The Catcher in the Rye

It isn't very often when I find a book I don't like. It confuses me further when I dislike a book that so many have found inspiring or even life-changing. After being on my must-read list for at least a year, The Catcher in the Rye became one of these novels. I started it with high expectations, hoping to love what many have called a masterpiece, and I almost feel guilty for not enjoying it. Despite all of that, I would still recommend the novel to anyone who enjoys reading. I feel as though it is a book that needs to be read, and it is simple to pick a side about your feelings towards it once you digest and understand its content. The main thing is to approach the book with a grain of salt and a mature, open mind.

Holden, both the narrator and protagonist of the novel, is unable to escape the intensity of his emotions throughout the majority of the novel. His attitude is pretty much summed up in one quote. "So I took a cab. I didn't want to, but I did." It is this kind of line that confuses me, and dissuades me from reading the novel. We can all sympathise with kids who don't fit in with people in high school, but although Holden is a lost soul, almost a tragic figure, he also happens to be a hypocritical, self-deprecating and most of all self-loathing. Holden discusses his spite for society and reveals the disgust he holds for all phonies and hypocrites around him. In the end, he is just as much, if not more, of a hypocrite as everyone he hates so virulently. His idea of a phony was someone who lied to and deceived others and themselves, however throughout the novel he lied to himself and to others constantly.

The Catcher in the Rye has been both revered and reviled, and has repeatedly found itself on lists of banned and challenged books. It is the first novel I have read that explores the truths of a teenager's world instead of brushing them under the carpet. J.D. Salinger provides the reader with no answers or earth-shattering revelations, which is what bored me. The whole book is simply an exploration of new territory. I continuously found myself re-reading pages and even chapters, which is something that I have never had to do before. I simply couldn't keep up with Holden's life. In my opinion, a major weakness in the novel was that it didn't have a plot. I had trouble reading more than 4 pages without my mind drifting off. If there ever was a climax to the book I must have missed it. The only lesson that I took from The Catcher in the Rye is the fact that we as a society need to challenge what we read in Holden's struggle, meaning the rigid, hardening and ultimately repressive cultural expectations that surround us.

Paradise of the Blind

A deep and enriched journey of the senses, Paradise of the Blind explores a world where women come second to men, and communism takes away not only people's land, but also their dreams. Through the eyes of Hang, a young woman who grew up amidst the slums and intermittent beauty of Hanoi, we come to know the tragedies of her family as her village is ripped apart. Only by freeing herself from the past will Hang be able to find dignity and a future. The most remarkable thing is that the author Duong Thu Huong isn't really a novelist, she is a professional screenwriter. In an interview she said she had never planned to write novels. She said it happened "because of the pain." I think the title implies that Vietnam can be a paradise, but only to those who are blind towards what is truly happening around them. Choosing a deeper level of knowledge leads to a complicated life, the life that Hang lives in the novel, and Huang most likely lived before she left the country.

The novel follows Hang as she travels to Moscow to visit her sick uncle. Along the way she reminisces about her life. Hang finds herself torn between two women: the mother she loves, but is continuously disappointed by, and her domineering, paternal aunt. Hang is an inspiration to women, as she rejects the tradition of women who sacrifice themselves for family, and particularly for men. As I read this book I was surprised by how similar Turks and Vietnamese are in their emotions and understandings. I could tell that love, family, respect, revenge and affection are very important, both in my culture and in the Vietnamese world. This novel is essentially a story of three women from two generations whose family is torn apart by a brother who put communist ideology above family loyalty. Hang's mother, Que, and her Aunt Tam, are both extremely strong characters. They portray themselves as women who are willing to endure hardship merely due to their desire to preserve family lineage.

A novel that is banned in its own country would be appealing to most foreigners. This is a factor that makes Paradise of the Blind a must read for anyone who loves world literature. Duong Thu Huong's writing is so haunting, so precise, and it's very clear that she has the perspective of one who has suffered. I can see why this novel was banned in Vietnam; I would imagine that her portrayal of local Communist leaders is not one that would bring a government much pleasure. The result of Huong's achingly beautiful writing is a sad but powerful story of a culture in transition. I enjoyed this book for the rich picture it painted of a culture I knew virtually nothing about. Paradise of the Blind provides a true sense of life in the Vietnam that existed not so long ago. The novel travels a bitter, beautiful road as it depicts the oppression of life permeated by culture and ideology. Huong shows in the hopeful ending that it is possible for determined individuals to resist and transcend these powerful forces.

Never Let Me Go

How can the perfect novel be about a dystopia? This is what that I asked myself a few days after finishing Never Let Me Go. When I started the novel I had no idea what I was getting into. Having never been a fan of science fiction, I was worried about reading it. I shouldn't have been concerned, because Kazuo Ishiguro's exquisite writing style transformed the book from a depressing out-of-world love story to a masterful study on mortality.

