Saturday, October 25, 2008
Next Book!!
Sorry for the short post but I'm sick and we just bought a house and I'm totally pooped. Our next book, however, I'm really excited about. It's called "The Kids from Nowhere: The story of the Arctic Educational Miracle" By George Guthridge. I'm a sucker for teacher stories... happy reading. This one is hard to find in bookstores. I ordered mine from half.com. Good Luck!
Friday, September 19, 2008
Readers Guide for "The Art of Racing in the Rain"
HEre are the reading guide questions taken from artofracingintherain.com, Garth Stein's site about his book. They definitely get you thinking!
* Some early readers of the novel have observed that viewing the world through a dog's eyes makes for a greater appreciation of being human. Why do you think this is?
* Enzo's observations throughout the novel provide insight into his world view. For example:
o "The visible becomes inevitable."
o "Understanding the truth is simple. Allowing oneself to experience it, is often terrifically difficult."
o "No race has ever been won in the first corner; many races have been lost there."
How does his philosophy apply to real life?
* In the book's darkest moments, one of Zoe's stuffed animals— the zebra— comes to life and threatens him. What does the zebra symbolize?
* Can you imagine the novel being told from Denny's point of view? How would it make the story different?
* In the first chapter, Enzo says: "It's what's inside that's important. The soul. And my soul is very human." How does Enzo's situation--a human soul trapped in a dog's body--influence his opinions about what he sees around him? How do you feel about the ideas of reincarnation and karma as Enzo defines them?
* Do you find yourself looking at your own dog differently after reading this novel?
* In the book, we get glimpses into the mindset and mentality of a race car driver. What parallels can you think of between the art of racing and the art of living?
* The character of Ayrton Senna, as he is presented in the book, is heroic, almost a mythic figure.� Why do you think this character resonates so strongly for Denny?
* Some early readers of the novel have observed that viewing the world through a dog's eyes makes for a greater appreciation of being human. Why do you think this is?
* Enzo's observations throughout the novel provide insight into his world view. For example:
o "The visible becomes inevitable."
o "Understanding the truth is simple. Allowing oneself to experience it, is often terrifically difficult."
o "No race has ever been won in the first corner; many races have been lost there."
How does his philosophy apply to real life?
* In the book's darkest moments, one of Zoe's stuffed animals— the zebra— comes to life and threatens him. What does the zebra symbolize?
* Can you imagine the novel being told from Denny's point of view? How would it make the story different?
* In the first chapter, Enzo says: "It's what's inside that's important. The soul. And my soul is very human." How does Enzo's situation--a human soul trapped in a dog's body--influence his opinions about what he sees around him? How do you feel about the ideas of reincarnation and karma as Enzo defines them?
* Do you find yourself looking at your own dog differently after reading this novel?
* In the book, we get glimpses into the mindset and mentality of a race car driver. What parallels can you think of between the art of racing and the art of living?
* The character of Ayrton Senna, as he is presented in the book, is heroic, almost a mythic figure.� Why do you think this character resonates so strongly for Denny?
Our meeting and the next book!!
Hello Readers,
Our next book has been chosen! You'll have to read to the end to get the name of it... We met this past Tuesday evening at Kathy's home. She made wonderful lasagna and sent us home with homemade pickles! I was in heaven! We talked about the book, "The Art of Racing in the Rain" and it's inevitable ties to the deeper issues in life: loyalty, friendship, inequity, money, fear, and our deeper "demon zebra" self. Written from the perspective of a dog whose obsession with opposable thumbs is hysterical, the book is fresh and witty. I really liked it. It was a welcome change from some of the heavier books we've read lately. I'd love to hear what you thought... anyone read it? Becky, another member of our group, chose the book "Nineteen Minutes" by Jodi Piccoult. I've read it alreay but I will definitely read it again. Being a teacher, the story takes on a whole new life for me. I hope you will read along. It's a gripping story... one that you won't forget. Keep reading... Keep posting!
