"If many old women of eighty were occasionally to tell you the history of their loves, you would perhaps find that the feminine soul contains sources of good and evil of which you have no idea." ~George Sand
The French certainly have a way with words - Honore de Balzac, Gustave Flaubert, Emile Zola, Guy de Maupassant. They are all names that were familiar, but that I had not read before. I've also never much read short stories, and so I've stepped twice outside of my known reading. And boy has it been worth it so far!
The stories are so beautifully crafted - part of the art of these short stories is in their rich language and description, which brought me to the reflection that - I wonder how much is lost or changed in translation? I've read literature in French before, and I wonder how much the language changes when it is translated. It's so beautiful translated into English - it almost makes me want to brush up my French and try to read these stories in their native tongue. Almost - not sure if I'm ready for language studies yet!
I picked the quote above because it made me think of a quote that shows up on the screens in the print office at the university where I work - it says something along the lines of "Spend some time every day with someone over the age of 70 and under the age of 7". I do not get the opportunity to do that each day, but I do love to spend time with my grandparents and inlaws (only some of whom have hit 70!), and my beautiful children and nieces. It's often amazing to think of all of the experiences that our elders have gone through. You may see a senior with their shopping bag and their plastic hair-wrap to keep off the rain. But that elderly lady was once a young woman. Maybe she modelled. Maybe she ran away with her military beau in her teens. Maybe she broke stereotypes and worked on cars, or went to university, or drove truck. You just never know to look at someone.
The quote above reminded me that inside every old person was once a young person - perhaps a bold one, perhaps a mischievous one, perhaps a helpful one, perhaps a heartbroken one. I wish I could sit down more often and talk to someone about their life. Maybe I need to volunteer at an old folks' home.
Tuesday 3 September 2013
Monday 12 August 2013
Word of the ?Week: Imagist
At work, I have been unsuccessfully attempting to read The Poetical Works of Longfellow during my lunches. I haven't gotten very far - but I have been avidly enjoying it.
In the introduction, I came across the word Imagists, and although it has been months since I've done a Word of the Week, I've decided to look up Imagism, as it is something I had never heard of.
First, a bit of background:
As you know, I love to read. I loved English in high school. I had a succession of English teachers, some brilliant (Mr. Jones), some less so (Mrs. Wichellow comes to mind) in terms of inspiring a love of my native tongue and its many interpretations on paper. What I discovered part-way through high school, though, was that I did not particularly enjoy, nor did I have a particular talent for, dissecting and analyzing literature. The purpose of this blog is reflection, and an enjoyment of the memories and thoughts that the books I read bring up in me. However, if I had to continue to write "what theme did you follow throughout the book and what did it all MEAN?" papers about the books I read, I would likely cease reading.
For this reason, I actively chose not to take English courses in university - I thought they would focus too much on the analysis, and not enough on the enjoyment I found in casual reading.
I think, in choosing not to take English, even as an elective, that I may have missed out on some of the periods of literary history and understanding how writing and poetry evolved through the decades of the last few hundreds of years.
Now, on to Imagism, something I might have heard of if I had chosen to take poetry in university:
Imagism is, according to Wikipedia, was a movement in early 20th-century Anglo-American poetry notable for its precise imagery and sharp, clear language. Notable examples of Imagist poets are Ezra Pound and D.H. Lawrence.
I was surprised to see D.H. Lawrence ranked as a key Imagist poet, as I did not know that he wrote poetry. Of course I am familiar with his prose, though I have not read any. I think everyone has heard of Sons and Lovers, or of Lady Chatterley's Lover. And although Pound's name is familiar to me, I'm not sure why - I certainly haven't read any of his work.
And so - with this word of the week, I've decided to create a Parking Lot. It's a term I picked up at work: A Parking Lot is where you put ideas that are good ones, but take you off your current focus, and so you 'park' them until the time is right. I already have so many books to read that I already own, that I need a place to put things that I'd like to read sometime - sometime down the line once I'm caught up on my own books! So Pound and Lawrence's poetry will be the first additions to my Parking Lot. I fear there will be a monster list there by the time I get there! But - as I reasoned in a post awhile back, this is a pasttime that will never end, as I will never run out of interesting things to read. Best to keep a list of the things that interest me, even if I don't get to them until well down the road!
In the introduction, I came across the word Imagists, and although it has been months since I've done a Word of the Week, I've decided to look up Imagism, as it is something I had never heard of.
First, a bit of background:
As you know, I love to read. I loved English in high school. I had a succession of English teachers, some brilliant (Mr. Jones), some less so (Mrs. Wichellow comes to mind) in terms of inspiring a love of my native tongue and its many interpretations on paper. What I discovered part-way through high school, though, was that I did not particularly enjoy, nor did I have a particular talent for, dissecting and analyzing literature. The purpose of this blog is reflection, and an enjoyment of the memories and thoughts that the books I read bring up in me. However, if I had to continue to write "what theme did you follow throughout the book and what did it all MEAN?" papers about the books I read, I would likely cease reading.
For this reason, I actively chose not to take English courses in university - I thought they would focus too much on the analysis, and not enough on the enjoyment I found in casual reading.
I think, in choosing not to take English, even as an elective, that I may have missed out on some of the periods of literary history and understanding how writing and poetry evolved through the decades of the last few hundreds of years.
Now, on to Imagism, something I might have heard of if I had chosen to take poetry in university:
Imagism is, according to Wikipedia, was a movement in early 20th-century Anglo-American poetry notable for its precise imagery and sharp, clear language. Notable examples of Imagist poets are Ezra Pound and D.H. Lawrence.
I was surprised to see D.H. Lawrence ranked as a key Imagist poet, as I did not know that he wrote poetry. Of course I am familiar with his prose, though I have not read any. I think everyone has heard of Sons and Lovers, or of Lady Chatterley's Lover. And although Pound's name is familiar to me, I'm not sure why - I certainly haven't read any of his work.
And so - with this word of the week, I've decided to create a Parking Lot. It's a term I picked up at work: A Parking Lot is where you put ideas that are good ones, but take you off your current focus, and so you 'park' them until the time is right. I already have so many books to read that I already own, that I need a place to put things that I'd like to read sometime - sometime down the line once I'm caught up on my own books! So Pound and Lawrence's poetry will be the first additions to my Parking Lot. I fear there will be a monster list there by the time I get there! But - as I reasoned in a post awhile back, this is a pasttime that will never end, as I will never run out of interesting things to read. Best to keep a list of the things that interest me, even if I don't get to them until well down the road!
