"It is a terrible thing to feel sorry for one‘s mother or indeed father. And it‘s an additionally awful thing to feel this and to know the impotence of the adolescent to do anything at all about it. Worse still, perhaps, is the selfish consolation that it isn‘t really one‘s job to rear one‘s parents.
Anyway, I knew that Yvonne felt that life was passing her by, and I knew that the money that could have given her the occasional glamorous holiday or trip to town was instead being spent (at her own insistence) on school fees for me and my brother, Peter (who had arrived during our time in Malta), so I resolved at least to work extremely hard and be worthy of the sacrifice."
- Christopher Hitchens
Hitch-22: A Memoir, Chapter 1: Yvonne
Hitchen's auto-biography was.. I don't have a word to describe it...
Touching? perhaps.
Reading the book really opened my eyes. His command of English was.. stunning.
Didn't get past pg 136 of the book (the book is around 421 pages long) cause he started talking about political ideas like Marxism, Fascism, Communism and Castroism - He went to Cuba during the Cuban Missile Crisis - and Maoism and all the -isms and the technical jargon. which I don't know enough about to appreciate the context of his writing.
He talked a little about american foreign policy in the 1960s too which I know nothing about too.
And my book was due so I decided to put the book on hold till I had a better understanding of the technicalities and have a better grasp of the language. (I keep telling myself that but I don't think the day will ever come lol)
What struck me was how easily I could draw parallels and relate to how he felt.towards many things in his early life.
His parents, family (and extended family), his teenage years, and school.
(He wasn't that close to his dad too.)
The main difference between us, was that I was a blind and compliant sheep (maybe not so much compliant than unaware) while he on the other hand knew what he was doing. (He didn't tolerate nonsense, was unconventional - he didn't give heed to advice or follow absurd rules or succumb to authority, but was respectful all same time.)
Well, born in a different social context I guess.
But he is such an avid reader; gifted too.
Started reading at a young age, and never stopped since.
Well, his words made me think of my parents and how much they sacrificed to get me where I am today.
Well I better well make sure I don't waste anyone's time or money or sacrifice or tears.
You better work hard.
On duty cycle for the next month, so I guess it will be uneventful. (yup uneventful is good lol)
Have been working on linear algebra recently, and I find it fun as it is mainly a number game. (playing around with arrays and chains and boxes of numbers) It is difficult at some parts, but not as daunting as I had originally expected.
Get Linear Algebra done, start with Calculus, and we shall get back to good ol' Physics.
Havn't done physics for so longggg.
Finished a compilation of Bertrand Russell's best works as well.
The quote from the last post is from one of his essays, and it made me uncomfortable and even queasy. (to be exact, I was shocked.) (k my language isn't very precise, but I'm trying, so cut me some slack yeah?)
Will pick the book up again when I stabilise my foundations.
shall stop here and start my way through a few books I borrowed today.