The narration is careful and understated, and exists solely to focus on the way young people can make a life out of whatever is offered to them. The reader is busily occupied with the interactions of Kathy and her best friends Ruth and Tommy. In these relationships, Ishiguro sets a cat's cradle of psychological and emotional tensions. I was struck by the whole concept of organ donation, and how Kathy, Tommy and Ruth were treated by normal human beings. Never Let Me Go deals with questions about humanity and humaneness as the novel shows a steady erosion of hope. It is a tale of deceptive simplicity. Ishiguro is slow to reveal an extraordinary amount of emotional depth and resonance, but once everything is out it raises an interesting question. Would it be better to be brought up in ignorance and be happy, not knowing you are going to die much earlier than others because you were created to donate body parts? Or is it best to tell the donors what is going to happen to them, and take away the innocent happiness of their childhood. Personally, I can't decide on an answer.

Even though it was a completely unrelatable topic, the novel hit me close to home. It continued to haunt me even after I finished the novel. Kazuo Ishiguro's words weave a beautifully damned world, and even when I didn't understand what was happening, I was very attached to the characters. I still felt like something ominous was looming over the whole plot. I read faster, waiting for the secret to be spilled. I devoured this book in one sitting, and didn't stop to take it in until I was done. It reduced me to tears as if I had just woken up from a disturbing dream. I felt disoriented and anxious, almost betrayed by the thought that this situation could occur, now or in the future. Kazuo Ishiguro was never interested in the possibility of escaping and rebuilding lives. His novel was written as an exploration of a doomed life, where characters realize: you cannot lose a thing that was never yours and things that you have lost cannot wash back to you and wait in perfect condition on the shores.

Month-long Hiatus

"Going to the mountains is going home."

-John Muir

Tomorrow I leave for a month in the Colorado Rocky Mountains. I am beyond excited to spend my fourth summer summiting mountains and riding horses at what I call my second home. I won't have any wifi throughout the whole experience, so blogging isn't going to be possible. Nevertheless, I will still be reading! The books I am bringing are: 

-The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger

-Paradise of the Blind by Duong Hu Huang

-Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro 

-The Reader by Bernhard Schlink

-Lord of the Flies by William Golding

-Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell

I think I have a good variety of books to look forward to, and if I run out I also have my kindle loaded with more options. Don't hesitate to tell me your thoughts on any of my choices in the comment box below! I'll be posting about each novel when I get back. Have an excellent month! 

Mountains Beyond Mountains

Being an avid reader, I often come across books that are both inspiring and thought-provoking. If I'm lucky, I'll even find something that changes my perspective towards life. Mountains Beyond Mountains is fascinating, and each page filled me with wonder and hope for what people can become. The book woke me up through the uncomfortable points that it raises. I was both enthralled and exhausted by Dr. Paul Farmer's energy and motivation.

Mountains Beyond Mountains is one of the first non-fiction books I have ever read and enjoyed. It has proved to me that reality can be just as amazing as fiction. Although it is a true story, Tracy Kidder writes a personalised account of Farmer's life. Although I had never even heard of Paul Farmer, I now feel as though I know him better than I know myself. Kidder also opened my eyes to the fact that we are all implicated in the problems that Farmer is working to solve. The book left me wondering why I wasn't more like him in terms of my virtues.

The real beauty of this book is the context in which it was written. Described through Kidder's eyes, both Paul Farmer's talents and his flaws come alive. Farmer believes that every life is equally important, yet does not see people as numbers. To him, "the idea that some lives matter less is the root of all that's wrong in the world." Farmer goes about saving lives, only to find that beyond mountains they are more mountains, or as the Haitians say, dèyè mòn gen mòn. To me, this proverb refers to the fact that solving one problem only reveals another. Paul Farmer is full of quirks and weaknesses, but the most amazing thing about him is his singular commitment to curing the diseases of the poor.

While reading Mountains Beyond Mountains, I couldn't help but feel that it was much more than simply a narration of a story. I felt connected to Paul Farmer, and his mindset to never let good be good enough. Tracy Kidder transported me from the beach I was sitting on to Haiti, Peru, Cuba and Russia, and I happily accepted to accompany Farmer's visionary spirit. It's hard to imagine one man accomplishing all that Paul Farmer has done. There are so many things one could take away from the book. Rather than feeling helpless, I was inspired by Farmer's belief that one individual has the power to help others. Tracy Kidder has provided me with not only an unforgettable book, but also an unignorable life lesson. Mountains Beyond Mountains left me guilty, exhausted and astonished, but it also inspired me, kept me reading all day and unexpectedly revised my values.

