It has been so long since I last posted. School has kept me busy, but I’m here to hopefully reignite this blog. I’ve embarked on a journey to read as many classic British novels/poems/plays as I can before fall. And, after each week, I’ll post a short blog post where I discuss what I liked and disliked about each book.

Later today I’ll post the first, reviewing Dracula and the poem Venus and Adonis by Shakespeare.

Filed under: General

O.C. Library vs. Powell’s

I couldn’t decide whether I wanted to visit a library or a bookstore. It had been years since I went to a library not associated with school, so part of me really wanted to go to one. Yet I love bookstores so the other part of me really wanted to see a bookstore. Instead of spending time battling through my inner struggle, I decided to play the role of diplomat and form a compromise: I went to both. And I drug my husband, Jason, with me.

First, we went to the Oregon City Library which is currently at the Carnegie Center. I chose this library for a few simple reasons. Firstly, it was close by. Secondly, I used to go to the Oregon City Library a lot. As a homeschooled student the only real reading I did was through the books I checked out. I loved going to the library. It was big and always had what I was looking for. I had fond memories of that library and, even though it had moved, figured it would feel the same as it had before.

This was both an accurate and inaccurate assumption.

When we pulled up the first thing I noted was the beautiful scenery. The building was surrounded by tall tress, each one alight with golden leaves. The grass that wasn’t consumed by the leaves that had fallen was bright green. The building itself, made of beautiful brick. Fitting, I thought, of a place for congregated knowledge and imaginative stories.

When we walked inside the first thing I noticed was how very small it was. The vast library filled with more books than I could have imagined no longer existed, accept for in my memories. This was incredibly disappointing, and was why my assumption that it would be as I remembered was inaccurate. I didn’t feel like I would be able to find what I was looking for judging by the number of books I saw. The sheer lack of options, as compared to the last library, made me question if it could even still be called a library.

The inside of the building was just as beautiful as the exterior. Gorgeous wooden floors, a tall ceiling, a fabulous brick fireplace, windows everywhere that filled the room with natural light. It all did justice to the atmosphere of a library. Accept for the size, of course. The reading benches were right by the fireplace and were very comfortable. I felt I could sit and read for hours. There was hardly anyone else in the building, which helped me to feel at ease. Like I was in no hurry at all. I definitely felt that it welcomed readers. The only two things that would have made it better were hot chocolate, and a fire in the fireplace.

As I browsed the shelves I became discouraged. I didn’t recognize any names of the authors. It seemed the majority of books available were romance novels or crime thrillers, neither of which are on my list of favorite genres. I was in the fiction section where fantasy books were usually shelved, but couldn’t find anything. No Lord of the Rings, no Narnia. I couldn’t even find Twilight. (Not that I would have read it if I did.) Once again I was reminded of the drastic decrease in options. I asked the librarian where I could find the fantasy books and her very short, very impolite reply was, “We don’t have very many. If there are any, they’d be on the shelves you’ve already been looking through.” I thanked her and browsed them a second and third time. I did finally find an author I recognized, Sherman Alexie, and his book War Dances. But it wasn’t what I wanted to read, so I continued to browse. On the bottom shelf of one of the last cases was another author I recognized, Ted Dekker. He’s an author of psychological thrillers. His book, The Bride Collector was the only novel of his available to check out. Even though it wasn’t what I was looking for, I snatched it up.

Inside one of the glass cases were a few Japanese-looking dolls. Jason was the first to see them and he called me over.

“How…random.” I said.

“No, it’s not.” He replied, pointing to a plaque above the glass case. “Look.”

I read the plaque and found that the dolls were from Tateshina, Japan which is, apparently, Oregon City’s sister city. In 1974 President Eisenhower created the Sister City Committee in an attempt to help bring world peace. The dolls had been sent to us from Tateshina. I didn’t even know such a committee existed and likely wouldn’t have even stopped to look at the dolls if Jason hadn’t pointed to them. I have him to thank for that gold nugget.

