Jane knows best...

Ever since I read Pride and Prejudice as a senior in high school I have been in love with Jane Austen. It has become a joke in my family - sometimes a barbed joke - but it is well known that I have a deep appreciation and fondness for Ms. Austen. I've read all of her novels, novellas, short stories and many of her letters. I took multiple classes incorporating her work in college. My undergraduate thesis was entitled "Will the real Jane Austen please stand up: Representations of Jane Austen in contemporary society". It's fair to say that I'm an Austen nerd.

All the times I've read and re-read her novels I have related the closest to Elizabeth Bennet from Pride and Prejudice - at least I hoped that I was like her. I wanted to be spunky, witty, independent and a challenger or social norms. Within my own sphere of influence, I think, I hope, that I've had a bit of success with this. At times I've felt like Eleanor or Marianne. Luckily, I've never really related to Emma.

My favorite novel is Persuasion. Anne Elliot is an underrated heroine, and she signals a shift and a new maturity in Austen's heroines. (Persuasion also has one of the best heroes and love letters) Lately I've felt more like Anne than I have Elizabeth. Often Elizabeth is held up as a literary archetype and representation of ideal moderate feminism when taken in the context of Austen's life. I feel Anne often gets the shaft. Her subtle maturity and consistency is often overshadowed by Elizabeth's youthful exuberance and wit. I'm definitely not claiming to have subtle maturity or even consistency for that matter. But I relate to Anne's challenges and admire how she deals. Yes, I get that she is a fictional character created by a woman long dead, but that's what good literature does, right? It speaks to us. We see parts of ourselves mirrored in the words and pages. It finds its way into the nooks and crannies of our heart and soul.

Summer reading list...

Earlier this week a student of mine asked me for a few suggestions for summer reading. She was currently reading The Scarlet Letter and wanted to know which "classic" she should read next. IT was actually quite fun to put together a list of books that have stayed with me. Some of them I want to now go back and reread.

I started with a regular sized post-it note. Three post-its later I realized that was illogical and switched to a large, lined note card. When it became apparent that wasn't going to work, I typed the whole mess up. Since posting about this on Instagram (because that's how I roll...) I've had several people ask for a copy. SO, what follows is what I gave to my student. And I'm proud to say that yesterday she came to class, fresh from the library, toting a copy of Anna Karenina under her arm.

I'd love to get suggestions from ya'll of books to add or that I may have forgotten to list.

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So, I may have gone a little overboard, but I started writing titles and I would think of another title, then another and another... It was sort of a domino effect. Not all of these titles are “classics” in the sense that they’re really old, but they’re classics in the sense that they’re good books.

Classics – European

*Anything by Jane Austen (Pride and Prejudice or Persuasion are my favorites)
*Jane Eyre – Charlotte Bronte
*Villette – Charlotte Bronte
*Wives and Daughters – Elizabeth Gaskell
*The Woman in White – Wilkie Collins
*The Moonstone – Wilkie Collins
*The Importance of Being Earnest – play – Oscar Wilde
*Lord of the Flies – William Golding
*The Scarlet Pimpernel – Baroness Orczy
Pygmalion (play) – George Bernard Shaw (the movie My Fair Lady is based on the play)
*Night – Elie Wiesel
*The Four Feathers – A.E.W. Mason
*Anna Karenina  - Leo Tolstoy (Russian – Russian authors can be hard, but good story)
*The Count of Monte Cristo – Alexandre Dumas
*Tale of Two Cities – Charles Dickens

Classics –  American

* My Antonia – Willa Cather
The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass- Frederick Douglass
*Little Women – Louisa May Alcott
*Short Stories of Edgar Allen Poe
*The Great Gatsby – F. Scott Fitzgerald
Narrative of Sojourner Truth – Sojourner Truth (memoir)
*To Kill a Mockingbird – Harper Lee
*Animal Farm – George Orwell
*The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn – Mark Twain
*East of Eden – John Steinbeck
*Gone With the Wind – Margaret Mitchell
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings – Maya Angelou (African American Literature)
*Their Eyes Were Watching God – Zora Neale Hurston (African American Literature)
*A Tree Grows in Brooklyn – Betty Smith
Invisible Man – Ralph Ellison (African American Literature)
The Things They Carried  - Tim O’Brien (contemporary)

* Books I have already read. The others are on my list to read. Many of these books have film (sometimes multiple) adaptions. Many of these may also be available for free download or from Barnes and Noble classics series for $3-$5 apiece. The county library will definitely have most, if not all of these titles.

