I’m sure everyone reading this blog has heard of Little Women by Louisa May Alcott, be it through the various movie adaptations, school, or even through a children’s illustrated classics edition. I can remember when I was little, my parents would often bring home Great Illustrated Classics after a visit to the super market. If […]
Review of Anthem by Ayn Rand
November 14, 2009
Obviously, Anthem by Ayn Rand is a diatribe against collectivism. Ayn Rand expounds on the importance of syntax, the meaning of we vs. I. Essentially, this book is about a man named Equality 7-2521, who is a free-thinker. Anthem begins by describing the society in which Equality 7-2521 lives. People start their lives by living in a […]
Review of Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
October 16, 2009
One of my top ten favorite opening lines is now, “Last night I dreamt of Manderley again“ these sparse words set a tone where I just know the language is going to be beautiful. Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier is a tale of gothic romance, without the creepster Heathcliff. The characters are haunting. There is […]
Review of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving
October 3, 2009
I audio-ed the BBC version of the Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving in the car. To me, this is the perfect way to read Sleepy Hollow, especially coming into it from reading nothing but YA. Now don’t get me wrong, YA is awesome, but it is a tough transition to make from YA […]
Review of Far From The Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy
September 21, 2009
The afterword of my 1960 copy of Far From The Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy begins with this, “To read the word of any famous author is in itself something of an art. A reader must develop the poise of courage in order to stay the judgement of his elders until he can read the […]
The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas Book Review
August 25, 2009
Reading an abridged book is like eating cake without frosting. You don’t really need the frosting, but the frosting is what gives a cake it’s delicious flavor. The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas is a book which ought to be read unabridged, if only for the richness and flavor of the text. The […]