The Classics Circuit - Welcome Wilkie Collins!

We're halfway through the very first tour of The Classics Circuit, as Mr. Wilkie Collins makes his way around the blogosphere.  I present to you my review of his work, The Moonstone!

Title: The Moonstone

Author: Wilkie Collins

No. of Pages: 596

First Released: 1868 

Synopsis (Courtesy of B&N): "One of the first English detective novels, this mystery involves the disappearance of a valuable diamond, originally stolen from a Hindu idol, given to a young woman on her eighteenth birthday, and then stolen again." 

Comments and Critique:  As mentioned by others, this is considered the first detective novel.  To me, this is a character novel first and foremost.  The narrative is told by various participants and eyewitnesses to the disappearance of the diamond.  From an aging servant to a spinster activist to a charming bachelor to a lawyer to a great investigator and more, the different viewpoints not only further along the mystery to the point of resolution, Mr. Collins uses them to share pointed commentary on various characteristics found in real-life.  It is equal parts amusing, uncomfortable and intriguing.

This is actually the second time I read this book.  The first time I read it, I focused on the mystery itself.  I found myself trying to solve the crime before it was resolved, which is something I never really try to do.  As far as mysteries go, while it may be considered the first great detective novel, with crime shows the primary focus on television these days and the proliferation of detective thrillers in general, The Moonstone is quite an easy mystery to solve.  The twists and turns which may have kept Mr. Collins' readers on the edge of their seats waiting for the publication of the next installment just do not have the same impact that they do for today's reader.  We've already seen them played out in hundreds of mysteries for them to be an effective plot device anymore. 

This second read found me focusing on everything but the mystery, even though I did not quite remember whodunit.  As I mentioned, this is as much a character novel as it is a mystery.  As a character piece, this book is one of the best I've ever read.  The lovable, aging but extremely loyal servant, Gabriel Betteredge, on the surface appears to be nothing but a grandfatherly type, until he starts talking about his wife and women in general, why they are the inferior sex.  He talks quite bluntly about treating pretty house servants differently, patting their cheek and other rather sexist behaviors towards women.  Yes, he is lovable but his opinion on women is definitely a failing.

Miss Clack is another narrator who is not quite as innocent as she professes on the page.  Espousing Christian virtues, Miss Clack exhibits some of the most un-Christian behavior in the book.  Comparing her actions with those of the mysterious but extremely devout Hindu servants, Mr. Collins is so subtly  hinting at the fact that Christianity may not be the only, or best, religion.

In fact, the charm of this story is the fact that Mr. Collins suggests that English imperialism has a lasting impact on both countries and not for the better.  Given the fact that the Moonstone used to be part of a Hindu idol, the suggestion as to the rightful heirs of the diamond could be debated forever.  It is an interesting foreshadowing to the imperialism debate when imperialism did not truly become popular until after The Moonstone was published.  To say that Mr. Collins was ahead of his time with social commentary and with detective novels is definitely an understatement! 

In parting, this is such an enjoyable book.  From a historical perspective, this is a great way to go back to the beginning origins of the detective mystery and discover just how many of our popular, beloved detectives got their start from Sergeant Cuff.  As I mentioned, the social commentary, while subtle, is definitely worth discovering.  I have thoroughly enjoyed my visit with Wilkie Collins!

So, what are your thoughts?  Have you read The Moonstone?  Likes? Dislikes?  More importantly, should I add The Woman in White to my TBR list?

The Sunday Salon - November 29, 2009

I hope everyone had a fantastic week!  We left on Wednesday to spend Thanksgiving with my brother and his family.  They graciously welcomed us to their beautiful new home, cooked a fabulous spread and in general allowed us to relax and enjoy their company.  I loved spending time with my adorable nephew and niece too!  It was a great getaway. 

Thanks to nap times for my aforementioned niece and nephew, I was able to start and finish quite a few books this week: Everything Sucks by Hannah Friedman, Spellbinder by Helen Stringer, and The Recipe Club by Andrea Israel and Nancy Garfinkel.  I started my chosen book for The Classics Circuit' Elizabeth Gaskell Tour and was able to put a hurt on my book club book.  I also weeded through the various 2010 challenges and decided which ones in which I want to participate.  We shall see just how well I do!

Speaking of accomplishments, I did sign up for the ominous third exam in my certification process.  January 23rd is the day.  I am a little uncertain about that date because it is literally following budget week, during which I get to spend my days in meetings with account managers and upper management as they negotiate their sales budgets for the upcoming fiscal year.  It is a painfully long albeit necessary process, one that will not afford me much free time for studying.  I guess this means I need to start studying sooner rather than later.  Sigh.

I really need to start Christmas shopping.  I have ideas but have not actually purchased anything yet, and that includes for my Secret Santa in the blog world.  I am finding it rather difficult to get into the holiday spirit this year, though.  Unfortunately, I am not certain why.  I hate fighting the crowds, and knowing that we will be gone for the holidays puts a damper on me wanting to decorate or bake.  Hopefully, once I get started, I will break out of this ennui.  How about you?  How is everyone doing on their holiday shopping?  Does anyone else get rather unenthusiastic about the holidays, or is it just me? 

That's about it for me.  I wish everyone a wonderful week to come and happy reading!

REVIEW - Hex in High Heels by Linda Wisdom

Title:  Hex in High Heels

Author:  Linda Wisdom

No. of Pages:  321

First Released:  2009

Synopsis (Courtesy of B&N):  "In this sexy, funny paranormal romance by bestselling author Linda Wisdom, it's all beautiful witch Blair Fitzpatrick can do to keep a lid on her talent for revenge spells, but things are about to get a lot more complicated...

Blair loves running her vintage shop and hanging out with witchy friends Stasi and Jazz. She's forever had a crush on hunky carpenter Jake Harrison, whose Were nature (he's a Border collie) makes him loyal, lovable, and fierce when need be. Just as sparks are beginning to fly, Blair is served with a big surprise when Jake's mother shows up along with his pack leader, who threatens to make Jake heel! When the alpha does the unthinkable, Blair is pushed over the edge. No one messes with her boyfriend-to-be, even if he does shed on the furniture!"

Comments and Critique:  Fun, fun, fun.  That's my short review.  I thoroughly enjoyed myself reading this book.  Ms. Wisdom has created a fascinating world filled with witches, weres, wizards, fae, elves, and so much more.  I love the fact that she has added her own spin to each of these myths, making them different from all of the other supernatural series out there these days. 

