My first read O Pioneers! is part of the Great Plains Trilogy book series by Willa Cather which includes the novels O Pioneers! #1, The Song of the LaMy first read O Pioneers! is part of the Great Plains Trilogy book series by Willa Cather which includes the novels O Pioneers! #1, The Song of the Lark #2, My Ántonia #3. I would actually give it 4 1/2 stars. Her writing style is amazing. I just wish it was a little longer.
Cather's main character is the strong and intelligent woman we all are searching for in a frontier story. Set during a period of time that having a successful farm was not really likely to happen. Most families are led by a strong male figure, but when her father fell ill, he saw in her, the drive that it would take to finish making his dream come true.
Alexandra went through many test of faith and stood her ground when she knew she was right. Her choices led the entire family in prosperity, an easier life, and her desire left her alone, to a point.
The Homestead gave Alexandra the comfort, security and peace that no place else did. And Carl? finally the safety and love she was missing most of her life.
Proust's Short Stories is his work from his Juvenilia days. The work includes Paris' high society with some pretentious social climbers, jealousy, airProust's Short Stories is his work from his Juvenilia days. The work includes Paris' high society with some pretentious social climbers, jealousy, airs and some loss as well. His style in this work is almost child like, and what he is surrounded by, making for an easy read and each story is different with emotions of loneliness, sadness of his characters that are well described.
The first story The Death of Baldassare Silvande can bring tears. Alexis, the nephew, visits his sick uncle on his birthday, Silvande gives him a horse and promises to give him another horse and a carriage later. Alexis receives the gifts. You realize that Silvande does not expect to live out the year, as his health deteriorates, he is able to reflect on his life and his relationships. In A Young Girl’s Confession, she is driven to suicide when her many relations causes her mothers death. She has a lack of will. "One must never allow evil the tiniest nook" A Dinner in High Society is just that! Banker, Literature expertise and Beauty, charm and lover of life.
Overall a read that I enjoyed. Not sure I will take on the challenge of Remembrance of Things Past soon....more
This is his short stories that he provided to a magazine to make a little bit of money. I read 3:10 to Yuma as I have enjoyed the movie. The Books endiThis is his short stories that he provided to a magazine to make a little bit of money. I read 3:10 to Yuma as I have enjoyed the movie. The Books ending is not the same at all....more
This is a book with many stories. The one for the review is "Before Adam" hmmm...not really my type of book. I had a hard time getting into the read. AThis is a book with many stories. The one for the review is "Before Adam" hmmm...not really my type of book. I had a hard time getting into the read. Adventure read?
London tries his hand at writting in a totally different direction than his norm. The tale begins with what I think it is his alter ego. In his (narrator) Wake a Day world he is living in the modern world but while dreaming he is a prehistoric human. The story is about the danger, hardship and just trying to survive for the Cave People which is his clan. With no true communication of words and feelings it is lacking in substance, written in a simple manner.
I kept waiting for him to wake up!
Of course this type a story is hard for me to fathom, raised believing in Adam and Eve....more
My Antoniá is the third book of The Prairie Trilogy by Willa Cather. The Story of immigrant pioneers. (pages 1-211) When Jim's parents die, he moves toMy Antoniá is the third book of The Prairie Trilogy by Willa Cather. The Story of immigrant pioneers. (pages 1-211) When Jim's parents die, he moves to live with his Grandparents in Nebraska. He shares his views of the prairie life no fences, creeks or trees. The land was flat and no farming fields to be seen. An untamed land, but ten years later there are wheat, sorghum and corn fields. The awful compact red grass was replaced by homes, orchards and barns. Change in homeland is so hard and leads to wishing of the past life. Some immigrants (that provide a painter's palette of cultures) had never farmed before, such is the case with Antonia's Father. Some try so hard to overcome, to be successful but homesick is always around the corner and with health, loneliness and missing the past cause the feeling of loss. "We are not beggers...in the old Country we made good wages and we were respected" The land for some only rewarded in hardships like locusts, drought, fires and frost. When Jim goes off to further his education he is leaving the joy of nature and Antonia behind. She is strong and takes things seriously and works very hard and develops herself in this new land. Antonia has the spirit needed to make the best of nature, to be resilient and becomes successful at farming. The land for Antonia gave rewards of abundance. The story does make one question the why of the people. Why be so brave to leave their known behind, bring their families to such vast prairies of the west with nothing but unknowns to come. Cather's style is outstanding, you can tell she admired the pioneers who struggled daily to cope with what nature provided. Nature full of grasses, wildflowers and few trees that connected the pioneers to their new homes. Cather realized that the pioneer life was full of passion, bravery and hope....more
Of Mice and Men 2017 is a quick and easy read. Steinbeck writes with beautiful and physical descriptions that for me, painted a detailed picture of evOf Mice and Men 2017 is a quick and easy read. Steinbeck writes with beautiful and physical descriptions that for me, painted a detailed picture of every setting along the journey. George and Lennie are a mismatched pair of migrant farm workers. George is small and has a knowledge from life not schooling. Lennie is mountainous (for lack of a better word) and childlike in mind. Lennie is so strong, he is unaware of this strength, when he connects with anyone from mice to men, he may unknowingly do them fatal harm, until it is too late. To try and help Lennie stay in line George retells a dream of having their own land, working the little farm and raising animals. Lennie, in this dream farm, takes care of the rabbits, but from experience I know Lennie would only kill them in the end. Lennie does not want to make George mad so, George retells the story to Lennie of the farm and the rabbits as a way of getting good behavior out of Lennie. Lennie as George's partner, makes employment hard to keep. Not allowing stakes to be set for any length of time. George continues to care for, travel with, and does his best to protect Lennie. The love and kindness George shows for Lennie even happens in the end. Lennie would not understand the 'why' of what was happening to him. George does what he thinks is the most honorable thing to do for Lennie and again protect him. Absolutely one of the saddest stories I have read. Without a doubt will pull at your heart...tragic
The second read from this book was The Red Pony. 2017 “The Red Pony� left me feeling as if the story was incomplete. All of the 4 stories have no happy ending. Jody does not learn anything but heartache and pain from his experiences. Steinbeck shows that responsibility, not always, has lessons of value and in the end Jody is angry with his Dad and spiteful.
