Monday, November 16, 2009

looking for narnia.

Currently Listening to: Where Soul Meets Body by Death Cab for Cutie
It is 70 degrees today. Bizarre.


Happy Monday lovelies!

This morning, I've been reading about traveling with dogs. Biscuit gets to go with the fam to the farm for Thanksgiving. I am way excited. I know she'll love it :) She seems to do great in a car, but she's never been in a car for five hours before. Any tips for doggy travel?

In other news, my sister called last week and asked me what cake I was going to bake for Thanksgiving. You'll remember my last post when I told you I don't particularly enjoy cooking. Weirdly, most women in my family seem to love it and are very good at it. I'm the black sheep of the kitchen. On Thanksgiving, I mostly function as background. I read magazines in the kitchen while my mom, sister, and niece cook yummy food. I like to be with them, but it's sort of a mutual agreement I don't go near anything flammable. A few years ago, I felt guilty about this and, in a moment of weakness, said, "I'll make a cake!" It wasn't awful. And it felt like I was doing something moderately helpful. So now it's semi-traditional. Each year, I remind my sister I need a very EASY recipe and that, even then, it will probably come out tasting like frosted concrete. She's always very supportive. This year she said, "Don't worry! Erin will be there to help you." Erin, my super cute 12-year old niece, is destined to have her own Food Network show someday. The girl is crazy talented, but helping me is a big challenge even for professionals like Erin.

My current idea is to buy a Pecan Pie from Cracker Barrel and try to pass it off as mine, but I'll probably change my mind. That's like culinary plagiarism or something.

I am really excited about Thanksgiving though. My family is pretty scattered at the moment and having them together in one place makes me so sappy I can barely function. That would be enough, just having them all together. But Christmas and Thanksgiving make me feel so warm: pretty colors, bright lights, candles, quirky little traditions. I'm so excited. :)

Feel like a Monday meme? It's another book meme. We talk about books so often on here that a few of these questions might be a little redundant. It's still a fun one though. (Typing "book meme" made me think of the song "Love Game" by Lady Gaga. Except in my mind, I'm substituting "Book Meme" for "Love Game." I have a feeling this will go on all day.)

1. First book to leave a lasting impression?
The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe by CS Lewis.
My mom read to me every night when I was little. TLTW&TW was the first book I ever heard (and later read) that became more of an experience than a book. With other books, there was always a disconnect: I pretended to be the characters, but they didn't feel quite as real. Narnia was different. It was magical and a little bit scary and I felt like I was there, sitting with the Beavers, running from the witch, kneeling in front of Aslan about to get a cool weapon. I thought about the story all day long. I watched the cartoon. I watched the cheap BBC version where the Beavers look like giant FurBeasts. But mostly, I wanted to hear the story in the book. I was positive Narnia was real. I used to pack a lunchbox full of books and fall sleep in my closet thinking I would wake up there.

Warning: We're veering into sappy territory here. Not like Travis Tritt sap, but close.

But more than that, Narnia made me feel brave. I have a bone disease that was a much bigger problem when I was a kid than it is now. I used to break my leg at random, for no reason, just because my bones were weak. I would literally be walking down the hall, hear my leg snap, and hit the ground. (I am crazy grateful that's not something I'm dealing with right now!) Whenever that happened, I had to go to the hospital and my leg had to be set (pulled until the bones realigned so they could heal). Those of you who've had broken bones will affirm how much that sucks. While the doctor was setting my leg, I would squeeze my eyes shut and imagine I was holding onto Aslan, fisting my hands in his soft fur.

I don't think good fantasy ends with escapism. I think great fantasy takes you out of your world for a breath or two and lets you live vicariously through someone else. But then, when you settle back into your own self, something kind of magical happens. You feel brave. You decide your story is worth living, worth experiencing, better than anything you'll ever read.

The impact CS Lewis had on my childhood was huge. I wish I could hug him, and thank him for Narnia. I still do Narnia checks every time I go in a furniture store. ;)

2. Which author would you most like to be?
Whichever one makes enough money to pay off her student loans. ;) Kidding.

Slight edit to my original answer: If I had to choose, I would like my writing to be as lyrical as Kate DiCamillo's writing. I like that she says so much, so richly, in such a succinct way. I like the way Adriana Trigiani writes characters, particularly women (tough but still vulnerable). I like it when any author can be funny and heartfelt in the same novel.

