The CragBaby

My good friend Sam suggested I read The Winter of Our Discontent by John Steinbeck. It was based around the character Ethan Hawley and his pursuit to regain the riches his family once held. In order to do so he sacrifices his morals that in the end leads him further down a road of unhappiness. As I was reading the book I was somehow often taken by surprise at pivotal events, resulting in me re-reading a couple of the sections to ensure I was thoroughly understanding the plot course. Perhaps it was due to the busy holiday season when I was attempting to read the novel and the span of time between picking up the book. Or perhaps I just overlooked some foreshadowing. Steinbeck had mentioned that the book addressed the degeneration of morals in the book, so looking back perhaps the purpose was to show the domino effect of small moral sacrifices and the possible huge end result. Overall an interesting read.

Within the last couple weeks I completed The Red Tent by Anita Diamant. I was EXTREMELY grateful when the last page was turned as I was utterly engrossed in the book, resulting in all other areas of my life, especially my homework, to suffer. The novel was written around the the biblical character Isaac and his lineage, focusing mostly on Jacob and his family. It was written from the perspective of Dinah, the only daughter of Jacob, augmenting the brief biblical tale with a robust story. The book was very well composed and a fantastic read.

I recently completed The Fifth Mountain by Paulo Coelho. In the book there was a quote I thoroughly enjoyed and thought I would share on this blog. At this point of the story, the main character Elijah (as from the Christian Bible) is traveling and meets up with a farmer who allows him to stay for a couple of days. The farmer states:

“I have long seen people passing through here on their way to Sidon and Tyre. Some of them complained that they had not achieved anything in Akbar and were setting out for a new destiny.

One day these people would return. They had not found what they were seeking, for they carried with them, along with their bags, the weight of the earlier failure. A few returned with a government position, or with the joy of having given their children a better life, but nothing more. Their past in Akbar had left them fearful, and they lacked the confidence in themselves to take risks.

On the other hand, there also passed my door people full of ardor. They had profited from every moment of life in Akbar and through great effort had accumulated the money for their journey. To these people, life was a constant triumph and would go on being one.

These people also returned, but with wonderful tales to tell. They had achieved everything they desired because they were not limited by the frustrations of the past.”

I loved this quote as I believe Coelho nailed it on the head that our level of happiness is a result of our outlook on life and willingness to create success in each place we inhabit.