Romanticism

In honor of the month of February I thought I would look into the Romantic period and it's authors. I am not talking about Harlequin and other romances. But instead the time period from late 18th century to mid 19th century. Many well known authors and poets came out of this period. Out of Europe we were given poets like William Blake, Wordsworth and Lord Byron. America brought about authors Hawthorne and Melville along with Poe. Just to name a few. Of course we can't forget American poet Walt Whitman.

Romanticism was varied among topics and themes along with what they wrote about. There was a strong emphasis on the pastoral, natural, mythology, and medievalism. The authors and poets also delved into the supernatural (as evidenced in Hawthorne and Poe) as well the past and present and looking at the darker side of humanity. Josh Rahn writes in his topic of Romanticism that "[it] can best be described as a large network of sometimes competing philosophies, agendas, and points of interest." (The Literature Network) He also continues on to say that Romanticism can be seen in all periods of literature. Along with all the fiction and poetry being written there was nonfiction writing and literary criticism making it's mark.

This month I plan to look at different authors and poets in more depth and learn more about their works and influences. There are so many of them! Great books like Frankenstein by Shelley, Young Goodman Brown by Hawthorne, all the works by Poe. I have never read The Marriage of Heaven and Hell by Blake or Wordsworth's Lyrical Ballads. I also want to take a look at Charles Lamb and his personal essays as well as some of the criticism that was written during this time. We shall see how many I can get into one month. I may have to stretch it into March. We shall also see how much I learned in college classes comes back to me! That will be interesting.

Harry Potter: after all these years

Recently I have been thinking about the Harry Potter series and why it is a favorite of mine. I started doing some research to find out how the series has influenced others and not just me. The millennial generation as well as anyone else who reads it.

The impact of the Harry Potter series is profound and widespread. Digging into the web I found many articles about the political, moral and psychological influence he has had on preteens to teenagers. There is also a book recently published titled Harry Potter and the Millenials by Anthony Gierzynski with Kathryn Eddy. When the first book was published in 1997 I was in high school. I fell in love with them! I remember thinking there wasn't really anything to them. But then I picked up book one and wasn't able to put it down. I still remember it took me 13 hours to finish the seventh book. And I cried that it was all over. That there wouldn't be anymore stories in the future. When a series has that much of an impact on the reader's life it is something to think about and know that you are changed for the better from reading it.

The themes that run through each book are universal: good/evil, bullying, sense of home, friendship, love, school, adolescence, mentor/pupil and the list goes on.

Every child and teen can relate to one of the characters in the books. Maybe you are the bookish overachiever. Is that really bad? No - Hermione shows us that she is a strong, capable, daring and loving person. The awkward kid that isn't wealthy? Ron is your steadfast, trusting, got-your-back friend. Of course there is the smart, bullied, and courageous Harry who shows you that not just the athletes are the heroes. We can't forget the thorn in his side Draco. It is hard to imagine someone might relate to him. But if you think about it, he has been conditioned to hate Potter and everything that Potter stands for. I won't spoil anything though if someone hasn't finished the series. 

Each character develops and transforms more with each book. It is only natural that as a person ages, moving from preteen to teenager to adult, life becomes more complex and decisions made can affect so many people. Each book is darker then the previous. This is okay because the reader is growing up with Harry and his friends and can learn how to behave in situations. Of course there is no amazing game called quidditch with flying brooms. But there are all the other sports and activities to compare. Also how does one deal with the bullies at school? How does one handle open hostility? Is it right for someone to desire to rid the world of those unlike them? How should one think about right and wrong? What is true friendship?

These books will forever be a favorite of mine as will the movies. In 2013 there were 450 million copies in print worldwide. The series had also been translated into 73 languages. This is a worldwide phenomenon. And think of how many kids don't enjoy reading and then pick up book one and fall in love with where a story can take them and what it can teach them (whether they realize there's a lesson or not). It is sad but not surprising that the series is constantly being challenged and wanted to be banned. My response to this is that people are ignorant and scared of what they don't know (or think they know). I would gift this book to every kid if I could. 

The Quick and the Dead by Louis L'Amour

Since I read Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry I have looked for old westerns that I may like. I found The Quick and the Dead and thoroughly enjoyed it. The romantic image of the lone gunslinger has always been a favorite of mine. This is a short (154 page) story about the McKaskel family of three moving out west. They chance upon Con Vallian who is a lone cowboy that, for reasons he is not sure of, decides to help them cross through the plains. Vallian becomes a mentor to the son and a friend in general to the family. The plot doesn't have twists and turns but that is what makes this book a good read. It is simple and shows the difficulties a family faced when going east to west. L'Amour also has the wife/mother have backbone which I admire. She is a strong female who doesn't shy away from the surprises along the way but instead faces them head on.

Favorite books from 2014

I really liked Sarah's post on this topic and have adopted for myself.