Check, Check...1,2....

It's really hard for me to grasp that Thanksgiving has come and gone...December is just around the corner...2014 is quickly coming to a close and I've definitely dropped off with this blogging thing.

November has been a super busy month. We've been working on rearranging the tiny apartment to fit two people comfortably. So that translates to us tearing apart the apartment weekend...all in the name of organization. We're getting closer to being finished, I think...I hope. But I imagine when we finally get it to a place we both like, we'll move. We're not actively looking for a new place at the moment, but I know we won't stay here for forever. 500 square feet is perfectly acceptable for a single gal, it doesn't really work as well for two. But we're making it work and it's starting to feel more like home for both of us.

Scott's getting settled into work. I think he likes it...for the most part. I know he doesn't particularly care for the drive, but I think he's getting used to it. He's timed his schedule so he misses the the really heavy commuter traffic and he gets home about the same time I do, which is nice.

Work has been...difficult for me the last month or so. We've been hitting argument writing pretty hard and I think I may have pushed my students a little too much because student behavior has been off the charts nuts. But, that can also be explained by a number of things...the holidays are upon us, shift in the weather, they're teenagers. I've also been bored. I teach the same thing every single class period. That means I teach the same lesson for two days straight with the A/B block schedule. Last year I taught two classes, was on productivity (no planning period every other day), department chair, leadership team, Academic Bowl coach...I was busy. I'm not busy in the same way. And I'm not saying that I want to be that busy again, but I wouldn't mind a little more variety to my day. Hopefully next year I'll be able to add a new class to my schedule.

We've been married for less than two months. It's kind of funny because two months seems like too short, but there will be times when I look at him and think "is he really my husband?" "Am I really married?" It's a bit surreal at times. I imagine that goes away with time, but I hope the little flip I get when I see him never goes away.

Thanksgiving was low key for us this year. We went to Idaho Falls and spent some time with friends and family up there. I made out like a bandit at Book City used bookstore...12 books for $20! Pretty great. He knows how to make this girl happy!

Thanksgiving in Idaho Falls - so grateful for this sweet man!

He experienced Hobby Lobby and was super excited about the Star Wars box...we did not go home with it.

All in the name of "organization"

It turned out pretty well. The books still need to be organized, but that can wait.

Best kind of Black Friday shopping...50% off all books. Umm, yes please!

My loot...(The Moonstone, Gone With the Wind, David Copperfield, Little House on the Prairie, By the Shores of Silver Lake, Trumpet of the Swan, Pamela, Island of the Blue Dolphins, Anne of Ingleside)

You know you're a nerd when...

I uploaded a few educational apps to my phone and was probably a little too excited about them. I mean, who wouldn't be excited to have the Utah State Core on their phone? Or an app that will tell you the reading level and difficulty of any book simply by scanning the bar code?

I discovered itunes U and decided to take a course on the French Revolution. Why not? It's always fascinated me.

Such fun

As the lights dimmed for the second half, I clasped my hands in delight and couldn't help a (hopefully) quiet giggle escape from my lips. I leaned over to Lisa and said, "if there ever comes a day when I don't get excited at a live performance of Les Miserables, we know there is something seriously wrong with me." It was so great! It was definitely worth the quick trip down and back to Cedar City.

We also made a quick jaunt down to St. George to search for a used bookstore I've been thinking about ever since a trip to see Tarzan at Tuacahn several years ago. A little shopping, some new books, Les Miserables...all in all, a great trip.

the love of my life

The Central Book Exchange parking lot sale:

which led to a long-considered, organization of our bookshelves:

A weekend in Midway and a fun used book store resulted in these:

It's starting to become a storage problem....

Out and About

Today was Central Book Exchange's anual parking lot sale. Hardbacks were $4 and paperbacks $2. My bounty...

I also decided to make a wreath for our front door. After burning myself multiple times with the hot glue gun and poking myself with the needle repeatedly, this is the final result.

I'm feeling the love, my friends...

