I just discovered her youtube channel and she is adorable, also I am loving these words (:
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Updates, Admission and Fiction vs. Non
Hey Y’all,
So, holla! I am on spring break! I have been reading a ton which has made me really happy. I am reading Admission by Jean Hanff Korelitz. (It is particularly apropos because I am also looking at colleges this break). Anyway, the main character’s musings and opinions (an often rants) about the admissions process and the admissions institution are simultaneously freaking me out and making me feel more reassured. On the one hand, her acknowledgement that not everyone can have won a Nobel prize or an Olympic gold medal by the age of 17, and that these things are not required for admission is reassuring. On the other hand, the character (and I hope that this book is really heavily researched, I really do, but more on that later) also acknowledges that everyone is amazing. She is amazed by how much the young applicants have accomplished, but clearly only the truly remarkable will make it through the admissions process with the acceptance box checked. I am also reassured by the attention that each application is given. Each one is read twice, at least in this book they are. However this brings me to an interesting point about the novel. Yes, it is a novel, it says so on the cover and in the author’s note. But I find myself feeling as if it is non-fiction. Maybe it is because I am beginning this process myself, I’m not sure. I find myself comparing this reading experience to the one that I had when I read Behind the Beautiful Forevers. In my english class we discussed the fact that almost everyone in the class referred to it as a novel, when in fact it is non-fiction. Admission, as I said before, is a novel, but I find myself thinking it is non-fiction. Which brings me to the question– what makes something fiction or non-fiction in our minds? Is it the subject matter? Perhaps because I could not put myself into the shoes of the characters living in the Mumbai slum of Behind the Beautiful Forevers, it became a fictitious story to me. Perhaps because I am about to embark on the college process around which Admission is centered, that seems more real to me. Either way both reading experiences have significantly broadened my literary outlook and I think my frame of mind in general. I am discovering new styles, variations of old styles and their impact on the reader (hello, AP Lang). It’s all been very enlightening, I am enjoying it. And I am bringing it to my own writing. I have had a lot of time to write so far this break too… it’s amazing how much I can get done when I don’t have tests to study for or problem sets to do. Hope you all are making it through this so far dreary March!
Read on,
Kelsey
Are writers crazy?
Reblogged from Cristian Mihai:
Or artists in general?
I'm sure this is not your usual Saturday type of post, and I could easily answer with another question: who isn't? And then I could go back to writing and stuff.
Instead, I'm going to write an actual post. About crazy writers. And stuff.
Here goes nothing.
This post is brilliant. There are two things I want to say about it. First, this post actually explains itself. What I mean is that only an artist would take the time to analyze other artists or analyze himself in relation to the world and come to a profound conclusion. Second, once again I have found something that both inspires me and makes me sad. I agree so much with what he is saying, but then (and I feel this all the time), how am I supposed to come up with something that can explain what I feel as well as he did? It does not seem like I can. Which is really frustrating, but also challenges me, but also I just want to read this a thousand times and marvel at the miracle of someone thousands of miles away whom I do not know writing down the way that I feel and think all the time in exactly the terms I would have put it in if I could. Writing is amazing. Art is amazing. And the people who create are amazing. *Also note the colored apple from the 1997 commercial*
Shipping, Stars, and Maureen Johnson
Tuesday night I had the pleasure of meeting Maureen Johnson at a book talk that she did at Watchung Booksellers! She is super genuine and absolutely hysterical. Accompanied by a wand, Miss Johnson took our questions and ran with them, and ran and ran, which was lovely. I felt like I was in the room with a better and enhanced Lorelai Gilmore– it was fantastic. Her talk was a question and answer session that had the audience in hysterics. Not only did she tell us about her book, but she told us about the book through anecdotes of her career and research. She also entertained theories about fascist moths (yes, you read that right) from one absentee audience member. It was really a very enjoyable evening spent in a lovely bookstore with other book lovers.
Maureen’s new book The Madness Underneath was released on Tuesday. It is the second in the Shades of London series. The first is entitled The Name of the Star. I got a copy signed (smiles excitedly) and have started reading it. I may or may not have been up until 1 on a school night because I couldn’t put it down…O_o When I finish it, there will be an update!
Meanwhile, I reviewed Rainbow Rowell’s new book, Eleanor and Park:
Endearing, captivating and romantic, Rainbow Rowell’s Eleanor and Park is a great new read. Rowell tackles tough issues while creating an irresistible romance. Status, bullying, internal beauty and family are at the heart of the novel. Eleanor and Park are forced to navigate romance for the first time while also dealing with the very real issues of domestic safety, wealth, and social status.Watching them learn to trust each other was both frustrating and invigorating because I could see what both characters were thinking. The use of dual perspectives simultaneously keeps the reader involved, diversifies him and brings the relationship between Eleanor and Park to life. Though I found myself distant from the characters at the beginning, I soon was drawn wholly into this story and could not put it down. The only thing that left me wanting was the ending. It was so open ended that I was a bit dissatisfied. However, I was not left worrying about the characters, so it did not affect my opinion too much. Overall, the story is very real, raw and romantic. I would not hesitate to recommend it to anyone for a quick read!
If you look at my goodreads widget, you will notice that I am no longer reading 100,004 books! I finished Behind the Beautiful Forever’s by Katherine Boo. I think I’ll discuss that one in a post about my AP Lang class (which I am loving!) Anyway, that means I have picked up This Side of Paradise (yeah.. still working on it) again, huzzah! Also add this to the list of things that make me angry: I recently saw a post on tumblr of two people who were kissing and a quote from Paradise was on it: “They fell into an intimacy from which they never recovered.” Okay, in Paradise, that quote is used to describe two people who become good friends. Not a romantic couple. Why tumblr, why… Also it was made by the official Scribner tumblr, so I just don’t even know what to do anymore.
This was a long post. I hope you all had a lovely February and cheers to a warmer March!
Read on,
Kelsey
Wordless Wednesday: Which Pride and Prejudice Character Are You?
love this! I'm Mary... what about you guys :)
Bookstores and NYC
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Excursion to the city to visit some lovely bookstores… enjoy :)
Missing a night of awesome
So, John and Hank Green are in New York City. Right now. They are doing a ‘night of awesome’ for the anniversary of TFiOS. Except I can’t go…sad. Oh well.
In other news, I have not finished This Side of Paradise and I am in study mode for another week. I cannot say that I am surprised that this crept up on me. Another video will be coming next week!
in the meantime, read on.
Kelsey
