Ignorant Historian

I don’t think it’s a secret that I like a good Jane Austen book or movie. The other day, I was in the mood, so I popped in Sense and Sensibility (you know, the one with Hugh Grant).

Sense and Sensibility is both my favorite Jane Austen book and my favorite movie. I love Pride and Prejudice along with the best of us, but Sense and Sensibility resonates more with me, because I relate to both of the sisters.

I’m a lot like Elinor, the put-together, sensible, putting-others-first rock of the family. To those who don’t know me well, I can come across as stoic or unfeeling. I tend towards order and routine and tend to shy away from spontaneity and anything that upsets my order for things.

But I also am a lot like Marianne. I can be flighty and overly emotional. I cry quicker than anyone I know (though I still blame it on a physical abnormality…doncha know I have overactive tear ducts?). I have thought my world was falling apart when a suitor hasn’t appeared. I have interpreted my interactions with a man to make them into something they weren’t.

You see, I’m both sisters. I can be both sensible and overcome by sensibility.

And for the record, Colonel Brandon is by far my favorite of the Jane Austen’s heroes. A man who doesn’t arrogantly assume you think he’s all that, prefers you to be happy than to be with him (as much as it pains him), and is willing to quietly serve in whatever way possible? Yes, please!

A couple of months ago, I mentioned on Twitter that I had finally been convinced to check out the Harry Potter series. I hadn’t expected the flurry of tweets I’d receive about it…clearly I had touched on something that people were passionate about!

They convinced me that I was right in seeking out the audio book versions. I’ve become spoiled–I don’t really enjoy reading a fiction book for myself any more. After 2 months of listening, I finished the series. At over 115 hours, I made good time!

Not reading the Harry Potter series was never a conscious decision. It didn’t sound interesting to me–I’m not much for fantasy–and there are so many other books to read in the world. Besides, I tend to stay away from books when they’re super popular. I had watched the first two movies in the theater and hadn’t really enjoyed them.  Especially the spiders.

So what did I think? I really liked them. JK Rowling is an awesome storyteller. Just imagining how much time she must have spent weaving all the details is mind-boggling.

That said, I think I agree with my friend Jessica when she said that these books are great stories, but aren’t necessarily written well. I thought Order of the Phoenix was particularly bad. While the rest of the books had forward motion, this one felt very stagnant and deserved a generous amount of slimming down. There’s a reason why it was turned into the shortest movie…there wasn’t anything there!

As far as the movies go, I was disappointed in Half-Blood Prince, which was my favorite book. While I understand some changes are necessary when making a book into a movie, I felt like this one had the most differences, many of which weren’t necessary.

Do I think that the books promote witchcraft? No. I’ll admit that the first time magic was mentioned it bugged me a little, but as a whole, I think the magic is just part of the world of Harry Potter, and I’m fine with that.

The books were darker than I expected. Beyond the first 3 books, I don’t think I’d let a child read them, but save them until he was a teen. I think that the subject trends well with the ages of Harry and his friends, and it was a lot of fun watching them growing up.

So those are my somewhat rambly thoughts on the series. I’m certainly glad I read them, and will likely reread them after a year. I’m also interested in trying some other fantasy and am going to start with Cornelia Funke’s Inkheart next after a little break.

This week’s Top Ten Tuesday topic is books that we’d like to see turned into movies. Of course, when I think of books that I’d like to be turned into movies, I think about how I want these books turned into movies the way I want them to be, but I supposed I wouldn’t be consulted on any of these movie projects. It’s just that each book made me feel a certain way, and I’d want the movie to do the same.

Actually, several of the books that I want to be made into movies are in the process of being turned into movies. While it used to be important to me that movies reflect the books perfectly, I’ve since realized it makes more sense for the them not to be exactly the same. After all, what makes a book good and what makes a movie good aren’t the same things.

So, these are books I want to see made into movies (or movies that I’m looking forward to seeing):

1. Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card

I’ve wanted to see a movie of Ender’s Game ever since I read it for the first time. I think that it has the makings of a very good movie that would have mass popularity. Card has/is writing a script for it, but I’m not sure it’s gone much farther than that.

2. Tomorrow, When the War Began by John Marsden

Okay, so this is already a movie…in Australia (where it did well). No word on whether it will be released in the US in the theaters or on DVD.

