I went to Spain this summer and visited three beautiful cities: Madrid, Granada and Barcelona. It is tough to decide which is my favorite so as to not offend the other cities I will not choose one over the others. It is much easier to choose my favorite places in those cities. La Alhambra (perhaps the most beautiful place on earth) in Granada and El templo de la familia sagrada in Barcelona are easily my top two. On the door to the Catalan temple are written several words and phrases referencing Christ and His Gospel; I found none more powerful than I QUE ES LA VERITAT? (and what is the truth?). This is a question that I constantly ask myself as I live my life. Is that true? Or maybe that is what is true? I find it always important to be searching for more truth all the time.Truth is not just found in religious contexts but I also find a desire to know what is true in history. Who was Alexander the Great and why was he so "great"? Was Abe Lincoln really that honest? I am forced to search and try and discover what is true from all of the things that have been written about these figures. Sadly, with most historical figures much of the so-called biographies are just as fictional as the novels that I read.
While browsing the internet (much more convenient than browsing an actual store), I discovered Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter. It is a novel by the same author who co-wrote Pride and Prejudice and Zombies with Jane Austen (if Tupac can still come out with songs, Jane Austen can still write books).
I chose to read this novel because of many conversations that I have had with people about the mythification of Abe Lincoln. He has never been one of my favorite presidents; in fact, it might be said that I didn't really like him but his life is still fascinating because of the way in which many people deify him. This novel takes this to a whole new level. Now Abraham Lincoln is the killer that I have always believed him to be except now he is doing so to protect us from vampires and avenge his mothers death. I cannot think of many more noble causes and so Mr. Lincoln now deserves his place on Mt. Rushmore.
The question that this novel provokes then must be "Is this novel more or less true than other attempts at reviewing the life of the former president?" Other biographies discuss his talent for giving a great speech, his honesty, how he assembled his cabinet from his enemies and more. Are we to believe everything that those biographies purport to be truth as such. It is impossible to say that Abraham Lincoln was the perfect man as many people are prone to believe but that is what history books teach about him. His true history is now left for me to decide for myself and I choose to believe that he was the greatest killer the world has ever seen.
For those interested in regeneration through violence, my next post regarding this novel will probably be about RTV but will not occur until I finish the novel.
Good old Abe. Every movement tries to invoke him somehow. It is fascinating how the Christian Right tells of his unbreakable Christian faith, the homosexual community points to his struggled marriage as proof that he was indeed the first gay president (hence log cabin Republicans). Mountain Dew makes him out to be an awesome boxer. Most Mormons don't realize that he was quite anti-Mormon (as was the Republican Party in general). He deliberately sidestepped the Constitution much more obviously than either Bush or Obama, and yet he's venerated for it. It's incredible; talk about creating a lasting legacy.
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