The Hunger Games.

Book Review.

Collins Suzanne.  The Hunger Games.   Scholastic Inc. 2008.

Comment.  Henry.

The reading of novels is a relatively recent addition to my reading ‘hobby’.  Friends have loaned me their copies.  This novel was recommended and I got a copy from the library after waiting several months for my request.  So it is a very popular book.  I have heard comments about the movie version.

The reading of this novel was endurance for me and upset me more than I would normally be prepared to admit.  I abhor violence.  Commercials for horror movies are muted immediately.  To have violence as a major theme is bad enough but to have children at the centre of that violence and have the viewing of that violence mandatory for the general population is a totally unacceptable plot for me.  This is taking the immorality of the Roman arena slaughterhouse to an insane level.  My guess is that the movie is an animation.  (I don’t need to know.)  That raises my level of concern.  Children are being conditioned (brainwashed) to violence through video games and that should be a concern for parents and grandparents.  Killing should never become a spectator sport no matter what level of communication.    

So there you have it!  It is very unlikely that I will read the other books of the series.  Now if there is someone out there that is exercised about helping me with my “prejudice” I welcome your responses.

henrydirksen.blogspot.com

The Old Man And The Sea

Book Review.

Hemingway, Ernest.  The Old Man And The Sea.  Charles Scriber’s Sons Pub.  1952.

Comment. Henry.

A (retired) friend loaned me his copy of this book that he had as a text book in his high school days.  I enjoyed reading this classic.  The struggle of the old fisherman to do one more fishing excursion (by himself) to catch the really big fish makes for a pleasant reading experience.  The fact that he lost the fish to predators on his way back to shore does not take away from his accomplishment as a fisherman.  His relationship with “the boy” adds a meaningful cross-generational element to the novel.  Hemingway is an author that I have added to my book-search hobby.

henrydirksen.blogspot.com

The Long Ride

Book Review.

Tyson, Ian.  The Long Trail.  My life in the West.  Random House Canada (Pub.) 2010.

I.T.-  One of North America’s most respected singer-songwriters.  A recipient of the Order of Canada.  A legitimate working cowboy with cowboy skills.

Comment.  Henry.

As a kid and teen-ager I loved books about cowboys and I loved cowboy songs.  As an adult may reading and music tastes changed.  I have no memory of the music of this ‘famous’ cowboy, Ian Tyson.  When I saw this biography on the library shelf I had to read it ‘for old times’ sake’.

Ian’s story is typical of those who seek for fulfillment and meaning in the life they have been given.  His story is unique because he was a working singing cowboy.  His life style is also considered typical as a tough hard living cowboy.  (There actually were, are, Christian cowboys also.)    It would probably be fair to say that Ian is a self-made man.  Unfortunately as so often happens, self-made men tend to worship their creators.  

Ian’s life reflects the wholesomeness of a strong work ethic and a commitment to doing what he knows to be right.  He exemplifies how a relatively small amount of talent can be maximized through hard work. 

Ian sums up his philosophy of life as follows.  “Life is a series of mistakes and corrections.  The best you can do is honor the truth.  That sounds easy, but it isn’t.  We all have different interpretations of the truth and we all mould truth to suit our needs. It’s part of the human condition.”

The Bond