The Catcher in the Rye

The Catcher in the Rye By Salinger

I read this book as a sophomore in high school and have no intention of reading it again.  I remember the general story and have jogged my memory through a Wikipedia synopsis.  Evidently it has been one of the most censored and one of the most required reading books for high school since it was written.  It is censored for it's harsh language and 'adult' situations; it is on must read lists because of it's theme of 'finding oneself''.  I am also on full terms with my being on the minority of thoroughly not enjoying this book.

The book is told through the eyes of a teenage boy, Holden Caulfield, who is trying to find himself in the world.  For most of the book Holden is consumed in his quest to find himself.  This reflects the fallen condition of man; in our sinfulness we view ourselves as the center of everything.  In his writing Salinger has captured completely the brokenness of humanity.  We, like Holden, become to self-absorbed to realize or act on their being something greater than just us.  Life becomes a journey to discover 'who we are' and what mark or legacy we can live behind.  We have already been given an identity, in Christ.  Ever since before the fall of man our purpose was to live in communion with God.  When we are governed by our flesh we see ourselves as the end goal; yet, as seen in Holden's brokenness, there is not a final end to finding ourselves.  We must find ourselves in Christ then we can live wholly.

The Hobbit

The Hobbit By Tolkien, J. R. R.

Just finished reading this again.  I love Tolkien's world.  I have read The Hobbit before and will read again (several times over the next 2 years as the 3 films come out).  So much to say on Tolkien's creation, but first a few quotes from Tolkien.

I cordially dislike allegory in all its manifestations, and always have done since I grew old and wary enough to detect its presence.

What really happens is that the story-maker proves a successful 'sub-creator'. He makes a Secondary World which your mind can enter. Inside it, what he relates is 'true': it accords with the laws of that world. You therefore believe it, while you are, as it were, inside. The moment disbelief arises, the spell is broken; the magic, or rather art, has failed. You are then out in the Primary World again, looking at the little abortive Secondary World from Outside.

Every writer making a secondary world wishes in some measure to be a real maker, or hopes that he is drawing on reality: hopes that the peculiar quality of this secondary world (if not all the details) are derived from Reality, or are flowing into it.

His quotes on allegory and story-making were part of the inspiration of this blog exploring these different writers views on reality.  Tolkien states plainly that he does not write allegorically yet no one can earnestly protest that his world reflects much of the Christian tradition.  From these other quotes it becomes apparent that a writer (or sub-creator) can only hope to be the real creator but can only derive from real creation.  As such his writing is reflective of truth.  Tolkien shows this in the realm of Middle Earth where the dwarves are created by one of the Valinor (think angels); but he cannot actually give them life, merely reflect his own.  They are brought to life by Illuvator (or God) and thus become a part of creation.  Similarly writers reflect that which they view in this world, both broken but yearning for redemption.  They cannot of themselves create or bring to life that which has already been created.

** From here may be a spoiler to anyone who has not read the book yet wishes to be surprised in the forthcoming movies. **

A brief over view of the story: Gandalf selects Bilbo Baggins to accompany of 13 dwarves to relieve them of their unlucky number and act as their thief.  These dwarves journey across Middle Earth encountering many friends and foes along their way to the Lonely Mountain, Erebor.  Thorin Oakenshield, along with a few of the other dwarves, was born at Erebor.  Thorin's grandfather was King of the mountain when Smaug the dragon laid waste the dwarvish people and took their home and treasure as his own.

To cover all of Tolkien's secondary world would cover books.  Here I shall focus on one particularly redeeming aspect found at the end of the novels.  After Bilbo has helped Thorin reclaim the Lonely Mounatin and his lost treasure a conflict arises between dwarves, elves and men.  Each lay some different claim to the treasures that Smaug had hoarded.  These claims are all based on egocentric self worth and a view that one's owns plights are bigger than others.  This is the heart of selfishness and the brokenness of man.  Generally, elves, men and dwarves are on peaceful if not friendly terms.  However, just before war breaks out they are attacked by real enemies: goblins and wargs.  Even in the midst of true brokenness they are able to put aside their own selfishness and band together to fight evil together.  Thorin loses his life to this conflict but is able to forgive Bilbo before he dies.  The presence of true evil laid bare Thorin's brokenness and brought him to reconciliation.  It is only when we grasp our full brokenness that we can accept our need for God's grace and seek reconciliation.

