"I never change, except in my affections."
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Oscar Wilde
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"Jack. I'll bet you anything you like that half an hour after they have met, they will be calling each other sister.
Algernon. Women only do that when they have called each other a lot of other things first."
—
Oscar Wilde
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"The good ended happily, and the bad unhappily. That is what Fiction means."
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Oscar Wilde
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I LOVE Oscar Wilde. He is absolutely hysterical, I had difficulty containing my laughter when we read the book aloud in class. We also watched the movie and I thought it was on par with the book (although I still would recommend reading the book firs...moreI LOVE Oscar Wilde. He is absolutely hysterical, I had difficulty containing my laughter when we read the book aloud in class. We also watched the movie and I thought it was on par with the book (although I still would recommend reading the book first and then watching the movie). This play is overflowing with wit, satire, sarcasm, what-have-you. The characters are so completely ridiculous but at the same time they manage to utter some things that actually make sense. The play seems to be written entirely as a conversation, one in which we are privy to laugh at and since I tend to write how I speak, I really appreciated that. I would definitely say not all plays are written as conversatiosn between the audience and the characters but this one is and that makes it all the more fun. I could go on and on about how funny this book is and how clever but instead I will share some of my favorite lines:
Jack: "For heaven's sake, don't try to be cynical. It's perfectly easy to be cynical."
Algernon: "My dear fellow, it isn't easy to be anything nowadays. There's such a lot of beastly competition about." (pg.37), I tend to be a cynical person but that line still made me smile because it is easier to be cynical. But at the same time now everyone (or almost everyone) wants to act cynical so really we are all just pretending to be cynical, hence, competition.
pg. 58 Cecily: "I hope it did not end happily? I don't like novels that end happily. They depress me so much."
Miss Prism: "The good ended happily and the bad unhappily. That is what FICTION means."
=Books that end happily ever after sometimes cheer me up but usually they do bother me because they are unrealistic, everything working out A-OK in the end. But I am cheered up when karma is in place and everyone gets their due because while that may not happen in real life, books that tell those tales remind me to stay positive and kindle the hope that everything I am going through will turn out alright.
Lady Bracknell: "Hesitation of any kind is a sign of mental decay in the young and, of physical weakness in the old." (pg. 94) Again this statement is both ridiculous and truthful. Youth are expected to be spontaneous, flighty, free spirits and if they are not, people are often surprised in a good and/or bad way. I hope to never spend my life hesitating, although obviously there are times when some hesitation is necessary to think things through!
Final favorite exchange:
Jack: "A selfish person is surely one who seeks to keep his joys and sorrows to himself. I am not like that. When I am unhappy, as I am now, I desire everyone to share in my unhappiness. I give freely of my misfortunes. I do not treat my mistery as a miser treats his hold. On the contrary, I scatter it abroad with a lavish hand. If I am blighted there it is a general blight, and no one can complain that they are left out or overlooked."
Gwendolen: "I will be very glad indeed to tell him what I think of his conduct. [...] Now I simply adore you. It requires merely physical courage to scarifice oneself. To sacrifice others moral courage is necessary." pgs. 130-131
This play will make you long for the days of manners and when witticisms kept the party going. It will also make you laugh at how ridiculous we can be when it comes to love and class. I promise myself that I will if not re-read this book then read another play by Oscar Wilde (I am in less of a hurry to read The Picture of Dorian Gray) because these are the best books to cheer oneself up!(less)
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I am a sucker for these sort of books, real life tales that both depress and inspire. I enjoy reading these kind of non-fiction books because while all non fiction books teach me something new, I like that these books are told in narrative format, wi...moreI am a sucker for these sort of books, real life tales that both depress and inspire. I enjoy reading these kind of non-fiction books because while all non fiction books teach me something new, I like that these books are told in narrative format, with explanations and history lessons smoothly interspersed. This book literally made me sick to my stomach, even though that is not the point of the book. In one incident in eastern Congo, the Congolese militias use rape as a weapon of war. "In one instance, soldiers raped a three-year old girl and their fired their guns into her." All I could think when I read that was 'oh my god.' The story continues "When surgeons saw her, there was no tissue left to repair. The little girl's grief-stricken father then committed suicide." (pg. 84). I do not share the story for the sake of pity, rather I want those two sentences to move people the same way it moved me. While I was reading this book I was infuriated. People not only confuse me, they make me sick, this book really brings home how cruel we humans can be to each other. It's not pretty, it's not pleasant, but it is the truth and it needs to be spread. The book never takes on a self-important tone or becomes too difficult to follow, instead it engages the reader by posing questions, sharing stories, and expanding on shocking statistics (as opposed to simply listing depressing statistics which doesn't do much more than temporarily shock someone).