From the best roommate and friend a girl could ask for...

....my birthday came a little early this year.

He's makin' a list!

We in the Bubanks household have a tradition. If either of us is going to be elsewhere for Christmas we celebrate roommate Christmas a couple of days early. We have dinner, do stockings for each other and a present and then usually watch a movie or play a game. It's a strictly roommates only event. In the past we've ordered pizza, chinese take-out, I think one year we actually made ourselves a meal, which is kind of a big deal. We use stemware and pop open a little sparkling something or other.

Lisa gives some pretty fantastic gifts. One year she got me a book of William Wordsworth's poetry from the late 1800's. It really is amazing what one can find on Ebay. BUT I think this year takes the cake...

I love books. It's a well known fact. I have them double stacked

on my bookshelf and floor. I write my name on the inside cover just to make sure they get back to me if I ever lend them out. For quite a while I have wanted book plates so it would be a bit more permanent, and really, how great would it be to have my own book plates? I have looked online but they're expensive and would get even more so with my ever growing library. So, instead of a bookplate, Lisa got me a book stamp! I love it! The beauty of it is, when the ink runs out all I have to do is buy an ink replacement! So fantastic!

What do you think...?

Super exciting update post

I haven't really blogged much lately so I figured I'd give you all the rundown on what's been happening the past month...I seriously can't believe December is almost over. Only a matter of weeks before another year has come and gone...

1)Finished my second semester...woot! Official grades don't get posted until tomorrow but I'm fairly positive I did pretty well in each of my classes. As I was thinking back over the past two semesters I was somewhat surprised, not how easy it all was because it's definitely been a challenge, but how it all just seemed to click and make sense for me. It's been stressful and at times, emotional but I love what I'm learning and I love that it seems to come somewhat naturally for me.

2) Got two new Church Callings...bringing my grand total to THREE church callings. I am the Fellow shipping CoChair with the lovely Lisa, I teach Relief Society once a month and I am now one of two Stake YSA Reps. Add in my school/work schedule for next semester...I'll be a busy girl. My old ward was so massive that you (or at least I) felt more like just another nameless face in the crowd. My current ward is so tiny that it's impossible to be invisible. It's nice to feel needed and appreciated...like what I have to offer is worthwhile.

3) Had a fabulous Christmas party. It was sort of a celebration for me finishing up my semester too. Well, for me it was, I don't think anyone else had any idea. But it was nice to see some friends I hadn't seen in quite a while and get caught up on the goings on of their lives. It was also a chance for me to get my inner Martha on. I had fun decorating the house (with the help of the roommies) and setting a festive table. I am truly my mother's daughter. I love to set a pretty table and have everything look just so. I know most people don't really notice or care but I like doing it and I think it adds a little something extra to whatever the occasion.

4) To piggyback off of #3, I am hosting Christmas Eve at my apartment this week. I LOVE the Christmas Season and I love when all the family gathers around to celebrate. We sing carols and eat yummy food and just spend time together. It doesn't happen to often these days so it's nice when we can all get together.

5) I'm heading to Denver for New Year's! I'm super excited to get to see my adorable niece and nephew...their parent's aren't too bad either. :) I don't' know what we'll do but I am definitely excited to see them and spend some time with them.

6) Coolest.Roommate.Ever. For Christmas she bought me a beautiful copy of Wordsworth's poetry printed in the late 1800's. It's bound in beautiful blue leather, has gold leaf edges and a great frontispiece of Wordsworth's portrait. Best.Gift.Ever!

6.5) Actually, the legwarmers I'm wearing under my jeans today, are coming in a close second. It's cold and wet outside and just plain cold inside, they're keeping my legs nice and warm!

I guess that's all for now. I know, not the most riveting post ever but I felt the need to 'put it out there', as it were. Hope you all have a fantastic Christmas and a wonderful New Year! Be safe!

Blasphemous

Tell me, is it morally wrong of me to suddenly want a Nook? Not just want but really want? I know. I'm a literary purist snob. I love the smell of dusty book covers and old leather. I love the feel of a worn and loved book cover. There's something comforting about the weight of book. It's reassuring and exciting. They're old friends that can remind you of moments in the past. Whenever I look at my bookshelves that are crammed full, overflowing with delightful stories and old friends, I can't help but sigh in contentment.