Pride and Prejudice

After a long and tiring weekend at the French crew championships I was more than ready to settle down with a book. Pride and Prejudice was my novel of choice, and just like my weekend, it didn't disappoint  It had been a while since I read a book that was written hundreds of years ago, so of course the language was very different. For me that was part of the appeal! the musicality of the novel must owe to the baroque style of the time, as well as Jane Austen's skills as a writer. Her words are precise and well-chosen; it is no wonder Pride and Prejudice has lasted over 200 years. 

Pride and Prejudice is so much more than a romance novel. It is a comedy of manners, overflowing with witty phrases, hilarious characters, and two unforgettable protagonists, all woven together by Austen's dexterous pen. Some of the clearest dialogue can be found among the pages, and it lays claim to a collection of characters that one can't help but love from page one. Like all good literature, Pride and Prejudice doesn't reveal its secrets quickly, and it seems like the kind of novel that grows only richer each time you read it. Much of this can be credited to its heroine, Elizabeth, who brings wit to each scene through her humor and quick tongue. 

It's difficult to find something about Pride and Prejudice that hasn't already been said. One of the things that stood out most to me was the novel's commentary on the English society of the time. 'It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.' This statement sums up the novel's key focuses on marriage and class, two aspects that drew me into Austen's work as I fell under her spell. The novel ends happily, which pleases readers with regards to the plot, yet I couldn't help but feel dissatisfied in Austen's portrayal of reality itself. I think it is this imperfection of the conclusion that gives the classic novel a level of sublime art. 

The White Tiger

Truly readable books cannot be savoured slowly. Like ice cream on a hot summer’s day they must be quickly consumed or risk losing most of their pleasure. This was exactly what I experienced with The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga. Immediately, I was drawn to the audacious narrator and main character Balram, who throughout the novel is indignant about the concept of slavery, yet remains comedic in his letters to the Premier of China. In this book, Balram, the White Tiger, fights the system in order to reach his goal of becoming a powerful entrepreneur.

Adiga uses simple language throughout the novel, as it is told from the illiterate Balram's point of view. The casual racism and crude language that occur numerous times enhance the wittiness of this satire book. However, I think that The White Tiger has a deeper meaning. It is full of self criticism. Adiga was brave enough to reveal the darker side of India, his own country, where corruption, nepotism and bribery are frequent. This novel portrays a side of India that few have written about, although it tackles it from an Indian perspective, which gives it an added level of legitimacy. I went on a trip to India last year, and saw a population completely different to that of this novel. The citizens that I was around were of the lowest class, and had close to nothing to survive off of. The India in this novel has gone through an influx of western technology compared to what I saw, but nevertheless I was fascinated by the glorious nation that I read about in this novel.  

Although Adiga’s book involves all the elements of murder, betrayal, treachery, and intrigue, it is clear that he never intended for it to be read as a taut thriller: Balram’s eventual killing of his employer is disclosed early in the novel, and his subversions of authority, along with relentless self-justifications, are amply littered along the way. The novel is funny in places, but remains a tragic story to most. In my opinion, the best books are those that transport me from my own world into someone else's. I would say that by that criteria, The White Tiger is 100% successful. 

Wryly, through this page-turning novel, Adiga appears to ponder the future of India. “These days, there are just two castes…and only two destinies: eat — or get eaten up.” According to Adiga, India has well and truly broken out of the coop; never mind that moralities are ignored along the way, and never mind that innocent lives are sacrificed, especially when they can be justified. The White Tiger not only entertains readers, but also gives them a reason to stop and think. The novel is a biting, dramatic prophecy of an Indian upheaval that is yet to occur. 

My Own Work!

Mirror of Imperfection

A doorway to destruction

Woven by the masters of deception

We are seduced

Never to learn from our mistakes

Let our profits go to waste

In the pursuit of admiration, as we flirt with the enemy

Exaggeration is so plentiful

Reaching those with strong souls, frail hearts

Everywhere they keep the score

Of those who are broken

In the search for beauty, for grace

She stands in a room full of strangers

Afraid of looking into her mirror

It likes to lie to her

The illusion of false security

Toys with her mind in the shadows

Reincarnated with an airbrush,

Another’s teeth dazzle like a melting igloo

The love gone from her eyes,

She is converted to a piece of plastic

But looks fade, like all good things

And, hollow hearted, she falls out of style

Never seeming to know her worth,

Lost in her need for perfection,

Tainted by the blackened world.

This is a poem that I wrote the other day in school about advertisements. Let me know what you guys think in the comment section below! 

A Separate Peace

"I had always felt that the Devon School came into existence the day I entered it, was vibrantly real while I was a student there, and then blinked out like a candle the day I left."

