Cry, The Beloved Country by Alan Paton

283 pages
Published 1948
Charles Scribner's Sons
New York, NY

"Cry, the beloved country, for the unborn child that is the inheritor of our fear. Let him not love the earth too deeply. Let him not laugh too gladly when the water runs through his fingers, nor stand too silent when the setting sun makes red the veld with fire. Let him not be too moved when the birds of his land are singing, nor give too much of his heart to a mountain or valley. For fear will rob him of all if he gives too much." (Chpt 12, pg 80)

I knew little to nothing of Alan Paton's Cry, The Beloved Country before picking up a copy to read for my book club, but I looked forward to reading it with great anticipation as I wanted to know why it had been an immediate best-seller upon publication in 1948 and why it continued to sell some 70 years later.

Set in South Africa in the late 1940s, Cry, The Beloved Country tells the heart wrenching story of a Zulu pastor, Stephen Kumalo and the people of his country. As the story begins Stephen and his wife sacrifice their life savings so that Stephen may go in search of his lost son, Absalom, who they fear is in great trouble. The backdrop for his journey is a land of beauty and rich history, but also one filled with injustice, racism, poverty, and fear. As Stephen hunts for his son he encounters many different people, some whom he is able to help and a great deal more who are able to help him. This story may seem tragic at first, but if the reader stops to ponder the heart of book as a whole it becomes quite clear that it is more than that. It is a story of redemption, of hope and courage, and of God's love for ALL of his people.

From the first page I was drawn in. Paton's storytelling is simple and his chapters brief, yet his descriptions are vivid. It was if I were watching each scene pass before my eyes rather than words. The characters and places are real to life and the plot is tragically moving yet redemptive and thus beautiful. I was likewise fascinated by the social commentary aspect of the book. Much like Charles Dickens and Anthony Trollope did in their day, Alan Paton took a fictional story and wove within it serious issues of the day (i.e. racism, greed, poverty, illiteracy, etc.). It is said that Paton's personal motto was "South Africa must be saved one person at a time." I think perhaps Cry, The Beloved Country was his attempt to share his heart's calling with mankind worldwide one reader at a time.

"It is my own belief that the only power which can resist the power of fear is the power of love. It's a weak thing and a tender thing; men despise and deride it. But I look for the day when in South Africa we should realize that they only lasting and worthwhile solution of our grave and profound problems lies not in the use of power, but in that understanding and compassion without which human life is an intolerable bondage, condemning us all to an existence of violence, misery, and fear." (Alan Paton, Intro. ixi)

In retrospect Cry, The Beloved Country is a book I truly enjoyed reading and highly recommend to other readers. It is a classic that is applicable to any person, any country, and at any time. There is always a lesson to be learned if the reader's heart is open.

Feeling thus I was not surprised to learn that Cry, The Beloved Country by Alan Paton is on the list of 1,000 books you must read before you die. While there are a smattering of books on that list that I really believe aren't worth any reader's time to read, this is not one of those. Cry, The Beloved Country is not only a worthwhile read, it is a true piece of literature.

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For those who would like to learn more about Alan Paton or his book be sure to check out the links I've provided below.

* The Alan Paton Centre & Struggle Archives
* Cry, The Beloved Country (Audio Book)
* Simon & Schuster: Cry, The Beloved Country
* Wikipedia: Cry, The Beloved Country
* Wikipedia: Alan Paton
* Cry, The Beloved Country Timeline
* SparkNotes: Cry, The Beloved Country
* Alan Paton's Cry, The Beloved Country: A Tale of Two Media by Dr. Glenn Statile (Word Doc)

The Way We Live Now by Anthony Trollope

802 pages
Published in serial form 1874-1875
Reprinted Barnes & Noble Classics, 2005
New York, NY

I can't help but find it a little ironic that a few weeks after I first discovered Angela Thirkell and her Barsetshire novels my book club settled upon reading an Anthony Trollope novel. For those who don't know/remember, Anthony Trollope wrote a series of six books set in the fictional county of Barsetshire, which some 80 years later Angela Thirkell used as inspiration for 29 of her own novels set in that same fictional county. (While Trollope's novels were about the people of Barsetshire in the mid 19th century, Thirkell's were her own creation of the people of Barsetshire in the early and mid 20th century.)

The book selected by my book club was not one of Trollope's Chronicles of Barsetshire, but one of Trollope's longer stories, The Way We Live Now, which although not popular upon first publication has in recent years come to be considered Trollope's best work.

