A Month of Gratitude, Day 8

About three years ago my friend Rachel and I decided that it wasn't enough to share books with each other, so we started a book club with other women in our neighborhood.  Since then, I have read all kinds of books that I never would have chosen on my own.  Some of them I have discovered that I love (like this month's book, The Sisters Brothers), and some I'll be happy if I never see it again (To the Lighthouse, unfortunately, and also anything written or edited by Tom Perotta), but either way, I love that not only am I trying out books and genres I might never have opened otherwise, but I'm also getting the chance to discuss them with a group of women I have grown to love.  Today, I am thankful for my book club.

What are you thankful for?

Banned Books Week

My good friend Angie wrote a post about this year's Banned Books Week (I stole your image, Angie - it was too awesome not to - hope you don't mind!)  Although I could never claim to be as prolific a reader as she is, I still love it.  I am seldom without a book.  If I don't have something new to read, I will revisit old friends.  I firmly believe that you can't read a book too many times, and I have, thankfully, passed that belief on to at least one of my children.

I also firmly believe that there is no reason why books should be banned or challenged.  We are all blessed with the ability to make good, informed choices for ourselves.  I am raising three readers (well, okay, to be honest: one truly voracious reader, one semi-interested reader, and one who can't actually read yet, but in this house and with these parents, regardless of their interest level there's no escape from reading - it's just what we do) and therefore have an interest in making sure that they have a variety of reading experiences available to them.  Not everything we read needs to agree with our own personal ideals, beliefs, or convictions.  What a dull world that would be!  And while I will not allow them to read things that are beyond their maturity level, by allowing my girls to read books about topics outside their own experiences, I'm inviting them to learn about the differences in our world and, hopefully, opening the door for some great discussions.

So I'm writing this post to share my thoughts with you all, which are: if you don't like the looks of a book, don't read it, but please, please, please, don't judge a book by its cover!  You never know what value might be inside until you've experienced it for yourself.

Just Say No to banning books!

In which zombies help me save face

Shhhh...I have a secret. Come a little closer.

Closer...

*whispers* I’ve started reading Pride and Prejudice.

Wait, wait, calm down!

I'm reading the one with the zombies. So it's not the same thing. No, it's NOT!

We’re all aware by now of how I feel about Jane Austen. So when my sis-in-law Emily told me about this new development, I was still hesitant. And, I'll confess, a little worried. Could this be the book that finally cracked my rock-solid defense wall against the world of Elizabeth Bennett and Mr. Darcy? So I held off. Other people told me about it. Even Chris expressed interest (because, really, zombies in 19th-century English literature? What's better entertainment than that?) But I didn’t want to read it. I’ll admit it: deep down, I was afraid that if I read this version and liked it, I’d have to read the original. And if I liked that, then I’d be sucked into this thing I’d so proudly stayed far away from for so long.

Finally, though, I picked up a copy at Powell’s. I needed to validate my parking stub, because of course paying $12.99 for a book is better than paying $1.60 for parking. I was with all three girls and without Chris, so therefore not at liberty to browse around for any of the books on my ever-increasing list, but then I turned a corner and there were the cold, dead eyes of Elizabeth Bennett staring out at me from a shelf of best-sellers. Who could resist?

Even then, it took me over a week to start it. Of course, I had to finish re-reading Twilight again (*stamps foot* no, I am NOT obsessed!) But what better segue into zombies than vampires? So a few days ago I started reading. Granted, I haven’t had more than 5 minutes of uninterrupted reading time since then, but...

Here’s what I have to say: it’s awesome for what it is. I love how the “new” story flows nicely in and out of the original. For example:

“She retrieved her dagger and beheaded the last of her opponents, lifting its head by the hair and letting her battle cry be known for a mile in every direction.

Elizabeth found herself at last within view of the house, with weary ankles, dirty stockings, and a face glowing with the warmth of exercise.”

Or how about this:

“Poor Jane! I am sorry for her, because, with her disposition, she may not get over it immediately. It had better have happened to you, Lizzy; you would have opened this Bingley’s stomach and strangled him with his own bowels, I suspect.”

See what I mean? It’s awesome!

My favorite line so far, I think (there are a lot of good ones) is this:

“She watched as Darcy drew his blade and cut down the two zombies with savage yet dignified movements. He then made quick work of beheading the slaughtered staff, upon which Mr. Bingley politely vomited into his hands. There was no denying Darcy’s talents as a warrior.

