Tara Road

East of Eden shows why John Steinbeck is such an acclaimed author. Following the lives of the Trask family from 1860’s Connecticut to the Salinas Valley, Northern California during World War I, the novel explores human nature and the choices that people make in their lives. The Hamilton family, Lee the Chinese philosopher-cook, and others who are involved in and influence the lives of the Trasks, also play important roles in the novel, adding character and variety to the story.

The story of Adam and Catherine Trask parallels the biblical story of Adam and Eve; the story of their sons, Caleb and Aron Trask parallels the story of Cain and Abel. Like the Hebrew version of both biblical stories, East of Eden, revolves around the Hebrew word, Timshel - thou mayest - to which Steinbeck attributes great significance. The narrative explores the choices that the main characters make and leads the reader to examine his or her own choices in life.

A reflective commentary on human nature, East of Eden takes the reader on a tour of the human mind and focuses on people’s abilities to deal with emotions, as seen through the eyes of Steinbeck. The novel’s characters encompass a wide cross-section of humanity - the poor and the rich, the dreamer and the pragmatist, philosophers, poets, the brave, and the cowardly, giving the reader insight into a diversified human morass. Readers might question the authenticity of the one-dimensional character of the evil Catherine Trask, but even this character serves to illustrate a facet of human existence - life without a conscience.

Although the novel moves at a sedate pace, it augments the story rather than detracts from it, giving readers time to think and absorb, something they are bound to do when reading this novel. Those who enjoy philosophical discussions and are intrigued by the human mind will enjoy this sensitive, thought-provoking, and fascinating portrayal of humanity. n

Emma is quite possibly my favorite book out of all the books that Jane Austen wrote.

I am a fan of classic literature. I read some new books. However there is something a lot more alluring about a classic. One that has been read time and time again. Emma can actually apply to real life as well. If you’ve seen the movie Clueless, then you have more or less gone through the story of Emma. There are so many similarities between the two that it is startling.

In the book, Emma who is the main character is born into a life of privilege. Her mother has passed on, so she lives with her father. They are the premier family in town. Emma thinks that she knows what is best for everyone, which a lot of people do so it’s forgiveable. Initially I didn’t totally like her. I do now though. She becomes friends with Harriet who is of lesser class. She guides Harriet through. Yes, I am leaving a lot of meat out of the story because if I told you about the whole book. I would still be here hours from now. And no doubt you wouldn’t. In the end, everything works out. Emma ends up with whom she should as does Harriet. Everything is as it should be.

It’s a great book. I think that it is better than Pride and Prejudice, which has become recently popular with the release of the movie. I usually hate books made into movies. They usually destroy the whole story. This is a movie though that I think does justice to the original work. So Emma is a good read. Pride and Prejudice also a good read but a good movie as well.

The Spiral Staircase was written by Karen Armstrong. The author of this book was a nun for 7 years before leaving her position as a nun to study at Oxford. She describes her feelings in the Spiral Staircase. She felt lost in a world that had continued to spin in the 7 years she had been a nun. When she returned to the world that existed outside of the ministry, she knew nothing about people, geography, politics, dating or socializing. She lived in a world of minimalist ideas. So when she did re-enter society, she found it difficult. There is a particular quote that I like from this book:

“Once the fixed point of home is gone, there is a fundamental lack of orientation that makes everything seem relative and aimless.” (more…)

I usually go to garage sales on Saturday morning. This last Saturday morning, I found across an older copy of Gone with the Wind. I’ve been reading it ever since. I’ve read the book several times. It has to be one of my favorite books. It has so much to offer to the reader. Action, comedy, drama, and emotion is set forth throughout the whole book. Gone with the Wind is set in Atlanta during the Civil War. It recounts the horror of the Civil War and how it destroyed the culture and traditions of the South. (more…)

So this really has to be one of the best books on love I have read in a long time. I guess you could say that I could be a romantic. However I think more than that I am a realist, which could be why I have so many posts on the effects of love. This book really takes an in depth look at the relationship between two people. It looks at the lives they lead and how love affected them. (more…)

Nicholas Sparks has become a popular writer here in the past few years, most notably for The Notebook. While The Notebook is a good book, I just wanted to write about another book that he wrote. It is not as famous as The Notebook but it is still good. Here’s a little synopsis:

The story surrounds Julie Barenson’s. She was happily married to the love of her life until he died suddenly from a brain tumor. She was left alone and thought her life was over. On Christmas Eve, a Great Dane puppy is delivered at the door with a letter from her husband. The book transcends four years later. She is twenty-nine and still living in Swansboro, North Carolina. She has been dating lately with some serious failures. She meets a nice guy that is normal comparative to the rest of them. However, she and Mike, her husband’s best friend, have come to like each other. So of course, she has to choose between Mike, which feels like she is betraying her husband and Richard, the new guy, that does all these extravagant feelings for her. She does choose the right guy.

This book is a little idealistic of love and happiness. I think that idea is great but I don’t think that love in real life exists in the same way. But it is a good read! It’s very interesting and makes you want to believe that Julie will find happiness after all!

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One of my favorite books that I have probably read many times over is A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. It’s told from Francie Nolan’s point of view. To give a brief synopsis of the book:

The Nolan family is a family, living in Brooklyn. Like all the other families in their neighborhood, they are poor. Papa is an undiagnosed alcohol, who peddles away his time at the local bar. He was once a good singer. However, now, he sings as a waiter for events. Katie better known as Mama is a cleaning lady for the building that the family lives in. By cleaning the whole building, she manages to forego rent everything month. Then there are the two children, Francie and Neeley. Francie is a smart girl. She knows she’s smart even though she is poor. Everyone tells her she won’t succeed. In the end, she’s the one that gained the most. The story was set in Brooklyn during the early 1900s.

So now that you have a little more information, I think that you would really like it. Francie is this amazing child who has a will to learn. I suppose I like her because why anyone likes a certain character. She overcomes diversity. She becomes whom she wants to be without having to sacrifice who she is. I think that’s what all of us want in the end. To get where we are going, without having to give up part of ourselves along the way.

I also think that I like her so much because I can somewhat identify with her. I mean that is why books are written, so the reader can identify with the characters. I guess I feel like somehow I’ve fought my battles to get where I am today. And I’m not going to take less than what I perceive is the best for me. Being from a poor neighbor, Francie is thought of as dirty and worthless because she comes to school “unclean” and not clothed appropriately. In this particular era, there is a large gap between the successful and the down right dirt poor. And well if you aren’t in the successful half, you aren’t worth the time of day. Teachers tell Francie that she is stupid and that she won’t succeed. She is forced out of school when her father dies of alcoholism. She is forced to work so that she can provide for the family so that they won’t starve. But she, a poor girl from Brooklyn, makes it. She takes the college entrance exam without going to a day of high school. She passes them.

So in all this book is good. It makes you feel good at the end to see her succeed!