The synopsis describes it as sexy, and I'll admit I was not prepared for its steaminess.  However, I'm also not complaining about it either.  That side of the story only made it that much more enjoyable for me.  ;-)

I love Blair.  She has a confidence and zest for life that is both refreshing and inspiring.  She makes me want to add a little flair to my own wardrobe, to play with colors, add kitschy decorations to my house and just stop being so compelled to make everything straight-laced and relatively boring.  She inspires me to feel comfortable speaking my own mind and standing up for my beliefs.  In other words, she gives me permission to show the world who I truly am.  It may not be the message Ms. Wisdom intended for the reader to learn but it is what I take away from Hex in High Heels.

The witches' back story is rich and fascinating.  I would love to see Ms. Wisdom branch out into stories about each of the witches over the course of their 700 years, but I find no faults with the story as is either.  While the character development is not the greatest, it is what I expect from a story like this and does not in any way detract from the enjoyment of the story.  In fact, I can't wait to read more about Blair and her witch friends!

Has anyone else read this fascinating story yet?  Did you like it as much as I did?  Please share your thoughts below!

2010 Challenges

I swore I wasn't going to do this.  I am still undecided about challenges, as I do not like feeling pressure to read something other than what I want to read.  I have tried really hard to only participate in challenges that do not require me to deviate from my wish list or TBR pile.  Then I started looking at the challenges for 2010 and found myself sucked into the fun.  Here's what caught my eye:





I have no idea what I am going to read yet, but I know I will finish at least twelve thrillers in the next twelve months.  At least, that is what I am telling myself right now.

The Outlander Reading Challenge

Three people in a matter of five hours mentioned that this series was at the top of the favorite book list, and I became intrigued.  I have Outlander to read as part of a 2009 challenge, and since I am a sucker for a series, the natural step will see me finishing the series.  I am really looking forward to starting this one, based solely on the recommendation of my friends!

 

 100+ Reading Challenge 

This is the mother of all challenges.  I just want to see if I can read 100 books in one year.  I always thought that I did, but considering I never counted the number of books read before, I consider 2009 as a benchmark year and 2010 is the year that I will break this number.  There is no way I am going to predict what books I will read, but trust me that everything I read will go towards this challenge.  

 

Flashback Reading Challenge

I am the queen of re-reading books!  The only books I keep are those I plan on re-reading at some point in time.  There are so many on this list that I am going to sign up for the Literati level, committing to six books this year.  If you can't tell, I take a very lax approach to challenges and am only committing to a certain number while not committing to any particular books right now.  I am going to let my fancy do the choosing for me!

I think this is enough for now, don't you?  I'm sure that there are other challenges that will pique my interest as the year unfolds.  I look forward to seeing if I can complete them all!

Which ones caught your eye?  Any recommendations that would fit into any of my 2010 challenges?

REVIEW - The Missing Ink by Karen E. Olson

Title:  The Missing Ink 

Author: Karen E. Olson 

No. of Pages:  299

First Released:  2009

Synopsis (Courtesy of B&N):  "Brett Kavanaugh is a tattoo artist and owner of an elite tattoo parlor in Las Vegas. When a girl makes an appointment for a tattoo of the name of her fiancé embedded in a heart, Brett takes the job but the girl never shows. The next thing Brett knows, the police are looking for her client, and the name she wanted on the tattoo isn't her fiancé's..."

Comments and Critique:  I want another tattoo.  That's my biggest takeaway after reading this book.  It probably isn't the reaction Ms. Olson was hoping to generate from this book, but I admit that the fact that this mystery revolved around a female tattoo artist is the reason why I read the book in the first place.  My overall thoughts on the book itself are, unfortunately, mixed.  Mainly, I thought this was quite a fluffy, engaging but not overly so.  I found it easy to put down each night and found myself rolling my eyes quite often at many of the very unrealistic scenes that occur throughout the book.  Still, I enjoyed the book. 

In addition, I feel that the subject will not appeal to the masses.  While it is a mystery, the fact of the matter is that the main character has a full-arm tattoo plus one that wraps around her body.  Tattoos are mentioned on almost every page.  While society in general is more tolerant of tattoos, full sleeves or massive ones that cover large portions of the body still generate stares and cause others to immediately form negative opinions about the owner.  I have three small ones and still get stares of disbelief that someone as "vanilla" as me could possibly want one let alone three.  So, I do not seeing a large portion of society being interested in a book about a tattoo artist or someone trying to solve a mystery surrounding a tattoo client. 

Also, I feel that the author knows nothing about tattoos themselves, even though she should.  I get this impression from the way Ms. Olson glosses over descriptions of someone getting a tattoo, how to take care of a newly inked one, and the mindset of someone who is interested in sleeves and leg tats.  She also does not adequately describe the pain of getting inked.  It is a subtle lack of knowledge but, again, for someone who has several of her own, the lack of knowledge is there. 

There is a significant lack of character development in The Missing Ink.  All of the characters remain one-dimensional, with very little back story shared to fully round out the main characters.  Brett remains nosy, selfish and fairly superficial, which surprises me given her profession; tattoo artists or anyone considered on the fringes of society are, in my experience, fairly accepting and open-minded.  Brett constantly jumping to conclusions based on superficial observances bothered me and kept me from fully becoming immersed in the book. 

Given the mostly negative review I have written so far, I did enjoy the book.  I attribute this to the fact that I am a sucker for any mystery.  I have a compulsive need to know the answer that will keep me reading and enjoying them on the whole.  The Missing Ink is no exception.  From a macro level, I enjoyed my time with Brett and her staff from The Painted Lady, even though on a micro level, there is quite a bit with which I can find fault.  The fact is I enjoyed this book in spite of its faults.  I will not be running out to get the rest of the series but I had fun reading it and trying to solve the mystery.  I also figured out what I want for tattoos number four and five.  I consider that to be a successful book.

Has anyone else read this yet?  What did you think?

Happy Turkey Day!

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

On this day of reflection, I thought it would be appropriate to point out how lucky I am:

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  I have a wonderful husband who loves me (and has loved me for the past fifteen+ years) in spite of my weird quirks, anger management issues, idiosyncracies, and neuroses.  I'm positive it hasn't been easy being married to me, and he loves me anyway.  I could not ask for a better partner in this crazy thing called life.
  
  

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  I have two absolutely beautiful and brilliant children.  They each have their own quirks but they have amazed me with their wit, their intelligence, and their sheer beauty since the moment they were born.  I am really looking forward to seeing them conquer future challenges and take the world by storm. 
  
  

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  It might have taken me thirty years but I have wonderful friends.  They've helped me out when I needed it.  I know that I can rant and rave and they are there to support me no matter what I say.  I would do anything for them.  They make coming to work fun and have truly helped me find my voice in life.
  
  

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  I have a great job.  My salary might be lower than my counterparts in the industry, but I have a boss who recognized when I was at my wits' end with my former boss, who took a chance when others voiced their concern I was not ready for additional responsibility, who has encouraged and supported me through this year of self-discovery and development, and who has given me the opportunity to grow.  Even though he does not consider it appropriate, I do consider him my mentor and have learned so much from his support.
  
