Dr. Zhivago: Book Two

The Bolshevik by Kustodiev

I am a sucker for Russian novels, for snow and despair, and for tragic love stories. Anna (Karenina), Emma (Bovary), and now Larissa (Feodorovna), tell me how it didn't work out for you, and I will feel sympathetic for your loss. I shouldn't; it's your own damn fault that you were married and chose to love another. But, I do. Because these things happen. In the midst of war, or the boredom of everyday lives, or utter isolation, it would be easy to be led astray. But how much harder to suffer the consequences.

Lara's husband is fighting for freedom; after searching for him, assuming him dead, she is left alone to raise their daughter, Katenka. Yuri Zhivago was taken captive by the army to help the wounded. After he escapes, he is a fugitive. While living with Lara, they can neither return to their respective homes nor make a new one together. It is a hopeless situation, indicative to me of the hopelessness found in Russia during the October Revolution. Their joy together is brief and ultimately destined for despair.

"The closer this woman and her daughter became to him, the less he dared to think of them as family and the stricter was the control imposed on his thoughts by his duty to his own family and the pain of his broken faith...But the division in him was a sorrow and a torment, and he became accustomed to it only as one gets used to an unhealed and frequently reopened wound." (p. 406)

But before that, their relationship is explained as this:

"Their love was great. Most people experience love without becoming aware of the extraordinary nature of this emotion. But to them--and this made them exceptional--the moments when passion visited their doomed human existence like a breath of eternity were moments of revelation, of continually new discoveries about themselves and life." (p. 395)

How can it be both, a torment and a revelation? Perhaps in a similar way that the Bolsheviks are striving for their place in Russia...

A book of tremendous layers, political as well as social, it is always the story of Yuri and  Lara which most moves me. I can almost cry with her as

"she was shaken by her repressed sobs. She fought her tears as long as she could, but at times it was beyond her strength and they burst from her, pouring down her cheeks and onto her dress, her hands, and the coffin, to which she clung.

She neither spoke nor thought. Sequences of ideas, notions, insights, truths drifted and sailed freely through her mind, like clouds in the sky, as happened so often before during their nighttime conversations. It was such things that had brought them happiness and liberation in those days. A spontaneous mutual understanding, warm, instinctive, immediate." (p. 501)

A mutual understanding which they were forced to forfeit because they were in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Find more thoughts from Frances, Bookssnob, Marie, Jess, and Joan.

Apparently, Santa's Elves Are Very Busy

because into my mailbox come the most unexpected surprises. Today, it was a card from JoV, all the way from Berkshire, England:

Included inside was a set of these darling Christmas Card Hanging Pegs, no longer than an inch, with which you can suspend your cards on the 3 meter gold cord:

Now my only dilemma is where to string them? Across the kitchen window, I think, or maybe down the staircase...

Be prepared for more posts around the blog-o-sphere as the Virtual Advent Blog Tour begins on the first of December, Persephone Secret Santas are revealed on December 15, and more packages as yet undiscovered are delivered by Santa's sleigh.

The Temple of The Golden Pavilion

I have come to a piece of Japanese literature I don't like very much. Mishima has long been praised as a beloved author, but I wonder what I'm missing...

The Temple of The Golden Pavilion "won an important literary prize in Japan, sold over 300,000 copies, and was made into a successful modern play." (from the introduction by Nancy Ross) It tells the story of a young man's obsession with The Golden Temple and his consequent destruction of it.

Mishima points out interesting ideas on the concept of beauty along the way, while also writing about the pathology of someone who is ugly and outcast. Our protagonist has a terrible stutter, his closest friend has club feet, neither are physically strong let alone emotionally. I respect them not at all, nor do I feel much compassion for their plight. They are too cynical, too self-absorbed, too destructive to warrant much worth.

