Playing Catch-up, part 2

Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson. As a seventh-grader, I thought this book was just okay. After all, it was originally characterized as a book for boys. And as a seventh-grader, I knew far too little about character development. Therefore, Long John Silver was simply a "bad guy."

As an adult, I still wouldn't count it among my favorite books, but I have greater appreciation for the story and the character development. Jim Hawkins, a boy who becomes a man as he truly becomes the man of the house, following his father's death, as he embarks on the grand adventure in search of treasure. Long John Silver, who could be charming and devious; resourceful and deceptive. What might have happened to Silver after his grand escape.

A relatively quick read. But before I leave it, I do have at least one question: what right did Dr. Livesy and Squire Trelawney have to take a share of the treasure? Shouldn't Jim (or his mother) made a conscious decision about who to trust? Shouldn't there have been some negotiation about the percentage (if any) the others would take? Maybe a flat fee would have been more appropriate. Maybe it's just the lawyer in me, but seems a little sketchy to me.

Now to consider what to read next. Sense and Sensibility? A Reliable Wife? Something else?

Playing Catch-up

A Confederacy of Dunces, by O'Toole. Knock another book off of the "to read" stack. This book made its way to the stack as the result of a Brian's recommendation during a visit to his favorite DC bookstore. it languished on the stack until in need of something to spend an Audible credit on, and wanting to add another Pulitzer prize winner to my list, I got an audio version. Probably a good thing that I did. As it turns out, this book did not hold a lot of natural attaction for me, and I probably would have given up if I'd simply read it. On the other hand, the performance by the reader of this book brought the characters to life and made me care enough about them to finish the book even though at times I had doubts.

To be honest, there were some funny moments, not gut-splitting moments, but milk-sputtering moments to be sure. On the other hand, this was one of those books that seems to be at a loss for a story line until the end. I tend to be a bit impatient with such books, and to some extent, I was so with this book. But was it worth getting to the very end? I'd say so, with a resounding yes. Ultimately, the little vignettes were woven into a story that had a nicely wrapped happy ending, and the stories were accurate depictions of a hundred little absurdities that one either knows or strongly suspects that occur every day.

Wuthering Heights, by Emily Bronte.

Having just re-read Jane Eyre, it seemed only fitting that I should read Wuthering Heights for the first time. If Charlotte could write such a good story, maybe there was something to Emily? Plus, so many people love this book that it was time to give it a try again. Yes, this too, is one of those books that I started, but then gave up on for failure to pay close enough attention to follow the plot.

I don't know what was so difficult about following the story. Yes, there were two Catherines. Yes, there was lots of intermarrying between the two main families: Catherine Earnshaw (Catherrine Sr.) marrying Edgar Linton, begetting Catherine Linton; Isabella Linton, marrying Heathcliff, the orphan, and begetting the frail, whiny Linton Heathcliff; Hindley Earnshaw, and his short-lived wife begetting Hareton Earnshaw; and finally, Catherine Jr. marrying Linton (her first cousin), only to later fall in love with and marry Hareton (her other first cousin). Whew!!

The story revolves around the undefineable relationship between Catherine Earnshaw and Heathcliff, but forces converge to deny Heathcliff the love of his life and respect because of his low-birth. He leaves the moors to return a "gentleman" and embarks on a bloodless vendetta that would make Don Corleone rethink his bloody ways. Resentful of the way Hindley relegated him to the station of a servant, Heathcliff manages to succeed to title to Wuthering Heights, including Hindley's son, Hareton. Next up, he's out to get Edgar Linton, for marrying Catherine and for denying him visits to Thrushcross Grange. Isabella, you ignorant slut! You've been punked in the worst kind of way. Duped into marrying Heathcliff when you should have known of his obsession with Catherine Earnshaw.

As if marrying Edgar's sister wasn't enough, now to really stick it to Edgar: gaining (collecting, if you will), Catherine Linton, by forcing her to marry her little whiney-butt cousin, Linton, as her father lay dying. With the marriage, and Edgar's death, and Linton's death, Heathcliff gets Thrushcross Grange too. He who dies with the most property wins?

Anyway, in the end, there's some redemption of sort as finally Heathcliff seems to soften as he nears death and Catherine and Hareton seem to to represent a redemption of civility themselves. Hareton, who has grown up with little guidance to smooth his rough edges is finally accepted by Catherine, who initially can't see such a rough creature as Hareton as any relation of hers.

Anywho, it all wraps up well in the end. As with Jane Eyre, you can see the Biblical themes in the story, likely a result of the Brontes' father's profession as a minister.

I liked this book.

Still need to address: Treasure Island.

Don't forget

Finished:
Wuthering Heights
A Conferderacy of Dunces

Reading:
Treasure Island
The Emperor of All Maladies