purpose

Both of the books I'm reading (20 Something, 20 Everything & A Prayer for Owen Meany) reveal things about a meaningful life.  It seems like everything around me has something to say about that right now.  Purpose can be shaped and influenced by identity, independence, security, relationships, career, and family.  I know everyone has a purpose for their life, whether they acknowledge it or not is another thing.  The main character in "A Prayer for Owen Meany", Owen Meany (go figure), states many times to his best friend that he has a purpose and there is a reason things develop the way they do.  His whole life is filled with things that happen and they all add up to an ending that I won't talk about in case you want to read the book.  I would highly suggest it.  It'll give you a new appreciation for these things around you that make up your world.
This book is over 600 pages, but it is written so beautifully and with something that keeps you wanting to read more and learn about this kid's life.  He isn't your typical character and I wonder how Irving pulled this off.  Meany is a little person.  There isn't too much about that, but there are a few things throughout the book that are influenced by his size.  How did Irving know so well how to write about something that he'd never be able to understand unless he experienced this first hand?  I feel like he did the character justice.  
One of Owen's prayers was Psalm 37.  My favorite verses from this are 5-6, 
"Open up before God, keep nothing back; 
  he'll do whatever needs to be done:   
He'll validate your life in the clear light of day
  and stamp you with approval at high noon."


Next up is "The Artist's Way" by Julia Cameron.  I hope to ignite my creativeness with this one!

ranunculas to the rescue

It's been a busy few days, but I'm still managing to squeeze in my reading whenever I can.  I've been bringing my book with me wherever I go so that I can read at any moment.  I spent two hours waiting for my doctor to show up and was reading, reading, reading.  Thankfully, I don't get car sick so I read while driving places.  This rain the past five days has made me super tired and I've been napping a lot.  To brighten up my world I went to the greenhouse with my cousin, Vicki, and bought two bunches of my favorite flower, ranunculas.  Now I can glance up from my reading and see my beautiful bouquet.  I wish I had a house in the countryside of France so I could just pick my own wildflowers to enjoy.  Sipping iced tea out on my french terrace.  Going to cafes and watching people.  Eating a lot of bread and delicious meals. 
 This book about a year in Provence brings up a lot of the little nuances in cultures, locations, and seasons.  The author himself is English, straight from Brighton, and isn't afraid to address these things.  I love how this book was published in 1989 but time really has nothing to do with anything.  It hasn't changed.  It's like going to a place in time and having it paused.  It's the best of both worlds: old and new collide and are merged together when necessary.
 I only have one more chapter to read in the book and I'm feeling unhappy about it being the end already. It like going somewhere and not wanting to leave because you're having such a great time.  Reading about France makes me want to go back as soon as I can and re-experience everything this author details about his year there.  I guess I have to move on to other books and just finish it.  I am planning on going through it again and check out all the things I highlighted.  A more detailed evaluation is to come.

wanderlusting

It wasn't too hard to give up on "The Postmistress" since I picked a fabulous book to move on to, "A Year In Provence" by Peter Mayle.  Any book that has to do with France or french- I love.  Even if the book sucks, I still like it because it has that element in it.  It's true.  There is a whole shelf in my book case that has only these kinds of books on it.  It just has a special place in my heart and soul.  I'd say it all started because my grandmother (my Dad's mom) spoke barely any english and the one thing I remember most about her is her thick french accent.  That sparked my interest in learning the language, I wanted to understand what she was saying to me.  Sadly, I never got that opportunity to have a true conversation in french with her before she died, but I continued learning it through college.  My senior year I spent a semester abroad and was living my dream.  I was immersed in the language and culture and loved it.  I lived in a town called Nancy.  I am hoping to go back for a visit sometime this summer (Darcey, I'm serious!).  The book I am reading now takes place in a completely different location, Provence, but it's still France.  Each chapter is a month and I'm already on July (it started in January).  I love this author's style and attitude, very clever.  The way he describes things makes it feel like I am right there next to him and provides me with lots of food for my imagination.  He spends five pages talking about truffles and it's absolutely fascinating... all about the mushroom!
Normally, I have little sticky-tab things that I use to mark a page that has something I want to remember and/or go back to at some point, but for this book there are so many that I just gave in and used my highlighter.  It's already going dry.  I hate when that happens, it's usually and indication to me that I am too highlighter-happy, but I can't help myself... I was deprived from marking books up in high school because we had to return them, so now I am making up for it.


