Go Set A Watchman

Having gone to elementary and high school in the Philippines, we were required to read only 2 novels, Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, both by the National Hero, Dr. Jose Rizal. When we moved to the United States when I was 17 and went to high school in California, I read some American Literature books but it wasn't until I was in my late 20s, that I picked up and read To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee and it became one of my favorites and one of the best books I've ever read.  It was an easy read, but hard to put down.  I would chuckle to myself whenever I would realize I missed my BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) stop two stations before because I was so engrossed in reading. 


I love to read, but I don't read too many books.  When I do, I don't like putting them down.  My husband would shake his head when he notices I'm still up and reading at 3 am.  I pay the price for lack of sleep the next day.  I sometimes wish good books were like good movies- you know it will end in about 2 1/2 hours and you'll know the story from beginning to end in that short amount of time.  But good books are rarely worth only 2 1/2 hours of reading time, but I'm not really complaining.  =)

I don't remember how long it took me to read Mockingbird.  It took me a few days to reread it (I finished just a few hours ago) because I want to be refreshed when I read Harper Lee's 'Go Set a Watchman', the sequel to 'To Kill A Mockingbird'.  I flashed the mailman my biggest smile when he handed me the package earlier today. 

For the last couple of days, these books were all I talked about.  I kept telling Michelle that by next summer, I think she'll be ready to read it.  I hope she learns to love it just as much as I do.  I was devastated to hear the news last night that Atticus Finch, the perfect gentleman and most upright of all literary figures, was not as perfect as we all thought.  I am still hoping this is just a teaser and that he's still the same old Atticus Finch from the first book. 

I am writing and delaying my reading because I am still at work and I'm afraid I will ignore phone calls and emails once I get into reading. 

*** 

Update after reading the book....

I liked it, although I did not love it like I loved Mockingbird.  Maybe I'm disappointed that Atticus isn't the perfect gentleman I hoped he was.  It was like reading the last Bridget Jones book and knowing that Mark Darcy *spoiler alert* passed away.  I read the rest of both books with a heavy heart.  Maybe those events ruined it for me.  I still plan on re-reading Go Set A Watchman again because maybe I missed a lot of the details because I couldn't wait to see how it ended.  

to kill a mockingbird

i have not blogged about it but i finished reading 'to kill a mockingbird' sometime last month in a little over 1 week...which to me is pretty fast since i only have a chance to read during my commute to and from work (only 25 mins each way and when i'm heading to work, i stop reading 2 stations from my destination to avoid missing my stop and ending up late to work). twice i missed my station on my way home because i was so into the book. it truly deserves the pulitzer prize it won decades ago.


if you haven't read it, do yourself a favor and read it. i borrowed mine from the library but i'm planning to buy a hard cover on amazon because this is something i know michelle will read in the future. it is truly an american classic. i haven't read a book (other than the bible) that has moved me as much as this book did. it will make you laugh, it will make you cry, it will make you angry (oh and it did so many times!), it will make you think, it gives you hope, and reminds you of the beauty of childhood innocence. i borrowed the movie from the library today (starring the guwapong guwapong gregory peck). paul and i will watch it this weekend.

what's next

any suggestion on what i should read next?

ayoko ng vampire, vampire. di ko sya feel.

i finished reading wicked on my train ride to and from oakland. i liked the musical better than i liked the book. maybe it was because i thought the book was too wordy...like maybe a good portion could have been eliminated and was unnecessary or maybe i was just rushing it kaya di ko sya natutukan ng husto. or baka mali that i saw the musical first before i read the book. basta. maganda ang book. mas maganda lang ang musical. =)

so what should i read next nga?

bangag

dan brown kept me up all night because i wanted to know who the real antagonist was in angels and demons. it was 'sorta' predictable in the sense that you should pick one of the least likely people in the story BUT it was an interesting plot, otherwise, i would not have stayed up for it.

i still have not finished the book (i've got some 20 pages left to read). i stopped reading at the point where i don't think there would be any more big, big revelations. my left arm is sore from holding the book while reading in bed for almost 6 straight hours. (i'm so bad when i get into it and i can only do that kind of reading at night!) i've only slept for 2 1/2 hours because i had to drop off my mom at the bart station at 630.

i am again running on caffeine. i hope michelle keeps up with a wired mom.

current read

i've temporarily placed 'great expectations' on hold to read dan brown's angels and demons so that i could finish the book before the movie comes out next month.

great expectations

jane austen's pride and prejudice bored me. i read about 1/5 of the book and today returned it to the library, unfinished. maybe because i've seen the movie that's why i lost interest or it might be something else...i'm not sure. all i know is that i should not renew the book again knowing i will keep putting it off.

i went to the library hoping to come home with dan brown's angels and demons. i want to read the book before the movie comes out. unfortunately for me, someone has already checked the book out but the library will contact me as soon as the book gets returned.

not wanting to come home empty handed, i walked up and down the fiction section of the library and saw great expectations by charles dickens. i've only finished the first chapter but it's already proving to be more interesting than my previous read. don't get me wrong, pride and prejudice is an awesome book but i just couldn't read it so dapat itigil na. wag na pilitin.

have i mentioned i want to read the '100 greatest books of all time'? out of 100, i have read the following:

• Beloved by Toni Morrison (saw the movie, too)
• The Book of Job (yes, the one from the Bible)
• Fairytales and Stories by Hans Christian Andersen (maybe not all of his work, but a good number)
• Hamlet by William Shakespeare (read it in high school...oh wait! i think i read cliff notes, i'm including this to my 'read' [past tense] list anyway!)
• Pride and Prejudice (like Hamlet, i'm putting it on this list even if i haven't finished. saw the movie also)
• Thousand and one nights (read it in college)
• Great Expectations by Charles Dickens (i will finish this book!!!)

7 out of 100...not a bad start!