Although it is generally known as a coming-of-age novel, I think that A Separate Peace is a lot more than what is on the surface. If you look beyond the unique friendship of Gene and Phineas that the novel revolves around, what you will find is a well designed and controlled piece of literature. Gene, the main character and narrator of the novel, is a good enough student and athlete, but his best friend Finny is special. Everyone is drawn to Finny for his energy and charm. Gene has a one-sided rivalry going on with Finny, and the outcome of that rivalry is devastating.

I wish that I could have sat down and talk to John Knowles about all of the questions that I have. Why did Gene push Phineas? How to Gene and Finny really feel about each other? Most importantly, what does the title mean? I would also have loved to talk to him about his school life at Yale, my dream school. It is amazing how clearly Gene's thoughts and motives can be understood. It shows accomplishment for an author, which was achieved through the first person narration. 

When I picked up A Separate Peace, I didn't know what to expect. Everyone that I know who has read it complained about having it for summer reading. I disagree. I find Knowles' writing both simple and powerful. His well-developed characters come as close to feeling real as such a short novel can allow. Knowles is careful not to reveal too much, which kept me reading all day until I reached the end. He focuses on the war within the human heart, a war that is affected by the events of World War II, but exists independently of any real armed conflict. For Knowles—or at least for his narrator, Gene—every human being goes to war at a certain point in life, when he or she realizes that the world is a fundamentally hostile place and that in it there is always an enemy. 

This novel, although heart breaking in the end, is hauntingly beautiful. It shows that trust and friendship take years to develop, but an instant to destroy. 

The Great Gatsby

I've been waiting for the day when I could say that I've read The Great Gatsby. I ended up seeing the--most recent--film version of it first, but this weekend while on an island vacation in Malta I took the chance to engulf the book. It only took me a few pool-side hours to finish it, and now that I have, I can honestly say that to me this book was literary perfection. Not a word should be cut from or added to this novel, as it is one of the only books that I have read that is truly complete.

Nick Carraway, Gatsby's modest neighbour, trusted confidante and "old sport," is the model of everything that I want in life. After graduating from Yale University, he becomes a writer and moves to New York. He is trusted by many, and is not as rich as Gatsby, but has enough money to live contently. Carraway is the type of person who simply wants to help others become their best, and l want to be as honest as he is. Although I can also see the charm in being someone as mysterious as Gatsby. I guess the bottom line is that I wish Fitzgerald could have written my life as well.

As pretty much every film critique has said, apparently a good book makes a bad movie. I've also heard a lot of "it's good, but not as good as the book" Baz Luhrmann's rendition of The Great Gatsby proves this statement wrong. I'd have to agree with Gatsby in saying that "of course you can" repeat the past, because this film did not disappoint. I thought that the characters were all perfectly cast, and the soundtrack did nothing but add to the modern twist that Luhrmann put on the novel. Lana Del Rey's "Young and Beautiful" is the perfect song for Daisy and Gatsby's relationship, and as it plays upon many occasions throughout the film it puts the audience in touch with the story. Although the whole movie was extremely well produced, it was the flawless costume design and visually enchanting party scenes that kept my attention.

While reading The Great Gatsby I couldn't find a single page that wasn't perfect. You could take apart every sentence of the book and find that each one has its own deep meaning. It is the poetry and lyricism of Fitzgerald's writing that gave the novel its appeal to me. "Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgiastic future that year by year recedes before us." I never fully understood what the green light symbolised, most likely because every time Fitzgerald brought it up I became awestruck by his beautiful use of language.

F. Scott Fitzgerald's ability to set a scene is inspiring. His descriptions are melodious and his command of word choice is unparalleled. This novel has the depth that so many others lack. While describing books I've head people say "it's no Great Gatsby," but now that I've read the novel I can honestly say that I don't think anything compares. This story is a true work of art.  The final words of the novel make up possibly the most well-written and elegant sentence I have ever read. "So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past." I suppose as humans we are constantly trying to move on and continue with our lives. The present becomes the past, and we spend all of our energy fighting to achieve our goals for the future.

The Tiger's Wife: End

I had really high expectations of this novel because of the many reviews I read before starting it, but now that I've finished it, my feelings are mixed.

The content of the novel is unusual, making many moments in it wondrous. The many small scenes that Tea Obreht writes escalate to produce a wise and beautiful creation. I am still amazed by how well Obreht's writing flows. I have noticed that many authors feel the need to rapidly and constantly change their sentence structures, consequently interrupting the flow of my reading. In this case, Obreht's delicately written sentences ran smoothly, which was refreshing.

I can't exactly figure out exactly what I didn't like about the novel. I think it may have been the fact that all of the different stories weren't cleanly connected at the end. Each of the stories are well written, but when put together it is difficult to see that the man who dealt with Gavran Gailé is the same grandfather described in his interactions with Natalia. Some of the reviews I read expressed disappointment in the emotional disconnection between the reader and the characters. I think that this was done intentionally, but I can't argue with the fact that the story would have felt more whole if I could have understood Natalia's grandfather better.