My third read is Cannery Row. 2017 About a small fishing town in California, where not a lot takes place but what does is striking. The story has some unique individuals who are all poor but are great pals. Chong the grocery store owner who does the same thing everyday, Henri the painter, Doc the marine biologists/doctor and a group of guys known as Mack and the boys (bums). There are many others you meet along the way where not one is the same as the other. The tale follows Doc and Mack and the boys on their adventures (troubles) of everyday life. They rent (rent they do not pay) from Lee Chong a fish meal house. Doc is so admired by Mack and the boys they decide to throw him a party, without him and it turns out horrible. Nothing goes the way they want it to 'stuff happens' and Doc finds love. No real plot to speak of but there is plenty of kindness between them. I found the read to be full of charm and many different comical personalities among all of the individuals. In the beginning the descriptions are very detailed of the characters and the prescription of 'Beer Milkshakes' makes this a must read and fun book.
In Dubious Battle 2021 (doubious=suspicious) Set in the 30's during the Depression has an underlying dark tone and straight forward about the time of the Labor Strikes. In the Battle...workers attempt to work for fair wages and to be given the chance to be treated fairly to take care of their families, in California's agricultural valley of picking apples in the orchard groves, labor agitators Mac and Jim set out to stop the injustice of workers being promised one wage and than cutting it severely as well as their camp conditions. Jim has nothing going for him and he wants to amount for something with the loss of his family. Picking up the cause, he is guided through by Mac who is committed to spending his time going from one camp to another organizing the workers to strike. Mac gains trust and acceptance by any means possible. He uses any and all means to advance the cause. Actions are orchestrated incidences to help in the beginning and throughout the strke, like the shooting of Joy which Mac believes justify the means to further the cause. Mac and Jim are set up in the end and Mac takes power in the moment to rally the men for the cause once again. I don't know how much I have got over, but I have used a small strike in an orchard valley as the symbol of man's eternal, bitter warfare with himself. I'm not interested in strike as a means of raising men's wages, and I'm not interested in ranting about justice or oppression, mere outcroppings which indicate the condition. But man hates something in himself. [. . .] And this self-hate which goes so closely with self-love is what I wrote about.
The Pearl August 2021 This short story is a tale of a family that among others are very poor but happy. Music fills the sensuous of Kino's being. It is the sounds of nature that bring him peace and a sense of family. Kino goes diving for oysters in hopes of having the village doctor take care of his son. Upon finding a unique pearl the Villagers immediately think about themselves and out of their own greed they low ball the worth of the pearl in hopes of making a huge profit. And than it begins there is extreme violence and trackers are hired to steal the pearl. The greed that others seem to think they have a right to, in the end causes devastation of the heart and the sweet music does not return to the family. Steinbeck's writing is beautiful in the beginning, inticing you into Kino and Juana's life, bringing emotions of worry and concern, and then the terror for Kino and Juana turns slowly into grief and indifference towards the pearl. Written simply yet oh so powerful in it's symbolic warning against the greed and evil of humans and their dark sides of selfishness.
"The poison sacs of the town began to manufacture venom, and the town swelled and puffed with the pressure of it."
The Moon Is Down September 2021 (4 stars) Pages 273-354 The Moon is Down follows eight people in a Norwegian town that is very peaceable. There are enemies that invade and try to take over. We get to know these folks and their love of town and members. They all live their lives, they love their life in this town but are faced with evil tring to destroy them by taking the town, as the ones in charge want the funding from the coal mines. The town tries to rebel and continue to love and not give in. At one point they fight back by sabotage. The forces get mad about things not going their way. They even force the Mayor Orden to tell the towns people to give in. He does not do what they ask of him and he gives his life for democracy by telling the people to keep resisting. The soldiers are victims in a way. Missing home and girlfriends, not totally on board. It bothers them that they are so hated. Loft wants to be promoted and is passed over for someone much less qualified. I felt bad for him (in a way). Seeing the forces as human is another of Steinbeck's moral tale. There is not really a main scenario, but morally Steinbeck is setting a precedence that violence doesnt always have to be the answer.
"I wrote The Moon Is Down as a kind of celebration of the durability of democracy."
I am very enchanted with John Steinbeck's way with words and the way he weaves a story of life for his characters, who tend to have layers of realism about them.
2023 a Reread of The Red Pony For a story that truly captures the human ability to overcome life's disappointments one must read The Red Pony. It is truly a sad tale for me. ...more
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