Doctor Zhivago by Pasternak (1958)

Found this 1st ed 17th printing; it must have been a pretty big deal.
I found it to be typical of mid century writing in so many ways that mostly annoy. Forget the movie, its not the book.

Too real, too obscure, having said that the love story is OK but I could not relate to the characters, I'm sure it was mostly my state of mind at the time of reading (dealing with my mother's rapid decline and death) but we could also blame Pasternak; it always seems like he is rattling off a bunch of ideas too quickly.
There are a lot of conversations regarding religion, death, and existence.
All very good stuff but always felt hurried.

The theme of the book is distruction and those seeking, wielding, and attaining power, and the havoc that spues on the rest of us.  
It reminds one of how the Anarchists love to blow things up and then remake them in another completely different but similarly crap-ass manner.
The result is ALWAYS the powerless, disinterested, and the Lovers get caught up in the shit-storm of change that produces only more of the "same but different"

In this story we have a man who is not great, not bad, and gets in his own way of taking advantage of the best opportunities that come his way. He is self destructive like most of us, he cannot get away from his principles to find security. He continues to make difficulties.

We have a women wronged by an older man, attempts revenge and gets away with it due to the chaotic circumstances of the times. After escaping justice for her actions she is capable of living life for the betterment of those around her.

We have two married peoples that have found their true loves outside of their marriages.
A pretty old trope for stories, and maybe a dream for many.

So we get to follow along the HARSH world of early 20th century Russia. Each country is it's history make-up and these people have had a tough history. A really tough history. Brutalization upon, Brutalization, upon Brutalization.

No wonder they call us Naive.

The 1st owner left a couple of leafs from The Saturday Review in the book. Classic idealism of the last century.

The Giacometti used on this page is from 1948; very modern stuff!

Captains Courageous - 1897 by Rudyard Kipling Illu. by Isaac Walton Taber

This is the other book I picked up at Jarndyce
A 1897 copy

Lots of great illustrations. Yes it may be a children's book and the story is a little obvious however the life of the Fisherman at the turn of the century is a great one.

We have a story of the Great American reality AND dream.
The dream of rags to riches and the reality of hard work in a life threatening occupation.
The hard working folks have the a deep rooted decency about them and this is the appeal.

The ultra rich Cheyne gets his wealth from the classic robbing of the American resources. while the never to get rich Disko is an expert in his field of fishing.

Americans have always loved the strike it rich story and the humble work-a-day guy; this we have. Plus the little rich kid gets a bloody nose and LEARNS his lesson.

The Betrothed - 1842 by Alessandro Manzoni

Outstanding, parts are very motivated, others a little slow.

I of course didn't understand the deep sub plot of the Milan plague of 1630.

Many characters, many are great to like and hate.

A real look into the lawlessness of that period in which several Northern European countries ran parts of Italy and local strongmen ran local parts.

Another part covered a period of famine where the people decided that the merchants and the rich folks were manipulating the price of flour.

This populace that takes over is something we don't live with much in our present day world but easily could be.

The old copy I have is outstanding!
When I was in London I found it at the wonderful old bookseller Jarndyce.

I always try to read something of the country I travel to and so the Betrothed is THE Italian period book that everyone in Italy has read.

I am so happy I found it. It comes from a collection of works printed in 1853 in London.


The edge finishing is like glass, and has the feathering decoration too.
There is only one illustration of the critical moment of repentance for the "unnamed"

A lengthy book of 452 pages but well worth the effort.

The only Illustration is of The Unnamed asking for forgiveness 

The Divine Comedy (Divina Commedia) (1320) Translation by Lawerance Grant White

OK its not a comedy; comedy meant story way back when.

12 years to write? I guess so, its an intricately woven piece that I will never have the pleasure of in Italian.

This 1948 version is the one to have for the Dore works alone and as I say for the translation there must be better out there.

Two primary take a ways for me: 1 there is a special place in Hell for Fraudsters (politicians)
and 2. The concept of "free will" as the single most exalted gift from God.

Half way thru I read the companion and of course it is a requirement with anything this old.
 The Digital Dante is also a great resource
 
Fantastic copy I have that most assuredly was never read completely by anyone but me, and lets face the last third is real work to stay with.

Illustrated by Dore it has all the classic style rendering and is well worth it for them alone. I suspect there are better translations however I admit that with out the companion I would be lost.

We know the Inferno because its the most fun part, Purgatory and Paradiso are progressively less titillating. Paradiso is an amazing scaling of Love, more Love and even more Love.

So we go down, down, down, and then up, up, up.

Fraud:
I love this one, Dante was very specific about the multiple types of Frauds.
They fall under various categories but are just Misrepresentations of the facts for personal gain.
A description of all media personalities

Love this quote:
My master said, for neither upon down nor under coverlets, men come to fame;

Pride is excessive belief in one's own abilities, that interferes with the individuals recognition of the grace of God. It has been called the sin from which all others arise. Pride is also known as Vanity.
Envy is the desire for others' traits, status, abilities, or situation.
Gluttony is an inordinate desire to consume more than that which one requires.
Lust is an inordinate craving for the pleasures of the body.
Anger is manifested in the individual who spurns love and opts instead for fury. It is also known as Wrath.
Greed is the desire for material wealth or gain, ignoring the realm of the spiritual. It is also called Avarice or Covetousness.
Sloth is the avoidance of physical or spiritual work.


I'm convinced that a different reading of it every year for the rest of my life might get all of the concepts more firmly understood?

