Quotes

Last week in bookgroup when we were discussing "Life is So Good" my good friend Rosanne Keeler mentioned this quote: "It does not really matter what judgment we pass on a book. What matters is not what we do to the book but what the book does to us." {A. N. Wilson from "C. S. Lewis, A Biography", page 289}.

Later in the week Rosanne emailed us another quote she loved that is a quote from C.S. Lewis:
"...It is always better to read Chaucer again than to read a new criticism of him." {C.S. Lewis 'An Experiment in Criticism page 122}

In Rosanne's email she added this: "From these two quote, I have often thought about myself and the scriptures. It is always better to go to the source, read the scriptures, and to let those books change me." (Rosanne Keeler Jan, 26, 2009)

I wholeheartedly agree. So often, especially with the scriptures, we try and find another source when the best way to read them is straight from the Bible or Book of Mormon or whatever scripture you happen to be reading at the time. The same with the classics. I truly admire my son-in-laws that have read the classics, instead of just talking about reading them! If you are going to read Chaucer - read Chaucer - don't read someone else's impression of him. You will be very pleasantly surprised. When I was growing up my father had tried to get me to read Pride and Prejudice a couple of times. I wouldn't even try. I had read some Charles Dickens and the Bronte sisters books for school (and hadn't like them) and assumed they were the same thing. The day I had to read Pride and Prejudice, I could not put it down. It is still one of my favorite books to this day. I love Jane Austen! No one does Jane Austen but Jane Austen.

As humans we will always try and find the easier way. Cliff's notes and other books will always be there to help those that will not read the books. But how wonderful is the world that opens up to you when you actually open your mind to what the author is actually saying instead of someone else's interpretation. It is like going and seeing a movie for yourself and not just going by what someone has told you.