Hello Group, 11/94 PAUL12
I didn't get a chance to read much in October, but I have some great books to talk about in this letter, nonetheless.
I wanted to ask all of you a question. Do you read the prologues, forwards, afterwards, about the authors, and extras to books like that? I've noticed that I have lately, to learn as much about a certain book or author as I can, because I might never have the opportunity (or want) to read that book or any other book by that author again.
It makes you think about why you're reading a book. Is it 'To be entertained' or 'to learn something?' Consider this, in less literate countries, they might read because they are hungry for words. I don't know if this tale is entirely true or not, but when I was in Dubrovnik, Yugoslavia, back in 1985, a tour guild told us that the people there were eager to read whatever they could get their hands on. This was due to the lack of propaganda, billboards, "freedom of speech", and simply the printed word. The government regulated everything that was even printed. It is amazing how we can take some our basic constitutional rights for granted, such as the freedom of speech through our writing.
We certainly don't have that problem in America, so therefore we have become used to being stuck the in traffic on the information highway. Did you know that in the continental U.S. there are approximately 61 million newspapers printed every day?!!! (Info provided by the UA Library Help Line and The Annual Statistical Abstracts Of The United States) This might give you a clue where all the rain forests are going. It's a scary thought, but I don't know where I'm going with this so I'll move on.
Talking about coveting the written word, The Book Of Laughter And Forgetting by Milan Kundera is about writers that want to be immortalized (common theme for Kundera's books) by their writings. Except for one character, Tamina, that "feels that the eyes of a single outsider are enough to destroy the worth of her personal diaries, while Goethe thinks that if a single individual fails to set his eyes on his lines, that individual calls his--Goethe's--entire existence into question. The difference between Tamina and Goethe is the difference between human being and writer." The concept of being immortalized by 'having someone else read your words and remember them to use later' or 'to tell someone else about them' is what made this book click for me. This book picked up speed for me the further I got into it. I think I just had to be in the right mood to be open to all the concepts Kundera tries to convey. Of course, the fact that it was like six books in one didn't help.
It made me start thinking about what this correspondence club is all based on. Do I want to share knowledge with you collectively or do I just want to subject you to my written words? I think there is enough egos in all of us to not rule out that when we write something to someone, we'd like them to read it. I guess that's why I believe an unopened letter from a friend is a transgression against humanity.
Having certain freedoms is actually a big part in the next book I want to force on you. Anthem by Ayn Rand is a short novel, only 123 pages, compared to her well-known book, Fountainhead, which I think is 450+ pages. It was on my shelf ever since it was suppose to be a group read in the English Undergraduate Club years ago. Anyhow, Anthem is yet another one of those utopia/anti-utopia novels like 1984 or Brave New World, yet the concepts are simplified in order for it to fit into so few pages. The book never explains what happened to 20th century society, but things have digressed to the point where everyone is wearing white tunics and everyone describes themselves as "we" because everyone is working for their brothers' good - that sort of thing. The narrator of this story however, because he came out taller than everyone else, has always been told that he was different and after awhile he starts to believe it. He has a curiosity that is suppressed in their society. He finds a subway tunnel where he can hide and do little scientific experiments, which even includes dissecting rats and rediscovering electricity form old subway tunnel lights. He soon realizes that he can't live in that kind of society, so he escapes into the woods, but that wouldn't do for a good ending, would it? No, a girl follows him, and they discover what it means to love one person more than to equally love everyone, even people you don't know.
It is a quaint read; certainly more uplifting than 1984 or BNW. I'd recommend it to the group, especially if you wanted a small taste of Rand's writing style.
The next two books are quaint reads too. The front covers of The Tao of Pooh and The Te of Piglet, by Benjamin Hoff, would catch the eye of children, but I don't think they would be very entertained by what they found inside. I don't know if I would even recommend them to adults who have an interest in eastern philosophy. They are just not well written.
In The Tao of Pooh, Hoff uses the adventures of Winnie the Pooh to help explain the teachings of Taoism and, in turn, uses Taoism to help describe the nature of Pooh Bear. The Chinese philosopher Lao-tse (LAOdsuh) described "what he saw operating behind everything in heaven and earth" as Tao (DAO); "the Way." So this book is showing Taoism in the ways of Pooh. Hoff uses all of A.A. Milne's characters in one way or another to help explain characteristics that prevent or help one to achieve the true blissful state of the Uncarved Block, which describes someone who aims towards inner simplicity instead of worldly complexities, such as Pooh. The concepts are easy to understand, but, if you're at all interested, it might be better for you to read the book instead of me trying to explain Eastern Philosophy.
The Te of Piglet tries to convey the concepts of Tao in the same way, but Hoff uses Piglet to show characteristics as they best relate to how someone should strive to be more 'heroic' according to the teachings of Tao. Te means "virtue in action" and Hoff shows how Piglet is the one that makes the transgression of putting his virtue into action by being a silent hero of sorts. Hoff doesn't use very substantial examples to support this point in my opinion, but you still end up getting the point.
The major problem I noticed while reading these books is that they sway too harshly from describing deep philosophical concepts to conversing in a simpleminded, almost infantile way with Pooh and his friends. Maybe I'm missing an important point here, but it was too strenuous to switch between third grade and adult level reading. I concluded that Hoff isn't a very good writer, especially when he obviously tries to imitate Milne's style.
However, the philosophical parts, which I really did enjoy, reminded me of my recent read Sacred Journey Of The Peaceful Warrior (see PAUL11). They make you think about the inner self and our relation to the universe, including our purpose as learners and teachers.
Another quick read that almost isn't worth mentioning, is The Pigman by Paul Zindel. What a horrid book. I think it was intended as a young adult novel, because of the writing style, but the subject matter just reminded me of too many depressing violent shows on TV these days that are aimed for young audiences.
These two street-rat-like high school kids call up people at random to ask them to send money to this imaginary fund. They finally convince this lonely old man to give them ten dollars, but they have to come pick it up at his house. So, they finally get up the nerve to visit this man and he turns out to be so nice to them that they go back and visit often. They earn his trust and even get a key to his house to take care of things when he goes into the hospital because of a mild heart attack. The guy and girl decide to have a little party at his house while he's hospitalized. The party is crashed by bullies, the house is wrecked, and the guy is brought home from the hospital by a cab right as a fight breaks out in his living room. Oh, and the two kids decide to dress up in the old man and his dead wife's clothes for this party. The clothes, of course, are ruined in the brawl. The old man gets depressed about the whole thing, but gives them another chance to make it up to him by going to the zoo with them to see his favorite gorilla that he goes to feed everyday. (The guy was supposed to go feed the gorilla peanuts every day that the old guy was in the hospital.) The gorilla, it turns out, died two weeks earlier, even though the kid said he went to feed him everyday. The old man goes even further into depression and dies right there at the zoo completely ripped of all hope for humanity, just like I was at the end of the book.
I more or less told you the whole story so that you wouldn't be tempted to waste your time on this book, but no need to thank me.
For December, I have a big lineup of books. I'm doing a turbo read session as soon as I get done with my last final. I have 10 more books to read before December 31st in order to reach my goal of 52 reads for 1994! Doesn't it seem that this year went fast?! Sorry, I felt mortal there all of a sudden.
You'll probably be getting this around Thanksgiving, so I'll just say have a great holiday and think of a few dozen things to be thankful for. Even with the horrible year I had, I can still make my head spin with the countless things and people I am glad to have in my life. Without getting severely mushy, I'll end by saying this club is one thing that pleases me deeply.
Keep warm; snuggle; dream of dandelions,
Paul
