The Book of the Unknown: Tales of the Thirty-Six

This book turned out to be much more fascinating than I'd expected when I first added it to my stack at the library.

I knew the book would feature a new twist on the fairy tale genre, but I had no idea that this new twist would center on something so strange and interesting. In the introduction, the author presents the collection of twelve tales as the result of meticulous research by Dr. Jay Katz, who found a list of thirty-six names below a synagogue in Germany and went from village to village, seeking out old folktales that concerned these thirty-six people. The names are supposed to be the Lamedh-Vov (literally, the Thirty-Six), the number of righteous people that must exist on Earth, according to Jewish tradition, in order for God to maintain his faith in humanity. These people are necessarily anonymous - if any of these people learns that they are members of the Lamedh-Vov, their status is revoked, and someone else is called to take their place. If ALL thirty-six are known at once, the world as we know it will end. To maintain anonymity, their names have been replaced by letters from the Jewish alphabet. In addition, only twelve stories are included in this collection.

Perhaps the most interesting thing about the righteous people featured in these folktales is that none of them are the sort of people one would expect to be fairytale heroes. The protagonists are whores, murderers, thieves, false Messiahs, fools, even golems (mud women). And yet, as I read their stories, I found that my initial perceptions were challenged at every turn. And each time, the seemingly lowest and basest turned out to be ones who taught the most important lessons.

What I liked best was the clarity and deceptive simplicity of the storytelling. Jonathon Keats shows incredible talent for telling uncomfortable truths about life, love, and relationships - something I value in my literature. Things do not always wrap up neatly in his stories. The heroes don't always live, love stories don't always work out the way one might want them to, but the message is always clear.

I also liked the chance to learn a bit more about Jewish culture. I love books that allow me to immerse myself in a place and time that I don't know much about.

Bottom line: The Book of the Unknown is a fascinating, thought-provoking, and sometimes unsettling read that is definitely worth picking up.

Summer Reading List - Phase 1

I went to the library today to kick off my summer reading. While the Kent Regional Library didn't have ANY of the books I was looking for (only TWO Jane Austen books? Really?), I did find some potentially interesting reads. Here's what I have for the first phase of my summer reading plans:

• The Book of the Unknown: Tales of the Thirty-Six - Jonathon Keats
• The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold
• Light in August - William Faulkner
• The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian - Sherman Alexie
• The Quiet Girl - Peter Hoeg

I'm about half-way through with The Book of the Unknown, and it's pretty amazing so far. I'll follow up with reviews once I finish each book.

Favorite Fictional Females Countdown #2: Hermione Granger

Put on your S.P.E.W. badges, help yourself to today's special of sugar-free Chocolate Frogs (remember, her parents are dentists!), and raise your butterbeer bottles high for our countdown's "enchanting" runner-up: Hermione Granger!

Name: Hermione Jean Granger

Featured in: All seven novels of the Harry Potter series

Portrayed (in the films) by: Emma Watson

House: Gryffindor

Patronus: Otter

Boggart: Professor McGonagall telling Hermione that she failed everything

Affiliations: The Trio, Dumbledore's Army, S.P.E.W., The Order of the Phoenix (though she is not technically a member).

Special Skills: Where do I start? She's the best in her year in every subject at Hogwarts, and for good reason: it takes her very little time to memorize, understand, and flawlessly perform spells or potions of any kind. According to Lupin, Hermione is "the brightest witch of (her) age" he's ever met. In fact, the only spell that she has any trouble with at all is the Patronus Charm - she can do it, but it isn't easy for her. Hermione also has a mind for strategy and organization that has helped Harry and Ron many, many times.

Why She Rocks: Oh. My. Goodness. Where do I begin? Hermione may be described most often as "brainy" (and she certainly is), but that label doesn't even begin to describe what makes Hermione such a great character. One only has to look at Hermione's house placement to realize that there is more to this girl than her incredible brain power. She has all the smarts (and then some) to be placed in Ravenclaw (the house of "wit and learning"), but the Sorting Hat places her in Gryffindor- the house "where dwell the brave at heart." Her bravery is obviously great enough to overshadow her intelligence - and thats saying something. Looking for her examples of her bravery? Well, besides the obvious (her heroic actions at the climax of nearly every book), Hermione's bravery is shown most often in her tireless efforts to stand up for those who suffer injustice, especially her friends.
Hermione is a loyal friend who does not hesitate to stand up for - and beside - those she cares for, no matter what the danger might be. Just consider the resounding smack that Malfoy received when he insulted Hagrid. Or, even better, recall Hermione's response to Harry when he told her (and Ron) that they shouldn't undertake the dangerous Horcrux hunt with him: "You told us once that there was time to turn back if we wanted to. We've had time, haven't we?" Hermione is strong, compassionate, and brave - and yes, smart - and I think she is an incredible role model to all of us girls who grew up with her.