Letting Ana Go by Anonymous
This is a story about a teenage girl's struggle with Anorexia Nervosa. It is her very powerful journal, which starts out as a food journal for class and turns into an obsession. Having struggled with eating disorders myself, I found this to be a novel that lead me to dark places internally, but I do not regret reading it.
Looking for Alaska by John Green
This is one of my favorite novels. I have read it so many times. I love the characters immensely. I think that one of John Green's successes as an author is that he can illustrate the heart and soul of what it truly means to be a young adult without trivializing the experience.
A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin
I attempted to read this novel several times and was successful in 2014. While the books in this series are very dense and long, the characters are fascinating. This novel had me feeling a myriad of emotions. The series is very dark, however. I also read the second novel in the series and started the third, but had to take a break. My goal is to finish the next three books before the seventh come out. (!)
Sway by Kat Spears
Another YAL novel. I guess I can't get enough of them. I was really taken with the main character, Jesse (Sway). He tries to keep himself so emotionally shut off, but events in his life lead him to open up about many of the emotions he has kept shut out. He is very troubled and some might consider him a bad guy. I found him to be good with all the beautiful and ugly flaws that come with humanity.
The Fault in our Stars by John Green
Another favorite that I reread for the movie release. I found the novel to still be my favorite of the two mediums, but I think they did a fabulous job with the movie. Once again, John Green covers a troubling issue (this time, cancer) that young adults may deal with honest and beautiful words.
Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng
This novel is set in the 1970's. A daughter goes missing from a family of five. As you read and get closer to resolving the mystery of the missing daughter, many other family secrets are uncovered.
Margot by Jillian Cantor
This is a fiction novel that focuses on Margot Frank, sister of Anne Frank. The novel follows Margot's life after the war, as if she had survived.
Graveminder by Melissa Marr
This is a gothic novel. The main character, Bek, discovers that she has taken over as the town Graveminder. This is a role her now-deceased grandmother held. A role that Bek thought to be just a personality quirk on the part of grandmother. This brought up a lot of interesting points about life and death, good and evil, afterlife, etc.
Silver Linings Playbook by Matthew Quick
I LOVED this novel. I did not love the movie. I think that the main character, Pat, is illustrated so much better in the novel. I also found his relationships to be so my richer in the novel.
The Lowland by Jhumpa Lahiri
I think I have read everything that Jhumpa Lahiri has written and this novel only served to further my belief that she is one of the richest authors of this century. She primarily writes about the experiences of Indians immigrating into the United States. Lahiri has great talent in helping the reader feel what the characters are feeling. It is so easy to get attached.
The Collector by Nora Roberts
I read an awful lot of romance novels. I love them because they are mostly predictable and when I am in a bad place emotionally, they perk me right up. Nora Roberts is one of my favorite romance authors. This novel follows Lila, a professional house-sitter, who witnesses a murder. As I have an equal love for the mystery genre, this novel covers all the right bases to turn a depressed mood into a happier and more relaxed mood.

2014 Books Read

Last year wasn't devoid of any reading. I was just forgetful and lazy in blogging about them. Of course I didn't read as much as I would have liked. Since finding out that I am walking distance from a Half Price Books my collection of old science fiction books and Steinbeck books have expanded. It is fun to search for the old books that aren't in circulation anymore or have been forgotten for the new bestsellers. Plus when they are half price they are dirt cheap! Since I am putting a bunch of books together I will section them out in very brief write ups.

Robert A. Heinlein: I really enjoy reading his stories. I picked up The green hills of earth and The Unpleasant Profession of Jonathan Hoag both of which are collections of short stories. It's nice because you can read a story in a short sitting. They are catchy and thought provoking. Of course I do still love Bradbury. But it is interesting to read some of the others Bradbury has pointed out to be influential on his writing.

Isaac Asimov: The movie version of I, Robot with Will Smith is one of my favorite movies. I found the book and decided to see what else there is to the story. The book is of course more in depth. However, the entire story line of Smith's character is not in the book. The movie takes some of the characters and adds to them. This makes both book and movie great on their own standing. The book has so many more characters and spans a long period of time. It is very interesting. I will definitely read more by Asimov.

Jules Verne: In all honesty I am still trying to finish Journey to the Center of the Earth. I feel like it could have ended a long time ago. Sadly I have come to where I needed something new and haven't picked it up again. However, I did read Master of the World and this book (shorter in length) had me turning the page. I wanted to understand how one man thought he could outsmart everyone and his belief system of why he should be "master" of the world.

Peter Benchley: Jaws. If you don't know about the movie then you need to rent it. I came upon the book at Half Price and didn't realize the movie was based on a book. The book is so much better! Usually is the case. The movie and the soundtrack to it are of course great. But you get to see so much more into the lives and minds of the characters in the small town of Amity.

So there is the nut shell of reading last year for me. I know there were probably more that I read. But these are the ones that stand out in my mind while looking back.