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iseefeelings's reviews
335 reviews
House of Dreams: The Life of L. M. Montgomery by Liz Rosenberg
5.0
*"Thank God, I can keep the shadows of my life out of my work. I would not wish to darken any other life - I want instead to be a messenger of optimism and sunshine."
*"Perfect happiness I have never had - never will have. Yet there have been, after all, many wonderful and exquisite hours in my life."
__
After stumbling upon the journals of Virginia Woolf two years ago, I once again found another book that left me emotionally overwhelmed.
One moment I was drowning in her sorrow and the next, I couldn't stop agonising over the fact that her long life of giving and loving ended in heartbreaks and hopelessness.
Even though I related to her ideas of both life and work and felt the weight of family issues with her deeply, I would never think of myself having that much courage, loyalty and sacrifice as Maud did. The disastrous report of the world-renowned author's addiction (and that of her husband) to prescription drugs also struck me hard.
In House of Dreams: The Life of L.M. Montgomery, Liz Rosenberg tackles the struggles of L.M.Montgomery as well as different discussions surrounding her death adeptly. Besides the thorough research (cited in Source Notes and Bibliography) and a brief timeline of Maud's life, the vivid narrative reflects Rosenberg's dedication to this book. She composed each chapter with a chronological flow, using fine prose to filling the blanks of some details that we will never know of Maud. At the same time, Rosenberg briefly stated different theories of Maud's death proposed by academics and readers throughout the early years. It is interesting to note that this is a chapter book for age 10 to 14 but it does not shy away from the possibility of suicide and the uncomfortable circumstances in her romance life.
Instead of having photographs to accompany the book like a standard biography, House of Dreams includes the neat black and white illustrations by Julie Morstad. The art of Morstad intertwines with the storytelling of Rosenberg to give a balance between facts and fantasies in the life of the beloved author of Anne of Green Gables.
My heart sank for days even after finishing this book. It took me down a marvellous journey in the past with L.M.Montgomery. Along with this book, I would definitely go on reading her letters and journals in the near future.
*"Perfect happiness I have never had - never will have. Yet there have been, after all, many wonderful and exquisite hours in my life."
__
After stumbling upon the journals of Virginia Woolf two years ago, I once again found another book that left me emotionally overwhelmed.
One moment I was drowning in her sorrow and the next, I couldn't stop agonising over the fact that her long life of giving and loving ended in heartbreaks and hopelessness.
Even though I related to her ideas of both life and work and felt the weight of family issues with her deeply, I would never think of myself having that much courage, loyalty and sacrifice as Maud did. The disastrous report of the world-renowned author's addiction (and that of her husband) to prescription drugs also struck me hard.
In House of Dreams: The Life of L.M. Montgomery, Liz Rosenberg tackles the struggles of L.M.Montgomery as well as different discussions surrounding her death adeptly. Besides the thorough research (cited in Source Notes and Bibliography) and a brief timeline of Maud's life, the vivid narrative reflects Rosenberg's dedication to this book. She composed each chapter with a chronological flow, using fine prose to filling the blanks of some details that we will never know of Maud. At the same time, Rosenberg briefly stated different theories of Maud's death proposed by academics and readers throughout the early years. It is interesting to note that this is a chapter book for age 10 to 14 but it does not shy away from the possibility of suicide and the uncomfortable circumstances in her romance life.
Instead of having photographs to accompany the book like a standard biography, House of Dreams includes the neat black and white illustrations by Julie Morstad. The art of Morstad intertwines with the storytelling of Rosenberg to give a balance between facts and fantasies in the life of the beloved author of Anne of Green Gables.
My heart sank for days even after finishing this book. It took me down a marvellous journey in the past with L.M.Montgomery. Along with this book, I would definitely go on reading her letters and journals in the near future.
Về Nơi Có Nhiều Cánh Đồng by Phan
4.0
Quyển sách tiếng Việt đọc sau hơn một năm: Về Nơi Có Nhiều Cánh Đồng của Phan.
Một quyển sách vừa bổ ích mà vừa khiến mình khúc khích những đêm nằm đọc trước khi ngủ.
Phan kể chuyện sống giữa núi rừng với những con người mà chỉ qua mấy trang thôi mình đã nể phục họ. Hẳn là có những góc khuất giữa những ngày tháng đó, nhưng câu chuyện được kể tự nhiên, nhẹ nhàng và cứ trong veo với mình (có khi do chính từ góc nhìn rất thơ của người hoạ sĩ nữa). Dù đọc vài trang đầu vẫn có hơi bối rối với cách chuyển ý có phần đột ngột, mình vẫn thích cách dẫn dắt đan xen giữa hoạ và thơ trong quyển du ký hoạ này. Đọc mà cứ làm mình bồi hồi nhớ đến những hình ảnh bản thân từng mường tượng khi lật giở những trang viết của các danh tác văn học Việt Nam lúc xưa.
