Book reviews

I've been reading a lot lately, well sort of... I've been listening a lot lately. I discovered that our public library has a section on their website where I can download audio books. There are only about 200 titles that I can listen to on my Mac, but hopefully they will keep adding to their collection. The library also has a ton of books on CD at my disposal, but I have to go get them. :)

I've read most of the Anne of Green Gables series by L.M. Montgomery.

The Anne series books I've read: Anne of Green Gables, Anne of Avonlea, Anne of the Island, Anne's House of Dreams. I know I missed book four, I accidentally got them out of order. Oh well. I love the first book. Anne's ridiculous situations make me laugh. I think that book is my favorite. However Anne of the Island had one of my most favorite quotes from a book, ever.

In the story, her friend Ruby is about to die of consumption (no spoilers, she's a minor character.) Ruby was always very superficial, flighty and loved men chasing after her. She denied the fact that she was dying to everyone but Anne. Here is the part that struck me:

"I'm so young, Anne. I haven't had my life. I've fought so hard to live -- and it isn't any use -- I have to die -- and leave EVERYTHING I care for." Anne sat in a pain that was almost intolerable. She could not tell comforting falsehoods; and all that Ruby said was so horribly true. She WAS leaving everything she cared for. She had laid up her treasures on earth only; she had lived solely for the little things of life -- the things that pass -- forgetting the great things that go onward into eternity, bridging the gulf between the two lives and making of death a mere passing from one dwelling to the other -- from twilight to unclouded day. God would take care of her there -- Anne believed -- she would learn -- but now it was no wonder her soul clung, in blind helplessness, to the only things she knew and loved.

When I first heard that, I thought... wow. I went back and listened to it again, then again. Isn't that so much what we do? Isn't that why we are so afraid of dying? And I never thought of "laying up treasure in heaven" as bridging a gulf between to lives. I hear that verse all the time, but this just gave it a new meaning to me. It puts things into perspective. I just love the imagery, and I love how it makes me view death a little differently.

I crave books like this--books that make you think long after you've finished reading them.

I'm also about half way through a book my mom gave me called A Voice in the Wind by Francine Rivers. So far I love it, and I shall go read some more of it now.

You never even call me by my name.

I like to think I have very eclectic tastes when it comes to music. I don't listen to the radio very much at all, except for the oldies station and NPR. For the most part I like new folk music, or stuff that's easy on the ears--like Feist, Cat Power, Alison Krauss, Neko Case, etc. Women who can sing and are relaxing to listen to.

My dad raised me on Neil Diamond. And Three Dog Night. (I remember their record album had a giant band-aid on it.)

I also very much like classic rock. I love Led Zeppelin, the Stones, the Allman Brothers, Clapton, and all those guys. I spent most of my teen and college years obsessed with classic rock.

I also like country, not so much of the new stuff, but more of the older country. Of course most of you know my first love is bluegrass. I love bluegrass music. I can sit and listen to it for hours. If only I could play the fiddle or a banjo! Occasionally that leads me to other genres... what I like to call Redneck Music.

Tacky songs about stupidity that are just dumb, but oh so good. GOOD stuff, you know, the country music you're embarrassed to admit you enjoy... David Allen Coe, Jerry Jeff Walker, Jerry Reed, Johnny Paycheck, Lynyrd Skynyard, Hank Jr, all of these guys.

I love it. Every once in a while I just need to take a break and listen to some GOOD REDNECK music. You don't have to make sense of it or agree with it, you just enjoy it. I appreciate people who can appreciate goooooood redneck music.

On our second or third date, Dirk was driving and David Allen Coe's "The Perfect Country and Western Song" came on the radio. Dirk turned it up, then leaned back and started singing... and he wailed the line, "you don't have to call me darlin, darlin. You never even call me by my name!!"

And I thought to myself... this is the one.