Our next book has been chosen! You'll have to read to the end to get the name of it... We met this past Tuesday evening at Kathy's home. She made wonderful lasagna and sent us home with homemade pickles! I was in heaven! We talked about the book, "The Art of Racing in the Rain" and it's inevitable ties to the deeper issues in life: loyalty, friendship, inequity, money, fear, and our deeper "demon zebra" self. Written from the perspective of a dog whose obsession with opposable thumbs is hysterical, the book is fresh and witty. I really liked it. It was a welcome change from some of the heavier books we've read lately. I'd love to hear what you thought... anyone read it? Becky, another member of our group, chose the book "Nineteen Minutes" by Jodi Piccoult. I've read it alreay but I will definitely read it again. Being a teacher, the story takes on a whole new life for me. I hope you will read along. It's a gripping story... one that you won't forget. Keep reading... Keep posting!
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Next Book!!!
Hello, sorry for the delay in posting. I just started school and finished my Master's degree in the past three weeks so life has been kicking my butt! Needless to say, after another lovely wine-filled book club discussion, I am again thanking God for the gift of this book club! What a wonderful group of women. We did choose our next book entitled: The Art of Racing in the Rain. We chose this one especially becuase it's supposed to be light and fun (we seemed to have been a "serious" rut for the past 3 books so here's a change of pace.) The author's name is Garth Stein and it's about a dog named Enzo who tells his story and gives his take on humanity as seen through the eyes of a dog owned by a race car driver. Fun, yeah? So, happy reading... look for questions yet to come.
Friday, August 15, 2008
Questions and Action Challenges for Animal, Vegetable, Miracle... Please post!
Questions for Discussion from Bookbrowse.com
1. What was your perception of America's food industry prior to reading Animal, Vegetable, Miracle? What did you learn from this book? How has it altered your views on the way food is acquired and consumed?
2. In what ways, if any, have you changed your eating habits since reading Animal, Vegetable, Miracle? Depending on where you live—in an urban, suburban, or rural environment—what other steps would you like to take to modify your lifestyle with regard to eating local?
3. "It had felt arbitrary when we sat around the table with our shopping list, making our rules. It felt almost silly to us in fact, as it may now seem to you. Why impose restrictions on ourselves? Who cares?" asks Kingsolver in Animal, Vegetable, Miracle. Did you, in fact, care about Kingsolver's story and find it to be compelling? Why or why not? What was the family's aim for their year-long initiative, and did they accomplish that goal?
4. The writing of Animal, Vegetable, Miracle was a family affair, with Kingsolver's husband, Steven L. Hopp, contributing factual sidebars and her daughter, Camille Kingsolver, serving up commentary and recipes. Did you find that these additional elements enhanced the book? How so? What facts or statistics in Animal, Vegetable, Miracle surprised you the most?
5. How does each member of the Kingsolver-Hopp family contribute during their year-long eating adventure? Were you surprised that the author's children not only participated in the endeavor but that they did so with such enthusiasm? Why or why not?
6. "A majority of North Americans do understand, at some level, that our food choices are politically charged," says Kingsolver, "affecting arenas from rural culture to international oil cartels and global climate change." How do politics affect America's food production and consumption? What global ramifications are there for the food choices we make?
7. Kingsolver advocates the pleasures of seasonal eating, but she acknowledges that many people would view this as deprivation "because we've grown accustomed to the botanically outrageous condition of having everything always." Do you believe that American society can—or will— overcome the need for instant gratification in order to be able to eat seasonally? How does Kingsolver present this aspect in Animal, Vegetable, Miracle? Did you get the sense that she and her family ever felt deprived in their eating options?
8. Kingsolver points out that eating what we want, when we want comes "at a price." The cost, she says, "is not measured in money, but in untallied debts that will be paid by our children in the currency of extinctions, economic unravelings, and global climate change." What responsibility do we bear for keeping the environment safe for future generations? How does eating locally factor in to this?