Sunday 4 August 2013
Completed, though not entirely: Food
Of course, one's quest to find amazing recipes and eat good food is never at an end. But I'm happy to say that I'm done with the books I intended to read (though we had to return Starved for Science, so I didn't get to that one).
It has taken me some time to get here. I got married three weeks ago! There was much work leading up to it, and lots of time with family and friends, and so I have not spent nearly as much time reading as I might ordinarily. However, we're settling back down into normal life, and also into some brand-new living room furniture - a wedding wish that has come true. Now I have a true reading nook! Not as lovely as some of the fancy library getups that some people on the internet seem to have, but it's mine and I'm thrilled: a lovely leather armchair and ottoman to sink into and read a book. They have replaced a dilapidated Ikea Poang and associated dilapidated ottoman.
I've made recipes from Simple Suppers and the Vegetarian Collection, and they turned out delicious. I returned the Whole Foods Market cookbook to the library because it is coming as a gift from my new sister-in-law.
Seeds of Deception was exactly what I thought it would be - drivel. Poorly researched, out of date, poorly sourced, and, frankly, mostly irrelevant to Canadians. A lot of the pages are devoted to GM tomatoes (no longer on the market), GM potatoes (also no longer on the market), and issues related to American governmental interference with scientific efforts and GM research (no surprises there). If anything, the book reinforces that the Canadian government has stood up, kept BGH milk and dairy out of Canada, and held government to account when it tried to muzzle research on BGH milk. Admittedly, Canada is currently failing miserably at scientific backing and freedom, but in terms of GM produce I don't think we're doing too bad. The book totally cherry-picks and sensationalizes what it writes, with a heaping spoonful of sarcasm and disdain. It was terrible, but I read it cover to cover in order to be able to say that with authority. I hope to never read as poor a quality of book ever again.
Just Food was interesting. It also had a bit too much haughty confidence on the part of the author, but I did find his writing to be much more, well, fair, and realistic in terms of how humanity can balance our population and our food needs along with the environment. His main ideas were:
Title: Seeds of Deception: Exposing Industry and Government Lies about the Safety of GE Foods
Author: Jeffrey M. Smith
Published: 2003
Pages: 254
Title: Just Food: Where Locavores get it Wrong and How we can Eat Responsibly
Author: James E. McWilliams
Published: 2009
Pages: 222
Total Books Blogged: 12
Total Pages: 4145
It has taken me some time to get here. I got married three weeks ago! There was much work leading up to it, and lots of time with family and friends, and so I have not spent nearly as much time reading as I might ordinarily. However, we're settling back down into normal life, and also into some brand-new living room furniture - a wedding wish that has come true. Now I have a true reading nook! Not as lovely as some of the fancy library getups that some people on the internet seem to have, but it's mine and I'm thrilled: a lovely leather armchair and ottoman to sink into and read a book. They have replaced a dilapidated Ikea Poang and associated dilapidated ottoman.
My new reading nook
I've made recipes from Simple Suppers and the Vegetarian Collection, and they turned out delicious. I returned the Whole Foods Market cookbook to the library because it is coming as a gift from my new sister-in-law.
Seeds of Deception was exactly what I thought it would be - drivel. Poorly researched, out of date, poorly sourced, and, frankly, mostly irrelevant to Canadians. A lot of the pages are devoted to GM tomatoes (no longer on the market), GM potatoes (also no longer on the market), and issues related to American governmental interference with scientific efforts and GM research (no surprises there). If anything, the book reinforces that the Canadian government has stood up, kept BGH milk and dairy out of Canada, and held government to account when it tried to muzzle research on BGH milk. Admittedly, Canada is currently failing miserably at scientific backing and freedom, but in terms of GM produce I don't think we're doing too bad. The book totally cherry-picks and sensationalizes what it writes, with a heaping spoonful of sarcasm and disdain. It was terrible, but I read it cover to cover in order to be able to say that with authority. I hope to never read as poor a quality of book ever again.
Just Food was interesting. It also had a bit too much haughty confidence on the part of the author, but I did find his writing to be much more, well, fair, and realistic in terms of how humanity can balance our population and our food needs along with the environment. His main ideas were:
- Local food is a bit too overrated - don't focus so much on food miles but on the carbon cycle of the thing you're eating overall
- We need to drastically reduce our meat consumption, and instead replace land-based meat with ethically- and environmentally-sound aquaculture systems (more fish!)
- Integrate livestock and food production on mid-size farms, growing things that thrive in the environment you're in without heavily modifying it
- Judicious use of biotech and chemicals, being mindful that some organic chemicals are very environmentally harmful
I would definitely recommend the book. My main issue throughout, which was validated in the final chapter, was that a lot of the food decisions he recommends are currently impossible to make, with our labelling and farming systems as they currently appear. This was a disappointing ending to a book that brought me much hope. But it certainly gave good ideas for what to keep an eye out for as I shop and eat.
So, with a bigger focus on finding vegetarian meals for all four of us to enjoy, and finding ethically raised meat (pork and beef has been found, chicken pending) to eat in moderation (less than we have in the past), and eating more fish, I'm going to go sit in my new chair and move on to my next book, started before the food kick: The Bedtime Book of Famous French Stories. So far it is fabulous! I'm kinda done with reading non-fiction for a bit, and am looking forward to engulfing myself in French prose.
Title: Seeds of Deception: Exposing Industry and Government Lies about the Safety of GE Foods
Author: Jeffrey M. Smith
Published: 2003
Pages: 254
Title: Just Food: Where Locavores get it Wrong and How we can Eat Responsibly
Author: James E. McWilliams
Published: 2009
Pages: 222
Total Books Blogged: 12
Total Pages: 4145
Monday 10 June 2013
Interruption: Food
As a step-mother, or as a part of a situation where children have two homes, it's not easy sometimes when there is a fundamental difference of opinion between the homes. Hence, I have interrupted my barely-gotten-started bookcase quest in order to learn more about food.
