Jane Eyre – Chapters V, VI & VII

Posted on June 21, 2016 by cleopatra

Chapter V

On the morning of January 19th, Jane leaves the Reed residence of Gateshead, after saying a goodbye to Bessie and proclaiming that Mrs. Reed has never been a friend to her. Again the scene is set, a wet and misty dampness cloaking her travel until she arrives at Lowood Institution. Discipline is immediately apparent at this charitable school, yet we also see the compassion of Miss Temple, the supervisor, at the treatment of the pupils, who are fed a diet lacking in nutritious food. In spite of the rigidity of the place, there does seem a concern for health and well-being as far as it is possible within the structure of which it is run. Jane meets Helen Burns for the first time and we get an initial impression of her maturity and sensibility. And thus ended Jane’s first day at Lowood.

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Different Tastes in Literature by C.S. Lewis

Posted on June 15, 2016 by cleopatra

Art and Literature (1867)
William-Adolphe Bouguereau
source Wikiart

Is there good literature? Is there bad literature? How do we make the determination, and do we even have the criteria to judge? In his essay, Different Tastes in Literature, if Lewis does not directly answer these questions, he at least gives the reader criteria that makes it easier to judge, and challenges us to examine our reading experiences.

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Jane Eyre – Chapters III & IV

Posted on June 12, 2016 by cleopatra

Chapter III

Jane awakes from her fit to find herself being attended by the apothecary. After her fright, she is strangely unsettled, unable to find joy in things that previously made her happy. When the apothecary returns, he asks Jane a number of insightful questions with regard to her feelings and state of mind. He then recommends that she be sent off to school, which agrees mightily with Mrs. Reed.

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Jane Eyre – Chapters I & II

Posted on June 6, 2016 by cleopatra

And we’re off! The Edge of the Precipice’s Jane Eyre read-along is off to a great start. It’s been a good number of years since I read this work last, and it’s certainly one of my favourites. With a reasonably adequate background to the book, I’m looking forward to digging deeper into its pages. My last Charlotte Brontë read, Villette, was less than thrilling (in fact, I could hardly believe it was the same author), so it will be refreshing to revisit her masterpiece. So without further ado, let the reading begin!

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Classics Club Spin #13

Posted on June 5, 2016 by cleopatra

I was going to resist the spin this time. I have too many books on the go and too many of them are atrociously difficult, or inordinately huge. But one of my goals for the year was to pare down my Classics Club list, so why on earth wouldn’t I participate in a spin?

With that said, I’m not shy to admit that I absolutely manipulated my list. Well, perhaps not completely, but I did change out about seven books for ones that I’m either currently reading, are shorter novels, or projects that I am struggling with (Shakespeare, that’s YOU!). Surprisingly, one of the manipulations was not The Faerie Queene.

The Rules for the spin are:

Go to your blog.
Pick twenty books that you’ve got left to read from your Classics Club list.
Post that list, numbered 1 – 20, on your blog by next Monday.
Monday morning, we’ll announce a number from 1 – 20. Go to the list of twenty books you posted and select the book that corresponds to the number we announce.
The challenge is to read that book by August 1st.

I used the random list organizer here to choose the 20 books from my master list. Then I tweaked them, so my list ended up looking like this:

Ivanhoe (1820) – Sir Walter Scott
Far From the Madding Crowd (1874) – Thomas Hardy
Framley Parsonage (1860-61) – Anthony Trollope
1984 (1949) – George Orwell
The Fairie Queene (1590 – 1596) – Edmund Spenser
Henry V (1599) – Wiliam Shakespeare
The Histories (450-20 BC) – Herodotus
Richard III (1592) – William Shakespeare
Le Rêve (1888) – Emile Zola
Tom Sawyer (1876) – Mark Twain
The Good Soldier Svejk (1923) – Jaroslav Hasek
The Silver Chalice (1952) – Thomas Costain
A Journey to the Western Islands of Scotland and a Journal of a Tour
The Lord of the Flies (1954) – William Golding
The Red Bade of Courage (1895) – Steven Crane
The Robe (1942) – Lloyd C. Douglas
The Twelve Caesars (121) – Suetonius
The Stranger (1942) – Albert Camus
Tom Brown’s School Days (1857) – Thomas Hughes
The Merchant of Venice (1596 – 1598) – William Shakespeare

While my intentions are good, if I don’t finish by August 1st, I won’t be surprised. But nothing ventured, nothing gained, right? And if I get a book I’m already reading, it will be more of a guarantee for success.

So let the spin begin!

The Big 100,000

Posted on June 2, 2016 by cleopatra

I’ve noticed that many people with blogs celebrate their blog anniversaries, such as their first year, or important numbers like 5 years. Some bloggers mention their 500th post. There is nothing more satisfying than choosing a task and sticking to it. Other celebrations include finishing a project, or a list such as The Classics Club. After years of reading, a completed list is certainly something to celebrate.

A Party in the Open Air (1590)
Isaac Oliver
source Wikipedia

Now, while I’ll certainly have a BIG party after I complete my Classics Club list, I tend to completely forget my blog anniversary, and each year goes by without a mention of the milestones. My excuse? Well, I really don’t have one, other than I have lots going on in life, and there’s not anything to remind me. Yet there is one statistic that I see every day when I log into my blog —- my pageviews —– and so I’m going to celebrate that milestone today.

