Reading has many different levels of importance for me. There are times that it serves as a sanctuary from the tiring day or a companion on sleepless nights. Even, at some point, a mentor on dealing with life.
No matter where it takes me, there are parts of each book or each story that leaves a greater impact. Here are 10 of the most unforgettable quotes I came upon from four of my favorite authors:
Gabriel Garcia Marquez
One of my most favorite writers of all time. There are a lot of instances when I get confused as I try to reflect on his words. But, in time, as I get more involved in the whole story, I finally understand.
The problem with marriage is that it ends every night after making love, and it must be rebuilt every morning before breakfast. –Love in the Time of Cholera
Many of the quotes that struck me are related to love. Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s expression of various characters’ understanding of love is deep and at times contradicting to my own ideas. However, with all those multiple layers of personalities did I appreciate Marquez’s writing more.
He dug so deeply into her sentiments that in search of interest he found love, because by trying to make her love him, he ended up falling in love with her. –One Hundred Years of Solitude
One Hundred Years of Solitude was the first book I read from this writer. It took me by surprise, but it opened a great door for more wonderful writing.
…from my decade-old reading assignments and book collection.
Whenever I try to remember the stories and books that truly got me into my current fascination with the written works, I can’t help but smile and think of the numerous reading assignments I had to complete throughout my high school and university years. There were times I couldn’t even remember the exact date or homework for a particular text, but the story and the characters were all still so familiar to me.
Science and Learning
I didn’t grow up in a family of readers. Television shows, movies, radio series, and only a couple of Komiks kept me pre-occupied during my tender years. I tried to excel academically during my elementary days, and I was only exposed to different textbooks, encyclopedia resources, and the dictionary (synonyms, antonyms, thesaurus, and others).
Multiple raindrops can trigger a lasting sensation. There aren’t much to do on rainy days. How I wish I could go back to my younger years when I can dance in the rain without any worries to bother me. Now that I’m 22, I find other musings to keep me company. There are dozens of books waiting for me to finally pick them up. Different notebooks lay bare on my table (sometimes on the bookshelf, or possibly under my bed) because I hoped to write when I suddenly have some incredible ideas. Sad to say, those notebooks are gathering more dust than letters.
Adult worries come in different forms: work, responsibility, forgotten dreams. Aside from all of those concerns, the worst trouble I have now is getting distracted so easily. When I turn on my computer, online sites distract me. When I try to write some notes, other things on my table distract me. When I try to read a book, my thoughts distract me. There is an endless cycle of starting and getting distracted; going back but end up procrastinating. That’s why now, I wish to limit all of these distractions to one or two things (hopefully I have enough willpower to do so).
Many things have helped shaped the person I am now. When put inside my comfort zone, the walls would be made up of books from the children’s, young adult, and classic genres. Then there would probably be a few TV screens or computer monitors flashing the hundreds of movies I’ve seen growing up.
Others must probably cringe at that idea, thinking that it’s a bad example of a healthy lifestyle. But I did grow up healthy and strong after all those hours with my books and the tube. Even though I spent a lot of time in front of the television and with my books, I also had great childhood memories. Those were just a part of who I am. Aside from those, I also played with my friends and enjoyed the late afternoon games after school. It was just that my books and TV were where I was (and still am) most comfortable with. It was just a matter of balance.
With all those memories coming back to me every now and then, I also wished that I had printed copies of the movies I learned to love when I was younger. There is something magical with the text of those trustworthy paper which makes me feel and understand the stories more. The words could show me more of the characters and the setting. This is through my own way of forming the images in my mind. Sure, the movies are visually appealing and could even be more elegant than what words could describe, but the image I make, whenever I read the words, is mine to keep and mine to own. Before I get too sentimental, this list is, in fact, difficult to make. There are just many wonderful films I’ve seen which all became special parts of my being. I do not expect many would agree with my choice, but some might get disturbed to even imagine them as books. So, here they are:
1. Hellraiser (1987) and the whole franchise
Whoa, right? How could someone start a list with this?
Well, I do fancy some dark literature and sometimes it shows in my writing. People might be surprised to know that I can’t really stand pain or any gory scene. My automatic response would be to cover my eyes or cover my ears then close my eyes. But this movie series was very memorable. It was released six years before I was born, so how did I get to watch those films? This is where I should thank cable TV 😉
I was in elementary then when I lazily sat on the living room and saw this strange looking scene from the HBO channel. To my extreme surprise, it was disturbing, but I got so hooked with the story. In one whole afternoon ’till early evening, I was watching the series. Yup, HBO got to show all in a single day (lucky me?)
It wasn’t the scenes or the scare that got me, but more of the story. Then who could entirely erase the memories of those cenobite faces: Female, Chatterer, Butterball, and Pinhead. 😮 Now, I can (at least) watch scary movies for as long as the story is good. If it is just pure gore or killing, nope, not for me. Then, if the series were made into books, I think I would definitely have sleepless nights.
2. Edward Scissorhands (1990)
Another movie made before I even existed on the planet. 😀
This was the precursor of my fascination and attraction with Tim Burton films and Johnny Depp. The weird lonely yet lovely feel of the whole story caught me. The sympathy and the characters’ unusual circumstances made me relate to the whole movie. There are times when people feel different, unwanted, or isolated. In this movie, I felt that I probably wasn’t alone and that there was still good fortune coming. Now, I understand that better.
*There are already books of this, but just inspired by the film and not the whole movie story.