  

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  I was warmly embraced in the book blogging community.  I started this blog in January as a way to fill the time.  It took me a few months before I started finding my groove and defined how I want to run my blog, but I enjoy every minute of it.  The online blogging community has been so supportive and amazing.  I am so grateful I found this online world because I know that I have made friends people who I may never meet but with whom the bonds of friendship are just as strong.  Knowing that there is a friend across the ocean supporting me in all my craziness is SO empowering.  Thank you for welcoming me and being my friend!
  
  

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  I have a wonderful life.  I have my health.  I have friendship and love.  I have happiness.  A girl couldn't ask for anything more. 
  
  

I hope you all have a wonderful holiday!

REVIEW - Across the Endless River by Thad Carhart

Title:  Across the Endless River

Author: Thad Carhart

No. of Pages: 301

First Released:  2009

Synopsis (Courtesy of B&N): "Born in 1805 on the Lewis and Clark expedition, Jean-Baptiste Charbonneau was the son of the expedition's translators, Sacagawea and Toussaint Charbonneau. Across the Endless River compellingly portrays this mixed-blood child's mysterious boyhood along the Missouri among the Mandan tribe and his youth as William Clark's ward in St. Louis. The novel becomes a haunting exploration of identity and passion as eighteen-year-old Baptiste is invited to cross the Atlantic in 1823 with young Duke Paul of Württemberg.

During their travels throughout Europe, Paul introduces Baptiste to a world he never imagined. Gradually, Baptiste senses the limitations of life as an outsider. His passionate affair with Paul's older cousin helps him understand the richness of his heritage and the need to fashion his own future. But it is Maura, the beautiful and independent daughter of a French-Irish wine merchant Baptiste meets in Paris, who most influences his ultimate decision to return to the frontier.

Rich in the details of life in both frontier America and the European court, Across the Endless River is a captivating novel about a man at the intersection of cultures, languages, and customs."

Comments and Critique:  I love historical fiction.  It offers me a chance to learn more about a person or about an era or a culture while reveling in my love of reading.  It's like a pleasurable history lesson without the boring teacher droning on about dates.  I agreed to review Across the Endless River solely because of my love of historical fiction, and I am supremely glad that I did. 

While I love historical fiction, I find myself not reading it as often as I would like.  Mr. Carhart reminded me why I love this particular genre so much.  The descriptions of life on the frontier and in 1800s Europe was amazingly and gloriously detailed.  I was able to immerse myself into the sights and smells of the scene.  I mention the smells because it isn't often that scents are described in such detail, but I was able to imagine the scent of a huge herd of buffalo or a southern German forest.  Descriptions like that definitely add to the overall historical aspect of the book, in my opinion.

Baptiste's struggles to find his place in society definitely highlight similar plights and cause the reader to reflect on what life was like for those considered inferior.  From royalty looking down on their servants and villagers to women struggling to enter into a profession considered only suitable for men, Mr. Carhart brings these struggles to the fore and offers the reader a chance to look at history from another angle, one not often mentioned in the history books.

The other interesting aspect of the book was the lesson regarding learning for learning's sake without thinking of the consequences.  Given the furor over environmental issues in today's society, the discussion of lost or conquered civilizations and a scientist's duty to preserve those civilizations any way possible does seem very pertinent to today's issues.  Should we become so concerned with preserving specimens that we fail to see the big picture?  What is a scientist's duty to civilization, to a culture?

As enjoyable as it was, Across the Endless River was not without its drawbacks.  From one, there was a constant switch in narration that was extremely distracting.  Switching from Baptiste to Paul and even to Maura left the reader feeling confused and prevented one from truly being engrossed in the book.  The narrator's omniscience also felt as if it was a part-time plot device - when it suited the plot, the narrator was omniscient.  When it was not necessary, then the narrator was as much in the dark about feelings and inner thoughts as the reader.  Again, it was distracting.

Other than that, as I already mentioned, I really enjoyed this book.  I had never given much thought to Sacagawea other than what she did for Lewis and Clark.  To see the expedition from her eyes and then see the results of that expedition through the eyes of her son was a historical thrill.  Having lived in Germany and having specialized in European history, to read about life as a royal in Europe from the inside circle was also engrossing.  I have already passed along this book to my husband, who is currently reading it without any prompting from me.  I highly recommend this to anyone interested in historical fiction, especially life on the frontier.

Thank you to Anna Suknov from FSB Associates for the opportunity to review this book!

The Sunday Salon on Monday - November 23, 2009

I mentioned that last week was going to be a bear, and it was.  On top of all of the activities that are a regular part of our life these days, we also dealt with the pain that is remodeling.  I knew that carpet removal was going to be bad.  I did not expect it to affect every member of the family, including the dogs.  We were all on edge, discombobulated and just completely out of our element for the entire week.  Unfortunately, we did not truly recover until this weekend.  Thankfully, the house is completely put back together again, and the carpets look fabulous.  Along with the new carpets, the deep cleaning the rest of the house received and the rearranging of furniture, I feel like I am in love with my house again!

Given the unrest that existed in our house last week, I was a horrible blogger.  I didn't even turn on my computer from about Tuesday until yesterday afternoon.  I did not have the time or energy to do so, as all I wanted was to get my house in order (lesson learned - I crumble in chaos).  This meant that I was able to finish quite a bit of reading: Across the Endless River by Thad Carhart, The Missing Ink by Karen E. Olson, and Hex in High Heels by Linda Wisdom.  This also means that I now owe three reviews, which I will get to eventually.  I only have two more books to complete for the Fall Into Reading Challenge, which I hope to complete before the weekend is out.  Thanks to a lighter reading schedule for my book club, I feel like I'm able to balance review books, challenge books and other books I want to read much better than I have been able to do in the past.  We shall see if this continues.

Thanksgiving will see me visiting my baby bro and his family.  This will be our first time staying with them.  We typically stay with my parents, who live twenty minutes away, but as their children are now older, we really want the cousins to be friends.  I'm looking forward to getting away, not having to cook for Thanksgiving, and relaxing.  We also have a six-hour drive in each direction, which means plenty of time for reading.  I'm not certain exactly what I will be bringing with me, but I guarantee that I will be packing more than one book!  It's definitely my favorite part about traveling!

I hope everyone has a great holiday this week.  Enjoy your time with your loved ones and away from work.  This is the time of year where we are supposed to count our blessings but feel pressure to get everything done for the holidays.  I hope you all take the time to relax and find some time to enjoy being you this week. 

Have a happy Thanksgiving, and happy reading!

Still Fangirling Here...