Oh, and one of the biggest reasons Hermione rocks? Harry and Ron would have been died a thousand times over without her. Seriously. The series would have been one short, thoroughly depressing book without Hermione Granger.

Book Updates

News has been arriving lately pertaining to pending releases in two of my fandoms: Harry Potter and Twilight (I'm a new member of this second fandom, and not as fanatical about it as I am about HP, but I'm still excited). Here are the updates:

Twilight:

Breaking Dawn, the last book in the series (or at least the last book featuring Bella in the storytelling role) is coming out in less than two days. Stephenie Meyer was on Good Morning America today, and the only thing she revealed (which she also revealed in a Entertainment Weekly article) was that she DID write a Bella/Edward wedding in BD (big surprise). Other than that, all the teasers we have for the next day and a few hours are the BD quotes on www.stepheniemeyer.com.

Malinda and I are going to a midnight release party at Barnes and Noble. Costumes, of course, are involved: Malinda will go as Bella and I will be dressed as Victoria (yes, I decided to go over to the Dark Side this time).

Yes, we're big nerds. SO SUE US.


Harry Potter:

Today is the birthday of both J.K. (Jo) Rowling and her brainchild, Harry Potter. In honor of this (I assume), Jo announced that The Tales of Beedle the Bard will be released to the public in December, and all the proceeds will go to charity. The book will include the tales (translated from the original runes by Hermione) and notes from the private collection of Albus Dumbledore. Clearly, this is awesome. Short of the promised encyclopedia (or Scottish Book, as it is now referred to), this is the best gift we in the Potter fandom could hope for.

Other news: The teaser trailer for HBP FINALLY came out. I think its incredible. Not only did it give us our first glimpses of little Tom Riddle, but it also made a point of showing how the thoughts of little Tom influence grown-up Voldemort: "I can hurt people who are mean to me," as we see Dumbledore battling in the center of the ring of fire (!). I can tell they've changed some things, but already I can sense that the important things - the theme, the coherent thread of the story - were left intact. That's why I love Yates as a director: I just get the feeling that he GETS it, you know? He understands that the important part of the story isn't always the magic. More often, the important part is the underlying emotion.

Favorite Fictional Females Countdown #5: Thursday Next

Yes, it's finally back! After a long delay, I've finally gotten around to continuing the countdown. So lets all celebrate with a cup of coffee and a slice of Battenburg cake (scratch that, make it TOAST!) in honor of lady number 5 on our countdown: Thursday Next!

Name: Thursday Next (NOT Thursday1-4 or Thursday5)
Featured in: The Thursday Next series, by Jasper Fforde. The series features the books The Eyre Affair, Lost in a Good Book, The Well of Lost Plots, Something Rotten, and First Among Sequels.
Special Skills: The big one - she can jump into books and navigate her way through the BookWorld. She uses her considerable strength, smarts, and instinct to face - and conquer - situations that few humans have ever even considered.
Why She Rocks: She. Kicks. Ass. Seriously. Let's look at the facts. Thursday is member of SpecOps, the organization that handles crimes that are too strange or too specialized for the normal police force to handle, and Jurisfiction, the police force within books. Both jobs require detective skills, street smarts, quick thinking, and lots of physical strength. I mean, think about it: you have to have your wits about you to beat the Hades family, outsmart a rogue member of the BookWorld, evade the grammasites, and get your husband uneradicated. In addition, Thursday never shrinks away from the chance to join Spike on his highly dangerous missions. Thursday does not back down from wrongdoers or dangerous situations. When the world (or the BookWorld) is in danger, Thursday is the one you want on your side.

For more information about this awesome character, check out her Wikipedia page.
Also be sure the visit the official Thursday Next website, with links to the Goliath, SpecOps, Swindon, Skyrail, and Toast board websites.

