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My boyfriend found this book in a youth hostel shop in Sweden. Being the only book in English he decided to get it. Alone in the Swedish wilderness for 1 month he finished the book in 1 week and later passed it on to me to read. After his strong recommendations and me also having no other book in English to read, I read it.
This is a difficult review for me to write because I am not quite sure how I feel about the book. One minute I am agree with one of the characters and the next I am criticising them and seeing their selfishness. Ole and I had a “heated discussion” about our conflicting interpretations.
Sister Carrie hops on a train to Chicago to stay with her sister. Leaving a small town with big dreams she hopes to make her own way in the huge city and live like she always dreamed. On the train she meets a young man that will unknowingly send her life off her dreamed path, sending her life out of control and ultimately to her destiny. That’s the basic storyline however it is filled with unusual events and unpredicatble characters that left me feeling unsettled. One minute I liked Carrie and thought her sweet, innocent and very naive. Then the character of Hurstwood enters the scene and with him my opinons of Carrie take a more negative turn. In the end, in my opinion I found her to be a little cold hearted, selfish and not very likeable. Others I am sure will disagree.
Set in the late 19th Centuary this story provides and interesting snapshot of life back then. The begining of Chicago and its rise to a major city of the West. Also the glittering glamour of New York. It also shows the struggles of poverty hidden amongst the boom and the human side behind it. This book is considered an American classic and although I am unsure as to my feelings with this story I can understand its significance in American literature. A good read that definitely makes you think right until the end and far long after you have reached it.
I had to read this book for school though there is no doubt in my mind that I would have read it any way. What can I say about this book that hasn’t already been said? It is an instant classic and a story that has meaning and provides wisdom for today’s society. ‘To Kill a Mockingbird” is told through the eyes of Scout Finch (a six year old tomboy), her brother Jem and their friend Dill. During a summer of innocence we witness a struggling adult society through their childlike eyes. Scout’s father Atticus has been given the uphill task of representing a black man accused of raping a white woman. Even during this turbulent time Scout, Jem and Dill still manage to get up to mischief trying to spy on the local outcast Boo Radley.
This story deals with many issues including racial tension, family dynamics and the end to the carefree childhood of a little girl. This review does not do justice to the story. There are so many subtleties within the story and the plot that you can read this book numerous times and still uncover hidden treasures. The characters a very human and real, so you can relate. Everyone remembers a carefree, hot summer like the one in the book. Reading this will bring back your own childhood memories as well as experience those of Scout. Even if you don’t like this book you will be able to appreciate it not only for its story but also for its social commentary on a time long gone but not forgotten by many. I highly recommend this book so please if you get the chance read it. Don’t tell anyone I told you this but if you can’t be bothered reading the book at least watch the movie, Gregory Peck is perfect as Atticus Finch.
I’m sorry it has taken me so long to post my review but a lot has been happening the past few weeks (too long for details, sorry). However, I hope this review will make up for it a little.
To begin with I would like to thank all the people who recommended ‘Emma” to me. I did enjoy this book though, the number one favourite Jane Austen novel for me still goes to ‘Pride and Prejudice’.
For me ‘Emma’ is light entertainment and definitely a book for the ladies (my boyfriend would never read it and only watched the movie because I borrowed it). I think women enjoy this book because everyone at sometime has Emma moments. We have been known to daydream about who we can set our single friends up with. Other Emma characteristics I see in myself are being completely wrong but my pride won’t let me admit it (I usually make up some ridiculous argument to support my incorrect views). It is this pride and not conceding defeat that has placed Emma is some trick situations, though some how she seems to be able to talk her way out of them with very convincing arguments.
Once again Jane Austen’s characters are believable and can be related to people form our own lives. Everyone knows an “odious” woman like Mrs Elton or has someone that they tried and avoid like Miss Bates (and we always feel really bad about doing it). I love the interaction between Austen’s characters and the commentary on social class and snobbery (remember the reasoning for Harriet not accepting Mr Martin?). Even with this strict society, it seems such a more romantic time compared to now. Women were ladies, they wore gloves and hats. Gentlemen opened doors, gave ladies there arm and escorted them. We must seem so inferior an unacomplised to them.
I recommend this book to all the women who think match making is a harmless past time and the headstrong stubborn women who will laugh out aloud when they recognise themselves in Emma. Read this and enjoy.
The whole time I was reading this book I could not wait to blog about it. There is so much I want to say and I don’t know how to start.
