Your Library of Learning

"My Gift, From a Christmas Carol" by Christina Rossetti

2011-12-25T13:51:00.003-07:00

What can I give Him,
Poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd
I would bring a lamb,
If I were a Wise Man
I would do my part, –
Yet what I can I give Him,
Give my heart.

"The Dawn of a Tomorrow" by Frances Hodgson Burnett

2011-10-03T16:38:00.000-06:00

This book caught my eye because of the sober-sounding title. To be honest, I started reading it because "Dawn" by Eleanor H. Porter was not working one day on Librivox. One thing to note is that it is not very long, more like a novella.

The very first few pages captivated me from the start. I was surprised to find that Burnett had written more than children's stories. Reading the synopsis made me wonder if the story would be too diadactic, but it was be amazing. The first chapter was pretty abstract, but once we got out into the fog and Anthony became an observer, it cleared up a bunch.

I've been looking for a solid five-star read for a while, and this one hit the spot perfectly. I am hooked on this book!

Recent Read: "Just David" by Eleanor H. Porter

2011-09-28T19:55:00.000-06:00

This book is pretty much Pollyanna all over again but about a boy. Still, it has some very charming elements, and I really enjoyed reading it, even if it felt like a duplicate. The beginning was pretty tragic. Most of the rest of the story was pretty predictable, but I liked it.

Recent Read; "Sense and Sensibility" by Jane Austen

2011-08-15T11:41:00.001-06:00

Sense and Sensibility has to be one of the best examples of a wonderful book that has a wonderful movie to go along with it. The movie is really, really close to being just as good or better than the book. As I read Austen's novel this time, I am astounded at Emma Thompson's skill in creating her Oscar-winning screenplay that augments the story while retaining as much Austen as possible. Really, besides dropping a few minor characters, the only big difference between the book and the movie is the movie doesn't have Willoughby show up when Marianne is ill. Both the book and the movie are so beautiful!

A couple meaningful themes jumped out at me this time as I read Sense and Sensibility this time. First, Edward and Willoughby really are true foils. For a long time I just thought of them as opposites, but while their personalities are very different (Edward is mild and quiet, Willoughby is gregarious but selfish), their situations in the story are almost the same. Both are breaking Dashwood girls' hearts because of a stupid previous relationship. Just Edward's past is justifiable and Willoughby's is very blameable. Then when their past blows up in their face, they both have the freedom to choose their own actions. Edward chooses to remain honorable (by keeping his engagement with Lucy as long as she wants it) and Willoughby is a jerk to everyone (he refuses to marry Eliza and ditches Marianne so he can marry someone else for money).

Another theme that Austen really highlights in the book is the idea of second love. Marianne at the beginning doesn't believe love can happen to you twice. By the end, she obviously changes her mind. The interesting thing is that all of the heroes and heroines in the story--Edward, Colonel Brandon, and Marianne--become happy on a second love, while Elinor marries and is happy with her first. And we're okay with it because, as the sensible one, we feel like she deserves it.

Finally, I love how Austen explores the relationship between the two sisters. At first they are so different, but their struggles help them understand one another better and make them more and more alike.

This was one of the most satisfying re-reads that I've had in a long time! And I can't believe it was Austen's first novel--it's so good!

A True Gaskell Fan!

2011-08-13T16:10:00.011-06:00

A few days ago I was indexing 1871 British census records and my sheet was from Milton, Northamptonshire! I couldn't believe it! I fully expected to see the Higgins and the Thorntons on the page! It was very exciting, and just proof of how much I really loved reading North and South. I might have to do that again sometime . . .

Recent Read: "The Complete Sherlock Holmes," Volume 1, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

2011-08-12T15:46:00.008-06:00

My brother bought both volumes for me for Christmas last year and I think it was one of my favorite book gifts ever. Reading the "Complete" has been so much fun. Doyle was not perfect; Holmes takes cocaine and heroin and has some serious misconceptions about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but I still love these stories. I thought that reading the complete would make them feel repetitive--that they would all feel like the same story. On the contrary, I am facinated and spellbounded by Doyle's ingenuity in coming up with different thoughts and especially different story moods in the backdrop. When he does repeat a similar plot--such as stories about sketchy new jobs and selfish stepfathers--it feels like he's really making a statement about something he sees wrong in the world because he addresses that problem more than once, which is really interesting. One volume down, one to go, and I still can't get enough!

Recent Read: "Fablehaven" by Brandon Mull

2011-08-11T15:38:00.011-06:00

I avoided reading this book for a long time. First of all, the title, cover art, and the fact that it's a long series just screamed "Super Nerdy Fantasy Book" at me. Second, I wasn't crazy about The Candy Shop Wars. I had to read it and like it because it is about my home town, but the dialogue drove me crazy and the whole story seemed annoyingly far-fetched. But my youngest brother gave me Fablehaven for Christmas, and I just couldn't let him down.

I cracked it open on a lonely night when I couldn't sleep, and the very first page roped me right in. I didn't know that it was set in the present, and the whole idea of the Fablehaven preserve was so unique and creative to me. I was all set to launch into the entire series until the grandma entered the story and the dialogue got unbearable. Grandparents don't talk in informative paragraphs like that--am I right? The ending was fine, but kind of flash/bang/boom really fast.

Overall, I loved the beginning. I loved the mysterious/kids-figuring-out-clues feel. I'm not ready to continue in the series quite yet, but I could see myself getting there eventually. Just how and why the grandma turned into a chicken in the first place had better come up and be important in later books or I'm going to be mad that he just brushed that off.

Books I've Quit

2011-08-10T15:29:00.004-06:00

In my youth, I tried to make it a goal to finish reading every book that I started (excepting anything that was dirty or inappropriate). I think that was a good goal at the time, but I've decided that now I'm grown up enough to throw it out the window. There are too many books in the world and too little time in my life for reading to waste much on a book that I don't like or that is a drag to read. Here are a few books that I quit recently, may they rest in peace:

The Once and Future King by T.H. White
I really liked The Sword in the Stone. The Queen of Air and Darkness was weird, uncomfortable, funny in parts, and absolutely creepy at the end, but I toughed it out. The Ill-Made Knight was so depressing that I quit a little over half way. It was making me cranky and unhappy, so I said no. It's not White's fault that the legend is a catastrophe, after all, but I just couldn't handle it.

Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
I tried to read this to participate in a woman's book club, but I just couldn't go through with it. I dragged myself through the beginning and all the divorce rants, but in Italy I just couldn't stand the woman's worldly mind anymore and had to get her out of my head, as much as I love Julia Roberts movies and all. I just felt like Gilbert's values and driving force in life was too different from mine for me to enjoy the book.

The Constellation of Sylvie, by Roderick Townley
Okay, maybe I should have quit a bit sooner. Into the Labyrinth was pretty ridiculous and repetitive. I loved having more of Sylvie's beautiful world, but the story didn't really hook me. So when The Great Good Thing was carried onto a space ship by a the President's daughter, things got a little out of hand. I shelved it for a while, and then it was due at the library, so I just took it back. Maybe I'll finish The Constellation of Sylvie someday, when I'm really bored. We'll see. Overall though, I would just recommend The Great Good Thing. But that's a high recommendation! It is one of my favorites, and I really liked The Blue Shoe too.

Of Human Bondage, by W. Somerset Maugham
I know this is a classic, but I just can't go through with it right now. First Philip's life is tragic and depressing, and then he turns into a punk. I didn't like anyone in the book, so I decided to give it up for now. Maybe I'll persevere someday.

Candy Freak, by Steve Almond
The title and cover art got me to open this book, which I wish I had never done. Almond has a dirty mouth and is very vulgar. I guess I was only interested in it because I have a very strong sweet tooth myself, but I quit in the first chapter. I'm pretty sure it's just a crowd pleaser book anyway.

The Book Thief, by Marcus Zuzak
I know everyone says this book is amazing, but the beginning was so creepy that I shut it up right away. Seriously, death talking to you? Maybe I need a little more backbone, but it really creeped me out!

Recent Read: "The Sword in the Stone" by T.H. White

2011-08-09T15:26:00.001-06:00

T.H. is not to be confused with E.B., which is a mistake I think I made for a long time. The beginning of this book was a little hard to get through, before I realized that it was all a joke. But once Merlyn shows up, it is a blast. It makes me sing the Disney "Sword in the Stone" songs, but the characters are even more fun on paper. I was very impressed by White's imaginary, descriptive, masterful, and fun writing style. This would be a good stepping stone to Tolkien for children who like mythology, fantasy, and long books

Recent Read: "Kidnapped" by Robert Lewis Stevenson

2011-08-08T15:25:00.000-06:00

This might be the first complete Stevenson novel that I've ever read (dare I confess this much?). It's was interesting because for Stevenson this was a historical novel already, so for us it's really old. His language is kind of slow and wordy, but I really liked all the Scottish accent stuff. I loved the kidnapping, the shipwreck, and the lone man on an island parts at the beginning, but then we spent the middle hundred pages running through the Highland hills. That was pretty laborious, and the ending was just a neat tie-up (could Alan have at least run off with the barmaid or something???).

Overall, I enjoyed it, but it might be a while before I read it again, and I don't plan on attempting to read it aloud ever again! I have a lot of respect for Stevenson, though. I heard one of my favorite professors give a speech about him several months ago, and I know there is plenty more to appreciate!

Recent Read: "The Elusive Pimpernel" by Baroness Orczy

2011-03-26T15:39:00.018-06:00

Yes, I'm a little obsessed. But I was happy to find that this is a full novel instead of a collection of stories. I really like being in Marguerite's perspective more, unlike the beginning of El Dorado.

Come to find out, I should have read this and a couple of other of the books before El Dorado, which makes everything make a lot more sense, especially the title of El Dorado. It's all coming together better now, and I recommend reading them in the right order!

One thing that was really cool in The Elusive Pimpernel is how Orczy grapples with the question of where God is during all these atrocities by making the priest Marguerite's close friend. Marguerite and Percy both speak of God reverently and faithfully, but the priest's faith is too naive. You feel that God expects good people do to good things even during troubled times in addition to praying. I like how Orczy touches on this without preaching or making it a main point.

I really liked this book a lot. It hits the "to read aloud with my husband" list, which is pretty good. It's too bad that the movie ruined El Dorado for me, so I liked how this book still had surprises.

The last thing I have to say is that Marguerite and Percy's relationship is one of the most beautiful in all literature. Here's just one quote "agony of joy." It thrills me! I am just crazy about their deep, passionate romance as husband and wife. It is beautiful!

The Scarlet Pimpernel Disambiguated

2011-03-25T11:31:00.000-06:00

So come to find out there are really 18 Scarlet Pimpernel books and Baroness Orczy wrote a ton of other novels as well! I was really confused when I was reading The Elusive Pimpernel and it became clear that El Dorado hadn't happened yet. So here is they all are in "reading order" (chronological within the story, not in the order Orczy wrote them) to help you out.