9. Kingsolver asserts that "we have dealt to today's kids the statistical hand of a shorter life expectancy than their parents, which would be us, the ones taking care of them." How is our "thrown-away food culture" a detriment to children's health? She also says, "We're raising our children on the definition of promiscuity if we feed them a casual, indiscriminate mingling of foods from every season plucked from the supermarket." What responsibility do parents have to teach their children about the value and necessity of a local food culture?
10. In what ways do Kingsolver's descriptions of the places she visited on her travels—Italy, New England, Montreal, and Ohio—enhance her portrayal of local and seasonal eating?
11. "Marketing jingles from every angle lure patrons to turn our backs on our locally owned stores, restaurants, and farms," says Kingsolver. "And nobody considers that unpatriotic." How much of a role do the media play in determining what Americans eat? Discuss the decline of America's diversified family farms, and what it means for the country as a whole.
Action Items—On Your Own
Try eating at least one meal per week made from locally and organically produced meats and produce. As Steven L. Hopp points out in Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, this "would reduce our country's oil consumption by more than 1.1 million barrels of oil every week."
To find farmers' markets and local producers in your area, visit the USDA website at www.ams.usda.gov, or check out www.LocalHarvest.org and www.csacenter.org.
When shopping at a grocery store or food co-op, ask about food origins and request that locally produced items be stocked.
Share your opinion with local and regional policymakers at town and city hall meetings, school board meetings, and state commissioner meetings. Also, speak up at venues you or your family frequent where food is served such as a church, social club, school, or day care center and encourage them to use local ingredients.
If you have the space, start your own garden and begin by growing a few items. If you live in an urban area, consider taking part in a community garden (www.CommunityGarden.org). More information about urban gardening can be found at www.CityFarmer.org and www.UrbanGardeningHelp.com.
Share stories about your local food adventures at www.animalvegetablemiracle.com.
Let me know what you think!!
1. What was your perception of America's food industry prior to reading Animal, Vegetable, Miracle? What did you learn from this book? How has it altered your views on the way food is acquired and consumed?
2. In what ways, if any, have you changed your eating habits since reading Animal, Vegetable, Miracle? Depending on where you live—in an urban, suburban, or rural environment—what other steps would you like to take to modify your lifestyle with regard to eating local?
3. "It had felt arbitrary when we sat around the table with our shopping list, making our rules. It felt almost silly to us in fact, as it may now seem to you. Why impose restrictions on ourselves? Who cares?" asks Kingsolver in Animal, Vegetable, Miracle. Did you, in fact, care about Kingsolver's story and find it to be compelling? Why or why not? What was the family's aim for their year-long initiative, and did they accomplish that goal?
4. The writing of Animal, Vegetable, Miracle was a family affair, with Kingsolver's husband, Steven L. Hopp, contributing factual sidebars and her daughter, Camille Kingsolver, serving up commentary and recipes. Did you find that these additional elements enhanced the book? How so? What facts or statistics in Animal, Vegetable, Miracle surprised you the most?
5. How does each member of the Kingsolver-Hopp family contribute during their year-long eating adventure? Were you surprised that the author's children not only participated in the endeavor but that they did so with such enthusiasm? Why or why not?
6. "A majority of North Americans do understand, at some level, that our food choices are politically charged," says Kingsolver, "affecting arenas from rural culture to international oil cartels and global climate change." How do politics affect America's food production and consumption? What global ramifications are there for the food choices we make?
7. Kingsolver advocates the pleasures of seasonal eating, but she acknowledges that many people would view this as deprivation "because we've grown accustomed to the botanically outrageous condition of having everything always." Do you believe that American society can—or will— overcome the need for instant gratification in order to be able to eat seasonally? How does Kingsolver present this aspect in Animal, Vegetable, Miracle? Did you get the sense that she and her family ever felt deprived in their eating options?