The librarian wasn’t friendly at all. As I was signing up for a library card I tried creating small talk, but her replies were so disobliging that I gave up. I didn’t even feel like I could ask her name without making her day worse, so I didn’t. I did walk away with a library card and a book that I hope to finish within the next few days. All in all, the experience was pleasurable despite the disappointments.

Next, we went to Powell’s on Burnside.

I chose Powell’s for two reasons: I love it. It’s my favorite bookstore. And secondly, it seemed to be a drastic difference from the O.C. Library. Powell’s was massive, over one whole block was consumed by this store, and over one million books lined its shelves. As soon as I walked in I became giddy and hyper. This was the experience I was waiting for. I wandered around a bit before going to the classics section or “Blue Room”. I found two whole bookshelves lined from the ceiling to the floor with copies of every Jane Austen novel. Some old, some new, some massive volumes with her complete works. Then, next to it, were two more shelves lined from top to bottom with books written about Jane Austen, novels written by others as sequels to her works, even a book about how to be a respectable, suitable young lady in the Regency period. I was in heaven.

Unlike the O.C. Library that was filled with light and warmth, Powell’s was filled with people, books and the overwhelming, intoxicating scent that books give off when they’re accompanied by their kin. While I loved the vast number of literary options at my disposal, the store definitely lacked the inviting atmosphere that the library possessed. I entered the bookstore from the Burnside entrance and didn’t even know there was a coffee shop in the store until I was about to leave. Judging by the amount of people having coffee, I don’t think there was an available seat anyway.

Despite it size, Powell’s was easier to navigate. The signs were clearly marked, the aisles and shelves were clearly marked, the map even helped me and I can’t read most maps. The library was not easy to navigate, unless you were in the non-fiction section. There were no signs telling me which section was which, nor were there makings on the shelves to tell me where the A’s started. Powell’s was much easier and made my search for books much faster, more enjoyable. I found what I wanted when I wanted.

In the end, when it came time to compare the two and choose a victor, the choice was not as easy as it seemed. I thought that it would be an obvious choice. But it was not so obvious. The O.C. Library was far more personal, intimate and, for a reader, welcoming. Powell’s was busy, hectic and it was iffy as to whether or not there would be someplace to sit and read. On a Saturday at two in the afternoon, there was no room. For someone who doesn’t like to go in, get the book and leave, like me, this was incredibly disappointing. The O.C. Library won in the welcoming category.

However, the library had so few choices I had to decide if the number of books available at Powell’s won against the warm atmosphere of the library. Was the possibility of a place to sit in the café enough? I ultimately concluded that, yes, I would rather have numerous literary options than an inviting atmosphere. I’m a picky reader. I can’t just pick up any book and read it. If I really wanted an inviting atmosphere to read in, I’d buy the book at Powell’s and, on the way home, stop by the library and read there.

As for the role of libraries, bookstores and books in our lives, this project reminded me just how important books are. I’m not one to read for information, as I am one who reads for entertainment. While entertainment is not really a necessity of life, an expanse of the imagination is. Poetry, novels, non-fiction and even historical references can all assist in expanding the imagination. Creativity is elemental to humanity’s existence. It’s what separates us from computers. Reading requires us to create what we read on the page into images in our mind. This can lead to a desire to create our own images, either through film, pictures, painting or words. Creativity births creativity. Going to the theater to watch a play wasn’t enough, we wanted to hear them from the comfort of our home so we created the radio. Silent movies weren’t enough. We wanted sound. A black and white television wasn’t enough. We wanted to see it in color.

Creativity births creativity. Reading plays a massive role in this. As a writer I read for entertainment. Through being entertained I desire for my work to entertain others. It’s a satisfying cycle of self-improvement through entertainment. Without books, the opportunities for advancing human creativity lessens. Without books, many of the movies and television shows we love today wouldn’t exist.
Bookstores and library’s are important as well because they provide access to this inspiration. For those who can’t afford to buy books, the library is fabulous because it’s free. Everyone deserves to experience the thrill of inspiration, creativity and the expanse of the imagination. Without bookstores, library’s and books themselves, the world would be a dull place.