The Host

Today's Special: Cheetos (for Wanderer) or a bowl of mint chocolate chip ice cream (for Ian). And some strong coffee for those late-night readers, like me.

Stephenie Meyer's latest (and first non-Twilight) book is AMAZING. Very few books grip me strongly enough to keep me reading late into the night. In fact, I can narrow that category down to the Harry Potter series and a few select other stories. Into that pantheon I now add The Host, an electric, insightful, imaginative, and profoundly moving book that kept me reading until 4:30 am and left me sobbing through the last chapters.
The story centers around Wanderer, a member of an alien race that is colonizing Earth by taking over the bodies of the planet's human inhabitants. In most cases, the human consciousness disappears; however, Wanderer's host, a young woman named Melanie, will not give up. Melanie's love for her boyfriend and her brother overwhelms Wanderer and leads her to join them and their community of renegade humans hiding in an underground cave system.
The novel beautifully explores the ideas of love, humanity, and belonging in a way that feels new and fresh. Love is what keeps Melanie fighting. Love is what creates an unbreakable bond between Wanderer and Earth, giving her a sense of belonging she has had nowhere else. And Wanderer comes to understand that love is inexplicable, powerful, and most rewarding when it must be fought for. The Host also examines war and the possibility of understanding between enemies in a very natural, realistic way that feels neither preachy nor overly optimistic. For me, the relationship between Wanderer and Melanie was one of the best parts of the book. The two begin as enemies, but they develop a grudging alliance that becomes, over time, a bond of sisterhood. I think their relationship holds the idea of hope: if we can understand each other, really understand, maybe we will see that there is not as much to fear in the "enemy" as we thought - that the differences are not as big or important as we believed.

The Austen Endeavor: Persuasion

Today's Special: A very British cup of tea and a sweet biscuit (go on, have some - Jane would)

In my quest to read all of Jane Austen's six major novels, I have now finished three: Emma, Pride and Prejudice, and now Persuasion. Perhaps it's because this is the only Austen book about which I knew nothing before reading, but I think this is my favorite Jane Austen book that I've read so far. Here's why:

• Anne Elliot. She is a very admirable character who is also easy to relate to. She's not a rebel, but she is strong - she is the rock and the voice of reason when everyone else is panicked or carried away with emotions. I also like the fact that Anne, the one who is persuaded to give all her life, is finally able to have her own happiness.
• Captain Frederick Wentworth. He's another dreamy leading male in the tradition of Mr. Darcy and Mr. Knightley. Wentworth is just the sort of strong, honorable, passionate, and constant man that women all over the world dream of finding.
• The love story. Every moment between Anne and Frederick, no matter how small, seemed to be charged with electricity. One complaint: As a reader, I would have liked a little more of a payoff when the two characters finally got together - a kiss would have been nice after all the characters went through.
  
• Thought-provoking themes, including:
• Manners vs. honesty
• Class vs. individual strengths/accomplishments
• The importance of self-determination (and the difference between steadiness of principle and obstinacy of self-will).
• The strengths and weaknesses (mainly the weaknesses) of the class system.

Just three more novels to read: Sense and Sensibility, Mansfield Park, and Northanger Abbey. I'll probably read S&S next, since I already own it.

Vampire Road Trip

Ok, I admit it.

Edward Cullen and the rest of the Twilight-verse have gotten to me.

I still don't think the Twilight books are all that great, and my prior critiques still stand. That said, the books are strangely addictive. I attribute this quality almost solely to Edward Cullen, the series's dreamy cross between Romeo and Mr. Darcy (with, oh yeah, the whole vampire thing thrown in). I can't help it - the guy is damn near perfect, and I find myself daydreaming about him and finding songs on the radio that relate to him and Bella. (I'm a young female with a good imagination and a love life that sucks - what do you want from me?).

Anyway, the point of my confession is this: My cousin Melanie and I have decided to take a trip to Forks, Washington, the home of the Twilight series. The trip will begin on August 26 and end August 28. Here's the itinerary so far.

August 26:

• Head out in the morning so we can get an early start.
• Take the ferry from Edmonds to Kingston
• Drive northwest on 104, then merge onto 101, which goes through Forks.
• Stop at Port Angeles for lunch/dinner, depending on the time of day. Twilighter note: Port Angeles is where Bella went shopping (with Angela and Jessica), went to the movies (with Jessica and Jacob, at different times), and was rescued by Edward. We'll be eating at Bella Italia, the little Italian restaurant where Bella and Edward eat (or rather, Bella eats with Edward sitting at the table with her).
• Arrive in Forks. We might do a bit of sight-seeing in the evening, time permitting.

