Mmm, mmm, good, head food

What I read this last week besides newspapers and the net:

Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte
A little too much Calvin and not enough Walden in her personality. The Bronte’s could have benefited from hanging out with the Alcotts. BUT a real good old tearjerker and I am such a huge sucker for a morality play. Liked it.

The Wide Sargasso Sea - Jean Rhys
The above story (prequel) from the mad woman in the tower perspective. Rochester didn’t feel like Rochester at all. The language and feel is completely different and that is to be assumed, but I’m not sure I like it yet. I’m going to have to turn around and read it again because it just didn’t strike me.
I now have to write a paper on it. I’m not inspired. Maybe when I read the book I picked up to use with it for my paper, Women of the Asylum, Voices from Behind The Walls 1840-1940, I’ll find a way in to something juicy.

Stranger In A Strange Land - Robert Heinlein
Again. I found another copy in the trash and took it as a sign to reread it.
Now, I do think Heinlein is just the tiniest smitch of a hack. But far superior to the modern sci-fi/fantasy, crank out 25 books about your made up kingdom, Piers Anthony type, crapadoodle. It’s entertaining and fun social commentary. Despite of the rampant sexism of it’s age, one likes to love the characters.
It was nice to be able to give a copy to that very nice boy in class who expressed interest.

The Education Of Robert Nifkin - Daniel Pinkwater
Have you encountered Pinkwater? He is so very awesome. You know, he’s on NPR. How excited was I to find a Pinkwater I haven’t read yet and had heard rumours about? Very, very excited. I have to say that in this sociopolitical atmosphere it shouldn’t have been in the young readers section though, it’s his most blatant and out there children's novel that I’ve read. All the usual obsessive themes (chickens, cigars, beatniks, Commonism, bad food, bad teachers, good architecture, crazed psychologists, and fat men, etc.) show up. It’s just quintessential Pinkwater. Read it please.