I had wanted to read this book for a while and I found it on sale in the bookshop. I devoured the story in 3 days. However, throughout this devouring I was constantly annoyed at some of the characters, making me read with a scowl on my face and cry out in exasperation.
Charles Bovary is a young doctor who in the middle of the night gets a call to help a farmer who has broken his leg. After fixing the leg Charles is captivated by the farmers daughter Emma. Soon after this meeting, Charles’ wife (horrible, bitter old woman) dies, he then confesses his love and proposes to Emma, the woman of his dreams.
Charles is in a state of marital bliss, though Emma is waiting for the grand feeling of romance she is meant to be feeling. She wants the lightning crashing, the sweaty palms and the butterflies in the stomach when her husband walks in the room. Emma strays outside of the marriage to fulfil her needs.
I could not help but dislike Emma. I thought she was a selfish, irresponsible and devious woman. This sounds very harsh but day in day out her husband adored her, he went to work to earn money to provide her with the lifestyle she used and abused. Charles may have been a simple man but he never once hurt Emma and constantly tried to show his love, which only seem to annoy his wife.
I was angered and upset by the end of the book. Emma got away with all her hurtfulness and wrong doings so easily and Charles (spinelessly) forgave her and her lovers all their wrong doings. I enjoyed this book even though it irritated me because it stirred within me strong feelings. Not of love, longing passions or unrequited love but of annoyance, impatience and a slow burning, all consuming loathing of this woman.
It is a classic and I’m glad I have read it but I’m unsure as to whom to recommend this book to. Read this if you are like Emma and unfulfilled in your relationship or read this if you are like me and love to be repulsed by a character (think Kate/Cathy in ‘East of Eden’).
I thought I would change my blog layout and design for the New Year. What do you think? Should I keep it or change back to the old one?
Now back to the book. My favourite section in the book store is the classics section, there are always so many interesting books that you have heard about but aren’t sure of the exact story. The other bonus is these books are generally the cheapest (I don’t understand why). So while perusing the shelves I stumbled across ‘The Picture of Dorian Gray’. I was curious to read this book because Dorian Gray is a character in ‘The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen’ and he is also mentioned in a James Blunt song, so who exactly is this mysterious Dorian Gray?
I found the character of Dorian Gray to be an obnoxious, spoilt brat. Throughout this book he is a self-centred person, who may have turned out to be a nice human being if it hadn’t been for Lord Henry Wotton. The story begins when Basil Hallward (a talented artist) discovers a beautiful young man to sit for a portrait. It is at this painting session that Dorian meets Lord Henry and from here his life spirals out of control. Not only does Lord Henry entice him down the wrong path, but also the cursed portrait of Dorian leads him into an evil and hideous lifestyle.
This may sounds horrible of me but I was thankful for the way the book ended. I thought Dorian got everything he deserved, maybe he got off a bit easy. I really did not like this character. I was very disappointed when James Vane was unsuccessful in his moral mission.
This is an intriguing book for character examination. It also provides an interesting perspective into early English society with their decadent and corrupt social lifestyles. If you are into classic books this should be somewhere on your list.
My friend and I were both one-day discussing the BBC version of ‘Pride and Prejudice’ (you will see it was rated 9.4/10). We had both grown up in different areas, watched it at different times but both agreed that it was the best version we had ever seen. After watching it I refuse to watch any other adaptation, for me Colin Firth is the perfect Mr Darcy and Jennifer Ehle (with her fine eyes) plays a wonderful Eliza.
I decided to read the book after reminiscing about how I loved the series. I’m glad I did. I think it is a book every girl/woman should read. It may take some readers a while to get through but it will be worth it in the end.
There are so many stories and genres rolled into one book. It is a comedy, a romance, and a drama all during the Georgian era, where people married for money and status and love was something you only read or dreamt about. The characters in the book are also believable and seem some how known to you. Everybody knows some one like Mr Collins (the slimey, embarrassing relative) or Elizabeth (the independent, free spirit) or Mr Darcy (the misunderstood, quite guy) and the mother (don’t get me started on her “he is worth 5000 pounds”).
I love the idea of two characters having such chemistry and at the same time loathing the sight of each other. It is the romance story that most women are searching for. Although it is a romance, it gives women an independent fighting spirit (I have to say far cry from some Mills and Boone stories). It matches, men’s words, with women’s wit, combining to create a classic tale.
This is a story that is still considered funny and romantic today, and will continue to be for years to come.
