On Jane Eyre and the most scandalous statement of 2011.

I have  a confession to make.  Last night I finished Jane Eyre for the first time in my life.  And then I wildly and emphatically proclaimed to world via select social networks, HOW IN ALL THE GREAT EARTH HAVE I NEVER READ JANE EYRE UNTIL NOW?  Because, really?  How is this possible?  Whenever people would mention Jane Eyre, I’d shrug my shoulders and say, Oh yeah, Jane Eyre.  But, No. I didn’t have a clue.  How silly of me.  How foolish of me to shrug in response.  And now, whenever people shall mention it, I will clasp my hand to my chest and sigh, Oh, Jane Eyre. It’s like I’m a new person.

To have a Bachelor of Arts in English, to be a lover of books and now at 27, finally know this story.  I’m so disappointed in myself.  I must tell you that a few years ago, I checked out a copy from the library, but the first few bleak pages launched me into boredom with all that mistreatment at Gateshead and the way that Jane was just so serious.  All that logic and reason was exhausting.  I closed the book in ignorance and returned it.  Oh, silly, young me.

Now let me tell you, even when I found myself sneaking in every moment possible to turn another digital page of Jane Eyre, she still exhausted me with her rational nonsense.  She’s a thinker, that Jane.  Just calm down a little Jane, just a little.  But, then the wonder of this story is that she feels reason the way others get swept up in emotion, just a wildly.  Wild with reason, that Jane Eyre.  “And as I think and breathe, I must love him.” And the other characters, namely the men, are her greatest foils. Ms. Bronte,  you’re totally brilliant.

I happen to be a very involved reader and a total feeler (INFJ, right here) and if you were a fly on the wall at any point, here are a few things you may have heard me shout out, resulting in ridiculous glances from my husband.

• You love him, Jane Stop talking. You love him!
• Who the f$#( is Grace Poole? 
• Ahh, no marry him anyway! (Please tell me I’m not the only one who wanted them to still get married after finding out you-know-what. Does this make me a horrible person?) 

Passion and reason are huge themes of this book. I would say that Mr. Rochester and St. John are both extremely passionate suitors, but on opposite ends of the spectrum.  Mr. Rochester lives and breathes for Jane, as if he’ll crumble into a million pieces without her, and he loves her  Oh.my.word He loves her, gushing out obsession, passionate love.  St. John is passionate also, which you might not see, but in the way that the Mr. R. is wildly blinded with consuming love for his little Jane, St. John is consumed with reason, duty, and responsibility for the mission/for his position of ministry and for that reason, he feels his proposal to Jane just as strongly as Mr. lover-I-have-a-tragic-secret.  I mean, why else would he think this an acceptable and enticing proposal, “You were meant for the hardships of  a missionary’s wife.  I’m not really in love with you, but we could do the work together?”  Wrongo, Johnny boy.  Gah, I wanted to scream, DON’T MARRY HIM.  Well, I did.

Upon reading the end, I let breath enter my lungs again, and my head fall back in the most Kathleen Kelly dramatic of ways.  And then the most shocking idea traipsed into my little head. Please sit down, are you sitting down?

For the longest time, I would swear that there was no greater romance ever penned, that there was no set of lovers that could even stand in the shadows of Miss Elizabeth Bennett and her Mr. Darcy.  Yet, today as I sit here, as if I’m about to say the most scandalous of statements, I believe we have some competition. 

Stop.

Watching the film tonight.

Thoughts? 

a few of my favorite things… a.k.a top ten books

People of the world, are you just so excited for Oprah next Friday, when the cast of  The Sound of Music is reunited for the first time in 40 something years?  Oh what a magical moment that will be.  I adore Julie Andrews and that movie…and you better believe I might shed a few little tears of joy when I watch this event.  I pretty much never watch her show, but I put this one on my calendar… and my husband’s too, just because.

But that has absolutely nothing to do with this post. So shall we continue?