Filed under: General

Beauty in Literature

In my visit to the Oregon City Library and the Powell’s Bookstore on Burnside one of the main things that stood out to me was how beautiful each experience was. Now, as you can see from the pictures on the side, the beauty was all around me. From the beautiful Carnegie Center building and the scenery around it, to the glorious interior, the O.C. Library radiates beauty in every corner. I had to edit the pictures I took to accurately depict the warming light that engulfed the rooms. My camera did not capture the beauty and light accurately.

And in Powell’s there was an inner-city beauty not only around the exterior(as you can see by the picture of the brick building) but also within. The scent of over one million books hit me as I walked inside. The whole time I was there I was in awe of the beauty surrounding me. I felt like Belle from The Beauty and the Beast when she’s given the massive library, like just by walking into the store I’d been given a priceless gift.

Both places had an interior and exterior beauty that seemed to lure me in. However, I chose to stay not because of that beauty, but the beauty found on the shelves. Without the books the beauty was confined to the buildings. And yes, the buildings were great. But an empty building has very little to offer. These buildings were filled with knowledge, imagination, courage, tears, romance, broken hearts, accomplished dreams, life; the things that make our lives beautiful. As I browsed the books and scanned the titles and author’s names I felt like they were reflecting more beauty[life] than I would ever understand.

There is beauty in literature.

Love in Literature

We all know there’s love in literature. Whether it’s the love in Carver’s stories that leads people to abuse the one’s they claim to love, the love in Lahiri’s stories that seems to be strong in the beginning and lessens overtime, or the love in Timpanelli’s stories that’s true, selfless and unconditional, we can all find numerous kinds of love weaved into the words on the pages we read.

I took my husband with me to both places. Actually, more like bribed him with a massage. (Bookstores aren’t really his thing.) Nevertheless, he came with me and was very patient, kind and understanding as I wandered aimlessly around both buildings. While the experience was not particularly romantic, nor would I call it a date, I did notice that literature brought us together in a way we didn’t normally experience. Sure, we’d walked around Barnes and Noble a few times but never when I had an assignment due, and certainly never in a library or Powell’s. Yet here we were, walking around one smaller building and one massive building, each in awe. At one point we realized our parking time was about to reach its end and he very graciously ran out to put more money in the timer. While it sounds cheesy, I noted in that moment that I was very mindful of how much I love him.

I also was reminded of how much I love books, particularly and especially classical looking books. This was more dominant at Powell’s were I was surrounded by numerous copies of some of my favorite Jane Austen and Bronte novels. At one point I had six different books in my hand: Emma by Jane Austen, Jane Eyre and Villette by Charlotte Bronte, Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte, and Agnes Grey and The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Bronte. All of them were used, beautiful copies. I couldn’t get them all, so I had to choose which I wanted more. But the experience reminded me of how I love books, how I hate to choose only a few when there are many I want, and how I miss reading them. I haven’t read a book for pleasure in years. After finals, I plan to read all three books I purchased.

There truly is love in literature.

Unity in Literature

u·ni·ty
1.the state of being one; oneness.
2. a whole or totality as combining all its parts into one.
3. the state or fact of being united or combined into one, as of the parts of a whole
(Dictionary.com)

While walking through the library and the bookstore, I noted a sense of unity in the atmosphere. There were very few people in the O.C. Library, but in Powell’s there were hundreds of people, all there for the same reason I was: the books. True, I had a school assignment to work on. But as I wandered through the different levels of the practically two block store I found that the assignment was being overpowered by the books. As you can see by the pictures, I got three pictures of Powell’s itself, all of them different sections of one particular bookshelf used as a comparison to the small sized bookshelf in the O.C. Library. So, three pictures for Powells, at least six for the library. I was definitely distracted by the incomprehensible amount of books around me.

The people in Powell’s were there to browse the books. They were there because of the same love of books, the same excitement at having so many options beneath your fingertips, the same awe and respect for the written word as I had. The thrill, the joy and the passion that pulsed through their veins pulsed through mine. That made us all equals. Social status, financial situation, occupation, education, marital status; none of it mattered. We were all seeking the fulfillment that comes through reading a book, and that fulfillment doesn’t discriminate.

