Books – Page 75 – The View From Sari's World

Once upon a time I would read anything and everything. I would read the cereal boxes as I ate before school. I would read whatever book my mother had just finished, whether it be a Sydney Sheldon or Steven King. I would read without prejudice, would read without questioning the author. Hell I would just read to read. Now that I am older I find myself struggling to finish many of the books I think I will enjoy. This change in reading puzzled me and upset me because I could not tell you why this changed happened. All I know is that I now put down more books than I finish. To a lifelong bibliophile this change is horrifying.

This week in class we read an essay by Virginia Wolfe titled How one should read a book. It is a very long essay but oh what an essay it is! In it Wolfe talks about the idea that books are windows into other people’s lives and that as readers we are invited to look in. By doing so we are able to see how others live, eat and interact with one another. Books give us a glimpse into a world we would otherwise never encounter. Wolfe goes on to say that readers should allow the author to take us on a journey we would otherwise miss. This gave me pause and I reflected on her words. You see dear Readers many times I pick up a book with preconceived ideas on how the plot should unfold and when it does not I struggle with the author. I find myself questioning his or her journey path. This makes the book less enjoyable and often times I put a book down because I do not agree with the author’s choice of journey. I would never do this with a real person. I enjoy meeting new people and hearing their stories. I marvel at how other people live and attitudes they have about life. So why do I struggle with books that essentially do the same thing? I am not sure but Wolfe has made me see the light, or at least see the window pane for what it really is.

Not too long ago I tried to read a historical romance with little success. I did not like plot or dialog so I put it down with prejudice. This was wrong; had I taken Wolfe’s advice I would have seen that this book is typical of the genre and that I had to allow the journey/story to happen in the typical genre fashion. I could have enjoyed the book for what it was; a romance book with a story book ending. This semester I have to read Hard Times by Charles Dickens and not being a fan of Dickens I found myself putting the read off.

After reading Wolfe’s essay I picked up the Dickens’ book without prejudice or judgment. I decided to let Dickens tell his story without my wanting to dictate how it should be done. What do you know; I am finding I am enjoying the book! I am looking into the window of Victorian England without certain expectations or notions of how this window should look. I am letting the story take place in front of me without comment. I have never been to Victorian England nor visited the working poor. With Dickens as my guide I will get a chance to see how these people lived and what they lived for. It is kinda exciting to view reading this way again! I hope I can continue to read in this fashion. With practice I hope to be able to pick up any book and enjoy reading as I used to; to read just to see where the journey takes me.

So dear Readers do you find yourselves struggling with authors? Do you ever think you know where the journey path should lead or do you just sit back and let it happen? Have you found your reading has changed over the years, for good or bad? Let me know because I am feeling a little alone about this.

I have a confession to make; I live in Nevada but I don’t gamble. I know, you may be thinking that since I live here I don’t gamble because it appeals only to tourists. It is one of those things locals don’t do but visitors flock to. Not so, Nevada makes it so easy to gamble by putting slot machines everywhere,( and I do mean everywhere), I suspect it is the state past time. Slots are in all stores, Laundromats, airports and all bars and restaurants. As easy as it is, I stay away from the slots as I know the house always wins. I don’t play fantasy football and hate betting in office pools but this week I saw a game I just had to participate in. After all it involves my love of Shakespeare and being right. LOL!

The ladies at goodbooksinc have put together a fantasy football type game that pits Shakespeare plays against each other to answer the questions “which is the greatest Shakespeare play?” Each week two plays are voted on then the winners are pitted against other winner until only two remain. I believe the game goes on for 15 weeks and oh what fun these weeks will be! If you like Shakespeare I urge you to join us. The more participants the better. What a great way for us lit geeks to feel like “normal “people; finally we have something worth wild to bet on. I have a feeling I know which play will win, and will be eager to see if I am right.
One of the many cool things about this game is that we will get to learn a little more about the Bard and his plays. Even if you are not a serious lover of the Bard,come play. We will all learn a thing or two.

The Lost City of Z by David Grann

I heard about this book about a year ago, but it was not until my fellow blogger Peter from KyusiReader wrote his fantastic review that I decided to read it. Warning; do not read this book when eating, after eating or thinking about eating. It contains bugs, maggots and vampire bats. This is not a book for the squeemsh!

Grann hears about a late Victorian adventurer named Percy Fawcett who disappeared while looking for a fabled (?) ancient city in the heart of the Amazon. Fawcett spent many years exploring and mapping the Amazon and in his travels became convinced there was a city that many called El Dorado, the city of gold. In 1925 Fawcett, his son and his son’s best friend set out to where Fawcett is convinced the city lays. It is during this trip that they disappear, never to be heard from again. Over 80 years later Grann sets out to seek out answers to their disappearance.

The book is well written, though it is nonfiction it almost reads as a good adventure novel. Grann jumps back in forth in time so the reader sometimes travels with Fowler, other times with Grann. It is almost too much to believe that Grann, who is not an adventurer, sets out for the Amazon in order to retrace Fowler and his crew. Many explorers over time had tried to find Fowler only to disappear themselves. Some came back with tales of cannibals, hostile tribes and horrors of the jungle. Grann knows all of this but sets out anyway.

I was hooked from the beginning and could not put the book down. I love a good disappearance story and wanted, no needed to have this mystery solved. I found myself shuttering as I read of the harsh and inhuman conditions these explorers endured. Having flies and bees lay eggs in living flesh made my skin crawl, but since I was in the comfort of my own home, I read on. The book is not only an adventure read it is an amazing history of South American exploration and the founding of the Royal Geographical Society. I highly recommend it for anyone who has ever wondered what it would take to be a full time explorer or wondered what kind of men these early Victorian mappers and cartographers were. If you liked Into Thin Air you will no doubt like this book; just remember eating while reading this is out of the question!

Category: Books

How should one read a book?

Battle of the Bard and The Lost CIty of Z

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