 |
| An order for a colleague's twin grandchildren |
As you know I knit. A lot. But I only do so at home. When I am at work, I read. Well, I try to anyway, it's quite difficult at times. I love to read romance novels, but lately I have also started to read the 'classics'. Books that are perhaps a bit more challenging than just boy meets girl, they get in a fight, they make up and live happily ever after.
My first try a few weeks ago was '1984' by George Orwell. A book that definitely stuck with me. I then asked for some suggestions, which I got, and ordered some more books. One of which you didn't recommend, but I had heard the title and thought why not?
So, about 10 days ago I started in 'Brave New World' by Aldous Huxley. Another book about a society long into the future, after it was found that our current (ie 1931) society was not working as it should.
First off: I finished it. I found it slow-going at times, feeling that certain things could have been expanded upon. There was one area that had me reading it several times because it was so confusing (no dedication as to who said what, just a lot of said text). The name Lenina was quite weird as well, since I kept seeing Sandra Bullock in my mind (she played Lenina Huxley in 'Demolition Man'), but I got over it eventually.
Talking of Lenina, I found her grating to the extreme, which had nothing to do with her or the author, but more to do with me and my way of thinking. I just found her a spoilt brat, which of course is exactly what she is, but then again, she is meant to be that way. She is after all an Alpha!
The book didn't have the immediate impact '1984' had. Instead (and together with the later addition of a foreword by Aldous Huxley in 1946, good reading in itself), it is on a slow burner really. It contains some thought-provoking ideas and yes, some of those have already come to reality. Although some of them fortunately haven't.
My next book: Doctor Zhivago (and not Doctor Gigolo as one of my Polish colleagues inadvertently said), recommended I believe by Cecilia, aka Madi's Mom.
Hari OM
ReplyDeleteAh well Dr Z will fulfill that romance side you favour - but oh so much more too! (Though I still prefer War & Peace.)... BNW was fabulous for its time, but of course we read it with the eyes of that future now and so it can seem a bit 'tired'. It is definitely a good one to tick off the list though. Happy reading! YAM and Brom xxxxx
I think Brave New World is still topical, just on a different level than 1984 is.
DeleteAs for Doctor Zhivago: the first couple of chapters were a bit ??? for me, but it hasn't put me off yet, so on I will go!
Good luck to you. I should probably do this, but I probably won't.
ReplyDeleteNow about reading at work ... hmm ... your work is driving. Oh dear me. :)
Those mice looks cute.
ReplyDeleteOhhhh great review Mara. Anybook must grab my attention from the first few pages. If not, I pass on it. I do hope you enjoy Dr. Zhivago, especially since yes we did recommend it. Another book from way back that I still vividly remember is called Evergreen, I think by Edna Ferber. I read it several times.
ReplyDeleteMany years ago an NC author's firs book came out, Cold Mountain, it was made in to a movie too and won several awards. However, the first 4 pages of that book were about what a man saw outside his window. I tried to read it several times could not get into it. The movie was excellent
Hugs Cecilia
It is a long time since I read those books but you are right they are classics. I doubt any of us reading them in the 60s would have believed any of it was possible!
ReplyDeleteYet, so much of both books have come true it's quite scary. And we don't seem to think it's that bad either. Things that used to scare us then are now commonplace.
DeleteEnjoy Dr. Zhivago. I've only seen the movie.
ReplyDelete