The Dalai Lama

Will there ever be a 15th Dalai Lama?

Blue Osa just published my article!

Hey everyone,

Check out my latest article, published by Blue Osa, about living in the Osa Peninsula  HERE. I really loved writing this piece. It's been almost two years since I first stepped foot in the rainforest and now, with the aid of hindsight, I was able to look back on my beloved trips, then and since, and feel true gratitude for the people that accompanied me along this adventure.



“Nothing is ever really lost to us as long as we remember it.”
― L.M. Montgomery, The Story Girl


Love Jess xo

Is the era of classic books dead?

As a writer I have to hope that no, of course classic books aren’t dead. After all, we still have incredible authors but last night as I lay in bed I wondered about the future of newly published novels developing into ‘classics’.

I was blown away, as so many fans and non-fans alike were, by The Hobbit. A trilogy directed by the wondrous Peter Jackson and derived from the incredible fantasy novel by J. R. R. Tolkien. I’m also a little – okay, a lot – obsessed with Game of Thrones, HBO’s fantasy series created by D. B. Weiss and David Benioff and based on the bestselling author George R.R. Martin’s books. The first is without a doubt now commonly referred to as a classic. The second is currently engaged in a debate within the literary world as to whether or not it should be accepted into the clique, with some critics believing its worldwide recognition is solely due to its adaption. Did the HBO series come too early for George R.R. Martin? After all, if there were no adaption, would Game of Thrones not fit the criteria?

Whilst to discuss what a ‘classic’ actually is, is a separate and intrinsic debate in itself, it is important that I quickly note that Game of Thrones does have some qualities that resonate with the criteria, that many have said makes a classic. According to Richard J. Smith’s studies of the I Ching, (an ancient Chinese literature manual) classics address fundamental issues of the human condition in “‘beautiful, moving, and memorable ways,’ with ‘stimulating and inviting images.’ Third, it must be complex, nuanced, comprehensive, and profound, requiring careful and repeated study in order to yield its deepest secrets and greatest wisdom.” – sound familiar? Well, I suppose that depends on your opinion of Game of Thrones. 

So back to the point, let’s look at what seems to be the cycle thus far. A great book is written. At the time of publication it is either quietly popular or limited to a niche market. After all, the Hobbit was “once upon a time, largely ignored by the literary world, dismissed as beneath notice” (Mandala 2010: 2). Then, boom the technology era; a Hollywood blockbuster catapults the book into a ginormous franchise. It explodes into a cult classic. Its following expands and reaches parts of the world that it never has before. 

For the Hobbit, such an event has not affected its reputation as a ‘classic’ because it had already gained said acknowledgement before being turned into a movie trilogy. Unfortunately for the current book world, this is happening faster than ever and long before a book has earned its prestige.  In a fast-paced world no one has the patience to wait around and see if a book can withstand the test of time and earn a place in the exclusive group of classic novels. 

Which leads me to ask, if all great books are getting turned into movies (pretty damn fast might I add), does that mean that books just exquisitely detailed plans for Hollywood blockbusters? In the future, will people simply “wait for the movie to come out”? Are writer’s works only successful these days if they’re optioned by a production company? Or will books be left alone to mature like a fine wine and become a cult classic of their own accord? 

Looking at the entertainment industry we can see that on one side we have film, television and online streaming and on the other side we have books, columns and blogs (not including the third, awkward cousin that is encompassed in theatre, musicals, plays, speeches…). The two are no longer mutually exclusive and the lines are beginning to blur, forcing writers to encompass all things, novels, blogs, screenplays etc. Perhaps this isn’t a bad thing, after all, the movies can be exceptional but they can also be a dramatic butchering of the books – Stormbreaker anyone? Would it not make a nice change, a welcome break, to see a book stand alone?   

Or perhaps adaptations are not to the detriment of novels. Yes, people will watch the movie instead. Yes, the gap between publication and premiere release date is becoming smaller but that doesn’t mean that fans of the novel (both before and after seeing the Film/TV series/Netflix original) will not continue to read the book, long after the adaptation has run its course. If despite a motion picture (either good or bad) the book is still being read years after the death of the author, then we can continue to create classics because they have withstood the test of time! As the entertainment industry is changing, the most we can hope for is that the teachers of the 22^nd Century will encourage students to read the book before they jump into their 4D virtual simulations or whatever other crazy advancement they might have then.

 

For George. R. R. Martin his future readership (a dedicated bunch) may save him yet and till then, there’s nothing wrong with indulging in a bloody good binge session of Game of Thrones because really, who can't resist this.. 

 

Bibliography

http://www.crossroads.uwb.edu.pl/a-game-of-thrones-a-new-classic/

Mandala, Susan. 2010. Language in Science Fiction and Fantasy. New York; London: Continuum.

 http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2012/06/13/what-makes-a-classic-i-ching/