So join me in celebrating, because today, on June 2, 2016 I reached the golden number of over:

100,000 pageviews!

Hip! Hip! Hurrah! (1888)
Peder Severin Krøyer
source Wikipedia

Now, honestly, I have no idea if this is an impressive number or not. I began my blog in October of 2013, so it’s 2 years and 8 months old. When I look at some popular blogs, they are boasting in the millions per year, so I suspect my little number of 100,000 is not so impressive, but it was fun to see it hit that mark today.

Thanks to all the faithful readers, who pop in regularly and those too, who come around now and then. I really enjoy all the conversations I’ve had with everyone, and I cherish the blog friends I’ve made over the years. You all make blogging a pleasure!

A Top Ten Summer ~ Which Books?

Posted on May 31, 2016 by cleopatra

I haven’t done a Top Ten Tuesday in awhile AND I haven’t posted in awhile, so today is the perfect day to do both. The Broke and the Bookish are asking us what books we will be putting in our beach bags this summer. Usually this question would be a breeze for me, but I’ve been so stunned by The Faerie Queene, mentally I don’t seem to be able to get past it. Soooooo, I’ll list some of the books I’m reading at the present and then try to add others that might appeal to a summer reading schedule.

The Faerie Queene

I love and dread this work at the same time. Right now, I’m in a rut with hardly any time to give it the needed attention but I intend to plug along and finish at some point.

Jane Eyre

Hamlette’s read-along of this great classic has just begun. The pace is very measured and allows the participant to really dig deep into the text. Lots of summer fun!

The Gulag Archipelago

The final book of my The Well-Educated Mind Biographies project. Do I read the complete book or an abridged work? I can’t decide!

Framley Parsonage

Argh! I’ve been trying to get through my read of the Barsetshire Chronicles for two years! I stalled on this book (#4), but I started it again recently and was more engaged with it. I hope to say that I’ve finished it by the end of the summer.

The Home and the World

I believe that I’m reading this with Cirtnecce to commemorate India Independence Day (Aug 15th), if I’m not mistaken.

Don Quixote

I’m reading this with Bookstooge on Booklikes beginning in the month of August. This will be a re-read for me and I’m looking forward to it. August seems like it will be the only relaxing month for me this summer.

The Histories

I add this one to the list with a heavy heart. I am dying to read it, but really, do I realistically think I’m going to be able to get to it with all the other books that I’m reading? I doubt it. But hope always springs eternal with me and …… well, I just might get to it.

Henry V

My Shakespeare challenge has been a pitiful failure so far. I’m embarrassed. So I’m determined to read at least one Shakespeare this summer. If I can get Henry V read, I will have completed the Henriad!

A Doll’s House

Another read with Cirtnecce. At least it’s short. I’m looking forward to it.

10.

Travels with a Donkey in the Cévennes

A wild card choice. Why not? It sounds relaxing and not too mentally taxing. Just what the doctor ordered!

The Faerie Queene ~ Book I (Part II)

Posted on May 25, 2016 by cleopatra

The Faerie Queene

Book 1

Contayning

The Legende of the Knight of the Red Crosse

Of Holinesse

So far this is proving a much more difficult read than anticipated. It does get easier as you get used to the style and delivery, but there is so much information and I do want to cover as much as I can in my reviews in case I never read it again. I mean I want to read it again, but right now it’s rather exhausting. Cantos I to VI introduced us to the Redcrosse Knight and Una, documenting Redcrosse’s descent into sin and Una’s unwavering faith in him. The following cantos conclude Book I.

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All Rivers Run to the Sea by Elie Wiesel

Posted on May 19, 2016 by cleopatra

“Last night I saw my father in a dream.”

Born in the town of Sighet, Romania in the Carpathian Mountains in 1928, Wiesel’s family of six was part of a thriving Jewish community. During World War II, murmurs of Jewish persecution by the Germans reached the town, but the villagers doubted the rumors and discounted anything they heard. Even with the German occupation of the town on March 19, 1944, the Germans behaved correctly and no one was disturbed. Months before their arrival, a man called “Moshe the Beadle” arrived in town with talk of his escape and stories of atrocities, yet his words fell like a barely noticeable rain:

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The Faerie Queene ~ Book I (Part I)

Posted on May 8, 2016 by cleopatra

The Faerie Queene

Book 1

Contayning

The Legende of the Knight of the Red Crosse

Of Holinesse

Canto I

The Patron of true Holinesse,

Foule Errour doth defeate:

Hypocrisie him to entrape,

Doth to his home entreate.

At the behest of the Faerie Queene, the Gentle Knight, or Redcrosse Knight, sets out with his companion, Una, a daughter of a king, who is riding an ass and leading a small lamb. His quest is to slay a terrible Dragon, that is holding Una’s parents captive. Accompanied by a Dwarf as a servant, the travellers come upon a fierce storm and are forced to take shelter in a forest bower for the night. When morning dawns, they fear that they have lost their way until they come upon a cave. Una cautions the Knight, fraught with fearful doubts and premonitions of this den, but the Knight will not heed and enters, “full of fire and greedy hardiment”. Inside he discovers a terrible monster, Error, surrounded by her young. He commences a battle:

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