Blogs, Books, Battlestar Galactica
As always, I take my sweet time getting back to updating Livejournal. I'll admit I've been on Twitter more (much shorter updates) instead of here. Now, I have a Tumblr account and I'm actually impressed. You can view updates at Heav'n's exiled queens. I'll try to at least update that more regularly. I really am starting the school procrastination stuff early this semester, though I am excited about my classes and I'm finally putting together thoughts on that hefty dissertation. Instead of a super personal update today about my months away from LJ, a few thoughts.
Yesterday I started thinking about my favorite books. People always ask me when I say I majored in English. They must not know many English majors to ask that question since asking someone with an English degree their favorite book is like asking someone who loves snow what their favorite snowflake is. Still, I may have finally narrowed a few things down. There are a few books that are significant to me and life changing in one way or another. This list is not comprehensible and will most likely change over the years, but some will remain. Here they are:
The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle. By Avi
Probably my favorite childhood text. I have two copies of it now since I read my original so much the cover fell off. The adventures of a girl on the high seas are intriguing. Young Charlotte is the lone girl on the boat as it crosses the Atlantic from Europe to America, where she will join her family. She grows from a spoiled wealthy young lady to an independent, strong willed young woman fighting for her life as part of the crew. I just love strong female types and I'm pretty sure it started here.
Jane Eyre. By Charlotte Bronte
You all knew this one would show up here! I first read it the summer between 6th and 7th grade. It took me a long time because I could not get into the first part of the book. Gratefully I did get into it and my obsession with classic literature grew. I have read this book countless times and even used it for my Master's thesis. Without it, I probably would not have fallen in love with being an English major or continued my path in the academic world.
Possession. By A.S. Byatt
The title of my tumblr account and the url address are both from this book. A beautiful text which I had to read in Contemporary Britsh Lit. with Dr. Gately my junior year at Truman. Most people in my class hated this text, calling it slow and boring. It can be slow, but only for those who aren't obsessed with books or Victorian Lit, which I am thankfully. Everything I've read by Byatt has been equally beautiful. I highly recommend her! This book furthered my love of language...the beauty of a carefully phrased sentence. I'm sure my poetic desires would exist without it, but Byatt's work was food for my soul. Just a note: NOT like the movie at all which is horrific in comparison to this text!
The Stand. By Stephen King
Sometimes you pick up a book on the recommendation of a friend and your life is changed forever. Cortney made me read this book and I am so glad she did. Though long (as in 1000 pages long), King's book is a masterpiece about the battle between good and evil after a devastating pandemic/apocalypse. Characters and images that stick with you, this world is beyond real: gritty and intimidating. I have yet to reread it, but I think about it often. More than anything, this book has pushed me toward the questions I want to ask in my dissertation.
Mrs. Dalloway. By Virginia Woolf
Another book I read because of Dr. Gately (though a different class). Without this text, I wouldn't have written my thesis the way I did (at least I see that as a good thing). Again, my love of this book is mostly because of the language and style of writing: basically train of thought. More than that though, Woolf's book presents a struggle with self and life like no other.
The Elegance of the Hedgehog. By Muriel Barbery
My most recent addition to my favorite books, I only regret not being able to read it in the original French. Still, the translation is incredibly beautiful. Yes, this is another language thing, but the characters are what sell it. I know this book isn't for everyone. It took me at least 20 pages to finally get hooked, but once I did I couldn't put it down. The language may seem verbose to some, but I loved it! This is the only book I've read where I openly sobbed at the end. Not just tears...sobbed.
And I'll stop there. I should really be more productive on the other stuff. Soon enough I'm gonna have to head down to SLU and I still need to figure out donation stuff for Marc's old Saturn.
Oh, just to through in the Battlestar Galactica thing: rewatching it with Marc (who is seeing it for the first time) still love :). I really put it in my title as a reference to The Office.
That is all....Loves!
Yesterday I started thinking about my favorite books. People always ask me when I say I majored in English. They must not know many English majors to ask that question since asking someone with an English degree their favorite book is like asking someone who loves snow what their favorite snowflake is. Still, I may have finally narrowed a few things down. There are a few books that are significant to me and life changing in one way or another. This list is not comprehensible and will most likely change over the years, but some will remain. Here they are:
The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle. By Avi
Probably my favorite childhood text. I have two copies of it now since I read my original so much the cover fell off. The adventures of a girl on the high seas are intriguing. Young Charlotte is the lone girl on the boat as it crosses the Atlantic from Europe to America, where she will join her family. She grows from a spoiled wealthy young lady to an independent, strong willed young woman fighting for her life as part of the crew. I just love strong female types and I'm pretty sure it started here.
Jane Eyre. By Charlotte Bronte
You all knew this one would show up here! I first read it the summer between 6th and 7th grade. It took me a long time because I could not get into the first part of the book. Gratefully I did get into it and my obsession with classic literature grew. I have read this book countless times and even used it for my Master's thesis. Without it, I probably would not have fallen in love with being an English major or continued my path in the academic world.
Possession. By A.S. Byatt
The title of my tumblr account and the url address are both from this book. A beautiful text which I had to read in Contemporary Britsh Lit. with Dr. Gately my junior year at Truman. Most people in my class hated this text, calling it slow and boring. It can be slow, but only for those who aren't obsessed with books or Victorian Lit, which I am thankfully. Everything I've read by Byatt has been equally beautiful. I highly recommend her! This book furthered my love of language...the beauty of a carefully phrased sentence. I'm sure my poetic desires would exist without it, but Byatt's work was food for my soul. Just a note: NOT like the movie at all which is horrific in comparison to this text!
The Stand. By Stephen King
Sometimes you pick up a book on the recommendation of a friend and your life is changed forever. Cortney made me read this book and I am so glad she did. Though long (as in 1000 pages long), King's book is a masterpiece about the battle between good and evil after a devastating pandemic/apocalypse. Characters and images that stick with you, this world is beyond real: gritty and intimidating. I have yet to reread it, but I think about it often. More than anything, this book has pushed me toward the questions I want to ask in my dissertation.
Mrs. Dalloway. By Virginia Woolf
Another book I read because of Dr. Gately (though a different class). Without this text, I wouldn't have written my thesis the way I did (at least I see that as a good thing). Again, my love of this book is mostly because of the language and style of writing: basically train of thought. More than that though, Woolf's book presents a struggle with self and life like no other.
The Elegance of the Hedgehog. By Muriel Barbery
My most recent addition to my favorite books, I only regret not being able to read it in the original French. Still, the translation is incredibly beautiful. Yes, this is another language thing, but the characters are what sell it. I know this book isn't for everyone. It took me at least 20 pages to finally get hooked, but once I did I couldn't put it down. The language may seem verbose to some, but I loved it! This is the only book I've read where I openly sobbed at the end. Not just tears...sobbed.
And I'll stop there. I should really be more productive on the other stuff. Soon enough I'm gonna have to head down to SLU and I still need to figure out donation stuff for Marc's old Saturn.
Oh, just to through in the Battlestar Galactica thing: rewatching it with Marc (who is seeing it for the first time) still love :). I really put it in my title as a reference to The Office.
That is all....Loves!