I suppose this should be a Sunday Salon post.  But I'll do that later.  My brain has been completely warped by the fabulousness that is New Moon.  Have you seen it yet?  Then you know exactly what I mean. 

Yes, I took a half-day of vacation on Friday to see it with one of my closest girlfriends from work.  You would think that we were both about to get married by how giddy we were all morning long.  We were both skipping and jumping around.  I was hiding my "Bite Me/ "I Love Edward Cullen Official Fan Club" t-shirt from my boss.  My Pocket Edward was displayed proudly for all to see.  As soon as the clock turned 12 PM, we were like Cinderella and made a mad dash for the theater.  We had great seats, thanks to pre-ordering them several weeks ago.  We were both surprised at the median age and make-up of the audience.  Having gone to see Twilight at the same theater and at the same time last year on its opening day, the audience was mostly upper-twenties, lower-thirties and female - just like us.  This time, many older fans were in the audience.  My girlfriend had a sixty-year old woman sitting next to her, and I had the male part of a fifty-ish couple sitting next to me.  We were both surprised, delighted but still surprised at the mass appeal to all generations and both sexes.

Yes, My Pocket Edward came with me to view the movie.  He was gracious enough to hold my drink for me.

 Isn't he the gentleman?

(My seat neighbor thought I was crazy for having My Pocket Edward with me, until his wife spoke up and mentioned she wanted one too.)  My Pocket Edward then hung out on the cup holder, or as my friend put it, he was on the "edge of his seat" with anticipation.  Unfortunately, I couldn't get a picture of him hanging out without upsetting way too many people, and I wasn't about ready to chance getting kicked out the theater.

So what did Pocket Edward and I think?  Let me put it to you this way -

Touchdown!!!!

It was PERFECT!!!  I loved it so much I saw it twice this weekend!  Chris Weitz got it SO right.  KStew did not annoy the pants off of me this time.  I thought she was spot-on in her depression and barely-able-to-function moments.  Just like with the book, my heart literally ached the entire time Edward was gone.  The parting scene (both of them) put me right on the verge of tears.  Taylor - What can I say?  He was SOOOOO fantastic that I did have my doubts about staying Team Edward (the naked, ripped pecs, biceps, and abs did not hurt either - please turn 18 soon kthnxbai).  I loved the chemistry between Bella and Jacob.  They have an easiness and lightness between them that works perfectly.  Speaking of chemistry, that between Bella and Edward seems to have been cranked up a few notches.  I love how the dialogue was not cheesy this time but still managed to portray the depths of their feelings with a few simple lines.  RPattz was amazing in his ability to show his conflicting pain, longing, love, and torture with merely his eyes.  The Volturi - Seriously fun and creepy and exactly how I pictured them. 

Kudos to Chris Weitz and the special effects.  The wolves are phenomenal.  I was so worried about them because they could have made or broken the movie.  All of the special effects are so realistic, at one point in time I found myself wishing that I could put my feet into the wolves' fur to warm them up because their fur looks so fuzzy!  This whole movie was just so much better.  From the make-up to the dialogue to the characters themselves - everything was perfect.  I have absolutely no complaints about the entire film.  I can die happy knowing that this is exactly how I pictured the book. 

June 30th is the release date for Eclipse.  Given the amazing job done on this one, and knowing that it is my favorite book out of the four, it is going to be one horrendously long agonizing wait until June.  I'm going to have to console myself by seeing New Moon yet again.  Who's with me?

Fangirling Here

No.  I did not see the movie last night.  According to reports from the release of Twilight, the theaters are packed with nothing but screaming, shrill, overly emotional teenagers who do nothing but shriek each time Robert Pattinson walks on screen.  No. Thank. You.  For the first movie, several girls from work and I took a half-day of vacation and went to an early afternoon show.  The theater was practically empty, and the audience consisted of nothing but adults.  I could actually hear the movie and savor the (sappy) dialogue. 

Considering how much success we had for the first movie, we took the same action plan for New Moon.  I will be leaving work early to see the 12:50 PM show.  When I bought the tickets several weeks ago, there were more empty seats available than full ones, so I imagine we'll have the same pleasurable experience.  I'm trying to go on news lockdown right now, so as to not spoil anything, but I have heard that for the fans, it is pretty much universally adored.  (Twilight still had its detractors.)  I get more and more excited as the minutes tick past.  And yes, I pulled out my "Edward Cullen Fan/Bite Me" shirt AND My Pocket Edward is my date. 

12:50 PM can't come fast enough!

I'm Still Here!

I haven't fallen off the face of the earth this week.  This carpet thing is exhausting, even if the rooms look fabulous.  Our contractor is completing the rest of the rooms today, which means that my husband and I can finally put our house back together.  This is a VERY good thing, as the entire household is unsettled.  The kids are acting up, the dogs are restless.  Jim and I are both exhausted and can barely function in the evenings.  I have been completely unmotivated to even turn on my laptop in the evenings.  It is time to get ourselves back to normal, which will only occur when the furniture is put back into position, the beds are made, and we can use all the rooms in the house again. 

I should be back online in a more permanent fashion tomorrow night.  In the meantime, I hope everyone is having a great week!

Booking Through Thursday - Posterity

I don't know about you, but I am ready for this week to be over!  Thankfully, it is Thursday, which means we are one step closer to the end of the week I so desperately covet.  It also means that it is time to answer another deep question about books!

Today’s question was suggested by Barbara:

Do you think any current author is of the same caliber as Dickens, Austen, Bronte, or any of the classic authors? If so, who, and why do you think so? If not, why not? What books from this era might be read 100 years from now?

Wow.  I have no idea where to begin.  Honestly, I'm not certain I want to do so either.  Hear me out.  We're talking about Dickens, Austen, Bronte and hundreds of others who are still popular.  Their writing style - the detailed characters that come to life, the time and patience they show when building the suspense and developing the plot, the plot itself - is just not popular anymore.  It takes time and effort to read works by classic authors, sometimes one can read more than 100 pages into these novels before anything good starts happening.  Considering last week's question that discussed if life was too short to read books that didn't pique your interest within a set number of pages, the two do not mesh.  Most people who answered last week's question regarding life being too short drew the line at fifty pages, which means that these same people would put down Dickens, Austen, Bronte, or any other classic author because the novel was not interesting in the first fifty pages.  Following that rule, there would be very little classic literature that would be read! 

By comparison, from what I've seen, today's authors are more concerned with developing the plot as quickly as possible.  Get people interested immediately to keep them reading.  It works and is successful but is completely different from how authors used to write.  I like both and firmly believe there is room for both in today's society.  But to say that they are of the same caliber is like comparing apples and oranges, in my opinion. 

