EMBRACE THE POTENTIAL

Being a member of a book club and an enthusiastic participant in all things literary, I often come across suggested reads by others. Two of which I decided to pick up this past week. They are as unrelated in topic, writing style, genre and plot as any two books could be. One is an allegorical commentary on personal callings and the other a constituent of the ever growing chick lit genre. Both were fantastic.

I think it is important to retain a balanced perspective in life and often this is challenged by one influence dominating over many others. No one is completely free of bias but many actively avoid prejudice and insularity by experiencing life outside the four walls of their norm. This same approach can be carried over to our reading choices.

You cannot experience life fully by sitting on the side lines and watching it go by. Same goes for reading. You cannot wholly embrace the potential of knowledge in books if you do not read a variety of subjects. This is not to say that one genre does not supply more fact than another, but both can be equally as enlightening. This was the case for me when I picked up Paolo Coelho’s The Alchemist and Janet Evanovich’s One For The Money. From one I learned about the significance of knowing one’s purpose in life and from the other I was reminded of the importance of a simple giggle. Both were very much outside of my reading comfort zone.

It is true, you will not always find a good read in every book you pick up and sometimes that is not the point. Often it is more important to have picked up that book to begin with simply because you rocked your library shelves and opened the door of potential for learning so much more than you already knew. So, next time you reach for a book, I dare you to pick outside of your norm. Set aside your comfort read and pick up a challenge. You never know, you just might find yourself reading with enjoyment and ease that which you found so unlikable before. And do not forget, I am always looking for a reading challenge so if you come across any you would like to share, please join in the comments below or send word to me at georgiasvoice@gmail.com. Enjoy.

The Alchemist: Tenth Anniversary Edition
Author: Paolo Coelho
Edition published by Harper Collins Canada, 2006

The Alchemist by Paolo Coelho is not the kind of book that I find easy to review as it strays into the ethereal world of faith and conviction where one must be open to the experience in order to appreciate it. Many literary pursuits are subjective in nature and Paolo Coelho’s The Alchemist, is certainly one of these books. Written in parable format with startling simplicity this is the story of a Santiago, a shepherd boy who is guided by his faith in a forward determination to pursue his life with honourable commitment to his Personal Legend. As he is guided by a host of encounters towards sometimes confusing results and in surprising directions, we are left to consider our own personal calling and, for those willing to, consider the importance of what that might mean to who we are now.

Suggested to me by several friends, I picked up Coelho’s book willingly but with a definite whisper of hesitance which certainly influenced my personal reception to the shepherd boy’s story. During my reading adventures, I have come across a grand selection of what I have termed Band Wagon Reads. Which is to say, books that are popular and societal embraced but are not necessarily any better than their counterparts, so much as better advertised. The books themselves are generally interesting but, for the most part, their reputation is a consequence of strategic and modern pop-style endorsements as opposed to profound worth. So when I opened The Alchemist I admittedly approached it with the same cynicism I did Rhonda Byrne’s The Secret or Eckhart Tolle’s A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life’s Purpose. However, unlike The Secret, which I felt was an abuse of my time, I found The Alchemist to be deserving of the praise and certainly worthy of my attention. Much like my experience reading Eckhart Tolle’s A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life’s Purpose, as I read The Alchemist I recognized a great deal of honest truth and genuine heart in what was being said. This was not a package of new age propaganda but rather a beautifully simple tale of faith and perseverance whereby the author skillfully challenges his readers to believe in them selves once more.

Paolo Coelho addresses his readers directly within the introduction of his book, sharing more of his personal belief and setting a definite foundation for the story he tells there after. At the back of the book is a short biography of the author that further places value on his ideas and worth in his story albeit not quite as elaborate as this reader would have liked. Having taken in all these details and completed the book, I can firmly say that The Alchemist is entirely deserving of the praise it has received and I will proudly hop onto the Coelho bandwagon. While not everyone is ready to journey with introspection and self awareness, even the most cynical of readers will identify with the messages behind The Alchemist and, if open to possibility, walk away with a better sense of which direction they should be taking.

Favourite lines from the book…

…at a certain point in our lives, we lose control over what’s happening to us, and our lives become controlled by fate. That’s the world’s greatest lie.” Page 18

…when each day is the same as the next, it’s because people fail to recognize the good thing’s that happen in their lives every day that the sun rises. Page 27

One is loved because one is loved. No reason is needed for loving. Page 122

ONE FOR THE MONEY
(Book one of Three Plums In One which includes her first three books bound in one cover)
Author: Janet Evanovich
Published by Scribner, 2001

She had me at the spider! That is all I can say.

Well, truthfully, as always I can say so much more, but I promise to keep it brief so that you can soon run out and get yourself a copy of this hilarious book.

Janet Evanovich’s One For The Money was suggested to me by several of my fellow book club members and always with severe warnings concerning gut wrenching laughter and uncontrollably lustful thoughts for individuals named Morelli and Ranger. I experienced both. As I read this book I was reminded of television show’s like Scarecrow and Mrs. King or Hart to Hart, where balancing the perfect combination of comedy and adventure audiences were guaranteed absolute escapism. The first in a series of many, One For the Money begins the adventures of Stephanie Plum, a lipstick carrying bounty hunter who is incredibly adept at being very non-adept. Not to be taken seriously, this is the kind of book that borrows upon classic scenarios, quirky characters and traditional clichés where one might see some evidence of depth but no great rendezvous with veracity. I strongly recommend this book to anyone needing to step away from their world for even just a few minutes. While Janet Evanovich may not wrestle with profound social issues, she expertly provides her readers with a laugh-a-minute adventure ride and a serious break from the bona fide reality checks which infringe upon everyday life. Bottom line, while not my usual read, this one left me smiling and a definite fan of the Evanovich way.

Besides, she had me at the spider.

Favourite line from the book…

In my opinion, the only good spider is a dead spider, and women’s rights aren’t worth a dick if they mean I can’t ask a man to do my bug squashing. Pg. 59