The Wind in the Willows

The Wind in the Willows

I loved this book.  I can't believe I had never read this book before. It reminded me of one of my favorite book series from my childhood/early teens - the Redwall series.

A few chapters in I kept remarking to Elise how much I was enjoying this book (in contrast to Alice's Adventures in Wonderland where I kept remarking how weird it was).  Elise asked what was going on and I mentioned a mole was hanging out with a water rat and they were going to find their friend Mr. Toad.  She exclaimed, "Oh, is that where Mr. Toad's Wild Ride comes from?".  I said I suppose that it is.  I have since looked it up and this story inspired part of Disney's film The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad, which in turn led to the theme park ride.

There are two story lines that run alongside another in the novel.  The primary tale is that of Mr. Toad and his gallivanting lifestyle and the second concerns other adventures of Mole and Ratty.  The tale of Mr. Toad presents the need for community, companionship and accountability also needed by followers of Christ.  Mr. Toad is wealthy by inheritance and spoils his wealth be giving into the pleasures of the world.  We too are wealthy through our inheritance in Christ but also get sucked into the pleasures of the world and so diminish the capacity to which we can live our lives.  Mr. Toads friends, namely Badger, Mole and Ratty, come alongside Mr. Toad and call him back from his prodigal lifestyle.  They appeal to him that he must live up to the inheritance he has been given.  The steadfastness and loyalty of these three friends to Mr. Toad exhibit the character I value in friendship; they hold him accountable, correct him when he is wrong and remain unabashedly loyal to him.

One of the side story's provides the name of the novel.  Ratty hears voices coming from the wind moving through the willows and dictates these words to Mole.  These lyrics allude to one who watches over the animals and protects them.  Just prior to Ratty's recitation they had met this "great healer and helper".  They enter into his presence in a sort of trance and were mystified, terrified and in awe.  The true beauty came following their encounter, when they were blessed to be able to forget.

     As they stared blankly in dumb misery deepening as they slowly realised all they had seen and all       
     they had lost, a capricious little breeze, dancing up from the surface of the water, tossed the 
     aspens, shook the dewy roses and blew lightly and caressingly in their faces; and with its soft 
     touch came instant oblivion. For this is the last best gift that the kindly demi-god is careful to 
     bestow on those to whom he has revealed himself in their helping: the gift of forgetfulness. Lest 
     the awful remembrance should remain and grow, and overshadow mirth and pleasure, and the 
     great haunting memory should spoil all the after-lives of little animals helped out of difficulties, in 
     order that they should be happy and lighthearted as before.

So often we express a desire to physically see God, but in our brokenness we could not stand his presence.  God grants us the gift of protection by veiling his perfection from us that we would not be unmade in the presence of the light.

Alice's Adventure in Wonderland

Alices Adventures in Wonderland

That was weird.

I can't figure out why this is on a must read list or why it's a celebrated children's book or why it was even written.  I'm pretty sure there was no plot flow.  Characters just popped in the story and when you figured out who they were they left and somebody else appeared.  I'm going to go read some notes on this book and come back...

Okay, back: apparently some reverend who wrote under the name of Lewis Carroll made this story up for three girls while on a boating trip in the 1850's.  Alice was one of the girls; she asked the story be written down and became the namesake of the book.  The characters evidently represent people in her life (although I have no clue how a blind reader can fully understand all the different characters).  Carroll was a mathematician and so the book toys with mathematics and logic throughout.  This is quite obvious but still quite weird in the story.

I also came across notes that believe Carroll was clearly high while writing this book and this explains all the bizarre episodes.

I believe the basis of the story is living in a child's imagination.  At the end of the book Alice is woken up from a dream by her older sister who longingly wishes to live like Alice does.  Frequently the book references Alice being able to believe anything in this place; coupled with the closing paragraph this means anything can happen in her imagination.  I've always enjoyed the power of imagination - it's free and boundless, but I'm not sure it makes a great setting for a novel.