8. Kingsolver points out that eating what we want, when we want comes "at a price." The cost, she says, "is not measured in money, but in untallied debts that will be paid by our children in the currency of extinctions, economic unravelings, and global climate change." What responsibility do we bear for keeping the environment safe for future generations? How does eating locally factor in to this?
9. Kingsolver asserts that "we have dealt to today's kids the statistical hand of a shorter life expectancy than their parents, which would be us, the ones taking care of them." How is our "thrown-away food culture" a detriment to children's health? She also says, "We're raising our children on the definition of promiscuity if we feed them a casual, indiscriminate mingling of foods from every season plucked from the supermarket." What responsibility do parents have to teach their children about the value and necessity of a local food culture?
10. In what ways do Kingsolver's descriptions of the places she visited on her travels—Italy, New England, Montreal, and Ohio—enhance her portrayal of local and seasonal eating?
11. "Marketing jingles from every angle lure patrons to turn our backs on our locally owned stores, restaurants, and farms," says Kingsolver. "And nobody considers that unpatriotic." How much of a role do the media play in determining what Americans eat? Discuss the decline of America's diversified family farms, and what it means for the country as a whole.
Action Items—On Your Own
Try eating at least one meal per week made from locally and organically produced meats and produce. As Steven L. Hopp points out in Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, this "would reduce our country's oil consumption by more than 1.1 million barrels of oil every week."
To find farmers' markets and local producers in your area, visit the USDA website at www.ams.usda.gov, or check out www.LocalHarvest.org and www.csacenter.org.
When shopping at a grocery store or food co-op, ask about food origins and request that locally produced items be stocked.
Share your opinion with local and regional policymakers at town and city hall meetings, school board meetings, and state commissioner meetings. Also, speak up at venues you or your family frequent where food is served such as a church, social club, school, or day care center and encourage them to use local ingredients.
If you have the space, start your own garden and begin by growing a few items. If you live in an urban area, consider taking part in a community garden (www.CommunityGarden.org). More information about urban gardening can be found at www.CityFarmer.org and www.UrbanGardeningHelp.com.
Share stories about your local food adventures at www.animalvegetablemiracle.com.
Let me know what you think!!
Monday, August 4, 2008
are you reading?
I am almost finished with Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver and it is changing my life. If you haven't read it yet, please do. It's not anything earth shaking but it's such a good message. I yearn in a new way for my own home- a place where I can invest in the soil, and in turn invest in the well-being of my family: body, mind and spirit. I've never been much of an environmentalist per se, but I can see changes in my awareness of what's around me and what goes into my mouth. This becomes increasingly important as I consider starting a family in the next couple of years. I've become more aware and more open minded...I've even started eating tomatoes... that is my very own miracle.
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
I'm a changed woman and our next book!
Well, it's true. I'm a changed woman. I may consider buying and living on a houseboat! Who needs to own land? There are no property taxes- the river is beyond relaxing and I'm sure I could deck out (no pun intended) a really beautiful houseboat! Really! That's how wonderful last night's meeting was. We cruised up and down the Mississippi River and drank wine and ate cheese and Mint Crisp M&M's! We talked for hours and I didn't even feel time pass. I keep thinking that this book club is the greatest thing I could have ever done for myself! I've connected with these women via a shared love of books and the relationships we're fostering are beautiful. To these women, thank you in advance for the many books and conversations we will share. I'm already a better person for being amongst you amazing people.
Last night, we discussed Eat, Pray, Love at length but not specifically. Our conversation meandered through personal revelations of our faith journeys and of our life stories. We all had very definite opinions about the book (as you can see from Julie's post and another woman in our group, some REALLY didn't like the book). Others of us loved it and gleaned much from her experience.