What touched me the most in this novel was the presence of war. It runs in the background of the whole story. The villagers are paranoid, which causes leisure activities to stop because, according to the them, why do anything when there is a war going on? War seeps into the land and the cities that the characters of the story live in. While the tiger lurks the hills of the village, he adds to the fear that the villagers feel, but gives them something to focus on instead. As students learn about war in school, but no one really knows what it's like unless they've seen it. Having lived in a country that was once tainted with battlefields, I have an idea of the horror that it brings; however, all I have seen are the after-effects and leftover battlefields, so I can only attempt to imagine the true terror that civilians feel while war takes place around them. The Tiger's Wife gives readers an idea of the strange behaviour that can go on in the midst of all the sadness, which I, for one, am happy to have understood. 

Although I didn't love the whole novel, it is something that I will likely never forget. I''ll be keeping an eye out for Téa Obreht's next release, and hoping that it is something as rich as her first. Great writing is the kind that leaves you breathless, and that happened to me multiple times while reading The Tiger's Wife. 

The Tiger's Wife: Chapter 7

Téa Obreht is truly a storyteller. The novel is touching and enticing, but I still don't think that I've gotten to the heart of it yet. I've thoroughly enjoyed all of the tangents that Obreht is taking her novel on, but I think that she could have improved the choppier integration of the tales into the main plot. My favorite of the tapestry of stories remains the grandfather's recounts of the Deathless Man. I really enjoyed piecing together the strange story of the grandfather's encounters with Gavran Gailé, and his stories of Death's curse on him. Gailé is such an intriguing, teasing character. Although he is cheerful whenever he meets the doctor, he longs for the love that he lost, and surrounds himself with death in hopes to someday die himself.

I love the way that Téa Obreht writes!  It isn't often that characters are created without an author showing any evidence of judgement or sentiment, so this novel is refreshing to read. Obreht's descriptions of each situation are authentic. She has a way of bringing words to life and making everything sound beautiful. Even a tiger, one of the most vicious animals, is brought to life with narrative about its "big, hot, red heart" and "muscles like springs." I wish I could come up with descriptions that compared to Obreht's, but all I know is that the richness of her narrative is compelling.

In an interview Obreht actually said that she wrote the parts that interested her first, and then tried to develop the ones she felt less emotionally connected to. Surprisingly enough, I hadn't noticed it before, but after I found this interview I couldn't help but feel that this lack of investment in certain pages of the novel. I can That said, I still stand by what I said in my last post, and see The Tiger's Wife as a gripping novel. I'm actually surprised about how many negative reviews its gotten, but it is interesting to see how many different opinions one piece of work can create.

The Tiger's Wife: Chapter 3

Usually it takes me a while to get into a book, to really get hooked and unable to put it down. Yet occasionally a book can immediately grab my interest and keep me dangling mercilessly. Téa Obreht, the gifted author of The Tiger's Wife, had me from her first word. The mystery surrounding the main character Natalia's grandfather's death immediately pulled me in, and the stories of The Deathless Man did nothing but tighten the novel's grip on my attention. I'm not sure if these stories are meant to be real real, or a folk tales, but Obreht writes in such a matter-of-fact way that I can't help but believe what she says. Many of the grandfather's stories intertwine with the plot, which you would think would be confusing, but the author writes with such talent that it causes no distraction.

I've already found a quote that left me dazed for a while: "Is your heart a sponge or a fist?" I don't know if I would want my heart to be either of the two. I mean, would you rather have a soft, malleable sponge or a stubborn fist? The richness and complexity of the novel is already so clear, and so amazing for someone who is only 27. It's no wonder she's already won a few prizes; she has talent beyond her years.

Many strings have been woven together in this novel, and Obreht has already spun the perfect web in only the first couple chapters. The fact that she has produced such a wise piece of literature so early in her career is inspiring. I'm reading this book on Kindle, so I have no idea what page I'm on, but I actually prefer it this way. I'm not going to be counting the days or pages with this novel, but instead am going to relax and enjoy a work that some are calling the "most thrilling" literary discovery in years.

In-Between Books!

Since I've just started a new book, I decided to get out of my comfort zone and post about a different topic (isn't that what writing is all about?) Let's talk about building yourself as a writer. I can't even count the amount of times I've heard people say that there are no rules to writing, but I think that it is important for every author to hear a few tips, and I've found the perfect list. 

After I saw this picture on tumblr I went looking for more, and found a website full of them (http://www.plainlanguage.gov/examples/humor/writegood.cfm)  Maybe it's my love for writing talking, but I think they're hilarious! My favorite is "don't repeat yourself, or say again what you have said before." Now, are these jokes corny, or actually really good? Let me know what you guys think in the comments below! Even though it's only meant to be funny, reading this list has shown me that there are, in fact, rules when it comes to writing, but that they are made to be broken. 

