#Friday56 & #BookBeginnings: JRR Tolkien's Smith of Wootton Major

For Book Beginnings:

There was a village once, not very long ago for those with long memories, nor very far away for those with very long legs. Wootton Major it was called because it was larger than Wootton Minor, a few miles away deep in the trees; but it was not very large, though it was at the time prosperous, and a fair number of folk lived in it, good, bad, and mixed, as is usual.
- p. 7

For Friday 56:
"Yes Master. But do you really know what the star was made of? Don't trouble your mind about it. Someone swallowed it, I assure you."
- p. 56

About Smith of Wootton Major by J.R.R. Tolkien*:  A charming new pocket edition of one of Tolkien's major pieces of short fiction, and his only finished work dating from after publication of The Lord of the Rings. What began as a preface to The Golden Key by George MacDonald eventually grew into this charming short story, so named by Tolkien to suggest an early work by P.G. Wodehouse.

Composed almost a decade after The Lord of the Rings, and when his lifelong occupation with the `Silmarillion' was winding down, Smith of Wootton Major was the product of ripened experience and reflection. It was published in 1967 as a small hardback, complete with charming black and white illustrations by Pauline Baynes, and would be the last work of fiction to be published in Tolkien's own lifetime.

Now, almost 50 years on, this enchanting tale of a wanderer who finds his way into the perilous realm of Faery is being published once again as a pocket hardback. Contained here are many intriguing links to the world of Middle-earth, as well as to Tolkien's other tales, and this new edition is enhanced with a facsimile of the illustrated first edition, a manuscript of Tolkien's early draft of the story, notes and an alternate ending, and a lengthy essay on the nature of Faery.

*** 

So was at the thrift store agin (yes again!) and look what the daughter found! I saw the author -- JRR Tolkien -- and without hesitation said "Take it." Being a huge Tolkien fan, I was surprised not to have even heard of this title or even thought he would make an illustrated book. Did you know, this is his last published work after Lord of the Rings? This is a 1975 copy and I love the illustrations in this edition.

Are you familiar with this book by Tolkien?

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#Friday56 & #BookBeginnings: Revolutionary Road

For Book Beginnings:

The final dying sounds of their dress rehearsal left the Laurel Players with nothing to do but stand there, silent and helpless, blinking out over the footlights of an empty auditorium.
- p. 7

For Friday 56:
Then from the safety of her new position, she displayed her long teeth in an elaborate smile.
- p. 56

About Revolutionary Road by Richard Yates*:  From the moment of its publication in 1961, Revolutionary Road was hailed as a masterpiece of realistic fiction and as the most evocative portrayal of the opulent desolation of the American suburbs. It's the story of Frank and April Wheeler, a bright, beautiful, and talented couple who have lived on the assumption that greatness is only just around the corner. With heartbreaking compassion and remorseless clarity, Richard Yates shows how Frank and April mortgage their spiritual birthright, betraying not only each other, but their best selves.

***

I watched the movie many, many years ago and it made quite an impression on me. This is one of those less "noisy" films but it speaks loads. I decided then that I would make a point to get a hold a book and now I have this thrifted copy. I am zooming through the beginning and all I can remember is that sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach as I start seeing two amazing characters "out for each other."

Are there movies that made an impression on you that you had to read? 

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#Friday56 & #BookBeginnings: Poirot investigates

For Book Beginnings:

 I had been called away from town for a few days, and on my return found Poirot in the act of strapping up his small valise.
- p. 7

For Friday 56:
"But yes, Hastings. I believe in these things. You must not underrate the force of superstition.- p. 56

About Poirot Investigates by Agatha Christie*:  The very first collection of superb short stories featuring Hercule Poirot and Captain Hastings...First there was the mystery of the film star and the diamond! then came the 'suicide' that was murder! the mystery of the absurdly chaep flat! a suspicious death in a locked gun-room! a million dollar bond robbery! the curse of a pharoah's tomb! a jewel robbery by the sea! the abduction of a Prime Minister! the disappearance of a banker! a phone call from a dying man! and, finally, the mystery of the missing willl. What links these fascinating cases? Only the brilliant deductive powers of Hercule Poirot!

***

If you follow me on Instagram,  you know this photo is old. I totally spaced and forgot to put it on the blog, so here it is:

I've been a huge Agatha Christie fan since high school and anything she writes, I will read. When I went to the thrift store, a whole bunch of vintage Christies were there and I had a hard time not snapping them all all (there were over a dozen!). I decided to take home this copy though, and feel a little antsy abut actually reading it because the pages are starting to fall out.

Meanwhile, I know the blog is silent. I'm still reading Neil Gaiman's The View from the Cheap Seats.* I'm taking a break of sorts. When I'm back, I'm back.

