What Do You Live By?

One of my favorite authors is Martha Gelhorn. Every so often, I pick through Selected Letters of Martha Gelhorn by Caroline Moorehead. I am simultaneously fascinated and intimidated by Gelhorn. She's one of those people with whom I'd love to have a beer (were she alive), but know that I would be tongue-tied and grossly inadequate in her presence. Reading a collection of her personal letters only drives my intrigue deeper.

In a letter to her friend, Martha wrote, "What you live by is what you believe and what you are willing to sacrifice for, what you admire and love."

Going beyond family, what do you live by? What are you willing to sacrifice for?

Wherever you are, whatever you're doing ... Keep it Real.

How I Sort of Attacked The Stack

On January 8, 2012, I published the post, Stack Attack.I suggest you read it first so you will have a clue as to what I'm talking about. As the year winds down, I thought it would fun to see if I conquered or cowered. I'm proud to report that I did well! Check it out!

 

Sanctuary - William Faulkner Update: Read it, loved it, watched the movie again.

 

The Scarlet Pimpernel - Baroness Emmuska Orczy Update: Read it, loved it, want to read more!

 

Mockingjay - Suzanne Collins Update: Read it, liked it.

 

The Help - Kathryn Stockett Update: Read it, loved it. Even liked the movie!

 

Basic Teachings of the Buddha - Glenn Wallis Update: Didn't even crack it open.

 

Selected Letters of Martha Gelhorn - Caroline Morehead Update: Didn't even crack it open.

 

The Happiness Project - Gretchen Rubin Update: Didn't reread, BUT I read Happier At Home

 

A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens Update: Didn't even crack it open.

 

The Wonders of Solitude - Dale Salwak Update: Didn't even crack it open.

 

Catching Fire - Suzanne Collins Update: Finished it, finished series (see above). I'm 1 billionth on the library list for the Hunger Games DVD.

 

Hobby Farm: How To Create and Maintain Your Hobby Farm or Great Estate - Kristen Hampshire Update: Read it, enjoyed it, learned from it.

 

 

This isn't to say that I didn't read a ton of other stuff. Jennifer Brown's Perfect Escape, Seth Godin's Poke the Box, Lisa Lutz' Trail of the Spellmans, Anne Lamott's Imperfect Birds and Rebecca Nichols Alonzo's The Devil in Pew 7 are just a few that come to mind. 

 

I still plan on tackling Selected Letters of Martha Gelhorn. I love Martha. Need to read more Martha. But, I also have a super duper giganto reading project lined up for 2013. I'm super excited about it, and I can wait to share it with you by year's end. I alluded to it in my Stack Attack post.  Can you guess? Can ya? Can ya?

 

Wherever you are, whatever you're doing ... Keep It Real.

 

 

 

 

 

Stack Attack

That stack of books represents my reading list for 2012. A few I received as Christmas presents this year. Some I've had for months. Some I've had for years. Yes, years. Only one will be a reread. I am determined to get through this pile. I am going to try really hard to resist the siren's call of book reviews, book recs, book stores. That said, I already know one book that I must have this spring:  Trail of the Spellmans. It's the fifth book in the Spellman series by Lisa Lutz. Love. That. Series.

Here's the list. Sorry, no links. I'm typing fast and furiously while my vat of Three-Bean Pumpkin Chili with Turkey simmers on the stove (another endeavor: try more new recipes) and while Mr. Mark and the girls are playing some sort of dungeons and dragons game on his phone.

Sanctuary - William Faulkner (saw the B/W movie Temple Drake awhile back. It was made from this book. Love me some Willie F.)

The Scarlet Pimpernel  - Baroness Emmuska Orczy (read a excerpt while I was tutoring 7th graders; up my alley)

Mockingjay - Suzanne Collins (third book in The Hunger Games series)

The Help - Kathryn Stockett

Basic Teachings of the Buddha - Glenn Wallis (I find the basic concepts on Buddhism interesting.)

Selected Letters of Martha Gelhorn - Caroline Morehead (Love me some Martha G.)

The Happiness Project - Gretchen Rubin (reread)

A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens

The Wonders of Solitude - Dale Salwak

Catching Fire - Suzanne Collins (second book in The Hunger Games series; 50 pages left to read)

Hobby Farm: How To Create and Maintain Your Hobby Farm or Great Estate - Kristen Hampshire (gardening is a hobby that I'm going to cultivate this year - pun totally intended)

I am fighting a big SHOULD with this endeavor, as in "I should be reading all sorts of Young Adult literature so I can make great recommendations to my students." But I don't want to. And I'm wondering if that's a sign that teaching is no longer where I'm supposed to be. Or maybe it's just a sign that I am burnt out.

Whatever you do this week, wherever you are, whatever you read - keep it real!

Thoughts on The Face of War

The Face of War. Uplifting title, huh? It's the title of the book I've been reading lately. It's a collection of articles written by war correspondent, Martha Gelhorn (better known as the third wife of Ernest Hemingway). Martha covered various wars for nearly 50 years, starting with the Spanish Civil War in 1937. She visited the front lines of many, many wars, and was frequently the only woman to do so. She wrote about the people - civilians mainly - caught in the crossfire of wars created by a few men. She wrote about the aftermath of these wars and the affect they had on soldiers and people like you and me. It's a stunning portrayal. Candid. Human. I can't get this book out of my head. Here are a few thoughts from the book:

From The Battle of the Bulge, written January 1945. "On the night of New Year's Day, I thought of a wonderful New Year's resolution for the men who run the world: get to know the people who only live in it."

From The War in Java: "... a gulf as wide as the Grand Canyon separates America from all of the people who have known war in their own countries. War, for Americans, is a fact but not a reality; it has not happened here in living memory. The history of the failed peace and the threatening future would be different if a few bombs had fallen on a few American cities during World War II. It is strange that too much safety should prove to be so dangerous." Yes, we had 9/11, which was a type of war. Still, the majority of us can't grasp the devastation and desperation that traditional war brings to people just like us. People who just want to make a living, be with their families, love, and smile. And I hope I never have to grasp that concept. I am very thankful to be an American, and very thankful for the men and women who choose to protect us at all cost. 

From They Talked of Peace, written December 1946. "For in the end, peace is not in the hands of delegates but in the hands of all people everywhere. It is an almost overpowering effort to be just, informed, sane and strong when you are worried about a roof over your head, money for food, for the children's shoes, for coal, for a little fun, worried and harassed by the daily unending problem of living. But it is an effort that must be made, for lasting peace is not going to come of itself, nor cheaply, nor due to someone else."

Marthal Gelhorn was a phenomenal writer and, at least to me, an interesting person. I've have the pleasure of reading one of her travel memoirs, her biography, and some of her letters. I find her to be intelligent, reflective, talented, and human. I am really looking forward to exploring her novels this year.

Now that I've gottent his out of my head, I'm moving on ... right upstairs to my cozy bed.