We have been accused of poisoning the children, of ignorance, and of stupidity. I know none of these are true. However, in order to meet one opinion with a dissenting one, I began a quest to read up on food so that I can either alter or justify the food we eat (or both).
It started awhile ago, long before the accusations started flying, with a quest to eat more whole foods, remove more processed foods from our diet, and eat more vegetarian foods, more beans, and more whole grains. It started with finding the 100 Days of Real Food Blog (http://www.100daysofrealfood.com/), and deciding to eat closer to their kind of diet. I started making things like applesauce from scratch, and I want to start making bread. I get very frustrated when a recipe doesn't turn out, and I feel this may happen many times when I start making bread! But I'll do it nonetheless.
Between what was 'recommended' to us by the boys' other household, what we found on our own, and some awesome cookbooks, here's what's been taking up my time:
Then back to the shelves. I've been reading a bit of a book of French short stories, and some Longfellow. More to come, more to come! But the wedding is next month... so I apologize in advance if I don't update this much until after mid-July!
We have been accused of poisoning the children, of ignorance, and of stupidity. I know none of these are true. However, in order to meet one opinion with a dissenting one, I began a quest to read up on food so that I can either alter or justify the food we eat (or both).
It started awhile ago, long before the accusations started flying, with a quest to eat more whole foods, remove more processed foods from our diet, and eat more vegetarian foods, more beans, and more whole grains. It started with finding the 100 Days of Real Food Blog (http://www.100daysofrealfood.com/), and deciding to eat closer to their kind of diet. I started making things like applesauce from scratch, and I want to start making bread. I get very frustrated when a recipe doesn't turn out, and I feel this may happen many times when I start making bread! But I'll do it nonetheless.
Between what was 'recommended' to us by the boys' other household, what we found on our own, and some awesome cookbooks, here's what's been taking up my time:
Titles as follows:
The Whole Foods Market Cookbook - Steve Petusevsky
Starved for Science: How Biotechnology is Being Kept Out of Africa - Robert Paarlberg
Just Food: Where Locavores Get it Wrong and how we can Eat Responsibly - James E. McWilliams
Moosewood Restaurant Simple Suppers - The Moosewood Collective
Seeds of Deception: Exposing Industry and Government Lies about the Safety of the GE Foods you're eating - Jeffrey M. Smith
The Canadian Living Vegetarian Collection - Alison Kent
Three of these are cookbooks - two are vegetarian, and all look delicious! My parents had Moosewood cookbooks as I grew up - my Mom has been vegetarian for years, my older sister has been since she was 12 or so, and for many years my little sister was as well. I think the more vegetarian meals the kids enjoy, the better. Especially given what I've been reading in Just Food - meat, especially beef, is particularly hard on the environment. So eating more vegetarian meals is a current goal of mine.
I've also started reading Seeds of Deception. This is the book that we were ignorant for not having read. From the first pages, the reviews, and the praise, even the cover, I'm enormously skeptical. It's all pseudo-celebrity plugs, and it advertises that it reads "like adventure stories" on the back cover - science doesn't read like that. Sensationalism reads like that. The bibliography is full of newspaper articles, blogs and other non-peer-reviewed sources. I've spent nine years educating myself in an academic environment, and if someone can find no scientific basis for their beliefs, I think their beliefs are likely unfounded, or at least exaggerated. However, I will read every page of the book, because I need to have it under my belt in order to be able to defend myself against assumptions and accusations based on this book.
After Seeds of Deception and Just Food, I'll read Starved for Science. And, as a scientist, I recognize three books do not a whole knowledge make. However, it's a good start, and three very different perspectives on the GM/'mainstream'/organic debate. And I'll cook some delicious vegetarian foods, too!
Wednesday 8 May 2013
Completed: Shorter Poems by Alexander
I finished this some days ago. The remaining fifty pages or so did not disappoint, just like the previous 450. I could tell, throughout, which poems had been assigned to this book's once-owner in school, with pencil scribbles in the margins, mostly illegible to me. Original price: 40 cents.
I only tabbed one poem in the last 50 pages - the book overall has about a dozen neon orange post-its sticking out in various locations. This doesn't indicate that I didn't enjoy the final pages, just that there wasn't anything I wanted to immediately come back to apart from this quote. It is from a poem called "Out Of The Night" by W. E. Henley, who I have not heard of before. It is a poem of conquering adversity and of the indomitable soul, and the final stanza is:
'It matters not how strait [sic] the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.'
It is a perfect poem to read on a day when you are feeling defeated because of the circumstances surrounding you.
Since I was a teenager, I have collected poems, quotes, and inspirational tidbits in a beautiful leather-covered notebook. I once had another notebook, but lost it to a former friend when I was 17. The current incarnation was started upon arrival at university, and I have been steadily filling it ever since. Many of the poetical works I read in this book will find their way into my 'Quotes Book' (no, it doesn't have a better name than that). But for the time being, I have blogged it, and might I say thoroughly enjoyed it. I shall read it again, I'm sure, at some point. But I have years to read before I repeat, and years to read before I repeat...
Title: Shorter Poems
Editor: W. J. Alexander
Published: 1924
Pages: 489
Total books blogged: 10
Total pages: 3,669
I only tabbed one poem in the last 50 pages - the book overall has about a dozen neon orange post-its sticking out in various locations. This doesn't indicate that I didn't enjoy the final pages, just that there wasn't anything I wanted to immediately come back to apart from this quote. It is from a poem called "Out Of The Night" by W. E. Henley, who I have not heard of before. It is a poem of conquering adversity and of the indomitable soul, and the final stanza is:
'It matters not how strait [sic] the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.'
It is a perfect poem to read on a day when you are feeling defeated because of the circumstances surrounding you.
Since I was a teenager, I have collected poems, quotes, and inspirational tidbits in a beautiful leather-covered notebook. I once had another notebook, but lost it to a former friend when I was 17. The current incarnation was started upon arrival at university, and I have been steadily filling it ever since. Many of the poetical works I read in this book will find their way into my 'Quotes Book' (no, it doesn't have a better name than that). But for the time being, I have blogged it, and might I say thoroughly enjoyed it. I shall read it again, I'm sure, at some point. But I have years to read before I repeat, and years to read before I repeat...