This is the only book my sister has ever recommended to me and she hasn’t even finished reading it. My sister isn’t a big reader so for her to tell me about a book I thought I should read it.
When I began the book I read the introduction and the foreword by Charlotte Bronte. They all died so young and didn’t ever get to understand the full impact their writings had on English literature. I hope they realize the contribution and understand the joy people feel when they read their books (Emily died shortly after receiving a bad book review).
I had a preconceived notion of how the story would play out before I began and I was completely wrong. It is said to be a romance story for the ages and yes it had some romance but it wasn’t the common every day garden variety. The romance centers on Catherine Earnshaw and Heathcliff (you know out on the moors “Oh Heathcliff, Heathcliff… sigh). Catherine instead of realising her love for Heathcliff marries Edgar Linton and what follows is Heathcliff’s constant pursuit of Catherine and bringing misery to Linton and his downfall.
I really enjoyed this book, it took me a little bit to get used to the old English phrasing and I had trouble understanding the Yorkshire characters ramblings. In the end I was satisfied for the story and the achievement of reading another classic (and crossing no. 46 of my list).
The hardest thing about this story is trying to understand the workings of Heathcliff; he is a man angry at the world, foul tempered and foul mouthed. All though he is a brute you can’t help feeling like one of those strange women that think “maybe I can change him”. Unfortunately, I think he is beyond redemption but maybe his hate is driven by an unrequited love.
A few weekends ago there was a bookfest at a church down the road from me. I convinced my housemates to go with me even though they aren’t big readers. There were so many books, though half of them were rather uninteresting (like the complete history of bathroom cleaning or things like that). I however came away with three good books, one of which was ‘To Sir, With Love’. Most people of my mother’s generation had to read this book in school, I didn’t and after reading it was disappointed that is wasn’t on our English class list. It only took me two days to read it but afterwards it is something I will keep with me for longer.
Mr Braithwaite is a Negro (term from the book) with a good education and skills and yet he is turned away from every job that he applies for. Feeling isolated and resentful to the rest of the British population he finds solitude in a local park. In this park with the help of a stranger, Braithwaite is put on the path of teaching. Through the difference between him and his students, he overcomes his annoyance at society and the students develop into tolerant, well mannered, young adults.
While reading this book I had the feeling I had heard this story somewhere before. After much thinking it finally came to me. Not that long ago I had watched ‘Gangster Paradise’ with Michelle Pfeiffer. The story is a bit different but the theme is the same. Schooling and dedicated teachers provide the life lessons for young people about to enter society.
What I really liked about this book is that although it was written in 1959 and is a simple story it has a strong message. I think young people should read this book and take the morals provided in the story with them into life. It is still as relevant today as it was back in the 1950’s. In the end I felt very appreciative of my education and the teachers that provided it. Without education I wouldn’t be the well adjusted, well read person I am today. Thank-you to the over worked under appreciate teachers. Without you our world would be very different.
I have always wanted to be one of those people that reads and has a comprehensive knowledge of the classic. So when I looked at the top one hundred list and saw ‘Jane Eyre’ at number seventy-two I felt maybe I could kill two birds with one stone (though not literally).
Although a classic I found this book really easy to read, sometimes when reading older literature you feel overwhelmed and the text really drags on. I couldn’t wait to find out what happened next.
This book is primarily a romance but with a difference. Jane Eyre is an orphan that grew up in the unhappy house of her Aunt Reed. She is then given the opportunity to escape through education. The escape to school is not what she expected (from the frying pan into the fire comes to mind). Her life was cruel and humiliating until she took the job as governess to Adele the young ‘charge’ of Mr. Rochester. Little did she know love was to follow her to Thornfield Hall.
This is the story of unremarkable, unhollywood love between two ordinary and unremarkable people. Although it is romantic it doesn’t provide unreal expectations, it is a realistic romance. Not everyone that falls in love is beautiful and not everyone falls for someone handsome. It made me feel that there is someone for everyone.
Although I would describe this book as a romance there are some mysterious elements, such as the character of Grace Poole: Who is she, why is she there and what is she hiding (ah, you must read it to know the answers)?
This book gave me that warm fuzzy feeling and thinking about it now I feel it. I also left feeling empowered as a female (no wonder it was an instant hit in 1847):
‘I am no bird and no net ensnares me. I am a free human being with an independent will’
I recommend this book to any girl who wants a heart warming and enduring story to curl up in bed with (books never disappoint in bed 
).
