A Tree Grows in Brooklyn

I have been reading this one book called A Tree Grows in Brooklyn and it's one of those inspirational and heart-wrenching novels. The story is basically about "a young girl's coming of age at the turn of the century". The book takes place in America during the start of the 1900s, where times are extremely tough for those who are poor and education is hard to maintain. The story describes the narrator as a smart girl who loves to read but has to constantly deal with problems life throws at her, but the great thing is that through all these experiences with poverty, loss, and isolation, she slowly grows and matures into a intellectual and driven writer.

I haven't finished the book yet but from what I have read so far is superb. You rarely come across a book like this, where you sympathize for the narrator. What's great is the writing, Betty Smith writes in a way where you feel like you're there in the story; as if you're the one witnessing it all happen.

It's a Saturday and I've done nothing but read the whole day. It's okay though, the weekend is the only time I actually get to read, chapter after chapter. Everything feels so peaceful when you have a hot cup of tea, maybe something to munch on (for me it's dark chocolate), and a good book. I realize that reading makes food more enjoyable and reading before you go to bed makes sleeping more relaxing.

Running with Scissors

Just finished Running with Scissors, and my final thought was "wow what a quirky book!" But the thoughts that flooded in afterward were intense. The whole story was very strange but exhilarating, its really refreshing to finally get to read something that strays so much away from reality. Every time I picked up the book, it was like escaping into another world where the worries and dilemmas I go normally through have no significance whatsoever in comparison. I just loved how there were so many detailed scenes in the book that were so hilarious. Whenever there was a incident that seemed like a complete disaster, the author always knew how to switch it around, making the situation seem like something humorous.

Overall its one of those books where it gets you thinking, I feel like just reading the book makes you more mature in someway. Seeing how the narrator faces insanely chaotic situations, makes you feel like you can deal with any shit life throws at you: 'when life gives you lemons, make lemonade'. Now I feel like being psychiatrist, it seems like it would be an mind-boggling yet entertaining profession.

Memorable Quotes:
"According to Hope, Freud died of kitty leukemia. According to me, Freud died of being trapped in a laundry basket for four days without food or water. "

"You can't come in here, this is my mastabatorium! "

"The stress had caused the psoriasis on Hope's scalp to produce extraordinary quantities of snowy flakes...The flakes would collect on her shoulders and scatter down the front and back of her shirt. This gave her the appearance of an actress taking a break from shooting on the set of a blizzard."

Memorable Moments:
"Look at your damn face," my mother said. You've got the face of a man twice your age. Thirty-seven years old going on eighty."
My father was very drunk by now and the only way he could imagine restoring silence to the house was to stop my mother from breathing.
"Get your damn hands off of me," my mother screamed, struggling against my father's hands, which had found their way around her neck.
"Shut the hell up, you bitch." His teeth were clenched.

"I hate my life," Natalie said again.
"I hate the ceiling," I said.
The ceiling was low, much too low for the room, much too low for the old Victorian house. The ceiling wasn't smooth either; it was bumpy, like the backs of a woman's legs. The ceiling had cellulite.
"It's old," Natalie said, as if this meant I should forgive it.
"It's horribly depressing."
The yellow light against the yellow walls against the old wood floor, itself a shade of yellow mixed with brown. The total effect was not cheery. It was crushing. It was yellow coming down on you. It was...
"Let's get rid of it then," Natalie said suddenly, looking around.
"Rid of what?"
"Let's take down the ceiling."
I smirked at the idea.

Hope slammed her book shut. "Natalie, you are so foul-mouthed. What's the matter with you, hm? All day long you whine about wanting to go to Smith and you can't say ten words without suing the F-word."
"That's right, Hope. I'm just a foul-mouthed whore. I'm your little slut sister."
"That's enough," Hope said.
"Go fuck yourself," Natalie gave her the finger. Then she turned to me. "Let's go to McDonald's. Let's get some McNuggets."
"Oh, bring me some?" Hope said sweetly.
Natalie snickered darkly. "We'll bring you a dead squirrel if we happen to see one on the side of the road."

"Help me lift this fucking mattress. We're going to turn a negative situation into a fun situation."
We are able to ease the mattress into the swimming pool out front without making so much as a splash.
The television set, the chair and both nightstands didn't make much of a splash either.
"Hey motherfucker," Natalie screamed toward the front office of the motel. "I did like you said and looked everywhere and I still didn't find my earrings."

The Mysteries of Pittsburgh

So I recently finished this one book called The Mysteries of Pittsburgh which in many ways like the title, mysterious. Its basically about this guy who is really confused about what he wants out of life and especially love. So throughout the story which is really only the summer months of June, July, and August, he experiments with his sexuality. First with his girlfriend Phlox and then with an another man named Arthur. However towards the end of the story he falls in love with both of them, ruining his relationship with his father, who is this gang leader, in the process.

What's sad about the story was that it always seemed like Art was in his own little world where he was constantly lost and confused about what he wanted; having to decide between who he loved more and also having to live up to his father's expectations. In the end, Art decided to run away from everything, from his father, from Phlox and Arthur.

I guess you can say that this story has a strange concept but the thing I found really interesting about the book was how the author wrote. The way he phrased ideas together and the way he basically put things into perspective. Overall the book was very different than anything I ever read, but definitely worth it.

Jane Austen

To Miss ---

My first displays the wealth and pomp of kings,
Lords of the earth! their luxury and ease.
Another view of man, my second brings,
Behold him there, monarch of the seas!

But, ah! united, what a reverse we have!
Man's boasted power and freedom, all are flown;
Lords of the earth and sea, he bends a slave,
And woman, lovely woman, reigns alone.

Thy ready wit the word till soon supply,
May its approval beam in that soft eye!

A charade written about courtship, from the novel Emma. It captures the beauty of infatuation and the pride men are willing to give up altogether for an opportunity to be with the one they love. I like how the first stanza gives all these images of dominating men in power but by the second stanza all that power is so easily thrown away for the sole purpose of being in love. I believe vulnerability is a person's greatest fear when it comes to a relationship but when one is able to lay their heart out for another person, that is the true beauty of love.