August 2007 - Posts
Welcome back to the site-of-the-week feature! For those of you who are new, I (usually) find a website (or sites) of possible interest to you. Sometimes they're fun, sometimes they're educational, sometimes they will fit with one major more than another, but I think it's good to know what kinds of resources are available to us.
That being said, this week's site is something every student should know about: plagiarism. It is a serious offense to plagiarize someone else's work. In fact, it's so serious it could get you kicked out of school - and we definitely don't want that!
http://library.acadiau.ca/tutorials/plagiarism/
This site is a tutorial that you go through at your own pace. It's interactive, takes about 10 minutes, and you can choose your own player! (I think that part is way fun - you can even go through it for each player, 1 at a time of course!) When you get to the end it has links for help for that university. If you have questions or concerns about plagiarism or are just not sure what counts, see a librarian or visit with your professor. We are all more than happy to help make your papers the best they can be!
Napoleon & Josephine: The Sword & the Hummingbird
By: Gerald & Loretta Hausman
We are introduced to Rose Tascher de La Pagerie when she is 14 years old. It's her birthday and she wants to take a walk with her cousin Aimee so they can find Eliama the sorceress. She tells Rose that she "will be unhappily married and widowed" and that she "will be more than a queen" (10). Rose wasn't all that excited about the first part, but the 'more than a queen' image was a delight to her, even though she wondered exactly what it meant.
When she is 16 she goes to France to be married. Alexandre was handsome and she loved him instantly. He, on the other hand, really wasn't all that excited to be marrying someone so close to him in age. He made that very clear by being an absentee husband. He would leave Rose and go off gallivanting wherever he chose without even saying good-bye. Her only comfort was her two children, Eugene and Hortense.
Eventually, Alexandre decides he has had enough of married life and accuses Rose of being a loose woman. She is deeply mortified by this accusation as she has been completely faithful to her unfaithful husband. She moves to a convent with her children, until Alexandre comes to take Eugene away to attend school when he is 5, and she is heartbroken over the separation. She even went home to visit her family.
She returns to France during the French Revolution and is a bit shocked by the changes that are happening in the country. Her ex-husband is now the president of the National Assembly and she had nowhere to go upon her return to France. She looked up her friend Fanny and was allowed to stay there.
The Law of Suspects that was passed required a certificate to show your republican standing or you could be sent to prison. Fanny manages to procure these documents for them all, but that doesn't help Rose out in the end. In April of 1794 "anyone related to a noble became an enemy of the people" (70). This included Rose and her ex-husband as he was a vicomte and she was still a vicomtesse. He goes to jail before she does, and ends up beheaded. She is rescued by Therese de Fontenay, a fellow prisoner whose lover(?) overthrows the government. (I lost track of how many times this seems to happen, I would have to brush up on French history to tell you that, sorry!)
Rose meets the general Napoleon Bonaparte at a salon (very fashionable at the time - and it's not a hair salon, more like the entertaining room in a house). He is short, sometimes smells and changes the spelling of his name to suit his whims. He was reading palms at the salon that night, and when he read Rose's he drew "a sudden breath" (88) and gazed at her. Neither could look away from the other. She realized later that night that he never told her her fortune.
By 1795 Rose had a fine home of her own, and even she didn't know how she'd managed to do it. Her benefactor was Paul Barras, the most powerful man in France apparently, who required her to be his hostess. Now, the book doesn't mention anything specifically torrid about the relationship between these two, but it did make me wonder about the extent of their 'relationship.'
Rose is intrigued by Napoleon, but she's just not sure about him. He follows her everywhere. Wherever she goes, there he is, usually waiting to greet her. He proposes and she puts him off - and he follows her everywhere. At first she tries to avoid him, but she gives that up when she sees that it is of no use. She decides to marry him when she realizes she has hit middle age. When they do marry neither has a birth certificate. Napoleon makes himself a few years older and Rose makes herself a few years younger. Neither tells the other. Napoleon calls Rose Josephine as it is a more distinguished name.
Josephine sometimes accompanies Napoleon on his excursions to battle. She stays close by so he can see her. Most of the time she seems to stay at home. Napoleon's letters to her are full of passion and anger. Passion because he feels he can not make it without her by his side, and anger that she doesn't write him often enough. They endure years of his many victorious conquests. At one point he is crowned Emporer of France. Josephine (Rose) isn't sure if he'll have her crowned Empress or not because with Napoleon you just never knew what was going to happen. She finds out she will be crowned and on the day of the ceremony she has to wear an 80 pound robe. Sheer will-power gets her to the top of the 24th step where her destiny is fulfilled.
About two years after their marriage Napoleon is advised to divorce Josephine as she has not given him an heir. He finally agrees even though he doesn't really want a divorce. Napoleon's actions are more and more paranoid over the last few years. Everyone is suspect (the English had attempted to kill him twice) and he always has to have a fire. Even when it is stifling hot out.