I'm fine with being myself, but I wish I could be the version of myself that was more confident, that didn't make stupid writing mistakes, that was settled into her career, that had better understanding of where I wanted my writing to go. Also, I would like to be the writer who is constantly invigorated and inspired and writes thousands of beautiful words a day. And has an assistant named Sven who brings me Cheetos and folds my laundry.

3. Name the book that made you most want to visit a place.
Anne of Green Gables by LM Montgomery. And I did visit Prince Edward Island! It was absolutely perfect. I need to blog about that sometime.

4. Which contemporary author will still be read in 100 years?
Madeleine L'Engle, Stephen King (I'm not a King fan because I'm a chicken. But I have a feeling his books will still be around someday), Brennan Manning, JK Rowling, Michael Chabon



5. Which book would you recommend to a teenager reluctant to try literature?
As far as contemporary, I would recommend Looking for Alaska by John Green. It is one of the most well-written books I've read. That said, this is definitely a book for older readers. Alaska gets challenged in lots of schools and libraries, I'm assuming because of the nookie factor. However, if you've ever turned on a television, or stepped outside your house, or if you've ever been inside a school for more than five seconds, I'm thinking you've heard way more spicy stuff than what you'll find in this novel. I actually think the scene in this novel is interesting because (in my opinion) it kind of discourages casual sex. The characters felt awkward. It wasn't romantic or earth-shattering or anything like that. Nothing horrible, awful, end of the world happens to them. They remained friends. But it isn't an over-romanticized situation either. That is a very brief aspect of the novel, but I felt like I should mention it since younger readers happen by here occasionally. If I'd picked up a book like this as a young teen, my mom would have let me read it. But she would have read it with me so we could talk about it. (She most definitely wouldn't have let me read it in Middle School.)

The part of the book that impresses me the most is the way grief, longing, and fate are explored. It's a book that makes you ask big questions. Sometimes I'll pick it up just to glance through it, and I'm already on chapter ten. It's a seamless read.

An added bonus is that John Green is hilarious. You've probably seen him on Vlogbrothers. His books are funny too. Not just snicker and smile and turn the page funny either. I sometimes put the book down so I can laugh. He's an incredible writer. He just released a new book with superstar editor/writer David Levithan called Will Grayson, Will Grayson. It's on my reading list for the holidays.

For classic lit, I don't know that I would pick a book as much as I would offer two bits of encouragement. 1.) Don't stop just because you trip over the language. It takes awhile for me to fall back into the rhythm of classic novels. I'll use Captain Will as an example. When I read Shakespeare in high school, I had a hard time understanding it, and felt like a dorkbird. When I took a Shakespeare class in college, I loved it. I think the difference is that I was immersed in the plays, reading them everyday for class, really thinking about the lines. It feels more natural the more you read. I think the same is true of classic novels (even more recent ones). The ideas and themes are totally relevant, but the language can be awkward and dated (sometimes; other times it's very pretty). Give it time.

2.) Don't stop because you read a book you dislike. I know loads of people who like Moby Dick. In fact, I know people who started reading more classic novels because they liked Moby Dick so much. Even though I liked the theme, I couldn't get into the story. When I finished it, I was kind of burned out on reading (which is very rare).

One of my favorite novels is Wuthering Heights, but some of my friends think it's flowery, boring drivel. You never know if a book is going to grab you until it does. The good news is there are millions of books out there. Keep reading until you find one you love. Have fun with it. Read it along with your friends so you can talk about it. Something gives those books staying power. Trying to figure out what that something is can be fun. (And these are recommendations I would give to teens or adults. Regardless of age, sometimes classic novels feel daunting.)


6. Name your best recent literary discovery.
This is not such a recent discovery, but I think Zora Neale Hurston is one of the most gifted writers ever to wield a pen. Very often when I'm in a bookstore, I pick up Their Eyes Were Watching God just so I can read the first paragraph:

"Ships at a distance have every man's wish on board. For some, they come in with the tide. For others, they sail forever on the horizon, never out of sight, never landing until the Watcher turns his eyes away in resignation, his dreams mocked to death by Time. That is the life of men."