The Plot:
"Ruthless greed, relentless self-promotion, corporate swindles and scandals on a grand scale -- indeed it sounds like 'the way we live now.' Though Anthony Trollope's title actually refers to 1870s England, his scathing satire of a money-mad culture cuts close to the contemporary bone. At its center stands Augustus Melmotte, a crooked financier whose enormous schemes ensnare an array of avaricious aristocrats, politicians and 'important people.' Among them are Lady Carbury, who earns the family bread by churning out fatuous potboilers, and her spendthrift, ne''er-do-well son, Felix, who sets his sights on Melmotte's dangerously beautiful daughter, Marie. meanwhile Felix's sister, Hetta, falls for Melmotte's partner, Paul, who's encumbered wiht an American fiancee, herself a widow who may have shot her husband. As the frauds expand and the romantic entanglements grow ever more complex, Trollope revels in the antics of his characters while pillorying the corruption of their morally bankrupt society." (Summary courtesy of the publisher)

My Thoughts:
I thoroughly enjoyed this read. The story plot is thick (so much happens within the story over the course of six months) and the characters richly colorful and quirky.

Some readers might liken Trollope to Dickens, but I think in some ways Trollope is actually better than Dickens. The Way We Live Now is a long book, almost as long as Dickens' Bleak House or Little Dorrit, yet not once did I feel the story lagged or that Trollope was rambling as I admit I have felt from time to time with Dickens. Another aspect that I liked about Trollope's writing is that his characters seemed a little less stereotypical. On the downside I can't say that I loved any of the characters in The Way We Live Now. I liked some of the characters and I completely despised some of the others within The Way We Live Now, but none tugged at my heartstrings as in books like Bleak House.

One similarity between Dickens and Trollope is the ending. Both Dickens and Trollope ended their novels with a "happy ending" -- although in the case of The Way We Live Now that doesn't mean every character lives happily-ever-after or has all their problems solved, but it does mean that the reader finishes the book satisfied.

The Way We Live Now is a satire, which means Trollope was writing tongue-in-cheek as he criticized and commented on various aspects of life in England during the latter decades of the 19th century. His writing is filled with interesting and thought provoking snapshots and at the same time is witty and entertaining. Although a long read (with 100 chapters) The Way We Live Now is not a difficult read. I particularly enjoyed the vivid imagery that Trollope's words painted and jotted down many passages in my Book of Books.

Some might be discouraged by the length of The Way We Live Now, as I mentioned it runs to 100 chapters and depending on the publication can average around 800 pages. It took me 25 days to finish, but it was definitely a worthwhile read and one I highly recommend to any reader. I bounced back and forth between reading the actual book and listening to the complete book read aloud with the free LibroVox iPhone application. Having finished and thoroughly enjoyed The Way We Live Now I am definitely planning to explore more of Trollope's works in the future. As for The Way We Live Now, this is one book I'd advise you to buy rather than borrow.

On a related note, PBS Masterpiece Theater produced a mini-series adaptation of The Way We Live Now in 2001 starring David Suchet (Hercule Poirot) and Matthew Macfadyen (Pride and Prejudice). I watched this series in 2007 at a time when, sadly, I'd never heard of Anthony Trollope. The movie is fairly true to the book. Some aspects of the story did not transfer to the screen, others did not transfer very well, which means you don't get the full depth of this story by watching the movie alone. But I do believe watching the adaptation does help a reader gain a better understanding of the story as a whole and also helps keep who's who amongst the characters clear within the reader's mind while they read.

I will add that the movie ending and the book ending are different, but only slightly so and both still end happily. The only objection I had to the movie was the addition of some bedroom-type scenes, though not obscene were enough to leave the viewer without doubt as to the intimacy of the character's relationships. Upon further reflection I believe this interpretation is typical of society's views within the 21st century, but not what Trollope intended in his book. It just doesn't work with the social views of the 19th century. Yes, affairs occurred, but not for characters of these types. Still I enjoyed the miniseries and recommend it to anyone who has read the book or requires some assistance in understanding the story before setting out to read the novel.

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Related Links:
* Anthony Trollope Society
* Anthony Trollope.Com
* Anthony Trollope USA
* PBS: Masterpiece Classics: The Way We Live Now
* E-book: The Way We Live Now (Project Gutenberg)
* Audio-Book: LibroVox: The Way We Live Now

And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie

275 pages
Published 1939 by G. P. Putnam's Sons
Reprinted 2001 by Penguin Putnam Inc.
St Martin's Paperbacks

And Then There Were None (also published as Ten Little Indians) is probably one of the most recognizable of Agatha Christie's mystery novels amongst readers. It has been called the best selling mystery novel of all times and is currently the 1oth best selling book of all times with 100 million copies (and counting) sold worldwide. It has been adapted into movies and plays and converted into video games. It is even said to have inspired the 2009 TV show Harper's Island.

