Weekend’s Bookends: July 12 & 13

T W I S T E D | W E E K E N D

I’ve begun taking an evening class this week which has left very little time between commutes for reading (or listening, since my headphones were still broken but have finally been replaced, yay!). That Kindle is looking extremely good now…

So really, instead of actually reading, I’ve only been able to listen (using the laptop) to:

ukridge by p. g. woodhouse | the stupidest angel by christopher moore | mrs. pollifax and the golden triangle

Luckily, I made a trip to the library this morning. Whenever I go, I first visit the 50¢ “Friends” section to see if there are any books I’d like to read or give away. Then I head over to the “Oversize” bookcases because I always discover a few gems that grab my eye. I really hate going out and searching for books among the masses because it feels way too much like shopping. And I hate shopping. This week, the books I brought home were

no clock in the forest by paul j. willis | the probable future by alice hoffman | stones from the river by ursula hegi | the file on devlin by catherine gaskin | the jane austen book club by karen joy fowler | hush, little baby by katharine davies

all of which will provide a really eclectic reading experience. I’m especially excited about The Probable Future, because I’ve read a few good reviews about it, Hush, Little Baby, because it just looks so interesting and The Jane Austen Book Club, because – whoa – there’s a guy included on that cover.

But hey, exciting news! I’ve joined PaperbackSwap (thanks to Kate) and I have two books I’ll be mailing, but also two books headed my way! Up High in the Trees by Kiara Brinkman and Arena by Karen Hancock! So if you like getting presents in the mail – and sending them yourself – sign up for PaperbackSwap! Let them know extensivereading referred you. Which reminds me, BookCrossing is also a really fun way to exchange books (and you don’t need credits to do it, either) and it’s always amazing to find a BookCrossing book out in the wild.

In case you haven’t signed up for the July book giveaway and wanted to, click HERE.

I’ve got a summer midterm later this week, so until that’s over, the reviews will be posted without me.

I was tagged by Nicole with this classics meme. Thanks! So here goes:

What is the best classic you were “forced” to read in school (and why)?
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte. The first time I read it, I hated Jane, I hated Rochester, I hated every single person in the book. The second time I was forced to read it, I hated it even more. The third time, I finally relented that Jane was stronger than I assumed, Rochester needed trials to counter his personality, that everything was done in metaphors and scenic imagery.

What was the worst classic you were forced to endure (and why)?
Crime & Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky. I can only handle so much agony in one story before I feel like burning the book to save my soul from complete misery.

Which classic should every student be required to read (and why)?
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley & Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger. While the subject matter can be a bit crude, I think it’s important that students be able to have a bit of skepticism to understand that not everything being taught should be immediately trusted. Also, it can give a bit of a dampening perspective on the “leisures” of life and help some students see the bigger picture.

Which classic should be put to rest immediately (and why)?
Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte. No. Just no. None of the characters are the least bit admirable, the passion isn’t really passion but more obsession, and for God’s sake, why do so many female singers need to have some sort of version of “Wuthering Heights” in horrifying octaves out there?

**Bonus** Why do you think certain books become “classics”?
Because they’re old. Seriously. Some of these books wouldn’t have been considered “classic” in their own time, simply because so many other books out there were like them. There are a few considered classics now that challenged the status quo of writing, but for the rest of them, they’re just slosh that had to be dredged up. So many literary critics hailed them, praised them, that things went a bit out of hand and certain books were dubbed groundbreaking when really…they aren’t. Least, that’s just my cynical view – I’m feeling hungry and my cynicism tends to leak out at such times.

I think I’m supposed to tag five people for this, but since I’ve only recently begun this site and don’t know very many bloggers, I’ll just open this to anyone who’d like to do it. Consider yourself tagged!

Have a lovely weekend!

& ElizabethC