Books Read: 12

I have finished with Alice's Adventure's in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll. Since most people know this story I'm not gonna really summarize, but I did watch the Disney movie to compare. It combined both stories, which I'm pretty sure almost all Alice movies do. There were obviously some missing aspects, the Duchess character, the chess theme and characters attached, Cheshire cat as a much less prominent role, and some of the poems or recitation were adjusted. However, I did find that the Cheshire cat in the movie sings the first verse of the Jabberwocky poem throughout the movie, plus there were references within the movie such as tulgey wood and mome raths. The unbirthday reference is made by Humpty Dumpty not the Mad Hatter and March Hare. The trial is also a bit different in the movie, but it keeps the story consistent in the movie, so I prefer it. The book was fun to read because I could see clear overlap with the movie. Sometimes reading it I could hear word for word scenes from the movie. It just reminded me of childhood and that made me happy. I wanna see the Tim Burton version now to compare it with the Disney to see which is more accurate depiction of the book. The live version created a few years ago makes a lot more references to the book with the Duchess, gryphon, and mock turtle which the Disney movie does not have. Overall, very enjoyable and quite hilarious for an adult to read. I'm not quite sure how I would feel about a child reading this/reading it to my child. However, it is certainly amusing for me as an adult knowing the story and the movies as a child.

Books Read: 11

I finished Dancing for Degas by Kathryn Wagner. Its a pretty simple historical fiction about a girl, Alexandrie, from a small town in France who learns ballet in order to become the lead ballerina of the Paris Opera and financially support her poor family. She cleans the dance studio near her home in order to pay for dance lessons and eventually becomes good enough to audition in Paris. She auditions and makes it, but must prove herself in order to improve her status at the Ballet. However, while at the ballet she learns about the dark doings after the performance, known as post-performances, which involves certain dancers "entertaining" some of the rich patrons of the ballet-most are older dancers (25) who were unable to become mistresses or become the lead ballerina. This horrifies Alexandrie who only wants to dance (and hopefully become the lead ballerina) and fall in love and marry. She meets an artist who comes to shows/rehearsals to draw the dancers, it is Edgar Degas. Alexandrie is intrigued by him and eventually becomes his model. A wealthy American Mr. Taylor buys his first pastel of Alexandrie and she becomes a hit to create a dancer series with her. During her modeling sessions she becomes more in love with Degas, but he seems to be giving her mixed messages. One was asking Alexandrie's rival Cornelie, the current lead ballerina, who attempts to take Degas away from Alexandrie. In addition, during this time Alexandrie is also moving up in the dancing line up, while being pursued by a man named Julien, who wants her to become his mistress. In the middle of the novel the Franco-Prussian war happens and the opera closes and many of the patrons go to war or leave the country. The girls at the Opera house bond over this and support each other through the times until the surrender of the French.

When the war ends the patrons return and Alexandrie takes up modeling again for Degas in his bathing series. During this time, Cornelie dies and the search for a new lead ballerina comes to 3 finalist, Alexandrie included. Tensions grow as Alexandrie wants to stay with Degas, but Julien wants her to be his mistress and the Ballet Opera pushes her to do this in order to receive a large donation. However, Alexandrie throws it all away in hopes that Degas will be with her. Degas rejects her, not because he doesn't love, which he does, but because he doesn't feel like he can sufficiently support her or deal with his need for isolation to create his art. She is devastated and because of her rejection of Julien she has a negative mark during the race for the next lead ballerina. Alexandrie loses the race and turns 25, she decides to become involved the post-performances instead of leave the Ballet, since this is her only means of financial support. The first night Mr. Taylor pays for her services and asks her to marry him. She does and moves to America. The final chapter is set several years later when Degas has been admitted into the Louvre and Alexandrie returns to France to see it. She realizes Degas's bond over her has ended and she returns to her life in America.

This was a pretty simple read and a nice easy book to enjoy. The plot was not complex and the writing style was simple. However, I love Degas, dancing and I took a class on Dance history where they talked about the Paris Opera during the late 1800s, so it was enjoyable for me. I enjoyed how the author broke the story into Acts like a performance-I found that very clever. Although, I enjoyed this book it is not a book to pick up if you are new to any of these topics, but if you want an easy read and enjoy these topics you may enjoy it as well.