The most fascinating aspect of this book is when it discusses the importance of Americans not trying to solve the problems of developing countries, but rather provide resources to people within that country so that they can solve their own problems. This idea has slowly been repeated by many but Half the Sky goes a step further in showing how sometimes Americans' ideas of progress may differ from the developing country's idea of progress. We may have different results in mind. Take the organization Tostan, "Tostan sometimes angers feminists for its cautious approach and for its reluctance to use the word 'mutilation' or even say that it is fighting against genital cutting. Instead, it relentlessly tries to stay positive, preparing people to make their own decisions. The curriculum includes a non judgemental discussion of human rights and health issues related to cutting but it never advises parents to stop cutting their daughters. Still, the program broke a taboo by discussing cutting. And once women thought about it and realized that cutting wasn't universal, they began to worry about the health risks" (pg. 226). When I first read about the mission of Tostan even I was baffled at how they didn't openly speak out against genital cutting. But as the authors explain the history of this horrific tradition and why more often than not, its mothers who do this to their daughters, understanding dawned. This organization instead of trying to push their own agenda, listens to the African women it is trying to help and places heavy emphasis on their respective culture. If all non profits did that perhaps we could actually make a difference....
Half the Sky is a siren's song sans the bad result, only good can come out of you heeding the call of this book. There is no way you can read this book without first being heartsick and then resolved to answer the call for action. Women's rights is deemed to be the issue of our generation and while some may debate that, what is not debatable is that we cannot continue to ignore the plight of women around the world. We have to make up for lost time whether by donating to non profits run by native changemakers, providing microfinance loans (the book explains in great detail as to why it is better to loan money to women than men in the developing world), volunteering or a host of other methods. The authors encourage young Americans to travel abroad and volunteer in a hospital, school, etc. run by natives of the respective country or mostly run by the native people. They argue (and I would agree) that this work will have more of an impact on the youth and give them a better understanding of the problems, possible solutions and the culture of the developing country. It may be a shock, but often, the shock factor is the best way to motivate change. This is a book that I think not only everyone should read, but everyone should buy. I certainly intend to, it's a fantastic resource.(less)
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I’m still puzzled by Rumi quotes but I’ve just accepted that I will never understand him but neither does Zeeta and her mother constantly uses them. This book was as close to utter perfection as a book can get. I freely admit that I’m biased towards...more
I’m still puzzled by Rumi quotes but I’ve just accepted that I will never understand him but neither does Zeeta and her mother constantly uses them. This book was as close to utter perfection as a book can get. I freely admit that I’m biased towards books where the main character is completely immersed in another country. *shrugs* My previous complaint was that the author didn’t throw in enough Spanish/Quichua phrases but she obliges me here. I LOVE that this book not only features common French words and phrases but also French slang. It truly makes these books stand out because the reader is as close to immersion as possible without visiting or having the book be entirely in French. I’ve been on a French kick lately (reading this book, Anna and the French Kiss, watching Midnight in Paris-FABULOUS movie, and soon to read Paris Noire and This Side of the Sky) and I adore the culture, I desperately want to visit. I enjoyed this brief exchange about the French language when Zetta meets Jean Claude for the first time, “’Enchante, Zeeta.’ He says formally, shaking my hand. Enchanted to meet you. Not pleased. Not glad. Not happy. Enchanted. Magic seeps into even the most mundane interactions in this language.” (pg. 31), no wonder French is known as the language of love! Once again the setting comes alive in Laura Resau’s more-than-capable hands. We can see the street performers doing backflips and passing around a hat for coins, the quiet mime in the town’s square, envision the old houses with private houses and commiserate with Zeeta early in the book as she heads to the only Internet café in town to email and call Wendell. The cast of characters are lively, almost every facet of their being explored from the isolated Madame Chevalier to the mime Torture (French for turtle. Pronounced tor-TEW) to the nomadic members of the theater group Illusion (Jean Claude, Amadine, etc).
I could relate to Zeeta’s fear that she did not know how to be in a long-term relationship because her mother has ever been one. Not that I am in that same situation but Zeeta expresses her confused feelings on romance so well that it’s easy to sympathize with her. It’s easy to see why she is attracted to Wendell and Jean Claude. Instead of chasing Wendell’s birth parents as in the first book, here Zeeta is trying to get a better idea of her father because she suspects he might be her fantôme, even if he’s not she’s determined to make Layla remember any sort of clue. I can’t imagine having absolutely no idea who may father was or no way of tracking him down and having a mother who is utterly unconcerned. It’s easy to get caught up in Zeeta’s fantasy about her father but the actual scenario isn’t all that unrealistic. The story turns into a mystery and then takes a delightful turn into the magical involving Celtic lore and warriors and fountains. There’s definitely a quality of magical realism in this story and it flows smoothly with the narrative.
