Category Archives: favorites

September 14, 2010   DG&B   favorites, fun, opinion, Rachel, reading  
13

Sob stories

by Rachel

During my last semester of college, I took a “filler class” to complete the philosophy credits of my degree. Philosophy of Art was the name of the course, and topics such as expressionism, moral and aesthetic value, and artistic taste were studied. One question that continually arose during the course was what we really meant when we said a work of art was “good”. Some students agreed that a work of art was “good”, or held significant value, if it was simply aesthetically pleasing. Other students believed that emotion needed to be play a part when art was being evaluated. “Good art,” it was argued, held significant value if it moved an audience.

In Philosophy, there never seems to be a “right” answer to any argument, but I finished the course believing that the emotional connection we have with a masterpiece—the feelings we take away with us after watching a play, looking at a painting, or reading a book—is what gives significant value to art. That’s not to say that aesthetic value is overlooked, but in my opinion, what separates the extraordinary from the average is that extraordinary work has the ability to move us and change our ways of thinking.

Many times have I found myself sobbing like a baby while reading a tragic novel. I remember finding a copy of Haruki Murakami’s Norwegian Wood in the back of my brother’s car and reading it from start to finish with tears for every alternate chapter. Murakami was able to help the reader dive into an anxious and uneasy world by way of his young characters and touch on topics such as lost love, mental illness, and death. Other sad and memorable novels I love are The Awakening by Kate Chopin (the last page left me distraught for days), and of course, John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men. Time and again I’ve tried to read Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina, but this novel seems to be a little too depressing for me to finish. My favorite writers are those who are able to lure me into their fictional worlds, usually by writing books that make me cry!

Over at the Huffington Post, Jason Pinter gave us the responses from a question he asked on Twitter about books that made readers cry. And although I complain that some novels may be too emotionally-charged to read, I love a good tear jerker and would love to hear what books moved you and had you reaching for the tissues.

September 03, 2010   DG&B   favorites, fun, Rachel, reading, setting  
5

Location, location, location

by Rachel

One of the things I loved about living in San Francisco was its close proximity to Steinbeck country. No more than two hours south of the city lies Monterey, where Steinbeck set the scene for his novels Cannery Row, Tortilla Flat, Of Mice and Men, East of Eden—the list goes on. Walking along Cannery Row while smelling the ocean and hearing the gulls, or driving half an hour inland to Salinas (where the National Steinbeck Center is located) was an exciting pilgrimage for me, because, if I haven’t mentioned it before, John Steinbeck is my number one literary hero.

So, I found it fascinating to read Alison Flood’s article from the Guardian, on literary book tours. What a thrill it is to visit locations mentioned in your favorite novels! I have a few favorite New York literary hotspots I like to visit on occasion: The carousel in Central Park (J.D. Salinger’s Catcher In The Rye); Macy’s Santaland (David Sedaris’ Holidays on Ice); Pete’s Tavern (O. Henry’s Gift of The Magi), and Chinatown, Tiffany & Co., and The New York Public Library (Truman Capote’s Breakfast At Tiffany’s).

What are some memorable locations from your favorite books you’d love to visit?

August 24, 2010   DG&B   favorites, fun, opinion, reading, Stephanie  
8

Growing up is hard to do

by Stephanie

The other day, Jim and I were engaging in some friendly conversation about pop culture of the 90s, but when I drew a blank on a reference, his disgust was tangible: “My God. How young are you?” In truth, Jim’s frankness led me to consider my own place in the wonderfully unnerving process of growing up in all its forms. Whatever “growing up” even means.

So while I faced the reality of my own Generation Y status, I took some solace in reading this piece on the Book Bench blog, in which Macy Halford gives her take on the literary interpretation of the emerging adult. In it, Halford offers seven novels that provide a unique window to the dramas and pitfalls that accompany the young adult, particularly the twenty-something. Being a member of this crowd, I enjoyed perusing this list of titles—my personal favorites being A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man and The Emperor’s Children. I’m drawn to the idea that there repeatedly exists in literary form a character who seeks to resist the expectations of society, and instead chooses to define one’s path by his or her rules.

