Currently Reading...

... Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen. My husband gave me this book for my birthday back in March. Through this busy fourth quarter of the school year, I have managed to read half of the book, and now that summer has finally arrived, I am reading the second half. It is well written. The characters are genuine, realistically flawed, and believable. The frame story is seamlessly woven into the main plot. On many levels, this is a great book. Gruen is not only a talented storyteller but a skilled writer.

Currently Reading...

...Witch and Wizard by James Patterson and Gabrielle Charbonnet. This is a great adolescent lit novel. The plot is compelling and moves quickly within the short, suspenseful chapters. I enjoy the supernatural elements, and as a reader, I enjoy the fly-on-the-wall experience as the characters learn about their hidden, inherent powers throughout the course of the novel. That aspect reminds me of the Harry Potter character. The dystopian theme of this book also reminds me of 1984 by George Orwell. However, this novel is much more easy to understand for middle school-age readers. The message is clear: Vote! Beware of the rising of tyrannical government!

Currently Reading...

...or actually, recently finished The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks. I picked it up haphazardly at Wal-Mart the day before leaving on a beach trip for spring break because I wanted an easy, quick read. Well, once I cracked it open, I couldn't tear myself away from it. Fortunately, my husband was driving, and I read it in one sitting on our trip to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina 2 weeks ago. I had seen the movie several years ago, but the book really hooked me in. It was not a difficult read, and the characters and plot are strikingly realistic and moving.

Currently Reading...

... The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley and LOVING IT! This is a lengthy book, and I am smack dab in the middle of it. As such, for me, it is more suitable as a summer read. This is a re-telling of Arthurian legend from the women's perspectives - not just one woman, but many of them. The thoughts and actions of the characters truly make sense to me. It seems that this author has captured the essence of the human condition. There have been so many times during my reading of this book when I have re-read sections just because I understand what the characters are feeling and going through, and I can identify with some of their emotions, including their joys, anxieties, and doubts.

Set during the Middle Ages, this novel reminds me that, essentially, people and Western civilization haven't changed much. We still encounter many of the same issues today. Survival, life, love, relationships, rites of passage and coming of age, sacrifice, war, searching for peace among nations, coming to terms with religion and spirituality, balancing obligations to self and family or self and country or self and ..., taking care to preserve and honor nature while using its resources to support ourselves, and equal rights for all regardless of race, religion, gender, or other differences.

Another way that I have been able to identify with this novel is through my own writing. In the novel I am currently writing, my central characters are female, and whether by trying to do this or not, my characters face some of the same issues that the female characters struggle with throughout The Mists of Avalon. For me, seeing this parallelism in my writing and that of Bradley affirms that my writing also is real and believable.

Currently Reading...

... The Alchemist, the first novel in The Secrets of Nicholas Flamel series by Irish author Michael Scott. I started the book two days ago and am almost finished with it. It begins in medias res and is action packed throughout, making for an exciting read altogether. I plan to read as much of this series as possible by the end of summer. Of the six books in this series, four of them are published and on bookshelves now. The final two will be published in 2011 and 2012. It is considered to be a teen lit series, but I believe it is a novel for all ages, especially people interested in mythology and folklore. The character Nicholas Flamel is based on a person who really existed and whose life is surrounded by folklore. Scott has infused this novel with a healthy dose of legend and myth, and that is one of its biggest selling points for me. I bought this book on the same day that I purchased The Complete Grimm's Fairy Tales. I enjoy realistic fiction with a touch of fantasy here and there (although this novel has more than just a touch of fantasy).

Currently Reading...

...The Fiction Class by Susan Breen. Anyone interested in reading, writing, or teaching would enjoy this novel. It has two major plot threads and a third that is intertwined throughout to bring a surprise ending to the reader and the protagonist of the novel, Arabella. The reader follows Arabella's journey from day 1 of her adult fiction-writing class to the end of the class, and as author Susan Breen is a teacher and writer herself, her depictions of teacher and student feelings and interactions are completely realistic. Most authors focus on the student perspective, but here Breen has skillfully presented the spectrum of personal anxieties and passion that teachers can face throughout the course of a class. Throughout this time period, the reader also observes Arabella's relationship with her mother. Eventually, the writing class bleeds over into her discussions with her mother and it is writing that brings them closer together.

This novel is a quick, enjoyable read. I would read it again. Breen also provides the writing assignments for each class that Arabella teaches throughout the book. I'll probably try some of these myself and maybe even edit some of them to assign to my writing students that I teach.

Time to Write

I once read a biography of the Nobel prize winning author Gabriel Garcia Marquez that said that Garcia Marquez locked himself in a room for two years to write a novel while his wife cared for his children and household.

