Books - The Greatest Love Affair?
Wednesday March 5, 2008
Have you heard (or read) about the Brothers Karamazov? What about "an intriguing man named Gatsby"? It may be surprising to you that a mention of Karamazov or Gatsby would bring only blank stares (or worse).In a recent appearance at the Association of American Publishers annual meeting, First Lady Laura Bush called books "her greatest love affair," according to an Associated Press report, via Yahoo (also reported on Texas Pages). As a former librarian and avid reader, Laura Bush has long been an advocate for book appreciation and literacy, with public appearances and her support/hosting of the National Book Festival. She's been in the ideal position to encourage readers of all ages to embrace books and literature.
By the way... if you haven't heard of Karamazov or Gatsby, you've come to the right place to learn more.
The Brothers Karamazov is one of the greatest novels of all time. The book was the final novel Fyodor Dostoevsky wrote before his death. One of the most memorable quotes for me is: "Listen: if everyone must suffer, in order to buy eternal harmony with their suffering, pray tell me what have children got to do with it? It’s quite incomprehensible why they should have to suffer, and why they should buy harmony with their suffering." (Here are more quotes.)
The Great Gatsby is another famous classic, and it's one of F. Scott Fitzgerald's most memorable works. The novel was published in 1925, and several of the main characters are: Jay Gatsby, Tom Buchanan, Daisy, and Nick Caraway. So, "Jay Gatsby" is the "intriguing" man about whom the First Lady was speaking. Here's a quote from The Great Gatsby: "He must have felt that he had lost the old warm world, paid a high price for living too long with a single dream. He must have looked up at an unfamiliar sky through frightening leaves and shivered as he found what a grotesque thing a rose is and how raw the sunlight was upon the scarcely created grass. A new world, material without being real, where poor ghosts, breathing dreams like air, drifted fortuitously about... like that ashen, fantastic figure gliding toward him through the amorphous trees." (Here are more quotes.)
Both of these novels are well worth the time it would take you to enmesh yourself in the characters and the imagery. But, the real question is... Do you ever fall in love with books? Are you passionate about the volumes that you hold?
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Comments
I teach high school and unfortunatly, judging from them, our world is in danger of becoming illiterate. Oh, people can read- words that is- but as far as comprending the beauty of the written word, its imagery and richness, that is all going by the wayside. The video-age kids want it fast and they want it now! They want a piece summarized, giving just the highlights, and they don’t care about the interplay of plot and words that are as much of, if sometimes more than, the whole reason for reading in the first place. The classics are being removed from the shelves in palce of quick, snappy short stories and more and more books and stories are being “taught” via videos. But, the rare readr does give one hope and is what keeps teachers going.
I work at the front desk of a library. I am pleased to say that reading for its own enjoyment is still alive, though I agree with the high school teacher above. So many people, of all ages, want things short and fast. It warms my heart when I see young children excited about reading, or seeing someone check out one of my favorite books. As long as there are these passionate few, our love will never die!
If Laura Bush called books her “great love afair” than why don’t her, her husband, and Orwell’s 1984 get together for a ménage à trois. I too teach english and enjoyed you pointed remarks on the feminst role in Frankenstein. Thank you.
It frightens me that an English teacher would say “why don’t her, her husband, and Orwell’s 1984 …”
when it should be “why don’t she, her husband, and Orwell’s 1984 …”
Also: “I, too, teach English and enjoyed …”
Perhaps a proofreader would be of benefit to Benjamin? Or else this is how he really writes? Thank goodness I’m a homeschooling parent, or else my daughter might make similar errors …
I appreciate that Mrs. Bush has used her public position to encourage people of all ages to rediscover the treasure that is reading.
I have way too many books. I long ago ran out of shelves so they’ve taken over the floor space in the corners of efficiency apartment. And they’re spreading. I haven’t read half of them, but I can’t stop myself from collecting.
Chekhov, Marquez, Austen, Flaubert, Melville, Eliot, Neruda, Byron, E.B. White, so many more…all the purveyors of art and ideas. I don’t want to live without them close by…
I am a high school student and I am proud to say I have read both.
The Brothers Karamavoz(spelling?) - 9th
The Great Gatsby - 11th