Books Read: 10

I have finally finished Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson. It is his biography about how he got involved at building schools, especially for girls, in Pakistan and Afghanistan. His family were missionaries in Tanzania, building schools and a hospital and later he goes on to become a emergency medic in CA during the 90s and takes the late shifts order to take climbing trips all around the Bay during the day. He manages a trip to Pakistan to climb K2, one of the most difficult mountains to climb. He does this in honor of his sister's death from epileptic seizures, but fails. On his way down he becomes lost and runs into the small village of Korphe, whose children share a teacher with another village and have school outside and use sticks to write in the dirt. Mortenson become inspired to raise money to build a school for Korphe. He talked to a man in Pakistan to figure out how much he would need to build a school and developed a blue print before leaving. When he returns home he begins typing 580 letters via type writer to famous people and organizations. Only one responded, Dr. Jean Hoerni, the man who started the silicon chip and developed most of the silicon valley. He donated enough money for Mortensen to build a school, in addition, a group of students donated pennies to his cause and gave him enough to fly back to Pakistan. He returns and starts getting the supplies he needs, but has many obstacles in his way. Getting the supplies, getting it to this isolated region, and dealing with many other village chiefs who also want schools built trying to steal his supplies. When he does make it the village requests a bridge first in order to make it easier to get in and out of the village. Mortenson helps them build this bridge and after much work and effort he finally builds the school for Korphe. With this development Dr. Hoerni creates the Central Asia Institute and puts Mortenson as the director and they create a board dedicated to building schools in Central Asia, especially for girls. Several other villages in Pakistan put in requests for schools and soon villages in Afghanistan too. Several events such as border war in Afghanistan and 9/11 affect Mortenson's work, but he managed to create hundreds and thousands of schools all over this two countries working with government officials and terrorists. His goal is to promote education and hopefully prevent more schools that create extremists to develop.

This was one of the most inspiring books I have ever read. This man was just interested in building a school for this tiny village and it turned into this amazing path of building schools in a region very hostile towards Americans and create a new and better image of Americans. It also shows a very different perspective of what has going on in Afghanistan after 9/11 and after America got the Taliban out and how America was unable to fulfill its promises of rebuilding Afghanistan. Its a book about an amazing man doing amazing things and people should definitely read it.

Books Read: 9

After this blog I will be completely up to date and hopefully I can keep more on track with my blog entries. This is post will be on Mill on the Floss by George Eliot. This is a coming of age story of Maggie Tulliver a independent and wild child. She is the younger of two child and she idolizes her older brother. Her older brother, Tom, enjoys punishing her whenever she gets into trouble. The novel centers around their complicated relationship of Maggie wanting unconditional love from her brother Tom, but Tom's reserved and realistic nature conflicts with Maggie's wild idealized ideas. His father owns the Mill, by the river Floss, that they live on and who wants a better life for his son so pays for a special education by a famous Pastor, which Tom hates, but when Maggie visits him enjoys all the books and knowledge available there. She makes friends with another pupil of Tom's, a hunchback of a rich father named Philip Wakem based on their mutual intellectual and emotional interests. He forms a strong attachment to the young Maggie during her visits. During the last few years of Tom's education, his father becomes bankrupt and Mr. Wakem buys the Mill from him, creating strain between Philip and Maggie. Tom returns to work in a business and help his father buy back the Mill. However, during Maggie's time in social isolation due to their poor conditions she renounces the world. In the middle of this dedicated new philosophy she is reunited with Wakem and they meet in secret to share books and intellectual conversation. Philip confesses his love to Maggie and she eventually gives a mutual feeling of love. Tom discovers these meetings and puts an end to their connections. After a few more years passing, in which Mr. Tulliver has died without achieving his goal of retaining his Mill. Lucy, Maggie's cousin, invites Maggie to stay with her for awhile and Maggie meets Stephen Guest, Lucy's suitor and assume fiance. During the leisurely time they spend together Maggie and Stephen become attracted to each other, against their will. However, Lucy finds out that Maggie was once in a relationship with Philip Wakem and reintroduces them, since Stephen and Lucy are also friends with him. Philip has rekindled is love for Maggie, but Maggie has become more interested in Stephen and questions her first attractions to Philip. Maggie and Stephen accidently elope by taking a boat onto the Floss, which was meant for Maggie and Philip planned by Lucy. They neglected to pay attention to how long they were rowing and ending up taking passing boat back to Mudport. Where Stephen proposes he and Maggie elope together. Maggie is conflicted between her love for Stephen and her previous contract with Philip and Lucy. She rejects him and returns home, where she is turn rejected by her brother, who hears of her "elopement", but she is forgiven by Lucy and Philip. Maggie is then sent into exhile to live with a clergy man, but her exhile is ended when the river floods and she takes a boat out to Tom to save him. He climbs into the boat, but they both end of dying during the flooding and they are found clasped in each other arms. They are buried side by side and visit by Philip and Lucy and Stephen, who are married. The story ends with a quote, "In their death they were not divided"

