Peace Like A River

And I'm officially the boss again! I'm glad because it actually motivated me to go out and find the book this time--they had it available at the local library, but my mom's card was expired so instead of going down to the library and renewing it, I spent $13 at Borders. If only we were in my home library town. I could have renewed my library card in no time.

My copy of this book is just over 300 pages. Let's try to get through the first 149 pages, to the Chapter entitled "At War With this Whole World," by mid-month (Goosey's birthday, if you will), and then finish it up by the end of the June. I started it this afternoon and so far I'm really enjoying it.

Happy Reading everyone!

And the Winner Is...

Hey y'all. I'm sorry that I'm so slow about selecting the book this month. I'm not sure why but the 31 days of May felt more like 2 and so I am not quite ready for June. And yet, here it is. This month's read is "Peace Like a River" by L.L. Enger and our own Lindy Langston will be the discussion leader.

From the title, it sounds like the perfect book to start the official summer season -- it makes me think of cool, shady spots on the banks of a river or under an umbrella on the beach.

Mmmm...delicious.

The Wrap-up

Let me just apologize for picking a novel that ended up being so inaccessible for some of you. I had no idea! For those of you who did manage to get a copy, I hope you enjoyed it. Let us know what you thought about it in the comments.

I'm just going to leave two quotes that I really liked, taken from Part II of the book. I think Orual becomes very self-aware and articulate in these final pages.

"The change which the writing wrought in me (and of which I did not write) was only a beginning - only to prepare me for the gods' surgery. They used my own pen to probe my wound."

"I saw well why the gods do not speak to us openly, nor let us answer. Til that word can be dug out of us, why should they hear the babble we think we mean? How can they meet us face to face till we have faces?"

I thought this was a beautiful book, and liked the reconciliation at the end. I think the whole "You also shall be Psyche" bit was a little ambiguous but very symbolic of Orual's anguish as Psyche accomplished the tasks, maybe? Any thoughts on that?

Oh, and for you legal folk, I totally think you should try to work "the complaint was the answer" into your work somehow somewhere. So confusing and yet so...literary. Thanks, everyone!

Are we on the same page?

Okay, maybe not exactly, but is anyone else reading this one? I just finished the book last night (library due date is today), and have to say I rather enjoyed it. For now, we can just discuss Part 1 though. I don't want to throw off any schedules or anything.

I feel like this book is dripping with symbolism that I'm not necessarily picking up on, so if any of you have some insights, I'm looking forward to reading them. I have noticed a lot of vision/sight symbolism. Maybe some of us can relate to Orual in many ways, like when she starts to veil her face and eventually "the Queen of Glome had more and more a part of me and Orual less and less." Are there parts of our lives that we try to hide from the sight of others, even ourselves, because they are too painful (you obviously don't have to be specific, but I think this is worthy of some introspection)?

Also, have any of us felt the anguish of Orual through the "loss" of a loved one whom we feel is "blind" to things we feel can see?

I have a couple of other questions I've had on my mind that I'll post later. I do feel like Lewis shows compassion and sympathy in these hard realities he's exploring in the novel. I'm glad to have read it. For any of you who are reading this one, I sure hope you're enjoying it!

Revival!

Okay, everyone. School's out, so our summer reading program has officially begun! I haven't read this month's selection before, but I've been wanting to for quite some time (it's a favorite of my parents...translation: this could go either way, but definitely worth a shot). I suppose you can go to wikipedia to find out more about Till We Have Faces by C.S. Lewis, but in a nutshell, it's the retelling of the ancient Greek myth of Cupid and Psyche from the perspective of Psyche's sister, Orual. The book is divided into two parts, with the first part significantly longer than the second. So, as far as a reading schedule goes, I say let's just have the first part (to about p. 250 in my version) finished by May 20th and the rest of the book (to p. 309) by the end of the month. Give or take. And now, for your reading/browsing/just glancing over pleasure, I'm going to include the story of Cupid and Psyche (included also as a note at the back of the book), for those of you who weren't FORCED to take Greek and Roman mythology to get their degree in humanities like I was. I'm still a little bitter. This is long, so brace yourselves, people.

