I'm not posting this book for you to read, but it's having a profound effect on me and I had to share. I'm reading The Idiot by Fyodor Dosteovsky , written in the 1800's. The main character reminds me SO much of Michael Jackson, although this character has nothing to do with the music industry. He LOVES children and feels himself only around them. He has the same innocence and sweetness that Michael had. And he was used and betrayed for his money, just like MJ. It's a rather long book (over 600 pages), although I didn't realize it, since it's part of a collection of Dosteovsky's books on kindle, so u can't tell how long the book is. Something pushed me to read this book NOW. Again, what I say that we're being guided into what to read and research. I was actually going to start another book (while I wait for u to start Shopaholic), but I kept coming back to this one, so I decided I'd read it along with the other book AND shopaholic,lol Now I'm so hooked on this one, I can't leave it alone1 LOL I'm still going to read shopaholic along with u, but my third book will be on hold. The main character's name is Prince Myshkin. How they describe him is like describing Michael . It's just amazing. He comes across as an idiot to other people because of his innocent views on life, but he's definitely NOT one. It's making me cry in some parts, honest.
In one part, he tells the story of "Marie". For 3 years he lived in Switzerland, and over there , he befriended children. He attracted children coz he talked to them like he was one of them, and he listened to them. He told the adults that , as adults, we should learn from children, and not the other way around ( a school master even called Myshkin a child in a man's body, lol where have we heard that before? ) Anyway, there was a girl in the village called Marie, and she fell in love with someone and ran away with him , but after a week, he dumped her. She came back to the village, but everyone, including her own mother, shunned her "for her sins". She had no food and no clothes, slept in the doorway of her own home, and anywhere she went, people pretty much cursed at her and had nothing to do with her. Anyway, Myshkin felt bad for this girl, and so he secretly gave her bits of money (at the time, he didn't have much). He also made the children see that this girl wasn't bad or sinful, but just unhappy. The children then fell in love with Marie, much to the anger of the adults of the village. They sneaked food to her, and even clothes. Marie became sick and was eventually bedridden. No one in the village went to take care of her (her own mother had died already). So the children took turns sneaking into the house and caring for her. The children truly made Marie happy at the end. She died happy because of the children and Myshkin. Gosh, made me cry! LOL
This is one of those stories that u just can't keep inside , and have to share. It's not easy to read, coz it's written in old language, but I'm used to reading old classics like this.
“The novel begins with three strangers in a train en route to Petersburg. A young man named Prince Myshkin is returning from a Swiss sanatoriumwhere he has been treated for the past few years for some malady similar to epilepsy. He meets a roguish young man named Rogozhin, who has an unhealthy obsession with a beautiful young woman named Nastasya Filippovna, and a nosy government official named Lebedyev, who figures prominently throughout the novel.
In one part, he tells the story of "Marie". For 3 years he lived in Switzerland, and over there , he befriended children. He attracted children coz he talked to them like he was one of them, and he listened to them. He told the adults that , as adults, we should learn from children, and not the other way around ( a school master even called Myshkin a child in a man's body, lol where have we heard that before? ) Anyway, there was a girl in the village called Marie, and she fell in love with someone and ran away with him , but after a week, he dumped her. She came back to the village, but everyone, including her own mother, shunned her "for her sins". She had no food and no clothes, slept in the doorway of her own home, and anywhere she went, people pretty much cursed at her and had nothing to do with her. Anyway, Myshkin felt bad for this girl, and so he secretly gave her bits of money (at the time, he didn't have much). He also made the children see that this girl wasn't bad or sinful, but just unhappy. The children then fell in love with Marie, much to the anger of the adults of the village. They sneaked food to her, and even clothes. Marie became sick and was eventually bedridden. No one in the village went to take care of her (her own mother had died already). So the children took turns sneaking into the house and caring for her. The children truly made Marie happy at the end. She died happy because of the children and Myshkin. Gosh, made me cry! LOL
This is one of those stories that u just can't keep inside , and have to share. It's not easy to read, coz it's written in old language, but I'm used to reading old classics like this.
“The novel begins with three strangers in a train en route to Petersburg. A young man named Prince Myshkin is returning from a Swiss sanatoriumwhere he has been treated for the past few years for some malady similar to epilepsy. He meets a roguish young man named Rogozhin, who has an unhealthy obsession with a beautiful young woman named Nastasya Filippovna, and a nosy government official named Lebedyev, who figures prominently throughout the novel.
