early adulthood), I was never into science fiction. Granted I did like Stephen King, and I would consider some of his writing to be science fiction (actually I think most of his books I’ve read can be considered science fiction while maybe belonging to other genres as well). But I was never into ‘mainstream’ science fiction or science fiction as a genre. (As an aside I would just like to note that I actually really hate classifying things into genres!! If you're wondering why, take for instance one guy I met online...he stopped talking to me when I disagreed with his definition of what the ‘genre’ of folk music actually is!! While I HATE genres, apparently I LOVE parentheses – I’ll try to reel them in from now on, promise.)

I am glad that my tastes have expanded over time and that I now love science fiction in addition to many of the other ‘genres’ that are out there. I’ll hopefully get to a lot of these books soon, but one I am really interested in is Little Brother. It seems like a right dystopia there. Take a pick from this science fiction list and see what inspires you.

I Want This

Love those books!

This is a picture I posted on another blog of mine,  http://findoutsomething.tumblr.com/, which usually doesn't talk about books.

P.S. for credit where credit is due, I reblogged that from  http://bookmania.me/post/17201125708/old-penguins-how-many-books-is-too-many-photo .

Happy Reading Everyone!!!!

Censorship and Other Psychotic Stuff

This post comes from two ideas in my brain, I suppose. First of all it relates to the most recent book in my ‘read’ (past tense) collection: American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis. I’ve wanted to read this book for a long time and, obviously, I finally have. A lot of people, I think, were a bit disturbed to hear about me reading this. And to be honest, even though it is a bit of social commentary, satire, and dark comedy, it’s not for the faint of heart. Although the book doesn’t get violent right away. It’s more of a gradual journey that you feel you’re slipping down. The main character, Patrick Bateman, does reveal past ‘indiscretions’ from earlier times in his life, but you (at least I) really get the feeling that his descent is gradual while getting more progressive as the book nears the end. As though his behaviour gets worse and worse the more he is enveloped in his own culture. The more his society gives to him, the more limiting these possessions and options actually become – and he totally loses touch with reality; he becomes increasingly psychotic.

Obviously the author is ‘saying’ something about 80s American culture – and it definitely still resonates. But, at the same time, I couldn’t help feel that the book was ‘saying’ something about me. Not in a psychotic way, like the book was actually talking to me so fear not. Naturally I felt a bit disturbed at some of the things Bateman does. But mostly, I felt desensitised to it all and even intrigued. Yeah, it made me cringe to imagine these things happening to me, or to anyone really. But I felt worse for the animals that were mutilated. Obviously, it’s just a book and it’s natural for me to detach myself from these events. But, I guess, I am wondering how most people feel when reading this book, what their reactions are....

I was recently talking with a friend of mine about it and he says he thinks, at the end, that Bateman never did any of it. Basically that it was all a delusion. I can see his point, especially when Harold Carnes claims to have had dinner with Paul Owen, one of Bateman’s ‘victims’. But, maybe Carnes just confused someone else for Owen, like everyone does to everyone else in the book. Still, the point is totally valid, and I can see it from that angle as well...even though I don’t necessarily believe it. I will just have to read the book again and see what I think a second time round. What are your thoughts?

Feel free to comment on the movie adaptation as well

The second idea in my brain is something I wanted to write about ages ago, but never did...The Banned Books exhibit at the National Library of Scotland, which I went to over the summer. The reason I think of this at the same time as American Psycho is because the exhibit talked about how in Australia, American Psycho is only sold shrink-wrapped to people over 18. How do you feel about such book censorship? I find it innately wrong, but then again I was reading Stephen King when I was like 10, and I’ve always read what I wanted to (thanks mom and dad for letting me!!). The exhibition was very cool, and although it is not on anymore, you can read about it here: http://www.nls.uk/exhibitions/banned-books. The exhibition included lots of other cool books, including A Clockwork Orange, one of my favourite books ever (even though I’ve only read the American version – lame I know). This finally (well, not finally...my thoughts keep going and going, but I realise this post is wearing on) brings to mind the new, censored version of Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, in which all ‘n’ words are censored. If you haven’t heard of this, read about it here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2011/jan/05/huckleberry-finn-edition-censors-n-word. This is ridiculous, and I think it needs its own future post, so stay tuned.

On the Road, Bro

This blog seems to love Jack Kerouac, eh? Well, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to share with you this tumblr blog: http://onthebrod.com/
Incredible. Love it. This guy has also got a book deal for this!? That is cool.

Vampires and stuff

This blog entry is all about Twilight and New Moon, the first two books of the Twilight series. First of all a disclaimer: I had never ever thought I would EVER in my life read any of the Twilight books. However, back a few years ago, my cousin Cali tried to convince me to read these books, claiming they are soooo good. I got the same suggestion from her mom, my cousin Jenna. Well, back then I really had NO interest whatsoever. But for some reason, recently, I was overcome with the desire to read these books. ‘For some reason’....I still am unsure what that reason was...maybe boredom, maybe the desire to read something that wouldn’t take a lot of effort...who knows? Certainly not me.

I really really did not like Twilight. Still, for some reason, I was compelled to read the next in the series. New Moon was a bit better, but all in all I would say not good. These books make me feel so angry. The main character, Bella, is so irritating! She is madly in love with Edward, the vampire who is obviously a paedophile. She has absolutely no life and once she meets Edward, she becomes obsessed with him. That is all she cares about in life and when Edward leaves her, she totally shuts down. To be honest, I know that many people are like this in real life, so fair enough that Stephanie Meyer, the books’ author, writes like this. Still, though, it irritates me to no end. I want characters who serve as role models to young girls, in a sense, to be strong and set good examples. And Bella hardly does that. It is like Meyer is saying to young girls that this type of behaviour and pining desperately over someone is okay.

This video says it all, and it’s extremely funny:

Even though I have not really enjoyed these books and they sort of actually piss me off, I still feel compelled to read the rest of the series. Good lord.