Kali J Desautels

Sauron is hoping to Make Mordor Great Again. My friend is not convinced… #lordoftherings #lotr #sauron #mordor #makemordorgreatagain #litreference #literature #book #geekstagram #nerdygirls #noveltytshirt #geekgirl #geek #nerd #nerdygirl #book #bibliophile #booksbooksandmorebooks #bookstagrammer #bookstagram #read #reader #reading #readersofinstagram #kalidesautelsreads #kalidesautelsshops

❤️❤️❤️💔

Charles Dickens’ 13th novel, Great Expectations is a tome of a book. The 544 pages follow the narrator/protagonist Pip from early childhood, until later adulthood. Written in a Victorian conversational style, the reader will feel that Pip is recounting his life story, with the benefit of hindsight. Pip is neither hero, nor antihero, but is quite human in his attachments and thoughts. He makes good choices and terrible choices, which direct his life, and through his discussion with the reader, one learns of which choices he is proud and of which he is ashamed. Due to the popularity of the 1990s movie of the same name, one would perhaps believe that the unrequited love of Pip towards Estella is the main premise of the story, however, I did not find this to be true. While his relationship with Estella and Miss Havisham was certainly a driving force in his life, and the one that led to his downfall, I found that the relationships to his uncle Joe, to his sister, to Magwitch, to Wemmick, to Herbert, to Biddy, to Drummle and even to the blunderbuss Pumblechook to be of equal importance as any other. I believe Great Expectations is a social commentary on the class system that prevailed in England; a discussion on fulfilling promises; filial responsibility; personal accountability; realizing that ones expectation and ones reality do not always match, and cannot be forced to do so. This book is long, broken into 3 parts, and I would absolutely recommend to anyone who has a fondness for Victorian literature. Witty, sarcastic, heartbreaking and a wonderful example of Dickens at his best. 

#greatexpectations #charlesdickens #1860 #novel #classicliterature #classic #pip #estella #misshavisham #family #devotion #responsibility #readersofinstagram #reading #reader #book #books #booknerd #bookclub #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #booksbooksandmorebooks #bibliophile #kalidesautelsreads 

It’s scary when paragraphs from speculative fiction no longer sound like speculative fiction. #thehandmaidstale #margaretatwood @margaretatwoodofficial #speculativefiction #truth #feminism #feminist #political #politics #censorship #censored #news #fear #realism #real #bookstagrammer #bookstagram #booknerd #book #booklovers #books #bibliophile #booksbooksandmorebooks #read #reader #reading #readersofinstagram #kalidesautelsreads 

Happy. Sad. Conflicted. Complicated. Content. Simple. Angry. Depressed. Thrilled. Ecstatic. Hysterical. Terrified. Trepidatious. Loving. Dramatic. 

These are only a handful of emotions that every person has, yet, with the advent of Pinterest quotes, Facebook updates, tweets and Instagram inspirational pages, we see day in and day out the mantra that we “only have room for positivity” in our lives. We come from a stoic society wherein our ancestors were taught to “Keep Calm and Carry On”, and gradually, in North America, we learned to share and express our feelings. We are taught that sharing our thoughts is healthy, and healing. This, naturally, lead to something of which I am terribly guilty – the over share. I am sure that the cult of positivity is a reaction to the rise of TMI (Too Much Information), but does that make it right? Is it fair to expect that no one ever express an emotion that is not outward cheerfulness and boundless energy? 

We all have bad days, and sometimes we need to vent. In the world of social media, most often this involves a tweet stating that “ughhhhh! I have an awful case of the Mondays!!” If this happens once in a while, the person is often told to cheer up, or that they are not alone; should this continue on to a terrible case of Friday FOMO (fear of missing out) the person’s friends begin to roll their eyes and think they may need to unfollow the ‘Debbie Downer’. The truth is that everyone needs to care for themselves, and when a person’s negative moods begin to impact you, it is understandable to need to back away temporarily, but have we become so plastic that we feel it is desirable have only happy, positive things in our lives? Why are we not allowed to be sad, or mad, or stressed? 

Those who have read Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World, or have so much as seen Pixar’s Wall-E, know that we can “positive” ourselves right into oblivion. Insomuch as negativity is handled in small doses, maybe it is time to remember that only having positivity in our lives does not make us grown ups, in opposition to one image I saw today, stating that “as I grow older, I know that I need only happiness, positivity. I know that I don’t have time for negativity or stress.” We need all of our emotions and feelings in order to be well-rounded. Pretending to be happy is not the antidote to stress, but rather the surest way to lose one’s temper when the straw breaks the camels back. 

In the 1990s, we enjoyed angst. Musicians, filmmakers, clothiers, and amateur poets lived their sadness to the point of excess. At the turn of the millennium, we turned to sparkles and pop and color. We have gorged ourselves on the desire to be happy. Who doesn’t want to be happy? We all do. But that is not to the exclusion of anything not pleasant. I have seen far too many “inspirations” lately about only having happiness in one’s life, and knowing far too many people to whom this, in itself, causes stress. We fear sharing our stress or negativity, as we have seen our friends post “ain’t nobody got time for that” time and time again. 

If that is so, do we ever truly feel positive? Even the youngest child knows that these cannot be darkness without light. Moana faces Tefiti; women stand up for our rights; Americans stand in solidarity with their Muslim neighbours when unjust laws are written. Sometimes, there is stress, and sometimes, we feel negative. It is my belief that we need to embrace both. 
“Actual happiness always looks pretty squalid in comparison with the overcompensations for misery. And, of course, stability isn’t nearly so spectacular as instability. And being contented has none of the glamour of a good fight against misfortune, none of the picturesqueness of a struggle with temptation, or a fatal overthrow by passion or doubt. Happiness is never grand.” 