These first two novels are about the Scarlet Pimpernel’s ancestors:
• The Laughing Cavalier (1913)

• The First Sir Percy (1920)

Then we have the main block of Scarlet Pimpernel stories:
• The Scarlet Pimpernel (play 1903, novel 1905)
• Sir Percy Leads the Band (1936)
• The League of the Scarlet Pimpernel (1919)
• I Will Repay (1906)
• The Elusive Pimpernel (1908)
• Eldorado (1913)
• Mam'zelle Guillotine (1940)
• Lord Tony's Wife (1917)
• The Way of the Scarlet Pimpernel (1933)
• Sir Percy Hits Back (1927)
• Adventures of the Scarlet Pimpernel (1929)
• The Triumph of the Scarlet Pimpernel (1922)
• A Child of the Revolution (1932)

Finally, these last three books are about (or “written” by) the Scarlet Pimpernel’s descendants:
• The Pimpernel and Rosemary (1924)
• The Life and Exploits of the Scarlet Pimpernel (1938)
• The Scarlet Pimpernel Looks at the World (1933)

Well, I hope that helps you, and it looks like I'm going to be reading about the Scarlet Pimpernel for a very long time. I'm so excited. Thank you, Baroness Orczy, for writing so much! Also, there's a super Scarlet Pimpernel everything website that includes electronic versions of all the books: blakeneymanor.com. Check it out.

Recent Read: "Wurzel Flummery" by A. A. Milne

2011-03-24T15:50:00.010-06:00

This play was really fun to read. I'm on a roll with Milne! I can't believe how successful he his at so many genres--comedy, children's stories, mystery, and fairytale. This play was really funny and a really creative plot. I would want to perform it for a talent show or something!

Recent Read: "The Red House Mystery" by A. A. Milne

2011-03-23T15:46:00.007-06:00

This book was AMAZING. Proof: I finished reading it myself one day and the next started it all over again, aloud, with my husband. It's refreshingly different than Holmes stories, and Milne even makes fun of how the characters are pretending to be Holmes. I really like how he doesn't take himself too seriously. It's a battle of wits, but in the middle I had no idea what was going to happen and started getting really nervous! I think that's the refreshing part. We know Holmes so much, but I didn't know what Milne would do with his characters, which really kept me on the edge of my seat.

Recent Read: Once on a Time by A. A. Milne

2011-03-22T15:45:00.000-06:00

If you only think of Winnie the Pooh when you hear A. A. Milne's name, you are missing out! We read some of his essays in one of my creative non-fiction classes, and I just ran across this book. It is ridiculous and pure fun. I LOVED how and who the princess marries in the end.

Recent Read: The League of the Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Orczy

2011-03-03T16:56:00.000-07:00

I'm hooked! I had heard that the sequels weren't very good, but I just like that there's more Pimpernel to enjoy! This book was really fun. It's a collection of "short stories"--but some long short stories that are like 10 chapters long. It felt like a collection of superhero adventures, and I loved it. They used some of the small episodes in the Jane Seymour movie, which, again, made me like the movie a little more. I think I'm going to move on to the fourth book really soon!

Find My OLL Review Here

2011-03-01T11:15:00.000-07:00

I wrote a review to help the Office of Letters and Light and National Novel Writing Month earn some money. Check out my review here. I LOVE NaNoWriMo and plan to be a regular. Love, love, love!

Recent Read: El Dorado by Baroness Orczy

2011-02-10T15:31:00.000-07:00

The greatest mystery about this book is the title. I still don't get it, but oh well.

This book is really what the Jane Seymour movie is based on, which makes me like the movie a little more but also took out all the surprises from the book.

What really struck me in reading this book is how Orczy's romances are about married people. The Blakeneys and the Ffoulkes are passionately in love, which is so refreshing. Most love stories are about single people, but Orczy believes in true love even after marriage. I love the ending of this book when Marguerite thinks they have died and Percy laughs.

If you have never read the first Scarlet Pimpernel book, get yourself a copy right away. It's a must!

Recent Read: Into the Labyrinth by Roderick Townley

2011-02-07T01:39:00.001-07:00

This is the sequel to The Great Good Thing. I love the first book. This one was okay. I loved being back in The Great Good Thing. Going into the internet was very imaginative. I love the part about cookies and how a computer looks from the other side of the monitor. It may not have been life changing, but it was a fun read.

Recent Read: Wives and Daughters by Elizabeth Gaskell

2011-02-04T15:12:00.000-07:00

One of my friends recommended this to me as her favorite Gaskell book. It felt a lot like Cranford but with more of a streamlined plot. Even the Miss Brownings in Wives and Daughters are pretty much the same characters as the Miss Jenkyns in Cranford. Wives and Daughters also felt a lot like Pride and Prejudice, if the latter were about Jane instead of Lizzy. Molly is a sweet character and has moments of fire-ups, which gives me hope for her. Gaskell is pretty predictable in this book, but it was a pleasant read. Most of all, I really enjoyed imagining Colin Firth as Mr. Gibson, Molly's father. I think the scene when Rodger leaves for Africa for the second time is going to be one of my favorite scenes in all literature.

Recent Read: Bleak House by Charles Dickens

2010-12-29T14:30:00.000-07:00

The first two chapters were pretty rough, but I know Dickens well enough to plough through and so far it's been worth it. The changes in narrators has been a little confusing, but this book has also been full of fun Dickens characters, which has been really enjoyable. I have to say that Allan Woodcourt has to be my new favorite hero. The moment when Esther looks in the mirror for the first time has to be one of the most amazing passages that I've ever read. And I can't believe how Dickens tricked me with the framing of the murder!

Recent Read: The Blue Shoe by Roderick Townley

2010-10-29T08:27:00.000-06:00

I love The Great Good Thing, Townley's first book. The Blue Shoe was written more recently, and I can tell that over time Townley's writing has become even more captivating. This book is pretty much pure fun. And it's written in blue ink--cool, eh? The ending is a little fantastic, but it was definitely a fun read.

Recent Read: Cranford by Elizabeth Gaskell

2010-10-20T16:13:00.001-06:00

This is a sweet story. It was not as captivating as North and South, but it was fine. I disagree with the preface that it is Gaskell's best-known novel, but I'm really not into it. It feels like the Pickwick Papers in that it is a collection of stories and difficult to fine a main plot thread. Cranford also makes me think of a lot of L.M. Montgomery's stories because Montgomery also loves to write about a place's country gossip. It was enjoyable, but far from gripping.

Recent Read: North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell

2010-10-15T14:53:00.000-06:00

First note: this book isn’t about the Civil War, as the title made me ignorantly think before I read it. It is by a British author set in England.

When I came across the proposal in the second chapter, I started wondering if this would be just another Victorian novel, some generic comedy of errors perhaps, but Gaskell sure got me interested as Margaret’s life is quickly uprooted and spun about in ways she, and we, couldn’t expect.

North and South has been a very enjoyable read. Gaskell’s masterful storytelling is akin to Jane Austen in its exposure of human relationships and Charles Dickens in its social commentary. Gaskell forces her characters to address big topics like social class, labor rights, environmental concerns head-on. I keep asking myself over and over again why I haven’t ever read this book before.

Recent Read: Messenger by Lois Lowry

2010-10-15T14:51:00.000-06:00

I really love Lois Lowry. I think her books are safe, sweet, and very poignant. I liked how Messenger tied The Giver and Gathering Blue together because I liked Gathering Blue pretty well but was confused how it connected to The Giver. Messenger makes this clear. I would like to say that I liked Messenger almost best of all, but I really didn't like the ending, so that puts it on equal plane with the other two. Lowry's books definitely make you think and explore and are completely beautiful. I also recently enjoyed Gossamer, which is a stand-alone book.

Recent Read: Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

2010-10-11T09:07:00.000-06:00

I finally got a copy of Mockingjay from the library, and I spent a whole day neglecting all my housework to read it. Why didn't I pre-order? Collins' trilogy has been a pretty unique experience for me. They are incredibly thrilling and captivating books, but a lot more violent and intense than most books that I like to read. I couldn't put the first two down though and enjoyed reading them, but I was pretty undecided as to whether I really liked them or if they're just addicting.

Now that I've finished Mockingjay, I'm still not sure exactly what I think. Thank you to all my friends who bought Mockingjay and read it on the first day for not posting any spoilers!! Following their example, I'll try not to spoil it either, but I will give some of my opinions.

The Hunger Games series is young adult fiction that feels like a cross between science fiction/adventure/thriller/horror. What got me hooked in the first place is that the main character, Katniss, really reminds me of one of my best friends from high school--like really.

Here's a list of other things I liked about the Hunger Games series:
- The series are about Katniss put in really intense situations, not about intense situations that happen to have a girl in them. The way that Collins keeps focused on her character is really cool.
- Mockingjay felt less violent than the first two novels--or maybe I was just used to it? I felt like more was going on in Katniss's head instead of in "the arena."
- Throughout the series, Collins keeps bringing on the unexpected and the plot keeps moving really fast.
- They are a good length. A lot of recent YA fiction has become laboriously long. Collins keeps it clippy.
- So much of the story is about Katniss's feelings and what's going on inside her, but it's never dull. She explains herself and her feelings in just small thoughts and sentences at the same time that other things are happening so there's never a dull moment but constant character development.
- I was satisfied with the ending of the series. I like how the story is about how the world changes Katniss more than how she changes the world. I feel like that's pretty realistic.

Although I don't really have a clear opinion on these books, I did think of my answers to a series of questions that kind of describes how I feel about them.

Am I glad I read these books?
Yes. In the words of one of my friends, "I haven't been this gripped by a book since Harry Potter."

Would I read The Hunger Games series again?
Maybe. Certainly captivating, but not exactly the type of book I want to cuddle up with on a rainy day. I will be thinking about them for a lot time though, at least.

Would I recommend them to a friend?
Not sure. We'd have to talk about what they were getting into before they read them. Like I've said before, these books are a little out of character for me and the type of reading I usually like, but branching out was fun.

Would I give them to my kids?
Probably not. I'd want them to be pretty adult and choose to read them on their own. I wouldn't want to endorse the violence.

Do I want to see a movie adaptation?
Certainly not. Reading means that it's only as horrific and graphic as my imagination allows. I wouldn't want to be subject to the filmmakers special effects abilities.

Recent Read: Princess of Glass by Jessica Day George

2010-09-27T11:52:00.000-06:00

George's books are one of my latest crazes. I love fairytale retellings (as mentioned before). I love how George's books have really spunky characters, even if the story is something I already know. I wasn't too sure about this book being kind of a sequel to Princess of the Midnight Ball, but I think it enough of its own story that it works and she doesn't have to spend so much time setting it up because it's related to the other book. I can't wait to see what fairytale George is going to write next!

Christopher Columbus: Inspired or Miser?

2010-09-01T14:07:00.000-06:00

It’s been a while since I’ve celebrated Columbus Day. I think there may be only one nationwide institution that possibly still does: elementary school. Do you remember those days? Along came the second Monday in October and we were folding captain’s hats out of newspaper and collaging the Nina, the Pinta, and the Santa Maria with red, white, brown, and blue construction paper.