3. The City and the City by China Miévelle

I think this would be a fascinated movie, if someone could pull it off. Having two cities overlapping–and yet you’re only allowed to “see” your own city–would possibly require some Inception-like visuals.

4. The Journal by…well…me

Wouldn’t that be absolutely cool? A girl can dream. But seriously, it could make a great movie I think. I love futuristic movies, and this would definitely be one.

5. Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

If you like Hunger Games at all, you’ve likely heard that this is going to be a movie. The casting of the main characters has just been released, so it’ll still be a while. I think that it makes for a great story for film, but it’d be hard to not to make it gory.

6. Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart

A great story that’d make for a great kids’ movie.

7. Uglies by Scott Westerfeld

Based on this list, I think I need to watch more sci-fi movies. I love seeing other people’s imaginations at work in how they create a future society.

8. When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead

If this would be as touching a story on film as it is in print, I’d love to see it happen.

9. C. S. Lewis’s Space Trilogy

Why not follow up The Chronicles of Narnia with Lewis’s lesser-known fiction series? There are some really poignant points in the books that I’d love to see on film, though I don’t think it’d make for very popular movies as the books aren’t nearly as action-packed and suspense-filled as most alien movies out there.

10. The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness

This series, on the other hand, would make for an action-packed alien movie.

Would you/do you want to see any of these movies?

1.  How often have you returned book to the library unread?

Fairly frequently, probably 1 in 3 or 4 books that I return. It’s not my intent, but if I lose interest or I haven’t gotten to the book before it’s requested by someone else or it’s reached the end of its renewals (umm, after 6 months!), I’ll take it back.

2.  What are your favorite games to play?

I like card games like Nerts and Euchre and party games like ImaginIff and Apples to Apples.

3.  How do you feel about arranged marriages?

I would do it if it was based on his character, not what he could bring to the family. Though I am glad to have the chance to pick my own husband.

4.  Which do you prefer: the original Star Wars trilogy, or the new one?

I actually like Episodes I-III (the newer ones) better.  I love all the foreshadowing.  Perhaps if I had gone to the original ones in the theater (the first time they came out…I saw them when they did the updated ones in the 90s) they would be more special to me.

5.  When did you learn to swim?

I think I was a bit older, but you’d have to ask my mom. I remember taking swim lessons after we moved to our new house when I was in 2nd grade, so it was probably when I was 8 or so when I officially learned.  It’s still one of my favorite things to do.

Make sure you come by Monday…I have something that I can’t wait to share with you all!

1.  How many times did you fail your driver’s test?

Never have.  Though I hadn’t thought to study the drunk driving stuff (there was a whole chapter in the book) for my NC test a few years back, so I had to use my good test taking skills to pull it out.  I don’t know why someone who doesn’t drink needs to know the legal ramifications of a DUI, but North Carolina thinks I do.

2.  What is the most money you’ve ever spent in the bookstore at one time?

I couldn’t tell you what I’ve spent in a brick and mortar bookstore, but I have spent maybe $70 one time at Amazon.  I was waiting until I had enough to add up to $25 to get free shipping, and then I had way more than $25 worth to get.

3.  Is the glass half-full or half-empty?

Definitely half-full.  I actually couldn’t figure out whether or not I was an optimist for a while, but I definitely am.  I’m not a dreamer, though, and that’s what confused me.  I’m an optimistic realist.

4.  What was the last film you saw at the theatre?

Inception, I think (yes, I loved it).  I saw it in Texas, when I was there last summer.  I still haven’t seen The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (which is sad to me, but I haven’t had time to figure out when/who to see it with) which I’d like to.  Except for a few movies I really want to see (which is rare, maybe once a year), I only go to see movies when I’m with my family or my college roommate.  I guess I just associate movies with vacations.

5.  What foods do you dislike?

Cooked vegetables if you can eat them raw (with the major exception of tomatoes, which I’d rather eat cooked if I have to).  I’ve slowly reconciled myself to handling cooked broccoli and spinach, but I’ll still avoid them unless they’re in something.  I also don’t like lasagna (don’t ask my mom about that one), and am actually not a big fan of Italian food, beyond the salad and bread.  There are plenty of things I haven’t tried that I’m not excited about trying, but given the right circumstances, I would.