Mình biết đến tác phẩm của Phan cách đây vài năm, trong lần vô tình tìm thấy bưu thiếp tranh màu nước tại một hội chợ ở Sài Gòn. Từ đó đến nay vẫn âm thầm dõi theo quá trình sáng tác (kể cả lớp Ổi mà Phan mở nhưng mình vẫn tiếc khi không tham gia được), thật sự nể phục sự chăm chỉ và kỉ luật của cậu. Đợt tới khi về Sài Gòn, nhất định là mình sẽ ủng hộ cả những sáng tác khác nữa cúa Phan.
Một quyển sách vừa bổ ích mà vừa khiến mình khúc khích những đêm nằm đọc trước khi ngủ.
Phan kể chuyện sống giữa núi rừng với những con người mà chỉ qua mấy trang thôi mình đã nể phục họ. Hẳn là có những góc khuất giữa những ngày tháng đó, nhưng câu chuyện được kể tự nhiên, nhẹ nhàng và cứ trong veo với mình (có khi do chính từ góc nhìn rất thơ của người hoạ sĩ nữa). Dù đọc vài trang đầu vẫn có hơi bối rối với cách chuyển ý có phần đột ngột, mình vẫn thích cách dẫn dắt đan xen giữa hoạ và thơ trong quyển du ký hoạ này. Đọc mà cứ làm mình bồi hồi nhớ đến những hình ảnh bản thân từng mường tượng khi lật giở những trang viết của các danh tác văn học Việt Nam lúc xưa.
Mình biết đến tác phẩm của Phan cách đây vài năm, trong lần vô tình tìm thấy bưu thiếp tranh màu nước tại một hội chợ ở Sài Gòn. Từ đó đến nay vẫn âm thầm dõi theo quá trình sáng tác (kể cả lớp Ổi mà Phan mở nhưng mình vẫn tiếc khi không tham gia được), thật sự nể phục sự chăm chỉ và kỉ luật của cậu. Đợt tới khi về Sài Gòn, nhất định là mình sẽ ủng hộ cả những sáng tác khác nữa cúa Phan.
The Highly Sensitive Person: How to Thrive When the World Overwhelms You by Elaine N. Aron
4.0
There is a sentence from an article I've recently read that can be a good intro for this review:
I appreciate the fact that the writer took many pages to cover four approaches to help HSPs heal their wounds (especially for those who have troubled childhood).
Elaine N. Aron - also a highly sensitive person herself (or rather, a person with a particularly high measure of sensory processing sensitivity) - talks about different ways that HSPs can apply to reframe their experiences and live with their traits. Particularly, I like how the author suggests treating our own body as a good parent does for their child: careful to respond to fear, allow yourself to leave if you don't feel comfortable in a situation, differentiate between anxiety and overarousal (which can just be a result of excitement with the unfamiliar environment as well),... Or that HSP can take ‘sensing’ and ‘intuition’ as their strength, depending on which type they are. The author also sheds the light on some misunderstandings of HSPs' mental health: They are often overwhelmed by sensory stimuli from the environment, not 'anxiety prone'; HSPs with difficult childhoods are prone to depression and anxiety, but not all HSPs have a mental illness (vice versa). Elaine N. Aron also contributes a chapter on spiritual elements and practices. The reason is that HSPs usually have a deep connection with the nonmaterial realm (dreams, uncanny moments,...) and it can be helpful in the search for wholeness. However, it can be seen as controversial and a bit difficult to swallow for someone who is agnostic like me.
I do cherish this book and wish I could come across it earlier in life, though. I thought I knew who I was but I didn't. I tried so bad to blend in with the crowds over the years and broke down. I also got hurt in relationships and didn't know how to draw a boundary with some people to protect myself, suffered for the thinking of being incompetent and believed I was cursed to be this sensitive. Thus, the book acts as a guide for me to better understand myself, unlearn and reframe my experiences to accept who I really am and gradually take my vulnerability as my strength as well as making good boundaries my goal.
*Highly recommend the most up-to-date version of this book published in 2020 than the earlier one.
“Sensitive” Is an Adjective While “Highly Sensitive” Is a Scientific Personality Trait.
I appreciate the fact that the writer took many pages to cover four approaches to help HSPs heal their wounds (especially for those who have troubled childhood).