And yet, I actually dreaded the moment when I would read this book. It is, in my opinion, the scariest and thus perhaps the best of all Agatha Christie's crime and mystery novels. But then, maybe I am prejudiced.

My first encounter with And Then There Were None was when I was a child of ten or eleven and I watched the 1945 film adaptation starring Barry Fitzgerald and Judith Anderson (to name just two of the many famliar faces you'll see). It was not a horror story. It was a B&W murder mystery film with a happier ending than the novel it was based on and yet I remember it being very scary. So scary that I had nightmares any time I watched it, which normally would mean I wouldn't watch the movie.... Yet I had this bizarre love-hate relationship with the story. I loved aspects of the movie and would watch it periodically over the years, but every time I did (even if I watched it in the middle of the day) the very next time I went to sleep I would be bothered with bad dreams.

So you can imagine why I had butterflies when I picked up a copy of this book from the library. Would reading it give me nightmares? I already knew the ending and that it would be worse than the 1945 movie so maybe reading the story wouldn't impact me in the same way watching the movie had? One thing was for certain, I needed to read And Then There Were None if I were to truly complete my personal Agatha Christie challenge (read all of her mystery novels by order of publication). And so, I was determined to slay this dragon once and for all.

The Plot:
"Ten people, each with something to hide and something to fear, are invited to a lonely mansion on Indian Island by a host who, surprisingly, fails to appear. On the island they are cut off from everything but each other and the inescapable shadows of their own past lives. One by one, the guests share the darkest secrets of their wicked pasts. And one by one, they start to die..." (Summary courtesy of AgathaChristie.com)

My Thoughts:
To answer your question, yes, I did have a very bad dream the night after I started reading the book. Mercifully it only took me 24 hours to finish this quick read so I only suffered loss of sleep for that one night. Looking back I still believe And Then There Were None is the deadliest, darkest, most intense read of Agatha Christie's mysteries. It is a thriller. It is a puzzling mystery. It is a very intruiging study of human psyche and the depraved and decieved mind (and heart). And it is also a commentary of sorts society's views on crime and punishment. And Then There Were None is excellently well written, the characters are colorful and the plot is well crafted. I'd like to think the mystery would have puzzled me to the end had I not already known the answer.

I asked a friend who had watched Harper's Island if he'd be interested in reading And Then There Were None. I wanted to know what it would be like for someone to read the book with fresh eyes. Would they be able to solve the mystery before the end? My friend had his suspicions, but in the end he admitted that he was left guessing until the last few pages when the mystery is revealed to the reader. Yet again proof that this is Agatha Christie at her best.

So it should follow that this is my favorite Christie novel of all times, right? Not so. Even though it has all the elements that make for a thrilling read and puzzling mystery I didn't like it because of it's lack of happy ending. There is no Hercule Poirot or Jane Marple to save the day. This was the best mystery I've read in a long time and worthy to be on any mystery lover's reading list. But at the same time I have no desire to read it again. Once was enough. I have slayed this dragon and I plan to let it lie.

Up next: Sad Cypress.

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Other Agatha Christie Reviews:
*Novels published from 1920-1923 see note below.

The Man in the Brown Suit (1924)
The Secret of Chimneys (1925)
The Big Four (1927)
The Mystery of the Blue Train (1928)
The Seven Dials Mystery (1929)
The Murder at the Vicarage (1930)
The Sittaford Mystery (1931)
Peril at End House (1932)
Lord Edgware Dies (1933)
Murder on the Orient Express (1934)
Why Didn't They Ask Evans? (1934)
Three Act Tragedy (1935)
Death in the Clouds (1935)
The A.B.C. Murders (1936)
Murder in Mesopotamia (1936)
Cards on the Table (1936)
Dumb Witness (1937)
Death on the Nile (1937)
Appointment With Death (1938)
Hercule Poirot's Christmas (1938)
Murder Is Easy (1939)
And Then There Were None (1939)

Absent In the Spring by Mary Westmacott (a.k.a. Agatha Christie) (1944)

* Christie's novels written from 1920 (The Mysterious Affair at Styles) through 1923 (Murder on the Links) I read before I began this blog hence no reviews currently

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

180 pages
Published 1925 by Charles Scribner's Sons
Reprinted 2004 Scribner
New York, NY

Who hasn't heard of The Great Gastby by F. Scott Fitzgerald? Although it was not initially a bestseller it has since become standard amongst reading curriculum for literature classes. It is considered one of the greatest novels of the 20th century, a modern classic, and is on the 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die list. In fact, most readers who've taken standard literature courses have probably read this book at sometime during their educational years.... Excepting me.

