Wednesday, April 29, 2015

words, words, words

     I have been pitifully absent from the blogging world lately.

(this isn't an apology, because I have had nothing to write about and would likely have caused you to cluck your tongue and hit the 'unfollow' button had I actually posted any of the half-hearted ideas that popped into my head in a desperate attempt to pretend that I was full of inspiration, which would have been a lie because I have not been even half way full of inspiration since March. Hence why I am not apologizing for not having posted, because in actuality I have done you a great favour. I'm a very noble person, can'tcha tell.)

(also, just as a note, I am in the middle of re-reading The Princess Bride, hence the plethora of parenthesis.)

(in case you haven't read the Princess Bride, which you definitely should do, like, now, I thought I should inform you that the author uses a lot of parenthesis. Just so we can all be on the same page.)

(hah! just realized that we will all LITERALLY be on the same page if you pick up Princess Bride and start reading immediately. Please do so before continuing.)

So, what have I been doing with my life while I've been away from my blog? I'M GLAD YOU ASKED.

I have been doing a lot of things, but most of them are not that exciting and therefore I shall fast-forward to one of the highlights for my month of April - BOOKS. I have actively been seeking out good reads, and hurray! -I have been successful. Here are just a few of the titles I've been loving (and highly recommend.)

1. Hamlet! (hence the title to this post.)
We're reading this play by Shakespeare right now in English class, and at the start of this unit I was really upset, because up until this point in time I had hated Hamlet. (this probably had more to do with the fact that the first and only time I read the play, I did so in grade 9, in a single afternoon, without really understanding anything. I just wanted the bragging rights.) Maybe I'm a little more mature than I was then (although I doubt it,) or maybe it's just the fact that I'm reading it more slowly, but I am really enjoying it so far. I actually understand the funny parts, I connect with the characters (some of them, anyways. Let's not get carried away) and the words that Shakespeare uses to describe things! I am starting to understand why he's still relevant, why we still study him hundreds of years later. It's very exciting.
The queen is mad that hamlet is still upset over his fathers death and the deceased Hamlet comes back as a ghost, asking young hamlet to avenge his death
source
actually 100% how the play goes
 


2. The Princess Bride
I'm currently re-reading this book! (this was another one of those books that I read in grade 9, probably for bragging rights - bad me! - although to my credit I remember liking it a lot more than I did Hamlet.) Right now I'm only on page 65, and I'm hesitant to say too much about it for fear that my memory is faulty and you'll go running to your libraries to devour it only to find that I have led you horribly astray and you are doomed to disappointment. Which would obviously be very disappointing for everyone concerned. But I will tell you this! So far it is just as hilarious and heartwarming as I remember.

Which Character From "The Princess Bride" Are You? I got The Grandfather. yay. :l @Olivia Smith
source
 
 
3. The Good Braider
I love books written entirely in free-verse poetry, which is why I started reading the Good Braider. In it, we follow the story of Viola, a young Sudanese girl who takes us through her journey away from her homeland to America, where she must juggle this new way of life in juxtaposition with the old. TGB is full of contradictions; it is sweet but not light, sad but not depressing, raw without being agonizing, and honest without being bleak. The author navigates war and other dark topics with respect and frailty, something that you don't see very often anymore. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.
 
Terry Farish | The Good Braider
 
 
 
4. Paper Towns
Sometimes I feel like the inside of my head is an ocean, full to the brim of thoughts and ideas and even the suggestion of exploring and keeping track of all of the EVERYTHING that I have buried between my ears is, frankly, exhausting. And also very lonely, because while most people are suntanning on the beach, I'm deep-sea diving in search of lost pearls, or doing something equally lonely and almost as futile. But occasionally, in my deep-sea diving adventures, I meet another diver who is looking for pearls, too, and we have the moment of "hey. I'm not the only one."
 
Reading Paper Towns was like that.
As to the actual plot and storyline and all the details that normal people care about....I'm lazy, so I'll leave you a link to the movie trailer. click here to watch the afore-mentioned movie trailer.
 
 
And that's what I've been up to! Kinda. I apologize for my general unsettled-ness in this post, I had a cup of coffee at 7am this morning and 12 hours later, it's finally starting to kick in.
(at least, that's what I'm telling myself.)
 
What have you been reading this April?
 
xx
Olivia


12 comments:

  1. I laughed about the parenthesis, The Princess Bride is one of my favorite books so I totally understood the joke :)
    I haven't ever read Hamlet (shame on me) but I have read Macbeth, Romeo and Juliet, The Taming of the Screw, and one of the King Henry plays... I don't remember which. I adore Shakespeare. Glad to hear you're liking Hamlet, maybe I'll pick it up soon.
    Right now I'm enjoying reading through The Anne of Green Gables and The Mortal Instruments series.
    I'm so happy you're back blogging, Olivia! :)

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    1. Yay I'm so glad you got it!! And I'm glad you laughed, too, as I was typing I was wondering whether or not I should wait until I was feeling a little calmer before posting...anyways, I'm glad it made sense. :p If you like Shakespeare you should definitely try Twelfth Night, too! One of my favourites.

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  2. Sounds like you've got some good reads. I've never read anything by John Green. Do you have any idea what a good start is? I also have never read The Princess Bride (GASP) (Please don't hurt me). But what you said about the parenthesis still made me laugh (a lot).