‘If only,’ she thought, ‘his talents as a gentleman were their equal.’”

However, don’t you Austen groupies go getting too excited now, because I honestly don’t think this is opening any doors for me. I like it for what it is, but I’m not terribly involved in the actual Pride & Prejudice part of the story. I may read the real version when I’m finished with this one, but then again I may not. And I may watch some version or another of the films (although if they ever made the Zombie one into a film I'd be all over it!), but, again, I may not.

But you're right, it’s true; I can never again say I’ve never read a book by Jane Austen.

Read with me!

I have read a lot of really good books lately. And I'm getting close to the end of my list and starting to panic, because what will I read next? So I've decided to create my own blog tag. Here's now it works: I tell you about the good books I've read lately. You go to your blog and do the same. There's no set number, so you can write about one book or 20, and no set format for reviewing the books. You can write one sentence or five paragraphs about each book - it's entirely up to you. Some of us are excellent book reviewers and some of us just spent the better part of two days writing nine measly paragraphs. I just want to know what other good books are out there, and I trust you, my friends, to tell me what you love.

There's only one catch: you have to leave a comment here telling me you've done this so I don't miss out on any great reads!

So, without further ado, some of the best books I've read in the past year:


Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin

This book should be required reading for everyone. It tells the true story of Greg Mortenson, an avid mountaineer who, after an unsuccessful and near-deadly attempt to summit K2 (the world’s second-highest peak), stumbles into a small village in northern Pakistan. The people there instantly befriend him and nurse him back to health. During the course of his recovery, he learns that the children of this village are attending school, weather permitting, on a windy hilltop just three days a week. He is so taken with this small village, and their kindness towards him that he promises to return and build them a school. This snowballs into an opportunity to better the lives of thousands of people who would otherwise have never had the chance to be educated. I can’t even begin to describe how inspiring this book is, so I won’t even try. I’ll just give you a quote, which I think sums up the message of the book quite nicely: "I've learned that terror doesn't happen because some group of people somewhere like Pakistan or Afghanistan simply decide to hate us. It happens because children aren't being offered a bright enough future that they have a reason to choose life over death." There is also a young reader's edition and a picture book which I plan on purchasing for the girls. This is a story that everyone needs to hear.

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

This may be the only book you’ll ever read that’s narrated by Death. And he does a superb job of telling us the story of Liesel Meminger, a young German girl, who discovers the power of words by stealing books. We follow Liesel on a journey to discover the meaning of family, friendship, loyalty, and love during WWII. It left me feeling like I will never see words in the same way again, and now I feel like I don't have the words to do it justice. Powerful, beautiful, and moving, this is another one that I think everyone should read.

The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri

Bengali tradition dictates that all people have two names: their “good” name, which is their legal name and the one they are known by at school and work, and their pet name, which is what the family and close friends know them as. When Ashoke and Ashima Ganguli, new immigrants to America, give birth to their first child, they are still waiting for the “good” name to arrive in a letter from Ashima’s grandmother back in Calcutta. They quickly learn that things work differently in America – you can’t take your baby home from the hospital without a birth certificate, and you can’t get a birth certificate without a name. So they decide to go ahead and put their son’s newly chosen pet name on his birth certificate and change it later when the “good” name arrives. And so Gogol Ganguli begins his life. On the surface, this book is simply about an Indian kid growing up in America with a weird name. But more than that, it’s about family: what makes a family, what ties them together, and what’s really important in life. Side note: I also highly recommend the movie based on this book.

The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield

Author Vida Winter has written more than fifty best-selling novels, including the sensational Thirteen Tales of Change and Desperation, which, to the frustration and despair of all her devoted readers, contains only twelve tales. She’s given countless interviews, and with each one she’s shared a different version of her life story. Ill and convinced that she doesn’t have much longer to live, she commissions bookish, unworldly Margaret Lea to write her true biography. She begins with a story about an odd girl and her brother which quickly turns into a mysterious tale involving strange and feral twins, a library, a devastating fire, and a ghost. I love this book and have been recommending it to everyone who asks. What are you waiting for?

