Emma

Saturday, January 24, 2009

Like mentioned before, I have momentarily (or maybe completely, who knows) abandoned my fantasy reading kick. I have transfered to Austen. For now. At least until some more of my books that I'm waiting for at the library come in.

I decided to not just do what I have always done, and not just re-read Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility. (Okay, I did re-read them, but I didn't just stop there.)

I decided to read some of Austen's books that I just couldn't get through the last time I tried.

So I started with the other one I had on my shelf: Emma.

And I was reminded why I haven't actually ever finished Emma. The book, despite having all the period charm of Austen and a wonderful insight into the culture and roles of men and women at the time, is just plain boring.

Every other book of Austen's that I've read was compelling. There is something to keep you reading until the end of the book. Two lovers, torn about by circumstance, family, or society: Will they end up together? Two completely different people, alone in the world: Could they ever end up together? An individual, kept down by society: Could they ever find happiness?

But there was no drama to Emma. I felt that the entire book was a description of what happens when wealthy people have too little useful employment on their hands, and therefore fill their time meddling in the affairs of other people. Of course, nothing positive could ever result from the interference.

Emma, a beautiful, wealthy, socially connected women, has no serious activity to occupy her, so she need to arrange the lives of those around her. And it is worse than that. She is positively the worst individual at reading personalities, ambitions, or desires in other people. She prides herself of being insightful and observant, but is wrong every single time. She doesn't even have enough insight to recognize her feelings towards other people.

The only person in the book who is likable at all is Mr. Knightley, who is generous, thoughtful, and truly observant (as his views on people tend to be right.) I like him a great deal, and actually feel sorry that he ended up with Emma, and not Jane Fairfax, who is probably the only truly sensible, intelligent female in the book.

The book is lighthearted enough, but lacks any true substance that would entice me to read it a second time. My heartfelt apologies to Jane Austen, my literary heroine, for being so critical of her work.

Letter to Our President

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Today we witnessed the 44th president sworn in. President Barack Obama.

Regardless of how you voted, regardless of your personal political views, this is an historic moment. The first black president of the United States of America.

The inaugural speech was wonderful. There were moments I felt tears well up in my life.

Some of my favorite parts

"It is time to pick ourselves up, to dust ourselves off, and start rebuilding America."

"[The leaders of countries] will be remembered, not by what they destroy, but with what they build."

I have some things I would like to say to our new president...

Dear President Obama,

Congratulations on becoming president today. I know that this is a important moment, not just for you and your family, and not just for black Americans, but for all Americans.

I have listened to many of speeches that you have given over your road to the presidency. I want you to know that your words have given me reason to hope. For the first time in a long time, I feel reasons to be hopeful for the future.

I have two young children, and I worry about their future everyday. I think about how I will provide from them, next month and next year. I think about providing them opportunities. I wonder how to make sure they are safe, go to good school, have college accessible to them. Every parent hopes that things will be better for their children than they were for them. For the first time, I feel that this may be true.

I have watched friends and family lose homes and lose jobs. I have watched loved ones stress about medical bills and decide between essential bills and medication. I have watched schools, hospitals, and government fail people I know and love time after time. I have prayed for change. You have promised change.

Thank you for the hope.

Pride and Prejudice: BBC or not?

Monday, January 19, 2009

I have recently switched my new affair for fantasy novels for a familiar love: Jane Austen.

Of course, it all started with Pride and Prejudice.

I've read this novel more than I've read Harry Potter. More than any other book I can think of. And I love it more with each reading. So I guess that it fits with my prior, as yet unchanged, definition of a good book. This is definitely my favorite book.

The re-reading of the book lead to the re-watching of the movies. Both the Focus Films version (or as we call it, the Keira Knightley version) and the BBC version. Which lead to debates between my husband and me about which one we like best (yes, he joins in. He has been caught unawares in my web. Insert evil laugh here!)

I think the general consensus is that we like the BBC version better. But I'm not going to stop there. I'm going to give you a breakdown of my view on each aspect (okay, not every aspect, but a great deal.)
















1. In General: The Keira Knightley version is much, much shorter, and thus more appropriate for "casual" viewing; you know, wanting to watch an entire movie in a single night. I also think that the cinematography of this film is far superior to the previous version. The filming is absolutely stunning. However, due to it's brevity (but not just due to that), I feel that you don't get a good sense of the characters and their personalities. The1. In general: The Keira BBC version is much better at delving into the characters and all their subtleties. The new version does do a better job of showing "country" versus "city," but I couldn't help think, that although they were country people, the Bennetts would never let their hair get so messy.

2. Elizabeth Bennett: Keira Knightley is gorgeous. There is just not getting around that. But I still think that Jennifer Ehle does a much better job portraying what Jane Austen herself called"delightful a character as ever appeared in print." I felt that Keira smirked too much.











3. Jane Bennett: The girl who plays Jane in the new version is much prettier than Jane in BBC version. That's all.










4. Mr. Darcy: I love Mr. Darcy. He is probably my favorite literary male ever. (Oh wait, I momentarily forgot about Edward Cullen.) I also like Colin Firth. But I like Mr. Darcy in the new version much better. I find Matthew MacFadyen more dashing. I also like how they portray him taller than everyone else, especially in the first ball scene.














5. Mr. Bingley: I like Bingley on the BBC version much better. He smiles more, is more pleasant, and much less goofy than the new version.