Can you think of other books that fit this description? Are there certain books that particularly spoke to you as you entered young adulthood?

August 20, 2010   DG&B   favorites, fun, Rachel  
8

Used toothpicks and toilets for sale!

by Rachel

Ever wanted to own your favorite author’s toilet? Well, I haven’t, but if you’re into acquiring the weird and wonderful, it looks like you’re in luck: J.D. Salinger’s old toilet is up for auction on EBay for a cool one million dollars. The toilet comes un-cleaned (because you’d have it no other way, right?) and with a letter from the owners who bought Salinger’s house (to verify authenticity? After all, noone wants to pay big bucks for a phony toilet).

Other literary memorabilia has gone on auction before, as Huffington Post noted a few weeks ago – from an unpublished manuscript by Mark Twain (interesting) to a toothpick belonging to Charles Dickens (ick!), but the toilet of an author? A used toothpick up for auction makes me cringe, but a used toilet? I’m not sure what to think about this, but the word “absurd” does come to mind.

If you could choose any one item from your favorite author to acquire, what would it be? Quirky, interesting or just plain weird, I’d love to know!

August 06, 2010   DG&B   favorites, fun, Rachel, reading  
4

Literary fashionistas

by Rachel

I’m no fashionista, yet I find it fascinating reading descriptions of characters and their garb in books. I remember reading Charlie and The Chocolate Factory as a kid and being blown away by Roald Dahl’s descriptions, and then watching the movie—wow! So, this article by Judy Berman piqued my interest and made me think about some of the best-dressed book figures out there. I’m going to be cliché here and vote for Ian Fleming’s James Bond as my best-dressed literary hero. I also agree with a lot of the names on Berman’s list—Dorian Gray, Scarlett O’Hara, Emma Bovary—what great examples of fashion-conscious characters.

I’d love to hear who you think is one of the best-dressed literary figures out there! Or perhaps the worst (if I recall anything from my college reading, Dorothea Brooke from George Eliot’s Middlemarch wasn’t such a sharp dresser).

July 14, 2010   DG&B   favorites, fun, Miriam, reading  
4

The real Camelot

by Miriam

I’ve been fascinated by the Arthurian legend since I was a kid. The impossible struggle to be good in the face of temptation and evil, the idea that a belief in magic is as necessary for survival as the quest for something of meaning, the courage and passion and the heartbreaking losses and defeats, the notion that the human spirit can triumph over the darkness that sometimes threatens to engulf us…all that and Excalibur. I’ve read dozens of versions over the years, from Chretien de Troyes’ to Alfred Lord Tennyson’s to John Steinbeck’s to T.H. White’s to Mary Stewart’s to Richard Monaco’s to Marion Zimmer Bradley’s, and always hoped that there was more than myth and folklore to the story of the great King Arthur and his court.

So, it was with great delight that I came upon this piece in the Daily Mail. How cool is the discovery that there was, in fact, a real Round Table (which was not a table at all)? Hopefully, the new information will spark a new wave of Arthurian storytelling.

June 25, 2010   DG&B   favorites, opinion, Rachel, reading  
9

To Kill a Classic

by Rachel

I read To Kill A Mockingbird twice as a high school student—once as an eleventh-grader in Australia, and then again the following year as a senior in the States. I was going to take an American literature course in college which examined the story further, but decided against it; I worried re-reading and overanalyzing the text would ruin the book for me. After reading it a couple of times and liking it, I’m thinking of taking it on once again this summer—as a reader this time, not as an overly analytical student.

Part of my decision to read To Kill A Mockingbird again comes from wanting to prove Allen Barra wrong, after reading his Wall Street Journal article. In this piece, Barra tells his readers that it’s time to “stop pretending that ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ is some kind of timeless classic that ranks with the great works of American literature.” He believes there’s no ambiguity in the text of the book; that its “bloodless liberal humanism” is dated, and declares Flannery O’Conner’s writing a far worthier subject for high-school readers.