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    1. Oooo, John Green is tricky. I've only read the Fault in our Stars and now Paper Towns, because I found the other books had too much inappropriate sexual content. I would start with tFioS first, (because that's what I did!) And if you like it, move on to Paper Towns. I do prefer tFioS...I enjoyed it a lot. However there is one scene that you may want to skim or skip altogether... just a warning, although in my opinion the book is totally worth it. :)
      And when you've done that, PLEASE go and read TPB. You will adore it and love it, I know you will. It's brightening my day. :)

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  3. "Sometimes I feel like the inside of my head is an ocean, full to the brim of thoughts and ideas and even the suggestion of exploring and keeping track of all of the EVERYTHING that I have buried between my ears is, frankly, exhausting. And also very lonely, because while most people are suntanning on the beach, I'm deep-sea diving in search of lost pearls, or doing something equally lonely and almost as futile. But occasionally, in my deep-sea diving adventures, I meet another diver who is looking for pearls, too, and we have the moment of "hey. I'm not the only one.""

    ..................I have said it before, and I shall say it again: one of these days you will blow up the world with a best selling book. literally. I COULD TALK FOREVER ABOUT HOW MUCH PERFECT THERE IS IN THOSE METAPHORS. I can so relate. And just....ugghhh how. amazing.

    AND THE PRINCESS BRIDE. You rock.

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    1. THANK YOU KATE. Your comments make my heart very happy. <3

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  4. Yay! Olivia's still alive! :P Nah, just kidding. I knew you'd return one of these days.

    That's awesome that you're liking Shakespeare! I used to think he was super dry and boring and dull and impossible to read, but now that I'm older and reading his work, I'm actually able to understand parts of it and am enjoying it too!
    Princess Bride for the win. I read an excerpt out of that for my family's Valentine's Day teaparty this year. :) It was the part where Buttercup declares her love for Westley and he shuts the door in her face. :D I <3 that part.
    And Paper Towns! I want to read that (and all of Green's other books) but I haven't gotten around to it. Lovely analogy by the way. I love the way you put that and the visual imagery you conjured up.
    This April I reread the book that is basically my heart and soul. I read it three years ago and have only now gotten around to rereading it and it was amazing.

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    1. Hahaha I still exist!!! Glad you weren't too worried. :p Yay for more Princess Bride fans! I love that part too. It's so dramatic and passionate and then Westely just "nope." Haha I also love the part right after when he tells her he's leaving and she basically abuses him while he stands there patiently waiting for her to understand.
      Reeeeead Paper Towns! And tFioS! I feel like you'd really enjoy John Green. :)
      Which book is that? Sounds super interesting!

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  5. I was hoping the title was a reference to Hamlet. :-) Glad to hear you're enjoying the play! I read it for school last year and, though I thought at first that I was going to hate it, I ended up really enjoying it.

    I've never read The Princess Bride (haven't seen the movie, either), but I think I might give that one a try. Also, I only just recently discovered that verse novels even exist and I was a bit interested in reading one. The Good Braider sounds very interesting. Might pick that one up too while I'm at it.

    As for my current reads, I just finished The October Country, which is a collection of short stories by one of my most favorite authors, Ray Bradbury. I'm also trying to slough through Fyodor Dostoevsky's The Brothers Karamazov. A little slow-going in parts, but so far, I'm enjoying it.

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    1. Hanna, I totally thought I was going to hate Hamlet, too! I'd read it before and thought it was just awful, so I was surprised when I ended up loving it! It's been a fun semester. :3

      PLEASE try to read the Princess Bride!! I'm sure you'll love it, it's very funny. :) And if you like verse novels, the Good Braider is a great one to start with.

      Both of those sound really interesting! maybe I'll have to give them a try. :)

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  6. Dear Olivia,

    First off, your writing style is literally SO interesting and witty and captivating. KEEP ON DOING ITTT. Writing anything and everything. Your style is just... gah. It reminds me of the way that I think. (: Literally. Secondly, THE PRINCESS BRIDE. I love love love that book and yes, it is as good as you remember. The whole thing, cover to cover. I actually listened to William Goldman read it to me (thanks, Audible!) but now you've got me really wanting to read an actual copy of the book just to experience all the parentheses (and not to mention pick out all the undoubtedly fabulous quotes.) Also, I feel like parentheses are really neglected little dolls. x) Like, they work SO well for inserting a thought into a sentence. I love using them, but I don't use them as often as I'd like to because waa I keep thinking about whoever is going to edit the book later and be like "I AM TAKING ALL THESE PARENTHESES OUT NOW" and it will all be good for nothing. But then, if William Goldman can get away with it, maybe I can too. xD Whoa. RANT OVER. Sorry about that.
    Ooh. I keep seeing Paper Towns talked about -- I almost want to read it. But I'm so timid when it comes to reading books, especially if they aren't classics because I'm always so worried that it's going to be lousy or depressing or have a bad ending or my favorite character will die in it or something. But every once in a while I'll find a good book. And read it over and over and over again because I'm too scared to read anything else, lest I be disappointed. Heh. But hey, if you recommend something to me, I'll totally read it. Because if you like The Princess Bride, then I do declare you have expert taste. (;
    Wow, I just realized how long this comment is. Goodbye.

    love,
    beezee

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    1. Beezee! I'm so glad you commented. :) Thanks so much for your lovely comment! I'm seriously smiling over here. I can't imagine having William Goldman actually read his book to me - I think I would die!! And spoiler for Paper Towns (although not really,) but no main characters die in the ending. So I think you'll be safe.

      I love long comments! keep them coming!! :)

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