It wasn’t until middle school when I started hearing criticism about Columbus, but those were just rumors. By high school the censure was blatant. In confusion, I consulted two textbooks and tried to find the truth about the hero explorer we’d celebrated for over five hundred years. My search yielded vast contradictions: one book said Columbus was the greatest man ever and completely flawless, while the other book condemned him as a grasping slave-driver led by gold and glory.

Most events in history are questioned sometime or another; the last couple of decades has been the time to question Columbus. The big parade down Fifth Avenue has suddenly been replaced by Indigenous Peoples Day. The portrait of Columbus as the ideal, brave seaman has been disputably replaced by Columbus as a ruthless, gold and power hungry man corrupted by the selfish and pilfering pursuits of the world.

As Latter-Day Saints, forming a scholarly position about Columbus is a difficult task. When the cynical world throws the Taino enslavement on the evidence table, it’s almost impossible to retain the image of the man led by the Spirit of God who Nephi saw in a vision. However, the study of some of Columbus’ own writings, while not necessarily yielding him flawless, give substantial evidence that Columbus’ original motives were upstanding. Although later in life his motives may have been less pure, over time the facts have become pretty hazy. We don’t know exactly how to tally Columbus’ rights and wrongs throughout his life, but his writings at the end of his life make it clear that he regretted any wrong he had done and make it clear that his original intentions were good.

In 1492, a Whole New World wasn’t a hit song from a Disney animated feature--it was a reality, a reality that had always been there waiting to be discovered. The New World was enticing and alluring. As Columbus wrote, “None had heard of this other world, let alone seen it, and none could begin to comprehend what its discovery might mean for their own familiar universe.” Explorers like Columbus were congratulated as heroes for doing what no one had done before.

After seeking funding and support for years in order to undertake a voyage to find a west-bound commercial route to Asia, Columbus finally won the favor of the Spanish monarchs Ferdinand and Isabella. One can only attempt to imagine the freedom and exhilaration 39-year-old Columbus must have felt in anticipation of his very own expedition as he set sail.
Yet just four years after his great triumph of October 12, 1492, Columbus’ name was already being condemned and sullied with charges made against him by other Europeans in the Indies. Here the history starts to get a little muddy. According to Columbus’ record, it was his own settlers who were sending evil reports of him back to Europe while they where the ones making cruel and unjust demands of the Taino natives.

Although Columbus’ later years are hard to understand, his writings at least make his original intentions clear. His letter dated at sea February 15, 1493 makes only a single mention of the prospects of “mines of metals” and only at the very end of the letter. The entirety of the letter describes first and foremost the islands themselves and the native inhabitants. Although he does relate to them (both the islands and the peoples) with a distinct attitude of ownership, he talks neither of riches nor of the possibility of enslaving the natives for the purpose of serving the Europeans. His interests and descriptions in this letter enthusiastically address geographical and navigational details as well as an earnest interest in scenery, foliage, animal life, and other diverse and beautiful miracles of nature. This is not the account of a man whose instinctive intentions are selfish and barbaric.

By 1503, Columbus’ motives had changed. A letter from this year enumerates the woes he has suffered because his governing power in the New World has been restrained. He also speaks much of the riches that the land contains and Spain’s potential in gleaning them. The overall difference in tone and feeling between Columbus’ writings in 1492 and 1503 are vast. Certainly Columbus must have endured a lot of suffering and frustration during those eleven years. Indeed, he himself states the change: “I came to serve at the age of twenty-eight years, and now I have not a hair on my body that is not gray, and my body is infirm.” From the West Indies less than a year before his death, Columbus writes, “I am so ruined … Heaven have mercy upon me, and may the earth weep for me … Alone in my trouble, sick, in daily expectation of death … my soul will be forgotten if it here leaves my body. Weep for me, whoever has charity, truth, and justice.”

No one knows the exact truth of what happened on Columbus’ voyages and we especially don’t know the truth of his personal intentions. We do know that there were some terrible and devastating results to the citizens of the world in the fifteenth century and then other results that are beneficial to our present day—like the development and settlement of two new continents. There must be some way to celebrate Columbus and his efforts to explore unknown corners of the world without being Indigenous People haters. Christopher Columbus is perhaps defended best in his own testimony: “I did not sail upon this voyage to gain honor or wealth.”

Harry Potter VII: Round 2

2010-08-03T23:09:00.000-06:00

This was my second time reading the final Harry Potter book, and I enjoyed it and appreciated it so much more. The first time I read it (the first few days it was released), it felt like they were camping in the forest for forever and that a lot of what happened in the book were random adventures to fill space. I now realize that I only felt that way because I was trying to read it as fast as I could so I could find out what happened at the end, and that was the reason I found the book frustrating the first time.

I have to take this opportunity to give a shout-out. Somewhere in the world is a person who put a "Believe Snape" bumper sticker on their car BEFORE the seventh book came out. As they drove past me one day in downtown Seattle, I started yelling inside about how I HATED Snape (after reading the sixth book) and how could they have that bumper sticker? Well, I was wrong, and I wish I could find that bumper sticker for myself!

What Rowling does with Snape in this book (and thus in all the others--which is cool) is AMAZING. My only question is why doesn't he have a portrait in the headmaster's office at the end? Dumbledore's appeared like immediately after he died. I missed Snape in that last scene.

P.S. Wondering why I have no comments about the Harry Potter movies? I liked the first two a lot, but after #4 I gave up watching them. The end.

Recent Read: Just Ella by Margaret Peterson Haddox

2010-08-03T23:02:00.000-06:00

Okay, I will admit that fairytale spin-offs are one of my little quirky reading pleasures, but I really like this one. The whole idea is what would happen if Cinderella really didn't want to marry the prince after all? I think rewritten fairy tales are so much fun!

I love how Haddox just picks a good stopping point and ends the book. We know they're going to live happily ever after--why drag it out? It's really fun how she starts and ends this novel in the middle of things, which keeps a retelling very lively.

Recent Read: Pollyanna by Eleanor H. Porter

2010-07-11T15:11:00.000-06:00

This book is like going back to the basics. It's a really simple read, but so enjoyable. I love how light it is, and yet meaningful.

I can't help but picture Hayley Mills when I read the book, but I'm always surprised how different books are from the movies. There is no grand bizarre in the book, and the emotions of everything are a lot lighter and toned-down. I think ramping things up makes a good movie, but I like how the book is so simple.

Even though Pollyanna has become a mostly negative stereotype in our day, I still had so much fun reading this, and started catching myself playing the glad game--and why not?

Harry Potter V: Thoughts, Complaints, and Defense

2010-07-11T14:58:00.000-06:00

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is my least favorite volume in the Harry Potter series. I think it was the first book in the series that I was waiting for from the day I finished the book before, and it was a several year wait. Things were so intense at the end of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (book four), that I had high expectations for the fifth book—expectations that were not met.

The trouble with Harry Potter V is on two counts: First, it is so long, and, second, it is so cranky. Long was a good thing in book four with so much going on, but in book five nothing happens and it’s so long. As I started reading the series for probably my third complete run-through, I decided that this was book five’s last chance. If I still felt like it was a drag to read after this time through, in the future I would just start skipping it.

Well, I happened to not hate Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix quite so much this time, so for now it has been redeemed and I will probably read it again, someday. I read this time looking for elements that J.K. Rowling ties into the seventh book, and found quite a few. Maybe another difference is that I’m a little more grown up now (I think the book first came out when I wasn’t much older than fifteen (like Harry) myself), so the teenage perspective is far enough away that I can appreciate it better.

The following points used to be my complaints about Harry Potter V, but I’m starting to change my mind and decide that the book really isn’t all that bad.

1) Tantrums: Harry is emotionally out of control in this book, and it’s really annoying. I never felt like his personality was the angry type, but he does a lot of lashing out, yelling, and throwing in this book. On the other hand, weren’t we all like that as teenagers—at least to some extent? And where do teenage tantrums come from? I think Harry’s life shows how difficult it is for teenagers to start handling adult situations and problems with still only a child’s emotional coping system.

2) Weakness: In this book, Sirius is immature, Mrs. Weasley is over-protective, and Dumbledore is neglectful. But for Harry, the emotions of these situations are magnified at least ten times, and it’s pretty annoying, especially since these are some of our favorite characters. Personally, I especially hate how we see so many of Sirius’ imperfections. However, stripping down her characters to real flaws and imperfections is a pretty courageous move for J.K. Rowling, and it makes them much more real. Harry’s feelings are also very real; don’t we all harbor a sense of frustration, denial, injustice, and anger as we grow up and realize that the adults around us are still growing and learning too? It’s especially amazing that J.K.Rowling has the guts to work the theme that Dumbledore doesn’t have all the answers throughout the last three books. Although at first the realization that adults aren’t perfect makes Harry feel cheated and vulnerable, in the end it gives him strength to know that his best is all that’s expected of him—he doesn’t have to know everything in order to make good choices either.

3) Pacing: When the fourth book ends, we’re ready to pick up the next and jump right back into action. Bring on Voldemort—we’re ready to fight! And for hundreds of pages, nothing happens. This was my top complaint when the book first came out, but as I thought over Rowlings pacing this time, I’ve realized that it’s pretty ingenious because, after all, we feel just as frustrated as, and along with, Harry. And isn’t that exactly how life is? Not only is life full of ups and downs, it’s also full of speed ups and slow downs. Just when we’re ready for events and hard-core choices to flash by, something breaks down, hits the breaks, and pulls us to a stop in whatever progression we thought we were on and wherever we thought we were going. Life isn’t like a constant roller-coaster; usually you have to wait in line between rides, sometimes for a long time. While this type of pacing allows Rowling to draw the story out into a long series, it’s also pretty true to how life is.

Recent Read: A Wrinkle In Time, by Madeleine L'Engle

2010-06-18T07:42:00.000-06:00

I really loved this book as a kid. I loved it mostly because my mom really like it. As a kid, I remember it going way over my head in a lot of places. This time, I have to admit that it's a little of a disappointment right after Rebecca. I've got to get back to appreciating the simplicity of children's literature. By the way, I love this image because it's the cover I grew up with and the jacket is all ripped up at the top just like our copy at home!

Book Recommendations

2010-04-01T11:03:00.000-06:00

A few months ago my sister asked me for a list of book recommendations. This is what I gave her. I left off a couple of good ones that I already knew she'd read, but here's what came to mind to suggest to her. They aren't in any special order.