Title: Shorter Poems
Editor: W. J. Alexander
Published: 1924
Pages: 489
Total books blogged: 10
Total pages: 3,669
Tuesday 16 April 2013
Currently Reading: Shorter Poems
Silly Molly - when I first saw this book on my bookshelf, I thought it was full of shorter poems by someone named Alexander. No, no... it is an edited volume, edited by W. J. Alexander, professor of English literature at "University College, Toronto", which of course eventually became one of the colleges within the greater University of Toronto, which I attended several years ago.
I read the preface, and this is where I discovered my silliness, above. The preface also gave me some insight into school some 90 years ago. Back in 1924, it was "proper" to read some 3,000 lines of poetry per year in high school. Now, I did read some poetry in middle and high school, but I can guarantee that I did not read 3,000 lines a year. I really didn't grow into an appreciation of poetry until university. I think my difficulty was that I enjoyed reading poetry, but despised analyzing it. I just wanted to read it and experience it without criticizing it. Alexander put it perfectly in the preface: "The chief means of arriving at the enjoyment of good music is to listen to it; of painting, to see it; of literature, to read it."
This book has been a good and gentle reintroduction into the world of poetry. It is mostly filled with short (as per its title), rhyming, relatively 'simple' poems, and it browses through all of the classic poets. Byron and Keats are my favorites.
This book, because it presents many of the 'classic' poems by some of these poets, has allowed me to discover out who wrote some of my favorite lines. "She walks in beauty like the night" - Byron. "A thing of beauty is a joy forever" - Keats. The poem of the Lady of Shalott - Tennyson. "Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness" - Keats. "Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary" - The Raven - Poe. "'Tis better to have loved and lost / Than never to have loved at all" - Tennyson. It has been a magical read, and I'm thankful that it is all 12,000 of those proper high-school lines, rather than shorter. I have about fifty pages left.
I read the preface, and this is where I discovered my silliness, above. The preface also gave me some insight into school some 90 years ago. Back in 1924, it was "proper" to read some 3,000 lines of poetry per year in high school. Now, I did read some poetry in middle and high school, but I can guarantee that I did not read 3,000 lines a year. I really didn't grow into an appreciation of poetry until university. I think my difficulty was that I enjoyed reading poetry, but despised analyzing it. I just wanted to read it and experience it without criticizing it. Alexander put it perfectly in the preface: "The chief means of arriving at the enjoyment of good music is to listen to it; of painting, to see it; of literature, to read it."
This book has been a good and gentle reintroduction into the world of poetry. It is mostly filled with short (as per its title), rhyming, relatively 'simple' poems, and it browses through all of the classic poets. Byron and Keats are my favorites.
This book, because it presents many of the 'classic' poems by some of these poets, has allowed me to discover out who wrote some of my favorite lines. "She walks in beauty like the night" - Byron. "A thing of beauty is a joy forever" - Keats. The poem of the Lady of Shalott - Tennyson. "Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness" - Keats. "Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary" - The Raven - Poe. "'Tis better to have loved and lost / Than never to have loved at all" - Tennyson. It has been a magical read, and I'm thankful that it is all 12,000 of those proper high-school lines, rather than shorter. I have about fifty pages left.
Wednesday 13 March 2013
Completed: Reason for Hope: A Spiritual Journey
It took me a while to finish this book, because I kept it at work and only read it during my breaks. (Though now I've started a 600-page Longfellow compilation at work - who knows HOW long that's going to take!).
There's a few reflections on this book that I'd like to share (and you're here reading, and therefore get to read them!).
I have a great respect, more so than before, for Jane Goodall after reading this book. I also find that I have a great appreciation for many of her opinions on belief. She thinks that most of the religious differences are details, and that the faith, the spirituality, the belief and the wonder are the important parts. She is open to everyone who lives their life with integrity, regardless of the religious nuances:
"And what about those, and there are many, who do not believe in a God - those who are athiests? It does not make any difference, I thought. A life lived in the service of humanity, a love of and respect for all living things - those attributes are the essence of saintlike behavior." (p202)
She has had the experience of being faced with a situation that cannot be explained apart from by faith. It is something I've never had, though perhaps not looking at things through a spiritual lens makes the perception different. She had two children - her son, and a friend's daughter - come to her independently and say that they knew her husband had passed away, and had dreamed of him the night he passed. Sometimes children dream or feel things much differently than adults, and so I don't find this surprising. But it's something I always wished for, for some reason. Maybe I would believe more or more fully if something that couldn't be explained would happen to me. As a teenager, it was always a cure for alopecia - give me all my hair and I'll believe. Now as an adult I don't wait for such divine interventions. But it was fascinating to read about Jane's.
She has had times when she despaired, when the evil of the world overwhelmed her. She worried at one time if she "had been justified in bringing a child into such a hopelessly wicked place" (p186-7). And I felt astonished - I had never found it written so perfectly - the biggest reason why I'm scared to ever have a child. We haven't decided if we want to have a child, but if we did, I fear so much the world that we'd be bringing him or her into. But then I think of G and J, and how wonderful and kind they are, and I know it's possible to raise good kids. I felt a connection to Jane for having felt something I have felt so keenly.
I think that is the reason for her ever-enduring appeal - almost anyone can connect to her and feel a closeness to her. I read her spiritual memoir - a book I would ordinarily not even pick up. But at the other end of that book, Jane really makes me want to be a better person. That's why she's been so successful with her foundation and her conservation efforts, I think - because people connect to her. Including me.
Title: Reason for Hope: A Spiritual Journey
Authors: Jane Goodall with Phillip Berman
Published: 1999
Pages: 282
Total books blogged: 9
Total pages: 3180
There's a few reflections on this book that I'd like to share (and you're here reading, and therefore get to read them!).
