The Art of War

This was an interesting one. I had heard of the book many times before, but until this challenge, I didn't have the slightest inclination to read it. As I went through the list, I read other people's reviews of it, and found it intriguing.

I put a hold on it at the local library and was first struck by how small of a book it was!

This is not a huge dense book, but very concise.

The majority of it was, in my mind, strictly military, but there were gems that were applicable to anyone that I liked.

The best actually corresponds with a piece of advice that I got from my sister in law, who in turn, got it from a book (which I don't remember what book she got it from). The basic idea is to stay quiet in confrontation. Our tendency is to lash out, fight back, defend ourselves, but there are times that this defense actually hurts us, and it is better to just take the other person's anger (especially when it is unjustified) and allow them to calm down and come around to your side.

The quote from Art of War that gives similar advice is this:

Move not unless you see an advantage; use not your troops unless there is something to be gained; fight not unless the position is critical. No ruler should put troops in the field just to gratify his own spleen; no general should fight a battle simply out of pique. Anger may in time change to gladness; vexation may be succeeded by content. But a kingdom that has once been destroyed can never come again into being; nor can the dead ever be brought back to life.

This is not to say that others should be allowed to walk all over you, but simply pick your battles wisely. In relationships, it isn't death, but it could hurt the relationship, and many times it is simply better to walk away from a fight as "anger may in time change to gladness."

The Joy Luck Club

My short goodreads review: "Sad at times, but felt very real and helped me understand two different cultures more. Kept my interest throughout."

This book is many things, and that is probably why it was/is so popular.

It has an element of historical fiction as you hear the stories of the mothers, but it also has somewhat historical fiction even with the daughters at this point.

It it about the complex relationships between parents and their children, which hits close to home for me as I can sympathize with both the daughters and the mothers as I am now a mother myself. You, as a mom, want so much for your kids, but you know that ultimately they have to make their own choices in life. At the same time, I have felt as a daughter the friction caused by a difference of opinion between my mom and myself.

It was mostly eye opening in the knowledge of what it feels like to grow up so mixed between the culture of your parent's country compared to the country that is your own county. I have no personal knowledge on that front, having never experienced that kind of a culture clash within the home, but I found it very interesting. 

Brick Lane

The biggest themes from this book are about fate and having the power to choose your own path.

It made me think a lot about marriages and relationships. The main character is forced into an arranged marriage, that like any marriage, has its ups and downs.

I wonder who my parents would pick for me, and if I would approve of their choice. On the other hand, another character in the story chose her own husband, against the wishes of her parents, and her story doesn't go as she intended either.

I think the author is trying to make a point of the contrast that neither is absolutely true. We don't have to surrender our lives to the will of fate or God and sit back passive and let life pass us by, but we also can't believe that we control everything. Whatever name you give to it, there are always going to be circumstances beyond your control that you then can make choices based on those uncontrollable actions.

Da Vinci Code

I have avoided reading this book for years, despite the wave of positive reviews and its status as a "must read" book for a good section of time. The biggest reason for the avoidance was the negative reviews that it got by Christians as being heretical and completely against what the Bible teaches, and leads people astray.

As it was on "the list" I was able to push past these misgivings, and just judge it on its own.

Honestly, I enjoyed it. It had a very drawing story, lots of symbolism and word play, and I didn't find the big mystery as heretical as I thought it would.

Without giving up the plot to anyone who hasn't read it, I think that the big mystery/secret of the secret society is not implausible, nor is it directly against anything that I have read in the Bible, and some of their arguments are solid in my opinion.

While I don't approve of the described society's rituals, it doesn't detract too deeply from the possibility of the mystery/secret.

My big takeaway- things are not always what they appear, so give items the time and consideration they deserve.

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

This book was a very familiar story, as I have seen the Disney Alice in Wonderland many times, and for the portions that the Disney version covered, it appeared to be very accurate.

There were some big scenes that they took out, but for apparently good reason as I found them very strange.

The overall take away message I got from this book was that Alice was a child who made many poor choices, and frequently got herself into trouble, and the moral for kids reading it was simple... think before you act, as your actions may have big consequences.