Mrs. Di Chiara

I was already prepared with my next read before I even finished East of Eden.  Several years ago, one of the girls in my reading class was very involved with a novel called Twilight. She would come into class and discuss it with me. I believe it may be the book that “made her a reader.” When she told me the protagonist was a vampire, I immediately thought back to an entire series of books called the vampire chronicles by Anne Rice that began with the novel Interview with a Vampire.  I read that book in 1976 when I was just a little older than the student in my reading class.  I clearly remember the vampire Lestat – a dynamic, charismatic, and sympathetic protagonist. What is it about vampires that draw readers so forcefully to their stories?  I put Twilight on my mental checklist of books to read and of course forgot about it until all the buzz with the movie came out.  I asked my daughter’s friend, an avid and enthusiastic Twilight reader, to borrow the novel and now I am finally reading it.

Of course I can’t help, but make comparisons between the vampire Lestat and the vampire Edward of Twilight, but my memory is a little rusty and I am now thinking I may go to the library and borrow Interview with the Vampire for a reread.  Have you ever done that? Because of what you are reading now, have you been inspired to go back and reread something from the past?  Sometimes when we read a book we aren’t quite “ready” for the content.  Then years later when we reread it, it is a totally different experience.  I remember when I read Catcher in the Rye in high school; I didn’t think much of the book (and probably skipped huge parts of it), but then, years later, when I reread it to teach it I thought, “Wow! What a story”!  I needed a lifetime of experience to understand the protagonist, Holden.

Back to Twilight…Bella has moved from away from her mom to Phoenix to live with her dad, Charlie, in Washington State.  It is her choice as her mother has remarried and appears to be a bit flaky – to me, as a mom, I think the better word is irresponsible.  Bella is quite mature for her age, independent, and resourceful. She considers her mom her best friend.  So, I can understand why Bella makes the sacrifice to go live with her dad - don't we all do things for our best friend that may not be the best thing for us? I could indentify with Bella’s feelings of anxiety as she began her first day at her new school.  Even as an adult, I hate all “first activities” and must push myself; my natural tendency is to try to avoid the activity.  At the end of every summer, I still dream that I am arriving at school ill prepared for the first day of class!  In the dreams I can never find my locker, or my classroom, oh, I AM prepared!  Well, Bella’s anxiety melts away as she has a totally different experience at her new school from her previous school; her newness makes her popular with the kids!  How many of us wished when we started high school that was our experience?  So, I am beginning to see why teenagers enjoy the Twilight series; Meyers has created a believable character in Bella, someone readers can identify with because she is so human.  What about the vampire, is he human?

I am up to the part where Edward and Bella plan to spend a Saturday together.  Bella knows he is a vampire and accepts him.  She found out by tricking a younger boy, Jacob, into telling her why the Cullen family wasn’t allowed on reservation property. 

I am going on vacation and am planning to visit a bookstore that I have always wanted to see.  Vacation and bookstore seem to be a paradox? Not to me.  I have wanted to visit the City Lights Booksellers and Publishers in San Francisco for several years. In today’s world it is difficult to find an independent bookstore and City Lights has remained one since its inception in 1953 by poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti and Peter D. Martin. It is a literary landmark and tested the first amendment with the publishing of the poem “Howl” by Allen Ginsberg, a Beat Generation poet. In order to prepare for my visit I have been rereading Ferlinghetti’s poetry book A Coney Island of the Mind.  I am also deep into You’ll be Okay My Life with Jack Kerouac an autobiography by Edie Kerouac Parker.  Jack Kerouac is also a Beat Generation poet and writer and is credited with the title “Beat.” These writers were mainly male, began in NY, and eventually crossed the country to San Francisco.  Edie was Jack Kerouac’s first wife and it is interesting to get the female perspective on what was going on in the late 40s and fifties.  The book is quick reading and I don’t think the author is someone I would have befriended.  To me she appears selfish and self-centered (and I guess honest), but she does give the reader some shallow insight into the minds of not only Kerouac, but also Ginsberg and Burroughs (Beat poets).  The book gets more interesting with Edie and Jack’s semi-involvement in the aftermath of a murder committed by one of their friends. I am enjoying seeing NYC through Edie’s 1940 and 1950 eyes!  Columbia University, Greenwich Village, the importance of the movie theatre for not only entertainment, but to escape the city’s sweltering heat, music through the radio, phonograph, and clubs…There are also some great photos of Kerouac and Ginsberg.  One interesting note, Edie worked as a longshoreman, I find that fascinating, but there isn’t much information about it in the book.

Do I prefer fiction or nonfiction? My initial instinct is to say: fiction; however, there have been several autobiographies that I have enjoyed reading in the past. A Child Called It by Dave Pelzer is a gripping and horrifying account of author's abuse at the hand of his mother.

I am bringing along my next read East of Eden by John Steinbeck.  Much of the story takes place in the Salinas Valley in California, another place I will be visiting on my vacation. I am reading this one at the suggestion of a friend who will also be reading this book.  

I was happy to read that Ron instantly regretted his decision to leave his friends and at once tried to get back to them.  I was beginning to doubt my knowledge and understanding of Ron as a character and his relationship with his friends.  It also seems that Harry is getting some “outside” help.  Who is that eye in the mirror?  Is it Dumbledore? It seems to be, but I don’t know, he is dead and “dead is dead” isn’t it? Who does the silver doe patroness belong to? The hallows have been explained – the wand, the cloak, and the stone. Harry’s father had the cloak, but now who has the stone and the elder wand? I found it interesting how Rowling adapted and used ancient folktales in the story about Death and the three brothers.  I once took a short story course and was amazed at how many cultures developed stories with Death as a character and the theme of humans trying to cheat Death (“Godfather Death” “The Boy with the Ale Keg”).  Death always wins.  I now also understand the gifts that Dumbledore left to Ron (the Deluminator) and Hermione (The Tales of Beedle the Bard), but what about Harry’s Golden Snitch? If it wasn’t for the Deluminator, Ron would not have found his way back to Harry and Hermione and saved Harry’s life.  It was an intense scene when Ron had to destroy the locket Horcrux with the Gryffindor’s sword.  For a moment, I didn’t think he could do it.  Why do I doubt Ron? Hermione again proved her deductive thinking skills when she connected the Hallows symbol on the book to Xenophyllius’ garment at the wedding. The three of them were sitting around feeling relaxed after listening to the underground radio program when they were snatched by Greyback of the "Snatchers." How will they get out of this predicament? Again, I think they will need some outside help.  Oh, my favorite "prop" in the book has to be Hermione's beaded bag.  Don't we wish we all had one like that?