Emma Ward's blog

hahaha

So, I posted about being a Janeite officially now.  And today at the library I saw it: Pride and Prejudice and Zombies.  I laughed a little to myself- I've seen and read reviews about the book for a while.  Most reviewers said that for a spin off of Austen's novels, it was worth reading.  I personally am not a huge zombie fan- I haven't seen Shawn of the Dead and in general avoid movies that feature zombies and no, I haven't seen an episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer (though its on my list of things to watch).  

In fact, I kind of snubbed my nose at the idea of P&P&Zombies in the past year.  I mean, come on?  You can't improve on Jane!  (Other than fixing it so that Marianne Dashwood ends up with someone better suited to her.)  I'm not very warm to the idea of continuing character's stories, almost like fanfiction.  Mr. Darcy's Diary, The Pemberley Chronicles, etc.  No thank you.  Fitzwilliam Darcy never wrote in a diary, any reader could tell you that.  Plus, the limited amount of skimming I've done in those books proves to me that the author's writing style is far inferior to what Darcy might have written, had he actually been the kind of man to write in a diary.

But something moved me to pick it up and read the back.  Plus, it's in paperback, and though I haven't gone on a rant on how much more I enjoy reading paperbacks than hardcovers, you should know that the book being in paperback is a plus for me as a potential reader.  

I read the back, found myself smiling and chuckling a little to myself (yes, I chuckle) so I decided what the hell.  I added it to my pile.  

I have just finished Slaughterhouse-Five and feel I could use some cheeky zombie humor.  Plus, Lizzy and Darcy.  You can't go wrong.  

Verdict as of 50 pages in- delightful.  Funny, but definitely has quite a bit of Jane's original wording still in it- very impressive for a male writer (author is Seth Grahame-Smith.)  Enjoying the addition of the undead or "unmentionables," much to my own surprise.  The Bennets as zombie-killers.  Great.  It appeals to my strange sense of humor- I still want to see Jesus Christ: Vampire Hunter (a musical, yes).  

However, if you're a Jane purist and you don't really like zombies in any way, shape, or form, and you don't enjoy Monty Python, don't read this book.  It is not for you.

classics I feel like I should read

There are many classics in the world- many of them obscure, huge tomes that I don't really care to devote hours of my time to reading.  Now, I love to read, and I love to read good books and usually the classics are books you, as a literate person of the world, are encouraged to read because they have qualities that make them better than average.  However, I don't really care to read every single book that some list tells me is the creme de la creme.  I feel like some classics are more worth my time than others.  Not everyone will like the same kind of book.  

Case and point: no matter how many people tell me he's a genius, and I have tried his book of short stories (The Dubliners), but frankly, I don't care to read any of James Joyce's novels.  They seem very obscurely written and full of unhappy subject matter.  I can take dark subject matter if it is written accessibly.  I don't find Joyce accessible. 

Here is my list of "classics" that I actually do want to read sometime in my life:

* Slaughter-House-Five by Kurt Vonnegut (currently reading, which inspired this list) completed 6/29

*The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald (yeah, I can't believe I've never been forced to read this either)

*The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger

*Catch-22 by Joseph Heller

*Farenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

*Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck

*The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain

*The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros

*The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton

*The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck

*Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides

This list exists mainly so that maybe every once in a while I'll pick up one of these books to read in between the many other books I'd like to read.  

Two posts in one night!

I didn't want to add this to my Janeite post, so I'm making a new one.  I don't update this nearly enough anyway, not that anyone really reads it.  

I'm up to a total of 26 books read this year so far, thanks to diligent reading at the cottage yesterday.  I'm proud of myself- not having a whole lot of time to actually read, I'm making good use of weekends.  I hope to get some more in before classes start soon again.  

For some strange reason, I feel compelled to put my two cents out there about this.  It shouldn't be a huge surprise that I follow popular culture with mild interest.  I say mild because I'm not addicted, but I do buy those trashy magazines by the checkout sometimes as a guilty pleasure.  So I wouldn't say that I don't have an opinion about things that are happening in the celebrity world, though I am a little ashamed of myself sometimes.  Like now.  Yes, I am going to comment on the current hot mess that is Jon and Kate Goselin. 

I'm pretty sure you know who I'm talking about- they have 8 kids and seemed to survive undetected under the celebrity radar for a few seasons on TLC until it seemed as though Jon was having an affair. Gasp.  All of a sudden ratings were through the roof and both Jon and Kate were splashed over all the soft news shows as if this was actual news worth our time.  