There was another unity as well, the unity of authors. And no, I don’t mean popularity. I can’t stand Stephenie Meyer, nor would I ever say she could compare to Jane Austen on even her worst day. But, Meyer and Austen were equal in three ways: they were both successful writers, they’re both beloved by many, and they both had books on Powell’s shelves. Carver, Lahiri, Alexie, Timpanelli, each has their place on the shelves of library’s and bookstores, as well as within literature. While I may not have enjoyed them all equally, they each endured unique and trying times, like we all do. That made them unified to me, and increased my desire as a writer to be “unified” with them.

There is unity in literature.

Filed under: General

It’s been a while since I’ve written here. I hope you will forgive my absence. My Sophmore year of college has begun and I have been scrambling to readjust my life to fit the schedule of a full time student. I wish I could say that I kept myself busy through the summer but, alas, I did not. And this blog suffered greatly. I am sorry for this. But, I have returned newly inspired with, hopefully, more to share.

This term my only required course is math. So, for my electives I’m taking a Fiction Literature class(which, I’m sure, you will hear about soon) and a Psychology 101 class. For my psychology class my first assignment was to complete an extra credit sheet. We were given a few sheets adapted from an excerpt from a psychology book written by a man named Skip Downing. From this excerpt we were to work through the activity sheet and then turn it in on Wednesday.

Although it was rather easy, I found myself pausing throughout the excerpt and lesson to not only evaluate what was said, but to evaluate myself as well. The assignment focused on the differences between Victims and Creators. Personally, when I think of a victim I imagine someone whose life is so horrible that no one elses struggles could ever compare; their family members always badger them to change or blame them for all the family problems, their friends are always stabbing them in the back, their significant other doesn’t understand them, or they don’t have a significant other and they never will because “everyone misunderstands them”. Ultimately, their life and their circumstances will always be worse than everyone elses.

As I read through the packet I kept asking myself, “Am I a Victim or a Creator?” Now, first off, there is a difference between occasionally being negative or sad, and being a victim. Obviously situations happen in life that are beyond our control. While looking on Amazon today for discounted materials for school, I could not control that there were no used TI-83 calculators available. However, it is my choice whether or not to allow that hang up to effect my whole day. The price of shipping and handling was also beyond my control. But, I could focus on the fact that, even though S+H was almost twenty bucks, I was able to purchase all of the books I needed this term for under sixty bucks. If I had bought my psychology book brand new, alone it would have been over one hundred dollars. In that light, paying twenty bucks for shipping and handling doesn’t seem so bad.

And that’s precisely what Skip Downing is talking about.

Being a Victim or a Creator is a choice. Reading this you’re probably thinking, “Duh. No brainer.” I was too. But then I realized just how easy it is, and how addicting it can be, to word things in such a way that people pity us and give us attention. As an example, I’ve recently lost friends because of choices my husband and I made, and for a time I allowed it to consume my days and nights. I didn’t have other close friends to go to and it felt like there was a need inside of me that I couldn’t fill. This feeling altered how I thought, how I behaved, and how I saw myself. I had to realize that losing friends through life is inevitable. People change and, for whatever reason, the changes I made to myself didn’t jive with the changes they’d made to themselves. The circumstances surrounding it all were painful, admittedly, but I had no excuse to Victimize myself over something so petty. I learned that there will be other friends, good ones even, that will come and go. I can choose to be effected in a drastic way every time, or I can choose to accept what comes and create a positive experience through it all. I can’t help it if my beliefs and standards lead others to push me away, but I can help how I respond to such a situation.

Skip Downing says that the key to personal responsibility is choice. That choice may not be easy, but even if it’s the most difficult choice we ever make, isn’t it better to be a creator, someone who always seeks to be and do better, than to be a victim, who only seeks to suffer and make others suffer with them? I wish I could say I’m a creator. I’m an emotional person and too often I allow myself to cross into the realm of negativity which can, and does, lead to a victim mentality. One thing I’ve been attempting to do is to fix myself before I suggest that someone else fix their self. Scripturally speaking, that’s something Jesus taught.

Victims:
-Make excuses.
“It’s easy to diet until you get depressed.”

