Tender Is The Night by F. Scott Fitzgerald

This is only the second Fitzgerald novel that I've actually read. Of course, The Great Gatsby was required reading in 11th grade and while I appreciated the skill and passion with which the book was written I really didn't enjoy it. I reread it a few years ago and if anything I liked it even less. I have to admit that this made me feel a bit forlorn, as if I was missing out on something really great. But after reading Tender Is The Night I think I've figured out what the problem is.

I don't think Fitzgerald's writing is meant to be dissected and analysed in the way that's required of an English class. I enjoyed Tender Is The Night and I believed my enjoyment stemmed from the fact that I was able to pick it up and put it down whenever I pleased. It took me almost two weeks to read the book (which is unheard of for me), because I took my time. I wasn't scouring the pages for hidden symbols or themes or anything else that I could put into an essay. I was able to just fall into the story and let the characters show me the way. And it was a great experience.

So, this will henceforth be a lesson that I have learned: some authors require a softer touch when I'm reading their work. Their stories will not be rushed and in forcing the issue I risk missing the point.

We don't need another holiday

I recently heard on the radio that more and more Canadians aren't aware of the significance of Remembrance Day. I was disgusted by this fact, but I was even more disgusted when I heard that there's a debate going on about whether Remembrance Day should be a national holiday. I'm sorry, but we're going to celebrate on a day that's meant for solemn reflection? It's hard to believe that Canadians have become so crass that we'll use Remembrance Day to try to get a day off work. I'm sure that there are many people in this country that would take the opportunity to attend a public memorial service, but what about those who don't know what we're supposed to be remembering? Every year there are fewer who remember and more who have forgotten or who just don't care.

So do our veterans a favour - take a few moments today to remember the past, spend half an hour educating yourself on the significance of this day and make sure your children are in school learning about those who came before us. Sacrifice a bit of time, don't ask that time be sacrificed for you.

The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

Some day in the future some incredibly brilliant scientist just might figure out how to travel through time. This scientist could choose to travel to those moments that have defined the entire human race...or he or she could simply choose to go back to those moments that have defined his or her own life. In Henry's case, he has no choice in the matter. He pops back and forth between his past and his present, occasionally making a stop in the future, without any kind of warning. He arrives at his destination in time without clothing, money or any idea of how long he's going to be there. It may sound kind of fun, but the results are sometimes tragic and often painful.

Henry's saving grace, the one thing that allows him to keep his sanity, is his wife, Claire. Claire meets Henry for the first time when she is six and he is 36. But the first time Henry meets Claire, she is 20 and he is 28. Sound confusing? Well, only for the first few chapters and then you get used to it. There's no such thing as linear timeline in this novel, but Henry and Claire seem to beckon you on, encouraging you to keep reading, to find out where this is going. It's a bit of a bumpy ride at times, but in the end the extra effort is worth it.

The plot of this novel is like an intricately designed web. Although the events of the story don't follow each other one after another they are all connected, sometimes in ways that the reader won't discover for hundreds of pages. I can't imagine how challenging it must have been to write this book and I applaud Audrey Niffenegger for even attempting it. And I'm in awe of the fact that not only did she attempt it, but she wrote an incredible book filled with wonderful characters.

I'm Starting Over!

I've been inspired to go back to blogging. I have NO idea what this blog is going to turn into. I figure it's going to be several things - a book review site, a place to post my fave photographs and maybe a space to complain about the rest of the world. I'm very good at complaining.

Speaking of which, I have to say that while I'm thrilled that Barack Obama is going to be the next President of the "free world" (ahem), I'm a lot less thrilled about what happened with Proposition 8. As a matter of fact, I'm downright pissed off. And I'm even more pissed off about the fact that everyone in the world is celebrating what they believe will be the dawn of a nicer, kinder, more tolerant US when the civil rights of tens thousands of Americans are being infringed upon. Can we all wake up now? Would that be all right?

It's time to put away the champagne, folks, and realize that electing Obama is NOT the end of inequality. It's also time for all those bigots out there to get over themselves and stop being threatened by anyone who is different. Maybe we should all try a little harder to treat others the way we'd like to be treated.