Erich Segal's Prizes

What are your prizes? Among those prizes, which do you consider as the dearest?

The story revolve on the strenuous lives of three scientist Adam, Sandy and Isabel who vied for the Nobel Prize (laureate in Physics, Chemistry, Literature and Medicine). Their dedication and passion for what they do were clearly depicted in the story so as their struggles in search for love and recognition.

There are two things I love about this book:
* the bits of learning I had about the Nobel prize
* a peek on the prize (I mean the lives) of those who work to earn a
Nobel laurete

Erich Segal's Prizes made me ponder and assert to myself those I held as my prizes--- my family, my friends, my career.

How about you, What are your prizes?

Gotcha Rilla!

I am very glad to finally have a copy of this book yesterday. One more book (Anne of Windy Poplars) to go for me to have a complete series of Lucy Maud Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables series... ^_^ I will reread the series in chronological order once I have a complete set (because I acquired the book insequentially)

The novel was about the experiences of Rilla, the youngest daughter of Anne and Gilbert, before and during the WWI. I found the book extra interesting because of the plot (era of WWI)---not that I am a war-freak, but because I am overwhelmed by the resilience shown by people who lived during the war.

more notes soon...

Passing by Mansfield Park

The reviews indicating Mansfield Park as the most controversial novel By Jane Austen drew me into reading the said novel more intently (and actually reading it again). I ask myself WHY it is controversial when it deals common issues including family, seperation, intellectual arrogance (sorry for the term, but the two Ms. Bertram and Aunt Norris belittled Fanny all through-out the novel), marriage, and friendship---common issues in a plot ages older and viewed or taken in another perspective by our generation.

Recalling the traits and role of each character help me discover the cause of controversy of Masfield park---the extra marital affair of Maria Bertram and Henry Crawford and also the relationship between cousins Fanny and Edmund.

But I need to do additional reading and search for materials that will support (or to contradict) my claim.

More notes soon...

My Emma Within

At last! I was able to finish and post this entry (after a month of leaving it as a draft) as part of the Jane Austen Book Club spearheaded by witsandnuts.

I thought of "My Emma within" as a very fitting title of this entry for two reasons: First, I'll put into words my perspective of Emma. How I have understood her thoughts
and actions (though I perceived her to do things the other way around) and Second how I have seen a bit and piece of Emma on my own thoughts and actions then and now(this part is patterned after "the child within" concept.)


EMMA IN MY NAKED EYES
With the predictable plot (the almost never-ending match-making) and the irritating attitude (and plot) of Emma, here are what I have observed:

She is respectful. At the first part of the novel, it was explicitely mentioned that Emma gives high regard to Mrs. Weston,her governess since chilhood. Emmma listens to and considers Mrs. Weston's thoughts and pieces of advice, not to mention how courteous she is to her teacher. The kind of relationship Emma has with her father is also something to look upon. Her respect towards her father is always there. She thinks about her father's possible reaction and health condition before making certain decisions.

Emma is outspoken and stands on her beliefs. It can be noted from the onset of the novel that Emma speaks her mind and have the tendency to end up with an argument; not because she likes to argue but because she wants her side or position on a particular issue be heard and understood. If she believe in something she will stand on it until it was proven very unlikely and really distasteful. Emma was also characterize to be the type of person to accept criticisms (but ofcourse her realizations comes days after the occurence of some heated debate).

She admits mistakes. This is the hardest thing to do. One thing which I like about Emma is her will to admit her mistakes. She may not voice it out at once, but in a subtle and in the most Emma-like way she was able to acknowledge her shortcomings. But this same trait makes her also irritating.

A certified match-maker. Mr. Elton, Mr. Churchill,and Mr. Knightley (and never Mr. Martin)are the three men whom she match-make with Harriet, the daughter of nobody (in the end was said to be a merchant) whom she have taken into her wings. But then, despite Emma's schemes, she failed to arrange a marriage or even just a couple out of the mentioned gentlemen. The first married Augusta, the second was secretly engaged with Jane fairfax, and latter was actually in love with Emma. What may have made her fail with her match-making was her blindness regarding Harriet's real love interest and her intent focus on social status that equals Harriet (financial and social status are for her contributing factor to a possible pairing/match-making).

Love makes the world go round but-not-for-me attitude. Emma delights in match-making but vowed never to marry---her reason was her father's health (what a crap, right?). But this belief or attitude was not meant to last because jealousy of Harriet (who assume that she got the affection of Mr. Knightley). She realized that she love Mr. George Knightley since she hardly determine when.


MY EMMA-LIKE WAYS
I was bale to relate with the story, specially with Emma, because I saw some part of me in her. I labeled these similarities as My Emma-like ways:
* Like Emma, I have great respect and regard to my educators and mentors. I value their role in making me the way I am now.

* I also speak my mind (and actually tries very hard to think hard first before I speak) and stand on my beliefs (I sometimes end up making enemies).