A king and queen had three daughters of whom the youngest was so beautiful that men worshipped her as a goddess and neglected the worship of Venus for her sake. One result was that Psyche (as the youngest was called) had no suitors; men reverenced her supposed deity too much to aspire to her hand. When her father consulted the oracle of Apollo about her marriage he received the answer: "Hope for no human son-in-law. You must expose Psyche on a mountain to be the prey of a dragon." This he obediently did.
But Venus, jealous of Psyche's beauty, had already devised a different punishment for her; she had ordered her son Cupid to afflict the girl with an irresistable passion for the basest of men. Cupid set off to do so but, on seeing Psyche, fell in love with her himself. As soon as she was left on the mountain he therefore had her carried off by the West-Wind (Zephyrus) to a secret place where he had prepared a stately palace. Here he visited her by night and enjoyed her love; but he forbade her to see his face. Presently she begged that she might receive a visit from her two sisters. The god reluctantly consented and wafted them to her palace. Here they were royally feasted and expressed great delight at all the splendours they saw. But inwardly they were devoured with envy, for their husbands were not gods and their houses not so fine as hers.
They therefore plotted to destroy her happiness. At their next visit they persuaded her that her mysterious husband must really be a monstrous serpent. "You must take into your bedroom tonight," they said, "a lamp covered with a cloak and a sharp knife. When he sleeps uncover the lamp--see the horror that is lying in your bed--and stab it to death." All this the gullible Psyche promised to do.
When she uncovered the lamp and saw the sleeping god she gazed on him with insatiable love, till a drop of hot oil from her lamp fell on his shoulder and woke him. Starting up, he spread his shining wings, rebuked her, and vanished from her sight.
The two sisters did not long enjoy their malice, for Cupid took such measures as led both to their death. Psyche meanwhile wandered away, wretched and desolate, and attempted to drown herself in the first river she came to; but the god Pan frustrated her attempt and warned her never to repeat it. After many miseries she fell into the hands of her bitterest enemy, Venus, who seized her for a slave, beat her, and set her what were meant to be impossible tasks. The first, that of sorting out seeds into separate heaps, she did by the help of some friendly ants. Next, she had to get a hank of golden wool from some man-killing sheep; a reed by a river bank whispered to her that this could be acheived by plucking the wool from off the bushes. After that, she had to fetch a cupful of the water of the Styx, which could be reached only by climbing certain impracticable mountains, but an eagle met her, took the cup from her hand, and returned with it full of the water. Finally she was sent down to the lower world to bring back to Venus, in a box, the beauty of Persephone, the Queen of the Dead. A mysterious voice told her how she could reach Persephone and yet return to our world; on the way she would be asked for help by various people who seemed to deserve her pity, but she must refuse them all. And when Persephone gave her the box (full of beauty) she must on no account open the lid to look inside. Psyche obeyed all this and returned to the upper world with the box; but then at last curiosity overcame her and she looked into it. She immediately lost consciousness.
Cupid now came to her again, but this time he forgave her. He interceded with Jupiter, who agreed to permit his marriage and make Psyche a goddess. Venus was reconciled and they all lived happily ever after.

Whew. There you have it. To me, it's kind of like a Beauty and the Beast meets Rumplestilskin (sp?) meets Ladyhawke (has anyone else seen that?). Anyway, get reading!

Mrs. Lily Mott, Come on Down!

Hey, everyone. I hope y'all have enjoyed the thoroughly thrilling (and ultimately dissatisfying -- sorry, Todd, but that's what I think) "Smilla's Sense of Snow." It is time to move on and the lucky discussion leader for the month of May is none other than our own, lovely, Lily Mott. (cue cheering crowd noises: Yeah! Wohoo! Alright!)

Lily brings us back to our philosophical roots with her selection, "Till We Have Faces" by the excellent C.S. Lewis. I know almost nothing about this book but "I am already disposed to approve of it" (to quote one of the best books on the planet) because (1) it's CS Lewis; and (2) it's Lily's suggestion.

So. Get to work! Lily, we look forward to hearing from you soon.

Out with the Old and in with the New

Well it's a new month and you all (or ya'll according to Abby) know what that means...it's time for a riveting review of last month's read. Jill, I simply cannot wait a minute longer to read your fascinating take on Blood Brothers. I'm sure you have lots to say about this interesting book you recommended.

It's also time to start a new book: Smilla's Sense of Snow. This book tells a tale of murder and international intrigue amidst the snowy peaks of the mighty Alps. It's full of highs and lows, twists and turns and will leaving you thinking "hmmmm...that book gave me a whole new outlook on not only snow, but life itself." OK, maybe it won't because maybe none of what I just said is true. I'm pretty sure there is going to be some snow involved based on the title, but I haven't read much yet so the rest is still a mystery....a mystery we will all solve together as members of The Finer Things Book Club.