These quotes are the ones which struck me most forcibly. They give me something to ponder while I'm wondering at the fame of this novel:

When people concentrate on the idea of beauty, they are, without realizing it, confronted with the darkest thoughts that exist in this world. That, I suppose, is how human beings are made. (p. 48)

To see human beings in agony, to see them covered in blood and to hear their death groans, makes people humble. It makes their spirits delicate, bright, peaceful. It's never at such times that we become cruel or bloodthirsty. No, it's on a beautiful spring afternoon like this that people suddenly become cruel. (p. 106)

I was there alone, and the Golden Temple-the absolute, positive Golden Temple-had enveloped me. Did I possess the temple, or was I possessed by it? Or would it not be more correct to say that a strange balance had come into being at that moment, a balance which would allow me to be the Golden Temple and the Golden Temple to be me? (p. 131)

Later when I came to know Kashiwagi more intimately, I understood that he disliked lasting beauty. His likings were limited to things such as music, which vanished instantly, or flower arrangements, which faded in a matter of days; he loathed architecture and literature. Clearly he would never think of visiting the Golden Temple except on a moonlit night like this. (p. 139)

Perhaps it is because I know so little of Japan's culture, of the conformity which I understand is almost required of its citizens, that I cannot fully appreciate this novel. To me, it was simply a sad story of a stutterer who could not find peace within himself or the world, who could not live in the shadow of the temple's great beauty.

I read this novel as a read-along with Tanabata of In Spring It Is The Dawn.

Literary Blog Hop for November 25-28

Question: "What is your stance on the idea of contemporary classics? What novels do you think fit the bill now, or, if you think like me, may at some future date?"

My initial response: Contemporary classic? Isn't that an oxymoron?

When I think 'contemporary' I think bestseller list, and when I look at that I see John Grisham and David Baldacci and James Patterson and frankly, it makes me a little bit worried about the quality of novels America loves. Sure, for escape, they may be great. But do I consider them classic material? Not so much.

What are the novels I've loved this year?  The Wind In The Willows; already a classic. Madame Bovary, The Brothers Karamazov and Bleak House the same. Have I read anything with the mood, the lessons, the plot that these novels give? In a word, no.

But, there are novels which I think will have a lasting value, which will have an impact on generations to come.

Silence by Shusako Endo, for one. Because it addresses Christianity and apostasy, and I think these are issues which will become more and more relevant in this changing world. One where our faith makes us more and more volatile, no matter what faith it is that we adhere to.

A Darcy Christmas: A Holiday Tribute to Jane Austen

In this novel, we find a collection of three pieces showcasing Fitzwilliam Darcy:

• Mr. Darcy's Christmas Carol by Carolyn Eberhart
• Christmas Present by Amanda Grange
• A Darcy Christmas by Sharon Lathan

In the first, Mr. Darcy's Christmas, Fitzwilliam is visited by three ghosts we remember from Dickens' A Christmas Carol. The doorknocker resembles his father, the Ghost of Christmas Past is his mother, the Ghost of Christmas Present is his sister, and the Ghost of Christmas Future is Lady Catherine. Following the lines of the classic tale, each ghost shows Darcy his life in the segment allotted to it. When confronted with Elizabeth's refusal of his marriage proposal, his own pride, fear, and doubt, Darcy realizes the error of his ways. As he himself admits at the end of this story, "I will say that the vision served to reinforce the wishes and desires I already possessed and gave me the courage to pursue them."

Christmas Present, by Amanda Grange, opens in the delightfully familiar way the original novel does with a slight twist:

It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a married man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of an heir, and Mr. Darcy of Pemberly was just such a man.

This story was a charming tale of the present which arrives for Darcy and Elizabeth, one which made Elizabeth ask, "Is it your Christmas present to me or is it my Christmas present to you?"

The last collection, A Darcy Christmas, is a compilation of stories written by Sharon Lathan. They take us through the intimacy of Elizabeth and Darcy's relationship, complete with passion and three children. My favorite of these was the last, where Elizabeth bestows a bookmark on her husband, one which he had long treasured as it was her first gift to him, embroidered with the verse from Genesis: The two shall become one flesh.

This novel cast a lovely Christmas spirit around two of the most beloved characters from Pride and Prejudice. It would be a perfect holiday read for any Jane Austen fan.

New Header: A Tribute to Photographer Nina Leen

It was purely by accident that I came across the famous photographer, Nina Leen. While searching for photographs of women reading, I found the one I've been using in my header of the woman with a Coke lying on the couch.

So taken with that photograph, I searched for more pictures by Nina. Most well known for her photographs of fashion, she worked as a photographer for LIFE magazine and also captured day to day life in the 40's and 50's.

I love these photographs. Unable to choose just one any longer, I learned how to make a banner with Picasa, and crude as it may be, have now represented three of my favorite photographs by her in the header. But, there are also these beauties to behold:

Model Jean Patchett

Debutant Ann Lincoln Reading While She Soaks Her Feet

Women Sitting and Reading Under Hairdryers

Aren't they wonderful?! Who knows, I may have to add a few more into my header collage...you don't expect it to stay the same for long, do you?