The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

Henry met Clare when he was 28 and she was 20. But Clare met Henry when she was 6 and he was 36. You see, Henry is a time traveler. However, he doesn’t get to decide when or where he travels. Instead, one minute he is there and the next all that’s left is a pile of clothes, while Henry finds himself naked and somewhere in time. How the two of them deal with this is the basis for a wonderful love story. The premise alone is fascinating, and the writing manages to live up to it. Side note: some may find the language offensive.

Famous Writer's School by Steven Carter

Wendell Newton is a magazine editor and “published author” (although of what he never quite discloses) who is offering a correspondence course on how to be a good writer. The entire novel is made up of letters to and from a few of his students: Rio, a lounge singer and grad school dropout; Dan, a tractor salesman seeking serious reviews of his writing; and Linda, a bored housewife whose stories become increasingly bizarre. Wendell’s relationship with each of these potential famous writers becomes increasingly hilarious as we read the correspondence between the teacher and students. There’s a great story-within-the-story in the form of Dan’s writing, which is on its way to becoming a sort of noir-style detective novel. Nothing serious or mind-blowing here, but definitely a fun read and a unique way to tell a story. Side note: some may find the language offensive.

Saving Fish from Drowning by Amy Tan

San Francisco socialite Bibi Chen is found dead, apparently murdered, just days before she was set to lead an excursion to Myanmar (Burma). Her fellow travelers decide to go anyway, hiring a new guide to take Bibi’s place. Christmas morning they depart on a boat trip across a lake and simply disappear into the mist. Fortunately for us, the readers, Bibi’s ghost has decided to travel with her friends, and it is she who narrates for us. While it’s a very different style from any of Tan’s previous books, I found it thoroughly enjoyable. Best of all is the claim in the introduction that the whole thing was written by Bibi Chen herself, as channeled through a “ghostwriter”, and simply organized by Tan. Love it.

Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

This moving story takes place during the Nigerian civil war in the 1960s. Told from the point of view of four people – Ugwu, houseboy to Professor Odenigbo; Olanna, the Professor’s mistress; Kianene, her twin sister; and Richard, a white man intent on studying the history of the Igbo people – we see their lives intertwine and intersect as they struggle to survive and make sense of the war around them. It’s a fascinating look into African culture, the relationship between Nigerians and the colonial British and visiting Americans, and the impact of war on all classes.

The Tenderness of Wolves by Stef Penney

17-year-old Francis Ross goes missing on the same day that his mother finds a fur trader murdered in his own cabin. Of course the boy becomes the main suspect, but his mother is determined to prove his innocence, embarking on a journey that will take her across the Canadian frontier in the dead of winter to seek out the true murderer. The POV changes made it difficult to follow at first, but the overall story is worth the time it takes to get past that.

A Common Word

A few months ago I read a book called The Faith Club. It was written by three women – a Muslim, a Christian, and a Jew – who met together in the wake of 9/11 to discuss their beliefs and to try to come to an understanding of each other. It was fascinating to follow the journey each of them made as they learned and reached out to each other. What on the surface seemed like a simple thing – a social gathering, a time to build friendships and learn a little from each other – became a turning point for all three as they struggled not only to understand the beliefs of the other two women but also to gain a deeper understanding and testimony of their own as they were challenged in ways they had never been before. It was inspiring. I have a friend who is an Orthodox Jew, and we’ve discussed our religions, and their similarities and differences. Reading this book made me wish I knew a Muslim woman, too, so I could start my own faith club. Of course, I’d probably include another Christian, of the more mainstream variety (I already have one in mind!), since Mormonism is different enough to warrant some discussion there as well.

Anyway, since reading this book, I have had such a desire to come to an understanding with people of different faiths. I’m not looking to agree with them, or have them agree with me. I just want to understand and find common ground. All three of these major world religions come from the same beginning. We are all Abraham’s seed. There are major doctrinal differences, things that will probably never be agreed upon, but we all pray to the same God, whether we call Him by the same name or not.

This brings me to the purpose of this post. Lately I have noticed that a lot of Christians (Mormons included) still seem to harbor ill will towards followers of Islam. The more I see or hear of this, the more it upsets me. I’ve been having a hard time sitting by quietly and allowing these things to go unchallenged. I suppose I can understand the sentiment behind the mindset; after all, terrible things have been done in this world in the name of Islam. However, I firmly believe that these things are being done by people who either do not fully understand the true message of their religion, or who chose to follow only select words, without giving heed to the full meaning in conjunction with the rest of their religious beliefs. I am no expert on Islam, and cannot even claim to be an expert on Christianity or Mormonism, but I do believe that none of these faiths condone the things that are being done in the world today in the name of God. It makes me sad to see the way all of Islam is being lumped together as a religion that tolerates, supports, and even encourages violent acts.

