I am a book nerd and proud of it.

Oh, the joys of being on semester break!  It is such a great feeling knowing that I finished my studies out strong and my grades pulled through in the end.  Thanks to an ENGWR 302 and a Young Adult Literature class, I have rediscovered my passion for reading and writing.  During the month I have off, I hope to work during the day and alternate between spending my nights staying "in" and going "out" and doing stuff.  I am currently reading a book called A Novel Bookstore by Laurence Cosse.  It is not something I would typically read because it encompasses a lengthy, drawn out mystery, it is an ode to innovative literature, and it has a great amount of subplots of which to examine further.  I am going to include one of my favorite passages I have discovered along the journey of reading through this novel.  One of the characters, Francesca, discusses her opinions concerning novels:  

     "For as long as literature has 
     existed,suffering,joy,horror, grace,and 
     everything that is great in humankind has

     produced great novels.  These exceptional
     books are often not very well-written, and
     are in constant danger of being 
     forgotten... But those masterful books are
     life-giving.  They enchant us.  They help 
     us live. They teach us.  It has become 
     necessary to come to their defense and
     promote them relentlessly, because it is 
     an illusion to think that they have the
     power to radiate all by themselves.  That
     alone is our ambition... We want books 
     that cost their authors a great deal, 
     books where you can feel the years of 
     work, the backache, the writer's block, 
     the author's panic at the thought that he 
     might be lost:  his discouragement, his 

     courage, his anguish, his stubbornness, 
     the risk of failure that he has taken.  We
     want splendid books, books that

     immerse us in the splendor of reality and
     keep us there; books that prove to us that
     love is at work in the world next to 
     evil... Just the way that suffering will 
     always ravage hearts.  We want good 
     novels" (Cosse 278-279).  

 

Originally, this novel was written in French but it was obviously translated into English.  Trust me, I can count on one hand how many French phrases I actually know.  In A Novel Bookstore, two people start up a bookstore in Paris amongst hundreds, possibly even thousands,of other bookstores.  They are a unique store, in that, they only sell books that a committee categorizes as "good novels."  You would not find a current bestseller such as The Dragon Tattoo or the Twilight series within their bookshelves. Their clientele is primarily looking for more obscure classics that are of much higher significance than the crowd-pleasing award winners in constant circulation.  One of the implied themes in the novel is that there is a conflict between bestsellers and well-loved classics.  The author seems to be making a statement with the controversy in Paris of whether or not the bookstore was an elitist group of snobs or if it gave its supporters a home away from home in which to indulge their senses.  I could write much more about the plot and all but that is up to you to pick up this book for yourselves.  I am not sure how well-received this book has become. 

I am a hybrid between those that stick to the classics and those that are more interested in handpicking novels that are all the rage in literary circles.  A few books on my favorites list are: The Count of Monte Cristo (unabridged version... Yes, I'm a nerd"), Crime and Punishment, The Age of Innocence, Jane Eyre, etc.  I wouldn't say that these are exactly ancient in the sector of classical literature.  Based on what I have enjoyed in the past, I must say I probably slant towards nineteenth century novels, especially those set in England or France.  I hope to broaden my horizons when it comes to selecting books.  I don't want to limit my choices and miss out on other fascinating genres and subject matters.  I need to compile a list of books that I want to read in the month I have off from school.  I will probably have many more blogs that will discuss books I am reading through, so stay tuned!  For those that are not a fan of books, you are forewarned to steer clear from what I am writing about.  Merry Christmas, my readers...