The things that go through my head » Book Review

Alice In Wonderland

Tanya — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:37:02 +0000

Way back in the day when I was young, I spent all of my free time watching the Disney channel. Remember when TV was your only entertainment option? I watched the Disney version of Alice in Wonderland several times and I enjoyed it a lot. I could relate to Alice completely, as I remember having a hard time telling the difference between reality and fantasy from time to time. I had very vivid dreams about flying or falling down holes, although nothing as fantastic as what Alice experiences. I can remember having a hard time telling the difference between reality and my dreams.

As an adult I thought it was a very silly and random story with a bunch of stuff in it that makes no sense. That was what made it so great. It was a story about nothing. Random playing cards running around, a queen and king of hearts, and a white rabbit who is late for a very important date. There just seemed to be no rhyme or reason to any of the happenings in the story. I sure do not remember all the commentary on the bizarre rituals that people engage in. I don’t remember all the stuff about Alice’s struggle with her identity and her difficulty navigating through the adult world. Her childish confusion at all the injustice in the world sure made me think.

That is why I am currently reading the online e-text of Lewis Carroll’s classic book. I have to say I like the book a whole lot more than I liked the movie and I really, really liked the movie. I hope to enjoy the rest of it tonight.

Animal Farm

Tanya — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 02:26:39 +0000

I have just finished reading another excellent George Orwell book, Animal Farm. Once again I read it completely online. Either I would read it on my blackberry or I would use my laptop. My Blackberry makes a terrible kindle. The text is too small and if somebody texts you while you are reading and you go read the text message, you will find that you have lost your place in the book. But who care about that? Animal Farm was a great book which totally conforms to my personal worldview in regards to government. The book has everything, an animal uprising that results in all the oppressive human beings being driven off the farm. The animals run their own affairs and everything is honky-dory for all the animals, at least for a little while. They manage to do a better job than Jones and his men at bringing in the crops and dividing up the spoils. The animals have better living conditions, at least for a little while. But of course, the evil, power-hungry jerks in society (the pigs) take over and ruin everything. And isn’t that exactly what happens in every society? Isn’t that what is happening to all of our governments and institutions? Greedy power-hungry pigs take it over from the well-meaning revolutions to the detriment of everybody else? How depressing!

If I had half a brain cell working I would have at least put up an amazon link and hoped somebody would click on it.

Book Review: 1984

Tanya — Sun, 12 Apr 2009 17:51:28 +0000

I love books but I take terrible care of them. My library fines are exhorbitant. So I have taken a great liking to online book publishers that make classic texts available on the internet. In this case, I just finished re-reading George Orwell’s classic dystopian book 1984. I can’t recall if I read this book while still a young high-schooler or as a single mom. I can’t quite remember. However, I really loved this book the first time I read it and I loved it even more on this lovely Easter long weekend. When I read it the first time I remember being horrified by all the ways that the government can and does manipulate the media. The use of torture, the constant surveillance of your thoughts and deeds by the Thoughtpolice, the use of Newspeak, the manipulation of language, all stuck out in my mind. But you know what? I completely missed Winston’s relationship with Julia. How does that even happen? Winston, the middle-aged chain-smoking alcoholic, is the main character. His devoping relationship with Julia is a primary feature of the plot in this book and I forgot all about her! I’m horrified. Julia is the one that finally gets Winston to openly defy the State and Big Brother by sneaking off for sexy afternoon trysts in the Golden Meadow. Her casual use of sex as a way to undermine the State was quite beautiful. I even forgot about the puritanical Anti-Sex League. How can one forget the Anti-Sex League, being reborn in modern times as the “Sarah Palin’s daughter does the shame-faced chastity pageant walk”? The only thing Orwell missed out on were the D.A.R.E or Anti-Drug League. That would have been sweet. The only thing that terrifies people more than teenage sexuality is teenage drug use. It’s a great way to stir up parental rage.

Oh and that was a spoiler. There is an Anti-Sex League in the book. However, those spoilers are just enough to pique your curiosity and no excuse not to read this classic. It really is quite good in a “staring at a train wreck” sort of way.