...a continual feast

I spent the day cooking with my mother as we usually do before a fete. For us, the holiday begins early over the recipes that we've chosen to prepare, the mixing bowls and spices, the coffee from the French press that we share as a respite in between preparing the pies and the stuffing. It's a day of great contentment, for what have I but everything to be thankful for?

Some years aren't like that.

Some years are filled with pain: the year I lost my first husband, the years that I spent as a single mother, the years that we worried over my father's heart. Literally. When my mother brought him the homemade rolls filled with roasted turkey in the hospital so that he could have a feast in the cardiac ward.

It's easy to celebrate when things are going well. It's much harder to have a thankful heart when they're not.

Wherever you are, I hope that you have cause to be thankful. I hope that your heart is merry. I hope that your feast is neverending.

Happy Thanksgiving, friends.


"All the days of the afflicted are evil: but he that is of a merry heart hath a continual feast." Proverbs 15:15

Library Loot, Because It's Cheaper Than Even My Nook Books

After picking up Buying A Fishing Rod for My Grandfather before they took it off the Hold Shelf, I found the following treasures on the For Sale Shelf at our library:

The Tale of Genji by Murasaki Shikibu (translated and abridged by Edward G. Seidensticker which will be given away in January to one of the JLC4 participants)

That Old Ace in The Hole, a novel by Annie Proulx (who won the National Book Award and the Pulitzer Prize for The Shipping News)

A Prayer for Owen Meany, a novel by John Irving. (I've been longing to read more of his novels after finding out that he and Raymond Carver are Haruki Murakami's favorite American authors. Before reading that fact, I wasn't in any big hurry to read more of Irving's work. I know, I'm in a huge minority there.)

Did you find anything good at the library lately, or only yet another fine? Have you read any of the books I brought home?

Sunday Salon: It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas

I won't even go into my diatribe about feeling inundated with commercialism every time I turn on my computer, radio or television. If I did, I'd find my joy for the holidays robbed before they even started. Pushing past the pressure to buy, hurry, and rush through the season when it's not even Thanksgiving yet, let's look at the joy there is to find around the blogosphere...

First, a package arrived from the UK earlier this week:

Apparently, my Persephone Secret Santa (hosted by Claire) wasted no time in ordering a book for me, and it is all I can do not to open it now. But, no, I'll wait until December 15 when I can post the title and the giver's name.

Next, my class and I are eagerly awaiting the arrival of the third Narnia film: The Voyage of The Dawn  Treader. I began reading the novel to them Friday, and if you'd like to read along before the release of the film on December 10, please join in. We're posting during the first two weeks of December, and I have a brand new paperback edition to give away should you care to participate. Simply leave a comment that you want to read with us. Winner to be announced November 30th.

Finally, Kailana and Marg announced the Virtual Advent Tour on November 14. If this is new to you, you need to pop on over to their site and sign up for a date on which to post your thoughts during this beautiful Christmas season. I'm so excited to be given the date of December 7, the reason for which you'll discover on that day.

Are you feeling the joy yet? Isn't it exciting to anticipate the wonder to come in the next few months?!

Brava, Valentine by Adriana Trigiani (Plus, Win a Trip to Italy!)

What I love most about this book is the abbondanza with which Adriana Trigiana faces life. At least through her character, Valentine.

She is a cannoli-eating, lipstick-wearing, shoe-designing woman with whom I felt a great simpatico. Because she was bold,  not hiding behind an image she thought she should be, but completely honest about her family's idiosyncrasies and foibles. Her own insecurities. Her inability to trust because of the effect of her father's past indescretion.

When she described her family's trip to Italy for her Gram's wedding, or the funeral of her lifelong friend June, or the Thanksgiving dinner from Hell, I could picture myself perfectly within the midst of her family. I could hear the accent, see the mannerisms, and laugh at their flaws like every family has. But by facing her own flaws, Valentine can reach for her dreams in the arms of Gianlucca, the man she loves.

Brava, Valentine is a wonderful vacanza into all the best parts of Italy: its beauty, its warmth, its food, and most especially, it's exuberant people. Whom I love.

(Tell me, Adriana, what is the shade of lipstick which adorns your fair lips? I want it!)

