The Bookbabe Reviews To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

I have seen the movie at least once and for what ever odd reason I was never really compelled to read the book; even though I had owned a tattered second hand copy for a number of years. I began my journey with this book with only a baseline knowledge of what the book would hold within its pages. To my surprise the book made me long for the simpler times of Childhood. Were I was able to live a carefree and easy life. To Kill a Mockingbird is very much a story of growing as it is an indictment of an America long since dead and buried. An American, that even today, some in our society would like nothing more than to go back to.

In Lee’s American classic we meet a young girl nicknamed Scout and her older brother Jem and their father Atticus. The Finch’s live in the small southern town of Macomb. Scout and Jem are your typical children - they tease one another, get into as much trouble as possible and live for soft summer breezes and cool lemonade. They do however, have an aching desire to see Arthur “Boo” Radley come out of his house - and the children spend summer after summer (with the help of their friend Dill) attempting to get a glimpse at old Boo Radley.

The children have never had much trouble in life, things are pretty good for them. Until there begins to be some grumbling amongst the town folks about Atticus defending a black man (Tom Robinson) who has been bought up on rape charges. Tom is accused the worst offense imaginable - forcing himself on a white woman. The children are immediately thrust into their fathers business. Even though Atticus tries to instill in them the importance of turning the other cheek and being the bigger person. It’s hardest for Scout to heed her fathers edict and walk away when children at her school call her and her father “nigger lovers”. Some how she does, and so does Jem (for the most part).

The trial on Tom Robinson I believe was a turning point for both of the children. It was as they stood in that court room watching their father defend a man, trying to save a mans life that I believe a part of their innocence was lost. It was at that moment and at that time that the Children really saw that the world wasn’t fair. They were taught a tough and life changing lesson. This moment was heart wrenching and the trial scenes made me angry and also tearful. As a person of color, I wanted Lee to write a different ending. I wanted to believe that with Atticus at the helm of Tom Robinson’s defense that the evident truth would win the day. But, I was wrong. And Atticus lost. And the latter end of the book left me teary eyed and as I said before wanting to go back to a simpler time. When I was a child and the truth and complexities about race, culture, and class were unknown to me.

The beauty of this book is the difficulty of the subject matter. Harper Lee portrayed the attitudes of southern whites with ease because she was one. She also handled with care the need of social change and justice. She showed the reader that not all whites were racist and that some would do their best to treat their fellow man with respect and dignity - right to the end. It’s easy to see why Atticus is a beloved character in literary circles. He along with Scout are perhaps my favorite characters I’ve read in the past few months. With that being said

I am so very happy to have finally picked up this book; and I am very proud to call it my first completed read of the new year. I can’t wait to snuggle up in my bedroom with a nice mug of tea and rewatch the classic film. I gave to Kill a Mockingbird 5/5 stars on Goodreads.

Quotes I Loved:

“You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view...until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.”

“Until I feared I would lose it, I never loved to read.”

“People in their right minds never take pride in their talents.”

“I wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand. It’s when you know you’re licked before you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what. You rarely win, but sometimes you do.”

First rule of Book Club.....Read Classic Novels!

We're at it again...a few of the women in my group have let me know they are interested in reading Wuthering Heights along with my next month. So from 4/12-21st we will be reading and discussing this classic. I'll post the discussion questions here...and on Facebook. Feel free to join our book group The Bookbabes on Facebook...we're always looking for new, cool bookish friends!

BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU: My review of 1984 by George Orwell

This was one of the books I choose from my book jar. I had been planning to read it this year for several reasons 1) I was born in 1984, 2) its an election year so why not? Let me get started by saying this is book is very different from any other dystopian novel I have ever read. It was frightening and carried in it some wisdoms and (I think) a bit of a warning about the way society might actually look like in the year 1984. Its important to note that the book was published in 1949; just five years after the second world war. During this time some people in the world were still struggling to put the pieces of their lives back together. This novel seems to take a look at what might happen under socialist party rule. In this world that Orwell has created Winston is a young man that seems very much a lover of the party but, also hates everything that his party stands for. He hates the rigidity of his life. Hates that he can not truly be his own man and express himself. He and others in Oceania are not even allowed to truly think for themselves. As part of their motto says "ignorance is freedom". They are not meant to play outside the party lines; because this means you will have to pay the ultimate price, by giving up your life. 

What I found very frightening about the society built into this novel is that everything is so closely monitored. The citizens from Oceania are not really allowed to marry, they can have children but are not expected  to raise them or have any connection to the children. Even when they do raise their children the kids are taught to spy on the parents and are even encouraged to turn them in; because after all there is no real loyalty - unless it is your loyalty to the party. Nowhere in this world can you be an individual. No way that you can be completely free. 

To a point, especially with the election in the United States looming large; I can see how this book fits one of our political parties and who one of the candidates for President could fit the role of Big Brother. When I looked at it that way the book was very damn scary. 

One of the over all themes of the book was really trust no one. Do not trust your "friends", do not trust the person your "fooling around" with because anyone can be the thought police. Because even when you do not think you're being watched you are. Anyone in this world can betray you. For winston this happens via a co-worker and a man whom he purchased a journal from. 

