On the Nightstand

Books I’m reading, slowly:

The Shadow of the Wind, a novel by Carlos Ruiz Zafón

How to Write Like Chekhov: Advice and Inspiration, Straight from His Own Letters and Work, edited and intro by Piero Brunello and Lena Lencek

Reading Like a Writer: A Guide for People Who Love Books and for Those Who Want to Write Them, by Francine Prose

I’ll share my three cents once I have them.

Eclipse

I caved. I read the third Twilight saga book. No, I didn’t read the first two. This isn’t a book to read for the literary quality, you read it to find out what happens. The words don’t seem to get into your head fast enough as you wonder whether Bella ultimately choose Jacob or Edward; and, every once in a while you wonder why these uber-studs are fighting over her at all.

Stephanie Meyer has something here. Her fame is not undeserved. Every generation needs its love story, its tween hearthrobs, and a sense that true, romantic love is out there. The Notebook did that a while ago. Remember that one? Twilight is just like that. It’s an important cultural phenomenon, the love story. This isn’t an intellectual read, it’s an emotional one that has the whole nation talking. Even men, whether they want to admit it or not, have an opinion (Team Jacob or Team Edward?).

This discussion is not about looks, oddly enough. The discussion is about values, beliefs, responsibility. It’s not gossip, it’s a way to relate to one another.

So that’s what I’m reading. After a long day at work, I don’t feel like continuing with a brain-stretching read about how humans evolve, why particles come in and out of existance if you look at them, or a novel that has me looking up words at the end of the chapters. I just want to know what happens next.

I’ve got the fourth book on hold at the library waiting for me and I’m not apologizing for it.

I’ve Got Zombies on the Braiiinnnnssss

Army of Darkness is perhaps one of the worst movies of all time. Miraculously, I have seen it quite a few times, not in full though. However reluctantly I began my journey into the land of zombie B-movies, I did begin it, and I’m pretty sure I finished it.

I don’t mean to brag, but I have seen quite a few movies from this fine genre. From The Evil Dead, The Evil Dead 2, Return of the Living Dead, Return of the Living Dead 2, Dead Alive, Night of the Living Dead (the older and newer versions), and Shaun of the Dead I earned myself some street cred in the undead scene, I also did it in a matter of months. At first this was  goofy thing for me and my boyfriend to do, we’d hunt down the best of the worst and take turns laughing at ourselves first, then at the movie, then at ourselves again. We’d also only pick movies that were not actually scary, because horror was not the purpose. With each rental a new world would open, not only in the movie, but in our own lives. Those movies served as a key to an interesting cult following, nothing serious, but definitely to an  either-you-know-or-you-don’t-know society.  From movie store staff to random people in the line at the grocery store, we bonded with our community via this unexpected subject of so-bad-they’re-good zombie movies.

At this point in my seasoned journey, I wonder: What makes zombies so attractive? Why have there been hundreds of movies made on this topic? One of the biggest factors in the popularity in zombie films, I think, is their proximity to reality. It seems the slightest bit possible that a chemical spill can create a transmittable disease among humans (the undead part is less easily explained) creating an insatiable thirst for brains. I kid.

The real reason I liked them was their unintentional humor and completely ridiculous plots and characters. This was the reason while watching. Now that I am a zombie-movie connoisseur of sorts, my reason for the interest has changed. What fascinates me now is not how likely it is for people to un-die, but rather how real it is that so many of us are living-dead. It all began when jokingly my boyfriend and I pointed out some random person staggering along, probably drunk, and saying, “hey look, a zombie,” and we’d laugh because this is how the movies introduce zombies: just one harmless one, walking about, going unnoticed. When we thought about this joke that we proceeded to make on a more frequent basis, we realized there are quite a few zombie-like people around, including, probably, us.

Bear with me for a minute as I take my rant to its logical (or not so logical…whatever) conclusion. Are we living like zombies and not even aware of it? Are we blindly striving for some self-serving goal (mmm, brains) because the group is?

Some of the films showed zombies as having some emotions, a glimpse of a conscience, even a sense of humor. There is a momentary sense of hope, but this moment is fleeting; the zombies end up wanting you only for your brains and that’s that. We show more than glimpses of human connections and consciences, we have so much to give and show and offer each other. I hope we nurture these very human qualities before we do turn into something scary.

Is it possible that zombie movies can teach us something? I think so. We’re going through an interesting time in history and there are extreme social movements on the horizon. When our solid ground feels a little shakey it’s easy to get greedy to save yourself, but this is the most important time to be nurturing to others. In times when we feel like letting out a beast we must take care not to. These are trying times for many and the way to get through it together and with success, we have to be conscious and conscientious, alert and mindful, human and compassionate. 

Don’t be a zombie, they always get defeated, even if it’s in a sequel down the line.