And yet...I really want a Nook. I hang my head in shame....

Dumbest.Book.Ever

I have been very disappointed in books lately. I read Mockingjay and I enjoyed it but thought the first book in the series was better. I wasn't seriously disappointed but mildly let down in my desire for a fantastic ending to an interesting and entertaining trilogy.

I then moved on to this book. Again, the premise sounds so interesting, especially considering society's preoccupation with beauty and the thriving beauty product industry - surgical and otherwise. I think I made it about a third of the way before giving up. I just didn't care about the story the author was trying to tell. I was interested in characters that didn't play a major role and I wanted to know more about some of the secondary characters rather than the primary characters. Needless to say, I stopped reading. It has been placed back on the shelf...possibly for another day, but probably not.

And then there's this book. Why in heaven's name, why?! I'm sure you've all seen this book and others like it..like this book. No? What about this one or perhaps this one. I've passed Pride and Prejudice and Zombies enough times in the bookstore to have gotten over the initial urge to cringe each time I saw it. As I saw more and more of these types of books pop up lately, I'm sorry to say my curiosity got the better of me. I just had to see what all the fuss was about. I want my $10 back. Oh and those several hours I spent reading it...yeah, want those back to.

Now, I know I'm a bit of a purist (ok...a lot of a purist) when it comes to the traditional English Literature Cannon but I can appreciate creativity and ingenuity when I see it. But I had to draw the line when after killing three of Lady Catherine De Bourg's ninjas, Elizabeth Bennet killed the third by pinning it to the wall with her Katana sword (huh?) and then finishing him off by punching her hand through his chest and ripping his heart out of his body and then eating it. I'm sorry...what?

Where is all the humor and satire? It seems the "author" (i use that term very loosely here) took out all the wonderful aspects of Austen's story and inserted Zombies, muskets, ninjas and dojos. Obviously he's catering to a very different audience but then why use Austen at all then? Or Tolstoy? or Shakespeare? The more I think about it, the more it irritates me. I suppose I should just be happy people are reading the "classics" but are they really?

I'm not saying that one has to read Austen or Tolstoy or any other of the "classics" to be an intelligent, well read person but if you're going to read them, at least read the original. And if Mr. Grahame-Smith had been in the least bit clever in his approach I probably would have enjoyed it. However, the only similarities between the two were character names and places. He would also occasionally insert some of the original dialogue...sometimes and very small portions.

I know Zombies, Vampires and werewolves are hot right now but really....? Enough already!

Mr. Knightley vs. Mr. Darcy

No offense Mr. Darcy or anything but I think that Mr. Knightley totally kicks your butt. Don't get me wrong, I really enjoy the book and we can't forget the iconic A&E movie adaptation but it's been bumped.

The 2009 Masterpiece Theater version of Emma with Johnny Lee Miller as Mr. Knightley and Michael Gambon as Mr. Woodhouse. Romola Garai is Emma and does a much better job than Gwenyth Paltrow (no offense, again). Emma is one of my least favorite of Austen's novels but this movie made me want to watch it again. It captures all the wit and humor of the book and the secondary characters are charming and obnoxious as the occasion calls for it.






I think Masterpiece Theater should redo Pride and Prejudice...don't you?

Literary Rut (5/30)

I confess. I have been in a literary rut of late. I have gotten more than half way through Les Miserables and I just hit the proverbial brick wall. I couldn't bring myself to read more. Instead I went on a bad/cheesy/horrible chick lit spree. Yes, I know. It's shocking and disturbing. They were light, fun (sometimes), easy to read and best of all required absolutely no brain power. I finished several books in a matter of days. After reaching my fill of contrived plots and overly dramatic romantic climaxes, I tried to read something a little more stimulating. Animal Farm, The Secret Life of Bees, Me and Orson Wells....all to no avail. The stack of approximately ten books on my night stand in varying stages of readness (yes, I said readness) will testify to the literary stupor that has held me captive of late. I searched in vain for the book to break the spell. I spent far too much money at Barnes and Noble but still could not find the book that could capture my attention as well as engage the mind. It wasn't until I perused my bookshelves late at night in search of something that would catch my attention.