* Emma's joys and struggles were confined in a small place, to Highbury. She stayed in Highbury by choice (despite her wealth). I also have few travel opportunities, but it is due to to financial constriants.

* Match-making is also my strong point. It makes me jolly whenever I can pair my assumed well-suited friends with each other (but only a few end up as couples). Honestly, I also have some factors to consider before I even act on matching two of my friends or acquaintances. I scrutinize if they have complementing triats. (hehehe) Oopps, here is a BIG BUT--- I hate it when I am the one who is being matched. *grrr* (hehehe)


HERE ARE THE LINES THAT STRUCK ME MOST:
"... no man can be a good judge of the comfort a woman feels in the society of one of her own sex after being used to it all her life" – Mrs. Weston

"Vanity working on a weak head produces every sort of mischief." – Mr. Knightley

"It was foolish, it take active part in bringing any two people together. It was adventuring too far, assuming too much, making light of what ought to be serious- a trick of what ought to be simple." -Emma’s realization

"There is safety in reserve, but no attraction. One cannot love a reserved person." – Frank Churchill (Oh my! should I start being less reserved to attract attention and affection?)

"There is no charm equal to tenderness of heart." – Emma to Harriet

This novel made me ponder three things: use of wit and tenderness of the heart, respect, and sincerity.

Memoirs of a Geisha

Arthur Golden's thoughts/lines in Memoirs of a Geisha that struck me:

* "... I won't pretend these parties did anything to lessen my suffering; but they di help remind me just how selfish my suffering really was."

* "Friendship is a precious thing, Sayuri. One mustn't throw it away."

* " I'm a very easy man to understand, sayuri. I don't like things held up before me that I cannot have."

* I never seek to defeat the man I am fighting, Iseek to defeat his confidence. ..."

These are common thoughts. It's very good of Arthur Golden to have stated or used those thoughts strikingly. The story moved me.

My Fave Toni's Blog

I love Toni’s if-books-were-food entry, then and now...

> It reawakened my bibliobby ( I refer to my hobby of reading books).

> Those mentioned added spice to my list of must-have books.

> It prompted me to allot a space in my mini-library for other authors.

Note: I was unable to join the book carnival, though. :-(

P.S. Happy 5th anniversary Ms. Toni! ^_^

Tangible reminders and Self-regard

Luanne Rice’s Follow the stars Home evolved on the lives of four females who struggle in order to savor the gift of love each of them deserves:

* Dianne, left by her husband giving birth to a sick child, and years later faced with a possibility of second chance at love with her brother-in-law.

* Lucinda, an adoptive child of violent parents was given hope by her belief on kindred spirits which she had read from Anne of Green Gables. She is Diannes mother.

* Amy, age 2, loves her clinically depressed mother dearly but hardly feels loved back. She found a mother image in Dianne and a friend in Julia.

* Julia, age 11 is Dianne’s daughter who is inflicted with Rhett’s syndrome. Her reactions were assumed to show affection for Ammy.

As a gift on Lucinda’s retirement as librarian, Diane took her mother, Julia and Amy to prince Edward island, the setting of Anne of green Gables. When they were about to leave the old apple-tree gardens of Lucy Maud, Amy suggested they take something for souvenirs. She gathered four withered-up apples ---apples with struck out stems and smelled like vinegar or wine. Dianne asked Amy why she took old apples. Amy said “They’re us.” Lucinda explained that the apples are ugly, unlovable things lying on the ground… until someone picked them up. The apples are tangible reminders of who they were and who they love. Personally, I take the sponge as a tangible representation of who I am. Like the sponge, I absorb as long as I can hold. I absorb even those that leave stains to the extent of my limit until someone, usually a confidant, squeeze me little by little so I could pour out whatever I had absorbed and so I may breathe. When I am back in shape, I am ready again to absorb.

Upon reading this novel, I have realized that the story offers more than touch and warmth on one’s heart, it conveys an outlook in life that enhances one’s self-regard (also self-worth) or how one see him/herself. The four heroine’s withered apples reminded me that ugly things or painful experiences in naked eyes are all only skin-deep---their effects disappear in time, they heal. Introspection made me understand that unpleasant things occur in order to bring out the beauty and luster within me. Besides, I am the one who know and see the beauty and worth in me, who else? I am the one who should initiate the discovery of my worth so others will also know.

In all the hurtful and disagreeable things that happen to me (us) how will be able to start to appreciate and see the positive side of things? I remember one session I, and the rest of my batch mates, had with bro. Boy. He told us to hug ourselves tightly or cuddle a pillow whenever we feel so lonely, unloved, and down so as to give ourselves the warmth we need--- it works!, at least on my part. The rationale is that we feel secured and attached by being hugged or cuddled. It is a relief to put into words how I feel; that despite the difficulties I encounter I still feel needed, appreciated, loved, useful, and kept --- and I know I be worthy of all these… I regard myself as I deserve.