The Age of Innocence

  The Age of Innoncence by Edith Wharton was the 1921 winner of the Pulitzer Prize.  Thankfully, it was much better than the movie (which after all the movies I’ve seen that failed to measure up to the book, I really should haven’t let that give me pause).  I imagined that this would be an epic struggle me against the book, but it was quite good.  The main characters, Madame Ellen Olenska and Newland Archer, struggle with morality, ideals about individual freedom, and society’s social mores as they deal with their feelings for each other (Newland is married to Ellen’s cousin, which does make things a bit awkward).  I often find older novels to be a bit to dramatic to the point of maudlin with their stories, and while this one strayed close to the edge, it didn’t go over it (unlike the movie *insert eye roll here*).  The points concerning personal freedoms and following your heart (or lust as the case may be) are still pertinent in today’s world, making this a good read for anyone.

Olive Kitteridge

This was the Pulitzer Prize winner for 2009.  I hated it.  I know it got 4 out of 5 stars in 289 reviews on Amazon, but it was so freakin' depressing I felt like shooting myself after most of the stories.  It is a collection of 13 stories in which Olive Kitteridge makes an appearance.  A character study done in an unusual way you get to know her through her own story and as a peripheral character in others' stories.  It ends on the barest of hopeful notes which was not enough for me after slogging through 270 pages.  50% of the stories and nearly all the first 8 feature stories of infidelity disguised as the search for love.  In every instance, it is excused away (Perhaps Tiger Woods has read this book).  I will give the author props on this--it is very well written.  She walks that fine line of evocative writing without being so caught up in her own turn of phrase that you end up rolling your eyes.  If you're looking for tales of despair and woe with a bone of hopefulness at the end, check this out.  Otherwise, pass.

Tales of the South Pacific-1948 Pulitzer Prize

In a fit of Psalms exhaustion, I put down the Bible last week.  I was going to hang out at my parents’ pool and the Bible I own does not lend itself to poolside reading, being leather and somewhat large.   So I swiped Tales of the South Pacific off the shelf.  I didn’t know much about it except it was the basis for the Rogers and Hammerstein musical South Pacific, which I love.**  Nothing about war is prettied up here; neither is there gratuitous gore that seems to go along with so many war themed stories.  Racism and love, courage and fear, death and life march through the stories with sometimes devastating and sometimes glorious results.  I laughed, cried, and thanked God for everyone who volunteers to go to war.

**Let me just say now that if you can’t understand how perfectly logical (and fabulous) it is for everyone to break into song in the midst of everyday life, you have my sympathies.