The truth is that, just like there are different sects of Christianity who hold to different sets of doctrine, there is a small portion of Muslims who believe it is the will of God that they engage in jihad, or holy war, against other nations. But this is not true of the majority of Muslims. It amazes me how we Christians are so willing to believe this misleading information when there is so much out there that gives incorrect “facts” about our own beliefs. There are websites dedicated to informing the world that all Mormons are polygamists and all of Mormonism is of the devil, in the same way that there are sites that would have the world believe that all Muslims are jihadists and that all Islam is evil. They’re out there; we’ve all seen them at some point, and when they’re about our own beliefs we’ve all been disgusted and outraged that anyone could be so misinformed and disrespectful about something we hold sacred. Why, then, can we be so willing to believe things about other religions without doing unbiased research. Ah, the appeal of a Faith Club…

I have been bothered by this for awhile now, feeling like I should say something to stand up for a people, who, in my experience and study, I have come to believe are generally kind and peace-loving, but I haven’t known how to go about it. Until yesterday, that is, when I read this article in The Oregonian. It talked about an open letter to Christians written and endorsed by many Muslim leaders. This letter, titled “A Common Word Between Us”, calls for an understanding between Muslims and Christians, using passages from both the Qur’an and the Bible to make its point. It establishes the fact that the two greatest commandments in both Islam and Christianity are to love God above all else and then to love your neighbors – all your neighbors. Who can argue with that? And, given that, who can really believe that Islam teaches unprovoked war with others?

I’m not writing this to start anything. I’m not necessarily even looking for comments this time (although they’re always welcome!) This is just something that has been on my mind for a long time, and I finally found a way to bring it together and put my thoughts and feelings down in print. I have a great love for my Father in Heaven, and for the faith that has led me to that love. But I also have a great respect for those who are strong in their own faith, even though it may not agree with mine. I want to learn as much as I can about those faiths so that I can understand my fellow men, and grow to love them as my neighbors. Regardless of whether you agree with me or not, I strongly encourage everyone who reads this to take a look at the Common Word website, and to take some time to think a little bit about loving our God and loving our neighbors, and allowing all men the privilege to worship how, where, or what they may.

I will leave you with the concluding paragraph of “A Common Word”:

So let our differences not cause hatred and strife between us. Let us vie with each other only in righteousness and good works. Let us respect each other, be fair, just and kind to another and live in sincere peace, harmony and mutual goodwill.

Banned Books Week

Angie, avid reader that she is, tagged me with this one.

How to Play:
1. Copy this list.
2. Highlight the ones you have read in RED.
3. Tag 5 people to play.