The other book came in from the library, "A Prayer for Owen Meany" by John Irving.  A friend I share a love for books and scrabble with read it a few months ago and she said it reminded her of me.  It also was on one of those must-read-before-you-die lists.  It's a big one, over 600 pages.  Now, if I had a kindle, I wouldn't be able to have to satisfaction of holding that fat paperback and turning each page.  But, if it I did have a kindle, I wouldn't have to switch to my bigger purse just to tote that bigger book around in.  If someone gave me a kindle, I'd be very happy.  If someone gave me a book I'd be very happy.  Both have their ups and downs.

I was lucky enough to be able to read two days this week outside on my porch.  It's time to make some iced tea and put on the sunscreen!  It really is blissful to sit out there.

it's all coming back to me

I had requested "The Postmistress" from my local library and couldn't remember why I had chosen that book.  It had to be for a good reason.  Maybe a friend suggested it, or Oprah, or maybe it was one of those read this if you liked this?  I started it the other day and am now about 50-pages into it and am at the point of wanting to give up on it and return it to the library, unfinished.  That is a huge thing for me, I never ever give up on a book.  I feel guilty- like I could be missing out on something great.  If I ever get to that situation where I'm dreading to read the rest of a book I always find it okay to put it down for however long I need and continue it at a future date and time.  Sometimes, I have paused from books for years at a time, but I always know I will get back to it.  

I finally put my finger on how that book was added to my list of to-read.  I receive a monthly newsletter from my local bookstore, Aaron's Books, and in that I saw an advertisement for a book club meeting that was going to be discussing "The Postmistress" today and the author was going to be signing books there next week.  I figured since they are promoting this book it must have potential, right?  Now I am re-thinking the whole thing.  This book just seems not along the lines of what I typically like to read.  It reminds me of The Real Housewives for some reason.  One scene I keep going back to that bothers me is one that takes place in the local Post Office and a neighborhood lady goes there every day to catch up on the latest gossip and watch others.  I just picture a lot of old ladies with rollers in their hair and old men gathered outside chatting it up.  All that to say, I think I am going to take the dive and put the book down for good.

I finished "The Elements of Style" and have decided I need to purchase my own copy so that I can highlight and mark it up.  There are just too many points in the book to take in just one read-through.  It's the type of book that should be read at least once a year to remind you of how to talk and write.  I think the most noticeable way it's challenged me is with my text messages.  They are now complete sentences with punctuation and all that jazz.  If you receive multiple texts from me at once, that is why, they're much longer doing it that way.  

one last comment

I thought I was finished commenting about "Jane Eyre", but I was wrong. Jane was marked as my least favorite character in the book and it turns out that it's really St. James. He would drive me insane if I had to be around him longer than five minutes. Pushy, hard-headed, hypocritical, and psycho are just a few words that come to mind to describe this dude. The only good point about him is that he made me like Jane in the end. I guess she came to her senses after seeing what crazy really was like.

dictionary, which one?

It's a love story and a pro-feminist novel. Which doesn't seem possible. I don't mind being a strong and independent woman, but it can be taken way too far. "Jane Eyre" is really stirring up some irritation. I don't feel bad for Jane, am I supposed to? Her character just really annoys me. It started right away with her "woe is me" attitude and I thought she became somewhat likeable with her drive to be something and make her life worthwhile, but she flushed all of my hopes for liking her down the toilet once she moved into her new home with Mr. Rochester. She is just too independent and self-reliant, it's like an obsession and she will do anything (even if it's harmful to herself) to remain that way.
If you haven't read this story here it is in a nutshell (don't worry, I won't give the ending away in case you want to read it): a girl has a horrible childhood and gets sent off to a school where she takes control of her life and makes it bearable and finds a way to make a difference in her world. She gets tired of it after a while and decides to try something new and applies for a job in another city. She gets it and becomes a teacher to a french orphan girl and then falls in love with her boss (even though initially she had feelings of hatred towards him). They planned to wed, but then a secret from his past surfaced and it was all ruined. Jane refuses to ignore it and just moves on, literally. She runs off into the night without telling anyone and with little food and very little money which she squanders just to get a carriage to take her to another place. And blah, blah, blah. Just rehashing it all is giving me a headache. Or maybe I need more coffee.