Also, enter the contest to win a 7 day trip to Italy here!

Dr. Zhivago: Book One

"In these days one longs so much to live honestly and productively! One wants so much to be part of the general inspiration! and then, amidst the joy that grips everyone, I meet your mysteriously mirthless gaze, wandering  no one knows where, in some far-off kingdom, in some far-off land. What wouldn't I give for it not to be there, for it to be written on your face that you are pleased with your fate and need nothing from anyone. So that somebody close to you, your friend or husband (best if he were a military man), would take me by the hand and ask me not to worry about your lot and not to burden with you with my attention. And I would tear my hand free, swing, and...Ah, I've forgotten myself! Forgive me, please." (p. 129)

Forget the Russian Revolution, the Bolsheviks and the aristocracy, the Ural Mountains and even the translations. What I love most about Dr. Zhivago is the love story. So slowly developing between Yuri and Larissa, their affair is tender and sweet, perhaps even more so for its backdrop of war.

I read Boris Pasternak's novel several years ago, the cover of which I've pictured here. It was translated by Max Hayward and Manya Harari, and lest I sound like I'm spitting in the eye of Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky, I loved it.

The Brothers Karamazov and War and Peace translations by Peavear and Volokhonsky were outstanding. I read them both, and I enjoyed them both very much.

But somehow, their translation of Dr. Zhivago, to which the New York Review of Books declared "the English-speaking world is indebted" leaves me a bit surprised. There's nothing wrong with it, of course. It just reads a bit like "bricks are falling out of one's mouth" as a pastor I know described the American Standard translation of the Bible. It's choppy somehow, and I had to read it very slowly so as not to get lost, while I practically breezed though the translation you see above. I don't know, maybe it's just me.

In any case, I love Russian novels. I love Dr. Zhivago, no matter who's bringing it to me. And I look forward to discussing it in further detail the next time it comes around, which will be for Book Two on November 30, 2010. Read-along hosted by the lovely Frances.

(Find thoughts which amplify mine about the new translation from the Guardian here. In a nutshell: "Volokhonsky-Pevear are ruled by the principle of literal fidelity, Hayward-Harari by the imperatives of clarity, elegance and euphony.")

Ramen at Takashi

Takashi Yagihashi's cooking can be described as white-tablecloth Japanese through a French prirsm, but the Sunday brunch menu at his Bucktown restaurant, Takashi, is closest to his native roots. It's the one day of the week he serves ramen.

For Takashi, grorwing up in Mito, a town outside Tokyo known for its abundant pink plum blossoms, ramen was omnipresent.

"My house was on the same block as a ramen shop. We'd get so hungry after baseball practice we'd go there for a snack, then I'd eat dinner again," Takashi said. "I wanted to introduce what you can eat in Japan if you traveled there." (Kevin Pang, The Cheap Eater)

Knowing my affinity for all things Japanese, my parents took us to Takashi today. Truly, it was a magnificent experience, from the gray painted brick walls:

to the glimpse of a kitchen to the rear:

we dined on such exquisite dishes as:

duck fat fried chicken,

steamed shumai (traditional shrimp and pork dumplings, baby bok choy, soy-mustard) and,

shoyu soup (classic Tokyo style ramen, braised pork, barbeque egg, marinated bamboo shoots).

So sad I can't give away a few certificates here for the Japanese Literature Challenge 4. It makes me want to read a few Murakamis real bad.

And, Mama and Papa? Domo arigatou gozaimasu!

Literary Blog Hop: November 11-14

This week's Literary Blog Hop question comes from Deb Nance of Readerbuzz who asks, "What's the most difficult book you've ever read? What made it so difficult?"

Until this year I would have answered the Bible in the King James translation. But, because I've read it so many times in easier translations (such as the New International Version, Revised Standard Version, and New Living), I have a point of reference. Now I find the KJV wonderfully meaningful because I can ponder the beautiful phrases as I read them slowly and connect them to the passages I've read before.

No, the most difficult books I've read this year have to be those those written by Georges Perec. I've read one and a half: Life, A User's Manual and A Void. What makes them difficult, besides that he's a genius? I think he has a whole lot of background knowledge that I know nothing about. This combined with a mind which is adept at playing tricks, puzzles and games makes him the most challenging author I've read.