Classic-type books:
Tess of the D'Urbervilles, Thomas Hardy
Hard Times, Charles Dickens (pretty short)
Our Mutual Friend, Charles Dickens (long)
Till We Have Faces, C.S. Lewis (totally weird for the whole first half, but hold out, the end is phenomenal and makes it all worthwhile)
Ben Hur, Lew Wallace (long)
A Long Fatal Love Chase, Louisa May Alcott (pretty short, and you won't be able to put it down once you start)
The Scarlet Pimpernel, Emmuska Orczy (goes really quickly because it's so fun)
The Time Machine, H.G. Wells (very short)
The Screwtape Letters, C.S. Lewis

Really Fun Books:
The Blue Castle, L.M. Montgomery
Stargirl, Jerry Spinelli
The Goose Girl, Shannon Hale
The Princess Academy, Shannon Hale
Goose Chase, Patrice Kindl
Danny the Champion of the World, Roald Dahl
The Ordinary Princess, M.M. Kaye (super short)
Sorcery and Cecelia or The Enchanted Chocolate Pot, Patricia C. Wrede
Book of a Thousand Days, Shannon Hale (super fun and reads really quickly)
Fairest, Gail Carson Levine

Modern Fiction:
The Five People You Meet in Heaven, Mitch Albom (pretty short)
Jonathan Livingston Seagull, Richard Bach (really short)
84, Charing Cross Road, Helene Hanff (really short)

Non-fiction:
The Hiding Place, Corrie Ten Boom
The Five Love Languages, Gary Chapman
Letters, Marjorie Hinckley

Recent Read: Rebecca, by Daphne du Maurier

2009-10-21T14:57:00.000-06:00

Oh, I love this book! My husband was so skeptical because we have the red fabric cover that makes it look like a racy romance novel, but after the first chapter he couldn't help but admit that du Maurier's writing is amazing--brilliant and vivid. I like the cover I've posted here because the first line of the novel just thrills me: "Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again." I know this is the second gothic romantic suspense novel I've put my husband through in the last month, but I figured the Halloween season was a good time to read Rebecca again, and we both loved it! Brian was a little depressed when he found out it wasn't a happy book, but once the truth in the plot came out he wouldn't let us stop reading. This is a book I don't think I'll ever tire of!

Recent Read: The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo

2009-09-28T15:54:00.000-06:00

I think it's because I was raised on The Secret of Nimh, Cinderella, and Redwall, but I love mice stories! When I saw the movie poster for Despereaux I was so excited because Despereaux's animated character was so cute! I decided to read the book after I saw the movie.

As usual, the movie and the book differ a lot. Now that I read the book, I'm disappointed about what the movie changed. I think that most of the movie changes didn't really add to the story, but such is life in Hollywood!

The reading level for this book says ages 7-12. That is quite a spread, but about right. The book reads more like a story book, but the pictures are in your head instead of on the page. The chapters are short and pretty episodic, which is really great for middle-grade readers. DiCamillo brings out a lot of real-life themes through this cute story--love, hate, revenge, ambition, uniqueness, perserverance, and forgiveness--which explains why she got a medal for this!

As a children's book, The Tale of Despereaux, is cute, sweet, fun, and quick. I felt like it was a little below even my general reading level taste for children's novels, but I still really enjoyed it

Jane Eyre: My Forever Favorite

2009-09-28T15:49:00.000-06:00

Every time I read this book it is just as amazing as the first time. I love Bronte's deep plot that takes you so many place and so many directions. I love that the characters overcome a great hardship and become better for it and there is still a happy ending. I love that Jane is the perfect heroine. I love Bronte's deep belief in true and enduring love.

Poll Results: What Type of Tolkien Fan Are You?

2009-09-28T15:37:00.001-06:00

Most readers are Lord of the Rings movie fans!

Children of Hurin, by J.R.R. Tolkien

2009-09-28T15:09:00.000-06:00

Oh, Tolkien. We almost have the same initials, but sometimes I just don't understand you. My husband and I loved reading The Lord of the Rings aloud it took a really long time (months actually), but reading aloud made me appreciate Tolkien's descriptions, imagery, and length a lot more.

I was excited to read this book just to get more Tolkien, but I wish it didn't sound like the chronicles of history in the Bible! I love the Bible, but long history just wasn't what I was looking for in a novel. We stuck it out to the end though. After the lengthy background, the pace picked up a bit, but the book never lost the history feel.

I can't help but thinking that Tolkien spent over twelve years writing and revising The Lord of the Rings for a reason. I wonder if this book, compiled by Christopher Tolkien, is missing Tolkien's arduous revision process?

The good news was that Children of Hurin was super short compared to The Lord of the Rings. I was never very engaged with the characters as Turin is just grumpy the whole time, but he did pull out a pretty cool plot twist, even if it was kind of weird.

Overall, the thing about Tolkien is at least one every chapter he says something really amazing about human nature. Those are the gems that keep me reading on for more!

Poll Results: What Dickens Books Have You Read?

2009-07-28T10:22:00.000-06:00

Here are the Dickens' novel rankings, from most read to least read:

1. A Christmas Carol, David Copperfield, Great Expectations

2. Oliver Twist, A Tale of Two Cities, Hard Times

3. Nicholas Nickleby, Our Mutual Friend, The Old Curiosity Shop

4. Bleak House

Our Mutual Friend, by Charles Dickens

2009-07-27T11:03:00.000-06:00

Yes, I am on a Dickens' roll!

This book has been amazing! Reading it has been one of the best things I've ever done, even though 916 pages is a significant literary investment. It is the very best of everything Dickens--love, adventure, creepy characters, and the most amazing and intense plot I've ever read. The surprise ending totally got me, and I couldn't believe that the whole story was about a different character than the one I originally picked as the main character. I want to read it over again so I can recognize Dickens' absolute mastery in plot, deception, perspective, and story.

One thing I can't stop thinking about is how grateful I am that I wasn't alive when Dickens was writing this book. Waiting for the next serial would have killed me in so many places in this book. I would have been camping out at the dock waiting for the next installment for weeks.

I'm going to be raving about this book forever!

Another Happy Note (well, sort of):

2009-07-09T15:34:00.001-06:00

Last week I processed some paperwork for a Mr. Heathcote (which made me think of Heathcliff) and a Mr. Linton. Oh the coincidences that cross my desk (and oh, Emily Bronte, what intense emotion flutters across my heart when I just think of all that your characters are going through in that little volume called Wuthering Heights)!

The Pickwick Papers, by Charles Dickens

2009-07-09T15:16:00.000-06:00

When I was a kid, my mother always talked about how funny this book was. It was a little slow going for me, but after about halfway and I thought it was great! Unlike some of Dickens' other novels, the Pickwick Papers only has a loose main plot and is mainly a collection of stories about Mr. Pickwick and his friends. Each chapter was written purely for the entertainment value of a good humerous story. My favorite thing about the book is that we follow the Pickwickians through various seasons and settings. There's a Pickwick, Christmas, Valentine's Day, Election Day, Wedding Day, and so much more. Fun fact: Mr. Pickwick's faithful servant's name is Sam--the same name as Frodo's servant in J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings.

Not Far From Hamelin: A Personal Response to Robert Browning's "Child's Story"

2009-07-09T14:30:00.000-06:00

This post is brought to you by July 22, Pied Piper of Hamelin Day.

During my junior year of college, I was so confused by Robert Browning. Was the man crazy, or what? Who writes stuff like, ‘No Tully, said I, Ulpian at the best!’ (from “The Bishop Orders His Tomb,” line 100) and calls it art? Now, Elizabeth Barrett Browning is another story. What an amazing writer! I can easily identify with her beautiful imagery, voice, and style. And then there’s Robert.

How can you compare “Fra Lippo Lippi” with “I love thee to the level of everyday’s / Most quiet need, by sun and candlelight” (from Sonnets from the Portuguese, No. 43) I wondered. The third line of “Fra Lippo Lippi” is a good example of Browning’s unconventional style: “Zooks, what’s to blame? you think you see a monk!” Every day in my British literature class, I asked myself what this lamb-chop bearded man was talking about. He must have been insane. I couldn’t even get through one poem without cringing.

One day I decided to turn to that omniscient source of all wisdom: Google. I searched for Browning’s name, scrolled down the hit list, and was surprised to run across “‘The Pied Piper of Hamelin’ by Robert Browning” as a search result. With astonishment, my mind recalled that story I had read years ago when I was a little girl—that strange but fascinating tale of the odd piper who lured away all the children of the town because the citizens did not keep their contract with him.

With my eyes riveted to the computer lab screen on the fourth floor of the library, I sat there rolling Browning’s fun yet poignant lines through my mind and reliving the story that I loved so many years ago. It’s hard to say exactly why this story has always captivated me. The plot is rather unsettling when you think about it—a gypsy leading a slew of children away from their homes. As I reread Browning’s poem, I was again swept away by these alluring lines that describe where the Piper leads the children:

… a joyous land,
Joining the town and just at hand,
Where waters gushed and fruit-trees grew,
And flowers put forth a fairer hue,
And everything was strange and new;
The sparrows were brighter than peacocks here,
And their dogs outran our fallow deer,
And honey-bees had lost their stings,
And horses were born with eagles' wings. (stanza XIII)

Browning’s, the piper’s, perfect place intrigued me so much—a wonderful dream of peace and joy and no more troubles.

Once I found out that Robert Browning penned the verse version of “The Pied Piper of Hamelin” (see Note 1), he instantly shot up the charts of my personal esteem. Suddenly I wanted to understand Browning and his writing. I went back to my textbooks and began again to try to appreciate the works of Robert Browning. I read slowly and thoughtfully. I laughed, I cringed, I smiled, I cried, I got angry, I felt lonely, I felt hopeful, and many a time I was quite puzzled, but in the end I felt like I had at least scratched the surface. I didn’t become an expert, but through my research, and especially my rediscovering of “The Pied Piper of Hamelin,” I penetrated in a small way an acknowledgement that Robert Browning was one of the greatest poets of the English language and that there is a reason to read and write about him and his works.

Most scholars skip over “The Pied Piper of Hamelin” because it is, as Browning himself subtitles it, “A Child’s Story.” However, based on research and my own experience with this work, I have come to believe that Robert Browning’s nursery tale, “The Pied Piper of Hamelin,” has more merit than most of academia gives it.

The story of the Pied Piper of Hamelin was not Browning’s own, original tale. It was a story that had been around for centuries and one that Browning’s father had read to him over and over again when Browning was a young child (see Note 2). Years later, when little Willie Macready, the son of one of Browning’s theater colleagues, was sick in bed for weeks with a bad cough, Browning penned his verse version of “The Pied Piper of Hamelin” (DeVane 127).

Since Browning wrote the poem originally just for Willie and with no intention of publishing it, most people dismiss the poem as something just for children. According to the critics, “The Pied Piper of Hamelin” is a work that has all the principle appeals for children: an animal story, an escape from everyday life, and a satire that makes grown-ups look foolish—in short, an unmistakably acclaimed children’s classic (Jack 83, Small xi). While I agree with critics in terms of Browning’s overall literary genius, amusing rhyme schemes, and humorous imagery, all of which form a wonderful work of literature for children, the quality of the poem I find most pivotal is that this was a beloved story from Browning’s childhood that he gave as a gift to another child. Five months after Browning wrote the poem, it was published as the final piece in his book of poems Bells and Pomegranates in November, 1842 (Erickson 81, Brooke 5). At the time of publication, I think Browning must have thought about the thousands of other children who would read this tale and love it just like he did—just like I have.