As for whether any current works will continue to be popular 100 years from now, I honestly think there will, but nothing comes immediately to mind.  Granted, that in and of itself may be an indication that today's authors will not be popular in the years to come.  Then again, future societies may discover a relatively unpopular author today and tout them as the best of the era.  The reading audience is a fickle thing and, in my opinion, very difficult to predict.  Who knows what the future will hold for today's authors? 

What do you think?  Can you compare today's authors with classic ones?  Which of today's authors do you think will remain popular in the decades to come? 

REVIEW - Elynia by David Michael Belczyk

Title: Elynia

Author: David Michael Belczyk

No. of Pages:  208

First Released: Still waiting to be published

Synopsis:  "It examines four generations of characters diverse in time and place whose varied struggles distill a unified expression of human need. The characters are interconnected in unusual but intimate ways, for example: the immigrant shoe-man works his life away in a dying town to see his son wrongly arrested by a man whose shoes he shines; as a student, the son watched his friend betray the memory of a departed mother by stealing her makeup for a drunken gag; the friend marries a waitress who secretly loves a man atoning for his past by refurbishing a house; a man whose paintings were rejected by his love, the granddaughter of the woman who boards the shoe-man after a fire. Elynia is the only named character in the manuscript but appears only in reference by others. The other characters occupy iconic roles, each representing a stage or state in life. The reader's second-hand knowledge of Elynia mirrors the search for identity that haunts the unnamed, tactile characters and blurs their distinctions."

Comments and Critique: This is one of the hardest reviews I have ever had to write.  However, in my unfailing attempt to be honest about every book I read, I must go forth.  I will confess that I realized my dislike of poetry while reading Elynia.  The lyrical prose in which this book is written kept me from ever becoming immersed in the novel because I was spending all of my time trying to figure out what was happening or solving the question of who exactly was Elynia.

I realize that this is Mr. Belczyk's first attempt at a novel, and I respect his courage at putting himself out there as he has.  Unfortunately, I feel that with this novel, he was trying too hard to be different from other authors.  First we have the fact that the entire novel is written in lyrical prose.  As I already mentioned, this narration device just did not work for me.  Then we have the words themselves.  I consider myself well-read and erudite, but the vocabulary used throughout the novel left me scratching my head.  Either Mr. Belcyzk was making up words or he was using words I have never seen before in print. 

The storm metaphor for love and for life, to me, was extremely depressing.  The storm's power and the futility of the individual rain drops to stay cohesive was rather upsetting to me.  I took away with me the clear idea that no matter what our intentions and struggles, things will never turn out the way we expect them to do.  Does anyone else find this a sad commentary on life? 

The storm metaphor begins each chapter, and then we get to the epilogue.  Despair and the futility of our efforts permeates each chapter except for the epilogue.  That is filled with such love and hope that I had to wonder if I was reading a completely different book.  Then I began to question whether I had missed the entire point of the book.  For the epilogue completely negates the idea that life or love is futile.  It was a disconcerting switch in opinions.

That being said, I feel I was not the best audience for this book.  It really is intended for those who enjoy poetry.  I do not.  I felt like I was missing too much to truly enjoy it.  I found the lack of names confusing and distracting.  I also confess that I read this on a plane, which was not the right environment for this type of book.  It requires careful,  contemplative reading - something I was not able or willing to give at the time I read this.  For this reason, I cannot lay the blame for my discontent with the book or the author.  I fully take the blame for not liking Elynia and strongly feel that others will definitely enjoy it more than I did.  

I do thank Mr. Belczyk for entrusting me with a copy of his book and wish him all the luck getting it published!

Weekly Geeks 2009-42: Podcasts Anyone?

This idea comes from Dewey's own Weekly Geek idea list which she shared on her blog, and which I, thankfully, swiped before her blog was removed and can now glean from as I ponder new and hopefully fun Weekly Geek tasks.

Dewey worded it this way, "find and review a link to a book podcast." I'm modifying this just a bit and am asking you to share with us a podcast you love, preferably book related, but not necessarily so. Give us the link, of course, and share with us details about that podcast and why you enjoy it so much. If you have a couple or three favorites, share them all!

Then, as the week goes on, check out every one's suggestions, find time to listen to a few, then come back and let us know what you discovered, and if you've found a new favorite podcast.

If you don't listen to podcasts at all, tell us why, or what it would take to peak your interest in them. Perhaps you could do as Dewey suggests, and do a little research (Google book podcasts) and find one, then post on your blog what you discover and if you liked it or not.

I have never gotten into the whole podcast thing.  I want to do so, but as in tune as I am with the latest and greatest in the online world, I confess that I just do not understand podcasts.  What exactly are they?  How do they differ from audio books?  Why are they popular? 

So, rather than me taking the time to do a little research, which I do not have this week, I open this up to my fellow bloggers to help me understand just what they are, why they are appealing and recommendations for dipping my toes into the world of podcasts.   If I were to download one podcast, what would you recommend?  When do you listen to podcasts?  What got you started in them? 

The Sunday Salon - November 15, 2009

People, it is the middle of November.  Seriously.  This means that I need to get my act in gear to start prepping for the holidays.  And now that I actually have time this year - no finals, no homework, no mandatory daily participation in my online classes - I'm hoping to be super-prepared.  (***snorts with laughter***) Yeah, right.  In my mind, I think how wonderful it would be to be as organized as Martha Stewart, but I do realize that I am inherently lazy and will probably be rushing to send out cards before Christmas...again.

Anyway, how was your week?  I feel like mine was a complete blur.  I had a business trip that took me away from home for two nights.  Those things leave me mentally and physically exhausted, and I have yet to figure out why.  It took me at least one day to recover.  Then, my husband and I started carpooling to work.  We might as well take advantage of us working for the same company, right?  Unfortunately, it means getting up about thirty minutes earlier so that I can get to work an hour earlier, which is when he needs to go into work.  I don't mind going in early because it is wonderfully quiet, but the loss of sleep?  That's going to take some adjustment!

Our upcoming week already has me exhausted too.  Today, the kids have a piano recital right smack dab in the middle of the day.  Tuesday is ballet class, an H1N1 vaccine clinic for the kids and the first day of our new carpet installation.  Wednesday brings piano lessons, and Thursday brings Connor's first band concert.  Friday starts the indoor soccer season, and Saturday sees us attending a make-up piano lesson.  Whew.  I'm sure our second day of carpet installation will also be some time this week too.  I'm opting not to clean the house this weekend knowing that the dust and dirt from the old carpets will be flying.  Since school never gave me the opportunity to do any spring cleaning, which means my house has not seen a deep cleaning since the day we moved in almost five years ago, I plan to give my house just that.  I have to literally take everything out of each room anyway, so at least the furniture movement portion will already be accomplished!