The ALA list of 100 Most Frequently Challenged Books of 1990-2000:
1. Scary Stories (Series) by Alvin Schwartz
2. Daddy's Roommate by Michael Willhoite
3. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
4. The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier
5. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
6. Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
7. Harry Potter (Series) by J.K. Rowling
8. Forever by Judy Blume
9. Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
10. Alice (Series) by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
11. Heather Has Two Mommies by Leslea Newman
12. My Brother Sam is Dead by James Lincoln Collier and Christopher Collier
13. The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
14. The Giver by Lois Lowry
15. It's Perfectly Normal by Robie Harris
16. Goosebumps (Series) by R.L. Stine
17. A Day No Pigs Would Die by Robert Newton Peck
18. The Color Purple by Alice Walker
19. Sex by Madonna
20. Earth's Children (Series) by Jean M. Auel
21. The Great Gilly Hopkins by Katherine Paterson
22. A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle
23. Go Ask Alice by Anonymous
24. Fallen Angels by Walter Dean Myers
25. In the Night Kitchen by Maurice Sendak
26. The Stupids (Series) by Harry Allard
27. The Witches by Roald Dahl
28. The New Joy of Gay Sex by Charles Silverstein
29. Anastasia Krupnik (Series) by Lois Lowry
30. The Goats by Brock Cole
31. Kaffir Boy by Mark Mathabane
32. Blubber by Judy Blume
33. Killing Mr. Griffin by Lois Duncan
34. Halloween ABC by Eve Merriam
35. We All Fall Down by Robert Cormier
36. Final Exit by Derek Humphry
37. The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
38. Julie of the Wolves by Jean Craighead George
39. The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison
40. What's Happening to my Body? Book for Girls: A Growing-Up Guide for Parents & Daughters by Lynda Madaras
41. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
42. Beloved by Toni Morrison
43. The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton
44. The Pigman by Paul Zindel
45. Bumps in the Night by Harry Allard
46. Deenie by Judy Blume
47. Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes
48. Annie on my Mind by Nancy Garden
49. The Boy Who Lost His Face by Louis Sachar
50. Cross Your Fingers, Spit in Your Hat by Alvin Schwartz
51. A Light in the Attic by Shel Silverstein
52. Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
53. Sleeping Beauty Trilogy by A.N. Roquelaure (Anne Rice)
54. Asking About Sex and Growing Up by Joanna Cole
55. Cujo by Stephen King
56. James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl
57. The Anarchist Cookbook by William Powell
58. Boys and Sex by Wardell Pomeroy
59. Ordinary People by Judith Guest
60. American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis
61. What's Happening to my Body? Book for Boys: A Growing-Up Guide for Parents & Sons by Lynda Madaras
62. Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret by Judy Blume
63. Crazy Lady by Jane Conly
64. Athletic Shorts by Chris Crutcher
65. Fade by Robert Cormier
66. Guess What? by Mem Fox
67. The House of Spirits by Isabel Allende
68. The Face on the Milk Carton by Caroline Cooney
69. Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut
70. Lord of the Flies by William Golding
71. Native Son by Richard Wright
72. Women on Top: How Real Life Has Changed Women's Fantasies by Nancy Friday
73. Curses, Hexes and Spells by Daniel Cohen
74. Jack by A.M. Homes
75. Bless Me, Ultima by Rudolfo A. Anaya
76. Where Did I Come From? by Peter Mayle
77. Carrie by Stephen King
78. Tiger Eyes by Judy Blume
79. On My Honor by Marion Dane Bauer
80. Arizona Kid by Ron Koertge
81. Family Secrets by Norma Klein
82. Mommy Laid An Egg by Babette Cole
83. The Dead Zone by Stephen King
84. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain
85. Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison
86. Always Running by Luis Rodriguez
87. Private Parts by Howard Stern
88. Where's Waldo? by Martin Hanford
89. Summer of My German Soldier by Bette Greene
90. Little Black Sambo by Helen Bannerman
91. Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett
92. Running Loose by Chris Crutcher
93. Sex Education by Jenny Davis
94. The Drowning of Stephen Jones by Bette Greene
95. Girls and Sex by Wardell Pomeroy
96. How to Eat Fried Worms by Thomas Rockwell
97. View from the Cherry Tree by Willo Davis Roberts
98. The Headless Cupid by Zilpha Keatley Snyder
99. The Terrorist by Caroline Cooney
100. Jump Ship to Freedom by James Lincoln Collier and Christopher Collier

I'll tag...Emily, Kara, Nicola, Danielle, & Rachel...but only if you want to!

Breaking down Breaking Dawn

***This post contains many spoilers. If you haven't read the book yet and still plan to, you may want to skip this one!***

I loved Twilight. I enjoyed New Moon and Eclipse. I have always felt slightly embarrassed to admit that, but then I guess I shouldn’t, considering every other woman I know who’s remotely near my age has read them or is currently reading them. The books were exciting, the writing entertaining, the series full of potential. I waited anxiously for Breaking Dawn to come out, and re-read the first three books in anticipation. I even went so far as to cave in and buy it three days before my hold came up at the library because I couldn’t wait any longer.