War and Peace: End of book (Page 1315), Day 79

The end. I never thought that I would get to it, or say that I was sorry to read those words. I'm excited to have finished, but sad that there is no more of War and Peace for me to read. It took an extremely long time, but I think that this is the first book that I have really read. 

The second epilogue was a huge letdown. All of the characters that we have been following for the past 1,200 pages are pushed aside so that Tolstoy can rant about his own views of history, and towards his novel. All I can say is that if this epilogue was a prologue, I would have given up long before I reached the book's actual body, which would have been a huge loss. 

Tolstoy is like one of those house guests who overstays their welcome, but your thrilled to have them around. Once their last night comes you feel depressed, but they're beginning to ramble on far too much so you're ready to say goodbye. Will that one bad night cancel out the two great months that you've spent together? Of course not. You will remember the guest fondly, and tell everyone about how great his visit was. Although War and Peace had a whimper of an ending, the novel radiates greatness thanks to all of the snapshots of humanity that Tolstoy provides us with. 

Reading War and Peace was all the adventure that I hoped. I always thought that when I finally finished this tome I would celebrate in some way. Now that the time has come I feel that I need to sit and process it all for a good hour. In the appendix, Tolstoy states that War and Peace is "not a novel." Oddly enough, I would have to agree with him. War and Peace is nothing like any other book that I've ever read. It deserves it's reputation as one of the best classics, and I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a challenge. Yes, the book was repetitive and didactic at times, and there were moments that I wanted to scream while reading it, but after reading it I have been changed for the better. War and Peace is the Everest of literature. At over 500,000 words, it is clearly the ultimate challenge and the ultimate experience.

War and Peace: Day 75, Page 1209

 There is one, very simple truth at the heart of War and Peace, and this is that "there is no greatness where simplicity and goodness are absent" (1144) Can you fall in love with a quote?  I think that this one is perfect, no wonder it's one of Tolstoy's most famous. Tolstoy clearly thought that feelings objectified reality better than language ever could. Oddly enough, by writing novels he evokes feeling though language, which is a contradiction of these feelings. As I sit in front of my computer trying to come up with something to write, I have realised how frustratingly difficult  it is to describe the plot in a way that will do the novel justice right now. Although it's gotten quite philosophical and serious, Tolstoy was talented enough of a writer to include forms of whimsical escapism.

Volume 4 contained a lot of history lessons, but mostly interesting ones. Tolstoy discusses military strategy and the internal politics of a country, yet also produces graphic and appallingly vivid descriptions of the final battle scenes. One of the most confusing aspects of his writing in these scenes is the constant flip-flop between the view of a solider and of a general. The worst part is that after mentioning their names once, he goes on to refer to every character as "he." In the end, Tolstoy doesn't identify the winner of the war, because--according to him--the outcome was made up of dozens of mysteries, and each side had many successes.

After being sick for two volumes of the novel, Prince Andrew finally dies with Natasha by his side. Is killing one of the main characters a joke that Tolstoy chose to play on his readers? It could be his interpretation of  history's joke on all of humanity: that while we are alive we make up only a tiny section of the earth's history, and then we die inglorious, insignificant deaths. Either way, Prince Andrew's fate is cruel, and leaves Natasha in depression until she abruptly falls in love with Pierre four pages before the novel ends.

I'm surprisingly sad to have finished the body of the novel; it really did swallow me whole. I used to think that I was a fast reader, yet this tome has taken me much longer than anything else I have attempted. 75 days seems like an extremely long time to commit to one book, but this is by far the most difficult piece of literature that I've read. It's too difficult to compare it to anything else though, War and Peace is in a league of its own!

War and Peace: Day 70 Page 1047

Wow... I should probably end this post here, since nothing I write will even come close to explaining how I feel about War and Peace right now. This book is slowly becoming my whole life! I'm so invested in it that I fell asleep reading it last night and ended up using the book as a pillow. I guess I have myself to thank for the stiff neck.

Book 4 has already become my favorite section of the novel, even though most of the events that have happened so far are mostly depressing. There's so much to learn from, and I especially love reading parts that Pierre is in. When the French take over Moscow he is tried for being an incendiary, and is imprisoned. Pierre watches as most of the other prisoners are executed, and is convinced that he will be executed too, but he isn't. (I wonder why?) As he loses his freedom and comes face to face with death, Pierre realizes how important every moment of his life is. Pierre's joie de vivre in this section is practically contagious! I'm hoping that later in this section of the novel Pierre can transport his happiness to Natasha, who has been taking care of Prince Andrew as he approaches death.