And, I enjoy those French guys! Flaubert, Zola, St. Exupery? Love them! Perec is just one of the French authors who is slightly over ma tête.

The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters

Most days it doesn't come at all. But it likes to surprise me, to catch me out. It's just like a sly, spiteful child. "It sets traps for me. It opened the door of my room that time, for me to walk into and bloody my nose. It moves my papers; it puts things in my path, so that I'll stumble over them and break my neck! I don't mind about that. It can do what it wants to me. For so long as I can keep it, you see, in my room, I can contain the infection. That's the vital thing now, don't you agree? To keep the source of the infection away, from my sister and my mother?
But Roderick couldn't keep "the source of infection away", not from his sister, his mother or even himself. For whatever it is in Hundreds Hall: madness, misfortune, or malevolence, its inhabitants would not overcome it.

A truly great ghost story, strangely reminiscent to me of Rebecca, this novel struck horror into my heart.

Outside The Ordinary World...and Give-Away

Who was it who taught me about keeping secrets? I'm thinking a few hours later, standing in the narrow kitchen with its familiar cracked yellow tile, its custard cups full of buttons and peanuts, aspirins and safety pins. Nothing here has changed, including my mother, who trained me in duplicity early and well, making me what I am today--a woman who can walk this line, inhabit parallel worlds, carry a lifetime's worth of guilt without flinching, hold a secret as exquisitely as if it were one of these Wedgwood teacups Gram still insists on using, though one seems to shatter every couple years. (p. 252)

I love this paragraph from Dori Ostermiller's novel Outside The Ordinary World. In picture perfect prose we have almost everything this novel examines: secrets, duplicity, marriage, adultery, and over it all the image of fragility. For what is more fragile than family?

Our heroine, Sylvia, tells her story between the present life she leads as a wife, and the life she experienced as a child. Her parents' relationship was tumultuous at best; although they tried, they never succeeded in finding fulfillment in one another. Is this what her own marriage is destined for?

It seems in many ways that she will follow her mother's footsteps: in her attraction to another man, in her desire to be seen and soothed and sexually satiated. But, can these things sustain us? They are comforting for the moment, but are they able to carry us through to the end of our lives?

While raising her daughters, Hannah and Emmie; working things out with her husband, Nathan; finding pleasure with her lover Tai; Sylvia examines her past so that she can move forward with her future. Her discoveries resonated deeply for me, as perhaps they will for many women. Being disappointed with one's parents, or one's husband, doesn't mean one is stuck forever in that sad and lonely place. Any more than adultery is the perfect outlet.

Visit Dori's website, or find the schedule for other reviews at TLC book tours here. If you'd like a chance to win my copy of Dori's book simply leave a comment above.

Green Books Campaign: Meditations for Teachers

This review is part of the Green Books campaign. Today 200 bloggers take a stand to support books printed in an eco-friendly manner by simultaneously publishing reviews of 200 books printed on recycled or FSC-certified paper. By turning a spotlight on books printed using eco- friendly paper, we hope to raise the awareness of book buyers and encourage everyone to take the environment into consideration when purchasing books.

The campaign is organized for the second time by Eco-Libris, a green company working to make reading more sustainable. We invite you to join the discussion on "green" books and support books printed in an eco-friendly manner! A full list of participating blogs and links to their reviews is available on Eco-Libris website.

I'm so glad to be reviewing Alphabet Meditations For Teachers. Not only is it environmentally friendly, it is emotionally friendly for those of us who are striving every day to make a difference in our schools.

Arranged alphabetically, of course, these poem-like meditations cut to the core of what is essential in our work. A is for Adam, B is for Bells. C is for Change, D is for Do. E is for Excellence, F is for Fear.

And also for Favorite. Because this meditation was one of my favorites:

F Is For Fear

I know, with all my heart,
That a fear-driven
School is not a good place
For people.

Our brains shut down,
Reduced to the most
Elemental-elementary
Learning. We can't think well.

Search my soul
To feel my own fears.
Help me know how to go
Release them-just let go.

Write on my heart the
Ancient Lesson that
Perfect love casts out fear...

But, I also love the one on the very next page:

G is for Grades

How I hate grades!
I make an imperfect test
For them to 'pass'
Making me their judge and executioner.

Then they compare,
Each to each.
Some walk out
With Superior air;
Others pretend not to care.

Help me reflect
On what I am doing-
Or not doing-
with grades.
Am I fair?