1.  Where do you like to sit on a plane?

First class!  Okay, they’ve only offered that to me once, when they cancelled my flight.  I was 17.  Yeah, they definitely don’t do that anymore, unless you’re a dignitary or something.

Seriously though, I like to sit as far front as possible (last on, first off).  I prefer seat “A”, the window on the left (when you are sitting down).  I’ve done a lot of experimenting, and I’ve determined that that’s the best seat for me to feel like I have room as my left side is not against some stranger (I’m left-handed).

I also have a trick of changing seats at the last minute.  I frequently fly without someone beside me by doing this!  I have the best of luck…if there is one empty seat on the plane, there’s about a 50% chance it’ll be next to me.

And no, I don’t think it’s because I smell.  Thanks for asking.

2.  What sound irritates you?

Tapping and buzzing noises.  I don’t like the sound of fans in bathrooms.  Any buzzing sound will set me on edge and I will be unable to concentrate on anything else.  And no, I haven’t always been like this (thankfully!), but it would be distracting while trying to concentrate in class the last few years I was in school.

3.  What’s something in your life that just isn’t colorful enough?

My car. Unfortunately, all my options really ran the spectrums of grey, so I went for more of a graphite.  I like my car, but it lacks the zest of my last car that was electric blue.  I’d also love to drive a purple car one day.

4.  What’s a film you were sure you would dislike but ended up liking?

Get Smart.   Saw it with the family when we were on vacation, and I thought it’d be super stupid.  Turned out to be quite funny.

5.  What kind of grades did you get in school?

All A’s until AP Calculus. (Wow, I realize how pretentious that sentence sounds.)  And then in college and seminary I had a good mix of As and Bs (and that one C in a freshman-level class in my major in my last semester), trying to get no more than 1 B a semester.

Due to how little I’ve been reading lately (thank you, summer), it’s taken me a while to finish this book, but I’m so glad I have.  Why?  Because since I opened it, I wanted to share it with you all.  I don’t know if it’s the history major or the teacher within me, but I love to share what I learn, especially when it’s something as fascinating as the rise of Nazi Germany.

I’ve read books set during World War II ad nauseam, and while I didn’t want to pick up another for a while, it got me thinking about the roots of Nazi Germany.  How in the world did someone like Hitler come to power, to murder over 11 million of his own people?  How did people much like me actually vote him into power?

I won’t lie, my fascination with this in part comes from my fascination with the Star Wars series.  Actually, the more I study it, the more I see how George Lucas created the Empire in the type of Nazi Germany.  The scene where the senate votes Palpatine emergency powers and Padme’s comment, “So this is how liberty dies, to the sound of thunderous applause” is easily in my top 5 favorite moments of the series.

Enough Star Wars.  I promise I’m not that geeky.

Milton Mayer, an American journalist and a Jew had the same question about Hitler’s rise to power.  So in the early 50s, he goes to West Germany to interview 10 everyday, former Nazis.  The answers they give him are insightful into human nature and in many cases, frightening.

In spite of what I believed before, these people weren’t hypnotized by Hitler.  It wasn’t chiefly his charisma or his ability to rally the people that drew them to him.  They chose him and his party because they saw him as the only practical answer to communism–the great enemy.

They joined the Nazi party to gain jobs and because they thought that Germany would be better off under Nazism (remember, that the Great Depression of the 30s was as big a motivator for them as it was for them).  And in some cases, they still thought that at the time of their interviews.

It is that motivation that is incredibly scary to me.  Americans seem to evaluate politicians based on what they promise to do for them.  What a poor evaluation criteria, but one you’d expect from a selfish people.

Only one of the 10 Nazis really regrets his party involvement, and he knew it was wrong from the beginning.  He joined primarily in order to be able to help out his friends (both Jews and Jewish supporters), but he rightly argued afterwards that by saving say 300 people is nothing like saving the millions that died because he went along with it.  Sure, by himself he couldn’t have stopped the momentum of the Nazi movement, but if more people had stood up against it, it would have made a difference.

I’m afraid I would have been like him…know that it was wrong, but go along with it because I perceived some greater good. But we know now, 11 million lives is a high cost for any earthly good. Don’t go along with anyone or anything–politician, social activist, or party–just because it’s against a perceived evil.

There is so much more to this book (and certainly to the discussion) than I can talk about here.  I wish I could quote huge chunks, but that’s just not practical.  I’ll just say that if this interests you at all, pick it up.  I had to order it through Interlibrary Loan, but I’m so glad that I did.  Though it’s printed by an academic press, it’s accessible to any who are at all familiar with World War II in Europe.

