The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus by L. Frank Baum

 

A baby boy was found in the Forest of Burzee by one of the leaders in the immortals world: Ak, the Master Woodmans of the World. The baby was eventually adopted by a Wood Nymph called Necille, who named the mortal baby: Claus. When he's grown up to a young man, Ak took him on a journey to see the dwellings of his fellow human beings, where he first realized that there are many unfortunate children live in poverty and sorrow.

He then decided to leave the Forest of Burzee, and lived among his fellow mortals in the Laughing Valley. The immortals provided for all his needs, including a pet cat called Blinky. With nothing to do, young Claus amused himself by carving a piece of wood to the image of Blinky.

One day Claus found a stranded boy during a snow storm, and took him to stay in his house. He gifted the carved Blinky to the boy as a "toy", and made him very happy. Thereupon the story about a young man in Laughing Village who carved beautiful images of animals spread across villages, and children travelled from everywhere to Claus' dwellings to get the toys. His immortal friends helped him with supplies. Claus decided to dedicate his life to create as many toys and dolls as he can to make children happy. That's how people started calling him a Saint, for he is a kindhearted man; hence the Santa Claus!

Then the story unrolls to how Claus made it a tradition to take a journey on his sledge, pulled by the deer, only one day at a year: Christmas Eve. Also, he is the first to bring the Christmas tree tradition, and... how hanging stockings near the fireplace is just a coincidence!

It's really a heartwarming Christmas-themed book for children, and a kind of reminder for adults, that a small kindness can bring so much changes, if only we do it by heart and out of selflessness.

Rating: 4/5

 

Whose Body? by Dorothy L. Slayer

Dorothy L. Sayers was one member of the Detection Club - an elite group of crime writers in the 20th century - alongside Agatha Christie and several other prominent writers: G.K. Chesterton, Ngaio Marsh, P.D. James, as well as Baroness Orczy. Published in 1923, Whose Body? is where Sayers first introduced Lord Peter Wimsey - an aristocrat who embraces criminal investigations as his passionate hobby.

The body in question belongs to a stranger - possibly comes from working class - who was found mysteriously in the bathtub of a bachelor architect who lives with his mother in a flat. Nobody knows whose body it is, as no identification can be found on the body, except for a golden pince nez, which clearly does not belong to the deceased.

So, whose body is it? The local investigator suspects that it belongs to a gentleman who has disappeared from his house the night before: Sir Reuben Levy. Peter Whimsey, on the other hand thinks that the fact that the architect's flat is located near a teaching hospital, might contribute to the case. Disliking the local Inspector Sugg, Whimsey chooses to work alongside his friend, Inspector Parker, who is investigating Sir Reuben Levy's disappearance.

Actually, I've had high expectations on Sayers, and had planned to read more of her if this book satisfy me. Knowing that she was Christie's fellow Detection Club member, and came from the same era, I expected she'd be quite as good as Christie. But I guess, I'm disappointed. Not that her writing is bad, but... let's say... less interesting than Christie's.

In the first place, Lord Peter Wimsey doesn't impress me much. He's a typical careless, laid back rich gentleman who gets bored, but with plenty of time and energy (and money and connection!) He performs his investigations just out of amusement. To him, crime is just another challenge or game.

As he's also terribly clever and funny, Whose Body? is full of dark humor and technical descriptions on detective jobs. I was soon bored with fingerprints, footprints, and evidences. Moreover, we get to know the murderer much too soon - where are the red herrings and suspenseful plot twists? - the last chapter is dedicated only to explain how the murderer perform the tricks, and the actual motive. But the suspense is over, I've even suspected the murderer before Wimsey proved his theory!

But the biggest point missing, is the deep understanding of human psychology. I felt that Whose Body? is merely about crimes, while Agatha Christie's are more about the complexity of human beings; morality, family, love, good and evil sides of men. So, Christie's are classics for me, while Sayers' (from this one novel I've read, at least) are crime novels. I should probably read more from Sayers to do her justice, but I decided not to waste my time.

Rating: 3 / 5

New Year, New Challenge: Reading Schedule for 2021

 

New year, new hope, new vigour. After some reading (and blogging) slump this year, I intend to make a come back next year. Covid-19 will likely still be part of our lives (looking at how our govt has been acting so far, I’ve prepared for the worse), however, we must make the best of this unfortunate situation, yes? So, I will spare most of my leisure time for reading and blogging.