-Replace blame and responsibility.
“The professor gave me an F on the first test!”

-Complain.
“I hate being overweight.”

-Repeat ineffective behavior.
“I’ve tried going to the gym twenty times, but it never lasts.”

-”Have to” do things.
“I shouldn’t have to take this course.”

-Pretend their problems belong to others; say “You” when they mean “I”.
“The next thing you know, you’ve got an empty back of cheese puffs next to you…”

-”Try” a lot.
“I’ve tried every diet known to mankind.”

-Give up.
“There’s nothing I can do. I’ve always been this way.”

Creators:

-Seek solutions.
“The next time I feel depressed, I’ll take a walk instead of snacking.”

-Accept responsibility.
“I got an F on the first test because I didn’t read the assignments.”

-Take action.
“I’m going to enroll in a weight reduction class.”

-Try something new if the first thing didn’t work.
“I’m going to jog along the river instead of going to the gym. Maybe I’ll enjoy myself enough to stick with it.”

-”Choose to” do things.
“I choose to take this course because it’s required for my degree, and my degree will qualify me for the kind of work I want to do.”

-Own their problems, and say “I” instead of “You.”
“Sometimes I eat a whole bag of junk food because I don’t pay attention. I will stay aware of what I’m eating.”

-Commit and follow through.
“I’m going to make an appointment with a nutritionist and get some expert advice.”

-Take control of their choices and lives.
“There’s always something I can do. I can choose to be different.”

So, which are you?

Filed under: Reading Assignments

Greatness vs. Education

Luis H. Toledo-Pereyra, Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Investigative Surgery, said in his “Embracing Greatness” article, “Celebrating greatness is unique and should not be overlooked at any time in our professional development(Page 1).” Although it sounds obvious enough, how many of us truly celebrate greatness? As an elementary student, my class was told that we were all special, yet it was obvious that other students had natural gifts in subjects that I didn’t. This led me to believe that we were not all equally special. Moreover, we watched movies and read books that centered around extraordinary people who stood out from everyone else.

In truth, we all dream about being extraordinary ourselves. While everyone certainly can be great, not everyone will be great. What is it that makes greatness?

When it comes to defining greatness, most of us probably think of a six digit annual salary, or having our face splashed across the cover of Forbes Magazine, or living in a half-million dollar house, while the education needed to get there is furthest from our minds. For example, when we sit in the theater and watch the newest hit blockbuster, we don’t see the years of film school needed to produce it; we see an entertaining movie. When we admire the newest Corvette model, we don’t see the years of math and science required to make the car; we see a coveted automobile. But, does one need an education to be great?

In an effort to discover the answer, I studied three classic English novelists, now renown for their literary masterpieces, who never had a complete education. William Shakespeare, Jane Austen, and Charles Dickens had, what was then, and would now be, considered insufficient educations. According to The Literature Network and Wikipedia, William Shakespeare probably attended the King’s New School in Stratford around age eleven. It was a free school for families too poor to provide a thorough education. Since there are no remaining records to show his attendance, scholars believe his time there was short. While he attended, he likely would have studied theater, acting, Latin literature, and history.

Jane Austen was educated, firstly, by her father, Reverend George Austen, and her brothers. At eight years old, Jane and her sister, Cassandra, were sent to a boarding school where they learned foreign language(mainly French), music, and dancing. After almost two years they returned home because the family couldn’t afford to pay for classes. Once again, her education was thrust on the shoulders of her father and brothers, and whatever she could learn through her own reading. She and her sister also received an education at Oxford, but their time there was not extensive as her family was still too poor.

And Dickens had a few years of private education at William Giles’s school in Chatham, but was not able to continue when his father was imprisoned because of his financial debts. Dickens was forced to work at Warren’s Shoe Blacking Company at age twelve, which supported his family until his father was released. At which time he began attending Wellington House Academy in London, but was only there three years, when his parents were evicted from their home and he had to leave school.

Education was vastly different then than it is now. Upper-class citizens would not have approved of the education these three received. Yet, others in the era held their masterpieces in high regard. Indeed, Shakespeare had the opportunity of performing before numerous crowds of people while he worked at The Globe Theater. After he began to write plays, he saw many of them performed before the royal court. Attendance included Queen Elizabeth.