I also loved this book, but it is a bit more of a challenge to read compared to Jane Eyre. There were many interesting discussions we had around this book. Such topics were the suggestion of incest in the story, especially in the end scene. Another topic I found interesting in this book was the constant references to arms from beginning to end. There are lots of suggestions as arms as a sexual reference, which isn't very common, but used in very interesting ways. Another suggestion was as a way to connect to people. I think people who know they enjoy classic literature should read this book, but it is not a quick pick up book. It is intellectually stimulating and therefore not a book one can relax and not pay attention to while reading. There are so many great details that could be missed if one is not paying attention. Still a wonderfully written book!

Books Read: 8

Next blog update!! Still trying to catch up, but making progress by writing about Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte. I read this book for Victorian Literature and Culture. Its a long novel so I will do the summary in three paragraphs. It's about a girl named Jane Eyre who lives with her maternal uncle who dies very soon after her own parents die (missionaries) and the abuse she receives from her Aunt and cousins. Finally, she is sent off to boarding school, Lowood Institution-a charity school, where she becomes educated and makes friends with a girl Helen Burns. However, due to the abuse and neglect of the benefactors of the school conditions are poor (little food, cold rooms, old beds), because of this typhoid fever runs through the institution killing many of the students, including Jane's friend Helen. Finally, they are exposed for their abuse and a new building and conditions improve.

Time moves on ahead and Jane has become a teacher at the school, but moves on to become a governess at Thornfield Manor to Adèle Varens, a young french girl adopted by the master of the house from his former french dancer mistress (not his) after she abandoned her. Jane meets the master of the Manor, Mr. Rochester, while walking and spooking his horse, which forces him to fall off and hurt is ankle. When she reaches the manor she discovers that he is the head of Thornfield Manor. Mr. Rochester becomes interested in Jane and has her keep him company. However, several strange things happen in the house: strange laughter in hallways, burning Mr. Rochester's bed, and a guest named Mason is attacked. Later on Jane receives word that her aunt has had a stroke and goes to stay with her-she learns that she has an uncle John Eyre, who has been trying to find her, but lives in Madeira. During this time Jane realizes that she is in love with Mr. Rochester, but is worried he will marry Blanche Igram. However, he professes his love for her and they become engaged. However, the night before the wedding a strange woman comes into Jane's room and rips up her wedding veil, which Mr.Rochester explains away as one of the servants being drunk. We later find out at the wedding ceremony that Mr. Rochester is already married to another woman (reason for the all strange behavior) a crazy madwoman he keeps locked in the attic. Jane is devastated by this and runs away.

She almost dies of starvation when she is rescued by a Pastor, St. John Rivers, and his sisters, but she hides her true identity from them. She stays with the Rivers family for many months and teachers at a local charity school. Jane becomes friends with the sisters, but find St. John too reserved for her. However, he opens up to her and confesses his difficult love with Rosamund Olivers, a wealthy benefactress, but he cannot marry her due to his call as a missionary and how she will not accept such a life. St. John figures out Jane's true identity through a letter saying that her uncle, John Eyre, died and left her with a large inheritance and she also finds out that he is also the uncle of St. John and his sisters. Overjoyed to have found a family, Jane splits her inheritance equally among her new cousins. Afterwards, St. John proposes marriage to Jane, because she would be a good missionary wife, but Jane at first refuses though over time she is convinced. Until the last minute when she "hears" Mr. Rochester calling for her and she goes to Thornfield to see if Mr. Rochester is well, before she leaves for India. She finds Thornfield Manor burnt to the ground and learns that Mr. Rochester's wife burned it down and committed suicide. Mr. Rochester tried to rescue her, but lost his sight and right hand in the process. Jane is reunited with Mr. Rochester at his other estate and although worried she will be repulsed by him, assures him of her love. He proposes again and the live together-he recovers his eyesight just in time to see his first born son.

I know that is a very long summary, but the book was so good and there were so many interesting details I DIDN'T WANT TO FORGET ANYTHING! I really enjoyed this book. I had so many interesting discussions about it in class such as, how Jane and Mr. Rochester's wife are "the same person" or two sides of the same coin. We also discussed the theme of imperialism or colonialism throughout the book, which plays a major factor in a lot of the events that happen within the book. I would recommend this book as an interesting read, especially those who are interested in England or Victorian culture because this is a good book for that.