I look forward to one day using this book to teach my children about the rise of Nazi Germany (and you bet we’ll watch the Star Wars movies alongside).

1. What’s your favorite science fiction movie? Make it a double feature. What’s your second favorite?

Favorite is probably the new Star Trek. I actually didn’t see it in the theaters (wish I had!), but I really enjoyed it. When picking a second, it’s really hard not to pick Inception since I just saw it and loved it. Instead, I’m going to have to go with a Star Wars…maybe Episode III? Sorry to purists out there, but I prefer the ones actually made when I was alive.

2. Which ethnic group has the best food?

LOVE Mexican food (both real Mexican food and Tex-Mex, though I must admit I prefer Tex-Mex). I could literally eat it every day. Chinese is a close second, but I’m pickier in which kinds of Chinese food I like.

3. What is your favorite Disney princess?

Toughie. Aurora, probably. I’d love her life in a rural cottage with plenty of time to think (and presumably to read).  Or maybe Cinderella.

4. What is America’s gift to the world?

Wow…hmmm. Though we are merely the bearers of this gift and not the originators, I think I’d have to say the Gospel. While it’s also been distorted here–often beyond recognition–America has also been the place God has chosen to incubate the Gospel, and many Americans have been major instruments God has used to spread it. The downside is that Christianity and America are often linked in a way that is highly unflattering to God. May God help us to de-Americanize the Gospel and continue to selflessly share this wonderful gift.

5. Excluding romantic love, when was the last time you told someone you loved them?

This past weekend to sweet little “Abby,” my friend’s 5-year-old girl. I treat her like a niece. She started calling me “Erica” to be silly, so I started calling her “Abby.” Then she started calling me “best friend” and then “sister.” She knows how to wiggle her way into your heart, that’s for sure!

I’m a big fan of romantic comedies, but if I watch another movie where hedonism (the search for pleasure) is the final answer, I might scream.

I already talked about how sex isn’t everything.  Well, on a related point, neither is pleasure.  The adage, “Do what makes you happy” might well define our culture, but that doesn’t make it right or true.

I think for any of us who have tried to follow this (and I think most have at one point or another) find that the pleasures that we seek never fully satisfy, are never enough.  Just like the alcoholic wants one more drink, and Rockefeller, one of the richest men of his time, says that enough money is “just a little bit more,” we want “just a little bit more” of whatever we’ve determined will make us happy.  If it’s someone, we might smother them.  If it’s something, we might poison ourselves or drown ourselves in debt to get it.

Instead of pursuing my own pleasures (and I’m more than willing to admit that I do that all too often), I’d rather seek to obey the greatest commandments:

” ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’  This is the great and foremost commandment.  The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ ” – Matthew 22:37-39

And perhaps I’ll stick to 24.

Photo by mandj98

It’s been a while since I’ve shared with you some quotes…I haven’t done as much reading as I used to!  Chalk it up to summer laziness, I guess.  As evidenced by the two 24 quotes.

“With what we’ve been through in the last 18 hours, I’m sure he’s pulled in 10 different directions.” – Mike Novak
“We were and in some ways still are on the brink of war. I’m the commander in chief. When I call, there is only one direction.” – President David Palmer, 24, Day 2, 3:00 AM

“If you believe not me, read here in this book, and for the truth of what is expressed therein, behold, all is confimred by the blood of Him that made it.” John Bunyan, Pilgrim Progress, p. 5

“I wish people–including me–had a more visceral reaction to reading.” – A. J. Jacobs, The Know-It-All, p. 211

“Li only needed the simplicity of routine to keep her spirit satisfied.” – Gail Tsukiyama, The Women of the Silk, p. 229

“Don’t play dead before you have to.” – Wally Lamb, The Hour I First Believed, p. 75

“Now that I’m sitting in that chair…I’m starting to wonder if I’m the right person to lead this country.” – President Wayne Palmer
“That’s an irrelevant question, sir.” – Tom Lennox
“Excuse me?”
“You will lead this country whether you want to or not. You are the president.” – 24, Day 6, 6:00 AM

“I want to leave a lasting impression on the world.” – Eric Harris’s journal (one of the Columbine shooters)