Time and patience is really all that you need to read this book. By now pretty much everyone that I'm close to knows that I'm reading War and Peace. So many of my friends can't even believe that I'm still even reading it, but I love telling them that I've actually past the 1000th page benchmark. They keep asking me if it's really worth it to "waste" my time with a novel so huge. I honestly think that anyone who can read should try War and Peace. Is it a difficult read? Of course, but most eye-opening novels are.

War and Peace: Day 66, Page 915

I feel like I've read an enormous amount since I last wrote at the start of my break. Luckily, I'm feeling a lot better about the novel right now. It's almost as if Tolstoy could sense that his readers would get bored in certain sections, and chose to add in bits of entertainment. Count Rostov is one character that brings a sort of comic relief, mostly because of the way that Tolstoy imitates his accent:"What if the Smolensk people have offahd to waise militia for the Empewah?" I spent way too much time reading his lines out loud, which says a lot about how interesting this section of the book was(n't).

I'm going to take a flying leap over most of part one and the beginning part two, just because I don't have anything significant to say about them. At the end of part two I finally got the war scenes that I've been waiting for. The French are starting to advance towards Moscow much too quickly for the Russians to keep up, and some of the main characters of the novel are really suffering. Napoleon has made plans to occupy Borodino, which ends up being an extremely bloody battle. Napoleon refers to the whole situation as a game, and to the Russians as chessmen, which is pretty grim. He actually has a cold for most of the battle, which is one of the reasons that historians say that the conflict didn't live up to its full potential. The story moves on faster and faster until Pierre, who is what some would call a brave civilian, gets himself into the battlefield and is face to face with a mess of corpses. This part of the war was described much too thoroughly... Tolstoy definitely had an eye for detail! 

Now fast forward to part three, where Prince Andrew is in the "hospital" with Anatole. They refused to speak to each other the whole time, which I suppose makes sense, considering they are both Natasha's ex-fiances. Prince Andrew decides that if he makes it out of the treatment alive he will try to get back into Natasha's life. I'm actually not sure if he died or not, because Tolstoy moved right on to an analysis of absolute continuity of motion, something that this novel does not have. 

There are so many things that Tolstoy could have cut down while writing. It's not that what he has to say is boring, it's how verbose he is in his descriptions; if only he had an editor to help him out. I still like to think that I'm racing to finish this book, just that now I'm running a more well-paced race. Excuse the novel-related pun, but I'm soldiering on! 

War and Peace: Day 55, Page 684

I'm well into Book 3 and don't really know how to feel. It starts off with a narrative description of the novel's philosophies, which probably sounds just dandy, but it really isn't. Tolstoy discusses the idea of fatalism, which basically means that man has no control over the future and there are no real causes for events. He also doesn't think that anyone has free will, because everyone is interconnected. I don't exactly agree with his ideas, but at least now I know where Tolstoy stands on war. He describes it as being "an event contrary to human reason and to the whole of human nature," which is true. It's all very heavy, and not that interesting to read.

The dog that I'm watching over break definitely had the right idea about this section of the novel. He was sitting with me as I read earlier today, so I started to read to him. After about two minutes he stood up, barked and walked away. In all honesty I wish that I could walk away right now too, but I'm definitely not going to.

I have such an on and off relationship with this book and it's driving me crazy. Now that I'm past half way there's no way that I'm going to stop reading, but I really hope that it gets better soon.

War and Peace: Day 43, Page 646

I guess it could be embarrassing for me to say that I hurried to finish Book 2. I should probably also be a little bit fazed by the fact that the text managed to stimulate some sort of emotion inside of me. In all honesty, I finished the last bit of this volume with an amount of enthusiasm that I've never felt about the novel before, and I'm not ashamed of it; I really am enjoying War and Peace!

Natasha and Prince Andrew's engagement finally breaks off when Natasha falls in deeply in love with Anatole in the span of three days. Pierre, Prince Andrew's half-brother, drops bomb after bomb and Natasha is finally told that Anatole is already married! Clearly, Natasha is devastated, but isn't it her own fault? She had the perfect marriage planned, and gave it all up for an infatuation. Talk about your indecisive teenager! On top of all that, I'm almost
positive that Pierre is falling for her. As he tries to comfort Natasha he tells her "If I were the handsomest man in the world and were free, I would this moment ask for your hand and love." That quote pretty much has affection written all over it!

Now that I'm not even afraid of the monstrous novel I feel even more motivated to finish. I'm so invested in the text that I don't even know how to describe it. It's almost like devouring a really good piece of cake: messy and rich, yet extremely satisfying.

War and Peace: Day 36, Page 610

Happy World Book Day! Even though according to UNESCO it's on April 23rd-the day that Shakespeare died in 1616-I'm going to celebrate today by writing this post.