On the reading front, I was able to finish two books this week and made great progress on my book club selection.  I've started Thad Carhart's Across the Endless River.  It is a fascinating read.  I would love to be able to finish it tomorrow but know that I have to pay bills and empty out at least one room.  Did I mention the first two rooms we are doing require me to move my entire library?  But I digress.  I've been working through my review copies but am getting ready to purge my brain with something light and fluffy.  I've got a few new vampire books that have caught my eye, but I do feel obligated to get through these review books.  They've been sitting in my TBR pile for so long, I feel horrible.  What do you do in these situations?  I think I'm down to one really old one, one not so old one, and two that I received this week.  (I'm not counting the two I received through the BBAW.) 

Speaking of books, one of the books I read and reviewed this week involved a discussion of bibliophilia versus bibliomania.  The difference is that bibliomaniacs feel an overwhelming urge to amass books, whether it is rare books or books in general.  I always thought that I just enjoyed books, that I wasn't obsessed.  I have to report that I have since realized that this is just not true.  I am a full-blown bibliomaniac.  This week, while on my business trip, my co-workers wanted to stop into a bookstore to pick up a book for the plane trip home.  Never mind the fact that I had brought four novels with me to read for a three-day trip, I warned them not to let me step foot in a bookstore.   What happens when I do?  I walked out of there with five more books, only one of which was for my son.  I would have gotten more had I had more room in my suitcase.  Yes, I know that I should really go to the library, but I don't have the time to go to one, and I am a book snob.  I like owning my books, not borrowing them.  So, I think I have a problem.  Please tell me I'm not the only one!

What are your plans for the week?  I hope everyone has a wonderful Sunday and even better week to come.  Happy reading!

Back Home Again

I'm back home again after a short business trip to Minneapolis for my women's leadership group.  Normally, I really enjoy these trips.  They are short enough where I do not get a chance to miss my children horribly but long enough that I get some much-needed alone.  For some reason, I didn't enjoy myself this time.  I missed my family, my friends.  I even missed work.  Go figure.

A large part of this women's leadership group is development and self-awareness.  I now know that I am opinionated and forthright.  I am not afraid to share my opinion, and I know that this can rub certain people the wrong way.  So, while I have met some wonderful women and have made some great friends, I do realize that there are others in the group who wish I would just shut my mouth and be quiet.  Because I am now self-aware enough to realize this, it makes for an emotionally exhausting day to subconsciously battle this.  I don't know why, but it really bothered me this time.  I found myself slipping into my anti-social tendencies, dreaming about taking a sandwich back to the hotel room and hiding from the world.  I didn't do that, but I was so tempted. 

By halfway through the second day, I missed my friends and I missed my family terribly.  I missed being surrounded by those who know exactly who I am and love and accept me as I am.  I never realized how they support me and boost me up.  It is such a wonderful feeling to understand just how lucky I am.  I am going to luxuriate in my family and my friends and enjoy being home!

Does anyone else experience this when on business trips?   Am I just slow on the uptake here?  Does anyone else experience such exhaustion when traveling or in emotional situations?

Booking Through Thursday - Too Short?

I'm sitting in an airport waiting for my next flight that will take me home to see my family.  So what better way to spend a few minutes than answer this week's book-related question?  

Suggested by JM:
“Life is too short to read bad books.” I’d always heard that, but I still read books through until the end no matter how bad they were because I had this sense of obligation.
That is, until this week when I tried (really tried) to read a book that is utterly boring and unrealistic. I had to stop reading.
Do you read everything all the way through or do you feel life really is too short to read bad books?

I will confess that I always finish a book.  Well, let me amend that.  There is only one book that I have not finished in my life - Mein Kampf by Adolph Hitler.  I stopped reading it because I was getting ready to move to Germany and could not bring it into the country via my carry-on luggage.  By the time we received our household goods two months later, I had moved on to other books and have failed to pick it back up again since then.  I do have every intention of doing so though; my bookmark is still holding my place where I left off all those years ago. 

But other than that, I do read every book to the end.  I do this not out of any sense of obligation but more because I want to do so.  I remain optimistic that a book will get better or that I can find something redeeming from it, even if it takes me to the very last page to find it.  Is life to short to read bad books?  I know that it is a very popular idea, but then again, I really do not think that books are bad.  We might dislike the plot, the writing, the character development or something else, but the book itself is still a learning opportunity - whether about the subject matter or more insight into your own personal likes and dislikes. 

What do you do? 

Happy Veteran's Day!

Thank you to all vets, both past and present, for generously sacrificing your time and for putting yourself in harm's way to ensure that we retain our freedoms and rights.  Thank you for protecting us and keeping us safe.  Thank you for helping spread democracy to others.  You deserve more than just a day of thanks.  You deserve our undying gratitude.

To my own personal vet, thank you for serving in the Army for all those years.  Even though I might not have liked the hours or the constant time apart or the fact that you were in a dangerous profession, I was so proud that I was an Army wife.  I love the fact that you felt compelled to serve our country and think it says more about your character than any else you will do.  I love you and support you always!

REVIEW - The Man Who Loved Books Too Much by Allison Hoover Bartlett

Title: The Man Who Loved Books Too Much: The True Story of a Thief, a Detective, and a World of Literary Obsession 

Author: Allison Hoover Bartlett

No. of Pages: 274

First Released: September 2009 

Synopsis (Courtesy of B&N): "Rare-book theft is even more widespread than fine-art theft. Most thieves, of course, steal for profit. John Charles Gilkey steals purely for the love of books. In an attempt to understand him better, journalist Allison Hoover Bartlett plunged herself into the world of book lust and discovered just how dangerous it can be.

Gilkey is an obsessed, unrepentant book thief who has stolen hundreds of thousands of dollars' worth of rare books from book fairs, stores, and libraries around the country. Ken Sanders is the self-appointed "bibliodick" (book dealer with a penchant for detective work) driven to catch him. Bartlett befriended both outlandish characters and found herself caught in the middle of efforts to recover hidden treasure. With a mixture of suspense, insight, and humor, she has woven this entertaining cat-and-mouse chase into a narrative that not only reveals exactly how Gilkey pulled off his dirtiest crimes, where he stashed the loot, and how Sanders ultimately caught him but also explores the romance of books, the lure to collect them, and the temptation to steal them. Immersing the reader in a rich, wide world of literary obsession, Bartlett looks at the history of book passion, collection, and theft through the ages, to examine the craving that makes some people willing to stop at nothing to possess the books they love."