Is there a specific author you can't resist when in a bookstore? 

Book Depository*
(I couldn't find the exact cover anywhere. I don't even know what year my edition is!)

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Lie in it! {Where Angels Fear to Tread by E.M. Forster}

You made your bed, now lie in it.

Synopsis of Where Angels Fear to Tread by E.M. Forster: When attractive, impulsive English widow Lilia takes a holiday in Italy, she causes a scandal by marrying Gino, a dashing and highly unsuitable Italian twelve years her junior. Her prim, snobbish in-laws make no attempts to hide their disapproval, and when Lilia's decision eventually brings disaster, her English relatives embark on an expedition to face the uncouth foreigner. But when they are confronted by the beauty of Italy and the charm and vitality of the disreputable Gino, they are forced to examine their own narrow lives, and their reactions are emotional, violent and unexpected.

My two cents

Well, this one languished. I was uber-excited to read it but never got around to actually putting pen to paper. Now, let's take a moment to admire the cover: I admit I bought it partly because the cover (fabulous, fabulous!) is designed by Leo Lionni, one of my all-time favourite children's books illustrators!

Honestly, this book was quite the surprise. I thought with my track record for being frustrated with classics in general this may be a miss. Yet I slowly warmed up and once mired, this one didn't disappoint.

What I liked

The psychology. The psychology behind classics can't be beat. I find that there are few bells and whistles and simply a presentation of who the characters are, their motivations, and their thought processes. It's material that always seems to stand the test of time.

I keep coming back to the title: where angels fear to tread. This one is about bucking tradition, following one's true desires, and dammit ... living with the consequences because you made your bed, lie in it. Sure, "fools rush in" but sometimes just going for it is the only way to go forward.

While for the most part, the characters are frigid, self-righteous, melodramatic and generally unlikeable, I found that their unlike-ability is what makes them human and accessible. I really need to laugh: these frigid English women (Lilia! Ms. Abbott!) make for great writing! Philip was among my favourite males, an annoying "messiah" who finally came to the realization of love. Gino, make no mistake about it, is what he is, and that's what makes him stand out - there is no shyness about him.

The plot. I thought I could predict what was going to happen, but I was stunned at the final turn of events. There is a tragicomedy to the whole storyline -- plus melodramatics that somehow works -- that make this so appealing to me.

Clashes here, there and everywhere. A large part of this book relies on cultural clashes, and naturally, character clashes. The cultural differences between the repressed and highly structure English versus the emotional, free-spiritedness of the Italians bring forth the best of ...

... subtle wicked humour. Forster's humour grew on me. He has a slyness about him in expressing the horrors of his characters being at cultural loggerheads. The absurdity of some of the pressures and expectations really make me thankful that I'm not of this era.

Verdict

Call me a fool. I may just have the heart of a classics reader after all! I'm rereading this -- I feel like it'll be better the second time around.

Book Depository

Thrifted 39 Clues hardbounds and card packs!

I just love getting great books at reasonable prices (I haunt yard sales) or even free! Which is why I almost passed out when I saw a whole box of hardbound The 39 Clues books, complete with cards and card packs, at our nearby thrift store. I got this whole lot (6 books and 3 packs) for $5.50 -- not bad at all when you know that each book/card pack costs about $15!

I blogged about The 39 Clues a while back. The daughter and I only got to book 3 and unfortunately got distracted with other books, particularly Harry Potter.

If you haven't yet heard of the series, it's definitely a great way for kids to learn about famous personalities in history, gallivant around the world virtually, and put your thinking caps on to solve these clues.

Each book has 6 cards in it, with codes that you type into the website. Then you solve a clue. The card packs have 16 cards in them, so of course more cards = more clues.

Watch out, it's addictive, as its online version is!

• My review of Books 1-3 of The 39 Clues.
• The 39 Clues Official Site

{Note that the time has passed to win actual prizes on the website, but the books are great reading nonetheless, and the site remains active!}

The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin

Because who doesn't want to be happy? 

I rue that my daughter is growing up so quickly. Truly, the days are long, but the years are short. And if you nodded in agreement - even just once - while watching the video, then you must agree that there is a nugget of truth, so simple, so elemental, that actually feels like a kick in the butt. The Happiness Project Or, Why I Spent a Year Trying to Sing in the Morning, Clean My Closets, Fight Right, Read Aristotle, and Generally Have More Fun by Gretchen Rubin is a series of these seemingly common sense truths.


The book in one sentence: Gretchen Rubin embarks to find out what makes her happy, approaching it methodically like a research project.

My thoughts: Ice cream, warm and lazy days, new books, my daughter's laughter, that funny way the hubby looks at me when we have our own little secret - I know these things make me happy. But why? And why don't I have more of these happy moments?