I must admit, when I listened to two of our members state why they didn't like the book, it really made me clarify in my own mind, why I did like it so much. I didn't assume in any way that her "experience" was a prescription for "self-discovery" or for theological pursuit. I never saw her travels as privileged because I didn't see them as mandatory. Obviously she had the funding to travel (she was hired to write this book about her travels and therefore advanced $25,000.00). Sure, it would be nice to zip off to Italy and "bum around" eating everything in sight but that would not be my path to self discovery. Mine may happen in my backyard or in my living room or at church or all of the above! We read some of the feedback she gave about her story in an interview and she said just that. This is taken from her website in response to the question "How can I have an experience like yours when I'm busy and don't have the funding etc. (paraphrased by me)
"The last thing I ever want to become is the Poster Child for “Everyone Must Leave Their Husband And Move To India In Order To Find God.” My path is hardly a universal prescription. It was my path – that is all it ever was. I drew up my journey as a personal prescription for solving my life. Transformative journeys come in many forms, though, and often happen without people ever leaving home. Divinity is available everywhere, at all times. People find their way to God during wars, in the middle of traffic jams and in small prison cells. (Though I would submit it's easier for a prisoner to find time to meditate in a jail cell than it is for many of my working-mom friends with young children to create time for contemplation.) The first question you can begin to ask yourself, though, is: “Where can I find a small corner of stillness?” Because that’s where it all begins and ends. God resides in these pockets of silence. So where in your day, where in your home, where in your mind, is there some opportunity for a moment of silence? Or maybe even a few moments, during which you can start asking the questions you need to ask in order to find what you need to learn. Can you find the time to get out of your own way and try to step into your own light? As a dear friend of mine put it: “To change your life, the important thing is not necessarily to travel; the important thing is to SHIFT.”"
I did really resonate with what Julie posted about how Gilbert seemed to create a very 'comprehendible' God. I definitely don't want God to be this great entity that I can easily fit in my pocket, however, I do believe God speaks to us in the most understandable ways and experiences for us personally. I believe He created us all as individuals with different modes of communication, and that we truly commune with God when we are most true to our "natures". I connected to Gilbert's description of her encounters with God: the deep stillness, the electric presence, the profound peace. I think I encountered this book with a great spirit of openness and because of that, gleaned similar experiences in very different Theological situations. Does that make any sense?
Also, the idea of Gilbert being self-indulgent I just didn't really care about. I didn't expect her to be anything other than that. The book was about her, her journey, her experiences, her troubles. I knew that she pursued pure pleasure through food in Italy so I walked that high fat, deeply self-serving portion of her journey without expectation of self-deprecation or sacrifice. I think this journey was necessary for her. She seemed to be enmeshed in the most unhealthy way with every man in her life. She had no loyalty to herself and therefore no loyalty to what God could do through her and in her. When asked if she thought that taking a year off to travel was a selfish act, Gilbert responded:
"What is it about the American obsession with productivity and responsibility that makes it so difficult for us to allow ourselves a little time to solve the puzzle of our own lives, before it’s too late? That said, yes – I did worry a great deal about selfishness. But after three years of despair and depression, I had come to believe that living my life in a state of constant misery was actually a pretty selfish act. Who would be served by a lifetime of my sorrow? How would that enrich the world? Going off for a year and creating a journey to pull myself back together, to rediscover joy, to face down my failings and rebuild my existence, was not only an important thing for my life, but ultimately for the lives of everyone around me. And it’s not just my family and friends who are better off now that I am happy; it’s everyone I encounter. Because the reality is that we human beings are constantly leaking our dispositions upon each other. When I was in such a dark state, everyone I passed on the street had to walk through the shadow of my darkness, whether they knew me or not. I remember once, during my divorce, crying uncontrollably on the subway in New York City. When I look back on that crying young woman, I feel great compassion for what she was going through. But I can also feel pity now, in retrospect, for those poor, weary New York commuters, who had to sit there after their own long days at work, watching this sobbing stranger. I didn’t want to be that person anymore. Saving my own life (through therapy, medication, prayer and – most of all -- travel) was something I did for my own benefit, yes, but I can’t help but think that it was ultimately also a little bit of a community service." Ha ha... found that last bit kind of funny... I wouldn't have wanted to walk through her dark cloud...