Lo and behold, there it was - hiding on a double-stacked shelf, out of site. Could it be that I have never actually read this book? I've had it for well over a year...the receipt inside can testify to that. Really? Never? I immediately crawled into bed and rejoiced in the delicious sound of a new book spine being broken, the smell of ink and paper inviting me into a new adventure. Let it be know that my Literary Rut has ended all thanks to Cokie Roberts and her book...

Founding Mothers: The Women who raised our nation.

As you can probably tell this book is about the women behind the men known as the Founding Fathers of our nation. Abigail Adams, Martha Washington, Betsy Ross, Dolley Madison and Mercy Otis Warren just to name a few. Roberts thoroughly explores the maxim - behind every great man is an even greater woman. By using excerpts of letters to each other, family members and their husbands, Cokie is able to paint a portrait of vivacious, intelligent, caring, ardent patriots that made the work of their more famous husbands possible. At one point Cokie states that if it hadn't been for their husbands, history would have forgotten or never known these women. Her point being, they didn't do anything out of the ordinary for their time and yet their lives were extraordinary. In a time when women were not expected to do much of anything by societal norms, these women and hundreds - thousands of women like them - defended their homes from the British, ran business, plantations/farms, supported the Revolution in spirit and physically in the form of donations of money, time, supplies and on more than one occasion by joining in the fighting. My favorite person is by far Abigail Adams. As her husband was off signing the Declaration of Independence, in Paris working on the peace treaty, being Vice President and then President, she kept the home fires burning. She managed their financial matters and often advised her husband on political matters. She often understood the political climate and events better than her husband (the President) and could predict quite reliably what would happen. She wasn't afraid to tell her husband what she thought and let him know she was upset with him. On more than one occasion in letters to anyone who would listen, Washington, Jefferson, Madison, her husband, she advocated the education and equality of women. She was feisty, independent and deeply loved her country and her husband.

If you have any interest at all in women's history or even early American history this book is a must read. Cokie's style of writing is easy to read and entertaining. It's more like talking to a good friend who happens to know quite a bit about early Revolutionary women.


PS. I didn't just arbitrarily skip to (5/30). I did read The Sari Shop Widow (3/30) and O, Juliet (4/30) but I am not going to review them as I didn't like or dislike them enough to make it worth the effort.

Let's take a vote...

I have been doing quite a bit of online window shopping lately. I have been working insane hours lately and have been racking up quite a bit of OT so I'm trying to decide what to buy myself as a reward. Not to blow it all but just a something pretty for myself. I think I have found several options but I need your help...let's take a vote!

And the candidates are...



1) This pretty thing. It's a little retro-y, vintage beauty. I love this website and all the fun, quirky jewelry, shoes and clothes. But when I saw this watch and just fell in love and the bonus is it's not that expensive but oh so pretty.


Option 2 - I don't particularly care for Ferggie's fashion choices in general but I love her shoes. Seems a bit odd, but she's got some pretty great shoes...for example:

Option 3- Or these beauties. I've been salivating over these for quite some time. Sassy, yes?

OR

I could just go to Barnes & Noble - enough said.

What do you think?

What does this say about me...

I am in the process of cataloging all of my books. I know, you don't have to say it, I'm a nerd. It's for my own pleasure but also to know what I have, don't have, books I haven't read in a while and maybe once this is all done I can get them all on my bookshelves in a way that sort of makes sense. Whenever I try to organize my books I end up forgetting a book and find it later and then have to reorganize the entire thing all over again. But if I have them all in a handy dandy excel spreadsheet, I can sort it however I want and put them back on the shelf however I choose. I'm not quite done, I have three more shelves and then the few stragglers that are lying around. So far i have 204 books. I honestly thought I would have more. I don't think I have any books that I've lent out to people. But I guess when you think about it 204 books isn't bad for someone my age. And I've acquired most of them since I graduated from College 3...almost 4 years ago.



....I need help.

Mr. Darcy Broke My Heart (Don't judge 2/30)

Mr. Darcy broke my heart - Beth Pattillo

I've been reading Les Miserables and really enjoying it but my dear friend Victor can be a bit on the heavy side. So when I went into Barnes and Noble last weekend I wanted something light and fun that I could get through quickly without the urge to mark passages and make notes in the margins. I was perusing the new fiction table and I noticed this book because of the cover. There is a woman in a pretty red dress...what can I say, I like pretty dresses!

