Thoughtful Thursday

Hello everyone! This is Puddleglum's dad for this Thoughtful Thursday. I saw the the new Bond movie, Quantum of Solace, on Sunday. I like the Bond movies, so I'm pretty familiar with the series and its themes and thought I'd weigh in on it here. First of all, I think the title is pretty cool. A lot of people are apparently really confused by it, but it's really quite easy: a "quantum" is the smallest physical object we currently know of, and "solace" is a fancy word for comfort. Therefore, a quantum of solace is an infinitesimally tiny bit of comfort-- which is eminently appropriate for the story, as it turns out.

This one is very much like License to Kill in that it is really more of a revenge tale than a Bond flick. Bond is out to discover who is behind Vesper Lynd's betrayal from the previous movie, and on the way uncovers a secret organization called Quantum which, while not responsible for Vesper's death directly, set in motion events that caused her death. At the end of the movie after Bond gets his revenge (seemingly), he realizes that it only offered him-- wait for it-- a QUANTUM OF SOLACE (!), and is not worth the internal torment and distraction from his duty it caused.


A Bond movie is always evaluated on two levels: 1) its artistry, and 2) its adherence to the "canon" of James Bond-- i.e., martinis, sexy women, fast cars, cool gadgets, sly humor, etc. On the former, it seemed to me to be pretty fair without being spectacular. The majority of the complaints from critics and fans are of the latter kind: that it just wasn't a Bond movie. Personally, I think that they just need to look closer.

Casino Royale (the first one) "rebooted" the franchise by introducing Bond as more gritty, brutal, and coarse (and blonde!) than we are used to. Even amongst all the talk over how great a movie Casino Royale was, there was some concern: is the new Bond for the 21st Century going to be too dark? This movie will probably not allay any fears since it goes over the top with the grit and grime, but I think that that is more to wrap up that side of Bond and justify the transition to the devil-may-care cynicism which permeated the traditional Bond. It's catharsis, and nothing shows that more than the ending of the movie.

Bond drops the necklace Vesper wore (the symbol of his continuing love for her) in the snow and walks away without looking back. That part of his life is over: he will never open his heart again, but he will also never let his personal feelings blind him to his duty again. This is all essential to tell the real story of who Bond is and why he is the way he is. He wraps himself in a suave and cynical demeanor because he has learned his lesson the hard way. He indulges in the best wine, women, and toys because he knows every moment might be his last. Like pretty much all "manly" men Bond is afraid of what he can't control, and highest on that list are his feelings and how others respond to them. Mark my words, the next movie will be a transition to the more traditional Bond, which is why the iconic walk-turn-shoot that usually opens every Bond movie is at the END of this one. Everything in a well-made movie has significance and meaning.

Overall, I felt this movie was artistically enjoyable, and was a good deal more enjoyable as a Bond flick than most people give it credit for. If you're trying to understand Bond as a character and not as just a cool guy with cool toys, this movie is a can't-miss.

Thoughtful Thursday

Dad and Mom both have a new 'puter! The stuff is getting transferred from the old one, which BTW is literally fried. The power cord decided to send a jolt of super-heated energy straight into the motherboard. Tasty, huh? Long story short, it will be a week before the data is saved, which includes some recent pics I had plans to post. Oh well. In the meantime, there is a decent amount of old videos to put up, so sit back and enjoy!

But first, since it's a Thursday, I'm doing a Thoughtful Thursday. Dad and I have been watching lots of "It's Me or the Dog" with Victoria Stillwell on Animal Planet. This is the counterpoint show to Cesar Millan's "The Dog Whisperer" on National Geographic. Victoria is a trainer, Cesar is a rehabilitator. Victoria is nearly all the way positive training, Cesar is nearly all the way corrective. There is little controversy over Victoria's methods, there is a ton over Cesar's. So, confession time: until about a year ago, Dad was a Cesar-o-phile.

I've seen this guy on TV, and it's easy to see why Dad liked him so much. The guy is charming and engaging, and his methods seem to be downright magical. But then, when Snoufer was getting trained at Petsmart (KGC test, here he comes!), the trainer noted some of the interventions Dad used were Cesar-ish (i.e., "shhht!", or the "alpha" lingo). So, he pulled Dad aside and asked him if he was aware of any of the controversy surrounding Cesar and his methods. Without preaching or lecturing, he advised Dad to check it out and to look into positive training methods similar to what he was being taught at Petsmart. So, Dad did.

The bottom line is, Dad is now a total "positive training" convert. I haven't heard a "shhht!" unless I start to do something really wacky and don't pay attention to anything else. Big Brother says he's never been "alpha rolled" since, and we get lots and lots of treats! Score! Plus, I've watched this Vicky lady with Dad on TV every Sunday, and she seems to be the real deal. No questionable methods, she is presented as fallible, and she has less of a magnetic personality to make me wonder if there isn't an element of "hero worship" in her following. Finally and most importantly, this whole positive training stuff doesn't rely on outdated science and is supported by broad-based and current research. Two weeks ago, she even had some pugs on her show! I kept looking at Dad during the show, as if to say, "See? I'm not THAT bad!" She straigtened them up right, and they and their owners will be better for it, I'm sure.

Plus, she has an English accent. 'Nuff said.

So, I'll never look down at or lecture those who choose less positive methods of training, but I certainly encourage everyone to check out the information for yourself. It's there in spades-- just Google "Cesar Millan controversy" and you'll get more than you ever wanted to know. Just please-- stay away from forums and junk like that. Those places are full of trolls.

And now, the lighter side: some videos from the last Pug Club! Remember Picasso? She's the little black one.

Thoughtful Thursday

Hello everyone!

I know, it's been a while since I've done one of these, hasn't it? I've just been having so much fun there's not much time to be thoughtful! Today I wanted to review a book Dad and I just finished: Sons and Lovers, by D.H. Lawrence.

This is the first D.H. Lawrence book I've ever read, and I've got to say I am less than impressed. I was looking forward to it because 1) Lawrence has a sordid history in... well, history; 2) He is an English writer whose influences meld the pastoral and manners/gentry genre-- a sort of love-child between Thomas Hardy and Jane Austen; and 3) It's always interesting to see what other cultures consider risque and/or salacious. I was sorely disappointed, however.

The story is of Paul Morel and his family. His father is an illiterate, coarse coal miner and his mother is a lady who married beneath her. So, when she discovers that her life is a good deal less satisfying than she desires, she attempts to live vicariously through her children (first through the eldest William and then Paul). This causes a very enmeshed relationship to develop between the boys and their mother, especially Paul, since he is a "sensitive artist" type. The book is divided into two halves. The first concerns itself with the early married life of Mr. and Mrs. Morel, up to the point when William leaves the family picture. The second half concerns itself with the many loves of Paul Morel, and the moderately unsettling triangles which develop between Paul, his mother, and his girl du jour.

The number one reason why I didn't like it was the writing style. Lawrence's characters would feel more at home in Dostoevsky, since they are all histrionic and capricious. Unfortunately, Lawrence cannot approximate the poetic beauty of Dostoevsky; he cannot even rise to poignant tragedy like Thomas Hardy. I think it might be because Lawrence's characters seem to have no raison d'etre: they are just plain wierd. Or at least, Lawrence doesn't do a good enough job of explaining and rationalizing Paul Morel's inner struggles between his love for his women and his love for his mother. It is just bold-facedly stated: Paul will never marry while his mother lives. End of story. Or perhaps it is that I find the Oedipus construct to be a fair explanation of possible unconscious processes but a failure as an adequate explanation for actual life choices. In any case, I haven't the faintest idea why either Clara or Miriam would have any abiding interest in Paul. In many ways, a good book is like a good movie: it does more than tell you to care for the characters, it actually finds ways to make you do so. I just couldn't care less what happened to Paul because I couldn't understand his motivations, I felt sorry for the women he loved but was baffled why they put up with him, and I alternately pitied and despised Mrs. Morel for her passive-agressive behaviors and selfish machinations.

All in all, the experience was certainly not pleasant, but that is not why I read books. I read them to gain insight into the variety of human life and human thought. Goodness knows there's plenty of that to be had! All you humans out there are an odd bunch: you have an overabundance of self- and other-awareness, but you can use it in such strange ways. Or you just don't use it at all. I give up. I'm going back to my bowl of food.

Thoughtful Thursday

Hi everyone! Puddleglum here! Dad really wants to do this Thoughtful Thursday, so I guess I'll let him...

So, this is Puddleglum's Dad! Today is September 11, 2008, and a very tragic thing happened seven years ago. I was at college in Indiana that morning, and got up to go to class and noticed on the way that there were an inordinate amount of people in the lobby crowded around the TV. I stopped in and realized that one plane had hit the tower. It felt surreal, but not quite devastating yet.

I was watching as the second plane hit. First of all, it was supremely disturbing to see how closely it mirrored the “fake” explosions in Hollywood movies. It made the real thing more fake and the fake thing more real, at the same time. That was when it all sunk in for me. By the time I saw footage of people jumping from the burning towers, I was shaking.

When they collapsed, there was total silence in the room for about 30 minutes. Then the rush started to get gas, food supplies, and other necessities. I’ll never forget that feeling of being at war, and having “worst-case scenario” be frighteningly possible.

We should never forget, but we should never exploit this experience either. It's probably pretty obvious where my political/philosophical inclinations lie, so I won't reiterate them now. I will say most fervently that both sides of the political aisle are EQUALLY to blame, in my opinion, for the travesty we find ourselves in now-- both domestically and abroad. It is my fervent hope that we will learn from this situation the depths to which we all can sink, and aim to be better than we are in the future.

Also, as a brief Thoughtful Thursday update, I am taking down the "Join the Boycott" banner at the top of my right-hand column, because there is now a notice clearly posted on the Four Paws website warning customers of the danger inherent in the toy. Chai's owner still thinks he was treated rather shabbily by the company, and I won't try to have an opinion on that apart from noting that there are always two sides to every story. That being said, it is crucial if we are to effect change that we reward it when it happens. So, I am no longer advocating a boycott of Four Paws. Hopefully they have learned their lesson.

Finally, on to the real Thoughtful Thursday! I steal all my ideas, and this one came from Poley and Ruki. Their mom noticed the super-long book meme/list that was going around the blogosphere, and decided to shorten it to the "Five Most Important Books" in her life. I like it, so I'm stealing it.

5. Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
I have a very snarky, sly, and slightly askew sense of humor. This was the book that started it all for me. I read it first in 8th grade and found it hilarious, but somewhat frivolous. I rediscovered it my sophomore year of college (when I started taking Philosophy courses) and have since re-read it well over 5 or 6 times. Every time, its twisted genius sinks in more and more both into my brain and my expression of my personality. This was also the beginning of my lifelong obsession with all things English, to be consummated by #1 on this list.
(side note): The movie was good, but not up to the standards I expected for such a brilliant book. I would recommend it to people of the above-mentioned disposition who have not read the book already.

4. Paradise Lost
This one I discovered relatively late (after graduating college), but was nonetheless hugely significant and inspiring. I was raised a Christian by my parents, and still am one, although certainly not of the conservative evangelical type I was originally. Thus, the story of Satan's and Adam/Eve's fall is one that has deep roots in my own personal mythology, and to see it put to paper so vividly and uniquely was a treat for my imagination. The reason why this one is so formative to me is that it opened me up to meta-scholarship of literature. Until this point, my literary experiences were individual-- with this book, I began to be aware of the larger world of interpretation and analyzation. Understanding this has given me the chance to see literature through several "lenses": even ones I disagree with. This has sharpened and bettered my experience of reading immensely.

2 & 3. Chronicles of Narnia and The Lord of the Rings
These two are essential and intertwined. I first read "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe" when I was very young-- I can't even remember how young. All I know is that this book sparked both my love of reading and of fantasy literature, something which survives even today (albeit in MUCH more discerning form). The Narnia books remain ones I would take with me on a desert island and have read countless times, and C. S. Lewis remains my favorite author. The Lord of the Rings gave me a glimpse of what adult fantasy fare could be like, and allowed me to further refine my taste for fantasy after gorging on more dime-store-quality offerings than I care to remember.
(side note): The LOTR movies were superb in virtually every way. I highly recommend that everyone see them, and try to watch them for more than just thrilling entertainment (although they are that). The Narnia movies I am less thrilled with, but still recommend as high-quality entertaining treats. If only they weren't done by Walden/Disney...

1. Pride and Prejudice
This has to be #1, simply because it is the most enjoyable and most developmentally crucial book I have ever read. Jane Austen is a close second to C. S. Lewis in my author list. The sharp, witty dialogue, the subtle comedy of manners, the English pastoral landscape, the refined and not-so-refined characters, and the unforgettable leads are all excellent reasons to regard this book so highly. Beyond that, ever since I first read it (freshman year of college), this book has brought to full flowering bloom a rabid and all-consuming passion for anything English. I am an unrepentant Anglophile, and this book is to blame.
(side note): If you don't own the A & E film version with Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle, go out to your nearest Best Buy and get it. Now. The recent (2005) adaptation with Kiera Knightly was also very good, but not quite as delicious. The former has amusing detours, slow-simmering romance, and comical performances. The latter is quicker, sharper, and more intense-- which is great, but less in keeping with the tone of the book.

Well, that's this week's Thoughful Thursday. I hope you've enjoyed it, and sorry about the length!

Thoughtful Thursday Thirteen

Hello everydoggy!

I decided to combine my usual Thoughtful Thursday with a Thursday Thirteen, which a lot of dogs do around the 'Verse. It's all about the Olympics, which just ended this past week. Some of you may know-- I boycotted watching the Beijing Olympics (go Paw-lympics!), and my family is trying to boycott things made in China (yeah, that's pretty hard to do nowadays). Why do we do that, you ask? Well, here are 13 reasons:

1. Atrocious human rights record. This could be Thirteen Things in and of itself, and would include forced abortions, torture, legal abuses, censorship, etc.
2. Religious suppression and persecution
3. Occupation and marginalization of Tibet
4. Poor working conditions in factories
5. Pollution due to industrialization
6. Poor mental health services
7. Support (at least implicitly) for genocide in Darfur
8. Rehearsal conditions for opening ceremonies
9. Diverted resources from poor districts for Olympics
10. Faked fireworks
11. Lip-synch girl
12. Possibly forged birth certificates of athletes
13. "Silver = shame" coaching

Some of them are reasons why going in; some of them are vindications after the fact. Now of course this is unusual for me, speaking out against my country of origin and everything. But shouldn't someone speak out? As usual with my Thoughtful Thursdays, I hope it makes everyone think!

PAW-S: Just to avoid any upset humans or dogs, it's important to note that these are just the reasons why my family and I boycott, not reasons that everyone else should accept and reasons why those who don't are "bad doggies." Everyone should make their own choices based on their own convictions.

Thoughtful Thursday

Hello everyone! This is Puddleglum's dad. I busied Puddy with his bone-- remember this one?

So, this is all that's left...

Maybe I can squeeze out a few minutes of computer time with him occupied.

This Thoughtful Thursday will have no literary content (did I hear a cheer?), but it is still very thoughtful. It also is a two-parter. The first part is found HERE, or you can just click the picture at the top of the right-hand column. The second part is this: I am taking Puddy to the vet's tomorrow to get... well, what should I call it? Neutered? But that seems to say, "I don't have a boy or a girl dog; I have an other/neither." Fixed? But there's nothing wrong with him to "fix." Altered? I certainly hope he won't be altered beyond a very select few testosterone-driven traits! Castrated? Seems a bit too clinical. Besides, it makes me think of the worst parts of either ancient Greece or Freud. So, I think I'll turn to a euphemism-- "snipped." Just know I use it more from social protest than squeamishness.

This was a very long and tough decision on our part (my wife and I, that is). Initially, our desire from Day One when we got Puddy was to keep him "intact" for breeding purposes (another problematic word-- will he be less of a dog after this procedure, whereas he is intact now?). The intent was to breed him with a Beagle for Puggles, since he has a few "undesirables" according to the pug breed standard (i.e., apricot-fawn coat, a bit too tall, a bit slim, etc.). He is an absolutely gorgeous specimen, and we liked the idea of a) not wasting that genetic line, and b) having a little bit of Puddy out there in the world. We have never intended to show him-- we're just too busy to focus on that like one needs to in order to succeed. However, we have since backed off of that stance and about two weeks ago I scheduled with our vet to get him snipped.

On the pro side of the issue, we have the unquestioned health benefits to Puddy. We love him so much and want to keep him around for a long time. This helps that. Also, every vet or Petsmart employee we have talked to has advocated snipping for population control reasons. We actually received a bit of a backlash from well-meaning persons suggesting that we visit the "doggie death row" at kill shelters before we breed him. Of course, no one should make a decision like this because they feel guilted into it, but there is a logical point there amidst the emotional ploy. There are thousands of dogs in that situation across America. Breeding Puddy will increase the supply of dogs outside of kill shelters, which will decrease the demand for dogs inside kill shelters, which will contribute (albeit indirectly) to more dogs being euthanized at these places. Then there were practicality concerns. We liked the idea of perpetuating Puddy's genetic line, but we weren't going to take any of the Puggles (we have set an iron-clad two-dog rule in our house). Also, while there is usually a financial arrangement set up between the owners, it is rarely (if ever) significant. In fact, the more profitable it would be for us (meaning, the more times we stud him), the more logical force the "death row" argument gets.

Finally, we have noticed Puddy developing some strongly testosterone-driven traits. He is not marking, but he is "dominant" everywhere, and frequently with Snoufer. This ranges from mounting to increased territoriality to possessiveness/aggressiveness with toys and food. In fact, Snoufer and him are getting along a good deal less cordially since Puddy has hit about 5-6 months. Also, he is absolutely "wired" 24-7. He reacts to every sound, he sprints recklessly around the house (often leading to collisions), and it is hard to get him to sit still for much more than a few seconds. One of my favorite things about him when he was little was whenever we would sit on the ground, he would immediately crawl in our lap and stay there until we removed him. It absolutely melted my heart. However, once he hit 5-6 months, he rejected this entirely. He does not snuggle, even when tired. We are hoping that getting him snipped will address some of these issues. Major caveat: WE DO NOT WANT HIM TO CHANGE SIGNIFICANTLY. We like not having an overweight dog, we like having a dog that can at least keep up with Snoufer, and we don't want a dog that is attached to us 24-7. We picked Puddy out of his litter-mates because he showed an independent and adventurous spirit, and we DO NOT want to lose that. I am just worried about the trends I see developing, since my family had a Scottish Terrier when I was in High School who became so testosterone-driven that he could not enjoy life. And, for our part, we were less able to enjoy him.

On the con side of the issue, I am terrified of putting my little guy under anaesthesia. This is an irrational fear, and I know it. Snoufer came through fine, so do thousands more each day. Yet, when it comes to Puddy, 1/10 of 1% is enough to cause my stomach to churn. Also, there is still the lingering desire my wife and I had initially to breed him which, while being outweighed by other considerations, is nonetheless as strong as ever. There is also the concern that the personality changes will be too drastic. Finally (and I don't know how to put this other than boldfaced and blatantly), I am a guy. Being in the field of psychology, I am very familiar with Freud and his concept of "castration anxiety" (it is one of the main drives for the Oedipus Complex, if anyone cares). While he is in many ways a crackpot and a nutjob, he's got a nugget of gold stuck in the rough here. It wierds me out-- I'll admit it.

None of these cons are enough to make me not get Puddy snipped. The logic is just too strong on the other side. However, they are plenty more than enough to cause me many sleep-deprived hours and an emotional roller-coaster the past few weeks. I know I'm doing the right thing; it just hasn't sunk into my gut yet. So why am I posting this? Not really sure. Part of it is catharsis, part of it is to let you know what's going on, part of it is to grope in the dark for reassurance, and part of it is because I like the sound of my own thoughts a bit too much. Take it for what you will. In any case, I welcome and crave everyone's prayers, good thoughts, well-wishes, and/or personal stories. I'll update with news and pictures as I can and feel like it. I may need to dig into the archives, though-- there's only so many pictures one can take of a pug with a cone around his head giving you the "Glummy face" from the couch. In the meantime, here are some pictures of Puddy and Snoufer.


Seriously Dad, it's not as funny as you think.


Oooh! Look at my new toy! I love this thing.

So does Snoufer.


Look at my proud pug stance-- protecting the family, one intruder at a time.

And saving the best for last to celebrate the start of the football season...

Hey, if Jason Taylor can be on Dancing With the Stars, so can I!

Boycott of Four Paws Toy Company

This is Puddleglum's dad.

I ran across a story on Olive's blog, and feel compelled to take action and share it with everyone.

The original story can be found at The Chai Story, and is heartbreaking. WARNING! Some of the pictures/videos are incredibly difficult and graphic. I do not know if this woman's story is altogether true; there are obviously always two sides. However, the behavior she describes of the company-- Four Paws-- is not at all uncommon or unbelievable. In any case, I believe the story she tells of her dog and the pictures she provides. The company claims that they have enacted a voluntary recall, but my local pet store still carries the product (and has no recall warning posted). In addition, as of today (Thursday August 21, 2008), the toy is still listed on the company's website.


**Edit** I initially called for a boycott of this company's products, but I have since contacted the company and they told me that they sent out the information to their distributors yesterday, which would give little time for the information to appear today. I also suggested to her that while the products are not available on the website for purchase, there should be a notification listed on the website of the unsafe toy and the progress being made toward its rectification. The lady was very open to this idea and promised that this would occur. **End Edit**

This is scary to me because I remember that our Scottish Terrier my family had when I was in high school played with a toy very similar to this one (I don't know if the company was the same one). I remember a few times where he had minor difficulty getting it out of his mouth, which I attributed at the time as being of the same variety as eating his own poop and vomit-- silly, odd behavior (I was in high school, remember?). Fortunately, nothing serious happened, and as this link shows, not all encounters end up as poorly as Chai's did. However, the potential is there, and everyone should IMMEDIATELY throw away this toy if they have it in their dog's stash.

Until evidence can be provided that this problem has been solved, I encourage everyone to write a letter of solidarity and avoid all Four Paws products. There are plenty of better toys and better companies out there. I enclose at the end a copy of the letter I sent to the CEO, who can be contacted via email at hbirk[at]fourpaws[dot]com, or by phone at (631) 434-1100.

Mr. Allen Simon,

I recently read of the injury sustained by several dogs while playing with a toy your company manufactures-- Pimple Ball with Bell (Item #20227-001, UPC Code 0 4566320227 9). This toy is unsafe in its design and should be recalled from toy shelves. I am personally enacting a boycott of your entire product line. Furthermore, I am encouraging this boycott of all your products to all whom I can contact via the blogosphere, the Internet, in stores, or interpersonally. This will be in effect until you physically recall the unsafe toy and issue a written warning on your website.

Sincerely,

G. Spencer Owen

Thoughtful Thursday

Here's an idea I got from Wilson and Henry that I think is grand for my Thoughtful Thursday this week!

1) Bold those you have read.
2) Italicize those you intend to read.
3) Underline the books you LOVE.
4) Reprint this list in your own blog.

and I'll add a 5th:

5) Put 5 asterisks (5 stars!) beside ones that are in your top 10 ever (not all 10 necessarily on the list)

1 Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen*****
2 The Lord of the Rings - JRR Tolkien *****
3 Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte
4 Harry Potter series - JK Rowling *****
5 To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee
6 The Bible
7 Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte
8 Nineteen Eighty Four - George Orwell
9 His Dark Materials - Philip Pullman
10 Great Expectations - Charles Dickens
11 Little Women - Louisa M Alcott
12 Tess of the D'Urbervilles - Thomas Hardy
13 Catch 22 - Joseph Heller
14 Complete Works of Shakespeare
15 Rebecca - Daphne Du Maurier
16 The Hobbit - JRR Tolkien
17 Birdsong - Sebastian Faulks
18 Catcher in the Rye - JD Salinger
19 The Time Traveller's Wife - Audrey Niffenegger
20 Middlemarch - George Eliot
21 Gone With The Wind - Margaret Mitchell
22 The Great Gatsby - F Scott Fitzgerald
23 Bleak House - Charles Dickens
24 War and Peace - Leo Tolstoy
25 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams *****
26 Brideshead Revisited - Evelyn Waugh
27 Crime and Punishment - Fyodor Dostoyevsky
28 Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck
29 Alice in Wonderland - Lewis Carroll
30 The Wind in the Willows - Kenneth Grahame
31 Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy *****
32 David Copperfield - Charles Dickens
33 Chronicles of Narnia - CS Lewis *****
34 Emma - Jane Austen
35 Persuasion - Jane Austen
36 The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe - CS Lewis
37 The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini
38 Captain Corelli's Mandolin - Louis De Bernieres
39 Memoirs of a Geisha - Arthur Golden
40 Winnie the Pooh - AA Milne
41 Animal Farm - George Orwell
42 The Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown
43 One Hundred Years of Solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
44 A Prayer for Owen Meaney - John Irving
45 The Woman in White - Wilkie Collins
46 Anne of Green Gables - LM Montgomery
47 Far From The Madding Crowd - Thomas Hardy *****
48 The Handmaid's Tale - Margaret Atwood
49 Lord of the Flies - William Golding
50 Atonement - Ian McEwan
51 Life of Pi - Yann Martel
52 Dune - Frank Herbert
53 Cold Comfort Farm - Stella Gibbons
54 Sense and Sensibility - Jane Austen
55 A Suitable Boy - Vikram Seth
56 The Shadow of the Wind - Carlos Ruiz Zafon
57 A Tale Of Two Cities - Charles Dickens
58 Brave New World - Aldous Huxley
59 The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time - Mark Haddon
60 Love In The Time Of Cholera - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
61 Of Mice and Men - John Steinbeck
62 Lolita - Vladimir Nabokov
63 The Secret History - Donna Tartt
64 The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold
65 Count of Monte Cristo - Alexandre Dumas
66 On The Road - Jack Kerouac
67 Jude the Obscure - Thomas Hardy
68 Bridget Jones's Diary - Helen Fielding
69 Midnight's Children - Salman Rushdie
70 Moby Dick - Herman Melville
71 Oliver Twist - Charles Dickens
72 Dracula - Bram Stoker
73 The Secret Garden - Frances Hodgson Burnett
74 Notes From A Small Island - Bill Bryson
75 Ulysses - James Joyce
76 The Bell Jar - Sylvia Plath
77 Swallows and Amazons - Arthur Ransome
78 Germinal - Emile Zola
79 Vanity Fair - William Makepeace Thackeray *****
80 Possession - AS Byatt
81 A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens
82 Cloud Atlas - David Mitchell
83 The Color Purple - Alice Walker
84 The Remains of the Day - Kazuo Ishiguro
85 Madame Bovary - Gustave Flaubert
86 A Fine Balance - Rohinton Mistry
87 Charlotte's Web - EB White
88 The Five People You Meet In Heaven - Mitch Albom
89 Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
90 The Faraway Tree Collection - Enid Blyton
91 Heart of Darkness - Joseph Conrad
92 The Little Prince - Antoine De Saint-Exupery
93 The Wasp Factory - Iain Banks
94 Watership Down - Richard Adams
95 A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole
96 A Town Like Alice - Nevil Shute
97 The Three Musketeers - Alexandre Dumas
98 Hamlet - William Shakespeare
99 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Roald Dahl
100 Les Miserables - Victor Hugo *****

If you'll notice, I have 9 starred items-- this is a good list! I would probably round out my top 10 with Paradise Lost. Honorary mentions include Last of the Mohicans, Farenheit 451, The Brothers Karamazov, The Iliad, and Pygmalion (I know, it's a play, but I'm still right, so there).

Anyone who wants to do this on their own blog is welcome!

Thoughtful Thursday

Hello!

I am taking an idea from my good friends Napoleon and Rukia and am going to do a literary review today. I like the idea a lot, so I might do it regularly as a nice change of pace from seeing pictures of me plastered all over everywhere. Besides, who doesn't like to read?!

A little bit of background first: Mom and Dad LOVE to read. But, they really don't like much of anything that is "modern" (Harry Potter being a notable exception). They have an enormous collection of classic books and read them pretty much exclusively. Dad sits in his "Papa Chair"-- the big comfy chair in the living room that I like to poop behind-- and I sit on top of it and read over his shoulder. Yes, I can read. But don't tell my humans. They have the usual canine prejudice, thinking we can't understand human language, but I find it's quite useful. It can get me out of sticky situations. But I digress...

Rather than focus on one book today as the first post of this kind, let me tell you a bit about my literary tastes. I like English literature the most, Russian literature second, and French literature third. I am ambivalent about American literature-- it's pretty hit-or-miss with me there. Spanish literature seems to me to have many of the flaws of French literature with few of its benefits. Eastern (i.e., Indo-Chinese, Arabic) I haven't read enough of to judge, but I don't really get into what I have read. African is intriguing enough that I want to read more. The "Big Three," however, are still my favorite.

English literature is so delicious. Whether its a comedy of manners (Austen, Wilde) or a pastoral romance (Hardy, Wharton), a social drama (Bronte, Forster) or a social critique (Lawrence, Dickens), I love them all! I also really get into the more fringe genres, such as mystery (Chesterton, Doyle), poetry (Milton, Donne), and science fiction (Wells). More than anything else, I just love the sophisticated and sensible air that permeates all English literature. Even (perhaps especially) when the book is poking fun at that very thing! Jane Austen, Thomas Hardy, and D. H. Lawrence are my favorites here. I read these in a "Puddy" mood.

Russian literature is my "Glummy" mood fare. The characters are so intense, fiery, and tragic. The backdrop is often bleak and morose, but the interesting thing is that it is not nihilistic. It still retains hope, often in the face of contradiction. That, I think, is what is so intriguing about Russian literature to me. Fyodor Dostoevsky, Leo Tolstoy, and Anton Chekhov are my favorites here.

French literature is a bit of an enigma to me, and its unpredictable nature is probably why it is in the "Big Three" for me. It ranges everywhere from intimate tragedies (Flaubert) to multi-volume episodic novels (Proust, Balzac), from pure adrenaline adventure (Orczy, Dumas) to sweeping historical epic (Hugo, Stendhal). There also is an absence of one defining style among the disparate genres, like there is in English literature. I love the passion of the characters and the way the writing sweeps you into the world so thoroughly. Hugo, Dumas, and Flaubert are my favorites.

Maybe you can see now why I like reading so much! Besides giving me time to hang out with Dad, it really is something I deeply enjoy and recommend to all my puggy friends out there. Don't get me wrong-- I love watching movies just like everyone else. I just appreciate the depth and richness of books as well. They're not just for chewing, I promise.

And just to end things on a light note-- Do any of your humans think you sit bizarrely? My Mom and Dad think I do.