Good books and bad weather
It seemed so promising yesterday. The sun was shining almost all day, and it was warm and summery. That's when I stayed at home, because I didn't need to go anywhere. Today, on the other hand, it's been windy and rainy, and I haven't seen the sun once. I did get something done, though. I went to the library and bought two books for 1€ (that's really cheap for used books in almost perfect condition). and mailed four letters. I also bought some groceries, so now I'm set for almost the whole week. The rest of the day was spent in doing the laundry and watching Fame and Black Books, and soon, Murder, She Wrote. I love all those series, and they are keeping me occupied until the 7th season of House is in the stores (some time next week).
The book for today is Jerusalem
by Selma Lagerlof, a Swedish writer I like. In fact, she's going to make a reappearance or two on the 100 books list, later this year. The novel is a story based on real life. It tells of a group of farmers, who experience a revival, and move away from their little village in Sweden to Jerusalem, to join a religious community awaiting the second coming of Christ. Life in Jerusalem turns out to be very hard for the Swedes, and some of them die from diseases and sheer exhaustion. Everyone has to come to terms with where their faith has taken them, and some adapt to the new way of life more easily than others. We also see the exodus from the point of view of those who stay at home. The main character of the book is Ingmar Ingmarsson, a young man torn between the romantic love he feels for the beautiful Gertrud, and the need for financial and emotional security that he finds with his wife, Barbro.
Jerusalem explores questions of faith, duty and love. All the main characters question their purpose in life in some way. For Ingmar, it's a question of finding a middle ground between duty and love, for Gertrud it's her faith in God that is put to the test during her many trials, and Barbro needs to believe in love, but is afraid that a family secret will destroy her chance for happiness. An important supporting character, Karin, is the sister of Ingmar, and she questions whether it's right to give up duties at home in order to find a deeper purpose in life. Her family, the Ingmarssons, have always been the big fish in the village pond, and everyone has looked up to them because they have held on to old traditions, and "walked the ways of the Lord". When they break out to follow their Lord to the Holy Land, it causes great anxiety, and the villagers need to come to terms with having no leaders to look up to.
This book was written over a 100 years ago, in 1901-02, and it's not an easy read. I think, for me, it's an important book because it faces the questions of faith unflinchingly, without becoming preachy. There is no feeling of the author taking sides for or against the pilgrims or the ones who stayed at home. She is simply describing the different choices and their outcomes. Lagerlof wrote in a simple style, but the lack of rhetoric only emphasizes the realistic feel of the story. The descriptions of nature in Sweden (specifically Dalarna, a region with mountains and valleys, and a great river) form a sharp contrast to the descriptions of Jerusalem, an ancient city in a very hot and dry climate. There are many examples of how the Swedes find their new neigbours both interesting and frightening, and Lagerlof also describes the disappointment the pilgrims feel upon finding that the holy city of three religions doesn't sanctify the people living there.
I love finding writers who are able to stick to facts, or at least physically possible events and plot twists, while maintaining a high emotional level, and a sense of wonder. Lagerlof does this, and she doesn't allow herself to get overly sentimental. In another of her books, Gosta Berling's Saga, which I'll be reviewing later on, she raises the emotional level to real pathos, but it's heart-rending instead of being over-the-top Mills&Boon-y. I look forward to reading more of Lagerlof this year, I inherited the complete works from one of my grannies.
Looks like I'm back to blogging with a vengeance:). I'll stop now, don't worry. Have a great week, see you tomorrow!
The book for today is Jerusalem
by Selma Lagerlof, a Swedish writer I like. In fact, she's going to make a reappearance or two on the 100 books list, later this year. The novel is a story based on real life. It tells of a group of farmers, who experience a revival, and move away from their little village in Sweden to Jerusalem, to join a religious community awaiting the second coming of Christ. Life in Jerusalem turns out to be very hard for the Swedes, and some of them die from diseases and sheer exhaustion. Everyone has to come to terms with where their faith has taken them, and some adapt to the new way of life more easily than others. We also see the exodus from the point of view of those who stay at home. The main character of the book is Ingmar Ingmarsson, a young man torn between the romantic love he feels for the beautiful Gertrud, and the need for financial and emotional security that he finds with his wife, Barbro.
Jerusalem explores questions of faith, duty and love. All the main characters question their purpose in life in some way. For Ingmar, it's a question of finding a middle ground between duty and love, for Gertrud it's her faith in God that is put to the test during her many trials, and Barbro needs to believe in love, but is afraid that a family secret will destroy her chance for happiness. An important supporting character, Karin, is the sister of Ingmar, and she questions whether it's right to give up duties at home in order to find a deeper purpose in life. Her family, the Ingmarssons, have always been the big fish in the village pond, and everyone has looked up to them because they have held on to old traditions, and "walked the ways of the Lord". When they break out to follow their Lord to the Holy Land, it causes great anxiety, and the villagers need to come to terms with having no leaders to look up to.
This book was written over a 100 years ago, in 1901-02, and it's not an easy read. I think, for me, it's an important book because it faces the questions of faith unflinchingly, without becoming preachy. There is no feeling of the author taking sides for or against the pilgrims or the ones who stayed at home. She is simply describing the different choices and their outcomes. Lagerlof wrote in a simple style, but the lack of rhetoric only emphasizes the realistic feel of the story. The descriptions of nature in Sweden (specifically Dalarna, a region with mountains and valleys, and a great river) form a sharp contrast to the descriptions of Jerusalem, an ancient city in a very hot and dry climate. There are many examples of how the Swedes find their new neigbours both interesting and frightening, and Lagerlof also describes the disappointment the pilgrims feel upon finding that the holy city of three religions doesn't sanctify the people living there.
I love finding writers who are able to stick to facts, or at least physically possible events and plot twists, while maintaining a high emotional level, and a sense of wonder. Lagerlof does this, and she doesn't allow herself to get overly sentimental. In another of her books, Gosta Berling's Saga, which I'll be reviewing later on, she raises the emotional level to real pathos, but it's heart-rending instead of being over-the-top Mills&Boon-y. I look forward to reading more of Lagerlof this year, I inherited the complete works from one of my grannies.
Looks like I'm back to blogging with a vengeance:). I'll stop now, don't worry. Have a great week, see you tomorrow!