It's been this way for a few weeks now.  I'm sick of the coverage.  But mostly, I'm sick for those poor kids.  I would never come right out and say that either Jon OR Kate were bad parents.  Not even the spanking thing- I was spanked as a kid and I don't condone it, but I also don't think that they are bad parents for spanking their children, if they feel that is how they can discipline them. 

However, I do feel badly that these poor 8 children, desperate for attention from their parents because they are normal children, have been thrust into the national spotlight and their parents' dirty laundry is flying from hundreds of flagpoles nationwide.  Instead of being able to parent as they ought to in a family crisis, Kate and Jon are flying from TV studio to TV studio across the nation, talking dejectedly about their family's problems.  Uh, hello? Problem numero uno: YOU'RE NOT THERE FOR YOUR KIDS AT THIS CRUCIAL TIME!  Grandma, aunt, or camera crew just ain't going to cut it.  If there truly is so much marital strife that it isn't going to work out, the best thing you can do for your children's mental health is to get them out of the national spotlight and try to deal with it AS A FAMILY.  Which they claim to be and I hope they truly are.  

I know there isn't a perfect family out there, but screwing your poor children up so that you can reap the monetary benefits of fame on a TV show is not right, in my opinion.  If you are lucky enough to be a parent, and I do mean that people should feel it's a privilege not a right, you should make parenting your number one job.  Children are so vulnerable.  Period.  And I fear those kids will be really messed up some day because of their parents' actions.  I hope that this is not the case.  

Speaking as a teacher, I see the effects of parental neglect.  I'm not just talking about the Goselins anymore either.  Parents all over the country are effing up.  The only thing your child cares about, especially the younger they are, is your attention and love.  That's all they ever want.  Any parent who thinks that partying, or working tons, or pushing them off on relatives or babysitters constantly so they can live their life is failing their child.  It doesn't matter what school they go to, what clothing they wear, or how many expensive toys they play with, all they want is their parents to pay attention to them, discipline them (yes they do) and love them.  It should be the easiest and best job in the world, though the reality is that it isn't.  But it should be parents' #1 priority.  And it's sad that in so many cases, it isn't.

I'm a full-fledged Janeite now!

I finished Mansfield Park this past weekend.  I'm excited- that was my last Austen to read!  Now I have read all 6 books and feel I can sufficiently rank them (cue fanfare):

Emma's Personally Ranked Austen Favorites:

1. Pride and Prejudice- Just barely eked out a win based on Elizabeth and Darcy (of course), coupled with Jane and Bingley, the horrid awkwardness of Mr. Collins, and the best pacing of her larger novels (lots of action! never boring)

2. Persuasion- The letter ALONE could have induced me to a pile of jelly at Captain Wentworth's feet, but Jane has one of the best structures to this novel- plus, its shorter than others so it flows very well.

3. Sense and Sensibility- Good story, I like Elinor and Marianne's whole family (mother and Margaret), Edward is lovely, but Jane screwed up poor Marianne's story.  She had so much going for and then Jane gives her... Colonel Bradon??!!? Uh, weird. Plus, the novel seemed to drag, especially in some parts.  I feel there were cuts that could have been made.

4. Emma- Its been a while since I read this, but I have excellent memories of laughing with my mother at Jane's lovely novel. I had it originally ranked above S&S, but then I remembered: Emma with Mr. Knightley?  Really? A little creepy.  More creepy than Edmund and Fanny.  He held her when she was a baby!

5. Northanger Abbey- I liked the set up of making fun of gothic novels (not that I don't like them myself).  Reminds me of people making fun of the Harlequin Romance novels of today.  But I don't remember feeling as compelled to make everyone read it, which, to me, is a mark of a good book.

6. Mansfield Park- explanation below

Just because I ranked MP last does NOT mean that I hated it.  In fact, it would rank higher than many books I've read.  I adore Jane's wit and sardonic humor in all of her novels, and there were quite a few moments in MP where I found myself chuckling or smiling to myself because I understood what Jane meant to do with what she had written a character to say or do.  But I felt like it was work to get through it some times.  

Some of Jane's worst annoying characters occur in MP- Mrs. Norris first and foremost, cousin Maria, Henry Crawford. Some would even argue that Fanny herself is an annoying character- I'm not so convinced this is true.  I started to warm toward her as the novel continued (and continued and continued).  At least I was glad to see she had SOME human feelings, such as rejoicing internally when things wouldn't work out for Edmund and Mary Crawford, and wishing that unpleasant things would happen so that Edmund wouldn't see Mary anymore.  Finally, I thought, she's human.  There was quite a bit of good-two-shoes-ness to her.  But I also saw a lot of my own tendencies to keep my feelings to myself in her.  And I couldn't hate her for that.