August 27:

• Sight-seeing in Forks! Among the points of interest (provided by the Forks website):
• Forks High School - attended by Bella and the Cullen "kids."
• Forks Police Station - Bella's father, Chief Charlie Swan, works here.
• Forks Outfitters and the town Thriftway - Bella's main in town shopping destination.
• Forks Community Hospital - where Bella is treated by Carlisle after the car accident
• Head out of Forks toward La Push. Sights to see:
• Cemetery near which the Cullens played baseball (unfortunately we won't be able to see Edward's meadow).
• La Push, where the Quileute Reservation is. Sights to see:
• First Beach - Bella reunited with Jacob Black and learned the truth about Edward. We're going to be on the lookout for a upturned tree just like the one Bella and Jacob sat on.
• The reservation, or as much of it as we are able to see.

August 28:

• Finish up any sightseeing not already done, and then head back to Kent/Newcastle!

Not quite dazzled...

I finally read Twilight, the book series that seems to have become the new Harry Potter (in terms of hard-core, obsessive fans) among girls in their pre- or early teens. With the combination of facebook flairs and my cousin and roommate both gushing about the books, I finally gave in and borrowed the book from my cousin Melanie.

My take?

Eh. I've read better.

In all honesty, the book struck me as not much more than the wish-fulfilling writing of a teenage girl. Its the story that any girl wants to live: she moves to a new town, meets an impossibly hot guy, falls in love with him, and finds out that he loves her too. Yes, there is a complication - he's a vampire, and even though he is a "vegetarian" (he eats animals, not humans), her blood just happens to be "his brand of heroin." However, everything else is just too soap opera-y and mushy for me. I felt like I was in a teen girl's hormone-induced daydream.

Other complaints: The beginning of the novel was very slow. I have nothing against description and setting of the scene, but the pacing must be right as well. In this book, it took forever for something to really happen. There was also much too much explanation... over and over and over again. I wanted to shake the characters and tell them to get on with it. And Edward's Peter Parker/Clark Kent bit - "I love you, but I can't be with you because you might be hurt" - would have been fine if he had stuck with it, rather than doing his "Now I want to be with you, now you should stay away" thing. It really grated on my nerves. She loves you, you love her, just go with it. And Bella struck me as really whiny. I live in Washington... its not THAT bad. Suck it up, girl.

Good points: The novel did pick up eventually, and once it did, it was difficult to put down. I admit, the story is strangely addicting. I also came to appreciate the psychological dilemma: the one person that you love is also the one person you could hurt the most (or, in Bella's case, the one who could hurt you the most). It isn't logical, but then, love is hardly ever logical. And Edward, for all his flaws (and he has them - but that might just be because some of the things he said reminded me of my ex) is still very, very dreamy. I wouldn't mind finding a boyfriend like him. I liked the rest of his family as well.

Bottom line: Twilight is a good book for teenage girls (or women who are young at heart). If you don't fit in that category, you'd do best to walk right on by the Twilight display at your local bookstore.

"Prince Caspian": Courage in Faith

Faith is never easy. By definition, faith means believing in things even when they cannot be seen or proven. Courage is necessary and not always easy to find, especially when one must stand up against powerful people who mock or disparage one's faith. I've struggled with my own courage over the years, sometimes lamenting the fact that I find it so difficult to speak openly about my faith or to stand up to those who disparage it. The book and movie "Prince Caspian" brought to mind my personal struggle recently, particularly in the character of Lucy and her faith in Aslan.

In the story, Lucy sees Aslan as she, her siblings, and Trumpkin make their way along the river to meet with Caspian at Asland's How. Lucy is the only one to see Aslan, and she tells the others that he is on the other side of the river, beckoning the group to follow him. Peter and Susan doubt that Lucy saw Aslan, while Trumpkin flatly refuses to believe in Aslan at all. Only Edmund believes Lucy - she was, after all, the one who told the truth about the wardrobe, and no one believed her then either - but the two of them are outvoted by the rest of the group. The five travelers take a different route, which leads them straight to the Telmarine army (or, in the movie, into a plan that leads to a disastrous attack on Miraz's castle).