It's been a hectic couple of days, which is why I've only managed to read 30 pages since Monday. However, the few pages that I read were particularly enticing. Natasha feels her first sense of regret about her engagement to Prince Andrew (who is now referred to Andrei) in Chapter 10 when she's seduced by Anatole at the opera. Little does she know, Anatole is already married but is still interested in her. Even though the love triangles are entertaining, I'm still excited to read about the war in only 9 more chapters.

There is so much vivid detail in Tolstoy's writing, and he had such insight into human nature! I feel like all of the characters are relatable. You would think this would be difficult to achieve as a writer, but Tolstoy does it perfectly. I'm experiencing all the thrills that a Russian aristocratic family would in those times. I keep having to remind myself that War and Peace isn't focused on the characters. It's not just the story of Prince Rostosheruzantaidizania and his romance with the most beautiful girl in Moscow. The novel tells Russia's story and describes the battle with Napoleon's army. What stands out to me is the confusion and disorientation that comes with reading War and Peace. It makes me feel like I get to dissect it myself, and I'm loving it.

War and Peace: Day 32, Page 583

Sadly it's pretty clear that I haven't read that much since I last wrote. I'm not going to say that it is because I didn't have any time, because if you really want to do something you make the time for it. There it is, I guess I just didn't want to read. Having said that, I'm really glad that I did read some tonight, because I am enjoying it again! I've gotten through the meager text of Part 4, and so far Part 5 is keeping me entertained. It might sound awful, but reading about Pierre's misery as he gets over Natasha is really amusing.

War and Peace is not at all the kind of book that you can read discretely in a corner. People are always going to notice it and most likely make comments. Usually some of the things people said bother me, but today I was glad to hear them. While I was at orchestra practice the novel fell out of my bag, and the man next to me started a conversation about it. He turned out to be really knowledgeable about the text, which was extremely eye-opening for me. It made me wonder if I would be able to talk about the book fluently once I finished reading it; I really hope that I will be. The man had so much to say about the different themes (ambition, sexism, courage), Tolstoy's style, and the relevance of the title. Although he was speaking in French, I got a lot out of the conversation!

I know that so far I've been pretty bipolar about reading the novel, but in no way does that mean that I'm not enjoying the experience. I honestly love the way I feel when I read it and seeing the looks on peoples faces when they see me reading it. I'm powering through the mother of all books!

War and Peace: Day 26, Page 568

Tolstoy, you never cease to amaze me. However you have started to bore me again. We're back to pages and pages of descriptions and rough translations. Also, following the story is getting harder- who knew one character could have so many nicknames! Each character (and there's about a hundred) has multiple. If any of you are thinking "is this the same person as such and such?" just assume it is. I'm still extremely motivated to read the novel, but ugh, I was afraid this was going to happen!

So that's it. To all of my friends who were skeptical when I said that War and Peace was getting good, you were right. But the jokes on them, because here I am getting more and more cultured everyday! There's no way I'm surrendering yet.

War and Peace: Day 23, Page 532

    Starting a novel larger than a brick could definitely be considered ambitious, yet for a literary enthusiast like I am it is almost impossible to hold back from the challenge. I can already vouch for the fact that Leo Tolstoy's most famous novel, War and Peace, is one that should be featured on anyone's must-read list. Although I originally had a sense of obligation towards the classic, once I got past the initial descriptions of the many characters, the book came to life. Now that I am 500 pages into it I  realise that this classic's reputation is completely valid. It really is an epic novel, and has become something that I can't go anywhere without. 

   Although I'm not one for romantic plots, the novel finally captured my attention in Volume 2. It is the most peaceful section yet, and the part where my (current) favorite character Natasha finally finds true love. For those who don't understand love, Natasha's description of it is very moving: 

"This is quite different. I feel at peace and settled. I know that no better man than he exists, and I am calm and contented now." (p. 522) Tolstoy writes about her as if she is the simplest woman in existence  She is never depicted as a flirt or a fake. I'm hoping that Tolstoy won't drastically change her character by the end of the novel. When I realised that she had to wait a year to marry the prince, it only added to the excitement that I felt while breezing through the novel's second and third parts. However, as calming as this section of the book is, I'm very much looking forward to the return of the war in Volume 3. 

   Hopefully this (b)log will guide me in reading Tolstoy's extremely well-constructed novel. Although the descriptions are lengthy, the chapters are never entirely dry, so I'm hoping it will come along quickly and easily. I have already learned many things from reading War and Peace and I haven't even reached its halfway point. So far the most important thing I can share is that reading a big book is not that scary. Taking your time is important, because if you rush it--like I did at the beginning--you will get lost. When I realised how enjoyable War and Peace really was, I finally started digesting the text. I'm hoping that the gratitude that comes with reading the novel will push me to the end of the tome that many consider "mission impossible."