This book would be a wonderful gift for a teacher you know. Or for yourself if you, like Col, Frances and myself, work with students.

Hello, Japan: November's Theme

Hello Japan! Meme

My favourite Japanese author is Haruki Murakami because he was the first one able to teach me to suspend my disbelief. He was the first author that took me to a world where I didn't have to know every answer, or even every question. I just had to rest in his capable hands.

The best Japanese novel I've read this year is Out by Natsuo Kirino.

We must have at least one dedicated book question:

What Japanese author(s) or book(s) have you enjoyed that you would highly recommend to others?

• Haruki Murakami, of course, my favorite being Kafka on The Shore
• Natsuo Kirino's Out and Real World
• Banana Yoshimoto's Kitchen, NP, and Good-bye Tsugumi
• Crow Boy (a children's book) by Taro Yashima

What is something Japanese that you'd like to try but haven't yet had the chance?

Living in a very small, very clean place. The minimalist style really appeals to me.

Also, I'm trying to fold 1,000 origami cranes, but I'm not even halfway finished yet. Believe me, I'll post the picture when I am!

You're planning to visit Japan next year. Money is not a concern. What is on the top of your list of things you most want to do?

See Tokyo? Eat udon noodles? Walk under cherry blossoms? Visit a Japanese elementary school? All of the above.

Bonus question:

What was your favourite Hello Japan! mini-challenge topic?

I loved when we wrote about manga; I also loved the assignment of comparing two works of Japanese literature. You always encourage me, Tanabata, to read something new. I have Taroko Gorge, recently mooched off of Bookmooch, waiting for me on my shelf because of your review.

I'm Already Looking Forward To January

For it is in January that I will focus on what I want to read. Imagine that, reading books that I've picked up from my shelf solely because they appeal to me.

The shelf I'll be choosing from is to the left of our fireplace, second up from the bottom. It's where I keep my Japanese literature, stacked in double rows, and I'm going to work through as much as I can. Because after all, I am hosting the Japanese Literature Challenge 4.

November will have these exciting titles, all of which I want to reread except for the second which will be new:

• Dr. Zhivago with Frances
• The Temple of The Golden Pavilion with Tanabata
• The Catcher in The Rye with one of my book clubs

December will have two Christmas reviews from publishers who have contacted me:

• A Darcy Christmas by Amanda Grance, Sharon Lathan and Carolyn Eberhart
• Promise Me by Richard Paul Evans

And January will be complete immersion into my Japanese literature collection. I'm dying to open some more Murakamis, my Ishiguro, and a few others. I will begin the year with that focus, bring up a prize or two for those who are participating in the JLC4, and I'll be sure to come around to thoroughly visit the reviews posted on the site.

There are, after all, 140 of them now.