7. Which authors fictional world would you most want to live in?
Probably LM Montgomery's Avonlea ... but only if I could be Anne.

8. Name your favorite poet.
Pablo Neruda because of a poem called September 9th.

And Bob Dylan because of a song called Every Grain of Sand.

9. What's the best non-fiction title you've read this year?
Something's Rising by Silas House and Jason Howard

10. What author do you think is much better than his/her reputation?
I can't think of one specific author here, so I'll just revert back to my rant on book snobbery. I think there are loads of beautiful books out there, in all kinds of genres. And even if I don't like it, or it's not my thing, that means zip to the zilch. Art is subjective. Great authors abound. Authors aren't talented because they sell a billion copies, or get movie deals, or make enough to pay off their student loans (even though I envy those authors :). They're amazing because you say they are. Never be embarrassed about the books you love. Just keep reading.


If you're up for it, I would love to hear your answers. Hope your week is off to a sweet start!

11 comments:

  1. 1. First book to leave a lasting impression?
    "The Magician's Nephew." It's not my favorite Narnia book, but in the first grade, our teacher read a few of them to us. I went a few years and forgot about the Narnia series, but that story was always in the back of mind and would resurface every once and a while, with the evil witch and the world between the woods and the colored rings. Thankfully I soon rediscovered the Narnia books. I absolutely love them, and when I have kids, they will be read the Narnia series probably from the day they are born, LOL.

    2. Which author would you most like to be?
    Probably Shannon Hale or Gail Carson Levine. I would like to write with the wit and observation of Jane Austen, but I don't particularly want to live in the Regency era.

    3. Name the book that made you most want to visit a place.
    The Narnia series. I still want to go there. =)

    4. Which contemporary author will still be read in 100 years?
    J.K. Rowling, probably.

    5. Which book would you recommend to a teenager reluctant to try literature?
    I honestly don't know. I guess it depends on what they're interested in. I love "Pride and Prejudice," but it can be extremely overwhelming the first time through.

    6. Name your best recent literary discovery.
    Probably "Jane Eyre" over the summer.

    7. Which authors fictional world would you most want to live in?
    Narnia, of course.

    8. Name your favorite poet.
    I don't really have a favorite...I like Robert Frost and e.e. cummings. I also think of Jon Foreman as sort of a poet, because of his beautiful lyrics.

    9. What's the best non-fiction title you've read this year?
    I don't even know that I have read a non-fiction book this year, except my textbooks, LOL. I started a pretty good biography about Jane Austen, but got distracted and haven't finished it yet.

    10. What author do you think is much better than his/her reputation?
    I really don't know.

    ~Kristin

    ReplyDelete
  2. Can you send me the questions so that I can answer them? Thank you.
    Bleah

    ReplyDelete
  3. Kristin, your Narnia comments made me grin :) I love finding other people who love that story. The Magician's Nephew wasn't my favorite either, but I liked it. It felt so different than the others, didn't it?

    Bleah Briann, what do you mean send them? Like email them to you? Or leave them in the comment part of your blog?

    ReplyDelete
  4. 1. First book to leave a lasting impression?
    Deffiently the Chronicles of Narnia. My Grandma read it to me when I was little and I read it when I was seven. I just finished it again in the summer. The movies don't do it justice.
    2. Which author would you most like to be?
    Ted Dekker, I know he's a guy, but I'd lvoe to have that mind.
    3. Name the book that made you want to visit a place.
    um...Narnia? I think thats a given. But I think only if I could be either Susan or Lucy. And maybe only after they killed the queen. LOL
    4. Which contemporary author will still be read in 100 years?
    deffinetly Frank Perretti, but I agree that even though I'm not a fan Steven king probably will still be around.
    5. Which book would you recommend to someone reluctant to try literature?
    hmmm...I don't know. It depends on the person.
    6. Name your best recent literary discovery.
    House by Ted Dekker and Frank Perretti
    7. Which authors fictional world would you most want to live in?
    NARNIA!
    8. Name your favorite poet.
    I agree with the last person, Jon Foreman is amazing, even though he's music. But does Shakespear count? If so thats my answer.
    9. What's the best non-fiction title you read this year?
    Every tenn girls little pink book, deffinetly.
    10. What author do you think is much better than his/her reputation?
    Ted Dekker.