During the story, Winston is silently being watched for months. The thought police giving him enough time to really implicate that he has done something. 

What I loved about this book is that Winston was extremely relatable. He was a character that you could really see yourself getting behind; a man who you wished you could be like in that situation. Someone that is willing to face betrayal and even death in order to change your society. 

I am very happy to have finally read this wonderful dystopian classic. On Goodreads, I gave this book 4/5 stars.

Here are some of the quotes I liked:

"War is peace...Freedom is slavery...Ignorance is Strength"

"It's a beautiful thing, the destruction of words"

"Until they become conscious they will never rebel, and until after they have rebelled they can not become conscious"

 

The Book Babe Reviews A Classic: Anthem by Ayn Rand

                                           

                                                       Classic Book Review: Anthem by Ayn Rand

Anthem was one of the first books by Rand that I have ever read. This short novella was extremely interesting but not at all what I expected. In the world that Rand shapes individuality is a crime. Free thought is a crime. Having Passion is a crime. Falling in love freely is a crime. However, there is Equality 7-2521 that is curious and wants to go against the grain. He has no interest in living within the confines of his appointed lifestyle and job (as a street sweeper). It all starts with him praying to become a scholar because deep down he knows (or thinks) that they have free thought and he knows he is intelligent enough to be a scholar. But those dreams are dashed when he is assigned the job as a street sweeper. While cleaning the streets, he stumbles upon a sewer grate the is unmarked and upon inspection he finds that there are materials there to invent something. Equality finds and is able to harness electricity. He knows that he has to keep it a secret until the meeting of the scholars. While developing the electric box he meets Liberty 5-300; who he promptly names "The Golden One". It is almost love at first sight. She finds him unusual and handsome and eventually names him "The Unconquered"  because he is like no other man and seems to be able to think for himself.  He wishes for her to be the same; honestly we have very little insight into how she thinks. Which I understand because its only a short novella and she is not the main character. Eventually the moments between them grow and the first act of her really showing that she cares for him is a simple one. She brings him water, cupped within her hands and he calls her "dearest one". Finally the scholars are meeting and he comes to the scholars with his invention; and we discover that they are not as free thinking as one might think. They safely follow the rules and will not allow for a street sweeper to change the status quo. All Equality wanted to do was make life a little easier for everyone else by providing them with electricity. Once rejected by the scholars he escapes into the woods; a place no one dare goes. Only to be followed by "the golden one". They travel through the forest and eventually happen to find a house in the mountains; inside this place they find books and eventually they discover that their society is wrong for making them lose their individuality. It is not until now that they take names. They also learn that their society was not always this way; and Equality (now know as Prometheus) vows to take all that he has learned back to the city he came from. He will lead a revolution of enlightenment. 

My Thoughts:

I was stunned by this book; mainly because of the style in which it was written. The characters describe themselves as "we" and they have no real names; just names given to them by their government. Every single thing in their society is controlled tightly. They know nothing of love and are in fact allowed to "mate" every spring; this happens randomly and the men are paired up with a woman that he does not know. The mating happens and the children that are born from these unions are taken from their mothers; never getting to know either parent. What I loved about the book is that Rand slowly shows us how Equality (AKA Prometheus) comes into his own. How he rejects the constructs of his society to become an individual. This spoke to me because sometimes, especially in the society we live in being an individual is frowned upon. Think about how many times we have commented on someone with a weird fashion sense or quirky personality. We describe them sometimes as not "normal"; when actually normal is boring and in fact difficult to obtain, describe and maintain.  Rand stressed the importance of personal growth and knowledge and of seeing oneself as separate from society/the group. Another thing that is important to note is that in the book Rand lets us know that "free thinkers, artists, and writers" were punished or killed for creating. I can see where this could be a problem in a society. Think about the Nazi Party during WWII; they punished musician and writers. The same could be said of school districts in the U.S. that challenge and attempt to ban books. I can honestly say that this book was a pleasant surprise and I do look forward to reading more of Rand's work in the future. I gave this book 4/5 stars on Goodreads. 

Quotes I  Loved: 

 "Your eyes are as a flame, but our brothers have neither hope mor fire. Your mouth is cut of granite, but our brothers are soft and humble. Your head is high, but our brothers cringe. You walk, but our brothers crawl, we wish to be damned with you then to be blessed with our brothers" 

"I know not if this earth on which I stand is the core of the universe or if it is but a speck of dust lost in eternity. I know not and I do not care. For I know what happiness is possible for me on earth. And my happiness needs no higher aim to vindicate it. My happiness is not the means to any end. It is its own goal. It is its own purpose"

"For the word "We" must never be spoken,save by one's choice and as a second thought. This word must never be placed first within man's soul, else it becomes a monster, th root of all the evils on earth, the root of man's torture by men, and of an upspeakable lie. The word "We" is as lime poured over men, which sets and gardens to stone, and crushes all beneath it, and that which is white and that which is black are lost equally in the grey of it. It is the word by which the depraved steal the virtues of the good, by which the weak steal the might of the strong, by which the fools steal he wisdom of the sages"