BBC's Top 100

From the BBC's Big Read List

1. The Lord of the Rings, JRR Tolkien

2. Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen

3. His Dark Materials, Philip Pullman

4. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Douglas Adams

5. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, JK Rowling

6. To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee

7. Winnie the Pooh, AA Milne

8. Nineteen Eighty-Four, George Orwell

9. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, CS Lewis

10. Jane Eyre, Charlotte Brontë

11. Catch-22, Joseph Heller

12. Wuthering Heights, Emily Brontë

13. Birdsong, Sebastian Faulks

14. Rebecca, Daphne du Maurier

15. The Catcher in the Rye, JD Salinger

16. The Wind in the Willows, Kenneth Grahame

17. Great Expectations, Charles Dickens

18. Little Women, Louisa May Alcott (75% read)

19. Captain Corelli's Mandolin, Louis de Bernieres

20. War and Peace, Leo Tolstoy (75% read)

21. Gone with the Wind, Margaret Mitchell

22. Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone, JK Rowling

23. Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets, JK Rowling

24. Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban, JK Rowling

25. The Hobbit, JRR Tolkien

26. Tess Of The D'Urbervilles, Thomas Hardy

27. Middlemarch, George Eliot

28. A Prayer For Owen Meany, John Irving

29. The Grapes Of Wrath, John Steinbeck

30. Alice's Adventures In Wonderland, Lewis Carroll

31. The Story Of Tracy Beaker, Jacqueline Wilson

32. One Hundred Years Of Solitude, Gabriel García Márquez

33. The Pillars Of The Earth, Ken Follett

34. David Copperfield, Charles Dickens

35. Charlie And The Chocolate Factory, Roald Dahl

36. Treasure Island, Robert Louis Stevenson

37. A Town Like Alice, Nevil Shute

38. Persuasion, Jane Austen

39. Dune, Frank Herbert

40. Emma, Jane Austen

41. Anne Of Green Gables, LM Montgomery

42. Watership Down, Richard Adams

43. The Great Gatsby, F Scott Fitzgerald

44. The Count Of Monte Cristo, Alexandre Dumas

45. Brideshead Revisited, Evelyn Waugh

46. Animal Farm, George Orwell

47. A Christmas Carol, Charles Dickens

48. Far From The Madding Crowd, Thomas Hardy

49. Goodnight Mister Tom, Michelle Magorian

50. The Shell Seekers, Rosamunde Pilcher

51. The Secret Garden, Frances Hodgson Burnett

52. Of Mice And Men, John Steinbeck

53. The Stand, Stephen King

54. Anna Karenina, Leo Tolstoy

55. A Suitable Boy, Vikram Seth

56. The BFG, Roald Dahl

57. Swallows And Amazons, Arthur Ransome

58. Black Beauty, Anna Sewell

59. Artemis Fowl, Eoin Colfer

60. Crime And Punishment, Fyodor Dostoyevsky

61. Noughts And Crosses, Malorie Blackman

62. Memoirs Of A Geisha, Arthur Golden

63. A Tale Of Two Cities, Charles Dickens

64. The Thorn Birds, Colleen McCollough

65. Mort, Terry Pratchett

66. The Magic Faraway Tree, Enid Blyton

67. The Magus, John Fowles

68. Good Omens, Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman

69. Guards! Guards!, Terry Pratchett

70. Lord Of The Flies, William Golding

71. Perfume, Patrick Süskind

72. The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists, Robert Tressell

73. Night Watch, Terry Pratchett

74. Matilda, Roald Dahl

75. Bridget Jones's Diary, Helen Fielding

76. The Secret History, Donna Tartt

77. The Woman In White, Wilkie Collins

78. Ulysses, James Joyce

79. Bleak House, Charles Dickens

80. Double Act, Jacqueline Wilson

81. The Twits, Roald Dahl

82. I Capture The Castle, Dodie Smith

83. Holes, Louis Sachar

84. Gormenghast, Mervyn Peake

85. The God Of Small Things, Arundhati Roy

86. Vicky Angel, Jacqueline Wilson

87. Brave New World, Aldous Huxley

88. Cold Comfort Farm, Stella Gibbons

89. Magician, Raymond E Feist

90. On The Road, Jack Kerouac

91. The Godfather, Mario Puzo

92. The Clan Of The Cave Bear, Jean M Auel

93. The Colour Of Magic, Terry Pratchett

94. The Alchemist, Paulo Coelho

95. Katherine, Anya Seton

96. Kane And Abel, Jeffrey Archer

97. Love In The Time Of Cholera, Gabriel García Márquez

98. Girls In Love, Jacqueline Wilson

99. The Princess Diaries, Meg Cabot

100. Midnight's Children, Salman Rushdie

What's This? A Literary Blog Hop? You Mean, One Without Cartoons?

This is such a relief. It's such a relief that I'm standing here at the kitchen counter, after standing all day, because I'm so enthused about this discovery I can't take the time to find my chair.

First, I visited Park Bench Bookends for a wonderful post on their favorite literary books, and then I skedaddled over to Dead White Guys because isn't that a witty name for an 'other people think it's dry' subject, and then I find that the common bond here is not only quality books but a wonderful "hop" hosted by The Blue Bookcase. A hop which does not specialize in the trivial and trite, the pulp fiction and "sparkly font on black background" as Jane Doe put it.

Nope, this hop is focusing on what is essential to those who love the classics. The literary wonders which take your breath away.

What shall I choose as my favorite literary piece? Could it be The Robber Bride by Margaret Atwood? Could it be Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy or the recently reread Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert? Could it be Kafka on The Shore by my beloved Haruki Murakami? It could be all of these and more, but tonight I'll settle on A. S. Byatt's Possession.

A novel which took me several tries in which to fully immerse myself, once immersed I couldn't extricate myself. Nor did I want to. And, if you want to talk about one of the best endings ever, this has got to be it.

Love. It.

Truly.

