An Old Kind of Carol

So, with all the bustle getting ready for Christmas, I hope most people have found time to reflect at little on what wonderful things have happened this year. I would like to like to take this opportunity and be true to my blog-- and suggest a book that if you have not read yet, then shame on you. Everybody should read A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens. Really. I know you know the story-- grumpy, lonely man has a change of heart and discovers the true meaning of Christmas. Hmm... I feel like there is more to it than that. But then, I would. :)

Top five reasons to read this book:

1. It is hilarious. For those unfamiliar with Dicken's work, he happens to have a very unique sense of humor.

2. It will let you what parts of you are still "scroogey".

3. It makes you think about forgiving others.

4. It makes you re-evaluate your priorities, and not just Christmas ones.

5. It is short, so it won't take you long to read.

Just a brief aside on the forgiveness one-- Sometimes, we all think that we are doing okay as far as some things are concerned. We learn about characters like Scrooge, and automatically think that we aren't like that. We like to place ourselves with the good guys. Are you really as good as the good guys? Is there never a time, in a particular area of your life, where you might be more like Scrooge? Just think about it, and before you jump on the Scroogyness of others, get rid of the Scrooge in you. Merry Christmas.

Outside the Box

So here is an idea for you... everybody is comfortable doing things that they are used to. I guess that is why it is called a comfort zone. I am going to put in a plug for this amazing book that I have had the privilege to read, while at the same time trying to explain why it has changed a perspective for me.
The book: LIFE OF PI
The author: Yann Martel
The perspective: The boy, Pi, in this book, has many deep convictions-- a love of nature and a love of animals, born of his native Hindu religion, and also of his childhood spent in a zoo (his dad was a zookeeper). But, he discovers things, and keeps an open mind about them, and learns to love and appreciate these things for the beauty that they hold. Not only does he come to realize that Richard Parker is not only a dangerous bengal tiger, but he is a creation of God, a brother to Pi. He discovers the beautiful story of Christ, the ultimate sacrifice, and learns to accept that beautiful story. He learns the devotion of the Islam religion and rejoices in the simple loyalty that its practicers experience.
Not only are these "feel-good" life lessons, but they end up becoming essential to Pi's survival, on an adventure, but a life-threatening situation, that probably will always one-up your best story.

Imagtine that. Dropping the comfort zone and learning acceptance becomes essential for Pi's survival. And now... how has your perception changed?

So... an update on aquaintance with letters. I have recently begun reading "A Tale of Two Cities" by the extraordinary Charles Dickens. I have also been reading (at the same time, incidently) Harry Potter, and a few other books here and there. Something I have noticed about all of them, whether published in the eighteen hundreds or in the last ten years... is that something about the way that they are written draws a person in. I know there are people that HATE reading... but if you think about it for a second... everything we know about the past comes from books. Even if those books were fictional works... they were written by people about people in similar surroundings as themselves. We learn about how they spoke, what the major issues were in day to day life, and what the public was interesting in reading.
So how then... do books written in 1867 still remain popular today? There is something that we have in common with those books... something that we still notice-- our own humanity. That is why reading is so important. Because it teaches us something that we cannot learn from science. It shows us the ideas and the values that thinkers of any age wanted to be heard. Funny thing... we can take what they have written and go to the next step. We can analyze... and write things down too. The study of what people have written before us gives us the chance to move our ideas beyond theirs. What an idea!
In short... reading makes you a better person. And if every person person read... we might just have a better world.

So, I had better explain the title...

most people think I am... well a bit of a nerd. When it comes to some things, I am-- especially food and books. I was racking my brains for the perfect theme/title of my blog, and so I decided to use the word "literature". The origin of the word comes from a latin expression that translates in the meaning: "acquaintance with letters". So, judge me if you will, but there you have it.
so... an acquaintance with letters. my an aquaintance with me would help. My name is Julie. I live in Canada and go to school in Utah. I have a big family, my favorite color is blue, I perfer wood over metal in most things, and I am kind of a health freak. Spinach is my best friend. My favorite books include: Wuthering Heights, Persuasion, Heart of Darkness, and (of course), Harry Potter.
Beyond the written word, my interests include running (I hope to do a marathon for the first time next year sometime), helping others understand why milk and sugar are not the healthiest things in the world, movies, and cooking. I love to bake and create new recipes. Even though I am not the mom, I make dinner every night at my house, just because I usually enjoy it a great deal.
This blog may be for my own benefit. But I hope to benefit others: an aquaintance with letters. Friends start with acquaintances. And friends, good ones, can change your life.