Elizabeth's comments
(member since Apr 19, 2009)
Elizabeth's comments from the Chicks On Lit group.
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A few short years ago, I read none of them. Oh, sometimes I read the introduction, but if it was long, I'd get bored and just want to get to the story. Then one day I discovered myself reading an acknowledgement that gave me some insight into the book. I don't remember which book now, and I suppose it doesn't really matter. There were lots of Notes in The Woman in White, most of which I did not read. Unless I feel something needs to be clarified, that I am confused, I'll probably continue to skip these.
Do you read the Introductions, Acknowledgements, Notes, author biography, etc.? Sometimes, always, never? Some of it, all of it, none of it?
To me, it is without thought because he was concerned only with his single-minded purpose. He gave no thought to what anyone else, especially his wife who he purported to love, might want. Do I think Cathy would have responded to any inquiry as to what she wanted? No, but that's not really the point. This household was not involved in the greater community in any way. Heck, the men hadn't ever seen Cathy - no one had seen her, else she would have been recognized at Faye's. People didn't much know Adam either, and no one, except Samuel Hamilton, looked in on Adam. How uninteresting!
Take Adam and Cathy when married. No strife. Adam was completely selfless, saw nothing but Cathy in this world. There was nothing to show that he was in the least interested in becoming a father, never had a concern for anything, including how his wife was enduring her pregnancy. Does he think about what it will feel like to get that ranch all fixed up for Cathy and what their life will be like? In fact, I don't see that Adam ever has a thought for anything, even when I've read beyond the shooting. Cathy, too, has no concern for anything. Do we have any idea what she is thinking, other than doing harm to others? Has she no concern for herself? Does she like anything? I think the characters are flat because we only see what they do not what they think and/or feel.
So much of this book goes against what I've come to believe. The good vs evil that Tera and I talked about before. I finished this week's reading assignment that is scheduled to begin discussion tomorrow. This is the part that reads the Cain and Abel story from the Bible. Samuel proffers that all of us feel guilt because we descend from Cain. I don't believe that - there were other people, else Cain wouldn't have had a wife. But as to the book, have we seen the last of Charles? The last of Cathy? Why is Cathy in here? Cathy starts with a C. I'm having a hard time caring what happens to any of these people, except maybe Samuel Hamilton and Lee. None of the rest of them seem to care enough about themselves to improve their lives. Why would I care about them?
I wanted to finish up this week's assignment for East of Eden, so I've read the introduction to this. ;-) More today.
I have a confession. I prefer characterization over plot, and this book is plot over characterization. It is a good plot, though somewhat predictable. I'm just wanting a lot more characterization - these people feel very flat to me. I couldn't ask more for the writing, however, and wouldn't be ashamed to read it forever.
AJ wrote: "The book The Devil in the White City Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair that Changed America was incredibly engross..."
I loved that book, and it reads like a good novel. However, it is non-fiction. I think the author's normal approach is to have two stories juxtaposed within its covers, very entertaining.
Kat, I enjoyed Mrs. Kimble when I read it 3-4 years ago, hope you do too. We're reading East of Eden in the "chunky book" section right now. It wouldn't take you long to catch up and join us!
Another author I enjoyed years ago is Norah Lofts. How Far to Bethlehem? told the story of Mary from Mary's point of view. She is glorified in Christianity, but she was unwed and pregnant. Scent of Cloves about Anne Boleyn. I haven't read Phillipa Gregory, so maybe not as good, but I did enjoy it. There were a few others of Norah Lofts I read, too. I learned something about history with these comparatively light reads.
I'm putting it down from week to week because we have a schedule for discussion. If I read straight through, I wouldn't be able to remember whether an event happened in Chapter 16 or Chapter 20. What if I mentioned something the rest of you had not read and spoiled it for you? I wouldn't want that to happen to me, so I won't do it to someone else.
I did read some biographical information about Steinbeck. Again, this was written at the time of the McCarthy hearings. One of the things I read is that he wasn't called before the committee, but that he was as popular in the Soviet Union as he was here, due in large part to Grapes of Wrath. Interesting, I thought.
Beth and I appreciated reading The Kitchen Boy, but wanted more of the story of this last Tsar. We decided to read Nicholas and Alexandra at the same time to discuss. We start this weekend (11/21/09) and welcome anyone else to read along with us, or to join in the discussion if you have read it previously.
Started another Louise Erdrich last evening, Tracks. I read only the first chapter, but she has the cadence and sentence structure of Native Americans down. I can hear so well this story being told.
You might like Sena Jeter Naslund. I have read Ahab's Wife Or, The Star-gazer A Novel and Abundance A Novel of Marie Antoinette. I thought Ahab's Wife the better of the two, but both were good. Abundance was interesting in that it was written in the first person, so we see the world through the eyes of Marie Antoinette, rather than looking at her.
There is a movie? Darn, talk about spoiling all the imagination it takes when reading. This is one of my all time favorite stories.
Anetra wrote: "Friends! I need help. For the past month or so I've been leaving books after a few pages cause I can;t get into them. Any suggestions?! I read chick lit, memoirs by women, true crime, religion, hum..."
What is it that you're not liking about the books you've chosen? Is it possible you want something with a little more depth?
And with that comment, Tera, I'm anxious to start the next section! I am between other reads anyway - Steinbeck here I come!
Tera wrote: "Thats a good direction Elizabeth but then my question would be are those that seek evil only able to obtain it in evil (not sure thats the right word) but evil'ish ways? Does control equate to sinister methods and means to gain it?"
I believe that's Steinbeck's opinion. How's that for side-stepping the question? As I said earlier, I don't think anything is black or white, all or nothing. East of Eden was first published in 1952, the deepening of the Cold War, when the majority in this country believed (and probably still do) that Communism, with it's complete control of the citizenry, was the greatest evil of all.
Sunday I finished The Accidental Tourist, which both made me cry and laugh out loud. I'll write a review later, but am pretty sure I'll settle on 5 stars for this one. Yesterday I read The Diplomat's Wife. Even having all day to read, I don't usually finish a book in one day. It was perfect for airplane reading, but I'll give it only 3 stars.