Personally, 2021 will also mark a new era for me, which I will explain further in another post. Meanwhile here is what my reading schedule looks like throughout 2021:

January

#CCSpin25 #BackToTheClassics2021 #CC3 – Eugene Onegin - DONE
#RougonMacquartProject – The Conquest of Plassans - DONE

February

#BackToTheClassics2021 #CC – Nicholas Nickleby (with Ruth) - DONE

March

#BackToTheClassics2021 #CC – 
#BackToTheClassics2021 #CC – Things Fall Apart - DONE

April

#Zoladdiction2021 #RougonMacquartProject – The Sin of Abbe Mouret - CURRENTLY READING
#Zoladdiction2021 – Zola’s biography or short stories collections

May

#BackToTheClassics2021 #CC – My Antonia (with Laurie)
#BackToTheClassics2021 #CC – Return of the Native

June

#JazzAgeJune #CC – The Beautiful and Damned
#hunchbackreadalong #CC – The Hunchback of Notre-Dame (7 chapters) – it’s one of Nick's Chapter-a-Day-Read-Along

July

#RougonMacquartProject – His Excellency Eugene Rougon
--The Hunchback of Notre-Dame (31 chapters)

August

#BackToTheClassics2021 #CC – The Pilgrim’s Progress
--The Hunchback of Notre-Dame (21 chapters)

September

#RougonMacquartProject – L’Assommoir
#BackToTheClassics2021 #CC – Watership Down

October

#BackToTheClassics2021 #CC #RIP – Lady Audley’s Secret
#BackToTheClassics2021 #CC #RIP – Othello

November

#BackToTheClassics2021 #CC – Cat’s Craddle
#CC – The Custom of the Country or Barchester Tower

December

#ALiteraryChristmas #BackToTheClassics2021 #CC – The Nutcracker
#ALiteraryChristmas – A Merry Christmas (Alcott) or other Christmas stories

 

~~Statistics~~

15 books for #CC or The Classics Club #3 (complete list coming soon!)
12 books for Back to the Classics 2021

4 reading events participation:
- Nick’s Chapter-A-Day-Readalong (The Hunchback of Notre Dame only)
- #CCSpin (January is definite; other months tentative)
- RIP
- A Literary Christmas

2 events hosting:
- #Zoladdiction2021
- #JazzAgeJune (co-hosting with Laurie)

1 personal project:
#RougonMacquartProject

 

~~Beyond the schedule~~

- #AgathaChristiePerpetualReading – will read as many Agatha Christie I can in between books/events
- one or two classics or non-classics when possible
- #MobyDick2ndRead – will continue on this as many as possible


If you feel like reading a book or two along with me, just let me know, the more the merrier! 

Back to the Classics Challenge 2021

I'm glad that Karen @ Books and Chocolate has decided to host another of my most favorite reading challenge next year: Back to the Classics Challenge! And this time I will do all the 12 categories: 

1. A 19th century classic: any book first published from 1800 to 1899 – The Return of the Native by Thomas Hardy

2. A 20th century classic: any book first published from 1900 to 1971. All books must have been published at least 50 years ago; the only exceptions are books which were written by 1971 and posthumously published. – My Antonia by Willa Cather

3. A classic by a woman author. – Lady Audley’s Secret by Mary Elisabeth Braddon

4. A classic in translation, meaning any book first published in a language that is not your primary language. You may read it in translation or in its original language, if you prefer.  – The Hunchback of Notre Dame by Victor Hugo

5. A classic by BIPOC author; that is, a non-white author. – Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe

6. A classic by a new-to-you author, i.e., an author whose work you have never read. – Eugene Onegin by Alexander Pushkin

7. New-to-you classic by a favorite author -- a new book by an author whose works you have already read.  – Nicholas Nickleby by Charles Dickens

8. A classic about an animal, or with an animal in the title. The animal can be real or metaphorical. (i.e., To Kill a Mockingbird). – Watership Down by Richard Adams

9. A children's classic. – The Nutcracker by E.T.A. Hoffmann

10. A humorous or satirical classic. – The Inimitable Jeeves by P.G. Wodehouse 

11. A travel or adventure classic (fiction or non-fiction). It can be a travelogue or a classic in which the main character travels or has an adventure. – Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris by Paul Gallico

12. A classic play. Plays will only count in this category. – Mrs. Windermere's Fan by Oscar Wilde


I can't wait to start it already, it will be super fun!