3. Dead Poet Society (1989) and 4. Jack (1996)
Mostly because of Robin Williams. I grew up in a home where my family enjoys watching Robin Williams’s films. The characters he portrayed were absolutely adorable and inspiring. There was a time when I really searched for his movies whenever I was sad. Now that he can’t make any more films, I hope I have books of his movies and see better through all those characters and their personalities.
5. A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001)
Encouraged by my science teacher in Grade 3, I watched this film from a rented VCD. Aha, there were still movies rented then. It was like a library of movies for my young eyes.
This movie was brilliant. I got emotional watching this one. I never thought that my eight-year-old self would be that affected by a movie. Maybe this triggered how my feelings which I now couldn’t control much. I shed my share of tears whenever I watch movies that are really touching. 😥 With all the visual effects and actors there, I want to get a copy of a book then read, re-read the lines which made me feel weak yet very much alive.
6. The Ring (1998)
Another horror flick. This movie made an impact because I saw this with my cousins who weren’t really that “brave” after all. I never really continued that thing with horror films because the blood and gore of American films had me feeling hurt. This one opened my eyes to Japanese movies. The story was really wonderful, I thought. 🙂
This really made me scared and how more if I could get a written copy. Maybe just by reading the words, I’ll be put to many sleepless days. My imagination really is a bit exaggerated when I read scary stories.
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Extras
Big Fish (2003)
This made me cry many times and that doesn’t really make me feel embarrassed. As I mentioned earlier, I do like Tim Burton films. This one is another one of his works, however, this doesn’t have the dark shots that he usually uses. But the story itself is magnificent, magical, and memorable. This is a movie adaptation of a novel with the same title published in 1998.
Magic Temple (1996)
This is a Filipino movie that is both fictional and comedic. This movie wasn’t the best of the others made during its time, but I got to watch this on TV and I really enjoyed it. 🙂
Jackie Chan films
This one I surely can’t get away with. I think my father watched almost all of Jackie Chan’s movies. It wasn’t a bad habit that I got. I enjoy watching his movies because of the action and the comedy. 🙂
Then when he does some serious roles, it makes me reflect on the lessons behind the story.
Books weren’t really my personal companion growing up. I did enjoy some colorful illustrations from my fairy tale books or school readings. Pictures spoke more to me than words did. Maybe because I was still learning my letters, but still this was me until that “magical” moment came. A time that made my twice a month fascination with the local comic books.
By Felix_Nine I really can’t find the ones I read, but most of them are like this or…
Who would have thought that there were treasures hidden along the crowded piles of paper on the book stand just a few minutes away from home? No one else except my father. 😀
Unlike my parents who grew up with many Filipino comic books available around them, I had to search for my copies. It was difficult for an elementary student to do that then. 😦 It was in the late 1990s to early 2000 when I walked around the house and annoyed my father to get me one. When he brought home these komiks, I cheered up and found myself on the floor reading through the pages, excited! The characters introduced me to funny, intellectual dialogues, with some strange set-ups in between. Some supernatural scenarios and even superheroes that are closer to me because of the Philippine style added to them. The quirky faces came alive and made the stories more interesting though those moments were short-lived. Because the publication of local komiks was on the decline. Many children preferred getting stuck with their TV sets on or read through the more expensive, foreign comic books.
Personally, there is a different feeling whenever I flip through pages of books. The new and the old ones, I tend to be more attracted to the latter. The smell of old, thrift shop books are intoxicating, and yes it’s strange but I sniff through some of the pages. It’s just me 😉
Every reader has his/her own style to pick. I think the uniqueness of the writers (and their stories) is also searching for the right, equally distinct reader. It’s like whenever you try to find that perfect spot to spend your night, that’s how you choose your book. Something to comfort or to accompany you through sleepless nights or sweet daydreams.
Just got back from my online book hunt. I got these secondhand books again from ChapterIXbooksandmore 🙂
I have to return reading some good books. I have finished re-reading some from my own collection. Ray Bradbury, Roald Dahl, Grimms Brother, Edgar Allan Poe, and other favorites comforted me. Here is for another great summer ahead. 🙂
No, actually most fairy tales in their original form were gruesome to the extreme. In Cinderella, the stepsisters had their feet mutilated to fit in the shoe and her eyes were eventually picked out by doves. Sleeping Beauty was raped while she was unconscious by the King. Hansel and Gretel were held captive by a half blind cannibal. Soldiers were instructed to cut out Snow White’s liver and lungs, so the Queen could feast upon them …
My point is: one could argue that the sanitized versions we have today are actually counterproductive to the original purpose of fairy tales, so the children can safely confront their darkest fears
– Dr. Spencer Reid, Criminal Minds
When I first started reading, the most common books that were given to me were fairy tale stories. I was lucky that my parents bought a different fairy tale book. The versions in the stories were not the same as the movies I had seen. Maybe next time I’ll try to find that old book, but I got myself a new one to read today. This book made me feel that I could still face some of the characters in a different light. So, I bought the Grimms’ Fairy Tales. I shall bring back memories, no matter how dark they could be.
Their colorful pages and interesting titles draw my attention whenever I try to buy some books from a second-hand bookstore. I am not sure what comes to me when I check children’s books. I am just mesmerized. 🙂
These past few days I have caught myself checking children’s book titles in a local bookstore and even tried to get myself a new one for a short read. So, I ended up buying this:
Will be working on a collection of my poems. I have accumulated quite a handful, but will work on polishing them. 😉