Elaine N. Aron - also a highly sensitive person herself (or rather, a person with a particularly high measure of sensory processing sensitivity) - talks about different ways that HSPs can apply to reframe their experiences and live with their traits. Particularly, I like how the author suggests treating our own body as a good parent does for their child: careful to respond to fear, allow yourself to leave if you don't feel comfortable in a situation, differentiate between anxiety and overarousal (which can just be a result of excitement with the unfamiliar environment as well),... Or that HSP can take ‘sensing’ and ‘intuition’ as their strength, depending on which type they are. The author also sheds the light on some misunderstandings of HSPs' mental health: They are often overwhelmed by sensory stimuli from the environment, not 'anxiety prone'; HSPs with difficult childhoods are prone to depression and anxiety, but not all HSPs have a mental illness (vice versa). Elaine N. Aron also contributes a chapter on spiritual elements and practices. The reason is that HSPs usually have a deep connection with the nonmaterial realm (dreams, uncanny moments,...) and it can be helpful in the search for wholeness. However, it can be seen as controversial and a bit difficult to swallow for someone who is agnostic like me.
I do cherish this book and wish I could come across it earlier in life, though. I thought I knew who I was but I didn't. I tried so bad to blend in with the crowds over the years and broke down. I also got hurt in relationships and didn't know how to draw a boundary with some people to protect myself, suffered for the thinking of being incompetent and believed I was cursed to be this sensitive. Thus, the book acts as a guide for me to better understand myself, unlearn and reframe my experiences to accept who I really am and gradually take my vulnerability as my strength as well as making good boundaries my goal.
*Highly recommend the most up-to-date version of this book published in 2020 than the earlier one.
A Wrinkle in Time Trilogy by Madeleine L'Engle
3.0
"Darkness has a tangible quality; it can be moved through and felt; in darkness you can bark your shins; the world of things still exists around you. She was lost in a horrifying void.
It was the same way with silence. This was more than silence. A deaf person can feel vibrations. Here there was nothing to feel." / p.65
-
"She tried to gasp, but a paper doll can't gasp. She thought she was trying to think, but her flattened-out mind was as unable to function as her lungs; her thoughts were squashed along with the rest of her. Her heart tried to beat; it gave a knifelike, sidewise movement, but it could not expand." / p.90
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"We look not at the things which are what you would call seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporal. But the things which are not seen are eternal." / p.205
-
-
As much as I enjoyed the science fiction materials in A Wrinkle in Time, the agnostic part in me cannot relate on the spiritual level with some dialogues in the book. The paperback edition has a stunning illustration and a lovely design, which is all enough for me!
All the main characters - Meg, Charles Wallace, Calvin O'Keefe are full of flaws and weaknesses and yet so human, so real. As opposed to many reviewers, I do like Madeleine L'Engle's writing: she knows how to elaborate on things we might never see and simplify things that are too complicated for us - as beings - to understand. Although the book is quick-paced with many characters being introduced, it didn't overwhelm the readers (still, there were a few times I have to jump back a few pages to surely know that I didn't miss a detail but I'd blame it for my habit of reading slow-paced books).
I'd continue with the second book in the series to see if I would drop it or finish the trilogy.
It was the same way with silence. This was more than silence. A deaf person can feel vibrations. Here there was nothing to feel." / p.65
-
"She tried to gasp, but a paper doll can't gasp. She thought she was trying to think, but her flattened-out mind was as unable to function as her lungs; her thoughts were squashed along with the rest of her. Her heart tried to beat; it gave a knifelike, sidewise movement, but it could not expand." / p.90
-
"We look not at the things which are what you would call seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporal. But the things which are not seen are eternal." / p.205
-
-
As much as I enjoyed the science fiction materials in A Wrinkle in Time, the agnostic part in me cannot relate on the spiritual level with some dialogues in the book. The paperback edition has a stunning illustration and a lovely design, which is all enough for me!
All the main characters - Meg, Charles Wallace, Calvin O'Keefe are full of flaws and weaknesses and yet so human, so real. As opposed to many reviewers, I do like Madeleine L'Engle's writing: she knows how to elaborate on things we might never see and simplify things that are too complicated for us - as beings - to understand. Although the book is quick-paced with many characters being introduced, it didn't overwhelm the readers (still, there were a few times I have to jump back a few pages to surely know that I didn't miss a detail but I'd blame it for my habit of reading slow-paced books).
I'd continue with the second book in the series to see if I would drop it or finish the trilogy.
