Thursday, March 18, 2010

Bookish


Sometimes I don't want to organize my thoughts and discuss one thing in my posts. Sometimes I have a lot on my mind despite talking all day long.
Sometimes I feel like there is pressure building in my head that needs to be released even though it's late and I'm sleepy. Forgive me if this makes no sense.

I've been thinking about taking a Wilderness First Responder course. It's pricey (about $650), it takes a little more than a week (80 hours), and it means having a lot more responsibility in scary situations and emergencies. BUT, it's required for most of the international summer camps that I am considering (basically out for this summer, but next...maybe). AND, it sounds seriously fascinating and fun. Like extreme camping with a side of dramatic skits and bandaging wounds with leaves and vines. Anyone done this or know anything about it?

Jeanelle made some snide remarks about my ability to take care of other people when I still get lost at least once a week. Snort! Even more reason to learn to fix people up right where they are, right?!

I discovered something new that I love about books. It is so nerdy I am almost embarrassed to mention it. I love when books refer to other books.

I'm talking about allusions and subtle references to other literary nonsense that you only get when you read a lot. It's fun to be in the know and feel a kinship with famous writers past and present. It makes books seem bigger than themselves; they become connected through time and it feels almost like a bridge from one author to the next. Sometimes I can see how one famous author influenced the next and which author was a fan of Shakespeare and who loved Dickens. Sometimes I can see this even though I haven't read Dickens because his style is distinctive and his stories so well known.

For instance, Holden Caulfield and David Copperfield have similar sounding names. Alone, it could be mere coincidence, but combined with the many other clues and references (like in the first sentence of Catcher and the Rye), it's obvious Salinger is saying something. He's saying look to David Copperfield when you attempt to interpret what I wrote; it doesn't stand alone. Holden is said to be very similar to Huck Finn. More clues to be found there.

I love when authors leave secret messages in their novels beyond the obvious. Steven King, in his book On Writing, mentioned that his villain is the same in many of his novels. I can't explain how this is connected but it is in my head.

For literary references up the wahzoo read Special Topics in Calamity Physics or The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao.

This is all connected with my new fascination with conspiracies, mostly historical and political. Coming soon...

2 comments:

Smoxie said...

aw boo! I was so excited to recommend special topics in calamity physics! references up the wazoo indeed. very impressive.

Catherine said...

English authors are famous for knowing & alluding to their lit. It's often regarded as snobby, but I think they found it fun too. T.S. Elliott is maybe the best example of that of them all...