But what is it about this story that makes it so captivating? Why did thirty year-old Robert Browning still care to write about the Pied Piper? As for me, I was a college student; why out of all of Browning’s better-known “adult” works was I still so enthralled with this poem? I found an answer to this question in a Browning biography:

‘The Pied Piper’ shows more experienced readers how sadly skeptical age has made them and reminds them of their lost childhood and its simple morals … [It is] in some sense a nursery tale for adults. (Erickson 92)

Yes, this poem exemplifies Browning’s genius of variety, free medium, metrical device, etc. (see Note 3), but the crowning feature of this work is its capacity to touch the hearts of all people. Young or old, in comfort or loneliness, amidst success or failure, we need literature, folktales, stories, and poems to take us away to that childlike dream of fairyland where everything is all at once peaceful but exciting, comfortable but brand-new, challenging but happy. “The Pied Piper of Hamelin” opens a glimpse of Wonderland, Xanadu, Bali-Ha’i, Toyland, Pixieland, Over the Rainbow, Neverland, Utopia, and Innisfree.

“The Pied Piper of Hamelin” shows a tiny glimpse of the romantic, delicate part of Browning’s heart (see Note 4). He wrote this poem to cheer a nine-year-old boy and teach little Willie to keep promises, but also to express and bequeath to him that dream of “a joyous land … just at hand.” This dream reminds us of that faraway time when we believed that people speak truth, that when you bump your knee Mom and a band-aid will fix it instantly, and that you can grow up to be anything you want to be. It’s hard to become an adult and realize that not all people are honest all the time, that some people care only about themselves and money, that the world is often too busy for relationships, that heartache is real and can bleed for a long time, and that many of your dreams still haven’t come true; but there’s a magic light that shines in your soul when you remember those simple essentials you learned so long ago and that there’s always a place to go to dream that wishes do come true.

I still don’t know why Browning chose to write poems about the psychologically unstable, and I’m still not sure how he and Elizabeth could have possibly been a perfect match, but as a result of my journey with “The Pied Piper of Hamelin,” from Google to a child’s Paradise, I’ve found a way to connect with Robert Browning in a way that I never thought was possible. Apart from the miracle this realization has worked in my own life, the application of Browning’s “Child Story” on an adult level is valid, even imperative.

Swirling through the whirlwind of academic knowledge and world-renowned literary masterpieces, it may often seem that the piper is piping only to rats—the real world is hard, scary, ugly, and even smelly. The concepts of integrity and morality are drowned by “contemporary,” “modern,” “innovative,” and “21st century” styles of society, business, and art. It is at these times, when we are bogged down with the weight of the responsibilities, priorities, and changing ethics of the grown-up world that Robert Browning surprises us with a nursery tale for children and adults alike—a poetic masterpiece, a tender story, a fine moral, and an exquisite enchantment that flutters over time and space, majestic and maternal, enveloping in its eternal embrace those who remain children at heart.

Notes
1. The origin of the “Pied Piper” story is unknown, a detail lost during the Middle Ages, but a German manuscript from 1430-1450 records the “Exodus Hamelensis,” an occurrence in 1284 when 130 children strangely disappeared from Hameln, Hanover (Small ix). Literary and historical accounts of this folktale have been traced all the way to von Goethe. The story is included in Richard Vestegen Rowland’s Resitution of Decayed Intelligence Antiquities Concerning the English Nation, first printed in 1605. Browning’s specific source for the story was Nathaniel Wanley’s The Wonders of the Little World, or A General History of Man, printed in 1678 (Harrington).
2. The volume that Mr. Browning the elder read from was Nathaniel Wanley’s The Wonders of the Little World, or A General History of Man. When asked about retelling a story that has been around for centuries, Browning willingly attributed the original tale to other earlier accounts of it; he said, “I give mine Author’s very words: he penned, I reindite” (DeVane 535).
3. … exciting narrative, various audience, chaos of language, spirit, Hubibrastic invective, animal imagery, keen insight, clever verse, speaking voice, and exemplified narrative--I wasn’t kidding when I said everyone has something to say about Browning! These phrases of Browning’s writing in “The Pied Piper of Hamelin” are found in the following sources: Cohen 26; Erickson 82, 91, 93; Small xi; Jack 83, 84, 96.
4. Ian Jack stated in his book Browning’s Major Poetry that “The Pied Piper of Hamelin” is an ingenious work in which “the narrator appears to be indistinguishable from the poet himself,” a vast contrast from most of his other works (Jack 79).

References
Abrams, M.H. Norton Anthology of English Literature, Volume 2, 7th ed. W.W. Norton: 2003.
Brooke, Stepford A. The Poetry of Robert Browning. Crowell: New York, 1902.
Cohen, J.M. Robert Browning. Longmans, Green: London, 1952.
DeVane, William Clyde. A Browning Handbook. Appleton-Century-Crafts: New York, 1935.
Erickson, Lee. Robert Browning: His Poetry and His Audiences. Cornell: Ithaca, 1984.
Harrington, Vernon C. Browning Studies. Badger: Boston, MCMXV.
Jack, Ian. Browning’s Major Poetry. Oxford: Clarendon, 1973.
Small, Terry. The Pied Piper of Hamelin. Gulliver Books: San Diego, 1988.

Things like this make me happy:

2009-02-19T15:57:00.000-07:00

Within the past week I've seen people whose real names are Mr. Elton and Ms. Woodhouse!

Getting to Know Jane Austen: The Book Route

2009-01-12T09:41:00.000-07:00

This January marks the 196th anniversary of the publication of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. Maybe you’re an avid Austen fan, or maybe you’re wondering what all the Jane Austen hype is about and how her wit and charm could captivate readers for nearly two centuries. This past year I discovered two new biographical sources about Jane Austen: Becoming Jane Austen, a biography written by Jon Spence, and Becoming Jane, the Miramax film starring Anne Hathaway, released in the United States last February. If you’re wondering how to get to know Jane Austen, I strongly suggest the book route.

What was fact and fiction in Becoming Jane, the movie? As usual, the film was only based on a true story. The film makers themselves say that they didn’t claim for the film to be biographic, which it is not. While Austen did have an interest in a man named Tom Lefroy when she was young, the details of the entire affair are unknown. The idea that Austen tried to run away with LeFroy, as depicted in the movie, is entirely fiction. Of course the dialogue in the film, and even Jane’s personality, were created by the film makers’ imaginations. We have her novels and her letters, but we do not know how she herself acted in public. Thus Becoming Jane, the movie, could be misleading to Austen fans if the film makes you believe that everything happened as depicted on screen. This is why I suggest Jon Spence’s written biography, Becoming Jane Austen over the movie, Becoming Jane.

As the similar titles suggest, Jon Spence was the historical consultant on the film project, but his own book, first published in 2003, is a much more satisfying and accurate way to learn about Jane Austen’s life. It was Spence who presented the idea to the world that Austen might have really been in love with LeFroy, but the affair was far from the extreme case presented in the movie.

Because so little is written about Jane Austen that she didn’t write herself, she is sometimes considered quite a mystery. We have what she wrote, her public façade, but we don’t know what her real personality was like; we only have what she wanted to be seen. Because of this, Spence begins his book by chronicling Austen’s family history. By interpreting the lives and choices of her forebearers, Spences strives to uncover her background and family life. This beginning part of the book, Austen’s family history, is a little dense, but Spence does an excellent job to shed light on why knowing about her grandfather and uncles could be important in understanding Austen herself.

As Spence continues to chronicle Austen’s own life, he relies heavily on as many historical documents as possible—notes, letters, and Austen’s published and unpublished works. The best part of Spence’s biography is when he analyzes Austen’s works in relation to her own life. Most fans were thrilled by scenes in the movie Becoming Jane that reflected scenes in Austen’s novels, but, unlike the movie, Spence makes no unwarrented claims. Spence is very straightforward in weighing the accuracy of his suppositions. Although he makes guesses about Austen, he bases his ideas on records and does nothing to lead the reader astray.

Reading Becoming Jane Austen by Jon Spence makes me want to read all of Austen’s novels again so I can see in them what Spence saw in them. And reading Jane Austen is always an exciting, humorous, and fun pleasure, even two centuries later.

Survey Results: Your Favorite Children's Series

2008-12-01T12:41:00.000-07:00

36% of readers voted for The Little House on the Prairie series by Laura Ingalls Wilder.

27% of readers voted for the Anne of Green Gables series by L.M. Montgomery.

9% of readers voted for The Babysitter's Club.

9% of readers voted for The Chronicles of Prydain by Lloyd Alexander.

9% of readers voted for Encyclopedia Brown.

9% of readers voted for The Hardy Boys.

Great Read this December: Prince Caspian by C.S. Lewis

2008-12-01T12:35:00.000-07:00

Disney's film, "The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian,” comes to DVD on December 2, 2008, just in time for the holidays. Both Chronicles of Narnia movie adaptations have revitalized interest in C. S. Lewis' original series. It's a great time to jump in and encourage the children in your life, and yourself, to read, or re-read, the original C. S. Lewis Chronicles of Narnia books.

When first published, The Chronicles of Narnia were as popular for British and American children as the Harry Potter series is today. And why? The genius in Lewis’ work is his ability to tell a moving, exciting, meaningful story while simultaneously teaching important Christian doctrinal truths.

Although Lewis very much strayed from telling people that his books were purely allegorical, he liked to call them symbolic myths. You will find The Chronicles of Narnia an easy but uplifting read. Lewis' favorite uncle-like storytelling voice is engaging for adults and children alike.

The most recent editions of The Chronicles of Narnia have printed the books in Narnia-time chronological order. The movies, however, are being released in the order that Lewis wrote the books, which is also the order of reading I suggest, as follows:

1) The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
2) Prince Caspian
3) The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
4) The Silver Chair
5) The Horse and His Boy
6) The Magician's Nephew
7) The Last Battle

If you’re new to The Chronicles of Narnia, here is some information about the first three books and highlights to look for as you read to get you started.

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe is a great way to start reading C. S. Lewis. The new publication of the series has you read The Magician’s Nephew first, but I recommend starting with The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. The overall themes of the return of Aslan, his sacrifice for Edmund, and the realization of the role Aslan has in store for all four children in Narnia are captivating. None of the Narnia books are very long, and The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe jots along at such an exciting pace that you wish there was more when you finish.

In Prince Caspian, the four children return to Narnia. While only a year has passed in England, hundreds of years have passed in Narnia. They are brought back to help Prince Caspian overthrow his usurper uncle and return harmony between talking beasts and humans in Narnia. The beginning of the book is a bit slow until the children (and the reader) are brought up to speed with Narnian history, but the battle scene at the end of the book is well worth the wait. In addition, Prince Caspian is an important set-up volume for The Voyage of the Dawn Treader.

The Voyage of the Dawn Treader is a great adventure story! In this book, Caspian, Edmund, Lucy, and Eustace, a new character, travel to different islands as part of a quest. Each island is full of symbolic occurrences and culminates with the children meeting Aslan in his own land. This is one of Lewis’ best in Christian symbolism.

A copy of Lewis’ original Prince Caspian coupled with the new Disney DVD is a great gift idea to encourage readers of all ages. Now is a great time to read, or re-read, C.S. Lewis' The Chronicles of Narnia!

