Stuff About Books and Literature

Book Bargains in charity shops. Image by WetWebWork C harity shops are great places to find books that you'd love to ha ve or for buying those books that you once owned and wished you'd never given away - building up that collection yo u once had. The Catcher in the Rye  Classic books to collect. Image by LLanir   Also, as these books and others like them will point out , through thrift spending, visiting yard sales and  browsing through charity shops, you can make money and find amazing bargains for a few dollars or pou nds. Y ou ca n save chunks of money - something to t hink about with the holiday season coming . Never mind just finding bargain books , don’t forget, fashion, jewellery   or household items. Remember things that people don't want , someone else probably will. So, while you're looking for a great next holiday read check out if there's also  something nice to wear for your friend's wedding, or for your next holiday or job interview and , ...

Ulysses (Odysseus) and Penelope - Image Francesco Primaticcio In classical literature women rarely pursue heroic acts. Queen Penelope's use of art as a form of resistance in Homer's Odyssey, proves otherwise. Greek heroes defined by adventure not 'house-wifery' Pre-classical and classical Greek literature, such as Homer’s epic poems, the Odyssey and Iliad , often define their heroes through journeys in which struggles against gods, demons or destiny arise. Success affords the hero recognition, honour and fame. In contrast, throughout classic literature, women, confined to their homes, rarely take a physical journey; instead they await their husband's return. Accordingly, ancient Greek culture denies a woman of ‘her journey’ and consequently 'her freedom' to voice her opinions, experiences and insights. Women are not portrayed as adventure seekers but villains or victims The belief that women and home are synonymous is deeply embedded in classical civilisatio...

Barnes & Noble Nook - Image Intelfreepress Are adults turning to Ebooks or do they still prefer to sit down and thumb through the pages of the traditional book?  Ins tead of wondering which best-seller to use as a stocking filler o r surprise gi ft, s hould you be considering an Ebook reader as a present this year or a selection of digital Ebooks or are you so confused about what to choose, maybe gift certificates might be an better option? Research results from a survey ending December 2011, by Pew Research Center show that  during this time around 20 percent of Americans read an e-book and this type of digital medium is encouraging reading. Figures show that reading is on the rise in the US and is being prompted by the availability of e-books. The report The rise of e-reading , compiled from surveys, was conducted at the end of 2011 and beginning of 2012 in order to understand:   people’s general reading habits their ownership of print books Ebooks and tablets - Ima...

James Bond, a modern day Odysseus/Ulysses? Image BollywoodHungama Some of the predominant themes running through the James Bond movie Skyfall - are MI6 is outdated and behind the times, M is making too many misjudgements and should be pensioned off and James Bond as 007 is far too old to be jumping off buildings and running around the world with gun in hand. Bond is so old they don't even give him any complicated gadgets to deal with. Under investigation for her reckless decisions, 'M' quotes a few lines from Tennyson's poem "Ulysses": Alfred Tennyson.  Image Julia Margaret Cameron Though much is taken, much abides; and though We are not now that strength which in old days Moved earth and heaven; that which we are, we are; One equal temper of heroic hearts, Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield. Can We Compare Ulysses to James Bond? So do James Bond and the members of M16 and Lord Tennyson's hero ...

A woman's world - image by Brizzle Born and Bred Women's Rights and Claim to Space in Society – Then, Now, Later Beating the baby bringing stork - Image  Wikimedia Commons Public Domain Women's movements have fought for women's societal rights to space for over a century. Women have gained space albeit with limited boundaries. Limited physically and mentally- Image Rega photography In Emile, a treatise which describes the difference between males and females, their places in society, and how they should be trained for them, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, the great advocate of individual freedom stated, “ a woman's education [should] be planned in relation to man ” (365). Juanita Williams in her book, Psychology of Women-Behaviour in a Biosocial Context , 1987, states Aristotle, who professed that since woman is an “ unfinished man ” and “ on a lower level of development ,” her role is to be a slave (13). Williams also quotes Nietzsche, as stating that “ Man shall be educate...

Sons and Lovers - Image Lesley Lanir D. H. Lawrence's novel, Sons and Lovers, illustrates working-class women's struggle for basic rights in the workforce and in society in Victorian Britain. Even as the nineteenth-century advanced and women, thanks to the 1870 Education Act, progressed in their education and careers, D. H. Lawrence’s novel, Sons and Lovers, illustrates that Victorian society's attitude towards women and the female workforce remained one filled with suspicion and derision. Women, however, persisted and eventually established a stronger position in society during this period. Women Allocated Menial Work Within the labour force, Paul Morel reflects the overall mood and approach to working women in his conversation with Miriam Leivers by stating that “a woman only works with a part of herself, the unimportant part” (362). Bonnie Anderson and Judith Zinsser write, In A History of Their Own: Women in Europe From Prehistory to the Present, Volume II, 1989, that s...

Doctors have the power to intimidate patients - Image LLanir In William Carlos Williams' short story, "The Use of Force", a physician, exploits, intimidates and abuses his young patient while her parents observe.  Professional titles, such as ‘professor’, ‘lawyer’ and ‘doctor’, often intimidate the layperson and thus arouse insecurities that impinge on reasonable judgement when a rational assessment is required. Some specialists may choose to exploit the ‘benefit’ of these insecurities to satisfy their own selfish needs. Physicians, especially, are in a position, if inclined, to exploit a person's innocence, ignorance and fear of the unknown. In the short story, "The Use of Force", by William Carlos Williams, a doctor's determination to diagnose a young girl's illness develops into an aggressive struggle to overpower her.  Parents become bystanders to child abuse The child's bewildered parents, mere bystanders in their own home, condone the doc...

A selection of Lawrence's books - Image LLanir D. H. Lawrence's novel, Sons and Lovers , offers insight into two generations of working-class women in Victorian Britain and their struggle for freedom. Sons and Lovers and Women in Love - Image LLanir D. H. Lawrence’s novel, Sons and Lovers , reveals Victorian society’s subjugating attitude towards working-class women. Fulfilment for this sector of society was attained through motherhood, domesticity, and wifely duties with little beyond that in the way of education or career opportunities.  Frances Power Cobbe This gender bias provoked women such as Francis Power Cobbe to declare: "From a child, man has seen women debarred by law from the exercise of those functions to which he is to be admitted at the outset of manhood; and he has too often, furthermore, seen his father treat his mother’s judgement about business of all kinds, as if he were condescending to let her talk on matters of which the ultimate decision must al...

Murderers - image by PetroleumJelliffe   Mothers who have the potential to murder their children occur in literature. Shakespeare penned a fine example - Lady Macbeth. At the end of act one of Macbeth , Lady Macbeth, angry at her husband’s inability to commit to her murderous scheme to kill Duncan, declares she would choose to kill an infant to achieve the throne Mac I.vii.55 - 58  How tender 'tis to love the babe that milks me; I would, while it was smiling in my face Have plucked my nipple from his boneless gums And dashed the brains out, had I so sworn as you Have done to this. In real life, cases of maternal filicide are on the increase.  According to the British newspaper the Daily Telegraph , on March 7, 2011, US born Theresa Riggi,  47, who stabbed her children to death in Edinburgh, UK, pleaded guilty to the charge of culpable homicide on the grounds of diminished responsibility. She made her plea, the Scottish equivalent of manslaughter, at Edinburgh’s Hi...