    ReplyDelete
  5. You should go to Cracker barrel. Behind the hostess counter is a bag of small, round "caramel wafers" from Holland. In Dutch, they're called stroopwafels. Heat them up and serve them with homemade vanilla ice cream (or BlueBell, whichever one you have easier access to).

    If you feel really adventurous, my favorite treat in Cyprus was called Doukissa and it's a cake made of plain cookies layered with chocolate. It's apparently super easy to make, you just have to leave it in the fridge overnight. You can google "doukissa cake" and find a recipe, but the measurements are all European and may be a little hard to follow. I doubt you'd feel up to the task, but I've been thinking about it all day and I believe the Lord led me to share it with you.

    ReplyDelete
  6. You can also find stroopwafels at Fresh Market / Whole Foods / World Market / any hip international grocery store.

    ReplyDelete
  7. BB - one of my favorite books in HS was The Oath by Frank Peretti. He's a great writer! I've never read his books with Ted Dekker, but I have no doubt of their awesomeness. And Shakespeare definitely counts as poetry! Jon Foreman is a beautiful writer. Weirdly, one of my favorite songs he did was from A Walk to Remember. Do you know the one I'm talking about? Mandy Moore did it but then he redid it? It's like my brain isn't working ...

    Ashley, contrary to my culinary suck, and contrary to the fact that I don't really like to cook, I get in a random baking mood pretty often. I'm going to try both those recipes! You can help me figure out the European measurements thing right? Because I am way worse at math than I am at cooking ... :)

    ReplyDelete
  8. Natalie, that song is "Only Hope" :) Jonathan Foreman wrote it and Switchfoot recorded it on their New Way To Be Human cd which came out in 1999 and then Mandy Moore recorded it for the movie. it's definitely one of my favorites too!

    ReplyDelete
  9. In an attempt to keep my sanity while writing a research/statistics paper...here we go.

    1. First book to leave a lasting impression?
    I honestly have no idea, sadly enough. I've read so many books in my life... I will say that the books that have left the biggest impression on me would probably be Ted Dekker's Circle Trilogy (Black, Red, & White). What an amazing story! They nearly make me cry every time I read them, just because they make me so aware of God's incredible love for us. :)

    2. Which author would you most like to be?
    Well, if I can't be myself, I'd have to go with being the female version of Ted Dekker. The man is brilliant.

    3. Name the book that made you most want to visit a place.
    Oh, that's hard! I'd love to visit Narnia...:) Anne of Green Gables has always made me want to visit Prince Edward Island, too. And pretty much any book set in Alaska reinforces my wanting to go there. :)

    4. Which contemporary author will still be read in 100 years?
    J.K. Rowling, perhaps?

    5. Which book would you recommend to a teenager reluctant to try literature?
    That's hard, because every person has different tastes. Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers is an incredible read.

    6. Name your best recent literary discovery.
    Nothing recent. I don't have much time to read these days, depressing as that may be. :(

    7. Which author's fictional world would you most want to live in?
    Not to be a copycat, but I am so with you--L.M. Montgomery's Prince Edward Island!

    8. Name your favorite poet.
    I don't really have a favorite. Unless, of course, you want to count songwriters. I am so into lyrics. (In that case, I'd go with Jon Foreman and Isaac Slade, among many, many others.)

    9. What's the best non-fiction title you've read this year?
    The only one I can remember reading is Wild at Heart. (I was instructed by my guy friend to read it. He wanted to help me understand the male species or something like that.)

    10. What author do you think is much better than his/her reputation?
    Umm.

    Okay, the end. Thanks for the break! :)

    ReplyDelete
  10. Abby, thank you! There's another Switchfoot song with a lyric that I really like. I don't know that song either (I'm such a fickle fan) but the lyric says: She came when we were freezing. She left us burning up." Same album maybe?

    Ellie Jordan, Redeeming Love is an incredible book! Liked all of your picks! I've never read the circle series by Ted Dekker, but obviously by the comments on here, I need to get my hands on them and see what all the fuss is about :) Thanks for playing along. I'm glad you got to take a breather from Statistics ...

    ReplyDelete
  11. yep, you're right! :) that song is called "Amy's Song" and is the track directly after "Only Hope" on that album. go Natalie! :)

    also, thank you for the birthday wish! :)

    ReplyDelete