Emma's Personally Ranked Austen Heroines:           Emma's Ranked Austen Male Romantic Leads:

1. Elizabeth Bennet                                                                   1. Captain Wentworth

2. Anne Elliot                                                                            2. Fitzwilliam Darcy

3. Elinor Dashwood                                                                   3. Edward Ferrars

4. Fanny Price                                                                          4. Henry Tilney

5. Emma Woodhouse                                                               5. Edmund Bertram

6. Marianne Dashwood (tie)                                                      6. Mr. Knightley

6. Catherine Morland (tie)

Catherine is at the bottom only because she was so young and naive and gullible, she was a bit annoying.  And I remember being annoyed at Emma for quite some time, especially since she shares my name and ALL Emmas must live up to the name, I believe, but she was able to redeem herself at the end of the novel; plus, she really did mean well, she just made mistakes (as we all do).  I wasn't as annoyed with Fanny as I thought I might be.  

I added Marianne to my list because, though I feel Elinor's was the true main storyline to S&S, Marianne's was right up there with hers the whole time.  I feel so terrible about what her marriage ended up being, though... There must have been a better match for poor Marianne!  I feel justly slighted on her behalf...

As for my Romantic Male Leads, Mr. Knightley has to be at the bottom, I feel I've made that clear already.  And Henry beat Edmund Bertram because Edmund spent most of the novel in love with Mary Crawford, the hussy, and only in the last 10 pages of the book realizes that Fanny is the One.  Loser.  Plus, they're first cousins- a little incestuous, Jane.

I think I have sufficiently proven that I really am a Janeite now, even if I kinda was before but never truly acknowledged it. I think she is a fantastic author, whom I hope to share with others and revisit again and again in the future, though I'm not sure I'll read all 6 again too soon.

Yes!

Take the Quiz here!

I thought for sure I'd get Anne Elliot- I'm much more quiet and less witty than Elizabeth, but either way I would have been happy. Now where is my Mr. Darcy?

Slowly getting ready for Kindergarten next year. I'm excited.

I want to see this

http://www.apple.com/trailers/focus_features/awaywego/

It looks poignant and funny and the music in the trailer is good and I love John Krasinski.  How could it be wrong?  Oh, and I love Alison Janney.  She makes everything better.  Juno?  Hilarious.  10 Things I Hate About You? Doubly so.

I also want to see Where the Wild Things Are.  And of COURSE I will be watching Harry Potter 6.  Totally stoked for that. 

Update

I've been terribly negligent of this blog... what a surprise.  I either update a lot of times with stupid entries or a forget for weeks.  Oh well.

Today I went to an author event in Grand Rapids, Michigan!  David Wiesner (author of Tuesday and Flotsam, beautifully illustrated non-word children's books and other children's books WITH words) and Gene Luen Yang, author of a great autobiographical graphic novel, American Born Chinese.  

Update to my Books Read in 2009 List:

*Perfect Fifths by Megan McCafferty

*Coraline by Neil Gaiman

They were both good books.  Perfect Fifths possibly less so.  Its the fourth sequel to Sloppy Firsts, a book set in high school narrated by the cynically hyper-acute Jessica Darling.  The first two were great, and then the next three were eh.  Not terrible, but for some reason, not as compelling as the first two.  It was nice to see Marcus and Jessica together again in the fifth book and talking about stuff.  McCafferty did have Jessica grow up well- she was a little overly angsty in the first three or so books.  I felt like loose ends were tied up and stories from earlier books expanded in a realistic fashion.  I read through it quickly because I wanted to find out what was going to happen.  Would they not get back together and piss off the fans of the four previous books?

And tonight I finished Coraline.  I enjoyed it a lot and am looking forward to reading The Graveyard Book by Neil. I have a lot to read... the list just keeps on growing, too.  

I'm currently reading Mansfield Park and Two Parties, One Tux.  The latter is a Young Adult book recommended on my local library's website on the Teen page.  It's the one I'm sure I'll finish first.  It's quicker to read.  

Not that I don't love my Jane.  Because I do.  It's the last of her 6 novels I haven't read yet.  I want to reread Emma sometime, since I haven't read it since I was in 9th grade and I think I'd appreciate it a little more now.  Though reading it with my mom is one of my happy childhood memories. 

