Shakespeare

I am trying to get a handle on how to read Shakespeare because I want to.   When I read Shakespeare, I start to Shakespeare speak.   I ordered a book this morning to help me figure out how to read the lesser known plays.   I suppose this is Karin giving herself a crash course in Shakespeare, even if it takes a year.   I can't even remember the name of the play I am reading now....pause to check.  I think it is called "Two Gentleman" and now I am currently getting lost in what is going on.  

I am sure this is too lofty a goal to try to work on right now but hey, I am tired of being ignorant of all things Shakespeare.   I  only know a little.   My high school English teacher, who I loved and sadly can't remember her name, was awesome at helping us understand what we were reading.   I have carried that reading with me to other books read and I also get to understand some of the more subtle jokes in movies etc.   That seems like a fun reason to read the plays right?   Hopefully I don't look back at this post months from now and realize I forgot to keep reading them.   Here goes!

My book rating system

It doesn't have to be anyone else's rating system but have decided that the best books to me are books with layers.   Depending on how the layers are laid together, the better the book.  Some books the layers are obvious and in others you realize a bit later on what happened before and dots are connected.   The Christian themes in Dickens and Gaskell's books seem to reflect a society of the time which understood a life of Catechesis and vocation.   There is an obvious acknowledgement of the value of people's different stations in life.   I call it a relief to read about a culture which once existed.   The readers of that day, considering I am referring to best sellers, must have understood these understandings and the natural flow of the story line in respect to Christ as the center of family and decisions.   I may stick with this time period a bit and see how many other books and authors carry on the same set of priorities or Christ centered lives and confident concern for those living outside the church.  

What makes a book a good book?

I'm asking.   I think I am enjoying the present "North and South" read but then read reviews and am not sure I am supposed to like it?   I suppose being written in 1855, it might be a "Pride and Prejudice" want to be.    It is fairly good and deals with a relative topic of that time.   Hmmm........how do I pick up any discriminatory taste?   I suppose I will just read it, ponder the social times and move on.   I am probably thinking too hard.  

Another book - North and South

I am now reading the book "North and South" by Elisabeth Gaskell.   It was written in 1855.   Silly me assumed it was about the Yankees and Southerners.....not.   Instead it is about the North and South of England and the class struggles of the time.  The surprise that anywhere else has a North and South?  Anyway, without giving too many spoilers, the main character spends much time pondering the classes different stations in life and how Christ is central to all no matter their station in life.   It is shockingly refreshing to read since that doesn't tend to the perspective of most or practically all modern literature.   Again a picture is painted, like Dicken's books, of the struggles of life related to faith and life and the centrality of Christ in every person's life, believer or not.   Worth reading.  

Distraction by Reading

I have this stupid struggle with depression and so since it is stupid but real, I have decided to distract myself by reading.....a lot.    The internet gives a person popcorn brain and facebook does not help all that much to distract but rather detracts from my functioning so.......between running away from the internet, at least during most of the day, and whacking away at my 'want to reads' and 'want to read to the kids' agenda, I might be able to keep my mind occupied against the evils lurking at my door with my head.   Sounds like a plan.

Of course reading could add to depression if I read to avoid real life.   Yuck.   The balance is a pain.   Can I handle structured life?   I might be able to remember structured life this week, but maybe I will forget next week?   Who knows.

My last read, "A Tale of Two Cities" was very awesome.   Some say it has too much tedium in the beginning, but I think I just want to reread the beginning so I can connect the dots of all the nuances I missed the first time round.   It took me weeks to find time to read at all so I thought I was just mixed up from forgetting what had already happened.   Perhaps I was just a bit lost.   I highly recommend it for excellent weaving of events and characters.   The Christ like sacrifice was beautifully written and a basic work of art.   Images of the feet walking and walking forward through life and death the sure end to all were rich.   I kind of wonder now if my grandfather was a fan of this book or if he chose the verse for his gravestone from a basic love of the promise it holds.  Perhaps my grandmother chose it.   Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life.[d] Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, 26 and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. John 11: 25 - 26.   Perhaps I will choose this for my gravestone.   I never met my grandfather but feel bonded to him in this verse.   It was a key verse in "A Tale".   Yay Dickens!   There are some of his I want to reread.   

So other than reading and running away from the internet as much as this weakling can manage.....remembering my responsibilities might be helpful too.   Hmmmm........runs away from laptop.   

Read to Me

I have had the pleasure of discovering the fun of having my kids read books to ME!   Not the kids who are learning to read, although we do that too, but the older kids.    I have wanted them to work on their ability to read aloud and their fluency anyway so my third dear son Martin came up with the idea to read Harry Potter to me.   I am going to encourage more of this behavior as it was very sweet and I enjoyed listening to the story.    It helps me to work with him on his vocabulary a bit and it is also endearing.  

Last night Cecilia and I hit the hay (my hay) at eight o'clock ish after spending an hour with Benjamin who was working on  his reading (a wee bit tedious at times).   I was too tired to read anymore of my own book so she perused my Nook library and peppered me with questions about what the books were about.   She finally settled on reading Aesop's fables and I suggested she read them to me as I drifted off to LaLa land.   She did and we had some nice discussions as to the point of each little tale.   It was sweet and sometimes funny.   She kept telling my about how the Rocky and Bullwinkle series told these same stories.   Yay, Rocky and Bullwinkle for assisting the education of my children.   I guess I will give her the second set for her birthday next Saturday.   It has been in my closet for over a year.  

Anywho, I am enjoying this activity more than I expected and hopefully the  younger ones will see this as something to look forward to.   My nest is the best nest for reading and snuggling with the kiddos.