The Ruby Notebook has a whimsical quality but there’s more complexity to the story than that word allows. It’s a captivating read set in a captivating place, Aix-en-Provence. I really liked that Wendell and Zeeta didn’t do a cliché we-are-so-in-love-in-France type thing, instead their relationship is rocky. They both had some unrealistic expectations of a long-distance relationship and they have to work out the kinks or decide to break up. Not an easy decision but one that is explored realistically. The mystery unravels slowly and it’s truly difficult to figure out who the fantôme is, I did not see it coming. These stories could easily be adapted into films, they read like a screen-play (not that I’ve ever read one). Again, it is not necessary to read the first book in the Notebooks series but I highly recommend you do. You will finish this book feeling utterly enchanted with the setting, characters and author. Do not read these books hoping to be cured of wanderlust, I now have an insatiable desire to travel.(less)
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On my first visit to the legendary bookstore The Strand in NYC I was browsing the discount tables and came across this title. I despertely want to learn all types of ballroom dancing and tango dancing especially has always fascinated me. so naturally...moreOn my first visit to the legendary bookstore The Strand in NYC I was browsing the discount tables and came across this title. I despertely want to learn all types of ballroom dancing and tango dancing especially has always fascinated me. so naturally I had to have this book.
It took me awhile to figure out that the author wasn't Latina, only formerly married to a Latino! (he was Cuban-American I believe). She knows so much about our mannerisms, our style, etc. and is so respectful and in love with the heritage. I was most impressed. My only complaint would be that this is very much a solo-act, and the author even remains aloof. There is little emotional connection to the secondary characters and not much emotion goes towards the author either. Yes you feel sad that she got a divorce but that's about it. And occasionally I laughed at how she handled life post-divorce but it was also disconcerting because as crazy as she sometimes acted, it struck me that someone actually did those things. People actually react in such ways when they are in such pain. Ay ay ay it's enough to make you want to not fall in love. But the book is not depressing or anti-love! I also thought that the author would abruptly explain technical tango terms and moves which jarred me from the flow of the story but the "life is a tango" comparisons drew me back in to the mesmerizing storyline.
This book to me reads like a wonderfully slow and dramatic story and also a fantastically put together everything-you-need-to-know-about-tango (especially tango dancing in NYC) book. I only wish I lived in NYC so I could visit all the places mentioned. I was also enamored with how easily the author managed to connect tango steps to her life, drawing comparisons seemingly without much effort. I had suspected she would have to stretch a bit but they all seemed to fit quite smoothly (granted I'm not a tango dancer so I may be wrong). "Tango is a way to learn through the body, to take one's pain into muslce memory and translate it into something else, something nobler. The contradictions-that comfort could be found among strangers, intimacy felt within a crowed, songs about heartbreak help a person find a way out of it-are embedded in the tango, and it begins and ends with the embrace." (pg. 13), the author clearly illustrates both overtly and subtly how tango helped her reach an optimistic outlook on being a divorcee.
I intend on joining ballroom dancing in college and fully taking advantage of Chicago SummerDance lessons (they are free)! And I would love to study abroad in Buenos Aires. The author touches on the healtyy economy of Argentina at this time, especially for Americans, and according to the CNN show GPS prices are still good (although it also predicted inflation would increase). I want to see milongas in Buenos Aires for myself where "men do not approach women to ask them to dance, rather, they sit across the room from them and make eye contact. If the woman does not avert her eyes, the man nods slightly, almost imperceptibly. If the woman nods back, then he approaches her table, or both stand and meet on the dance floor. The head motion, the subtle agreement, is known as cabeceo, from the Spanish word for 'head', cabeza. The verb cabecer means to moveo ne's head, as if to nod; its noun form, cabeceo, is a tango invitation. The men are known as cabeceros. The cabeceo saves men from being rejected publicly, and it allows women to refuse gracefully." (pg. 145), this is a custom I think Americans should adopt. Think of all the awkward moments it could dissipate (or as the author acknowledges-create-when one does not know if the person is really staring at them haha).
I cannot wait to learn to tango, tango at a milonga in the U.S. and Buenos Aires and try some good steak :)(less)
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