Poetry and You: National Poetry Day, October 15, 2008

2008-10-03T13:47:00.000-06:00

My mother introduced me to most of the literature I love, except poetry. Other than Shakespeare’s plays, my mom didn’t care too much for poetry. I never really noticed this until I started studying classic poetry selections in college. I asked Mom why she never encouraged me to read poetry. She told me that she just didn’t prefer poetry—that it didn’t make a lot of sense to her and just didn’t appeal. I wonder if people who say they don’t like poetry know what they’re missing. Some that confess this may not like reading much at all, while others, like my mom, are veracious readers that have just never crossed the boundary between prose and verse.

This boundary doesn’t really exist. You already know way more poetry that you give yourself credit for. As young children, we learn and read silly songs, nursery rhymes, and Dr. Seuss: It’s all poetry. Most songs, especially folk songs and hymns, have poetic lyrics. Our own hymn book includes lyrics written by noted poets such as Rudyard Kipling, John Henry Newman, and Alfred Tennyson. Then there are the scriptures. All of the Psalms are poetry. All of Isaiah is poetry. Much of the Book of Mormon is poetry. You probably love your favorite passage of scripture so much because it sounds so beautiful—because it’s poetry.

So if poetry is everywhere and we still don’t understand it, what is it? A Handbook to Literature says that poetry is the "rhythmic expression" of a poet's "intense perception of the world, themselves, and the relation of the two" (Harmon 390). In other words, poetry is meant to be, like all forms of writing, a communication. The poet is trying to tell something to the reader—some thought or observation. However, a poet uses poetic forms and conventions that are different than everyday speech.

Here’s an example: Without knowing any literary terms, you can look at the poem below and see that its style is very different from prose, from the way I’m writing the rest of this article.

Be still, my soul: the Lord is on thy side.
Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain.

Leave to thy God to order and provide;
In every change, He faithful will remain.

Be still, my soul: thy best, thy heav’nly Friend
Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.

This poem is the first stanza of “Be Still My Soul,” lyrics that were originally written in German by Katharina von Schlegel. See if you can read this stanza as if you don’t know the tune, as if you’ve never seen the poem before. Pause where the punctuation comes, just as you would when you read this sentence. After an initial reading, we can use this hymn to illustrate the four basics of poetry: rhythm, rhyme, inversion, and compactness (Harmon 391). Keeping these four basics in mind will help you understand and enjoy poetry more.

The first basic to reading poetry is rhythm. There are complex explanations of poetic rhythm with a lot of terms, but if you just want to learn to recognize poetic rhythm, you only need to look at what we call stressed and unstressed words and syllables. When we read and speak, we naturally give different words in different parts of the sentences more or less time and emphasis. For example, when you say, “Go to your room,” naturally you’d stress the words (and syllables) “go” and “room.” Take a look at the poem. Below I’ve highlighted the stressed syllables of the first line in bold. Notice that this is the natural way of saying the words:

Be still, my soul: the Lord is on thy side.

Without knowing too many literary terms, you can appreciate this poem’s rhythm. Every other syllable in the line is stressed. This pattern follows throughout every line of the poem.

If you count the pairs of unstressed and stressed syllables, there are five pairs on each line and exactly ten syllables on each line. The technical term for this poetic form—five unstressed/stressed syllable pairs in on each line—is iambic pentameter, a very popular form in Western poetry and the exact form that Shakespeare used for nearly all of his works. Recognizing how beautiful the poem reads while knowing that the poet had a hard time conforming to a strict rule of rhythm can help you appreciate the poem even more and can help you understand the other three basics of poetry: rhyme, inversion, and compactness.

Here is the poem again. This time I’ve highlighted in color the pairs of rhymes at the end of each line:

Be still, my soul: the Lord is on thy side.
Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain.
Leave to thy God to order and provide;
In every change, He faithful will remain.
Be still, my soul: thy best, thy heav’nly Friend

Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.

Finding rhymes at the end of each line is really easy, but there are more rhyming techniques in the poem that you hear and feel. There are other sounds that match in the poem that add to its beauty, see the color matches below:

Be still, my soul: the Lord is on thy side.
Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain.

Leave to thy God to order

and provide;
In every change, He faithful will remain.

Be still, my soul: thy best, thy heav’nly Friend
Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.

You’ll notice how colorful the poem is! While not all the connections may have been intentional, you can be sure that the like sounds that occur on the same line (the underlined pairs)

were intentionally placed there by the poet.

The third poetry basic is inversion. Inversion means that poems are

often written in a word order different than we would normally speak. For example, the fourth line of “Be Still My Soul” reads: “In every change, He faithful will remain.” In ordinary speech, you would say it this way: “He will remain faithful in every change.” Inversion is why poetry often sounds so foreign to us: Poets use words in a different order than we normally speak them. However, inversion allows the poet to stretch the words and composition of the poem to facilitate the other three basics of poetry—rhythm, rhyme, and compactness. “He will remain faithful in every change” instead of the inverted “In every change, He faithful will remain,” would destroy the overall rhyme scheme of the poem. If you find that you don’t understand what a poem is saying, try looking for inversion. See if you can rearrange the poem’s contents so you can understand its meaning better.

Finally, poems are compact. Each stanza of “Be Still My Soul”

is only six lines long. This is important because the rhyme scheme has four lines where every other end of the line rhymes and the fifth and sixth lines rhyme right in a row. For each verse, the poet had to communicate an idea in only six lines with ten syllables per line. Because I’m not a poet, I would communicate what this poem is saying in prose, like this:

I’ve been having a really hard time the last few weeks, and I feel like I need to tell myself to calm down. I need to remember that God is there and mindful of me. I need to be patient when I’m upset or hurting and leave it to the Lord to make everything right and take care of my needs. I need to remember that He is always there and will not leave me alone. Heavenly Father will lead and guide me and make everything all right.

First of all, my prose version of the poem is not that pretty. Secondly, it’s not very memorable. All four basics of poetry—rhythm, rhyme, inversion, and compactness—help make the poem, and what the poet wants to communicate to the world, memorable. You’ve probably never sat down to memorize this hymn, but you probably know at least the first verse by heart. The tune of the hymn also helps you remember the poem, but it is the original four basic qualities of the poem that allow it to be set to music so easily.

Keep the four basics of poetry—rhythm, rhyme, inversion, and compactness—in mind as you encounter poetry in the future in books, songs, hymns, and scripture. Knowing the basics of poetry will help you understand the beauty of poetic language and the meaningful and memorable messages of poetry.

Works Cited

Harmon, William and Hugh Holman. “Poetry.” A Handbook to Literature. 9^th ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2003, 390-392.

Von Schlegel, Katharina. “Be Still My Soul.” Hymns. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, 124.

Poll Results: Best-Known Poets

2008-09-08T10:51:00.000-06:00

Below are the percentages of voting readers who had read works from the following poets:

Robert Frost - 82%

Shel Silverstein - 76%

Alfred Tennyson - 64%

William Wordsworth - 64%

John Keats - 58%

Robert Browning - 58%

Children Who Love to Read Love to Learn

2008-08-25T12:52:00.000-06:00

One of my good friends has raised four sons. The oldest has a Ph.D. in Math Education and was recently hired as a tenure-track professor at Louisiana State University. The second son is working on his M.D. at Ohio State University. The third is a Ph.D. student in computer science at Brigham Young University. The youngest is still an undergraduate and has a lot to live up to. The most amazing thing about this family is that although the father has a J.D. from San Diego State University, the mother of these four sons only attended one year of college and doesn’t even have a bachelor’s degree. This valiant mother sacrificed her own education to put her husband through law school. She loves telling her children that over the years she has received a degree in living, which no one can dispute, least of all her academically achieving sons.

When asked if there is a secret to her family’s success, this mother replies affirmatively. She says that she read to her boys for an hour each day after school and checked over their homework every night. If their work was wrong, she had them re-do it. With this constant example of the importance of reading and an unfailing standard of academic excellence, this mother instilled in her sons a love of reading and a love of learning.

Our prophet, Thomas S. Monson, has counseled all of us to make our homes “Libraries of Learning,” just like this mother did. President Monson has also said that good books are an important part of a happy home: “Reading is one of the true pleasures of life. In our age of mass culture, when so much that we encounter is abridged, adapted, adulterated, shredded, and boiled down, it is mind-easing and mind-inspiring to sit down privately with a congenial book” (2008). President Monson has also quoted James A. Michener, who said, “A nation becomes what its young people read in their youth. Its ideals are fashioned then, its goals strongly determined” (Monson, 2004).

Recent child development research shows that reading shapes our homes and our nation because it shapes each individual child’s capacity to learn. Helping our children develop a love of reading might not always result in a family of doctors, but teaching children to love reading will help them develop a love for learning and put them on the road to accomplishment.

We all know that reading is a very important skill for children to master in order to be successful in all aspects of their education—both secular and spiritual. A 2004 University of Michigan study of children under age 13 linked significant time reading for pleasure with higher academic achievement (Hofferth & Sandberg). We all want smart kids, but most parents know that teaching children to love reading is often easier said than done. Just as reading habits among adults differ, so reading habits among children is often a result of personality differences. However, the culture of your home can make an important impact on your child’s literacy development. A study published in 2004 stated that a child’s early literacy development is significantly dependent on family context and characteristics (Kuo, Franke, Regalado, & Halfon). This study also found that the number of children’s books in the home was a predictor of how much familial context was improving a child’s literacy development while maternal full-time working status lowered the odds of the family giving the child sufficient literacy development.

There are many creative things parents can do to encourage their children, of all personality types, to read. Give the following six ideas a try. Strive to adapt reading activities to the needs and personality of your child. Be encouraging and patient and lead by example.

1. Assess the situation at the library.
A great way to decipher where your child is with reading skill is to take a trip to the local library. Tell the children to pick out some books on their own. Observe your children as they browse. See if what they choose on their own is appropriate for their reading level. If you’re unsure what type of books (board books, picture books, early reader, middle reader, or young adult) is appropriate for your child’s age level, consult with a librarian so you can get a good idea of where they should be. Be sure not to discourage your children, however. If your child still relies on pictures books when chapter books are more appropriate, allow them to stay where they are comfortable but pick an extra book to read together that may be a little more challenging than their initial comfort level.

2. Encourage your child’s strengths and interests.
Never say no to a good book. Allow your child to explore different interests, but if all they want are dinosaur books let them mostly read dinosaur books. Maybe on each trip to the library help them to pick at least one book on another subject, but don’t discourage the dinosaurs. Your goal for your child is a habit of enjoyable reading. If they only stick to one subject right now and still learn to love to read, then they will have the tools and ability to branch out on their own later on.

3. Shop for a great series.
If your child is one who won’t pick out anything from the library and really isn’t interested in reading, try looking for a good series. Children’s series are a great way to attract the attention of a less-inclined reader. Ask a librarian about what series are popular, or ask other mothers what their children are reading. One mother praises the Harry Potter series as a godsend. Just when her boys were starting to give up on reading, Harry Potter became popular and they couldn’t help but join in. Since then, those same boys have devoured the Redwall series and The Lord of the Rings trilogy. Even if jumping on a popular bandwagon is what gets your child to read, it’s still a success!