The Rainbow Trail, AKA The Desert Crucible by Zane Grey (1915)

Yes; fantastic summer reading. I enjoyed this book very much. And yes it is critical to read The Riders of the Purple Sage 1st

This an amazing sequel, where the Riders was as fairly complicated story with many characters and sub stories. The Rainbow has few characters and a concise story line.

This 1st ed. copy is a pleasure to hold.

 Our couple sitting at the Bridge

A nice Christmas gift to Will

We have a huge story centered around the Mormons and their bizarre behaviors, just as we have in the Riders.

Our hero is a very introspective wanderer and is open with all of his character flaws.

As the title says "A Romance" it is indeed.

The return of the familiar characters is so much fun. 

Another area of deep investigation is the issue of the Indian genocide, something that Grey may have seen 1st hand.

I did a little research and the Rainbow Bridge is STILL hard to get to; back then it required substantial effort.

A Modern Reader's Guide to Dante's The Divine Comedy (1999)

Still need to finish Le Comedia; about 2/3rds thru I switched to the Readers Guide by Gallagher.

Although at times it is a little short but it is obvious that a complete guide could be 3 volumes.

I think that what among many things became clear is just what an incredible story he wrote. Where is the analysis of how he came up with it? Was it a dream, a vision, did he use a flow chart maybe?

This thing is so elaborate and well thought out how many versions would he have gone through? I am unaware of any other more complete description of the entire underworld - over-world.

So completely impossible to Summarize  but these are a few of the notes that speak to me
I marked about 25 pages in the guide that illuminated. 

Many of the quotes below are directly from Gallagher.

Dante covers many sins;

• The sin of a passionless or disinterested life.
• Wrath; horrible destructive valueless

One of the surprising sins that gets special attention is FRAUD; a major sin.
Making someone do or think something that is not true for personal gain, wow do we have some politicians headed for Hell!

As Dante was exiled he may have become tolerant of other marginalized peoples.

This statement took a while to comprehend but again Absolute power corrupts Absolutely. 
"For where the force of intellect is added to ill will and power, mankind can have do defense"

In Purgatory:
PRIDE, pride of Blood, Talent, and Power; OMG these are the people we suffer every day.

ENVY; the root of all evil.

 A deep and worthwhile discussion regarding Virtue and its direct tie to Free Will.
Free Will is an amazing scapegoat, somehow are lives are lived with laws of our own making and laws that are imposed upon us.
So the moth to the flame of Desire, we are left to our own devices for controlling these strong, compelling, irresistible compulsions.

•  Dante explains how the sole gets into the embryo; just to try and explain this its incredible.

• "Lust is Cured not by reason, but by a higher love"

• Beatrice speaks: "How did you (a wretched man) dare to come to this mount where men are happy?" 

Paridiso

•  Experience is the fountain of human arts

• "How can noble fathers beget such ignoble heirs?" 

• A further discussion of how each of us is born for one greatness but are lead, strayed, convinced, or otherwise directed to another path

• Never Deny, Seldom Affirm, Always Distinguish; pride can keep hasty persons from changing their minds.

  
  

• nobility of blood is a mantle that quickly shrinks; "if we do not add to it, day by day, time goes around it with scissors"
• In lamenting about corrupt clergy: "It's the old story; discipline creates wealth; wealth destroys discipline"
• "Faith is what gives substance to hope" faith may provide the foundation for spiritual growth. 
• Aquinas: Love is to wish good upon
• I want to do what is good, but I don't. I don't want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway

Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe (1719)

Overall a good experience; the mid section is a little tedious but the beginning and the ends are good.

As I have claimed before, these pre 19th cent. books can be a little didactic as well as having a predictable happy ending; as our hero ends life rich in family and fortune.

It is a great adventure tale with several different adventures; not just the island.
Robinson finds in a slow way what is the nature of man in relationship to others by being without the others. He discovers self-reliance and mans inherent goodness in the midst of tragedy. He is however completely oblivious to the ills of slavery even though he was taken as a slave for 7 years and embarks on a trip to buy slaves! He reflects upon many things but never on the ills of slavery.



And I do like the world as viewed thru 18th cent.  eyes.

This 100+ year old book is a pleasure.

In pretty rough shape but fully readable

Christmas 1901!

 Notable passages:
"I had now brought my state of life to be much easier in itself than it was at first, and much easier to my mind, as well as to my body.  I frequently sat down to meat with thankfulness, and admired the hand of God’s providence, which had thus spread my table in the wilderness.  I learned to look more upon the bright side of my condition, and less upon the dark side, and to consider what I enjoyed rather than what I wanted; and this gave me sometimes such secret comforts, that I cannot express them; and which I take notice of here, to put those discontented people in mind of it, who cannot enjoy comfortably what God has given them, because they see and covet something that He has not given them.  All our discontents about what we want appeared to me to spring from the want of thankfulness for what we have."

"How strange a chequer-work of Providence is the life of man! and by what secret different springs are the affections hurried about, as different circumstances present!  To-day we love what to-morrow we hate; to-day we seek what to-morrow we shun; to-day we desire what to-morrow we fear, nay, even tremble at the apprehensions of. "

"How infinitely good that Providence is, which has provided, in its government of mankind, such narrow bounds to his sight and knowledge of things; and though he walks in the midst of so many thousand dangers, the sight of which, if discovered to him, would distract his mind and sink his spirits, he is kept serene and calm, by having the events of things hid from his eyes, and knowing nothing of the dangers which surround him."

"I told him with freedom, I feared mostly their treachery and ill-usage of me, if I put my life in their hands; for that gratitude was no inherent virtue in the nature of man, nor did men always square their dealings by the obligations they had received so much as they did by the advantages they expected."

FYI, the 1989 movie is terrible