Great Expectations by Charles Dickens

 Oh, how I loved this book! Pip is a main character who develops and improves, and is surrounded by interesting characters. His sister's husband, the blacksmith Joe, is such an admirable humble character, that he is a standout. Pip's sister is mean-spirited and myopic, but she softens after an attack and becomes more benign. And Biddy is a sweet mentor for Pip who stays grounded throughout the whole story. Even the haughty and unreachable Estella is given life lessons and shows humility and softening afterwards. These wonderful characters weave in and out of the story in surprising ways; especially the reappearance of the convict who terrorized Pip as a youngster. Miss Havisham and is a bittter spinster and we see the fruits of her attitude in heart-breaking clarity. 

Obviously, I loved the characters. And the way they move in and out of the plot as it unfolds is just amazing. Many times I would pause and marvel at Dickens' ability to pick up loose threads in unpredictable ways. I think I enjoyed this one more than David Copperfield...but that could be because I was a little more conversant with Dickens' sometimes hard to decipher prose. 

I liked especially seeing Pip notice his conscience and then over-rule it. We could sense he would get his come-uppence, and he did...but he even through the time of his wealth, he was generous with his good friend, and cared more about his prosperity than he did his own. His sacrifce for his friend bore sweet fruit later, and that is a wonderful moral lesson.  This friend, Herbert, saw Pip through some hard times, and I loved this sentence on page 266 of the Dover edition:

"Herbert received me with open arms, and I had never felt before so blessedly, what it is to have a friend. " When I read this, I remembered the times I have felt that with my friends Darla Whipple, Kim Hinkson, Janeanne Bischke, and Janie and Peter Berton...

It took me awhile to get into Mr. Jaggers and what he was about, and he was nicely contrasted by the sweet Wemmick. These two legal types were colorful characters, especially their home lives! What an amazing imagination Dickens has to create these characters and these milieus!!!

This is a keeper that I look forward to rereading in the not-to-distant future. I think I missed a few clues and subtleties that I would enjoy being more aware of the second time through. There are also quite a few allusions, words, and scenarios that are too foreign for me to understand. In my enjoyment of the plot and story unfolding, I didn't slow down to consult any experts; on a second reading, I would...and in fact, I'm anxious to do that. Well done, Dickens!!!

Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer

 This book was 50 cents at the Treasure Chest down the street, and since I had read many glowing reports about it, I decided to pick it up. I'm so glad I did! It's an amazing story that gives a little window into the people who risk their lives climbing mountains. It describes their conversations, their feelings, and their suffering. Krakenauer is a journalist and a clear writer, so his style suited the subject very well.

I enjoy watching documentaries of alpinists and free climbers, so this is a natural for me. I love the thought of being on the top of the world in this way. What I didn't understand was the intense training and suffering that's required to climb at such high altitudes. I always thought the Everest "base camp" was a more comfortable place and that from there, climbers ascended. It isn't all that comfortable, apparently, and there are four more camps spread out before one reaches the summit. The conditions are spartan and cold. Bodies of fallen climbers lay pretty much undisturbed in the cold. Kind of like cryotherapy!

The particular expedition that Krakauer describes was in 1996 and was a deadly one; leaving several guides and sherpas as well as clients in its wake. When a person was described, I kept flipping back to the dedication to see if this was a person who survived or succumbed. It was a fascinating story of people who refused to give up under the most trying of conditions. I also didn't realize how "stupid" and confusing people become with limited oxygen; plus there are other myriad potential deadly health problems at high altitudes. All of these were interesting, and I kept wondering, was it worth the risk? And I didn't know about the divided thought on whether bottled oxygen was a good thing to use or not... I feel like I have a better understanding now of some of the risks and controversies associated with these high-profile climbs. And how disturbing it was to read about all of the hundreds of discarded oxygen bottles littering the top of Mt. Everest.

Here's something else I should have realized, but didn't: the top of Everest is usually shrouded in its own huge, unrelenting wet, snowy and cloudy weather system, so that when you get to the top, there isn't much to see!!! And the climb is so dangerous and requires so much of you, there's wasn't much talk at all about the views or vistas or beauty around. I think it's all lost in the climb...it's too dangerous to take a look around, and even if you could, there's not a lot to see. However, Krakauer does describe the stars and that would have been wonderful to see.

I really enjoyed reading this tragic story and appreciated what seemed to be an even-handed description of some of the personalities and issues involved in such an undertaking. This has been a nice nonfiction break from my recent infatuation with Dickens' fiction.