Virginia Woolf: Overlook Illustrated Lives by Mary Ann Caws
3.0
If you're too familiar with Virginia Woolf's life and work, this book might not shed any new light except giving you a lavish amount of illustrations and photographs. In my view, this book is interesting if you want to know about Virginia Woolf's milieu or first encounter a biography of this influential writer. I favour Mary Ann Caws's insightful commentary rather than other short biographies with dull text. This thin book also evoked my interest in other members of Bloomsbury Circle, along with Angelica Bell, whose affair with David (Bunny) Garnett is weirdly fascinating. Mary Ann Caws also carefully selected some good excerpts from Woolf's diary. What this book lacks is an extensive insight into Woolf's writing and her journey as a writer, which I do think that you can find in many other publications as further reading.
On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King
5.0
4.5/5
*"You can't let the whole world into your story, but you can let in the ones that matter the most. And you should." / p.219
*"If you write (or paint or dance or sculpt or sing, I suppose), someone will try to make you feel lousy about it, that's all. I'm not editorializing, just trying to give you the facts as I see them." /p.50
*"Life isn't a support-system for art. It's the other way around." /p.101
__
My boyfriend has many books by Stephen King lying around the room. Since I had read none of his works before, I chose this book to be my first read (nonfiction, not-as-thick). I've not been disappointed at all.
1/3 of this book is a short memoir, 1/3 is on writing and the rest is about living. I must say that enjoyed every single page and did find it helpful than tons of grammar and writing books I used to read years ago. Stephen King also answered many questions that I've been in doubt, both in writing and the act of making art.
Highly recommended.
*"You can't let the whole world into your story, but you can let in the ones that matter the most. And you should." / p.219
*"If you write (or paint or dance or sculpt or sing, I suppose), someone will try to make you feel lousy about it, that's all. I'm not editorializing, just trying to give you the facts as I see them." /p.50
*"Life isn't a support-system for art. It's the other way around." /p.101
__
My boyfriend has many books by Stephen King lying around the room. Since I had read none of his works before, I chose this book to be my first read (nonfiction, not-as-thick). I've not been disappointed at all.
1/3 of this book is a short memoir, 1/3 is on writing and the rest is about living. I must say that enjoyed every single page and did find it helpful than tons of grammar and writing books I used to read years ago. Stephen King also answered many questions that I've been in doubt, both in writing and the act of making art.
Highly recommended.
Musicophilia: Tales of Music and the Brain by Oliver Sacks
4.0
“Music, uniquely among the arts, is both completely abstract and profoundly emotional. It has no power to represent anything particular or external, but it has a unique power to express inner states or feelings. Music can pierce the heart directly; it needs no mediation.”
*
This book is rather an excessive amount of storytelling than extensive research. It requires a good foundation in both music and psychology to be well understood and I, therefore, feel like I need to re-read it later on to have a better insight. One thing that is worths noting is that most of the music genres mentioned in the book are instrumental and classical music.
*
I only read this book as a part of my reading challenge (books about music) but I was quite pleased with this choice I made out of the music section in my local library.
My favourite chapter must be In the Moment: Music and Amnesia which is the story about Clive Wearing with his half-a-minute memory span and the unconditional love of Deborah Wearing to him.
*
A few things I jotted down in my reading journal:
-Absolute pitch is more common in cultures where the language is tonal (Vietnamese and Mandarin) compared to nontonal language (English)
-Tony Cicoria who gut struck by lightning and suddenly became a musicophilia
-Nietzsche on the ‘tonic’ effect of music on people with depression
-Freud’s resistance to the seductive and enigmatic power of music
-The dominance of the brain side can shift if damage occurs before and after birth
-Some drugs can cause music hallucinations (aspirin, quinine, propranolol, imipramine)
-Brainworms (or ‘earworms’) are, in fact, the clear sign of “the overwhelming, and at times helpless, sensitivity of our brains to music”. It works like how people with OCD/autism/Tourette’s syndrome may be “hooked by a sound or a word or a noise and repeat it, or echo it, aloud or to themselves, for weeks at a time.
*
This book is rather an excessive amount of storytelling than extensive research. It requires a good foundation in both music and psychology to be well understood and I, therefore, feel like I need to re-read it later on to have a better insight. One thing that is worths noting is that most of the music genres mentioned in the book are instrumental and classical music.
*
I only read this book as a part of my reading challenge (books about music) but I was quite pleased with this choice I made out of the music section in my local library.
My favourite chapter must be In the Moment: Music and Amnesia which is the story about Clive Wearing with his half-a-minute memory span and the unconditional love of Deborah Wearing to him.