And I feel terribly let down. Until I read Angie’s review, I thought I was the only one who felt this way. Everybody I know keeps talking about how much they loved it. Not me. Oh, I tried to love it, I really did. I tried to be all excited and bask in the happiness and perfection of Bella's vampiric self and family and all that, and it worked for a little while, but I just kept coming back to the disappointment. What happened to the story? The characters? Where did everyone go? Who on earth, in any world – with or without vampires and werewolves – names their child that??? The first half of the book was kind of exciting, in a bizarre, creepy (not good-creepy) sort of way. The second half was unbearably boring. I was so bewildered when I finished that I read the entire book again, just to see if I’d gone through too fast the first time (read it in two days the first time around - I will admit that I couldn't put it down). Sadly, no. It felt like the “climax” of the book was all the characters standing around in a field waiting for something exciting to happen. Wait, they were all standing around in a field waiting for something exciting to happen. Aha. Twilight had an intense ending, with the James chase and the ballet studio. New Moon had the rush to Italy and the encounter with the Volturi. Eclipse had the big Victoria/newborn battle, with everyone we loved involved. Breaking Dawn had…a bunch of people in a field, a creeping mist, and newborn vampire so completely in control of herself that she’s just plain boring – where’s the action and excitement? It was the most anticlimactic book I have read in a long time. Possibly ever. Such a disappointment.

Do I sound bitter? I am. I was all geared up to love it. I may consider myself too old for these books. I may be embarrassed to admit that I’ve read them and enjoyed them. But for crying out loud, I wanted to see how it all came together! I wanted Bella to sacrifice everything she had or could have had in order to get everything she desired. I wanted her to end up with Edward without losing her relationship with Jacob. Okay, so that part happened…sort of. But where was the sacrifice? What did Bella give up? Not a thing. She got everything she never even wanted, and everything she ever dreamed of. The Bella in this book seemed like a completely different person from the Bella we know and love (or at least love to roll our eyes at) from the first three books. And Edward…where was he? He went from a caricature of his beloved tortured self during the honeymoon and horrible pregnancy and birth to wallpaper in the rest of the book. He was there, but he was just a shell. And Alice! My favorite character, gone, for essentially the entire book. It was interesting to have Jacob’s perspective for a while, but even he became irritating – so angry and bitter all. the. time.

I have a theory. Stephenie Meyer has said that she wrote a book called Forever Dawn after Twilight as a gift to her sister. She also said that it would never need to be published because everything important that happens in it is in Breaking Dawn. I think Forever Dawn was written before the characters were fully formulated, and my theory is that she ran out of time for writing Breaking Dawn, so she just…borrowed. But never updated. I could be totally wrong, so please nobody quote me on this. But it feels like Breaking Dawn was never revised or edited from its original draft. Great idea, awful book.

So, since this is a blog and not simply a book review (and moreover, it’s my own personal blog and I can do what I want, darnit!), tell me what you thought. Did you love it or hate it? Or fall somewhere in between? The first meeting of the Breaking Dawn Rant book club will now come to order.

Confession time

I've been keeping a dark secret from all my female friends for years, and the time has arrived for me to come clean and admit my shortcomings.

I have never read a book by Jane Austen.

Ever.

I have seen two films based on Jane Austen novels: Emma (the one with Gwyneth Paltrow) and Mansfield Park (I think that's the one). I have never seen ANY versions of Pride and Prejudice (okay, wait, I did see the LDS version that came out a few years ago, but I assume that one doesn't actually count).

I am a disgrace to womankind.

All this confession came about because my friend Nicola posted on her blog that Masterpiece Theatre on PBS has come out with several new film versions of Austen's novels and she and her sister are so excited they can hardly stand it. I want to be excited about it, too, because I'm a girl and that's what girls do, right? But I just can't seem to find it within myself to be interested at all. Maybe if I'd actually ever read any of the books I'd feel differently. I own several - Pride and Prejudice, Persuasion, Emma, Sense and Sensibility - and at least two of them are very nice leather-bound editions - all purchased because I carry this belief that in order to really be a girl you have to read Jane Austen novels. But I've never even cracked the covers. I just can't bring myself to do it. I think it's because I feel like I'm supposed to read it, and I hate reading books that I'm supposed to read.

So for all this time I've felt slightly guilty because I've been harboring this deep, dark secret that I'm not a completely normal female, i.e. I have never spent 12 hours on the couch crying over the relationship between Elizabeth and Mr....ummm...whatever his name is (I love Anne of Green Gables, though, and will happily spend all day watching that! That makes me a girl, right?) But I've decided now that this is okay with me. I have daughters, and they have friends who are girls, so at some point in my life I will probably watch Pride and Prejudice. I will probably even eventually decide to read one of the books gathering dust on my shelves, and then, like so many books that I've fought stubbornly against in the past, I will probably become hooked and read every other Jane Austen book I can get my hands on.

And I will probably do it in complete secrecy because I will have too much pride to admit that I've finally cracked.