Jane Austen made enough money on her novels to support her family in a modest way, and lived to see the first editions of Sense and Sensibility and Pride and Prejudice sell out entirely. Although she remained anonymous until her death, when her brother Henry put her name to her works, Jane was able to watch her novels become incredibly popular before she died.

And Dickens was not only deemed the most popular novelist of the Victorian Era, he went from a state of poverty to a state of prosperity over his lifespan. By 1842, he’d seen the United States and Canada, and by 1850, created his own weekly journal called Household Words, which circulated for nine years. Before he died, he’d not only written some of the most popular novels of the era, he’d also become very wealthy, had ten children, two marriages, created a second journal called All The Year Round, and toured the world giving personal readings.

Such success was not common to those born into poverty. Especially not in women, who were mostly discouraged to aspire to anything beyond a successful marriage. In a time when one’s success in life was contingent on their accomplishments(or education, as it were), very few would have considered these three accomplished if it weren‘t for their literary success. Yet, despite their lacking educations, they reached their aspirations and were considered great by many.

So, does education even have anything to do with greatness? Geoffrey Colvin, editor for Fortune Magazine, wrote an article entitled “Secrets of Greatness: What it Takes to be Great”, in which he said, “…your lack of a natural gift is irrelevant – talent has little or nothing to do with greatness. You can make yourself into any number of things, and you can even make yourself great (Colvin 11-13).” Most would agree that Shakespeare, Austen and Dickens battled against the expectations of the era, and made themselves great.

According to dictionary.com, the noun “great” means, “a person who has achieved importance or distinction in a field.” The aforementioned writers definitely personify this, but would a different field be so fruitful? Bill Gates, a man who, for a period of over ten years, was considered the wealthiest man in the world, and who made Microsoft what it is today, dropped out of Harvard during his third year in attendance. Most would consider this a failure, and yet, he went on to become the C.E.O. of one of the most successful companies in the world.

Another famous individual, Peter Jackson, the director of the beloved movie trilogy The Lord of the Rings, never had a college education. He is held in the same regard as George Lucas and Steven Spielberg, both of which received bachelor degrees. Jackson was also nominated for nine Academy Awards, eight British Academy Film Awards, and three Golden Globe Awards. In these instances, an education was not necessary to achieve what many of us would deem unimaginable success. If an education wasn’t needed, then what was it that made them so great? Luck? Good fortune? Or persistent dedication and work?

Geoffrey Colvin also said in his article, “The first major conclusion is that no one is great without work. It’s nice to believe that if you find the field where you’re naturally gifted, you’ll be great from day one, but it doesn’t happen. There’s no evidence of high-level performance without experience or practice(Colvin 38-41).” Shakespeare, Austen, and Dickens all had to critique their art and master it before they could see success. Gates and Jackson, while definitely in the right place at the right time, also put forth countless hours of work to reach the zenith of their success. This must mean, therefore, that if an education is absent, one must be willing to spend countless hours working towards their aspirations.

Depending on the type of career one wants to pursue, an education may not be avoidable. Someone pursuing a career in video game design couldn’t just research massive amounts of information on video games, go apply for the job, and actually get hired. They would need a degree in graphic design, or computer science, or any number of things. To be a teacher, one must have, at the very least, a bachelor’s degree. Thus, some people, in order to achieve their dreams, may have to pursue an education. Others may not. What is a universal truth, however, is that whether one has an education or not, they still must put forth a tremendous amount of work to be successful. And although there’s nothing that directly links greatness with an education, it’s undeniable that an education can only assist you in your pursuit of greatness.

Ultimately, no matter the dream, no matter the desired destination, greatness is always achievable as long as we’re willing to embrace it, and work for it. As Colvin said in his “Secrets of Greatness” article, “…greatness isn’t handed to anyone; it requires a lot of hard work(Colvin 54).” Whether you have an education or not, whether you ever become a CEO or not, your ability for greatness is contingent on one factor, and one factor alone: yourself.