4. Schedule family reading time.
Try having reading time after school in your own family. Read books aloud that the whole family is interested in, or have independent reading time when each family member reads by themselves. Talk about the books together after you read. Talking about books helps children improve reading comprehension skills.

5. Organize book activities.
Have you ever made green eggs and ham? Or eaten a big plate of spaghetti after reading Strega Nona? Or gone on a teddy bear picnic? Be creative in planning activities for your children to go along with books they are reading. For older children, set a goal for them to read the original book before a movie adaptation comes out, or read the book together as an entire family and go to see the movie all together.

6. Teach children to love the scriptures by example.
Make family scripture study a priority. Try to spend some time reading scriptures with each child one-on-one as well, even if it’s just a few verses before bed. Encourage your children to explore the scriptures on their own, even at a young age. Help children understand Book of Mormon stories by acting them out as a Family Home Evening Activity. Give your children copies of the Book for Mormon to take to church as soon as they want their own scriptures, even if they aren’t good enough readers yet. Let them know that you encourage their love for the scriptures and that your own love for the scriptures is very important to you.

As a parent, you can contribute to your children’s success in reading and learning by encouraging and supporting educational activities at home. Even if it takes a little creativity and patience, encouraging your children to read will eventually teach them to love to learn and make your home a haven of happiness (see Monson, 2008).

References
- Hofferth, S. L. & Sandburg, J. F. (2004). How American children spend their time. Journal of Marriage and Family, 63(2), 295-308.
- Kuo, A. A., Franke, T. M., Regalado, M., & Halfon, N. (2004). Parent report of reading to young children. Pediatrics, 113 (6), 1944-1951.
- Monson, T. S. (2008). A sanctuary from the world. Proceedings from Worldwide Leadership Training Meeting: Building Up a Righteous Prosperity. Salt Lake City, UT: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

Recent Read: "Anna Karenina," by Leo Tolstoy

2008-08-01T12:12:00.001-06:00

This was the first Russian novel I've ever read all the way through. This novel is an intriguing commentary on family life in aristocratic society. Although the fact that the main plot is about adultery, Tolstoy shows how lack of family values only makes people miserable. I was impressed with how effectively Tolstoy can juggle a large set of main characters, all of whose lives kept my interest throughout the very long book.

One of the gems of the piece is its overall pattern. Even though she is the namesake of the novel, we don't meet Anna until several chapters in. This device allows Tolstoy to increase our suspense as he fully sets up the stage before her appearance. Symmetrically, at the end of the novel, Anna departs the novel several chapters before the end. Likewise, the book commences with Oblonsky, the easy-living, yet loving, adulterous husband and father in the book. His actions have completely uprooted his household and made his family, especially his wife, utterly unhappy. Tolstoy ends the book with a foil of the opening circumstance. Levin, our hero-lover throughout the novel and the most decent man in the book, finally gains a testimony of God and Christianity. Although his life, and his actions, are not absolutely perfect, his honesty in word, thought, and deed make he and his family extremely happy.

I'm not sure Anna Karenina will ever be my favorite book, but I must hail Tolstoy's work as a masterpiece of literature. His writing is extremely detailed and his descriptions of people are very realistic. His commentary on family life, while saddening at times, is certainly thought-provoking.

Breaking into Science

2008-07-24T12:46:00.001-06:00

A Brief History of Time: From the Big Bang to Black Holes, by Stephen Hawking: I've heard of this book, and Stephen Hawking, for years, and I've finally picked up the book for real. It's a lot shorter and easier to read than I originally thought. I feel like I have an advantage because I've taken general physical science in high school and college, so this book feels like an overall in-depth review that connects all the theories and discoveries better than I've ever been taught them before. Hawking's writing is very clear and easy to understand. I can't still can't quite fathom the twin paradox yet, but I feel like I especially understand the history of discoveries of the properties of the universe a lot better.

From "In Memoriam" to “Crossing the Bar”: Celebrating the Life of Alfred, Lord Tennyson

2008-07-21T12:45:00.000-06:00

August 6, 2008 marks the 199th anniversary of the birth of Alfred Tennyson. You’ve probably heard this name before, but who exactly was Tennyson and why does everyone know about him?

For starters, Tennyson is considered to be the great English poet of the Victorian era. He succeeded William Wordsworth (one of the great poets of the English Romantic period of literature) as poet laureate of England, a sort of poet-in-residence for the royal household and the entire nation. It was a great honor, but apart from being a royal favorite, Tennyson was widely popular with all classes of readers in his time and remains popular today.

Proof: the lines of the following poem, “Crossing the Bar,” have been often recited often by President Thomas S. Monson and are probably at least somewhat familiar to you. This poem was also sung by the Mormon Tabernacle choir at the funeral service for President Gordon B. Hinckley in the Conference Center on February 2, 2008. If you are new to poetry, try reading the poem aloud and slowly. Try to let the words paint pictures in your mind and sound music to your ears.

Crossing the Bar
Sunset and evening star
And one clear call for me!
And may there be no moaning of the bar,
When I put out to sea,

But such a tide as moving seems asleep,
Too full for sound and foam,
When that which drew from out the boundless deep
Turns again home.

Twilight and evening bell,
And after that the dark!
And may there be no sadness of farewell,
When I embark;

For though from out our bourne of Time and Place
The flood may bear me far,
I hope to see my Pilot face to face
When I have crossed the bar.

What does the poem mean? The speaker in the poem is watching an ocean sunset. The ending of the day makes him think of the ending of a life. He hopes that that event in his life will not be tragic but a joyful reunion with his Creator. One interesting thing about this poem is that Tennyson wrote it just three years before he died. This work shows a very different view of death than an outlook Tennyson held earlier in his career, which we’ll talk more about later.
Tennyson has been oft-quoted in General Conference and articles by General Authorities in Church magazines. Here are a few examples:

· President Gordon B. Hinckley often quoted these two lines from Tennyson’s poem “Sir Galahad”: “My strength is as the strength of ten, / Because my heart is pure.” He quoted these lines in at least four significant addresses: “In Search of Peace and Freedom” in the August 1989 Ensign, “Be Ye Clean” in the April 1996 General Conference, “True to the Faith” in the June 1996 Ensign, and “You can be Forgiven” in the October 2001 New Era. President James E. Faust also quoted these lines in his April 2000 General Conference address.

· President Ezra Taft Benson quoted this line from “The Coming of Arthur” in Tennyson’s Idylls of the King in an article entitled “Honor” printed in the July 1984 New Era: “Man’s word [of honor] is God in man.”

· Elder Jeffrey R. Holland references Tennyson’s poem “Ulysses” his May 2006 General Conference address entitled “Broken Things to Mend.” The poem is about Ulysses (also known as Odysseus), the Greek warrior who fought against Troy and then spent twenty years getting back to his home island of Ithaca. Tennyson’s last lines read:

That which we are, we are,--
One equal temper of heroic hearts,
Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will
To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.

Elder Holland paraphrases this last line in the middle of his talk: “Soon, with that kind of love[, the pure love of Christ], we realize our days hold scores of thoroughfares leading to the Master and that every time we reach out, however feebly, for Him, we discover He has been anxiously trying to reach us. So we step, we strive, we seek, and we never yield.” In referring to Tennyson’s “Ulysses,” Elder Holland conjures feelings of the noble heroism that is necessary for us to get through this life.

· Tennyson has also been quoted or alluded to in public addresses by President David O. McKay, President Harold B. Lee, President N. Eldon Tanner, President Boyd K. Packer, Elder Marion G. Romney, Elder Marvin J. Ashton, Elder Marion D. Hanks Bishop Vaughn J. Featherstone, and Elder A. Theodore Tuttle.

You will also recognize one of Tennyson’s works in the lyrics of hymn #215:

Ring out, wild bells, to the wild sky,
The flying cloud, the frosty light:
The year is dying in the night;
Ring out, wild bells, and let him die.

Ring out the old, ring in the new,
Ring, happy bells across the snow:
The year is going, let him go;
Ring out the false, ring in the true.

Ring in the valiant man and free,
The larger heart, the kindlier hand;
Ring out the darkness of the land,
Ring in the Christ that is to be.

We often sing this hymn for New Year’s. “Ring Out, Wild Bells” is also a part of a greater work by Tennyson called In Memoriam A. H. H. Yes, the title of the work is rather odd. The A. H. H. stands for Arthur Henry Hallam, Tennyson’s best friend who died young in 1833. Tennyson and Hallam became friends at Cambridge. Hallam’s death plunged Tennyson into a state of grieving and depression. He spent seven years writing hundreds of small poems to work out his grief. He later collected the poems and published them as In Memoriam. “Ring Out, Wild Bells” is about ringing in a New Year. Initially, in the first stanza, Tennyson is still stricken with grief over the death of his friend. He is striving to “let him die,” to let life move on even though his loved one is gone. He continues striving to get over the grief in the second stanza where he tells himself to “let him go.” In the final verse of our hymn, Tennyson finds peace, hope, and even triumph, in his feelings about death when he remembers Christ and the triumph of His resurrection.

In Memoriam is considered to be Tennyson’s great masterpiece and it is also what made him the most famous. In Memoriam was published in 1850, and in that year Tennyson was also appointed poet laureate of England. The work became even more acclaimed about a decade later. In December 1861 Prince Albert, the consort of the ruling Queen Victoria (hence why we call it the Victorian period), died suddenly of typhoid fever. Like Tennyson for Hallam, Queen Victoria was severely stricken with grief for her husband. Her anguish threw the entire royal household, and in a way the entire nation, into emotional turmoil. She refused to be consoled, but Tennyson’s In Memoriam A. H. H. helped her through the grief. She even went so far to call it her bible during that time of bereavement. This must have been a significant reason why she appointed Tennyson to become a baron in 1865, a post he finally accepted in 1884. This baronetcy is why you often see his name as “Alfred, Lord Tennyson.”

Although In Memoriam solidified Tennyson’s popularity with its true account of human grief over death, it is interesting to look at how Tennyson’s perception of death changed over his lifetime. Forty years after completing In Memoriam, Tennyson wrote “Crossing the Bar,” the first poem we examined. If you think back on that poem, his hopeful faith that death will not be a sorrowful event is very different from the man using all his energy to console his grief in “Ring Out, Wild Bells.” The answer to Tennyson’s change of attitude is in “the Christ that is to be.”
Nearly two centuries after his birth, readers around the world continue to celebrate Alfred, Lord Tennyson’s significant contribution to literature. His works take us on a journey through medieval legend, simple gifts and lessons of everyday things, the intricate emotions of the human heart, and an every-growing conviction of faith.

Sources used in this article:

"Alfred Tennyson, 1st Baron Tennyson" (Wikipedia, 2008).

English Victorian Poetry, edited by Peter Negri (Mineola, NY: Dover, 1999).

