The Little Book's Leading Man

Wheeler Burden is the leading man and main character in this book. While what he did was a little too fantastic (famous musician and writer, baseball legend, and who looks like Michelangelo's David) I was definitely drawn to him. His amazing credentials are only part of the attraction for me, the other part was that he still had a bit of modesty or maybe humility. I love confidence in men (a girl likes to know she can be taken care of) but unpretentious at the same time.

I know, that's hard to find. Generally you get one or the other. So I started brainstorming and came up with a few of my favorite leading men who have that quiet confidence.

Westley from The Princess Bride. This farm boy is the classic unassuming hero.

 

Noah from The Notebook. Swoon-worthy Noah is confident enough to approach Allie but mild enough to let her go.

Atticus Finch from To Kill A Mockingbird. A wise mild man with the guts to stand up for what he believes.

And to completely contradict myself, I do have to admit that there is a side of me that loves the "gods-gift-to-women man". Who doesn't have a weakness for Han Solo, Rhett Butler, and Mr. Darcy? To summarize, even if the book might not be your favorite, a strong leading man will get you through it.  

A Not So Little Book

Selden Edwards' 33 year masterpiece, The Little Book, is a misnomer.  In no way is this story little.  In fact, the concept is so big, so far-reaching that it blurs the boundaries of solids we take for granted--location, time, space, history, self.  I'm sure the story will be fleshed out by one of the other bodacious book babes, so I'll just stick to how this book made me feel.  If you remember my Five Quarters of the Orange post, you'll remember that "feelings" and "emotions" (said with a wrinkling of my nose) are not my cup of tea, so my willingness to go there should tell you how much I loved this book.  More than anything else, this book left me with a sense of wonder.  I can recall being a Little Orphan Annie looking kid and trying to wrap my head around the concept of God having no beginning or end, of always existing.  Mind blowing.  Or how about struggling with the concept of infinity?  (On a side note, Chuck Norris has counted to infinity...Twice.)

The Little Book left me with the same mind bogglingness (let's just see how long it takes Mr. Webster to add that to that little book of his).  Dilly's forays back into 1897 Vienna start the circular pattern of his life.  Or do they end it?  That's the problem and greatest gift of this book--trying to figure out just what event jump-started everything.  In a lot of ways, it reminded me of the movie Somewhere in Time from, I'm guessing, 1984.  No other time travel love story starring Christopher Reeve and Jane Seymour even comes close to the emotional punch this one packs.  (Yes, that was an attempt at humor.)  But the concept is the same--someone/something from the past starts the current hero on their quest into the past and there begins another circle of wonder.  I don't know what it is about these stories, but they capture my curiosity, imagination and yes, I'll say it, heart like not many others. 

If you haven't seen the movie, add it to your Netflix queue right away and if you haven't read The Little Book, rush out now to get it and you'll be rewarded with double rainbows for life.

Crystal