Filed under: Writing Assignments

- Who are we as Americans? What is our place in the world? What is our obligation to the world?

When I consider what I, as a member of society, am obligated to contribute, the first thing I think of is honesty. There is never a good reason to lie, or to falsify or exaggerate circumstances. An article written by The Daily News Online said that a report written by Jon Krakauer states that many of Greg Mortenson’s schools either don’t exist, or were built by someone else. “60 Minutes” said it went to almost 30 of those schools. Almost half were empty, built by someone else or not receiving any support.(Said Elizabeth Bumiller from The New York Times) What reason could Mortenson have to falsify the number of schools he built? Perhaps increasing the number of schools would improve his chances of raising funds? Compared to how much money actually goes to the schools(less than 50%, according to Krakauer), this doesn’t seem to be an impossible reason.

An article written by Elizabeth Bumiller from The New York Times, also states that the timeline provided in Three Cups of Tea is wrong, based on the testimonies of porters that helped Mortenson climb K2. In his defense, Mortenson was reported saying that the timeline he gave was “condensed” for the book. As a writer, I understand how inconvenient it is to lay out the dates as they actually happened. However, I don’t believe in taking the truth and molding it to fit what’s profitable, without adding a disclaimer to warn readers that the timeline is not accurate. Turning around and trying to say his timeline is condensed, only after he’s been called on its inaccuracies, at the very least looks dishonest, and puts everything else in his book up for speculation.

Although Three Cups of Tea may not be entirely accurate, and even though Greg Mortenson may have been dishonest, I think as his fellow Americans, we would do good to follow the goodness he portrays. It’s no secret that America is more prosperous than many other countries, despite our economical recession. We are blessed with numerous resources that allow us to pursue whatever kind of life we desire. As Americans, we should look positively on what Greg Mortenson has accomplished, and perhaps be motivated to do the same, only with more integrity than Mortenson.

Filed under: Reading Assignments

- What did you learn from the reading? How did it make you think differently?

I learned that, sometimes, people aren’t who they appear to be. Before starting Three Cups of Tea, I read Jeff Baker’s article from The Oregonian called, “Questions Cloud ‘Three Cups of Tea’ Credibility”, as well as TBR: Inside the List’s article, “Bitter Tea.” Although neither article gave much in the way of proving that Greg Mortenson was dishonest, there was enough stated to cause me to question Mortenson’s actions.

In the TBR article, for instance, when they brought up Jon Krakauer’s counter to Mortenson’s book, Three Cups of Deceit, it was stated that when Eat, Pray, Love hit the top of the best seller list, Mortenson used his charity’s funds to buy mass quantities of his book, so that it would return to the top. However, this fact was presented by an unnamed friend, which doesn’t inspire much confidence in me. The whole story could have been fabricated, for all I know, especially since Mortenson did deny the charges. I would have to read Krakauer’s book to better understand the situation.

Jeff Baker’s article was much more informative. The sections that stood out to me were the statistics about how he spent his funds. “The charity spent 41 percent of its income on building schools in 2009, a fact Mortenson confirmed to Outside. The rest went to what he called ’domestic outreach and education’, which includes his appearances and promoting his books.” Although I don’t know much about how charities work, I do know that I generally expect at least half of what they bring in to go to whatever cause they’re supporting. 41% is far too low an amount to satisfy me, personally.

Another quote said, “In 2009, the charity collected $1.7 million…’Everything is used to help the kids out,’ Mortenson said. But that year, $612,000 went to school related expenses, while $1 million went for book promotion and $1.4 million for chartered jets.” This also stood out as a fantastically pathetic use of charity funds. Although I do wonder where that info came from, the fact that Mortenson has refused to return any interview requests, poses a profound question in my mind.

Filed under: Reading Assignments

- What surprised, angered, dismayed, or confused you? Explain.

Surprisingly, I enjoyed reading Don’t Sleep, There Are Snakes. The stories were vivid, his description of the language was thorough, and his message was clear. I did experience some…emotional distress while reading this book, though. I am a Christian, and by reading the back cover of the book, I knew from the start that the author eventually lost his faith in God. Part of me wishes I hadn’t read the back of the book, because then I would have been able to read it with a clear mind. Knowing what eventually was going to come to pass tainted my view of everything he was doing, and made parts of the book heartbreaking for me.