The Best Careers for Book Lovers

My husband often says, "When you retire, you can just sit at your computer and write about books all day long." What fun that would be, to read and review to my heart's content! So, I was excited when Tara, the assistant editor of Pounding The Pavement, suggested they'd like to write an article for Dolce Bellezza. Did I have a topic in mind?" she asked. "Most certainly," I replied. "I'd love to know how we can turn our passion for literature into a career."  Now, here it is:

If you’re a book lover like me, you’re at your most comfortable when surrounded by books. Walking into a great library or bookstore, I can feel my blood pressure lowering and the stress dissolving. It’s invigorating, and I can’t wait to either get going on the work I need to do, or to pick up every book around me and read the first page. One or the other.

But how do you turn this abstract love of novels and poetry into a satisfying life path? Here are a few suggestions for jobs that can provide both a life of letters and a way to pay the rent.

Editor

If the thought of taking an unpolished piece of work and turning it into a stellar piece of writing sounds exciting to you, you might make a great editor. As an editor, you’d look over people’s writing, make suggestions for revision, and help them come up with titles. Editors also generate ideas for content in books, journals, and newspapers.

Necessary education and skills: You’ll need at least a bachelor’s degree, and a concentration in English, communications, or journalism can be helpful. It’s also important to love writing, and to be able to express your ideas clearly.

Salary: $36,000-70,000 a year

Publisher

What better way to show your love of books than to take part in their production? Publishers specialize in many aspects of book selection, design, and production, from picking out which books to buy from authors, to marketing new releases, to selling advertisements for periodicals.

Necessary education and skills: A bachelor’s degree is the minimum educational requirement, through job experience is important. Interning or working on a college newspaper can be helpful for getting a better job.

Salary: $36,000-$100,000 a year, depending on position

Bookbinder

If you’ve got an artistic bent, consider bookbinding. Bookbinding is the craft of creating books, through shaping their covers, hand stitching, and gluing in their pages. Bookbinders also repair and restore old, rare books.

Necessary education and skills: It can be helpful to take classes in bookbinding, though many binderies offer on the job training. Comfort using tools and a knowledge of graphic arts is also helpful.

Salary: $20,000-40,000 a year

Script Writer

If you’re tired of moaning over how your favorite book was turned into an awful movie, you can take action. Script writers are in charge of adapting books and other media for the big screen. You’ll get paid to obsess over the book and all its details, and to decide what’s necessary for the movie and what can be left out.

Necessary education and skills: You’ve got to have great writing and reading skills, so a bachelor’s in a related field is definitely helpful. Knowledge of film and the production of movies is also key.

Salary: $38,000-70,000 a year; most script writers work by contract and are paid by project.

Indie Book Store Owner

Owning and running an independent bookstore is like assembling your own library of great books, each one chosen at your discretion. As a small business owner, you would supervise employees, advertise for your store, and price your inventory.

Necessary education and skills: Though no formal education is required, a degree in business or management can be a lifesaver for opening a small business.

Salary: $30,000-60,000 a year

Freelance Writer

Freelance writers set their own schedule and decide when, where, and how much they work. This can be a great job for someone who wants to hone their writing skills, while also having time to read copiously and immerse themselves in a new novel. Freelance writers work for newspapers, magazines, blogs--basically any company that needs writing done.

Necessary education and skills: A bachelor’s in a writing-related field will develop the necessary writing skills. Experience, like interning at a magazine, is helpful in scoring your first gigs.

Salary: $30,000-80,000 a year, depending on experience

Joy Paley is a culture, technology, and science writer from Berkeley, California. She is also a guest blogger for Pounding the Pavement and a writer on online career training for the Guide to Career Education.

The Persephone Biannually

It's always a delight to come home to the mail and find it contains The Persephone Biannually. Inside are lots of treasures:

• a bookmark for The Mystery of Mrs Blencarrow by Mrs Oliphant
• a list of books for Autumn and Winter 2010-2011
• exciting articles such as "A Queston of Riches" by Eva Ibbotson
• reviews from friends Marie on Good Morning, Mrs. Craven; Frances on Cheerful Weather For the Wedding; Simon on Flush and Claire on To Bed With Grand Music and Still Missing.

So, excuse me while I go peruse my catalogue...perhaps you may like to visit the Persephone site if you didn't receive one?

Also, be sure to sign up for the Persephone Secret Santa  for Christmas 2010 hosted by Claire.