I read the back and the first few pages and was intrigued. Now, here comes the disclaimer - even though I really hate to have to put one, I know I need to. I wrote my undergraduate thesis on modern representations of Jane Austen and actually devoted an entire chapter to Chick Lit - a term that just rubs me the wrong way. It irritates me that it's an actual literary term but so it is. What was I saying...ah yes...thesis. I was looking at how Austen has been used and maybe abused by authors today in a myriad of different ways. It's interesting to see that what is being said usually says more about the person saying it than Austen herself. It's something that still interests me a great deal so when I see a book that has anything to do with Austen I take a look. I've read it all. Continuations of Austen's novels, retellings and works "inspired" by Austen's novels. Some are quite entertaining and others are glorified fan-fiction with sex, duels and heaving bosoms. But I digress...

Pattillo actually surprised me with this story. What could have been more of the same - glorified fan fiction and heaving bosoms intrigued me. It takes place in one week while the main character, Claire, is attending a summer seminar at Oxford on Jane Austen. Claire has recently lost her job, she has a boyfriend that is less than enthusiastic, her parents died when she was 18 and she has been taking care of her younger sister ever since. While there she just happens to meet an old woman who just happens to be a direct descendant of Austen through one of Austen's brothers. And this woman just happens to have the lost manuscript of First Impressions - what would later become Pride & Prejudice.The plot is ridiculous but it's just what keeps the characters moving. Claire, of course, meets a good looking, mysterious man while there but it's not what you think it would be.

Pattillo does something that I haven't encountered with other Austen spin offs. She uses the larger than life character of Mr. Darcy as a vehicle for self discovery for her heroine. The story isn't really about Claire's love life or who she will or won't end up with. It's about her finally coming to terms with her parent's death and letting go of her little sister. It's not the best novel I've ever read but I was pleasantly surprised with it. The sections that took place in the classroom were fun for me because it reminded me of my own Austen Seminar Senior year. This definitely isn't a book for everyone but it was a good antidote to Hugo and his heavy handed metaphors and suffering.

My Happy Place

As you all are well aware, I am a HUGE book lover. I love all things related to and pertaining to books. When having a bad day I can pick up a book or walk into a book store and immediately feel better. I've said this many times but growing up I always dreamed of having the library from Beauty and the Beast and I am well on my way. My mom joked that when I get my own place and/or get married, I'll need a two bedroom apartment just so I can fit all my books...tee-hee. It makes me giddy just thinking about it.

I have a friend from the ward, Heidi. She has a hilarious blog - check it out here - seriously. It's great. Anyway, she goes to this used book sale in Phoenix every year and it's next weekend. Can I just say how insanely jealous I am? If I had known about this sooner I definitely would have gone.

Well...there's always next year!

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde - see the musical (1/30)

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson

I think most of us are at least familiar with the story of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. There are movies, TV shows and even a Broadway musical based on the story. In fact, it was the musical that made me want to read the original source material (it's good!). I went to my local Barnes and Noble and got it for about $8 (I love the B&N Classics Series). Excitedly I sat down to read, looking forward to the suspense, mystery. Murder! Mistaken Identities! Good vs. Evil! A real page turner, right? Hm...not so much. It's not a full novel but rather a short novella...about 60 or so pages. I got to the very end where Dr. Jekyll explains what he did and I didn't even want to read it. I wasn't attached to the characters, I didn't care what happened to them or what Jekyll's reasons/motivations where. I just did.not.care. If you're looking for an exciting story with a little mystery, don't bother. However, if you're looking for a story that kind of sort of looks at Victorian morals, this may be the story but probably not.

Books and Such

I love books. I love being able to escape into a different world and forget about what's going on in mine if I need to. Of course, I read quite a bit and I have quite a few books than I have read more than once. As a Lit major in college I got credit for reading and talking about some of the greatest books in literature. It was a pretty sweet deal. As I have continued to read and expand my own library since college I have missed talking about what I've read. I recently met a friend of a friend that has a blog called Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Woolf? (It's Woolf not wolf..as in Virginia Woolf. Get it? It's the simple things in life really). Anyway, it's basically a blog for people to post book reviews. After briefly perusing the blog, I've already found several books that I have added to my "to-read" list. I also have a profile on goodreads.com. It's a cool website where you can build your own bookshelf and post reviews and can read others reviews. I've found several books that I know love from that website. Since I love books and reading so much, I've decided to share that with you all. It won't be every post but when I finish a book or come across a book that I particularly enjoyed I will give you all a heads up about it. It probably won't be a review a la Who's Afraid but it'll be my thoughts on the book.

So to start it off here are a couple of books that I have read lately that I thoroughly enjoyed.

1. The Nazi Officer's Wife
If you enjoy memoirs and are interested in WWII/Holocaust, this is a must read. It's the story of Edith Hahn Beer, a Jewish woman that grew up in Vienna. She was a young adult at the start of the war. She survives by marrying a member of the Nazi party who later becomes an officer. It's very well written and the story of her life moves at the perfect pace. I stayed up late to read the next chapter and then the next chapter. It was a very touching look at humanity and what we will do in order to survive. She is first forced to live in a ghetto and then into a labor camp. When she gets back her mother has been forced to the "east"...Poland and eventually death in a concentration camp. She goes underground for a brief period of time but then, with the help of a Christian friend she becomes a Christian woman and moves away from Vienna. She then meets and marries Werner Vetter, a Nazi Party Member. It's not graphic or violent as many WWII memoirs can be given the subject matter. It's a close look at it was like for countless Jews that were hidden in plain sight and the everyday terror that she and many others must have felt at a knock at the door, getting her weekly rations, clothing, etc. Seriously...read it.

2.The Hunger Games- Suzanne Collins
This is actually the first in a trilogy. The second book was recently published and I'm not entirely sure when the third will be completed. My coworker first got me interested in this book but when she told me what it was about I was seriously disturbed and I wasn't sure I was going to read it. Having read it, I really enjoyed it. It's a young adult novel. Following a rebellion, all of North America has been destroyed and it is now the nation of Panem. 12 Districts that are all controlled by the Capitol. The 13th district was utterly destroyed in the rebellion. In remembrance of the Uprising and to remind each district the control the Capitol holds over them the Capital hosts the Hunger Games. Each district sends two tributes, one girl and one boy ages 12-18, to participate in the Games. They are sent to the Capital and then they are all put in a huge arena that changes landscapes, traps, animals, conditions etc. every year. Once in the arena, they have to kill everyone off and the last person standing is the winner. So now you see why I was extremely unsure about this book but really it's very good. It's disturbing but I think it's supposed to be disturbing. You have to continually remind yourself that the characters you are reading about are just children. It reminded me a bit of William Golding's Lord of the Flies. This story centers on the two tributes from the poor, coal producing District Twelve. I can't say too much without giving away the ending but it's an interesting story and really pulls you in. If you look deeper you could find the social commentary but you don't need to in order to enjoy the book.

3. Tess of the D'Urbervilles - Thomas Hardy
I am actually currently reading this one. I started it quite a while ago but at the time, I had recently been on a "classics" reading spree and I just couldn't get through it. But now, I've been reading pretty "easy" books and decided it was time to have another go at Hardy. So far I've been enjoying it. It's not a book that you read just to get to the end of the story. You have to enjoy the language and the descriptions of what is going on. Hardy has a way of layering meaning on top of meaning. It can be difficult to get through but it's worth it, in my opinion, to persevere to the end. In Tess the title character gets into bad situations, gets herself out just to get into more trouble down the road. It's not her fault necessarily but it's not a real pick me up sort of story. In describing Tess's budding relationship with another character throughout the day, Hardy describes the rising and setting of the sun. He says

The gray half-tones of daybreak are not the gray half-tones of the day's close,
though the degree of their shade may be the same. In the twilight of the morning
light seems active, darkness passive; in the twilight of evening it is the darkness
which is active and crescent, and the light which is the drowsy reverse.

Hardy has a way of describing the world around the characters as a way of giving further illumination into the mind, life and emotions of the characters. I don't think Hardy is for everyone but I'm enjoying it. I don't think he'll make it to my top 5 favorite "classic" authors but I can at least understand while he's considered a classic.

So that was more than just one novel but don't get used to it.