Comments and Critique: An entire book about the love of books, The Man Who Loved Books Too Much is equal parts ode to books, specifically rare books, and insight into one man's psyche.  Mr. Gilkey and Mr. Sanders make for interesting, albeit somewhat stilted, reading.  It is written about a love of books driving one's actions by someone who truly does love books.  That love makes itself apparent in the loving, almost erotic, way that Ms. Barrett describes her favorite childhood books or viewing some of the rare books she finds.  As she explains it, the love of books is more than visceral.  It includes the experience of reading one and the memories associated with that reading.  I wholeheartedly agree with this idea, and her statement that the experience behind reading is what will keep the written word in print form around forever.

Unfortunately, this book is not without its drawbacks.  Ms. Barrett describes Mr. Gilkey as someone who has found his purpose in life, and even though that purpose may be against the law, it makes him happy and gives his life meaning.  She even tries to compare his life with someone who works in a dead-end job and has nothing in the way of motivation.  It's an interesting comparison but one that falls short of the truth, in my opinion.  Truly, the title of the book is a misnomer in that Mr. Gilkey does not love books, he loves the IDEA of books.  His entire life has been fabricated around an idea that possessions make a man.  His whole purpose behind stealing books is to build a fabulous library, such as those found in movies or seen when touring historical homes of the fantastically wealthy.  He doesn't love the books but loves what he thinks they can bring to him - respect, wealth, status in society.   Worse yet, Mr. Gilkey operates under a false sense of entitlement that it is not fair that only a select few can afford the truly wonderful rare books and therefore sets about to personally settle the score by stealing those same books.  It is an interesting, somewhat disturbing philosophy, one that Ms. Barrett hints he learned from his family. 

Mr. Sanders, the hero of the novel, is also interesting.  What is so intriguing is the idea that throughout her research, he continues to distrust Ms. Barrett and her motives.  This distrust makes itself apparent in the rather unflattering light in which she portrays him.  He's the hero but is not discussed nearly as often as Mr. Gilkey.  At one point in time in the novel, Ms. Barrett mentions her struggle with not making Mr. Gilkey appear more sympathetic than he deserves.  Unfortunately, she does not succeed in this endeavor, as she paints Mr. Sanders in a more unfavorable light than Mr. Gilkey. 

My biggest issue with this book is the author's actions.  She loses her sense of being an impartial observer as she finds herself drawn to the mystery that is Mr. Gilkey's motives behind his thievery.  As she starts to rationalize his behavior as well as her own in not going to the authorities when he discusses his crimes with her, she receives his sympathy, which shows very clearly on the page.  I also took issue with Ms. Barrett's lack of ethics.  While researching this book, Mr. Gilkey did share with her knowledge of several crimes of his, and yet even though she felt uncomfortable about her part in these proceedings to warrant discussing it with lawyers, she does nothing about her continued misgivings.  In this case, she lets the story get in the way of her ethics, and I have major problems with her lack of ethical behavior and impartiality.

Ms. Barrett waffles between telling the story of Ms. Sanders and Mr. Gilkey, often jumping from topic to topic and including her own commentary with very little bridge between the sections.  It makes for very disjointed reading as well as causing difficulties relating to any of the characters on the page.  These negative issues with the book are disappointing because taken as a whole, I thoroughly enjoyed my view into the world of rare book collecting.  I would love to be able to own one or two rare books myself but unlike serious collectors, I would own them to read them.  Even though I was disturbed by the author's behavior towards Mr. Gilkey and his lack of responsibility for his actions, I would recommend this to any bibliophiles as merely an interesting read from one book lover to another.

Speaking of bibliophiles, Ms. Barrett defines both bibliophiles and bibliomaniacs.  To me, there is such a fine line between the two that the differences are purely personal.  As a book blogger, who devotes her free time to reading, where do we fit in among book lovers?  Have we crossed the threshold to bibliomania or does that word only apply to serious collectors?  Thoughts?

Thank you to Shelf Awareness and Riverhead Books for the opportunity to review this book!

The Sunday Salon - November 8, 2009

In spite of the Packers' loss to Tampa Bay today, this has been a great week.  Namely, I have amazing friends - the kind of friends who will not only help me plan a surprise birthday party for my husband, they will do everything from host it to plan the menu to prepare the food.  Without them, I would have never been able to put together a party in such a short period of time, let alone a surprise party.  As for the surprise itself, it went off without a hitch.  He has never had a surprise party in his entire life, a failing that I vowed one day to remedy.  I mentioned this in passing to my friends at work not more than eleven days ago, and the result was last night's party.  It was awesome, and he was incredibly touched by everyone's participation.

Actually, now that I type this, I feel like this week passed by in such a blur that I find it difficult to remember what else happened.  I finished and reviewed two books.  I finished The Moonstone today in anticipation of The Classics Circuit Wilkie Collins Tour.  (Mr. Collins makes his way to my blog on November 30th, so stay tuned.)  I ranted about the mass shooting spree at Fort Hood. 

Oh - parent-teacher conferences.  That was a large part of this week's after school activities.  Apparently, my daughter is a bit of a chatterbox, and my son still has some of his superiority complex.  Given that my daughter will talk your ear off, and my son still brags about being moved up a grade, three years after it happened, neither of these two complaints came as complete surprises to either my husband or to me.  Their grades are good, and they continue to participate and enjoy school.  We can work through the other issues.  As long as they enjoy school, I'll consider the year a success so far!

There was quite a bit of chatter/debate this week about leaving comments, what it takes to be a good blogger, and so forth.  Honestly, I found myself shying away from Twitter because of some of the discussions.  Here's my take on it all.  I read and respond to every comment I receive.  I do not expect this in return because honestly, we all have lives and precedences.  I realize that not every takes commenting and responding as seriously as I do, and therefore I am okay with not getting a response from someone.  I don't care.  I appreciate everyone who takes the time to comment on something I said, and I try to show that.  That's my number one priority.  As for so-called blogging cliques or blogging "whores", all I have to say is...really?  Is this what we're debating these days?  Does it really matter that someone only gives away books in order to get more followers or that certain bloggers spend a large majority of their time talking together on Twitter or Google Wave or running various challenges?  Who cares?  Again, I have vowed to never have a giveaway; actually, never say never because I am thinking about having one to celebrate my blog-iversary in January.  But, I will not force people to follow me in order to enter.  To me, why are you blogging?  To get followers or because you want to do it?  Also, if there is a supposed blogging clique that bothers you, stop following them.  Stop paying attention to them.  No one is forcing you to participate in their challenges and events.  So don't get upset that the same few people seem to be involved in everything.


Yes, these are harsh words, but I get back to the fact that I am doing this for myself and no other.  As I mentioned to a friend on her blog, would I like to have hundreds of followers?  Yes, definitely.  I would feel validated that I am making a difference, and that what I have to say actually interests other people.  Am I willing to design what I write in order to get those followers?  No, I am not.  Then this blog would not be a reflection of who I am but rather would reflect what others expect of me.  It would become work rather than something fun to do.  I am amazed at the pressure bloggers feel to get more followers or become popular like other bloggers.  I do not understand from where this pressure generates.  If we each got back to the basic reason we started to blog in the first place, what got us excited about it and what kept us going day after day, then I have a feeling that this pressure would disappear. 


