Book Nook~ Turning the Pages: A Journey Through Reading...

Our Book Nook is a 'Read and Respond' blog. We have incorporatated this interactive space that fosters rich discussions and personal enlightenment around "The Joys of Reading." This platform provides you, as a reader the opportunity for us to engage with the material, share in our perspectives, and ultimately, discover the transformative power of books.

 For our first blog post, we are going to feature some classic literature. We think it is a fantastic plan for our Book Nook blog! As we move forward, we will provide opportunity for you to share your current read and mini-review and/or a passage and thought provoking question. We appreciate you taking this Senior

journey with us:)

Passages to Spark Discussion:

Here are a few thought-provoking passages from various books, each with a question to ignite conversation and enlightment, and how the words resonate with you. Thank you for sharing.

Passage #1: Note: The exact wording of the entire passage containing "I have bought your soul from you" in Les Misérables might vary slightly depending on the specific translation you're referencing. Here's a common version:

"Keep the candlesticks, Jean Valjean. They are silver, as I told you, and worth about two hundred francs. Take them, and don't forget that you have promised to use the money to become an honest man. Jean Valjean, my brother: you no longer belong to darkness, you belong to light. I have bought your soul from you. I have withdrawn it from the forces of evil and I have given it to God."

Passage #1: When this happens in the book, 'Les Miserables' by Victor Hugo what reaction, enlightment, and words resonate to you?

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Passage #2: This is the iconic opening paragraph of Charles Dickens' novel, A Tale of Two Cities. It paints a vivid picture of a time filled with contradictions and extremes. 

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair."

Does this passage resonate with any particular historical event or theme for you? How do these contrasting ideas make you feel about the story to come?

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Passage #3:  This powerful passage often resonates with readers on many levels, offering a timeless message about self-acceptance and authenticity.“I know what society expects of seniors, but I often try to break the 'mold'... as I haven't turned completely green yet! LOL

"No need to hurry. No need to sparkle. No need to be anyone but oneself.” -Virginia Woolf, A Room of One’s Own

How does this this passage written by a woman, Virginia Woolf connect to yourself, or to others, or to the power of literature?

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