The part I enjoyed of the book is the unadulterated innocence of a child's mind.  Alice is in part able to believe all of these things in her imagination because she has not become limited by reality.  In Jesus' ministry he said, "whoever does not receive the Kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it" (Luke 18:17).  We must believe in the power of God with the limitless view of a child accept his greatness.  This does not mean that children are easily deceived; rather, that God is infinite and our minds have become trained to a limited reality.  As seen in Alice, it is children who can allow an infinite God - one that can do more than we can possibly imagine because He was powers that we cannot feign believe exist.

Resolving Shakespeare

First a list of Shakespeare works that I have read:

Comedies:
Midsummer Night's Dream
Much Ado about Nothing
Taming of the Shrew
Tempest

Histories:
None

Tragedies:
Hamlet
Macbeth
Romeo and Juliet

Sonnets:
I have read about 100 out of his 154 sonnets, I may read the remainder but probably will not write up much on these.


I have elected to read the highest rated of his remaining plays for each category.  This leaves the following three works:
Comedy - Twelfth Night
History - Henry V
Tragedy - Julius Caesar

What I've Already Read

Below are the 23 books I have already read from the list.  I thought it was somewhere in the 30s but I guess I have more to read than I thought.  I had read abridged versions of some of the others when I was younger but have decided that only complete editions will count.

1. Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen
2. The Lord of the Rings - JRR Tolkien
3. Harry Potter series - JK Rowling
4. To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee
5. The Bible
6. Great Expectations - Charles Dickens
7. The Hobbit - JRR Tolkien
8. Catcher in the Rye - JD Salinger
9. The Great Gatsby - F Scott Fitzgerald
10. Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck
11. Chronicles of Narnia - CS Lewis
12. The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe - CS Lewis
13. The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini
14. The Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown
15. Lord of the Flies - William Golding
16. A Tale Of Two Cities - Charles Dickens
17. Of Mice and Men - John Steinbeck
18. Charlotte’s Web - EB White
19. Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle 
20. Heart of Darkness - Joseph Conrad
21. The Three Musketeers - Alexandre Dumas
22. Hamlet - William Shakespeare 
23. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Roald Dahl

The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe (#12) is a repeat of Chronicles of Narnia, but I have replaced Shakespeare's works with 3 plays so the complete list as of now would be 101.

100 Books

Although I have earned my degree in engineering I very much enjoy reading.  Literature provides and insight into the author's mind and how they view the world.  Recently I have come across a few lists of 'must read' books.  I glance over the list and find that I have probably read more than the average Joe but often times less than half.  I decided I'd try to read through a whole list.

While reading through I will posts reviews of my thoughts on the book.  I will try to focus on the author's view of the man and how the author portrays our fallen condition and need for redemption.  Adam's initial sin and it's effect on mankind is given in the Bible (#6).  The Bible provides the greatest insight into man and was written by God for man to learn how to live life to its fullest.  In great works of literature I have read I see clear themes of redemptive humanity.  For example, in The Lord of the Rings, J.R.R. Tolkien writes about the need for a true King to sit on the throne; or in A Tale of Two Cities Charles Dickens describes the need for a substitutionary sacrifice to cover our guilt.  Some authors may write with no hope for man's redemption and I will explore that too.  Because I have already read some, and may choose not to re-read these, I will mix reviews for those books in with new ones I read.

I have selected one of "BBC's Top 100 Books to Read before You Die"; I say one of because I seemed to come across many variations while I was looking for one.  I have already read many of these but I intend to read them all now, we'll see how that works out.  Below is the list:



1 Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen
2 The Lord of the Rings - JRR Tolkien
3 Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte
4 Harry Potter series - JK Rowling
5 To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee
6 The Bible
7 Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte
8 Nineteen Eighty Four - George Orwell
9 His Dark Materials - Philip Pullman
10 Great Expectations - Charles Dickens
11 Little Women - Louisa M Alcott
12 Tess of the D’Urbervilles - Thomas Hardy
13 Catch 22 - Joseph Heller
14 Complete Works of Shakespeare - Shakespeare
15 Rebecca - Daphne Du Maurier
16 The Hobbit - JRR Tolkien
17 Birdsong - Sebastian Faulk
18 Catcher in the Rye - JD Salinger
19 The Time Traveller’s Wife - Audrey Niffenegger
20 Middlemarch - George Eliot
21 Gone With The Wind - Margaret Mitchell
22 The Great Gatsby - F Scott Fitzgerald
23 Bleak House - Charles Dickens
24 War and Peace - Leo Tolstoy
25 The Hitch Hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams
26 Brideshead Revisited - Evelyn Waugh
27 Crime and Punishment - Fyodor Dostoyevsky 
28 Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck
29 Alice in Wonderland - Lewis Carroll
30 The Wind in the Willows - Kenneth Grahame
31 Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy
32 David Copperfield - Charles Dickens
33 Chronicles of Narnia - CS Lewis
34 Emma - Jane Austen
35 Persuasion - Jane Austen
36 The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe 
37 The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini
38 Captain Corelli’s Mandolin - Louis De Bernieres
39 Memoirs of a Geisha - Arthur Golden
40 Winnie the Pooh - AA Milne
41 Animal Farm - George Orwell 
42 The Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown
43 One Hundred Years of Solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
44 A Prayer for Owen Meaney - John Irving
45 The Woman in White - Wilkie Collins 
46 Anne of Green Gables - LM Montgomery
47 Far From The Madding Crowd - Thomas Hardy. 
48 The Handmaid’s Tale - Margaret Atwood
49 Lord of the Flies - William Golding
50 Atonement - Ian McEwan
51 Life of Pi - Yann Martel
52 Dune - Frank Herbert 
53 Cold Comfort Farm - Stella Gibbons
54 Sense and Sensibility - Jane Austen 
55 A Suitable Boy - Vikram Seth. 
56 The Shadow of the Wind - Carlos Ruiz Zafon
57 A Tale Of Two Cities - Charles Dickens
58 Brave New World - Aldous Huxley
59 The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time - Mark Haddon
60 Love In The Time Of Cholera - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
61 Of Mice and Men - John Steinbeck
62 Lolita - Vladimir Nabokov
63 The Secret History - Donna Tartt
64 The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold 
65 Count of Monte Cristo - Alexandre Dumas
66 On The Road - Jack Kerouac
67 Jude the Obscure - Thomas Hardy
68 Bridget Jones’s Diary - Helen Fielding
69 Midnight’s Children - Salman Rushdie
70 Moby Dick - Herman Melville 
71 Oliver Twist - Charles Dickens
72 Dracula - Bram Stoker
73 The Secret Garden - Frances Hodgson Burnett
74 Notes From A Small Island - Bill Bryson
75 Ulysses - James Joyce
76 The Bell Jar - Sylvia Plath
77 Swallows and Amazons - Arthur Ransome 
78 Germinal - Emile Zola
79 Vanity Fair - William Makepeace Thackeray
80 Possession - AS Byatt. 
81 A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens
82 Cloud Atlas - David Mitchell
83 The Color Purple - Alice Walker
84 The Remains of the Day - Kazuo Ishiguro
85 Madame Bovary - Gustave Flaubert
86 A Fine Balance - Rohinton Mistry
87 Charlotte’s Web - EB White
88 The Five People You Meet In Heaven - Mitch Albom
89 Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle 
90 The Faraway Tree Collection - Enid Blyton
91 Heart of Darkness - Joseph Conrad
92 The Little Prince - Antoine De Saint-Exupery 
93 The Wasp Factory - Iain Banks
94 Watership Down - Richard Adams
95 A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole
96 A Town Like Alice - Nevil Shute
97 The Three Musketeers - Alexandre Dumas
98 Hamlet - William Shakespeare 
99 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Roald Dahl
100 Les Miserables - Victor Hugo 


Of note is #14 on the list - Complete Works of Shakespeare; this is quite extensive and could replace half of the list (indeed Hamlet is #98).  While I do enjoy his plays and insight into humanity I don't think I will read his complete works.  Instead I will choose a comedy, a history and a tragedy of his that I have not yet read and read those for #14.