I have a great respect, more so than before, for Jane Goodall after reading this book. I also find that I have a great appreciation for many of her opinions on belief. She thinks that most of the religious differences are details, and that the faith, the spirituality, the belief and the wonder are the important parts. She is open to everyone who lives their life with integrity, regardless of the religious nuances:
"And what about those, and there are many, who do not believe in a God - those who are athiests? It does not make any difference, I thought. A life lived in the service of humanity, a love of and respect for all living things - those attributes are the essence of saintlike behavior." (p202)
She has had the experience of being faced with a situation that cannot be explained apart from by faith. It is something I've never had, though perhaps not looking at things through a spiritual lens makes the perception different. She had two children - her son, and a friend's daughter - come to her independently and say that they knew her husband had passed away, and had dreamed of him the night he passed. Sometimes children dream or feel things much differently than adults, and so I don't find this surprising. But it's something I always wished for, for some reason. Maybe I would believe more or more fully if something that couldn't be explained would happen to me. As a teenager, it was always a cure for alopecia - give me all my hair and I'll believe. Now as an adult I don't wait for such divine interventions. But it was fascinating to read about Jane's.
She has had times when she despaired, when the evil of the world overwhelmed her. She worried at one time if she "had been justified in bringing a child into such a hopelessly wicked place" (p186-7). And I felt astonished - I had never found it written so perfectly - the biggest reason why I'm scared to ever have a child. We haven't decided if we want to have a child, but if we did, I fear so much the world that we'd be bringing him or her into. But then I think of G and J, and how wonderful and kind they are, and I know it's possible to raise good kids. I felt a connection to Jane for having felt something I have felt so keenly.
I think that is the reason for her ever-enduring appeal - almost anyone can connect to her and feel a closeness to her. I read her spiritual memoir - a book I would ordinarily not even pick up. But at the other end of that book, Jane really makes me want to be a better person. That's why she's been so successful with her foundation and her conservation efforts, I think - because people connect to her. Including me.
Title: Reason for Hope: A Spiritual Journey
Authors: Jane Goodall with Phillip Berman
Published: 1999
Pages: 282
Total books blogged: 9
Total pages: 3180
Monday 4 March 2013
Word of the Week: Copra
In my Imperial Royal Canadian Atlas, I kept coming across
‘copra’ as a major product of a lot of the countries mentioned. I wrote it down
with the note “Copra – W of the W” and neglected to look it up. So now I did.
My first assumption was that copra had something to do with
copper production – an important metal, and surely mined in various parts of
the world.
Wrong-o. Copra is defined by Wikipedia as: “…the dried meat,
or kernel, of the coconut. Coconut oil is extracted from it and has made copra
an important agricultural commodity for many coconut-producing countries. It
also yields coconut cake, which is mainly used as feed for livestock.”
This makes me think of two things.
The first – does anyone remember being in middle school and
doing your first research projects, and going to the library in order to look
up precious summaries of important information like definitions in Encyclopedia Brittanica or
World Book? Even hopping on the computer and using Encarta? I feel like it was
forever ago.
Second – I read another blog, called 100 Days of Real Food.
It’s very helpful in my quest to eat less processed food (my timbit moment Friday aside – I was sick and allowed to eat junk). The lady who writes it
uses coconut oil and olive oil, mainly, as she maintains that they are less
processed than other oils. And it sounds like, in modern times, it really is
less processed and refined. In fact, it is produced in a similar fashion to
olive oil – by crushing. Even the by-product of copra production, termed copra
‘cake’, does not go to waste, so double bonus!
I have yet to buy and use coconut oil. But maybe I should
give it a try!
Friday 1 March 2013
Completed: Imperial Royal Canadian World Atlas
I know, it's been too long. I've thought of many things that I could have blogged about lately in regards to my reading. But I've been busy. I have two jobs - a nine-to-five and a part-time research gig. Apart from that, I spent the better part of two weeks' worth of free time completing my annual scrapbook for D. I've made him a scrapbook for each year we've been together, and given it to him for Christmas. This year I didn't get it done for Christmas, and barely got it done for his birthday. And I've just had a bunch of outings with friends - a perfectly good reason to not get around to blogging!
All the while, though, I've been reading before I go to bed - at least 15 minutes or so, but often more. It has taken me some time to finish the Atlas, because after the first few introductory chapters on Canada, it became a more monotone laundry list of the world's countries, along with their population size, industries, natural resources, highest peaks, biggest cities, and features of note. Despite it sometimes being a bit of a tedious read, it was also very illuminating.
I've been interested in history and archaeology my whole life. But often the world is divided up into digestible bites when studying history - World War I, World War II, Vietnam, Cold War, etc. I found this atlas incredible because it fell outside of these normal time periods, and also covered the whole globe, not just areas of interest in the midst of a war or something. It mentioned every (political) part of the planet, and what it was like in 1935. Here are some of the more interesting tidbits that I came across:
I'm very glad to have read this historical, geographical snapshot from 1935. It makes me all the more excited to read more of my older books (next up: a high-school poetry book from 1924).
One line in this book was ominous, and foretold of what was to come not long after this book was published. I thought I would finish this entry with that, as it is the line that has stayed with me the most since reading it: "Germany... Government: Republic (since November, 1918); official name, Deutches Reich; Since March, 1933 - Dictatorship". It just puts a pit in your stomach to know what that dictatorship was going to do in the decade following this book's publication. The world did not yet know the horror of the Holocaust. Anne Frank was six years old.
Title: Imperial Royal Canadian World Atlas "An Atlas for Canadians"
Editors: Fred James, Lloyd Edwin Smith, and Frederick K. Branom
Published: 1935
Pages: 216
Total books blogged: 8
Total pages: 2898
All the while, though, I've been reading before I go to bed - at least 15 minutes or so, but often more. It has taken me some time to finish the Atlas, because after the first few introductory chapters on Canada, it became a more monotone laundry list of the world's countries, along with their population size, industries, natural resources, highest peaks, biggest cities, and features of note. Despite it sometimes being a bit of a tedious read, it was also very illuminating.
