Classic 14: Tales of the South Pacific

James Michener.




Recommended for? History buffs, short story readers, or if you're in the mood for some classic 1940's language and perspectives about American life, men and women, justifications, and expectations.

Why Tales of the South Pacific?
James Michener came on my radar reading Wild, by Cheryl Strayed. She talked about how her mom read so many of his books, and read one on her hike with some nostalgia. The way she spoke about his novels, felt initially dismissive (though she seemed to come back around to them as offering more than she originally appreciated) and I figured that they were light hearted mystery books or easy reads. I want some balance in my lists, so light hearted sounded like just the ticket.  


When I was looking at which book to pick of his, I kept seeing Tales of the South Pacific come up as one of the best. I also learned that the musical South Pacific was based on the book. Again - suggesting a nice, light hearted book. After I bought the book, I saw the seal that it was the winner of the Pulitzer Prize. Yeah, that was a bit of a surprise. And the first sign that maybe I wasn't about to read a fluffy, page-turning whodunit.


How was it?
Really good. I see why it won the prize. It fit incredibly well with the books I've been reading over the past couple of years in this reading quest. It stirred memories of Kurt Vonnegot, the realities of war. And resurfaced images from Bradley's non fiction, Flyboys. It was actually quite complimentary. Flyboys focused, as you'd expect, on pilots - whereas this book centered on those who supported the flyboys or what those boys got up to ashore. Shenanigans, that's for sure.


The book balanced serious issues of war with humor and perplexity. Luck and happenstance, forward and backward thinkers, hard work, honor, morals, and bravado - all woven into the story of these men and women. All considered. It didn't answer unanswerable questions, but simply took them as part of life. Jungles, seas, and unanswerable questions - that's war in the South Pacific. I appreciated it.  There was just so much more to this book than I could describe here.


Chapters were more like short stories. Some floating gems, some with returning characters. The abrupt changes between narrators and tones was occasionally jarring, but suited the nature of the book. Linguistically, it felt like it could have been read by Humphrey Bogart at times. With talk about dames and scandal, Japs, and what it meant to be brave or bored in the South Pacific.




I ended up taking my time reading this book, because I didn't want to rush it. It was worth slowing down for. It was an unexpected book - and feels exemplary of why I started this challenge. To branch outside my reading comfort zone.

Goal 25 Accomplished! Drive through the New England Fall colors

Goal 25: Leaf Peeping!

My very good friend, Erin, and her beautiful family were travelling to New England - and kindly let me come crash their weekend. I'm so grateful to get to cross another item off my list with one of my favorite people and one of the best families that I know.


And, I mean, now I can say I've gone Leaf Peeping!

Fodor's had a suggested drive through Rhode Island that included a stop at this little store that's been operational since the 1800's and has a penny candy counter!
Fodor's Rhode Island Fall Foliage Drive

We stopped at a cheese farm in Vermont that had these cuties (above and below) to entertain.

Thanks Erin for finding a genuine Vermont Cheese Farm! With truly delicious cheese. That I, sadly, left behind in Rhode Island... Reason to go back? Absolutely.

We were staying in Rhode Island (where Erin's husband Mike had a conference the following week), and took a road trip through Rhode Island and Connecticut the first day. Inspired by that first day we went on to pile on a few extra states Day 2 - because why not?! We went to Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. 6 states in two days!

We had heard going into the trip that the fall colors might not be so bright as usual because of a dry summer - so we weren't really sure what to expect. Happily as we went further North, the colors became more dramatic.

Thank you Reynolds Family for a beautiful and lovely weekend!

Erin, Cora, and Me (photo credit: Mike Reynolds!

Joy of Cooking: Beef Stroganaff

(In Five Easy Steps)

Ingredients:

1.5 lbs of sliced beef (fillet of beef)

3T butter

1 Medium Onion

2C beef stock

3/4 lb sliced or quartered mushrooms

1 C sour cream

Nutmeg

Salt & Pepper

1T Dijon Mustard

Egg Noodles

Optional:

Thyme to seasoning mix

Worcester sauce

Tomato paste

Directions:

1. Brown the beef in some butter or olive oil. Hot pan, this is quick. Take the beef off, let sit on plate

2. Sautee onions for a few minutes, until translucent brown. Add mushrooms and brown those.

3. Add the beef back in, then add beef stock,

4. Add sour cream, Dijon, season to taste

5. Serve over cooked egg noodles - the longer it sits, the more the sauce thickens.



6. Enjoy!

I like it with zucchini or some other green vegetable. Chef's choice or whatever's around.

Directions

1. Brown the beef in some butter or olive oil. Hot pan, this is quick. Take the beef off, let sit on plate.

2. Sautee onions for a few minutes, until translucent brown. Add mushrooms and brown those.

3. Add the beef back in, then add beef stock (and Worcester, tomato paste, optional items)

4. Add sour cream, Dijon, season to taste

5. Serve over cooked egg noodles - the longer it sits, the more the sauce thickens.

JC Ticker
Julia Child Recipe: 1 of 20
Joy of Cooking Recipe 3 of 20.



Classic 15: Brave New World

It was banned books week recently - and the DC Public Library had an outreach at our local farmer's market - basically bringing this book to me!

DC Public Library at the Farmer's Market promoting #bannedbooks !

I liked this book way more than I expect to. I enjoyed the plot, the writing style, and the ideas explored. I almost feel bad that my expectations were so low going in. Maybe that's why I enjoyed it so much, but I don't think that was it.


An early dystopian novel - referred to as a "utopian" society by journalists at the time - but clearly not an idealized utopia. One foraged through science and industrialization gone amok. A British society turned upside down - where sexual promiscuity was not only encouraged, but anything less was frowned upon. Attachments discouraged. Individualism despised. Creativity and independent thought abhorred.


Who else could be the idolized figurehead of the industrial future of human kind, but Ford? For Ford's Sake! I loved it. I loved the simplicity of it. I loved the symbolism. I did not love the truth of it.


But the appalling truth is staggering. The extremes drawn out in the novel aren't so far off from where we are. The idea of tossing things out when they wear down rather than replace them? Just look at our landfills. The idea of soma tablets for the masses to diminish their independent thoughts? We are the most overmedicated society in history - using food, alcohol, and drugs to distance ourselves from unpleasant matters.


An elusive and unsettled concept for me was his idea that we have levels of a society - and that this utopian society could not be sustained long term with all "Alphas" we need lesser people to do lesser jobs or we need room for growth and development. Society can't exist without that. I'm not entirely true I agree, but I think it's an interesting concept to mull on. I've certainly met philosophizing garbage men who appeared very satisfied with their life work. Large and small organizations seemed to have tackled this with either rotating everyone through the menial tasks or requiring the menial tasks as a prerequisite to further participation in the organization or society. You have to be a private before you can be a general.


At first glance, it Huxley seemed to be asking, "What's the purpose of human life?" he was really asking harder questions. Do we want independence or just the illusion of it? What is freedom, anyway? Is life better with no real choices in exchange for no pain? Is it better to be a free thinking individual alone - or a mindless part of a larger community? What are you willing to give up to be part of one or the other?


Recommended? This was a quick read. Fun for those who enjoy today's modern dystopian novels. There were elements of many of them in this early vision. I'd also say it's worth considering for those that enjoy today's post apocalyptic shows (The Walking Dead, The Last Ship, Falling Skies, etc!).