mix and mingle

There’s lots of discussion about what Disney princess movies teach little girls, but has anyone thought about what they teach little boys?

Yes, yes they have.

This article talks about a study done on how Disney Princess movies affect young children, specifically, young boys.  I don’t want to give spoilers but the affect these movies had on boys was exactly opposite of what I thought it would be.

Writers are told to read, read, read. But does what we read matter? According to this article it does. I’m not 100% sold on its conclusions but I will agree that reading ‘good’ writing is better than reading ‘bad’ writing, no matter the genre.  Though why someone would purposefully read something they think is ‘bad’ is beyond me.

On a happy note. We’ve finally broke ground!  In six or so months we’ll have a house again. 

beginnings

I’ve been thinking about first pages a lot lately. When I look for good examples in published books there is one book I keep coming back to. This was a book I found and read solely on the strength of its first line.  The book is SILENT IN THE GRAVE by Deanna Raybourn.

It starts with this:

“To say that I met Nicholas Brisbane over my husband’s dead body is not entirely accurate. Edward, it should be noted, was still twitching upon the floor.”

Isn’t it intriguing? Who is Nicholas Brisbane and why is he the focus rather than her twitching dying husband? Also, there’s a bit of dry humor in these sentences that made me know I would like the writing.

It continues.

“I stared at him, not quite taking in the fact that he had just collapsed at my feet. He lay, cured like a question mark, his evening suit ink-black against the white marble of the floor. He was writhing, his fingers knotted.” 

This sets the stage for what is happening. We also learn something about their socio-economic station in life. They have a marble floor; he wears an evening suit. We also learn a little about their marriage.

Next paragraph.

“I leaned as close to him as my corset would permit.”

Here, with the reference to the corset, it sets the time period.

“’Edward, we have guests. Do get up. If this is some sort of silly prank—“

Again, this sets up their relationship. If my husband fell to the ground convulsing I wouldn’t stand there and accuse him of pranking, or worry about guests. Though married, they weren’t close, definitely not in love, which brings us back to who could that Nicholas Brisbane be?  He shows up in the next paragraph but I’ll let you keep going on your own.

I love how these few sentences set the backdrop and the characters. I may not know Edward well enough to be devastated at his dying, but there are so many questions, so much vivid description that I want to keep reading. That is the goal of a good opening.

What is your favorite opening? Do you have one that you keep going back to?

Book Pile

The other day I came into the playroom and found the kid's bookshelf like this.

My heart stopped for a moment, horrified, because we don't treat books like that, and because we're trying to sell the house and we have to keep it clean, clean, clean. I got over it quickly. Who can be angry  at children who like to read?

Apparently, Mini Engineer had been looking for a specific book. A book he couldn't find because I had pulled several books and toys out and hid them. When we take the three day drive to Denver we'll have things for the kids to play with in the car that they haven't seen in months and hopefully won't get bored with quickly. 

I sat down and read them some stories. After all, my kids are more important than a clean house or painting the last of the trim.

I love that they love to read. I love that they have favorite books that they just HAVE to find. But, I'm sure I'll love it more when they learn to clean up afterwards.

Do you Re?

How many of you reread books?  I know people who do and people who don't.

I do. Sometimes.I used to reread more. Now, it seems my list is too long and my time too short.

I have often had people ask why I reread books. The question used to bother me. Now, I just ask them if they've ever watched a movie or TV show more than once. I've never had anyone answer no. So I ask why they re-watch movies. The answer is usually one I can apply to books too.

The truth of it is, some books are just good friends. Friends you want to visit from time to time. Friends you can learn things from, about life, or about writing.

I don't have specific requirements for comforting rereads. They just have to be books I connect with. There is a wide variety, depending on my mood and why I'm rereading. I have books that are easy reads for when I'm sick and my head feels stuffed with corn husks. At that time want something entertaining but something I don't have to think too hard about. There are times I'm worried or depressed, then I might pull out something with hope, something that helps me see the good in myself. I might be bored or dissatisfied with life and something will just stick in my head until I read it.

I have a degree in comparative literature so I've read a lot of classics. I have a weak spot for Russian authors such as Tolstoy, Valentine Rasputin, and Chekhov.  I've enjoyed Harry Potter several times and many books by authors Thomas Costain, Diana Gabaldon, Robin McKinley, Megan Whalen Turner, Juliet Marillier, Deanna Raybourne Jane Austen, and Anne Tyler. JANE EYRE, ANNA KARENINA, THE FAMILY NOBODY WANTED, I CAPTURE THE CASTLE, PAVILION OF WOMEN, KETURAH AND LORD DEATH, and Terry Pratchet's THE WEE FREE MEN series. (I'm finishing my first reread of them now. Actually I'm listening on audio book and that may make the difference.)

Not all of these are the best written books in the world. Many of them are books from my youth or college years and maybe that's why I go back to them. To remember a bit of the past, a bit of me that I've lost. Or to remember how I felt and dreamed back then. I don't know. I just know that sometimes I need something comforting and that means visiting an old friend.

Do you reread? Why? What books?

Big Reveals

Hey all, sorry  for the problem with comments earlier today. I think I have it fixed now. Thanks for your patience. Now, on to the post.


There are times when the author can raise tension by holding information back. There are also times when the author holds something back for the sake of holding it back. The author gives hints and says things such as ‘I wouldn’t think about that now’. It gets old and the reader figures it out. If this is the case, when the author finally gets to the Big Reveal the reader is bored. The book has lost momentum because the author was continually holding back, never moving us forward.  

I've seen an increasing amount of this recently and it's a little disturbing. The author doesn't need to shove everything into the story at once. Information should be given when it is pertinent. That could mean up front, or it could mean later in the story. But, the reader shouldn’t be kept in the dark if everyone else in the story knows. It creates a lack of trust between the reader, the book, and the author. And if the only tension or build up the author has is these kind of reveals, then there really isn’t much going for the book. 

It would be much better to create a forward moving story, focused on the events of the literary present, rather than the past. While the past does affect the present in novels (and in life) we shouldn’t be hung up on it. Keep the story moving forward. Don’t hold us back.  

Have you seen much of this?  What do you think?

Reading as protest

One thing we see in many dystopians  is some sort of banning of books and literature.  Unfortunately, it doesn't just happen in books. There are times in history and places in our world today where people can’t read anything they want, where people are only allowed to learn or know what their government approves.  I saw an article here, where the people of Thailand are using reading as a form of peaceful protest against the new  military rule. It remains to be seen what, if anything, the government will do with these protesters.  

  

But it makes us wonder why. Why is reading an act of defiance? Why are books some of the first things to go in restrictive or dystopian governments?  Why does that scare us so much?

Reading can expand our minds, teach us new things, show us that their way isn’t the only way, give us strength to say no.  A government, real or imagined, that wants to control the people need to control how they think, how they see the world. To do that they must control what people put into their brains. They must make sure that only literature supporting their decisions, or making their decision seem logical is available to the masses. Otherwise the people might just start thinking for themselves. But  they can never take away whats already there, the things we already know, all the books we've already read.

Sometimes, reading can be an act of defiance. I hope those people in Thailand that are using books to show their discontent are safe. I applaud them for standing up for literature and for the society they want to have. I wonder if I would be so brave.