I've been interested in history and archaeology my whole life. But often the world is divided up into digestible bites when studying history - World War I, World War II, Vietnam, Cold War, etc. I found this atlas incredible because it fell outside of these normal time periods, and also covered the whole globe, not just areas of interest in the midst of a war or something. It mentioned every (political) part of the planet, and what it was like in 1935. Here are some of the more interesting tidbits that I came across:
- There were only three independent states in Africa: Egypt, Liberia, and Abyssinia (Ethiopia)
- They thought that the Arctic would become an 'air crossroads' of the world, with jets flying across the north pole area
- World War I was not yet World War I, as there had been no World War II (it's just something you don't think about until you come across it) - it was the Great War or the World War
- In the 1931 Canadian census, there was only 1 telephone per 10 people in Canada
- In 1935, women still could not vote in Quebec
- In the title of the British sovereign (George V, at the time), the term "Emperor of India" was still used, as it was not yet self-governing. Pakistan did not yet exist
- Newfoundland was not yet part of Canada
- Terms such as 'savages', 'half-castes', and 'pure races' were still used, though of course we abhor such terms today
- Vatican City had only been around as a political entity for 6 years
I think the biggest realization that this book brought me to is that the world in 1935 was really still divvied up between the various European colonial powers. I didn't realize how many colonies still existed at that time (because again, when you study history in school, you don't normally study the parts of the world not directly involved in whatever war or event you're studying). Africa, south/southeast Asia, the Pacific, the Caribbean, were almost entirely colonial to some degree or another. Germany, however, had no colonies - they had all been taken away after World War I (and so you see many "British/French such-and-such, formerly German such-and-such"s throughout).
I'm very glad to have read this historical, geographical snapshot from 1935. It makes me all the more excited to read more of my older books (next up: a high-school poetry book from 1924).
One line in this book was ominous, and foretold of what was to come not long after this book was published. I thought I would finish this entry with that, as it is the line that has stayed with me the most since reading it: "Germany... Government: Republic (since November, 1918); official name, Deutches Reich; Since March, 1933 - Dictatorship". It just puts a pit in your stomach to know what that dictatorship was going to do in the decade following this book's publication. The world did not yet know the horror of the Holocaust. Anne Frank was six years old.
Title: Imperial Royal Canadian World Atlas "An Atlas for Canadians"
Editors: Fred James, Lloyd Edwin Smith, and Frederick K. Branom
Published: 1935
Pages: 216
Total books blogged: 8
Total pages: 2898
Tuesday 22 January 2013
Currently Reading: Reason for Hope: A Spiritual Journey
After reading Walking with the Great Apes (see my blog post from January 14), as I mentioned, I picked up two books at the United Way booksale. This was one of them, written by Jane Goodall "with" Phillip Berman. I'm assuming that means he acted in part as the writer? The sentiment certainly all belongs to Jane.
When I took my loot from the booksale home, I must admit I was disappointed by this one. I hadn't read the spine - I just saw Jane Goodall and handed over my two dollars. But once I took a closer look, I realized that this book was not really about the great apes at all, but about Jane Goodall's spiritual journey, from her youth to her adulthood to her reflections in later life.
Ever since I was young, I have not been a particularly spiritual person. I went to church. I understand what people mean when they discuss religion and God. I have moved around the world and been exposed to various other belief systems - Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism. But the idea of spirituality and religion has never gripped me.
Ever since I met D, I have had a greater appreciation for such beliefs. His father was a minister, and his family is quite religious. He himself has a strong connection to First Nations and Christian beliefs. I have a lot of respect for what he thinks, and I now know about loving and believing in someone else, despite the fact that I don't always see things the same way.
Until this book, I haven't ever read a spiritual or religious text of any kind. I remember once when we were living in India, when I was 11 or 12, I decided to read the Bible, and was quite determined to read the whole thing. I think I made it 10 or 15 pages before I left that goal by the wayside. When I get halfway down my second bookcase, I will read the Bible, as I thought I would all those years ago. But for now, I read about Jane Goodall's spiritual journey.
So far, the book has been wonderful. I shall reflect more on it in the coming days, but for now, I have found a new favorite quote, also one of Jane's: "As thy days, so shall thy strength be." It means that your strength will come each day, regardless of what kind of day it is. So I'll leave you with that today. More about how Jane has helped me grow a spiritual smidge in the next post.
When I took my loot from the booksale home, I must admit I was disappointed by this one. I hadn't read the spine - I just saw Jane Goodall and handed over my two dollars. But once I took a closer look, I realized that this book was not really about the great apes at all, but about Jane Goodall's spiritual journey, from her youth to her adulthood to her reflections in later life.
Ever since I was young, I have not been a particularly spiritual person. I went to church. I understand what people mean when they discuss religion and God. I have moved around the world and been exposed to various other belief systems - Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism. But the idea of spirituality and religion has never gripped me.
Ever since I met D, I have had a greater appreciation for such beliefs. His father was a minister, and his family is quite religious. He himself has a strong connection to First Nations and Christian beliefs. I have a lot of respect for what he thinks, and I now know about loving and believing in someone else, despite the fact that I don't always see things the same way.
Until this book, I haven't ever read a spiritual or religious text of any kind. I remember once when we were living in India, when I was 11 or 12, I decided to read the Bible, and was quite determined to read the whole thing. I think I made it 10 or 15 pages before I left that goal by the wayside. When I get halfway down my second bookcase, I will read the Bible, as I thought I would all those years ago. But for now, I read about Jane Goodall's spiritual journey.
So far, the book has been wonderful. I shall reflect more on it in the coming days, but for now, I have found a new favorite quote, also one of Jane's: "As thy days, so shall thy strength be." It means that your strength will come each day, regardless of what kind of day it is. So I'll leave you with that today. More about how Jane has helped me grow a spiritual smidge in the next post.
Sunday 20 January 2013
The Rules
I think this is a necessary step, though writing it out seems a bit pedantic. Most of the blogs I read have some sort of parameter. Many of them are cooking blogs - I love cooking blogs.
So: here are my 'rules', as it were. I will:
- read from the top-left of my first bookcase to the bottom-right of the final one
- have a home book and a work book. The home books will be 100% in order left-to-right, top-to-bottom. The work books will be taken from close to where I am on the shelves, but there are some books that just don't make relaxing lunch breaks, and that's ok
- blog each book at least once, preferably more
- blog interesting words and facts
- skip things that aren't for reading in the classic sense: Dictionaries, some textbooks, instruction manuals, etc.
- skip duplicates. I will not read 3 complete collections of Longfellow's poetry, for example. I keep duplicates of some books just because both editions are beautiful or meaningful to me
- skip books I've already read, with the caveat that if I cannot really remember the story, I will re-read the book
I think that's it! I'm not so rigid that these aren't open to interpretation and adjustment as I move through my books.
So cheers, and there they are. I'm going to go read now...