*
A few things I jotted down in my reading journal:
-Absolute pitch is more common in cultures where the language is tonal (Vietnamese and Mandarin) compared to nontonal language (English)
-Tony Cicoria who gut struck by lightning and suddenly became a musicophilia
-Nietzsche on the ‘tonic’ effect of music on people with depression
-Freud’s resistance to the seductive and enigmatic power of music
-The dominance of the brain side can shift if damage occurs before and after birth
-Some drugs can cause music hallucinations (aspirin, quinine, propranolol, imipramine)
-Brainworms (or ‘earworms’) are, in fact, the clear sign of “the overwhelming, and at times helpless, sensitivity of our brains to music”. It works like how people with OCD/autism/Tourette’s syndrome may be “hooked by a sound or a word or a noise and repeat it, or echo it, aloud or to themselves, for weeks at a time.
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
3.0
“(...) for love casts out fear, and gratitude can conquer pride.”
-
“Have regular hours for work and play; make each day both useful and pleasant, and prove that you understand the worth of time by employing it well. Then youth will be delightful, old age will bring few regrets, and life become a beautiful success, in spite of poverty.”
-
“It is an excellent plan to have some place where we can go to be quiet, when things vex or grieve us. There are a good many hard times in this life of ours, but we can always bear them if we ask help in the right way.”
•
This book seems to be a little heavy-handed with lessons and the plot is quite plain to me but I like it better as the story goes. Thus, it’s a good read for young readers but it's hard to please picky readers who look for an amusing story. I honestly skimmed through a few pages which seemed to be superfluous.
What really impressed me is the way Louisa M. Alcott's women characters are all in the spotlight and the men step back as a supporting cast. Still, all of them are sweet and special, and the author's simple yet beautiful writing effortlessly paints them vividly alive in my mind. I also find it informative to take a peek at the American lifestyle in the nineteenth century as well.
Towards the end of the book, I suddenly realised how much Amy - who is the youngest one among the March sisters - resonates with me the most. I felt like I saw myself as a child, spoiled and selfish and short-tempered with a bit dramatic but it doesn't mean that the good in the heart vanished. Her flaws were, indeed, my actual flaws. As Amy had her realization in the book during a hard time of her family, I also had many through which I grew up better and has changed me to be who I am today.
I picked up this book without having any idea of how it's considered to be a classic one and even though the book is not as what I'd expected, I still want to read other books by Louisa M. Alcott and see the movie adaption when it's available to watch online :)
-
A side note: I was reading some articles about Victoria era and Jack the Ripper - an infamous serial killer at that time. Coincidentally, Louisa M. Alcott died in 1888, and many victims of Jack the Ripper were found in the same year. I know it's odd to juxtapose these two events but it kept me wondering about living in a strange and interesting era as such.
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“Have regular hours for work and play; make each day both useful and pleasant, and prove that you understand the worth of time by employing it well. Then youth will be delightful, old age will bring few regrets, and life become a beautiful success, in spite of poverty.”
-
“It is an excellent plan to have some place where we can go to be quiet, when things vex or grieve us. There are a good many hard times in this life of ours, but we can always bear them if we ask help in the right way.”
•
This book seems to be a little heavy-handed with lessons and the plot is quite plain to me but I like it better as the story goes. Thus, it’s a good read for young readers but it's hard to please picky readers who look for an amusing story. I honestly skimmed through a few pages which seemed to be superfluous.
What really impressed me is the way Louisa M. Alcott's women characters are all in the spotlight and the men step back as a supporting cast. Still, all of them are sweet and special, and the author's simple yet beautiful writing effortlessly paints them vividly alive in my mind. I also find it informative to take a peek at the American lifestyle in the nineteenth century as well.
Towards the end of the book, I suddenly realised how much Amy - who is the youngest one among the March sisters - resonates with me the most. I felt like I saw myself as a child, spoiled and selfish and short-tempered with a bit dramatic but it doesn't mean that the good in the heart vanished. Her flaws were, indeed, my actual flaws. As Amy had her realization in the book during a hard time of her family, I also had many through which I grew up better and has changed me to be who I am today.
I picked up this book without having any idea of how it's considered to be a classic one and even though the book is not as what I'd expected, I still want to read other books by Louisa M. Alcott and see the movie adaption when it's available to watch online :)
-
A side note: I was reading some articles about Victoria era and Jack the Ripper - an infamous serial killer at that time. Coincidentally, Louisa M. Alcott died in 1888, and many victims of Jack the Ripper were found in the same year. I know it's odd to juxtapose these two events but it kept me wondering about living in a strange and interesting era as such.