This book has many words that aren't in my vocabulary which is all fine and dandy, but after so many it makes me feel pretty unintelligent. If I had a dictionary, I feel like I would be pausing after every other paragraph to check on the definitions of the words. I guess I should have paid more attention during Vocabulary class in high school. Oh well, it just gives me the option of finding a good dictionary and putting it to use. Any recommendations? I know I could just use dictionary.com but I think it is more fun to page through the thick book and search for the right word. I am old fashioned like that.

On to another book, I just got "The Postmistress" by Sarah Blake from the library and it's due back soon so I better get a move on it. Those library fines can add up quickly.

autobiography, finished

I am proud to say that I got through and finished "Speak, Memory." It was a challenge to read about a place that I know little about (Russia) and about a guy who loves butterflies and talks more about that than his wife and kid. However, I kept in mind that this guy didn't even speak English as his first language and his writing is amazing.
Side note: It truly impresses me when someone can have a solid grasp on a language other than their native tongue. I heard on NPR this morning that there is no evidence that teaching a child more than one language when they're young confuses them. In fact, it makes them smarter and use more of their brain. And, dementia can be slowed by at least a few years. 2/3rds of European children know more than one language. Let's jump on the bandwagon already. I better get out my Rosetta Stone and work on my french.
Anyway, I still want to read his "Lolita" because he does have a nice writing style. I just wasn't captured by his biography. Is that a crime? Maybe once I read more biographies I will be able to appreciate it.
What keeps surfacing to me is why some call this an autobiography while others call it a memoir. There is a difference and to me it does matter since I am in the midst of writing about my rehabilitation from a recent surgery and don't want to call it a novel or non-fiction. I figured it would be a memoir since it's just a part of my history/life, right? There are some major debates over these genres and I would rather have no part in that so I am just going to call it what I want and if you don't like it, too bad.
In the end, I think my niece liked this book more than I did.

rain and reading both start with r's

I'm trying to find the positive of this not-so-springy weather. The negatives come quite easily... Manu refuses to go outside and poops on the rug, I can't ride my wheelchair over to the gym and risk getting pulled over by a cop who has nothing better to do than pull girls in wheelchairs over, I can't sit out on my porch and bask in the sun, and I can't go to the park with Gia and take a thousand pictures of her. So can you see why I'm not a happy camper? The only good reason for this rain and cold, other than the earth needs it, is that I can read and work on my blog. And drink lots of coffee.

I’m trying really hard to get through “Speak, Memory” by Vladimir Nabokov. I started this because I read somewhere that it is one of the must-reads. I must admit, I’m struggling to get through it. There are sections that I enjoy and find myself reading without nodding off, but I am glad that I only have 1/3 of the book left to go. I have issues with not finishing a book. I just can’t not finish something I started. Even if it takes reading four or more other books in the meantime.

On that note, I picked up “Jane Eyre” by Charlotte Brontë. I couldn’t help myself. I was getting frustrated with how slowly I was getting through Vlad’s book and actually went for a few days without reading at all which is really bad because that meant I was watching more tv and that just is crap. To cure the filling of my head with useless reality tv shows, I (and by I, I mean Mick) dug up my old paperback of “Jane Eyre”. I had just seen a preview for a new movie about it that came out starring an actress I really like, Mia Wasikowska, so I thought why not re-read this old classic and see it in a different light.

Lastly, I’ve got “The Elements of Style” by William Strunk & E.B. White going. This one has to do with the fact that I’m working on my manuscript and needed a refreshing on my 7th grade grammar class and this book is one of the most highly recommended books for writing/grammar. And, it’s Wilbur’s creator, how could I pass that up, I think this book will be a lot less depressing than “Charlotte’s Web”.

My list is growing and I'm sure it's going to be over 52 books, but the more the merrier. I'll be including two of my favorite authors: David Sedaris and Paulo Coelo. I've got some great suggestions so far of books I've read already, but one that was just mentioned that sounds worth reading is "20-Something, 20-Everything: A Quarter-life Woman's Guide to Balance and Direction." Please visit this link if you want to see what books I've added to the stack. And I'm off to read...