What I Read In January

Reading is something I love to do. Like so many others reading helps me to quiet my busy mind and feel relaxed. Bust again like so many others I can often find it hard to make the time to read. When I was working full time at the bookstore reading was really part of the job and so as you can imagine over those two years I developed quite the library. However 2014, being my first year working out of the bookstore, I barley read a thing. I'd say I maybe got through five-six books......not very good!!!

So for 2015 I am setting myself a realistic challenge :
two books every month

Now I am not going to beat myself up or feel guilty if it doesn't happen every month. Life can get complicated and priorities can change!!! But I want to encourage a more relaxed and therefore happier and healthier lifestyle. So it's something that I am going to make a conscious effort to do.  

For the month of January the two books I chose were :

the little prince 
by 
antoine de saint-exupery

&

memoirs of a geisha 
by 
arthur golden 


The Little Prince is a really slim book and as such a really quick read. Infact I think you could probably get through it in a day! It follows the story of a little alien prince who lives alone on a tiny asteroid, no bigger than a house, with three volcanoes and one very beautiful but very vain flower. Before long the prince comes to resent the flower and decides to embark on an adventure across the universe. The little prince himself is (as most children are) very inquisitive and eager to discover. On his travels he encounters many adults, animals and other flowers who leave the prince feeling baffled and only more curious! Until he lands on earth.... 

And that is where I am going to leave my summary.


What I really loved about The Little Prince was the style in which it was narrated. The story has been re-told by an adult from earth who encountered the prince toward the end of his journey. However, every adventure described seems to posses the blissfully ignorant and magical filter with which children view the world. So it was quite an enchanting and unique book. 

Although this book does technically fall under the category of children's literature (as well as a few others), I think an older audience would better understand and appreciate the messages and morals behind the story. Its one of those "food for thought" kind of books. 


Memoirs of a Geisha is similarly not something I would recommend, although for completely different reasons, to anyone under sixteen years. Its got some pretty affronting and heavy scenes. The protagonist, Chiyo, is a young girl living in a simple fishing village in Yorroido, Japan.
Following her mothers illness Chiyo and her sister Satsu are sold by their father and sent to live and work in the bustling Geisha district of Gion, Kyoto. First as a maid, then an apprentice Geisha and a witness/victim of World War II, Chiyo has to face many difficulties that now-a-days would be questioned and frowned upon. But again and again she proves to us how strong and determined she really is!!!

Author, Arthur Golden, actually got in a wee-bettie-o trouble after publishing Memoirs of a Geisha. Inspiration for the book, actually came from an interview he had with Mineko Iwasaki, a retired Geisha who claims that Golden misrepresented her story and accredited as a source, both of which went against their arrangements. big lawsuit right there!!

Despite this, it was actually a great book with a very poetic and graceful writing style. Albeit, it's a much longer read and the time I saved reading The Little Prince I spent on Memoirs of a Geisha.


View Post
Next PostNewer Posts Previous PostOlder Posts Home
BLOGGER TEMPLATES BY pipdig