My grandmother said about this book, "Why should anyone "find themselves"? What a self indulgent thing to do! Who wants to read about their feelings?!" I, for one, do. I, created by God to feel everything deeply (both a blessing sometimes and a bit of a curse-especially at certain times of the month :) love to hear of the heart songs of others. I think in the search for yourself, you find the most true part of God. When you deny God's creation, you deny God. The acceptance of my weaknesses, my faults, my shortcomings only increase the capacity for transformation and redemption. Do I think she's the best writer from a literary perspective? No of course not. Do I think she is honest and forthright in her words and experiences? Yes and I'm sure she had no idea that her "journey" would turn out as fairy-tale esque as it did. I viewed this book as a bit of an escape and I don't regret that at all.
This post is a bit sporadic but I didn't sleep well last night, so I'm a little loopy! Anyway, any further conversation, please post! It still remains one of my favorites (for now, anyway) and I will take with me the lessons of silence (a difficult one for me) and practice (another hard one...) and persistence (yep, difficult) from her experience. And, I don't see any of those as bad character qualities or behaviors to embrace.
The next book to read is by Barbara Kingsolver called "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle". It's another non-fiction account but this time about a family who chooses to live off of meat and produce that they know the origins of and can trace back to the community they reside and invest in. I've only read one Kingsolver book, The Poisonwood Bible, and it almost killed me- but that's another story... I'm really looking forward to tackling this one. Happy Reading... Keep posting...
Last night, we discussed Eat, Pray, Love at length but not specifically. Our conversation meandered through personal revelations of our faith journeys and of our life stories. We all had very definite opinions about the book (as you can see from Julie's post and another woman in our group, some REALLY didn't like the book). Others of us loved it and gleaned much from her experience.
I must admit, when I listened to two of our members state why they didn't like the book, it really made me clarify in my own mind, why I did like it so much. I didn't assume in any way that her "experience" was a prescription for "self-discovery" or for theological pursuit. I never saw her travels as privileged because I didn't see them as mandatory. Obviously she had the funding to travel (she was hired to write this book about her travels and therefore advanced $25,000.00). Sure, it would be nice to zip off to Italy and "bum around" eating everything in sight but that would not be my path to self discovery. Mine may happen in my backyard or in my living room or at church or all of the above! We read some of the feedback she gave about her story in an interview and she said just that. This is taken from her website in response to the question "How can I have an experience like yours when I'm busy and don't have the funding etc. (paraphrased by me)
"The last thing I ever want to become is the Poster Child for “Everyone Must Leave Their Husband And Move To India In Order To Find God.” My path is hardly a universal prescription. It was my path – that is all it ever was. I drew up my journey as a personal prescription for solving my life. Transformative journeys come in many forms, though, and often happen without people ever leaving home. Divinity is available everywhere, at all times. People find their way to God during wars, in the middle of traffic jams and in small prison cells. (Though I would submit it's easier for a prisoner to find time to meditate in a jail cell than it is for many of my working-mom friends with young children to create time for contemplation.) The first question you can begin to ask yourself, though, is: “Where can I find a small corner of stillness?” Because that’s where it all begins and ends. God resides in these pockets of silence. So where in your day, where in your home, where in your mind, is there some opportunity for a moment of silence? Or maybe even a few moments, during which you can start asking the questions you need to ask in order to find what you need to learn. Can you find the time to get out of your own way and try to step into your own light? As a dear friend of mine put it: “To change your life, the important thing is not necessarily to travel; the important thing is to SHIFT.”"