As for me, I am a middle school language arts teacher, wife, daughter, granddaughter, sister, friend... etc., and writer falls somewhere at the bottom of the list. I cannot imagine what it would be like to have two years to sit, think, and write. My work life already pours over into my home life. Grading papers and lesson planning while watching t.v. or taking road trips is definitely not the most exciting part of my job. Taking time out to write while balancing teaching and home life seems nearly impossible for me.

So, Mr. Garcia Marquez, my question is: How did you find the time... and the money... to hide away and write for two years?

Currently Reading...

...Twilight by Stephenie Meyer. I have been putting this series off for a while now, but after hearing adults and children talk about it so much, I've decided to give it a shot. My high school students chattered about it like a soap opera last year, and my middle school students this year can't seem to get enough of it. There is even a Twilight Book Club at the middle school where I work this year. From a teacher's perspective, I feel obligated to read it now! Fortunately, I haven't been disappointed.

Meyer's writing is not terribly complex or difficult to read. She is no Henry James, of course! However, her suspenseful plot twists in every chapter drive me to flip pages to find out what will happen next. I have a couple of chapters left of Twilight and have New Moon waiting on my night stand. After finishing both novels, my husband and I are going to watch both of the movies (not that he knows this yet...).

Currently Reading...

or actually, I just finished reading... Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen. This is the first book, of my own choosing outside of the needs of my teaching career or taking classes of my own, that I have read in a period of less than 2 days in longer than I can remember. Typically, books that I select outside of academia are carried in my purse for weeks or months, only to be read a few chapters at a time whenever I find that I have a spare moment. My schedule has been jam-packed for the longest time, but I found time. I read late into the night on Tuesday night, then woke up early on Wednesday morning and this morning to read it.

The author has developed characters with such realistic life experiences that caught me up and drew me into their world, and Allen's portrayal of the complex reality of the human experience is combined with touches of supernatural, simple, rural Appalachian folklore that does not overwhelm the realism of the story but colors it with a special, nameless ingredient, that which provides excitement, hope, and comfort that, I believe, we somehow all seek outside of the pressures of the daily grind. The book also has a carpe diem theme to it with elements suggesting that we all have our destinies, but in the mean time, let's make the best of what we have and enjoy life in the moments that we have together here and now.

This was a nice, quick summer read.

Hmm... Societal Violence in Titus Andronicus

is my current essay topic for my Shakespeare in Film summer course. My essay is due tomorrow, and I am about to review Julie Taymor's film again to look at all the scenes with Young Lucius to note the effects of societal violence on his character throughout the film.

I love Shakespeare, I love reading, I love watching films... but taking five summer classes was a crazy decision... I have absolutely no time for fun or relaxation... but graduating with my M.Ed. in August will definitely be worth it... So much to do, so little time!

***Update: Thursday, June 25, 2009***

I made a grade of 96.5 on this essay. Not bad for the 12 1/2 hrs spent researching, note-taking, and writing. :)

"Arouse! for you must justify me."

I've been reading a lot of Whitman lately, and I came across this poem today.  As a writer, I believe it is important to receive constructive criticism and feedback from a viable audience in order to know how I can improve my writing.  Additionally, I look to the greats of the past to find samples of writing techniques that I would like to practice, emulate, and make my own.

The following poem is from a poetry anthology entitled Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman.

Poets to Come

Poets to come! oraters, singers, musicians to come!

Not to-day is to justify me and answer what I am for,

But you, a new brood, native athletic, continental, greater than before known,

Arouse! for you must justify me.

I myself but write one or two indicative words for the future,

I but advance a moment only to wheel and hurry back in the darkness.

I am a man who, sauntering along without fully stopping, turns a casual look upon you and then averts his face,

Leaving it to you to prove and define it,

Expecting the main things from you.

Be a Person on Whom Nothing is Lost

"Therefore, if I should certainly say to a novice, 'Write from experience and experience only,' I should feel that this was rather a tantalising monition if I were not careful immediately to add, 'Try to be one of the people on whom nothing is lost!"

from "The Art of Fiction" by Henry James

Confined to a Cubicle

A few hours ago, I came to the college library and confined myself to a cubicle because I have a 10-15 page paper due tomorrow, and I simply could not concentrate at my desk at home.  Why is that?  

So, I am actually making progress now.  The paper is for my Renaissance literature course, and I finally narrowed down my topic to societal gender roles in the pre-Shakespearean comedy Fulgens and Lucrece by Henry Medwall.  It was written during the early Tudor period, during the reign of King Henry VIII, and it isn't bad.  For anyone who enjoys Shakespearean plays, I would recommend this play because it is interesting to see how many parallels there are in structure and content of this play by Medwall with the later plays written by Shakespeare.  