When she finally comes face to face with Aslan and tells him that she knew she saw him, but the others didn't believe her, Aslan asks Lucy why she didn't follow him anyway. Lucy is surprised - she couldn't just off on her own, could she? It is not easy to go against your older siblings (and an older dwarf), even when your faith is strong. But then Lucy realizes that she really could have, because she wouldn't have been alone - Aslan would have been with her.

Following the path of Christ is not always easy. The modern world often scoffs on those who put their faith in something other than that which when be seen and touched. People encourage Christians to take matters into their own hands rather than wait for God, and to follow their own pleasures rather than follow the example of Christ. Its easy to see the reasoning in these arguments, just as it was easy to see the logic in the path favored by Peter, Susan, and Trumpkin. And it is easy to understand why many people wouldn't want to follow Christ's path - it often involves denying pleasures, suffering through hardships, and waiting for something that is not guaranteed to come.

Lucy believed. Lucy was ready to follow Aslan. But the others were unwilling, and Lucy did not want strike out alone with only faith to guide her. However, this is exactly what Christ asks us to do. Just as the fishermen left everything to follow Christ, we are asked to place him above all else, trusting that God will take care of us. Believe me, I know this is scary. And to be honest, I cannot even begin to claim that I have given my mind, body, and soul to the service of God. I care about what my friends and family think, and I don't want to leave them or have them leave me. But I also have faith. I believe that God knows far more than I could ever know, and that it is best that his will be done. I want to be able to do what Lucy didn't - to say, "I'm taking this path. The rest of you should follow it too, but follow me or not, this is the way I'm going."

I hope I can be strong enough.

Favorite Fictional Females Countdown #7: Luna Lovegood

"Don't worry. You're just as sane as I am." - Luna Lovegood

Today's Special: A goblet of ice-cold pumpkin juice and a bowl of Freshwater Plimpy soup - or a plate of chocolate frogs for those who don't particularly like Plimpies - to celebrate number seven on our Favorite Fictional Females Countdown: Luna "Loony" Lovegood!

Name: Luna "Loony" Lovegood
Featured in: The Harry Potter book series, starting with Order of the Phoenix (Book 5), and the Harry Potter film series, starting with the fifth movie.
Played by: Evanna Lynch
Special Skills: A keen skill for observation, a special knack for perceiving and stating uncomfortable truths, a mind that is open to anything - even her father's outlandish theories - and unflappable bravery and loyalty that make her an valuable friend to Harry and an asset to everyone on the side fighting against Voldemort.
House: Ravenclaw
Patronus: Hare
Affiliations: Dumbledore's Army
Why She Rocks: The qualities listed above are huge points in Luna's favor, but they only scratch the surface of why Luna is such an awesome character. Luna is wonderful because she is just unashamedly and unapologetically odd. She doesn't just march to the beat of her own drum - this girl is dancing to an entire orchestra that no one else can hear. And the best part is that she doesn't mind what other people think. Luna is aware that others call her odd, but their teasing doesn't affect what she does. Luna will go on searching for Crumple-Horned Snorkacks, stating her father's wild theories as though they were fact, and wearing dirigible plums dangling from her ears because that is who she is. And we wouldn't want it any other way. After all, this "Loony" Luna is the same one who stood by Harry's side three times as he fought Death Eaters and who gave him the most helpful words of comfort after Sirius was killed, for she too had seen a loved-one die. Luna - just as she is - is one incredible girl, and an awesome part of the Harry Potter world.

For more info about our favorite "loony" witch, check out this excellent page at the Harry Potter Wiki.

Favorite Fictional Females Countdown!

Have a cafe mocha and a chocolate chip cookie on the house, because today it is time to give those fabulous women from movies, television, and books their due!

The idea came to me after I watched the TV Guide Channel's countdown of TV's Sexiest Women of All Time. If they can do it, why can't I? I'll be counting down my top ten favorite female characters from all my favorite forms of entertainment (not just TV).

Of course, this list will be highly subjective and based solely on my own movie, TV, and book preferences. For a more objective (and strictly Disney) heroine countdown, look at this list of the Top 25 Heroines. This list is based on voting by site visitors/contributors.

I'll begin the countdown with my next post. Stay tuned!