A Literary Christmas 2020

I have been meaning to participate in this yearly Christmas reading challenge for some years, but what with the usual year-end hectic at the office and with my own reading challenges, I have skipped it the last two years. This time I've been looking forward to Christmas comfort reading more than ever, so I've made sure I completed most of my reading challenges beforehand. Now I have a free mouthful ahead of me, so I decided to join A Literary Christmas 2020 hosted by Tarissa of In the Bookcase.

My Christmas Reading List:

Mr. Dickens and His Carol by Samantha Silva (currently reading)

The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus by L. Frank Baum

Midwinter Murder by Agatha Christie

And, if I can squeeze one more novella between Christmas movies on my Netflix list, I'd love to give A Christmas Carol another reread!

What about you? What's in your Christmas to-read this year?

Classics Club Spin # 25

It's time for another #CCSpin, and I'm as excited as can be, because it will be based on my 3rd The Classics Club List, which I'll be starting on January 2021 (the complete list will be up on December)! Here they are...

01. Watership Down - Richard Adam's

02. I, Robot - Isaac Asimov

03. Eugenie Grandet - Honore de Balzac

04. Lady Audley's Secret - Mary Elizabeth Braddon

05. The Pilgrim's Progress - John Bunyan

06. My Antonia - Willa Cather

07. The Red Badge of Courage - Stephen Crane

08. Casino Royale - Ian Flemming

09. Return of the Native - Thomas Hardy

10. Their Eyes Were Watchijg God - Zora Neale Hurston

11. The Immitation of the Christ- Thomas A. Kemp is

12. Under the Net - Iris Murdoch

13. The Scarlet Pimpernel - Baroness Orczy

14. Eugene Onegin - Alexander Pushkin

15. All Quiet on the Western Front - Erich Maria Remarque

16. The Tale of Genji - Murasaki Shikibu

17. The Crucible - Arthur Miller

18. Barchester Tower - Anthony Trollope

19. Cat's Cradle - Kurt Vonegut

20. The Customs of the Country - Edith Wharton

14 out of 20 are new authors for me. I'm a bit nervous, but also pretty exciting here. Have you read any of them? Spotted a favorite or two? :)

Classic Character: Judith Hutter of The Deerslayer

Judith Hutter is the eldest daughter of a frontiersman: Thomas Hutter in The Deerslayer. She's born in the wilderness, and lived all her life away from civilization, without friends or neighbors. Judith is beautiful, intelligent, strong-minded and independent girl. She loves luxury and fine dress, and takes pride of her exceptional beauty. Her only social life is with officers in the garrison.

You can imagine, then, being a very beautiful girl without peers, always being praised by her mother and the young men as beautiful; who's given fine dresses by her mother. She is as intelligent as is beautiful, but 18th century women were regarded only as decorative to men's home, thus nobody ever praised her brains. She was excluded from discussions - if ever her father had discussion with other men - and the officers only saw her face, figure, and dress. How do you think she would grown up into? I say, she would have been the girl Judith Hutter in the earliest part of The Deerslayer is. Famous among the officers, proud of her beauty, loves to be center of attention from the men.

I believe that Judith knows she has qualities. And like other human beings, she is thirst of attention and acknowledgement. But others only see her as beautiful girl, thus she used her femininity to get attention, maybe unintentionally. Proof? After the arrival of Deerslayer, the only man who doesn't regard her as a sweet girl to be made love with, Judith gradually transformed into a new personality.

Deerslayer listens to her ideas (compared to her father, who often reproaches her when she offers her mind, and tells her to not interfere with men's business). Deerslayer is the only man who sees her true qualities: intelligence, independence, and courage. Judith has even transformed to an unselfish sister towards the feeble minded Hetty. I was amazed by how different she was from what Hurry Harry had described her to Deerslayer (earlier in the story).

Maybe, the true Judith Hutter is what we see in the end, and not what the men had described hitherto. Or maybe, she needs a man with high morality, such as Deerslayer, to find her true qualities. Either way, I was amazed by Judith's transformation. Hers might be one of the biggest in literature. I learned a lot from her character, that society's views often shape our personalities and how others regard us.