Am I crazy here?  Am I the only one who has been a little put off by some of the discussions this week?  Or am I overly sensitive on this topic, for some reason?

I received another beautiful award from my wonderful blogger friend, Sarbear! 

 

This is the Splash Award. It is given to alluring, amusing, bewitching, impressive, and inspiring blogs.

I think I'm blushing!  Thanks, Hon!  I know I'm supposed to pass it along to up to nine other bloggers who fit the bill, but honestly, every one I follow I find alluring, amusing, bewitching, impressive, and inspiring!  For that reason, I pass this along to everyone listed under My Blog List.

As for the upcoming week, I'm hoping to get some major reading done.  I have another business trip this week.  For the first time ever, I will be traveling without homework or studying to do.  This means that I can pack nothing but novels.  And, since this trip is two nights rather than one, I get two nights in a hotel by myself in which I can do nothing but read.  Have I mentioned how much I love business trips?  As for what I will be reading, other than The Three Musketeers for my book club, I have no idea, and that thought just thrills me to no end.  So many from which to choose, that the possibilities are exciting in and of themselves!

I hope everyone has a great evening and an even better week.  Happy reading!!

Women Unbound Challenge - Start-of-Challenge Meme

 WOMEN UNBOUND Start of Challenge Meme:

 1. What does feminism mean to you? Does it have to do with the work sphere? The social sphere? How you dress? How you act?

Feminism, to me, means the right for every woman to have the same rights and expectations that men have in today's society.  It starts in the work sphere and moves into the social sphere.  It does include how you dress and how you act.  A woman who acts in the same straightforward manner should never be called a b!tch, when the very same behavior by a man would earn him kudos.  Tears do not make a woman weak.  Conversely, women should not perpetuate the stereotypes by playing the ditz or by playing up sexuality in an effort to win favors from men.  They are only harming the cause of equality for all. 

2. Do you consider yourself a feminist? Why or why not?

 I do consider myself a feminist.  I am extremely passionate that women have equal rights and expectations as men.  Women should not get stuck with the brunt of the housework or cooking just because she is a woman.  Similarly, men should not have to be the only ones who take care of the yard or the maintenance on the house or cars.  Gender stereotyping drives me insane as needless and strike me as perpetuating the unequal roles.  Nothing gets me angrier faster than seeing that in this day and age, women still make less than men in similar roles with similar educational and work backgrounds.  In addition, women still get punished for having a family. 

3. What do you consider the biggest obstacle women face in the world today? Has that obstacle changed over time, or does it basically remain the same?

I think one of the biggest obstacles women face today is each other.  Women are notoriously cutthroat and are famous for backstabbing others in the boardroom, something most men would never consider doing in a business environment.  Also, we are the first to criticize a woman for working outside of the home, assuming that her parenting leaves something to be desired; however, we also criticize women who stay home as being unmotivated.  We compete for men, we compete for jobs, we compete with clothes, jewelry, purses, and the like.  If we stopped competing and started helping each other, I feel that we would be a lot closer to equal rights for all than we actually are. 

I do think that this obstacle has changed over time.  According to history books, there was a time when women were more likely to form close bonds and help each other in life, which I just do not see happening now.  This saddens me because the numbers are on our side, if only we could come together to utilize the power of those numbers.

What do you think?  Are you a feminist?  What is our greatest obstacle today?

Serious Thoughts for a Friday

I have to say this because I've been seriously disturbed by the lack of chatter about this incident on Twitter.  I'm referring to the shootings at Fort Hood Thursday night.  Seriously, people, this is messed up beyond belief.  The officer did not want to be deployed, so he decided to open gunfire in a center that was filled with FELLOW soldiers who were either also about to be deployed or, even worse, returning from deployment.  Let me repeat that - he opened fire on fellow soldiers who had just successfully returned from deployment.  !!!!

This is despicable behavior in my opinion.  My husband served almost eight years in the U.S. Army, eight years we both really enjoyed in spite of the nearly constant time apart.  He was fortunate enough to never experience the second Gulf War but he spent almost a year in Bosnia back when that was still a hot spot.  As a family member, you live for the day when your soldier/officer returns home.  The date on the calendar is sometimes the only thing that keeps you going when your child is sick, you are sick, the nearest relative is five hours away, and you just moved to the area and have no friends to call for help.  Those family members in Texas were anxiously awaiting the return of their loved ones and already rejoicing that they had made it home safely - all to have that joy taken away by the selfish acts of one person.  There are not enough horrible words in the English language to describe my feels for that man.

Some people out there are going to say that this is proof positive that we need to get out of Afghanistan and Iraq because it is making our soldiers crazy.  Yes, our military is stretched incredibly thin.  Yes, our soldiers have seen and experienced things that no man or woman should really ever have to experience.  However, we have to remember that these soldiers VOLUNTEERED.  They are freely putting their lives in danger to protect our interests, our freedoms.  No matter how you feel about the political machinations that are requiring them to be deployed to foreign soil, every soldier deserves the utmost respect and appreciation for their chosen role as our protectors. 

The military does a very good job of stressing that it is one big family.  Some of our closest friends today are those we met while we were serving.  We may not see each other or talk to each other that often, but they will always be lifelong friends because of the fact that when we served together, we were family.  We protected one another, looked out for one another, and supported one another in times of need.  Those types of bonds last forever.  Apparently, the Army major involved in yesterday's shooting failed to learn those lessons or opted to ignore the lesson that military takes care of its own.  To me, that is the biggest issue I have.

All families lament the idea of deployments.  Very few soldiers truly want to go into combat.  However, they do it out of a sense of duty and obligation to their country.  If the major did not want to be deployed, he should have never joined the military in the first place.  His actions were horribly selfish and just beyond words.

However, my heart goes out to the family members.  To have experienced the anguish of being apart and the constant worry that accompanies a deployment to a combat zone to joy that they made it back to heartbreak at losing your loved one to such a senseless act - I cannot fathom what they are experiencing right now.  If anything, we need to stop remaining quiet about it and start offering our support.  Our support should not be just for the families involved in this tragedy but for all families who have someone in the military.  They all deserve the help, protection, and support from each and every one of us.  It is the least we can do as a country to honor the role their loved one is playing in protecting our country. 

God bless those families who so tragically lost their loved ones yesterday.  God bless those families who still have loved ones in the far reaches of the globe, fighting mysterious combatants in the name of freedom.  Most importantly, God bless our soldiers for heeding a call to arms that most people just do not receive or understand and for protecting our freedoms.