Jessica’s Comments (group member since Jan 02, 2013)

Jessica’s comments from the Classics Without All the Class group.

Tanya wrote: "...I read to my dogs.
One of them is 12 and just las October, he lost his lifelong mate who was 11. Since then, I've read to him almost daily for 15 mins at a time about 3 times a day.
He gets su..."


I am of the opinion that you and I are kindred spirits. I LOVE animals. I have a Cairn Terrier who is treated like a little person in my household. I talk to her as if she were my best friend from high school. I am sorry to hear about your loss. It is an emotion only animal lovers/owners can relate to. I believe my relationship with my puppy has shown me how to love and forgive more than any other relationship (except the hubby). I could keep gushing for 4 more paragraphs but I will stop, lol.

I just might start reading to my baby girl. I think that is a great idea! What stories have you read to your babies?

Margaret wrote: "I am in the midst of this section and still not really loving the book though I feel compelled to continue. The graphic descriptions of the hyena's actions were very upsetting. I don't have a rom..."

Keep reading. Once you read the ending...it all comes together quite rapidly.

I didn't at all. I felt like i got some good revenge from it.

Marwa wrote: "I haven't finished that part yet, but so far I came to this conclusion. I HATE HYENAS. I should be more tolerant, but I'm not."

I agree with your emotions towards the hyenas. I wish I had gotten some warning about the hyena situation, I was in tears.

Marwa wrote: "Thomas wrote: "Martin wrote: "When he's talking about animals he's actually talking about people"

Indeed. I also think now that Pi's thoughts on zoos being "better" than freedom in the wild is a m..."

This is what I have been trying to figure out how to say and not knowing how. Thank you for that, lol. I agree 100% and I think it is one of the most intriguing/beautiful parts of the story.

Laura wrote: "I just found this quote from a Yann Martel interview (it's the last question): "I chose the name Pi because it's an irrational number (one with no discernable pattern). Yet scientists use this irra..."

That is a beautiful quote. Thank you for sharing that.

When I started the book, I was enchanted with Pi's view of religion and God. It is something I have felt passionately about for a while. If I love God and want the relationship, why should it matter what my title is? It was a personal moment for me to read those moments, we will leave it at that so I do not get soap boxy.

I had a hard time with the second part. It moved so slow and it was s depressing read for me. (I tend to become very empathetic towards characters when I read, so what they experience I experience.) But I pushed through and it was worth it.

I am not sure what to make of the carnivorous island. I think Tome hits pretty close with the Garden of Eden reference. One would want to block out the memory of the french man, and finding the tooth (or forbidden fruit) is a dangerous memory.

As for the two stories, I know what I want to believe. Both stories are equally gruesome and horrific, in my opinion. As an animal lover, the intense graphic scenes with the animals were really tough for me. Both stories are so heartbreaking but in the end they have the same conclusion, Pi is alive and his family is gone. Someone mentioned on another thread how this part mirrors the thoughts on religion at the beginning. That connection is pretty spot on, imo.

I liked the book overall. I think it is a beautiful story of one's desire to survive in a physical and spiritual level. It is an amazing story when you sit and think about it. Survival with a happy ending is a rare thing. And by happy I mean being rescued.

When I got the point where Pi was being interviewed, I was really reading in disbelief. While I know what I want to believe...neither story is easy to accept. An animal lover like me will have trouble with both.

As for a story to make you believe in God, I don't know. In my opinion, if you really sit and think about all of the events that played out, it could be life changing. I think people forget who amazing it is that this person survived, no matter how he got there. July to February...and that's not amazing? For me it was/is.

I struggled a lot with Part 2 of the book, in general. However the blind man at sea and the carnivorous island helped me to get back into it. His rescue is the only reason I want to see the movie. There are just some moments that a cinematic viewing would capture so well.

Sandra wrote: "Jessica wrote: "I am, generally, pretty good about pushing through a book. I think i must have learned it from some of the books I read in high school. There were two, in particular, which shall re..."

I had heard nothing but good about Devil in the White City...I was sad when I just couldn't get into it. I have only heard of one other person who felt the way I did, and it was a friend of mine. I hope you enjoy it. I am sure your experience will be much better than mine.