Josephine stays at Malmaison (her house that Napoleon paid for) and gardens. Her heart is broken and she never really recovers. Napoleon marries a 19-year-old archduchess of Australia. He still visits Josephine, but it is never the same. This is my favorite line in the book, "Deep down, however, Napoleon knew that his star had abandoned him because he had abandoned it, or rather her" (268). Napoleon started to look old - and he started to lose. The English capture him and send him to exile on the island of Elba. He escapes and fights at Waterloo, a horrible battle, then is exiled once again to St. Helena off the coast of Africa.
Josephine died in May of 1814 and her last word was "Bonaparte" (274). Napoleon was slowly poisened to death with arsenic six years after Josephine died. Neither was the same after their divorce. They were truly "prisoners of the heart" (275).
I really enjoyed this book, but I wanted more. It seemed too short. There is a chronology at the back of the book which gives a great timeline to add to the information in the story. There is also a bibliography for further reading. I'm thinking I will have to take a look!
Recommended for:
- those interested in the French Revolution and/or Napoleon himself
- historical fiction readers
This title is available in our juvenile collection.
Welcome back!
or,
Welcome to Bethany!
We're so excited you're here - even if you're not ecstatic yet, we hope you will be soon!
We've been waiting to see you all summer, so stop in and check out the remodeling job that was done at the front of the library. We've also moved some furniture - and if you were last year you can verify the fact we like to do that!
We will be getting some new chairs in soon, so keep a sharp eye out!
As always, if you have any questions about the library, research or where to find things please ask us! We love to help, that's why we work here!
Oh, and if you're not sure about where to find things on the library's webpage, check out the bulletin board in the library. There is a screen-shot of the page as well as descriptions of what's what and where to find journals, book reviews and all sorts of other good stuff! Handouts will be coming soon!
Bleak House
By: Charles Dickens
For those of you who have followed the Summer of Harry Potter you will know that I was also attempting to read Bleak House. I am very excited to say that I have FINALLY FINISHED! HOORAY! It became a test for me: would my sheer determination to finish that monstrously large tome win, or would I admit defeat and put it aside. Well, I won!
How monstrously large is this text? It's a whopping 817 pages of print. I had a Barnes & Noble classics edition, so the print was not large by any means! Now, I usually look at a book with that many pages as a true treat. Not many authors can pull it off and keep your attention. I'm not saying he kept my attention the whole time, but when you think about the fact that this was originally published as a serial in a newspaper (I believe it was a newspaper - and people had no tv, video games or really any electricity) and people would gather 'round and one member of the family would read it out to the rest. This was entertainment in the time of Dickens. And the people of the time knew exactly what he was mocking and what he was serious about.
To the story:
This whole book is a commentary on the justice system in England at the time. At the heart of the book is the case of Jarndyce and Jarndyce which has been going on for more years than anyone cares to admit or to remember. It has become a standing joke to some, and the very life-breath of others (like Miss Flite - dear, strange Miss Flite!). And no one really knows what it's all about anymore because it has been going on for so long. The case is resolved in the end - but not in a way that some are hoping, and it would have been hilarious if it hadn't caused the demise of one so deeply involved.
Anyhow, Dickens has a large cast of characters in this narrative that intertwine with each other in some quite unexpected places - society ladies in the 'bad' parts of town and everything! The way these people interact and how they treat each other is very interesting. Mrs. Snagsby, for instance, follows her husband around and misinterprets most of his actions which ends up having serious consequences for others who wish their secrets to be kept. Grandfather Smallweed is a spit-fire of an old man - excuse me while I giggle - his temper is something to wonder at! I love how he has to be borne throughout by people carrying his chair, how he shouts at those around him, and even though it's very naughty of him I can't help but laugh when he throws things at his wife - it's tragically comical. Mr. Guppy is a man who annoys me - I really liked Lady Dedlock. At first I wasn't very sure about her, but I identified with her tragic situation more and more as the story evolved. Who else.....OH! The Jellyby's! Mrs. Jellyby is the most cause-absorbed woman I have ever read about or met. I'm not saying working for a cause is a bad thing, but when it causes suffering in your own family you really need to re-think what your goals and misison should be. Harold Skimpole is a man I could do without. Everyone seems to think he's charming and they just keep giving him money - I'm sorry, but he needs to learn how to save and what the value of money is! I don't like Mr. Tulkinghorn or Mr. Vholes. Mr. Vholes annoys me - if I hear about his three daughters ever again it is much too soon! Mr. Tulkinghorn, well, I'm not saying anything else other than he gets what he deserves while other characters who deserve so much more than what they're left with at the end don't end up with what they should.
I really liked Esther. She is one of the most annoyingly nice/sweet/good-hearted people I have ever read - usually I feel that these types of characters are just not possible, yet I could believe her. You really can never doubt her - Dickens doesn't give us the opportunity as she describes what she thinks are her weaknesses willingly enough. Her narratives were the most interesting parts of the book to me. When she wasn't talking I had a more difficult time following the story. Part of that is due to Dickens' prose. While it is beautiful in some places, it gets to be a bit much for the modern reader in others.
