BOOKreMARKS

I am continuing my quest to read or reread the books of my youth and have just finished The Godfather, by Mario Puzo. I do not say this very often, but I liked the movie better. Puzo spends too much time on minor characters and storylines that, in the end, did not move the story forward or had any relevance to the climax. If this book were in the hands of a competent editor (no offense to the folks at Putnam) The Godfather probably would have been streamlined down to a novella or a short story in the New Yorker.

I am a little more than halfway through Gone With The Wind, by Margaret Mitchell. I have seen the movie a few million times so I thought it was about time I read the book. Three words—I love it. Scarlett is awesome and Ashley is a jerk. In the movie he comes off as a stoic gentleman, but in the book he is the king of mixed signals. No wonder Scarlett was so confused. She was only 16yrs old and he was almost 30yrs old!

I am glad I am seeing the "other-side" of the Civil War, being the Yankee that I am. I first had to get over the names they had for African-Americans and the attitude that African American had the intelligence of a 5yr old and had to be taken care of as such. It was especially hard to read Mitchell's excuses and how she seems to hold up the formation and activities of the KKK (see chapter 37). All-in-all it is good see how the mind of the Confederacy worked and how southerners of the period dealt with Reconstruction. Like they say, "Until you walk a mile in a man's shoes...blah-blah-blah"

Between The Godfather and Gone With The Wind I took a minute to read To Kill A Mockingbird, by Harper Lee. I know the movie is a classic and it is one of my favorites but you will be doing yourself a disservice if you do not read the book. It is a quick read and well worth every minute.

A New Years Thought

Here is a crazy thought...or maybe not.

Full disclosure, I am not a fan of Dubya. Having said that, I try to be even handed and give him the benefit-of-the-doubt. That being said, I was a bit disheartened to hear how the 'President" spent New Years Eve. I was listening to NPR on January 1st and the reporter was speaking about how the New Year was ushered in across the world and my heart sank when it was reported the "President" had dinner and retired early.
O.k. you are saying to yourself, "So what?!” Well, I will tell you “what”, 2005 just plan sucked. Natural disasters, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the sinking economy, and lets not forget all the underhanded dealing the Republican party heads and this President's cabinet is currently under investigation. Those are just some of the low lights. O.K., o.k. I am getting to the point.... With all that has past millions of Americans and billions more around the world stood together in places of worship, on the streets and in their homes all with the same hope, that 2006 will be better. We were all standing with heads bowed or looking toward the sky daring to hope for better days ahead.... and where was the so-called leader of the Free World? Curled up in bed with his head under the covers....