Love & Adventure

Before my departure I was asked a lot about what I was most looking forward to. My response - reading. I've read less than expected because most of the time I've been trying to be truly present to experience my surroundings but once the sun sets I feel less guilty about indulging. I've managed to get through three books in this order.

Pride & Prejudice, Jane Austen
This awkward, classic long love story kept me company from Charlotte up until my first few days in Rarotonga. It was little more than an entertaining story for me, but did induce a few reflections/learnings.
1. While it's clear that men were considered superior in the time period of this book (~1800?), I was surprised at how much power the women seemed to have. But the power seemed to rely on how "handsome" and talented the woman was. The main character Elizabeth unintentionally won her more wealthy man with her wit and personality, but this seemed to be an anomaly. More than two hundred years has passed since the novel was written but the game of love hasn't changed very much.
2. Related to my first thought, I enjoyed partaking in girl talk, even as only an outside observer. I have an "ice queen" reputation but my girlfriends would defend that I have feelings! It was only a week ago that I was in the company of a close girlfriend but I already miss them and our conversations dearly.
There was one passage in particular that made me crave their company because it made me reflect on my behaviors in a way that usually only they can do.
"It was generally evident whenever they met, that he did admire her and to her it was equally evident that Jane was yielding to the preference which she had begun to entertain for him from the first, and was in a way to be very much in love; but she considered with pleasure that it was not likely to be discovered by the world in general, since Jane united, with great strength of feeling, a composure of temper and a uniform cheerfulness of manner which would guard her from the suspicions of the impertinent. She mentioned this to her friend Miss Lucas.
'It may perhaps be pleasant,' replied Charlotte, 'to be able to impose on the public in such a case; but it is sometimes a disadvantage to be so very guarded. If a woman conceals her affection with the same skill from the object of it, she may lose the opportunity of fixing him; and it then be but poor consolation to believe the world equally in the dark. There is so much of gratitude or vanity in almost every attachment, that it is not safe to leave any to itself. We can all begin freely--a slight preference is natural enough; but there are very few of us who have heart enough to be really invoke without encouragement. In nine cases out of ten a woman had better show more affection than she feels. Bingley likes your sister undoubtedly; but may never do more than like her, if she does not help him on' "
I'm not insinuating that I agree with the talk, only that I would enjoy talking with my girlfriends about this over brunch. Miss you girls!
3. Reading a longish book written in English English helped me pick up the language being spoken all around me by Brits, Kiwis, Aussies and Cook Islanders. It's interesting that our language all originates from England yet it can be so different. I was talking with an local here in Rarotonga the other night and he casually used the word fortnight. I know from reading this book that fortnight means fourteen nights, two weeks. It's also one of the perks of reading it on the kindle - built-in dictionary!

Super Sad True Love Story, Gary Shteyngart
This book was straight up weird. If I hadn't added it to my Amazon wish-list over a year ago after reading an excerpt in The New Yorker I probably wouldn't have picked it up or finished it. As it was, I was curious to know why I had added it to the list. I only put books on there that I really want to read or someone I respect recommended. In the end I'm glad I read it and very much wish I had a book club to debrief it. I might try to get a group of friends together upon my return to read this, 1984, The Handmaid's Tale and watch Disney Pixar's Wall-E. And maybe throw in The Hunger Games series as well. The combination of this media would probably result in an interesting dialogue about war, power and the future.
What's eerie about this book are the similarities with the Occupy Wall Street movement that happened after publication.
Weird book indeed, but also a truly insightful commentary on our misguided values (commercialism, immediate gratification...), general blind indifference to corporations and politics and just blatant lack of awareness.
I promise this entry is not meant to be an ad for Amazon but I can't help mentioning that reading Super Sad Love Story on a Kindle added to the weirdness. In the book physical novels are a thing of the past - everything is consumed electronically.
There is so much more to comment on - the choice of the word apparatus, the existence of cash (and the Yuan being the strongest dollar), the obsession for youth, the role of family, the free access to private data, only men in positions of power - but my guess is it's all been covered by the real book reviewers and I doubt my comments will uncover any new reflections.

Treasure Island, Robert Louis Stevenson
There was a raging storm in Rarotonga that kept me indoors for the entire day on Sunday - the perfect opportunity to read a story cover to cover. I only took breaks to watch episodes of Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman's show "Long Way Round" about their motorbike adventure around the world. When watching the show and reading the book I couldn't help but think about the lack of romantic relationships in each, they were pure old fashioned boy adventure. Refreshing.
They obviously have some parallels with my current adventure - a trip around the world for the fun of it, time spent on a tiny mountainous island.
I enjoyed the story. I'm not sure where the modern day Pirates of the Caribbean (Davy Jones, yo ho ho and a bottle of rum, etc) and other pirate references originated from but this older story seem to have them all - including the wooden-legged Long John Silver with a parrot on his shoulder.
I was surprised by the relative simplicity of the story but was only disappointed by the ending. Probably because I was ready for the story to continue.
If you have any beach vacations coming up I highly recommend taking this story with you. I'd like to read it with my nephews when I visit them in Charleston this summer.