All in all I can say that this book contains: illness, murder, death, a little mystery, illegitimacy, love & devotion, miscommunication, abuse, good-hearted souls, the law, beggars, high-society, the middle-class, characters that are so intriguing/disturbing/strange/lovely that you wonder where he came up with them and so much more!
Generally I recommend everything I read to everyone, but in the case of Bleak House I'm going to make an exception. While I still think everyone should read it, there is definitely a large audience that will not enjoy a book of this magnitude. On that note, if you would like to read a little Dickens and not be so daunted I would recommend Oliver Twist as a good starting point - a bit sad, but so good! Or, if you want a good laugh, read The Pickwick Papers. I heartily enjoyed that one I can tell you! And if you're an English major and have never read anything by Dickens, well, for shame! Come and chat with me and we'll try and find one you'll like! (Or I bet Dr. Hanna could stear you in the right direction......)
School will be starting in a little over a week!
We at the library are eagerly awaiting your return to campus! We've made a lot of changes that we hope will be helpful to all of you. What kinds of changes? Well, we re-arranged the furniture (a few times until we liked it!) ordered some more to replace well-loved couches and chairs (thank-you for studying here - we strive to have a quiet, relaxed place for you to study!), re-designed the website, added more information to it (the Research QuickStart database is fantastic!) and have installed a security system. Those of you returning to campus will quickly see that we have indeed been busy beavers this summer!
If you want to get a jump-start on the school year - oh come on! You know you want to! - check out our webpage to familiarize yourself with where things are now located. The changes were somewhat subtle and we hope it is obvious as to where you should go for particular resources. Once school starts I will give a more in-depth post as to where to find things, and as always, my door is open for questions!
As to the furniture: here's a quick run-down on what I can think of off the top of my head:
- There are now comfy chairs in the basement instead of tables.
- We have added another computer and desk to the basement.
- Couches have been placed in the children's area for a nice place to read a children's book (with or without a child - you may even find me down there on my break!)
- The majority of our study tables are now on the main floor.
- The Reference section has been slightly moved.
- The listening/viewing stations are now along the wall outside of my office.
- There will be more reading chairs in the periodical (journals and magazines) area.
- A new quick look-up computer will be at the front of the library.
- New chairs will be going upstairs once they are in.
- The Mac computers have been moved upstairs. That means there is now 3 computers upstairs, 4 in the basement and there will be 5 on the main floor.
- The security system will be in place! It's not that we don't trust you, it's just that we can all be a little forgetful sometimes, so in order to make the most of the library's budget we are trying to cut down on the amount of books that mysteriously walk out our doors every year. This will mean more new books and databases for you! So it really is a good thing! That, and the corral at the front of the library is now gone! (we're a little excited about that!) The construction of the new front has been done by Bethany's own Pat Hull. Tell him it's fabulous! He's worked hard to get it all up and together before you get here! -Well, we like it anyways!
I found the transcript of the interview J.K. does with Meredith Vieira. There are spoilers in the interview, but they are marked. Here's the link:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20001720/
Well, last week were two very important birthdays that fit right in with my Summer of Harry Potter thing I've got going on over here. Guess who? J.K. Rowling and Harry Potter! They share the same birthday of July 31, although the years are a bit different!
To read up on Harry and all sorts of fun facts, click on this link:
http://www.hp-lexicon.org/wizards/harry.html
And you will be at the Harry Potter lexicon which is fantabulous for HP information. You will also find the year that he was born. I have to admit that I am very fond of that year......Say, does anyone here share HP's exact birthday? I'm just curious.....
And for information on the infamous J.K. herself visit her official site:
http://www.jkrowling.com/
I know, I know, I've linked here before, but you still may not grasp the absolute fantastic amount of information you can find there!
And, for something fun and NEW here's a fun blog about Harry Potter:
Spoilers ahead: (I think they're minor, but if you haven't finished they could be major to you)
The Hogwarts Professor is something I have recently discovered (ah-hem, yesterday) and am so sad I missed it before now! Warning! Spoilers abound in this site because there are numerous discussions about Book 7 going on. They are more along the scholarly/literary lines than the, "I totally hated the epilogue" line. (No, I didn't totally hate the epilogue. My feelings were more of the so-so line there as I felt it was more of a tease than solid information - information that I wanted to know like what happened to Luna? Bill & Fleur? George? Mr. & Mrs. Weasley? where does Teddy grow up? Where the heck did the names Victoire and Hugo come from? Who is the new headmaster? Who is the new DADA professor? Exactly how many people died? - I have a list at home, but depending on what you count as death, if you count animals or objects that are a part of you the number could be anywheres from 11-69+ (depending on how many died at Gringott's) What are the jobs of the fab four at the end - yes I meant to say 4, although that brings up another point: I was disappointed in Ginny's appearances in this book. I thought there could have been more there, and more with Neville especially. I'll stop with the rest of my wants!)
P.S. Anybody out there know who the real Fab Four are? Hints:There name is on the bag I've been carrying around and they are from Liverpool. I know, I've been there!