I did really resonate with what Julie posted about how Gilbert seemed to create a very 'comprehendible' God. I definitely don't want God to be this great entity that I can easily fit in my pocket, however, I do believe God speaks to us in the most understandable ways and experiences for us personally. I believe He created us all as individuals with different modes of communication, and that we truly commune with God when we are most true to our "natures". I connected to Gilbert's description of her encounters with God: the deep stillness, the electric presence, the profound peace. I think I encountered this book with a great spirit of openness and because of that, gleaned similar experiences in very different Theological situations. Does that make any sense?
Also, the idea of Gilbert being self-indulgent I just didn't really care about. I didn't expect her to be anything other than that. The book was about her, her journey, her experiences, her troubles. I knew that she pursued pure pleasure through food in Italy so I walked that high fat, deeply self-serving portion of her journey without expectation of self-deprecation or sacrifice. I think this journey was necessary for her. She seemed to be enmeshed in the most unhealthy way with every man in her life. She had no loyalty to herself and therefore no loyalty to what God could do through her and in her. When asked if she thought that taking a year off to travel was a selfish act, Gilbert responded:
"What is it about the American obsession with productivity and responsibility that makes it so difficult for us to allow ourselves a little time to solve the puzzle of our own lives, before it’s too late? That said, yes – I did worry a great deal about selfishness. But after three years of despair and depression, I had come to believe that living my life in a state of constant misery was actually a pretty selfish act. Who would be served by a lifetime of my sorrow? How would that enrich the world? Going off for a year and creating a journey to pull myself back together, to rediscover joy, to face down my failings and rebuild my existence, was not only an important thing for my life, but ultimately for the lives of everyone around me. And it’s not just my family and friends who are better off now that I am happy; it’s everyone I encounter. Because the reality is that we human beings are constantly leaking our dispositions upon each other. When I was in such a dark state, everyone I passed on the street had to walk through the shadow of my darkness, whether they knew me or not. I remember once, during my divorce, crying uncontrollably on the subway in New York City. When I look back on that crying young woman, I feel great compassion for what she was going through. But I can also feel pity now, in retrospect, for those poor, weary New York commuters, who had to sit there after their own long days at work, watching this sobbing stranger. I didn’t want to be that person anymore. Saving my own life (through therapy, medication, prayer and – most of all -- travel) was something I did for my own benefit, yes, but I can’t help but think that it was ultimately also a little bit of a community service." Ha ha... found that last bit kind of funny... I wouldn't have wanted to walk through her dark cloud...
My grandmother said about this book, "Why should anyone "find themselves"? What a self indulgent thing to do! Who wants to read about their feelings?!" I, for one, do. I, created by God to feel everything deeply (both a blessing sometimes and a bit of a curse-especially at certain times of the month :) love to hear of the heart songs of others. I think in the search for yourself, you find the most true part of God. When you deny God's creation, you deny God. The acceptance of my weaknesses, my faults, my shortcomings only increase the capacity for transformation and redemption. Do I think she's the best writer from a literary perspective? No of course not. Do I think she is honest and forthright in her words and experiences? Yes and I'm sure she had no idea that her "journey" would turn out as fairy-tale esque as it did. I viewed this book as a bit of an escape and I don't regret that at all.
This post is a bit sporadic but I didn't sleep well last night, so I'm a little loopy! Anyway, any further conversation, please post! It still remains one of my favorites (for now, anyway) and I will take with me the lessons of silence (a difficult one for me) and practice (another hard one...) and persistence (yep, difficult) from her experience. And, I don't see any of those as bad character qualities or behaviors to embrace.
The next book to read is by Barbara Kingsolver called "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle". It's another non-fiction account but this time about a family who chooses to live off of meat and produce that they know the origins of and can trace back to the community they reside and invest in. I've only read one Kingsolver book, The Poisonwood Bible, and it almost killed me- but that's another story... I'm really looking forward to tackling this one. Happy Reading... Keep posting...
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