Having spent so much of my university career studying the effects of Charles Darwin's book "On the origin of species" and "the descent of man", I totally and completely enjoyed this biography of his life that did not center on his travels abourd the beagle.
The book covered all the topics I wanted to know about
1. All about his wife and their relationship -- I truly think that studying individuals alone is not anywhere near as enlightening as studying them in context with their relationships and obviously the husband/wife relationship being the most telling
2. All about his attitudes on religion -- and his wife's attitudes on religion and science
3. His children (they had 10 children -- 7 of which reached adulthood, 2 died before the age of 2 and their most beloved daughter died at 10) -- perhaps because I have a daughter almost 10, but the details of their Annie's death left me sobbing
My favorite line in the book?
When in a letter to a friend Charles wrote that he and Emma played Backgammon every night and that after 40 years or so of marriage the score stood 2455 wins for Emma and (hurrah, hurrah) 2795 wins for me.
He did concede that point wise she was ahead though but he did not reveal that scoring.
That is when I really decided I like Charles and Emma Darwin. That is something I would do (have done . . .). I love keeping tabs on silly games. ]]>
Jamie
added a quote:
"Anyone who imagines that bliss is normal is going to waste a lot of time running around shouting that he has been robbed. The fact is that most putts don’t drop, most beef is tough, most children grow up to be just like people, most successful marriages require a high degree of mutual toleration, and most jobs are more often dull than otherwise. Life is just like an old time rail journey ... delays, sidetracks, smoke, dust, cinders, and jolts, interspersed only occasionally by beautiful vistas and thrilling bursts of speed. The trick is to thank the Lord for letting you have the ride." — Gordon B. Hinckley
"Anyone who imagines that bliss is normal is going to waste a lot of time running around shouting that he has been robbed. The fact is that most putts don’t drop, most beef is tough, most children grow up to be just like people, most successful marriages require a high degree of mutual toleration, and most jobs are more often dull than otherwise. Life is just like an old time rail journey ... delays, sidetracks, smoke, dust, cinders, and jolts, interspersed only occasionally by beautiful vistas and thrilling bursts of speed. The trick is to thank the Lord for letting you have the ride." — Gordon B. Hinckley
Jamie
added a quote:
"It is not a lack of love, but a lack of friendship that makes unhappy marriages." — Friedrich Nietzsche
"It is not a lack of love, but a lack of friendship that makes unhappy marriages." — Friedrich Nietzsche
Jamie
took the never-ending book quiz.
| questions answered: | 33 |
| correct: | 19 (57.6%) |
| skipped: | 8 |
| best streak: | 4 |
| questions added: | 0 |
I really enjoyed this book. The action was fast, the mystery intriguing, the main character Thomas was likeable. I wanted to hurry up and get to the end to find out everything. . . but as it is the first book of a trilogy, I was left with many questions. ]]>
by Azar Nafisi
I am so with you on the Lolita part -- ]]>
I finished this book. It was interesting. It was OK. I loved some things about it and hated some things about. First, what i loved. . .
1. the ability to read about the changes that occurred to actual people during the revolution in Iran -- that very literally overnight the city of Tehran went from modern, western in fashion and dress to having all the women covered in the chador, burkah, -- whatever you call it.
2. the lives of these women
3. the discussion on the books -- made we want to avoid Lolita forever, reread The Great Gatsby, avoid Henry james, and love Jane Austen. My favorite, favorite quote in the book is from the women laughing at how Jane Austen would have started Pride and Prejudice had she been living in Iran. "It is a truth, universally acknowledged that a Muslim man with a wife would be in want of a 9 year old virgin wife."
4. the intermingling of historical events
Things I hated.
1. The absolute lack of an outline to move the story forward. This was not an easy book to keep reading -- there was just nothing to move the plot forward.
2. The constant shift between characters made it often difficult to keep track of all the characters.
3. All the finding of good redeeming qualities in the main character who rapes the little girl in Lolita. ]]>
What a different kind of book. It is non-fiction/ memoir sort of that weaves together 1. the current state of life for a wandering Jewish Yiddish Folk singing shephard 2. the history of the shephard growing up in Austria 3. the history of anit-semitism in Austria 4. the history of the author and 5. the current mental state of the author
It made for a very interesting read and made me consider several things
1. how we are all neurotic and insecure-- in this case I loved how much of a hypochondriac Sam is.
2. how much of our attitudes are based on the world we have created in our heads vs. the world as it actually is -- he traveled to Austria to confront anti-semitism and found he actually had to really look for it -- I wonder if he had not had such an agenda if he would have found it at all?
3. how 2 people can grow up in the same place and percieve things so differently -- It just so happens that the author and I went to high school together-- he talks about growing up surrounded by gentiles and I talk about growing up surrounded by Jews -- not necessarily that either was good or bad just about how influential it is on one's paradigm
Like most "adult" novels I cannot wholeheartedly reccommend the book -- I certainly could have done without a few paragraphs but that is all I objected to -- maybe 2 or 3 paragraphs in the whole book. Too bad I wasn't the editor. ]]>
by Maria Covey Cole
I have Katie Holmstead's copy of the book still -- So I would assume I could give it to you and then you can return it to her. I will bring it Sunday
Angela wrote: "Jamie,
This book really caught my interest. Do you have a copy I may borrow? Thanks! Angela"
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This book is such a clever variation of the classic Cinderella story. It is both entertaining and thought provoking. I loved reading it and reading it with my kids. Although the movie is fun -- don't let it replace the book which is so different and better than the movie. ]]>