"Introduction" to Poems of Alfred Lord Tennyson, by Eugene Parsons (New York: Thomas Y. Crowell, 1900).

"Tennyson's Poetry," (SparkNotes, 2006).

Recent Read: Becoming Jane Austen, by Jon Spence

2008-07-07T16:25:00.001-06:00

I found this book at my local library. The movie "Becoming Jane" is not fully based on this biography, but the author of this book was the historical authority consulted throughout the film's production.

The Charm of Charles Dickens: Characters, Creativity, and Charity

2008-06-26T16:51:00.000-06:00

What Makes Dickens So Great

What does the name “Charles Dickens” conjure in your brain? A sorrowful and neglected orphan? Three ghosts of Christmas? Lectures from a high school English teacher? Large leather-bound volumes that collect dust on your grandparents’ bookshelves? Perhaps you watch a version of A Christmas Carol every year, you tried to open a Dickens novel once but felt like you were drowning in words, or maybe you’re quite a fan and you’ve tried to read his entire works—wherever you are with Dickens, you have certainly heard the nearly two-hundred-year-old name. But why? Why is Dickens “the foremost English novelist of the Victorian era” and “one of the English language’s greatest writers”? The charm with which Dickens has captivated readers for nearly two centuries comes from his ingenious characters, creativity, and charity.

It’s not difficult to bring a Dickens character to mind—think of Ebenezer Scrooge, Tiny Tim, Little Nell, Pip, or Lady Havisham to name a few. Apart from distinct and honorable heroes—such as Nicholas Nickleby or David Copperfield—Dickens’ novels are peppered with interesting characters of all sorts—the horrid Uncle Ralph Nickleby and Mr. Squeers, the generous Cheeryble brothers or Aunt Betsy, and the comical Mr. Micawber or Mr. Dick. The numbers of characters that Dickens juggles in his novels is an astonishing feat. Many of these characters are given life histories and great consideration even if they don’t play a major role in the overall novel. I can’t help but think that in the variety of characters, all of which play unique roles in their respective novels, is very alike to real life. We meet so many interesting people every day. Some are villainous; some are friendly. Some we only pass on the street and some are an intricate part of our lives for years. Like Dickens’ protagonists, our life experiences are constantly shaped by the people we meet along the way.

In addition to his broad spectrum of characters, Dickens novels are teemed with his creativity with language and visual imagination. His descriptions of a walk through nineteenth century London, teatime with a country family, or following a mysterious figure through the slums that skirt the river are vivid and captivating. While it is true that Dickens was usually paid by word count, a fact that has caused some cynical criticism that his writing is too wordy, his descriptions are detailed and so interesting. Open A Christmas Carol to any page for a good example of Dickens’ creative language and descriptions. As we travel with Scrooge to numerous and diverse scenes, we see absolutely everything in vivid detail, thanks to Dickens’ narrative genius. Through this literary creativity, reading Dickens is like reading a real-life history of his times in setting and visual descriptions. But apart from Dickens’ interesting characters and detailed creativity, it is his charity that is, what I believe, has made his works so timeless. Dickens’ are infused with social commentary, and this powerful effect was engineered on purpose. For example, when some friends asked Dickens to pen a political pamphlet about the oppressed poor of his day, he responded by writing A Christmas Carol. He called the work “a sludge-hammer” for social change. Even today, no reader of this work is immune to the story’s vivid power. Some critics laugh that most of Dickens’ main characters are poor, friendless orphans, but Dickens was, thankfully, one of the first literary voices to the plight of the children that were and are still in need. His lobby for social change, through his literary works, not only affected the people of his time, but continue to remind modern readers of the importance of helping those in need.
Charles Dickens’ characters, creativity, and charity set him apart as “one of history’s greatest novelists.” If you’ve never had the chance to read Dickens before, consider starting; there’s a reason why he’s still so famous, and I promise that you will enjoy the adventure into the Dickens library.

Getting Started with Dickens

I readily admit that the length of most Dickens novels—usually about a good eight hundred pages—is very daunting. The key is to start out slow. The following list of five novels to get you started will help you ease into the full Dickens library.

1. A Christmas Carol
If you’ve never read the original short story of A Christmas Carol, I guarantee that you already know several lines of it by heart. There are countless adaptations—movies, plays, and musicals—of this classic Christmas story. It’s well worth reading in its original form both in and out of the Christmas season. A Christmas Carol is especially a good starter Dickens work because it’s short but still contains the interesting characters, creative descriptions, and charitable purpose that drive the charm of all his works.

2. Oliver Twist
I suggest this as the second Dickens volume to tackle because most people are already familiar with at least the basic plot and setting of Oliver Twist. As with A Christmas Carol, I promise that you will be amazed, and charmed, with how good Dickens’ original work is. You will fall in love with sweet Oliver Twist and become an advocate for his plight yourself.

3. Hard Times
Hard Times is one of Dickens’ lesser-known works. I suggest trying it out next because it’s shorter and you probably won’t know anything about it, which will give you good practice in following his style before you try to tackle one of the longer novels. In my personal opinion, Hard Times is Dickens most powerful commentary. He touches on the injustice of class differences, the horrors of industrialization, the terrible exploitation of the working class, and even the complicated problems of unhappy marriages.

4. A Tale of Two Cities
You already know the first line of this book: “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times . . .” If you are like I was several years ago, you’ve heard this line so much that it sounds like the most boring book in the world. It’s a shame that Dickens’ ingenious opening has become so overused, but the story and plot of this book is far more captivating than you could imagine. Reading A Tale of Two Cities next will begin to introduce you to a longer novel and there’s no way you’ll be disappointed in its plot and tantalizing action.

5. David Copperfield
After reading this fifth book you’ll be ready to take off the training wheels and fully wander throughout the Dickens library on your own. Unlike the gripping style of A Tale of Two Cities, David Copperfield reads like an autobiography, although it is still very fictional. The autobiographical feel, however, creates a narrative style that is very easy to follow, even though it’s still over eight hundred pages. I like how Dickens lets you get to know David for the first fourth of the book as a child so you care deeply about him throughout the rest of the story as he tries to find his place in the world as a young man.

As you read these five books to get started with Dickens, remember to take time to enjoy the verbal pictures of Dickens’ own world that he paints with words in his works. Enjoy the overall charm of Charles Dickens—the variety of characters, the creative descriptions of places, and evident charity and meaning in his subject matter—as you learn for yourself why he popular even among modern readers of today.

Dickens Trivia

· Dickens originally wrote under the penname “Boz.”
· His full name was Charles John Huffam Dickens.
· Dickens’ novels were published in a serial format, a chapter at a time in a periodical, first and then released as a complete volume.
· Many publications of Dickens’ novels have been printed with the original illustrations. In these illustrations, notice how the villains faces are always large and ominous and the hero’s face is much more refined.
· In Dickens’ time William Shakespeare’s name was spelled “Shakspeare.”
· The four March sisters in Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women were intense Dickens fans. They created their own “Pickwick Society,” modeled after the characters in The Pickwick Papers, Dickens’ first successful novel. The sisters even took on the names of Dickens’ characters in their own society.
· Dickens loved holding concert readings of his works where he would read them aloud. Every year from the time it was published until his death Dickens held a public Christmastime reading of A Christmas Carol.
· David Copperfield is a very popular Dickens novel that is actually semi-autobiographical in that he fashioned David’s character after his own. In the classic film Gone With the Wind, Melanie begins reading David Copperfield aloud to Scarlet and the other women while their husbands are on a dangerous mission to clear out the black shanty town in Atlanta.
· In over a hundred and fifty years, not one of Dickens’ novels and short stories has ever gone out of print.
· Dickens’ signature is terrible—nearly illegible!
· In his later years, Dickens wrote a volume entitled The Life of Our Lord for his children. The book recounts the New Testament and life of Christ as the very best story. Although this book was not distributed publicly during Dickens’ lifetime, you can find it in print today.

Recent Read: Nicholas Nickleby, by Charles Dickens

2008-06-11T12:43:00.001-06:00

I love going back to the classics, and there's never a better time to sit down and soak in Dickens than the very beginning of summer when I have plenty of time to enjoy every word!

Nicholas Nickleby was a great read! Although there are many tragedies in the book, the fact that in the end Nicholas and his family are able to live a wonderful life makes everything worth it.

The most interesting part of this book was how in Ralph Nickleby, Nicholas' uncle, we learn what might have happened to A Christmas Carol's Ebenezer Scrooge had the three spirits of Christmas not helped him to change his ways.

Great Read this Summer: Prince Caspian by C.S. Lewis

2008-05-30T12:36:00.000-06:00

Disney's new film, "The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian," has been out in theaters for two weeks and has already made over 150 million dollars.

Both Chronicles of Narnia adaptations have revitalized interest in C. S. Lewis' original series. It's a great time to jump on the bandwagon and encourage the children in your life, and yourself, to read the original C. S. Lewis books.

Although Lewis very much strayed from telling people that his books were purely allegorical, he liked to call them symbolic myths. You will find The Chronicles of Narnia an easy but uplifting read. Lewis' favorite uncle-like storytelling voice is engaging for adults and children alike.

The most recent editions of The Chronicles of Narnia have printed the books in Narnia-time chronological order. The movies, however, are being released in the order that Lewis wrote the books, which is also the order of reading I suggest, as follows:

1) The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
2) Prince Caspian
3) The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
4) The Silver Chair
5) The Horse and His Boy
6) The Magician's Nephew
7) The Last Battle

If you’re new to The Chronicles of Narnia, here is some information about the first three books and highlights to look for as you read to get you started.

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe is a great way to start reading C. S. Lewis. The new publication of the series has you read The Magician’s Nephew first, but I recommend starting with The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. The overall themes of the return of Aslan, his sacrifice for Edmund, and the realization of the role Aslan has in store for all four children in Narnia are captivating. None of the Narnia books are very long, and The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe jots along at such an exciting pace that you wish there was more when you finish.

In Prince Caspian, the four children return to Narnia. While only a year has passed in England, hundreds of years have passed in Narnia. They are brought back to help Prince Caspian overthrow his usurper uncle and return harmony between talking beasts and humans in Narnia. The beginning of the book is a bit slow until the children (and the reader) are brought up to speed with Narnian history, but the battle scene at the end of the book is well worth the wait. In addition, Prince Caspian is an important set-up volume for The Voyage of the Dawn Treader.

The only other Narnia book that comes close to rivaling The Voyage of the Dawn Treader in adventure is The Silver Chair. Because we already know Caspian, Edmund, and Lucy, there is only a little background story for Eustace, a new character, before we jump right into adventure. During the voyage, the characters travel to different islands. Each island is full of symbolic occurrences and culminates with the children meeting Aslan in his own land. This is one of Lewis’ best in Christian symbolism.Enjoy this great time to read, or re-read, C.S. Lewis' The Chronicles of Narnia!

Fun Trivia Fact:When first published, The Chronicles of Narnia were as popular for British and American children as the Harry Potter series is today.

* Add a comment!
Which is your favorite Narnia book? What is your opinion of the new movie?