2021, books I've read. My Humanities Journey
Hello everyone, this will be a short and simple blog about a few books I've read this year. Don't get too excited, as I'm not much of a reader, and especially living in a tiny apartment with 5 other family members, I can barely find the time or space to focus on reading any more than what is required of me. To the people like me who sometimes find it embarrassing to admit, you're not alone, reading isn't for everyone, some of us prefer to digest information and stories by other means, and that is ok.
This book is by far my favorite this year. I found myself laughing from the very first scene and overall enjoying the story. Beaumarchais has a good sense of humor but is also very smart at finding a way to present real political issues of his time in a satirical way, enough to get his story banned for 7 years. Unlike most stories that are focused on delivering a message, this one is also able to tackle moving the plot at a rapid pace for it to remain entertaining, yet stable enough for the reader not to get distracted. The overall story is short but is packed with many exciting scenes and some mad plot twists. I read Bernard Sahlins' translated version of the book which made it much easier to understand It will have you laughing but still at the edge of your seat!
This book was an interesting read, though knowing that it was written by Machiavelli for the king during his time in exile made the book a bit less impactful. The notion that the writing wasn't truly what he was passionate about made reading it less grounded. Though, for a writer that was didn't truly believe what he was writing, he is very good at giving convincing arguments. While I knew that the qualities he suggests for a ruler to be a good one were written to appease his case, and knowing that I disagreed with them, I found myself nodding at what I'm reading because Machiavelli is great at giving logical explanations behind every point.
William Shakespeare, Hamlet, 1609, Cliff's Complete Hamlet, Cliffsnotes. Commentary by Terri Mategrano.
This book honestly surprised me. I was nervous about reading Shakespeare, and already knew the ending, so I wasn't expecting anything when I got into it. It must be said, Hamlet is written in an almost perfect way, he is a character that I couldn't help but sympathize with even when I was disappointed in him or disagreed with him. It is not a surprise that Shakespeare is a good writer, but this book, was a magnificent read. I was invested in the plot, and clearly saw the effect of Elizabethian England on it. Especially Cliff's Notes version of the book that made it much easier to revise each plot in a more comprehensive way. This book will have you invested in the story more than you want to be, but it won't be helped because each Act is better than the one before it. Below is a link to a series of videos that helped me get through the story with more ease.
I took a humanities class this semester and all the books I read were assigned in that class. To be quite honest, I expected this class to throw a lot of information my way, names of artists, and pieces of art, dates and facts, which I wasn't excited to memorize. I set a goal to just survive the class as I have for past humanities classes, and just get through my assignments and get the grade I needed. Quickly into the class, I realized that it was going to be different, as it was more focused on gaining a general idea about a topic with more qualitative learning than quantitative. I set new goals which were to try and engage in the class as much as possible to leave it with new knowledge that will come to help me truly understand the history of humanities.
I mostly enjoyed the blog, and the discussions as they were a way for me to apply my learning and that really helped the information stick. This class taught me a lot about pieces of art and writing that have influenced pop culture as we know it today, which was very interesting. I mean, who knew Hamlet inspired the Lion King? Now as I've basically finished the class, I can truly say that I've gained a new fondness for Humanities classes and humanities as a subject. It's not just information about pieces of art, it's the analysis of art, its context, and its effects on the world around it. I'm pleased to report that I've met the goals I've set, and some more.