Set on Long Island's North Shore and New York City, The Great Gatsby tells a tale of the mysterious and fabulously wealthy Jay Gatsby and the woman he loves, one Daisy Buchanan.

At first glance one might assume this is a story of love, but it isn't. The Great Gatsby is a tragedy. It is also a social commentary or maybe more accurately, a critique of the great "American Dream."

F. Scott Fitzgerald paints within The Great Gatsby a picture of what life was like for many of the rich and famous (and bored) during the "roaring 20s" -- a time when the US economy flourished and the wealthy spent all weekend partying, drinking, flirting, and maybe dabbling a little in organized crime.

I always thought I would hate The Great Gatsby. I think this predisposed opinion was rooted in the fact I'd been told it was a depressing story and I don't like depressing stories. Life is hard enough why read a book that makes you feel worse? And yet, the fact that it seemed everyone else in the world had read this book I was determined to read it and find out what IS so great about Gatsby?

For starters it is a well-written novel. Fitzgerald's writing is clever, imaginative, and humorous (I found myself laughing out loud several times). It is also thought provoking in its sadness. Woven into the story are some very interesting lessons. Particularly is the lesson about what can happen when a person tries to "remake" himself so to define who he is rather than how the world would define him from birth. The sadness comes into the story in more than the tragic-star-crossed-lover aspect, it's everywhere with the characters as they rush around completely self-focused and trying, but failing, to find true happiness. To some this could make for a depressing read, and yet oddly enough I didn't find that to be the case for me. Yes, the ending of the book is sad, but I also found it a satisfactory and acceptable ending. It couldn't have ended anyway else without coming across as far-fetched or cheap storytelling.

As I finished The Great Gatsby I was a little puzzled at my unbiased opinion. I felt objective. It isn't really a book I could say I loved, nor was it one I despised. Maybe my comprehension of literature, particularly that of the "Modernism/Lost Generation" era (i.e. Steinbeck, Hemingway, Fitzgerald, etc.) has changed from when I was a teenager or young adult or maybe my understanding of mankind has changed. At any rate I found The Great Gatsby an interesting read. In the end I was glad I took the time to read it and I can see why it is considered a classic. There is much that can be taken from this book, even though it is a tragedy in its ending.

If you haven't already read The Great Gatsby you should consider adding it to your 20th century reading list. It's short. It's entertaining. It's thought provoking. And in my opinion it's better than Hemingway.

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Movie Adaptations. There have been several film adaptations. Probably the most famous stars Robert Redford as Gatsby and Mia Farrow as Daisy, but since I can't stand Mia Farrow I opted to watch a more recent version done in 2000 by A&E and starring Paul Rudd (Nick), Mira Sorvino (Daisy), and Toby Stephens (Gatsby). This version kept very close to the book and I thought it well made -- good costumes, music, scenery, casting, etc. I have also heard rumors that another adaptation is to be released in 2012, but I was unable to find anything further regarding who would be cast in the lead roles.

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Great Gatsby Quotes:

"Before I could reply that he was my neighbor dinner was announced; wedging his tense arm imperatively under mine, Tom Buchanan compelled me from the room as though he were moving a checker to another square." (Chpt. 1, pg. 11)

"There was music from my neighbor's house through the summer nights. In his blue gardens men and girls came and went like moths among the whisperings and the champagne and the stars.(Chpt 3, pg 39)

"On a chance we tried an important-looking door, and walked into a high Gothic library, panelled with carved English oak, and probably transported complete from some ruin overseas. A stout, middle-aged man, with enormous owl-eyed spectacles, was sitting somewhat drunk on the edge of a great table, staring with unsteady concentration at the shelves of books. As we entered he wheeled excitedly around and examined Jordan from head to foot.
'What do you think? 'he demanded impetuously.
'About What?'
'About that. As a matter of fact you needn't bother to ascertain. I ascertained. They're real.'
'The books?'
He nodded. 'Absolutely real -- have pages and everything. I thought they'd be a nice durable cardboard. matte of fact, they're absolutely real. Pages and -- Here! Lemme show you.' Taking our scepticism for granted, he rushed to the bookcases and returned with Volume One of the Stoddard Lectures. 'See!' he cried triumphantly. 'It's a bona-fide piece of printed matter. It fooled me.'" (Chpt. 3, pg 45)

