The story of Pinocchio and the Talking Cricket

...from which we see that naughty boys cannot bear to be corrected by those who know more than they do.

"I will not go from here," answered the Cricket, "until I have told you a great truth."

"Tell it, then, and hurry up."

"Woe to those boys who turn against their parents and run away from home for no reason whatever: they will never come to any good in this world, and sooner or later they will repent bitterly."

"Sing away, my good Cricket, as much as you please. I've already made up my own mind to run away from here tomorrow at daybreak, because if I stay here they'll do to me the same as to all the other boys. They'll send me to school, and I'll have to study whether I want to or no. Between you and me I don't want to learn anything, it's much more amusing to chase butterflies and to climb trees so as to steal little birds from their nests."

"You poor idiot! Don't you know that in that way you'll grow up an utter donkey and every one will make fun of you?"

"Shut up, you wicked old croaker!" shouted Pinocchio.

But the Cricket, who was patient and philosophical, instead of getting angry at such impertinence, went on in the same tone:

"If you don't like going to school then why not learn an honest trade, so that you can earn your own bread and butter?"

"Very well, I'll tell you," answered Pinocchio, who was losing his patience. "There's only one trade in the world that really takes my fancy."

"And what trade would that be?"

"That's to eat, drink, and sleep, and to have a good time from morning till night--a regular idler's life!"

"You'd better know," said the Talking Cricket in his calm way, "that those who follow that trade end nearly always either in hospital or in prison."

"Look out, you horrid old Cricket. If I fly into a temper it'll be the worse for you."

"Poor Pinocchio! I really do pity you!"

"Why do you pity me?"

"Because you are a puppet, and what is worse, because you have a wooden head."

excerpt from Pinocchio by C. Collodi, 19-20

alas!

I like the ending of the book. the little pleasant surprise of who is taking down charley's story. With all the agony of putting up with the book, I don't feel so rung out over it. "The ending is what matters", as Mort Rainy would put it.
Did read the Black Cat by E. A. Poe.. The most horrid short story I ever read, beside reading chapter 7 of kiterunner. It is deeply disturbing, but great!

I R O N Y ? ? ?

"Let me guess. You want to know why I tried to kill myself?" Albom's book started off for me a little bit like a lifetime movie. He is simple in his story telling and is not easy to redirect his thoughts with fluffy language. Instead, the areas in which he takes a bit of flare would be in the style/format of the book. Those little insertions of notes at the end of some chapters from his character makes the book more appealing. I think that is where the book keeps my interest mostly. I continue to read just so that I could partake of those little unexpected things. Aside from that, it is written in first person and so we know that the character is telling the story and is not dead, unless...other suspicious elements will arise. The book may increase my interest as I read on, but as of right now, I merely read to find those little elements that make the book appealing.

no comments?

I'm not interested in finishing this book. I like the beginning, but it dies in the middle. but I'll finish it for the club-sake.

I found it...

I bought the book last night. and now reading.
I like the bitter old man thing. recluse and disgruntle.
That's funny. Tried twice, but fail. What luck. Now, is it bad or good?

What Do You Say??

I was thinking...again, and this is what I came up with: Since we are all fans of the arts, be it literature, cinematic, musical, etc., I say we stay more connected by writing our thoughts down about any of these. Let's say we saw a new movie and we can all go watch it and give our thoughts...or not. Or a new album. I would really like to hear what everyone has to say about these subjects. For starters, I watched 2 movies this weekend: Gone Baby Gone and Into the Wild. I also heard the new album Aanor bought, Juno Soundtrack. What do you say?? To be continued...

Hondo's take on Stranger

Above is a nice cartoon about Camus and at right Monsieur Camus himself with cig.

I could see how this book, in its time, could be viewed as quite revolutionary. I kept thinking to myself, who are these millions of Americans that are so taken by the book! I think the 'stranger' was most of all our lead character, who never let anyone get to know him...maybe he didn't know himself. On another note, it's about getting to know people. All of us live in a world of suppositions, asumptions, presumptions (if we're that conceited), pre-conceived notions about people and places. Taken to an almost absurd end by Camus, our lives, he seems to say, could spiral into something similar if we don't open up, if we don't talk, if we don't let people we know and love into our world. Of course, he seems to be constructing a whole society that short circuits that whole kind of interpersonal communication. For our own protection, we all "wear masks" to a certain degree, but we mustn't let that be the rule when it comes to our closer, inner circles. So yeah, it's good for you all to know that I really dig "Bring It On!"

Bringin' it all the time, oh yeah,

Hondo

For One More Day

I was walking in a bookstore one fine December evening, during a lovely date with Sam, and I spotted this book. I'm not sure of its contents but my friend also recommended it: For One More Day by Mitch Albom. The title suggests some cheese, nevertheless, it is my official selection for March. It should be an easy read and I want everyone to read it. Let us comment as much as we can. My other choice was going to be Pinocchio by C. Collodi because I started it this month. It's got some awesome quotes. I shall share some with you as I read. Please feel free to join me in reading this story too. I'm quite surprised by the plot. I'm curious to read some insightful reviews on it.

*on a side note, I was totally oblivious to the fact that this book was in Oprah's Book Club...

Done, Finally.

I read the stranger and I really enjoyed how the book was written. I like the simplicity of it all. Meusault is a very strange and weird character; he tends to set himself aside from society. I was surprised to find that this little book was rather existential. Meursault is trying to find the answers for living, "Why are we here?" Perhaps it's an individuals responsibility to find it. I thought this was what the author was trying to answer. Overall, I enjoyed reading the book. I found it humorous. I liked it. I did. I really liked it.