So: here are my 'rules', as it were. I will:
- read from the top-left of my first bookcase to the bottom-right of the final one
- have a home book and a work book. The home books will be 100% in order left-to-right, top-to-bottom. The work books will be taken from close to where I am on the shelves, but there are some books that just don't make relaxing lunch breaks, and that's ok
- blog each book at least once, preferably more
- blog interesting words and facts
- skip things that aren't for reading in the classic sense: Dictionaries, some textbooks, instruction manuals, etc.
- skip duplicates. I will not read 3 complete collections of Longfellow's poetry, for example. I keep duplicates of some books just because both editions are beautiful or meaningful to me
- skip books I've already read, with the caveat that if I cannot really remember the story, I will re-read the book
I think that's it! I'm not so rigid that these aren't open to interpretation and adjustment as I move through my books.
So cheers, and there they are. I'm going to go read now...
Currently Reading: the First Book!
Although I've determined what this blog will be, I only started reading the way I intended to three days ago. I've officially started! I'm reading the top-left book on my first bookcase. Here is the first part of the top shelf:
I am currently reading the tall, cloth-bound book on the left. It is a Canadian 'atlas' (more a geographical survey/textbook including maps) from 1935. The first few pages, as that's all I've read so far, have been fascinating. Really, it's a historical document. It is what people thought of Canadian geography in 1935, some 78 years ago. Pluto was brand-new - only discovered 5 years earlier. There is also an amusing bit about archaeologists:
"There still remain unexplored regions. There are some parts of the world where the foot of the civilized seeker of knowledge has seldom, if ever, trod. But the little known regions are dwindling, year by year, as the adventurers push back the line of darkness. Everywhere, too, are the archeologists or 'diggers', who excavate old cities or old geological strata, searching for relicsof past ages, to aid in the knowledge of early life on the earth."
It is a book that I think I got when my Grampa C passed away, when I was 20. All three of his children, and all 5 of his grandchildren, met at the home he shared with my Grama a little while after he was gone. It was a peaceful afternoon. All of the things that Grama didn't want to keep now that he was gone were laid out on tables in the basement. Slowly, in turn, we all selected things that we wanted to keep. I selected many things: a small bookshelf to hang on the wall; a tin from India (where he lived when he was young), with some 60 old coins in it; some hand-painted teacups; and many of his books. I think this book was amongst them. However, I also got many books when my Grama E moved several years back, and I'm not sure which of the two this book came from.
Either way, this book belonged to one of my grandparents. Maybe it was even one of their schoolbooks. Its spine is fragile, and so I won't be carrying it to and from work with me. It will be my first home book - let the blog begin in earnest!
I am currently reading the tall, cloth-bound book on the left. It is a Canadian 'atlas' (more a geographical survey/textbook including maps) from 1935. The first few pages, as that's all I've read so far, have been fascinating. Really, it's a historical document. It is what people thought of Canadian geography in 1935, some 78 years ago. Pluto was brand-new - only discovered 5 years earlier. There is also an amusing bit about archaeologists:
"There still remain unexplored regions. There are some parts of the world where the foot of the civilized seeker of knowledge has seldom, if ever, trod. But the little known regions are dwindling, year by year, as the adventurers push back the line of darkness. Everywhere, too, are the archeologists or 'diggers', who excavate old cities or old geological strata, searching for relicsof past ages, to aid in the knowledge of early life on the earth."
It is a book that I think I got when my Grampa C passed away, when I was 20. All three of his children, and all 5 of his grandchildren, met at the home he shared with my Grama a little while after he was gone. It was a peaceful afternoon. All of the things that Grama didn't want to keep now that he was gone were laid out on tables in the basement. Slowly, in turn, we all selected things that we wanted to keep. I selected many things: a small bookshelf to hang on the wall; a tin from India (where he lived when he was young), with some 60 old coins in it; some hand-painted teacups; and many of his books. I think this book was amongst them. However, I also got many books when my Grama E moved several years back, and I'm not sure which of the two this book came from.
Either way, this book belonged to one of my grandparents. Maybe it was even one of their schoolbooks. Its spine is fragile, and so I won't be carrying it to and from work with me. It will be my first home book - let the blog begin in earnest!
Completed: Nineveh and Its Remains
I FINALLY FINISHED IT!
I have been reading this book since last spring. It has sat, staring at me, on the dresser next to my side of the bed since last spring. It has been taunting me, but I finally won.
It's not that it wasn't a fascinating read. The foreword, about Layard's life and work, was much enlightening about a name that I came across in my studies (I studied Near Eastern archaeology - not sure if I mentioned that), but never learned enough about to appreciate as a person. The stories Layard told in his own voice, about his excavation campaigns at Nineveh and his travels in Mesopotamia were touching and telling of an age and way of life long gone in that area.
I think the reason I struggled with it was twofold. I started it in the throes of drafting my thesis - a bad time to start a book. Also, once I reached the book itself (not the foreword), I was disappointed. Again, not by what was there, but what wasn't. For a book that was titled "Nineveh and its Remains", there was very little of the site, or the dig. I did learn that excavation was seemingly single-handedly directed towards recovering sculpture. Not even text - just sculpture. Monumental sculpture. Although he appears to have the best of intentions in his excavations, I have to cringe when he discusses things crumbling to dust upon excavation, and tunneling to find artifacts.
No, much of the book was Layard's travels and relations with the local tribes that he worked with. He travels by horse to various areas, meets various sheiks, and witnesses religious and spiritual events. He does much of this with a classic European superiority and detachment, though his seems milder than most of the same era. I feel it was more of a sociological reflection than an archaeological one.
On a different note, every once in awhile you learn something after years of study that makes you giggle. In this book, there were two. Both have to do with Layard's name. The first is that his last name is not pronounced like 'lay-yard'. It's pronounced like 'laird'. Every prof I ever had, every time I ever read his name, I thought it was the former. The second interesting bit is that his name changed - after college he chose to be Austen Henry Layard, instead of Henry Austen Layard. Or it was the other way around - I can't remember. But I love the whimsy of just choosing to reverse your name.