6. Mrs. Bennett and daughters: All more irritating all the BBC version. As my husband said, "I can't stand Mrs. Bennett on the BBC version. Which means she is doing a better job." Ditto on Lydia.

7. Mr. Wickham: The budget-version Orlando Bloom they rounded up for the new version just didn't cut it for me. Give me the original Wickham, who is instantly more dashing and distrustful.










8. Mr. Bingley's sister: I have to admit that I forgot about Caroline Bingley, until my husband mentioned, "I think the girl they got to be Mr. Bingley's sister is much better than the guy that played her in the BBC one." Enough said.

9. Mr. Collins: Much more slimy and silly in the BBC version.

10. Charlotte Lucas: This character can almost be overlooked in both the book and the BBC version. The new version did a fantastic job of expounding her character. I especially love the scene where she comes to tell Elizabeth that she is engaged to Mr. Collins. Her lines of "I'm 27 years old. I've not prospects. I'm already a burden to my parents. So don't judge me, Lizzy. Don't you dare judge me." (I know, not perfect quotes, but good enough.) You learn so much about her character at this time.

I think that is enough hashing through the films. If you add it up, I think that the BBC version wins.

But I don't really care. Just as long as I get a little Eliza and Darcy, I'm good.

(If you disagree or agree with any of my "analysis," I would love to hear it!!)

Gift

Thursday, January 15, 2009

The most basic and powerful way to connect to another person is to listen. Just listen. Perhaps the most important thing we every give each other is our attention... A loving silence often has far more power to heal and to connect than the most well-intentioned words.

- Rachel Naomi Remen (physician and author of Kitchen Table Wisdom)

The Host

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Despite the fact it has been a while since I posted, I have still been reading. Not a lot else to do when the majority of my time over the last few weeks has been spent traveling by my lonesome.

By now, everyone is well aware of my, um, slight preoccupation with Twilight (or maybe it's just Edward. I'm not going to expose myself by delving into that analysis. Although I did tell my husband that he was not "allowed" to read them because I was not feeling up to sharing my fantasy world.) But this is completely off track.

I have said before that I don't think Stephanie Meyer is a strong writer. But her ability to create characters and emotions that suck readers into her stories is uncanny.

I just finished reading The Host, which is Meyer's first book for adults.


First, technicalities. The writing, while still not superb, is much better than the Twilight books.

But it almost doesn't matter. The book is FANTASTIC. I was surprised by how much I loved the book. It was almost harder to put down than Twilight.

Once again, without giving anything away, the basic plot:

The world has been taken over by an alien invasion. These aliens take over the human mind, removing their awareness and identity. But when one girl, part of the human resistance, is captured, she refuses to go down without a fight. Melanie forces her memories and emotions on the alien living inside her body.

That is all I think I can fairly tell you. There is more on the book jacket, but I just can't bring myself to give that much away.

This book, with all its aliens, and invasions, and spaceships, and blah, blah, blah, is surprisingly not about any of that.

It is about what it means to be human. The emotions and connections that make us who we are, not just as people, but as individuals. It examines what it means to be human, in the ugly ways and in the beautiful ways. And what it is to be us, as an individual.

The people in the book are not perfect. They are selfish, hurtful, greedy, easily offended. But the amazing thing about them is that they are people. They also are selfless, forgiving, patient, and loving.

The theme of this book is about what it means to love someone. That all people, seen through the eyes of the person that loves them more than anything, are amazing, beautiful, and precious. We are defined both by who we love and who loves us.

This is a beautiful book. Read it. Then tell me about it.

Snowflakes

Sunday, January 4, 2009

Usually, as soon as it starts snowing, I get busy making paper snowflakes. It's a family tradition that goes back to when I could first hold scissors.

Along that line, here are some of the most amazing snowflake pictures I have every seen. I've used images from this website for gift tags, Christmas cards, and my desktop background.




It's amazing to think that these exquisite works of art are falling all around us as it snows.

Fabulous!

Speeding Up

Friday, January 2, 2009

I'm not sure exactly when I noticed it.

I think it was late in my senior year of high school.

Before then, life, despite its ups, downs, highlights, and disappointments, had moved in a normal pace. School. Home. Summer. Winter. The rhythm was the same.

But now, I was on the brink of the rest of my life. All the major events of my life were about to start taking place. The ones your parents start planning for the day you are born. I was going to graduate high school. I was going to move into my own apartment. I was going to start college. I had met the man I was going to marry.

I was 17.

And at that point, time sped up. No just figuratively. I could actually feel time moving faster. And was still accelerating past me.

I recently read that as we age, one year becomes statistically shorter. When you are 2 years old, one year is one half of your life. When you are 50, one year is 1/50 of your life.

I wasn't aware of the math then, but never the less, I could feel it.

I still feel it every day.

I blinked, and college was over. I went to sleep, and medical school was over. I turned around, and my children are taller.

Some days still trudge by, measured out by pager beeps and sibling squabbles.

But most days, I feel things slipping past me, sand between my fingers.

And there are days I hate time for stealing my children's youth when my back is turned. They were infants, then toddlers, and now children. And my heart aches to think they will be teenagers, adults, and leave.

The strangest part of all of this is that I feel stationary, stuck in the same place as when this began. I feel 17 while the times of my life speed past me.