Saturday, August 30, 2008
ah, books
Next week we are discussing Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card for our homeschool study group. It took me all week to locate a copy--David found a pdf but I didn't want to read at my computer all weekend, and a friend gave me access to an mp3 file, but I didn't like the reader's voice, so I was still trying to find an actual BOOK to borrow. I even scoured the books at D.I. to no avail. Last night a neighbor's son brought by their copy, though, and tonight I finished it. We spent the day with David's family because his sister Jenn is in town, so I had lots of time to read. I haven't read much since I started my job three weeks ago and it was nice to get absorbed in a story again. A good book is like a drug for me. A few years back I went through a phase where I had no interest in reading novels. I preferred various genres of non-fiction. Since beginning our classics studies, though, for the Thomas Jefferson Education stuff I've rekindled my love of novels. There really is so much to be gained and learned from having vicarious experiences. Pretty amazing, actually.
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7 comments:
Had you never read EG before? Wow! That's been in my top 3 favorites for the past 20 years. It blew me away. I have since read everything OSC has written. He's been my favorite author forever. I read his online column that he writes for his local newspaper. In fact, a few years back he wrote a hymn as a Christmas gift for his readers. I've always loved the song, and next week Bunch and I are sining it as a duet for enrichment.
I've used Ender's Game as a way to convert at least 4 non-readers into people who read for pleasure. It's that great.
Glad you had a chance to relax and enjoy it. I am still curious to hear about your job and what you're up to!
♥
I have totally fallen in love with novels this year. I am reading I Capture the Castle right now. I am not that far into it, but I just know it's going to be amazing! I have been working so hard on my fabric designing that I only have a few minutes at night to read before I crash. So I'm going to try your thing of savoring the novel. Wish me luck.
Oh I liked that one. it was good. The first time I saw it i didn't want to read it. the first time I read it i read the first chapter and hated it. a few years later I picked it up again, read the entire thing and really liked it. It's an interesting one.
I think the first time I read Ender's Game was as an adolescent. That and OSC's Alvin Maker series got me hooked. He's a great storyteller. (You should read Pastwatch and Enchanted, both Card books with no series. They're very good.) Since joining our ward's book club, I've rediscovered the joy of reading for fun. I love reading a book that keeps me thinking for days. Good movies do that for me too, but there seem to be a lot more books that fit that bill. BTW, we saw Kung Fu Panda today. Not very thought-provoking, but I sure loved my kids' laughter while they watched it!
The ending caught me by surprise a little. Was it the same for you?
Blue, nope! I'd never read it. Earlier this year I read Sarah & Rebekah from the Women of Genesis series, and those were the first OSC books I'd ever read. I did really enjoy it, though, and plan to pick up the rest of the series sometime this fall/winter.
Mary, I've loved our bookclub, too. I've really enjoyed the books we've read, and a number of them have been books I likely wouldn't have chosen on my own.
Andrea, I'll have to look into that one. The title sounds nice, even. :o)
Tina, I didn't have the option of not reading it all the way through, so I got into it quickly.
Minnow,
Yes, the ending was surprising, but delightfully so, I think. It was a really nice wrap-up and resolution, especially for Ender being the type of character he was. Being a generally nonviolent type myself, I really felt for him and his grief at hurting/killing others. Such interesting ideas. I loved that the other creatures had figured out a way to communicate with him. That alone makes me interested to read the rest of the series. Without that, I don't know that I'd care that much. Have you read the other Ender books?
Still not read anything by OSC other than essays. I will probably pick this one up one day. I can relate to a book being like a drug. When I had no energy a few months back I read about 6 books in 6 or 8 weeks. Or should I say devoured them. That's a lot for me, but there is no relaxation or escapism that quite compares to reading. Especially if it involves a chaise lounge and cozy blanket.
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