I was also taken aback by the culture of the Pirahas. I was not expecting them to be like they were. They were so different from any other culture I’ve read about, at times it was difficult for me to wrap my head about things they did. Like allowing a child to run around with a knife in its hands; like allowing a woman giving birth to die, simply because her husband wasn’t around to help her; like drowning a baby in alcohol, because it had previously been sick and it “needed to die”. This kind of rationale is utterly foreign to me, but then my rationale for using this laptop is probably utterly foreign to them.

Aside from simply not understanding their culture, the only thing that confused me was the language. Firstly, it was incredibly hard to read about. I am not a linguist, nor do I have any desire to be a linguist. At times I found myself falling asleep while reading Part 2 of Don’t Sleep, There Are Snakes. The language just made no sense to me, and Daniel Everett’s writing wasn’t always the easiest to understand either.
I’m still glad I read the book, I just wish it had ended differently.

Filed under: Reading Assignments

- Who are we as Americans? What is our place in the world? What is our obligation to the world?

Firstly, I believe, as Americans, we are the leading force that drives the earth. We’re a nation built on principles and freedoms that no other country has. We’re also more wealthy, even in a failing economy. For instance, we can choose to live our lives however we see fit. We can go to school, become educated, make money, and live the American dream. I believe that Americans are the ones with the influence and power to change the world.

As relates to Daniel Everett’s book, I’m not so sure where our place is in the world. The Pirahas, as he makes clear throughout Part One of Don’t Sleep, There Are Snakes, are very comfortable with their way of life. They don’t need or want modern technology, outside of perhaps shotguns and rifles to kill with. On page seventy-three he says, “Of the few artifacts they make, none are permanent.” He later describes how he tried to teach them to build sturdier canoes, but they refused to learn. Even though it was a necessity, they refused to change their way of life. On page 77, he tells about a time when he and a few Pirahas went into the city, and they had three meals in one day. “We’re eating again?” they asked. They’re so comfortable with their way of life, even in the face of prosperity, they’re uncomfortable.
On page 171, he tells a story of a man who chose to die, instead of see a doctor and possible get well. How can Americans help with that?

Our obligation in this particular circumstance, in my opinion, is to simply be there. While they don’t necessary desire our help, it doesn’t mean they can’t use it from time to time. Things like medicine, doctors, even bringing food or getting them clean water to drink, all of those things can help them in such a way that they are still the Pirahas, but we were there to provide assistance when it was needed. Better to be there and not be needed, than to be needed and not be there.

Filed under: Reading Assignments

- What did you learn from the reading? How did the reading make you think differently?

I learned the earth is being populated far more quickly than I initially imagined. The graph on page number 25 made my mouth drop open. The numbers listed were by the millions. I had never seen a graph like that before. I knew the world population was growing, but I didn’t know by that much.

I also learned some people believe that any couple who chooses to have more than two children, is “irresponsible”. I had no prior knowledge of such a belief, and honestly didn’t expect total strangers to be so concerned with how many children a couple chooses to have. It is their right to make such a choice, after all.

One statistic that stood out was on page 28, where he states that educated women usually have fewer children. As a married woman who’s attending college, and has plans to work after graduation, I was a bit peeved by the statement. While it makes sense, I felt Engelman’s point was that the world should strive to educate women so they might choose not to have children. My whole purpose in going to college is so that when my husband and I have children, we can give them a better future than our parents gave us, and we want a big family. The thought of getting through college and deciding not to have children, or somehow being a bad citizen of this world because we want a big family, saddens me.

I’m not entirely sure if I think differently. I see differently, since receiving information I didn’t have prior to reading the article; I didn’t even know the worlds population was considered an important discussion for some. But, if opinion is what the question is referring to, I can’t say my opinion has changed. Now that I have seen some statistics on the population, and where we’re projected to be in 2050, it will be interesting to reach 2050, and see where we are.

Filed under: Reading Assignments