Allen Barra may complain of the book lacking ambiguity, but I’ve got to admit how much I enjoyed this book—twice. Combining controversial and eye-opening themes of injustice, courage and innocence, with Harper Lee’s simple and elegant narrative style, I think To Kill A Mockingbird is an incredibly relevant piece of literature that I hope will continue to be read in schools for years to come.

Do you think To Kill A Mockingbird is worthy of praise? Or, do you think it’s time to give students something else to read? If you agree with Allen Barra’s thoughts on the book, what do you think should be next on the curriculum for high school kids to read?

June 17, 2010   DG&B   favorites, Lauren, opinion, reading  
23

The definition of insanity

by Lauren

Reading Miriam’s post the other day, I was totally delighted by all the great/bad books.  I’m not sure I can make a top five list, because I’m incredibly contrary and like to overthink lists before I commit to them, but Moby Dick, Jane Eyre, and the collected works of Charles Dickens (sorry, Jim!) and John Steinbeck (sorry, Rachel!) would at least be in my top 25.

The thing that struck me most, though, was several of you mentioned reading these books multiple times.  I particularly loved that Kerry went back to a book she hated the first time, which I can’t even imagine. I just can’t do it, myself.  With very few exceptions (the odd children’s book I don’t remember well; Gatsby once to try to understand a reference to it that still makes no sense), the only books I re-read are manuscripts I’m editing.  Even when I love the books, I find re-reading has none of the enjoyment for me that reading for the first time does.  I find it near impossible to focus, knowing what’s coming next.  (It’s probably for the best that I never became a copyeditor, for that and other reasons.)

The idea doesn’t bother me: On the one hand, there are so many books to read, it seems a waste to read one of them multiple times.  On the other hand, you’re never going to read them all anyway, so what’s the harm?  I just can’t actually do it in practice.

Anyone else? Re-readers, tell me, why? Do you easily read every word, have no objection to skimming, or struggle with the impulse? And is there a certain kind of book you find re-readable when others aren’t? A thriller doesn’t sound like much fun the second time. Enlighten me below!

June 15, 2010   DG&B   Chasya, favorites, fun, reading  
5

And you thought you had problems….

by Chasya

I do love dissecting a good book, and even more so, it’s characters. Which is why this piece by the Wall Street Journal had me at hello. Turns out I’m not the only person who diagnoses fictional characters using the DSM-IV, the bible of psychiatric diagnosis (I also tend to do this to historical figures, just FYI). Turns out, this is a very good teaching tool for psychiatric residents, too. Various universities are now picking apart the neuroses and ticks of your favorite fictional characters. Turns out Twilight’s broody vamp Edward may have a serious case of arrested development, and your favorite Winnie the Pooh characters suffer from everything from generalized anxiety disorder to dysthymia.

I mean, what was up with that Don Quixote? Hearing voices? Believing he’s a knight? Fighting windmills he thinks are actually giants? Clearly delusional disorder, right? As a reader, I find this added layer in character dissection just an interesting topic for discussion. What about you? Any literary characters you would diagnose?

June 11, 2010   DG&B   favorites, fun, Rachel, reading  
3

A literary affair to remember

by Rachel

Ever wondered what would happen if your two favorite authors hooked-up and penned a book together?

Well, I have, and so has Caroline Hagood, who gives us a rundown on her top 5 literary hook-ups in her article on Huffington Post.

I don’t know about you guys, but pairing Franz Kafka with Chuck Palahniuk sounds like a mind-bending literary experience. Maybe a Stephen King and Dostoevsky combination could work wonders too. But why stop with fiction? How about Julia Child and Albert Camus hooking up – they’d create a delicious and absurd little cookbook together that I’d definitely want to read.

Fancy any literary hook-ups yourself?

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