I came across this book quite by serendipity while poring over at my neighbour's yard sale books. I went home with this hardbound for 50 cents. And I must say, it now is among those books - along with the blog - that gives me inspiration to purposely be happy.

So what does it take to be happy? I found it such a great idea to approach this often amorphous concept of "happiness" in such a stringent and rather academic fashion. Similar to bringing in professional skills into use for running the household - say scheduling or accounting - Gretchen Rubin developed a plan to be happy. Not that she wasn't, but she felt she wasn't happy as she should be. To help herself out, she devised Twelve Personal Commandments, honed in on Four Splendid Truths, and laid out a doable plan to work on certain things over a year.

Twelve Personal Commandments

• Be Gretchen.
• Let it go.
• Act the way I want to feel.
• Do it now.
• Be polite and be fair.
• Enjoy the process.
• Spend out.
• Identify the problem.
• Lighten up.
• Do what ought to be done.
• No calculation.
• There is only love.

Four Splendid Truths: 

• First: To be happier, you have to think about feeling good, feeling bad, and feeling right, in an atmosphere of growth. 
• Second: One of the best ways to make yourself happy is to make other people happy; One of the best ways to make other people happy is to be happy yourself. 
• Third: The days are long, but the years are short. 
• Fourth: You’re not happy unless you think you’re happy.

Many, many, many of these things resonate with me. The above is just a sampling; the book abounds with small wisdoms that many times I was just going "oh yeah" - nod -"yes!"

For example "Spend out" - do you save your good china for "special occasions" that happen once in a blue moon? Why not use your china, enjoy them now? Or, take my once silly liking for faddish shoes ... how many cute shoes actually make it beyond a few months, and can I rant about how they hurt like crazy!? I've since learned to splurge on cute but more expensive shoes, and my feet thank me.

Or take "challenge yourself-learn something new" - I would consider this blog something along these lines. I started a reading blog to push myself to read books I would otherwise pass over. I have crossed literary genres, dipped into more non-fiction. This blog is a testament to my now immensely satisfying reading life!

I'm sure you could come up with your own examples! These is no one size fits all here - it's pick and choose what resonates and works for you.

I love how Rubin has been able to turn the spotlight on herself and can laugh at herself. I've come to love how she ruminates on mundane things in her life and get such great insights into herself. Small things can truly make a huge difference in day to day living. Her writing is honest, heartwarming and diary-like, never preachy, and always funny and encouraging!

As I don't want to spoil things for anyone, I encourage you to check out the book and her blog, which is chock-full of so many great ideas, all practical, all do-able ... and all up to you!

Verdict: Makes a permanent home in my personal library, along with Covey's Seven Habits of Highly Effective People.

Hardbound Agatha Christie's for a steal!

Yesterday and today is giveaway weekend here in Winnipeg, and I've come home with some lovelies in my past curb hopping for books.

But yesterday, I chanced upon a quaint little house a few blocks away. An old lady - with wonderful old-world music playing in the background - was having a yard sale. And being slightly disappointed at the "junk" I had come across so far, I popped in. I was rewarded with a box of beautifully kept books. I did a quick sweep of everything and had to go back to those books!

I nonchalantly asked how much books were and when she says 25 cents, I just about did my happy dance. So I swoop over to the box and gather up all four of the hardbound Agatha Christies and hand over my payment.

The smiling old lady says, "So you like Agatha Christie?" and I couldn't contain myself and said "Oh, I love her! I grew up on her!" And she starts regaling Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple, and we have a fellow Christie-lovers' reminisce-fest.

Can't you spot book lovers a mile away!?

Books from the curb

Winnipeg just hosted another giveaway weekend. And hubby and I went gaga with the sheer number of free books awaiting any booklover on those lonely curbs ... waiting to be taken home.

Here are the lovely little babies who now call my place home. I left (or gave away) quite a lot of my books back in the Philippines, so rebuilding my collection here is becoming a minor obsession of mine. I hope I don't get carried away though.

All are nice old books, some dating back in the 50s! Maybe they're collector's items too! Thanks for the kind souls who set them "free!" Some of my finds were:

1. One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
2. Silent Spring by Rachel Carson - this is a groundbreaking book which launched the environmental movement!
3. Old, old editions of the The Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Two Towers (book 2) and The Return of the King (book 3) - I'm missing only book 1 now!
4. Cosmos by Carl Sagan - I am a firm believer everyone should have this book!
5. The Edible Woman by Margaret Atwood - yay!
6. Over to You: Ten Stories of Flyers and Flying by Road Dahl - can't go wrong with Road Dahl!
7. Some good old classics and mythology including Oliver Twist, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, Lawrence Of Arabia, The Odyssey, Iliad and Aenid

Are you drooling yet? There's another giveaway in September and you can be sure I'll be out there curb hopping again!