"And I sat there brooding on the old, unknown world, I thought of Gatsby's wonder when he first picked out the green light at the end of Daisy's dock. He had come a long way to this blue lawn, and his dream must have seemed so close that he could hardly fail to grasp it. He did not know that it was already behind him, somewhere back in that vast obscurity beyond the city, where the dark fields of the republic rolled on under the night. Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgastic future that year by year recedes before us. It eluded us then, but that's no matter --- to-morrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms farther... And one fine morning --- So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past."(Cpt. 9, pg. 180)

Far From the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy

476 pages
Published by The Great Writers Library
1986, a reprint of the 1908 edition by Macmillan and Company Ltd.
St. Martin's Street, London

Two years ago I became acquainted with Thomas Hardy. My introduction was in the form of the BBC adaptation to Under the Greenwood Tree, which after watching the film I then read. The film was fairly well made and I believe it helped me grasp and understand all the details of the novel. At any rate, I finished reading Under the Greenwood Tree (reviewed '08) with a favorable opinion of Hardy's writing and with the thought that I'd like to read more of his works at some point in the future.

So when the suggestion to read Far From the Madding Crowd was made at the April meeting of my book club I was definitely interested. I expected another book just as "happily ever after" as Under the Greenwood Tree. And while I was close in this expectation I have since learned how ignorant I was of Hardy's writing career. Although his books are popular reads in the 21st century and several have made the "1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die" list, not all of them end as happily-ever-after as Under the Greenwood Tree or Far From the Madding Crowd. One particular dark and depressing story is Jude the Obscure, which has been satirically renamed Jude the Obscene by literary critics for its scandalous scenes and language.

But thankfully, as I said, Far From the Madding Crowd has a happy ending. It is a beautifully rich story, a true masterpiece.

The Plot:
The story revolves around "Bathsheba Everdene, a farm owner, and her three suitors, Gabriel Oak (a generous shepherd), Sergeant Troy (a young, handsome, and inconsiderate soldier), and William Boldwood (the owner of the neighboring farm). The contrasting relationships between Bathsheba and her suitors are a study of the many faces of love, including honest, heartfelt love and unscrupulous and manipulative adoration." (Summary courtesy of The Merriam-Webster Encyclopedia of Literature)

My Thoughts:
There was so much that I liked about this book. The story plot was interesting; set in the farm lands of the fictional Wessex County in southern England during the mid 19th century. Most of the story centers around farm life, but at various points the reader has the opportunity to observe town and city life, as well as the recreational aspects of Bath and even a traveling circus. The characters are vast and yet each uniquely cast in their role and personality so that I there was no confusion as to who was whom and little to no chance that various members of the story would be forgotten along the way. The dialogue was at times witty and clever, but in general an easy and interesting read with periods of breathtaking description that makes literature art.

"At eight-o'clock this mid summer evening, whilst the bristling ball of gold in the west still swept the tips of the ferns with its long, luxuriant rays, a soft brushing by of garments might have been heard among them, and Bathsheba appeared in their midst, their soft, feathery arms caressing her up to her shoulders." (Chapter 28, page 212)

Another aspect of the story that I liked so much was the lessons that can be drawn from the characters. The novel explains so well the interaction and development of male/female relationships. It is a story of love and of friendship; of loyalty and of disloyalty; of true faithfulness and of deception; of passion and of weakness.

If you have not yet read anything by Thomas Hardy this is a novel you should read. I obtained my hardcover copy for free thanks to Paperback Swap, but copies are widely available online and in bookstores and libraries.

On the Big Screen:
For those curious, I did watch a movie adaptation of the book once I finished reading. There have been three adaptations to film: 1967 (starring Julie Christie as Bathsheba), 1998 (starring Jonathan Firth as Sergeant Troy and Nathaniel Parker as Gabriel Oak and adapted for British television) and most recently 2009 (filmed by a private British school and directed by Rose Clark). I was only able to find the 1967 version as the other two do not appear available on DVD in the United States. While there were aspects of the 1967 movie version that clearly dated the film it was overall a good adaptation and true to the novel. However, it seems a shame that BBC, A&E, or PBS Masterpiece has not taken the time to bring this wonderful story into a more recent adaptation. Perhaps they'll consider it in the future... One can only hope.


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Related Resources:
- Project Gutenberg Online Text: Far From the Madding Crowd (E-Book)
- Free Kindle Edition: Far From The Madding Crowd (accessible with Kindle, Blackberry, iPhone, PC)
- Book Rags Study Notes: Far From the Madding Crowd
- Spark Notes: Far From the Madding Crowd
- LitQuotes: Far From the Madding Crowd (To give you a sample of Hardy's writing)