I'm listening to the new Snow Patrol cd that I got from the library... its okay.  There's really only one or two songs that I really like on it.  The rest are kinda slow and weird.  I like the faster ones with good beats, like half of my favorite of their albums, Final Straw.

I think I'll listen to Radiohead now.

Huzzah! Huzzah!

Tomorrow evening I'm flying out to my favorite city in the whole world, New York City.  I was trying to remember how many times I've been there- I think 6 or 7... I'll have to figure this out by writing it down.

1- 16th birthday weekend (1999)

2- Family trip after my aunt and uncle moved out there (2002?)

3- Summer 2006

4- Thanksgiving trip 2007

5- Spring Break 2008

6- Summer 2008

7- This Spring Break

I feel like I might be missing one, but maybe I'm wrong.  

I am STOKED to go back to the Strand, Fifth Avenue shops, a world where Sephoras and Anthropologies exist, $2 hot dog carts are on every corner, delis are on every other corner, Grimaldis!, book events, and more.  However, I am not packed and I feel like I should be soon.  So that is my mission tonight.  

Yes hi hello

An update- I'm sorry this will be slow-going, as I have a cat on my lap.  And am watching the 2008 BBC version of "Persuasion" on DVD from the library (delightful).  

I have a job for next year!!!! I will be teaching kindergarten in my current district and I am SOOOOOOO excited and happy.  Kindergarten is a wonderful age.  I'm working on my ZA (early childhood endorsement) as of right now, so I will be happy to continue working with young children.  

Also, my reading for this year is very good- I have finished a bingo on my KDL book club chart!  Yes, only one bingo, but any educator knows that's pretty good since I don't have a lot of time for reading.  I believe I have read 10 books so far this year, a mix of adult and YA books.  Currently I'm reading The Chosen by Chaim Potok.  It is required reading in our high school now- my younger sister read it and liked it, though for some unknown reason the idiots in her English class thought the boys were gay.  But the girl I proctored for the MME/ACT (the 11th grade standardized test) said she really enjoyed it.  I'm glad. 

It's amazing to see how completely different life is for those very religious Jewish students, both Hasidic and non-Hasidic.  I know some about the Jewish religion and way of life from previous reading and extensive literary Holocaust study, however, this book opened up new nuances to Jewish life that I had not previously known.  The book is set in the 1940s in New York City, but is not a New York City that I recognize- skullcaps, school on Sundays, Sabbath (or Shabbat) dedicated solely to worship and discussion of sacred Jewish texts and theologic interpretation... I love learning about a new culture- this is making me want to read The Kite Runner soon.  

I have my books for the first leg of my spring break trip to New York City: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and The Thirteenth Book.  I love airplane travel because it allows me around 8 hours of solid reading time.  I love to have time where I can occupy myself solely with reading.  I chose those two books because I've had them for quite some time and still haven't read them.  I'd also like to add Middlesex or The Kite Runner, but they are a bit large for travel.  Heavy.

I finally exercised today, aided by the fact that I bought some DVDs at Target.  If I'm not going to pay for a membership or classes, I had better do something.  I was feeling it in my back yesterday when sitting in bed.  Unfortunately, that's all I've been doing for the better part of 6+ months.  And if I'm to be doing lots of bending next year with little kids, I need to have my back in working order.  Plus, I'd love to have better looking arms, legs, and butt. Let's hope I can continue.

Quick post

I finished The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society in about a week.  I love when I get through books quickly, and I really enjoyed the book as well.  It told a WWII story that I was not previously aware of: first of all that there are Channel Islands between England and France, and second of all, that they were taken over by Hitler's Germany after the fall of France.  I didn't realize Nazi Germany got that close to invading England.  

It was a very engaging and light read- it's told after the war has ended, so the macabre subject that is Occupied Europe during WWII was not forced down your throat.  It could have been done much more depressing-ly.  

I'm also at least halfway through two books: Ransom My Heart (fluffy chick lit novel from Meg Cabot, under the guise of Mia Thermopolis, Princess of Genovia, tie in with her last Princess Diaries book released last month) and The 3 Willows, a book by Ann Brashares that ties in with her very popular Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series but doesn't use the characters from that book all that much.  I'm enjoying them both, and I hope to finish them soon.  But I also need to get a project done for my one master's class I'm taking right now.  Lots to do... 

Oh, and I'm pretty sure I'll be job searching again quite soon.  Times are tough around here.  I hope I'm just being overly pessimistic...