I’ve been thinking it would be fun to do a little Top 10 week, after all the fun that happened over here.   And since I just put the sweetest (days away from being) two year old to sleep, the husband is working, and I just made a cup of tea, this moment is perfect for such things as making lists of my favorite books. Yes, I am aware that it’s Tuesday and wouldn’t it make more sense to start on a Monday, but I’m not really a rules kind of person and my blog is a not a rules kind of blog.  We’re free spirits who have found just the right amount of balance and order for a calm, functional, and happy life… but we don’t like unnecessary rules. nope.

Let’s get to the books.  The books, people.

I love a great number of books.  I also despise a great number of books, but I’m going to try and only share my top 10 books, because 10 is a good number. 

Without further ado…

My Top 10 Books

1.  My Name is Asher Lev, Chaim Potok

If you’re an artist, read it.  The end.

2.  Pride & Prejudice, Jane Austen

Honestly, Elizabeth Bennett and that Mr. Darcy, is there anything that compares, ever? No explanation required.

3.  Little Women, Louisa May Alcott

Ever since I was a little girl, I have loved this story. Jo is my favorite, but I still wish she ended up with Teddy.

4.  Fahrenheit 451, Ray Bradbury

Seriously, seriously, this book is amazing and controversial and genius… and frightening… and wonderful.

5.  Catcher in the Rye, J.D. Salinger

Why do we love that Holden Caufield and all of his issues and meaninglessness… I really can’t say, but we love it.  We just can’t help ourselves.

6.  To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee

Great story, that’s all… and if I ever find a way to use the name Atticus, I just might…

7.  The Great Divorce, C.S. Lewis

I’m never sure what to say about this book, because nothing I could ever articulate will ever describe this unbelievable allegory.

8.  The Man Who Was Thursday, G.K. Chesterton

This book is funny, crazy, insane, and serious.  Matt and I actually read this aloud together and loved every second.  It’s the kind of book that you won’t forget.

9.  Frankenstein, Mary Shelley

I know, but if you’ve never read this one, you have no idea what a beautiful story you are missing.  Read it.

10.  Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, Jonathan Safran Foer

It’s tragic and lovely, funny and irreverent and great.

I have compiled that list to the best of my abilities…  and clearly, I am a classics girl who loves a little crazy… what about you?
I’d love to hear your favorite books… I really would.  And, if you hate some of these books, that’s alright, because I hate. hate. hate. The Great Gatsby and most of the books that Hemingway wrote, I’m not even sorry.

{Liv

Page Hungry

Dear Friends,

Do you ever just get that overwhelming desire to do nothing but curl up with a blanket, an oversized coffee, and a book?

I feel that way all the time, except right now, it’s consuming.  All I want to do is read.  I want to read so many books.  I want to take in the beautiful pictures, created by the words.  I want to feel like I’m lost in the pages…

So… what are you reading?

I’m re-reading my favorite book in the whole entire wide world of books.  My Name is Asher Lev, by Chaim Potok.

  It’s amazing.  It’s intense, powerful, moving, and each page is filled with language that paints an unforgettable picture.

Read it.  It won’t disappoint.

PS.  What are some of your favorite books?

The Written Word: Revisited.

 

Here, 2002.

Here, I am in paradise,

Instant comfort and perfect joy

Consume my soul.

A serenity of surrounding

Captivates me.

Here, I sigh as I take it all

In and remember once again

The pleasure of this haven, I love.

Here, it's as if lives, ideas, worries,

Hopes and dreams meet

On hold.

Philosophers compromise,

Poets and critics agree,

Artists and scholars pause,

Politics and religions breathe,

They agree to disagree,

Welcoming any inquiring minds

And all hungry souls.

Here, I see worlds open before

My inquiring mind,

My hungry soul,

I find myself.

Here,

Stories of art,

Of love,

Of war,

Of hate,

Of beauty,

Of God,

Of language,

Of life

Are complete with a grande vanilla latte,

Here, in the bookstore.

We're sorting through a massive stack of plastic tubs, a.k.a. our childhood memories, books, pictures, all those items that we'd like to put in that large storage closet we do not have.  I found a folder full of all my papers and writings from college.  So, in the name of not forsaking these words... Oh Dr. Cotton would be so proud.