Upon arriving in Petersburg, Myshkin acquaints himself with many of the citizens and eventually meets, and is infatuated by, Nastasya. She is pushy, fickle, and impetuous, and bounces from fiance to fiance like a fortune hunter. Her irresistibility and psychological stronghold on the men in her life leads to her downfall.
The basis of the novel is that Myshkin is not bright, has not had much education, and traverses society with a mentality of simplistic innocence. When speaking his opinion, he struggles to articulate himself with Charlie Brown-like stammering and wishy-washiness. For this reason, people consider him an idiot, but he is a good, honest, sympathetic, and gracious person. When he comes into a large inheritance, he is blackmailed by a man who claims to be the illegitimate son of Myshkin’s benefactor; but when the man’s story is debunked, Myshkin befriends rather than chastises the culprit and his accomplices. Myshkin also falls in love with and becomes betrothed to a giddy girl named Aglaia, who uses his ingenuousness as a foil for her jokes and sarcasm, despite his undying devotion to her.
The novel seems to say that a saintly man, making his way in a society that is concerned with materialism and cutthroat avarice, will be considered a childish idiot for valuing honesty, kindness, and the simple things in life. The ending is a shocker and sends a plaintive message, that in a crazy world, a sanatorium is the only place for a saint.” Comment from A.J. (Maryland) amazon.com
Sounds really touching this story and even freakier when you mentioned MJ, I dreamed of him last night and haven´t done that in a while. So you writing to me about a book that is a similar to his was kind of freaky!!!!!!!! Well what can we say Grace, we have a feeling of things and it´s getting stronger the whole time. I will start the shopaholic this week, I feel better so now I might have better energy. Thank you for sharing this one with me. If you cried reading it, I can only imagine me weaping through it.
ReplyDeleteIf there's one thing I've learned over these past 2 years , it's that there are signs all around us, and we need to have our eyes open to see them. Dreams, reading books such as these, are all signs, and guidance of some sort. What it's "guiding" me too, I don't know yet, but I know it's leading somewhere. And the fact that we both have MJ on our mind (or dreams), it means something. Don't know what it is yet, but let's see where this "adventure" leads us to...
ReplyDeleteI haven't read much over the past couple of days, but this book is fantastic. It's long, so it's not one of those I'll read in a couple of days,lol Besides, I am also going to read shopaholic at the same time. This book is emotional, so have to take a break from it from time to time, that's when something light like shopaholic comes in,lol
That is a good idea to have something funny to read especially if the other one is sad and making you emotional. I know the feeling but then again all of these emotions makes us alive and feel and that is the best in life, IMO.
ReplyDeleteI will read some more of shopaholic today too and then we can talk about a whole other kind of book then da vinci code!!!!
You are right about dreams as well. I have told you from start that it strongly has its meaning, no longer avoidable and no longer something we can just forget. Instead we have to see the signs and figure out what they are about.
There are signs everywhere! Our dreams are big ones, except me, personally, it's rare I remember my dreams,lol But there are other signs. And sometimes they're little things that if u didn't have ur eyes open, u wouldn't see. It can be things like a phrase someone says just at the right time, or something that caught ur eye in a store window, or a link or picture u saw online. All kinds of signs. I'm not sure I'm explaining it right, but let me give u an example: as u know I've been reading a lot about spirituality/religion/bible etc. All of a sudden, it seems random people are either saying something or showing me something, that has to do with that subject, and they don't do it deliberately nor do they know it's a subject I'm interested in . But the info I get is exactly what I was looking for, or it answers questions I had, or it leads me to find other things.
ReplyDeleteAnd other times, it's objects that are signs. For example, this summer, I was walking downtown and I was feeling kind of sad or down, I walk by a store window, and there was a t-shirt that said something like this: "Smile--life is but a game " It made me smile coz isn't that what I say all the time? LOL It changed my mood. That's what I mean, little tiny signs that if u weren't "aware" u wouldn't notice. or u'd say its coincidence, but they're not. NOTHING is coincidence.
So, have u read a bit of the book? Has it made u laugh yet? LOL I just love her "reasoning" with shopping,lol
The part that you just described was like reading something I could have written myself. In other words I get completely what you are saying. I´m the signal girl, believe me. I see all and everything like that and on a daily basis. I have always lived a life full on signals from songs, movies, people, stores, clubs, dreams..... and the strangest things have happened to me this way. But as I have told you before I see it as a gift. It means we are not only messengers but also receivers. I have this sense and it´s connected to a world I cannot understand in a whole yet. I´m getting there and together we will figure more of it, I´m sure of that :D
ReplyDeleteI did start the book, read the first chapter today and OMG!!!!! it´s hilarious. Will post about it seperetaly.