I have Casual Vacancy on my to read list as well. I have heard a lot of mixed reviews about that one. I have heard that as long as you go in to without expecting something Harry Potter-ish, it will be somewhat enjoyable. I am excited to see her writing something different and hope she continues writing for the adult market.

Louise wrote: "Jessica wrote: "Animal Farm"

I second Animal Farm. Wonderful wonderful book (not very 'sweet' though!)"

Yeah, I got excited and forgot about the "sweet" part. I decided to focus on the short part. I tend to overlook things at times.

I just wanted to give an invitation to other group memebers...
@Travis of NNY, @holly rose, and I are starting the Lord of the Rings trilogy. All 3 of us have read The Hobbit , recently so we are starting with the trilogy. If anyone else wants to join, give us a holler and let us know!

:)

Karena wrote: "Angie wrote: "I, so, agree with you about Atlas Shrugged. That book seems so daunting for me. War and Peace, Roots: The Saga of an American Family, and Les Misérables fit the monster category for m..."


I have a friend, who did the audio as well and seemed to really enjoy it. I am thinking audio, if one likes it, might be a great approach for some of the monsters. I have considered giving Atlas Shrugged a chance since I have heard good things about the audio.

I always thought these were short/good reads from what I can remember.

To Kill A Mockingbird
A Separate Peace
Lord of the Flies
Animal Farm

I am, generally, pretty good about pushing through a book. I think i must have learned it from some of the books I read in high school. There were two, in particular, which shall remain nameless. I had a hard time connecting with characters, which made it very hard for me to read it. But I pushed through and was glad I read them.

However, there is one back I put down, after only reading 2-3 chapters. It was Devil in the White City. Let it be known, I LOVE history. But the writing style the author used to talk about the World Fair...I about fell asleep every time I opened the book to read it. I felt bad giving up but I just was bored. I didn't even put it "on hold". I simply quit.

I might do this after the Fellowship trilogy with @Travis and @holly rose...Would anyone be interested in starting/rereading A Song of Ice and Fire with me?

Connor wrote: "Orange seems to represent life, and the things that keep him alive. The obvious one is the orange life vests, which are elf explanatory. Richard Parker, who is also orange, is explicitly stated in ..."

Great breakdown. I was starting to make a lot of those observations. I will keep my eye out for more. Can we cheat and read sparknotes or something to see if they discuss the color in it? I have gotten to where I read sparknotes as a companion with classics so I can understand what the writer's intentions were.

Tome wrote: "I really enjoyed the thread we had in the Age of Innocence about the words we learned while reading the book, but I realized that the deeper discussions of research were really interesting. I not ..."

That helped me understand things a little bit better. Thanks for sharing that! I need to go back and look a couple things up myself.

I have learned a lot I did not know about hyenas thanks to Part II of the book. They are a lot more terrifying than I realized. I fell prey to the Lion King's version of a hyena. What can I say, we win some and we learn some...Thankfully, I learned this while not being around a hyena.

I have enjoyed the intesity of the situation. However, I am such an animal lover. The part with the zebra and Orange Juice was a bit much for my little heart, lol. I am such a softy when it comes to animals. I completely understand in his situation my thoughts would be much more different. As he says, his empathy did not last long because he had to worry about his own life.

Richard Parker is my favorite part of this book so far. What an interesting and (extremely) unique relationship to have develop.

Karu wrote: "Same here. I'm atheist...or agnostic, but after all the bad things he said about us I don't know LOL, but his open.mindness and his idea that God is beyond religion (is something bigger than that, ..."

I felt the same way when I read that part. One I thought it was just a beautiful way to view religion. There is no right/wrong. He was accepting of everything because he just wanted to have that connection/relationship with God. The open mindedness is something I have often wished humans could have when it comes to religion. I wish all could have eyes like Pi's on this topic.

Gosia, that part with Richard Parker kind of made me chuckle in the midst of the danger around him. I can not even imagine trying to save a tiger. Then have the realization that my life was in danger.