Okay, okay... back to work... 

Currently Reading...

The Gift: Art, Imagination, and the Power of the Creative Spirit by Lewis Hyde. I am on the third chapter of this book, and it is amazing. Hyde presents historical cultural information about the cycle of gift giving around the world and discusses the gift as it compels and inspires all types of artists. I recommend this book for anyone who writes, reads, illustrates, creates.... for anyone who is human.

Fieldtrip Day! To go, or not to go...

This is an illustration that I posted last month for the Illustration Friday topic, Ghost. I wanted to share it again today because Hamlet is on my mind again! :) I'm taking my kids to see a production of the play today by a local college theater group. We're having an early lunch, and we'll be leaving in about 20 minutes. Yay!

(Inspiration #6) Incorporating Women's Lit. into the High School English Curriculum

I'm going to be completing an independent study course this summer, for which the goal will be to research best practices for incorporating women's literature into the high school English classroom. Throughout the course of my research for this, I would like to develop an instructional book (or at least a good, solid, research-based article) for educators that outlines the why and how of it all. As I am working, I will let you know how this goes... Wish me luck!

(Inspiration #5) Public Health Alert: Pandemic

My husband read this book, Germ by Robert Liparulo, while we were on our honeymoon, travelling to Miami to sail out for our Carnival Cruise last June.  It was about a spreading germ, of course, and it was an odd coincidence because the main characters happened to appear in cities throughout the book that we were actually in for our flights to and boarding onto the cruise ship.  It was wild!

Anyway, the point I'm trying to get to is this.  My husband has a degree in Public Health, and he likes novels that relate to public health concerns in general.  I asked him today if he had any thoughts on a book he would like to write, and he spontaneously chose a disease and told me that he would like to develop a storyline for a fictional disease that is based on the real-life pandemic of the disease that he mentioned.  So, now we have officially begun our brainstorming process for this.  I'm excited to co-write with my husband!  

Currently Reading...

Ovid's Metamorphoses. I bought this book about 2 years ago because I finally realized how many literary allusions that I had been missing out on, and along with it, I purchased Edith Hamilton's Mythology as companion guide. Both have proven to be rich resources for me in my personal reading, my academic reading, and my teaching of high school English. I haven't read Ovid straight through yet, but I have read many stories at the beginning and various stories throughout as I have run across characters on my reading. 

I love to read the story of Pyramis and Thisbe to my students after the mechanical's play in A Midsummer Night's Dream, and students usually have mixed emotions: "So Shakespeare didn't come up with this stuff on his own," or "Cool! That's also like Romeo and Juliet!". And every now and then, a student will say, "Hey, did he cite his sources?!" Never a dull moment with high school students... Oh yeah, back to Ovid... Yes, he's great! I'm going to try to finish reading this book cover to cover.

My Double Life

...has finally caught up with me.  Sshhh... I'll never admit it at work, but I'll share my secret here with you... (What is it, by the way, that makes it easier to open up to total strangers sometimes rather than anyone else?) My life as full-time teacher and full-time student has taken its toll on me.  I have forgotten an essay deadline for one of my classes, and yes, this min. 10 page document is due tomorrow, and I must use literary criticism.  Hmm... Thank God for JStore and Project Muse electronic databases. This is the first time of my graduate school career that I will be pulling an all-nighter.  Wow, I thought those days were through way back in the dark undergraduate years...  

Well, the jig is up.  I'm spending way too many hours with the other man in my life.  However, after this semester is finished, I'm going to take a looooong break from him... Henry James, I mean.  

Currently Reading...

The Golden Bowl by Henry James

I'm reading this novel for my graduate

 seminar in American Literature.  Henry James is the focus of the course.

Now that I'm about three quarters 

of the way through this course, I can look back with a fairer judgment of James's works.  At first, they

 seemed to drone on.... and ooooonnn... and oonnn.  However, this is because James is never a light read, and thus, not high on the speed-readability scale for those of us who are constant time jugglers and multitaskers.  His work is complex, and the reader must plan time to sit down and truly *digest* his writing.  Trust me, the meaning, symbolism, and beauty of human nature will be there, but its very deep.  James was called "The Master" by his contemporaries, and now, having read and reflected on a variety of his works from periods throughout his writing career, I agree with this.  James was a master of his craft.  I'm actually going to reread his essay, "The Art of Fiction" when I get a spare moment between teaching classes and taking them.  

Other works by James that I've read so far: