When I was a kid I was a "bookworm" I was in the library so much that the Librarian recognized me. She quickly learned my likes and dislikes and always had a book in the shelf under her desk for me. I devoured Tom Sawyer & Huckleberry Finn. I got lost in "A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthurs Court". I loved, and still love biographies. My secret passion was for the Tarzan Series. They were not considered "good" reading, I didn't care.
A few years ago I bought an iPad 2. I quickly downloaded the Kindle Software (free) and went looking for the free books. The entire Tarzan series was out there for free. I down loaded them and found a quiet spot and read them.
There was a sadness to the "ubermench" that I had never picked up before. Tarzan was trapped between two worlds and didn't fit in either. His hut was his refuge and the only place he felt he belonged. I don't remember this aspect of the books when I read them as a kid. Does Clark Kent feel this way?
A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthurs Court was my next disappointment. Instead of being an adventure story it was - of all things - satire. I found myself laughing out loud at the satirical aspects of the book.
Darn it, Now I have to re-read all of my childhood favorites. "The Black Stallion" is still just an adventure story about a boy and his horse, isn't it?
Yes, the Black Stallion hasn't changed and the movie made of it is beautiful (both of them); great adventures that I still enjoy. I read Tarzan in my 20s and don't remember seeing sadness in it then; maybe I should look again too. Hmm. Somehow I don't see Clark Kent being drawn with too many feelings at all but there is certainly the potential there for pathos.
ReplyDeleteThe Connecticut Yankee doesn't surprise me at all, my surprise is that Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn are NOT satire :-)
My surprise was from The Lord of the Rings. i read it first when I was 11 and did i ever miss a lot! I just loved the heroic adventure aspect then and when I re-read as an adult I find it also had complicated well-drawn characters, mystery, only a touch of romance, and the characters all grew and evolved as if they were real. There is a whole well thought out history and more than a few languages in Tolkien's world that never ceases to amaze me.
If you'd like I have more adventure-type books to recommend, Howard :-)
The comment about Clark Kent was meant as a joke - perhaps not a good one. Huck Finn is a major statement about racism, I think.
ReplyDeleteI'm hooked on Clive Cussler - his books are trivial and totally insignificant - but they are fun. And your books, Sian?
Howie