― Aldous Huxley, Brave New World

I am halfway through The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood. My thoughts so far are that, while written in 1985, as a satire, the laws that are being passed and are attempting to be passed in the world at the moment make the Republic of Gilead seem not as far fetched as one would have hoped. It is a reminder that feminism is a necessity and that as soon as we start to feel that feminism is no longer needed and that we have gained all our rights, we begin to lose them. This book demonstrates that both men and women lose out when women are treated as inferior. #thehandmaidstale #margaretatwood #canadianlit #canadianauthor #republicofgilead #womensrights #feminism #feminist #feministliterature #feministlit #readersofinstagram #reading #reader #read #book #books #booksbooksandmorebooks #bibliophile #bookclub #booklovers #booknerd #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #kalidesautelsreads 

“People generally see what they look for, and hear what they listen for.” ~ To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee
I find a simple truth to this statement. People do not believe what they do not want to believe and they do not see what is in front of their eyes if it is not what they are looking for. It is much easier to simply think knew had no idea what was going on, rather than knowing that one did not do anything to stop bad things from happening. Harper Lee wrote from the point of view of a small child, and children have an unfettered and curious view on life, allowing the reader to see and hear what they would have otherwise missed. 

#tokillamockingbird #harperlee #quote #harperleequote #simpletruth #seenoevil #hearnoevil #pointofview #literature #classic #classicliterature #kalidesautelsreads #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #book #books #bookclub #booksbooksandmorebooks #read #reader #reading #readersofinstagram 

It doesn’t take much. 

A week ago, I was in Hawaii with my best friend, enjoying the sun, the beach and each other’s company. The flight home was a red eye, and I did not think to set an alarm or prepare in anyway for the fact that my medications, taken diligently every single night at bed time, would be required, regardless that I would not be sleeping. I carry my medication with me on all planes, in case of an emergency or a lost suitcase, but I did not think of the feeling of emergency that would be 48 hours without my fibromyalgia, hashimoto’s, migraine and anxiety medications. 

After my 24 hour trip home, meds safely in my carry on, I proceeded to collapse into bed of exhaustion, thereby missing my second doses of medication. The next morning, I rose early, to get to work after a week away, without a thought to the medications, as morning is not medication time in my world. I was happy to be at work and functioning at a normal level, when I became mildly dizzy. Deciding it must be hunger, and jet lag, I took a late lunch break. This did nothing to assuage my dizziness and lightheadedness. I am sure I am not the only chronic illness sufferer who begins to feel a wave of panic when their bodies suddenly take over their brains. After work, I walked to the train, realizing that I was having trouble finding my footing. Vertigo and anxiety do not make good bedfellows and I felt the nausea and fear take over. I sat through the train ride, willing myself to function, willing my vision to  clear and my mind to resume normal capacity, when it occurred to me that I had gone cold turkey, unwittingly, for 52 hours, off Cymbalta, Amytriptaline, Synthroid, and my various supplements, none of which is safe. Every medication I consume requires a doctor-supervised weaning, not an immediate stoppage. I was entering withdrawal from medications I had no desire to stop taking. By the time the train arrived at my stop an hour later, I was confused, disoriented, nauseated, panicked and absolutely in no condition to drive. I called my husband, who came to take me home, and immediately took all the chemicals and synthetic hormones that my body needs to function at a level even remotely similar to what a healthy person’s is naturally. After a few hours, my brain began to de-fog, my head steadied, my panic subsided. I felt better. 

But it doesn’t take much. 

A few days later, I feel my depression like a worn housecoat; I feel the pain in my joints; I feel the fatigue which gnaws at me; I see a blur in my vision. I am better, but not. I am back to the beginning, and know it will be days, if not weeks, before I regain the sense of calm and health that have taken years and medications to achieve. And I cannot be angry with my flawed body, as I had the keys to avoid this in my bag. I took for granted the feeling of wellness provided by my pharmaceuticals and my learned doctors, and pushed myself into a setback. 

And clearly, it doesn’t take much.

“In a word, I was too cowardly to do what I knew to be right, as I had been too cowardly to avoid doing what I knew to be wrong.” ~ Pip – Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
#greatexpectations #charlesdickens #selfawareness #cowardly #fearful #doingwhatisright #doingwhatiswrong #itisnevertoolatetodotherightthings #reading #classicliterature #classic #readersofinstagram #read #reader #book #bibliophile #bookstagram #books #bookstagrammer #bookclub #booklover #booksbooksandmorebooks #kalidesautelsreads 

“Heaven knows we need never be ashamed of our tears, for they are rain upon blinding dust of the earth, overlying our hard hearts” ~ Pip – Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
Years ago, I read Great Expectations and did not enjoy it. I picked it up again this week, and am enamored. Dickens social commentary is both acerbic and tender. I have reached the halfway point of Pip’s Great Expectations, and feel that this quote sums up his young life.

#greatexpectations #charlesdickens #dickensquote #dickensian #classic #classicliterature #love #tears #sadness #loneliness #kalidesautelsreads #bibliophile #book #bookstagram #bookclub #bookstagrammer #read #reader #reading #readersofinstagram #kalidesautelsreads 

The thing about being a book lover is that I really, really, REALLY love books, and by extension, I really, really, REALLY appreciate their creators. The authors are the amazing people who spend their time and energy creating worlds for us to enjoy, wherein we can be immersed in thoughts and ideas that both entertain and engage. Therefore, having a message in a book that I really enjoyed made out to me is an exciting event. Thank you, Elan Mastai for the kind inscription! And, again, I recommend that you read his book All Our Wrong Todays. #elanmastai #allourwrongtodays #canadianlit #canadianauthor #novel #inscriptions #booksigning #readersofinstagram #reading #reader #booklovers #booklover #books #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bibliophile #author #kalidesautelsreads