Title: Nineveh and Its Remains
Author: Sir Austen Henry Layard; or, Sir Henry Austen Layard
Published: 1969 (originally 1849)
Pages: 295
Total books blogged: 7
Total pages: 2,682
I have been reading this book since last spring. It has sat, staring at me, on the dresser next to my side of the bed since last spring. It has been taunting me, but I finally won.
It's not that it wasn't a fascinating read. The foreword, about Layard's life and work, was much enlightening about a name that I came across in my studies (I studied Near Eastern archaeology - not sure if I mentioned that), but never learned enough about to appreciate as a person. The stories Layard told in his own voice, about his excavation campaigns at Nineveh and his travels in Mesopotamia were touching and telling of an age and way of life long gone in that area.
I think the reason I struggled with it was twofold. I started it in the throes of drafting my thesis - a bad time to start a book. Also, once I reached the book itself (not the foreword), I was disappointed. Again, not by what was there, but what wasn't. For a book that was titled "Nineveh and its Remains", there was very little of the site, or the dig. I did learn that excavation was seemingly single-handedly directed towards recovering sculpture. Not even text - just sculpture. Monumental sculpture. Although he appears to have the best of intentions in his excavations, I have to cringe when he discusses things crumbling to dust upon excavation, and tunneling to find artifacts.
No, much of the book was Layard's travels and relations with the local tribes that he worked with. He travels by horse to various areas, meets various sheiks, and witnesses religious and spiritual events. He does much of this with a classic European superiority and detachment, though his seems milder than most of the same era. I feel it was more of a sociological reflection than an archaeological one.
On a different note, every once in awhile you learn something after years of study that makes you giggle. In this book, there were two. Both have to do with Layard's name. The first is that his last name is not pronounced like 'lay-yard'. It's pronounced like 'laird'. Every prof I ever had, every time I ever read his name, I thought it was the former. The second interesting bit is that his name changed - after college he chose to be Austen Henry Layard, instead of Henry Austen Layard. Or it was the other way around - I can't remember. But I love the whimsy of just choosing to reverse your name.
Title: Nineveh and Its Remains
Author: Sir Austen Henry Layard; or, Sir Henry Austen Layard
Published: 1969 (originally 1849)
Pages: 295
Total books blogged: 7
Total pages: 2,682
The cover was just a plain library-bound cover, so here's the title page!
Monday 14 January 2013
Completed: Walking with the Great Apes: Jane Goodall, Dian Fossey, Birute Galdikas
To be fair, I finished this book several weeks ago. I just haven't gotten around to blogging it. But I realized looking back that it really looks like I've read very little since September, and it looks that way because it's true.
I've been slowly eliminating TV shows from my PVR, no longer recording ones that I really won't miss. I've been trying to read, at least a bit, every day before bed. And I try to read during my lunch break, though some days that just doesn't happen!
Walking with the Great Apes was fascinating. The four main characters really do read as though they were (are, for two of them) larger than life. Richard Leakey, patriarch of African palaeoanthropology, playboy, scholar and personality. The man who selected three women to study the great apes - two of whom were not even trained in a relevant subject. He believed that women would be better able to empathize with the great apes - better able to understand them.
Jane Goodall - free spirit, kind, spiritual, patient adventurer. Fearless. Even in her old age, she travels more than any of her staff, who work in shifts to keep up with her. As a young woman, she was beautiful, serene, a perfect person to act as a bridge between the human psyche and that of the chimpanzees of Gombe.
Dian Fossey - passionate, psychologically unstable, loner, angry, bitter Nyiramachabelli (read the book for the explanation of the last word). Dian came from an unhappy childhood and lived an unhappy adulthood. Although she loved the gorillas, she slowly removed herself from humanity. Hers was a sad life, despite its many accomplishments.
Birute Galdikas - gentle but utterly firm, commanding and yet soft-spoken. She was the only one already a grad student before being selected by Leakey, and the only one to remain in academia proper.
All three sacrificed marriages and relationships, health and wellness, time, money and comfort, for their dreams. Dreams that Leakey helped to foster but that each woman embraced with all their hearts. The "three primates" have become three of the most influential and well-known women in science, and they caused paradigm-shifting changes in the field of primatology. Crusader (Jane), Sorceress (Dian) and Diplomat (Birute) - truly miraculous women. Well worth a read.
Title: Walking with the Great Apes: Jane Goodall, Dian Fossey, Birute Galdikas
Author: Sy Montgomery
Pages: 239
Total books blogged: 6
Total pages: 2,387
I've been slowly eliminating TV shows from my PVR, no longer recording ones that I really won't miss. I've been trying to read, at least a bit, every day before bed. And I try to read during my lunch break, though some days that just doesn't happen!
Walking with the Great Apes was fascinating. The four main characters really do read as though they were (are, for two of them) larger than life. Richard Leakey, patriarch of African palaeoanthropology, playboy, scholar and personality. The man who selected three women to study the great apes - two of whom were not even trained in a relevant subject. He believed that women would be better able to empathize with the great apes - better able to understand them.
Jane Goodall - free spirit, kind, spiritual, patient adventurer. Fearless. Even in her old age, she travels more than any of her staff, who work in shifts to keep up with her. As a young woman, she was beautiful, serene, a perfect person to act as a bridge between the human psyche and that of the chimpanzees of Gombe.
Dian Fossey - passionate, psychologically unstable, loner, angry, bitter Nyiramachabelli (read the book for the explanation of the last word). Dian came from an unhappy childhood and lived an unhappy adulthood. Although she loved the gorillas, she slowly removed herself from humanity. Hers was a sad life, despite its many accomplishments.
Birute Galdikas - gentle but utterly firm, commanding and yet soft-spoken. She was the only one already a grad student before being selected by Leakey, and the only one to remain in academia proper.
All three sacrificed marriages and relationships, health and wellness, time, money and comfort, for their dreams. Dreams that Leakey helped to foster but that each woman embraced with all their hearts. The "three primates" have become three of the most influential and well-known women in science, and they caused paradigm-shifting changes in the field of primatology. Crusader (Jane), Sorceress (Dian) and Diplomat (Birute) - truly miraculous women. Well worth a read.
Title: Walking with the Great Apes: Jane Goodall, Dian Fossey, Birute Galdikas
Author: Sy Montgomery
Pages: 239
Total books blogged: 6
Total pages: 2,387
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