Tuesday, May 12, 2009 - April Book Reviews

 A Tale of Two Cities

I've been meaning to get back into Dickens, and getting a free copy of this book motivated me! I was delighted to find this to be one of the best Dickens I have read--probably even replacing David Copperfield as my favorite Dickens novel.

Set in the cities of London and Paris during the French Revolution, this is a war story that is very different than some of Dicken's other novels. It is full of action and suspense. During the way, a young French aristocrat, Charles, flees to England, where he falls in love with and marries Lucie. Lucie is loved by another man, though, an alcoholic, cynical pessimist, Sydney.

When Charles returns to France for a short time he is arrested. Will he face the guillotine, or can something save him from the chaos in France? The startling ending leaves the reader to think about the themes down to the very famous last words, "It is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest that I go to, than I have ever known."

April Morning

This short novel details the fateful day of April 18, 1775, through the eyes of a fifteen year old boy. History fans with recognize that date as the Battle of Lexington and Concord.

Adam Cooper and his young brother Levi, live with their parents and grandmother on a small farm near Lexington. He is fascinated by the threat of war--and is determined to prove himself a man to his father.

His chance comes sooner than he thinks as the British invade the town. The young boys watches his friends die in the battle, and tries to prove himself. In the end, Adam has to grow up in many ways during this day long period, as his life dramatically changes in just a few hours.

Somewhat reminiscent of Johnny Tremain (although for an older crowd and more psychological in nature), this is a great look at colonial America and the life of an average child during the beginning of the war.

Faust: Part Two

I read Faust One in literature last semester and have been meaning to pick up the second part for a while now. A little background--Faust Part I basically tells the story of a man who sells his soul to the devil, and reaps the consequences of that. Faust II continues his story, but it is not even close to Faust I in terms of storytelling.

From a poetic perspective, Faust II is fascinating. Goethe switches from different styles of poetry all throughout the poem. He brings in characters from mythology and history, and weaves a complex poem. However, it flits from here to there so much, that it often ends up confusing in a sort of psychedelic sort of way.

Whereas I'd recommend Faust I, II isn't worth it unless you really want to know the end of the story or explore the poetry. It is beautiful as poetry, but it lacks the drama and spiritual enlightenment of Faust I.

 

The Turn of the Screw

This is a frightening, harrowing short novel by Henry James. Some even say it is his best. Most would classify it as a "ghost story" but it is more complex--and frankly, just plain more than your typical ghost story.

A young governess is given the job of caring for two children. These children seem like the ideal charges--sweet, cute, and well behaved. But there is a mystery behind these two children--and there is a mystery involving the former governess and a male hand at the house. Both died under strange circumstances--but both suddenly make "appearances" to the new governess. Furthermore, she is convinced that they have possessed the children in her charge! 

Are these phantoms really ghosts? Or is it all in the head of the main character? There are many interpretations of this famous story--and the reader will have fun trying to decipher them until the very end! A very complex, but wonderfully written story.

The Aspern Papers

A literary historian functions as the narrator in this novella as he travels abroad to seek information on a dead poet he is researching. While Jeffery Aspern's poetry was well loved and known, his personal life was kept hidden. Not even a picture of him existed. Our protagonist is determined to find something regarding this poet--anything that would propel his own self into literary fame. Thus, he is thrilled when he finds the home of an old lady and her niece--the older lady having supposedly been at one time involved with the dead poet.

The narrator presents himself to the niece as a suitor, but in reality wants to find out more about Aspern. He knows the lady owns letters, documents, and even a picture of the poet, and it is his goal to find this--while remaining undercover.

Of course, things never go the way you plan, and that gives the reader a unexpected ending!

It is interesting to note that the tale of the old lady and her friend the poet is based partially on letters written by Shelley and Byron.  This is alluded to several times in the text if you pay close attention!

 This is really quite a charming tale. It is simple, yet striking. Any lover of literature, poetry, or romance will delight in it!

A Preface to Paradise Lost: Being the Ballard Matthews Lectures Delivered at University College, North Wales, 1941

This is considered one of the most well known of C.S. Lewis' scholarly works. As the the title suggests, the book actually started as a series of lectures Lewis gave in the forties, and later he converted it to written form.

John Milton's Paradise Lost is probably one of the most debated of all literary works. Everyone has something to say about it. Take a Norton Critical Edition of the book and you will find in the back an incredibly extensive list of essays written by modern critics such as Lewis, T.S. Eliot,  and Northrop Frye, and ones by classic literature authors themselves, like Coleridge, Shelley, Byron, and Johnson.

Thus you knew C.S. Lewis, one of the greatest literary minds of the 20th century, would have something to say about it. In fact, Lewis' book turned into a very well respected critique on Paradise Lost--and marked Lewis as the top Milton scholar forever.

The Awakening

The Awakening is a short novel about Edna Pontellier and her family and friends. The young woman is married to a rich, but rather boring husband, and describes her children, though she loves them, as equally boring.

This book is considered a precursor the feminist movement, giving literature a new look at women and their desires. While noteworthy in that respect, and unconventional--it was very controversial when published--unfortunately, it does not leave the reader any better off. It is a classic, in that it had influence on the surrounding world, but as a novella, it falls short it providing a sufficiently interesting story.

Spirits in Bondage: A Cycle of Lyrics

This poem is Lewis' first published work. He was just twenty years old, and had recently returned from the battlefields of France, wounded. His famous tutor, William Kirkpatrick, encouraged him to publish the poems, and while they were not as well received as Lewis would have liked, gave a great glimpse into the mind of the young author.

Of course, this was a few years before Lewis' conversion. Thus, the poems provide a slight contrast to the worldview of his later years. Yet the writing is most definitely his--rich in mythology and romance. This is an excellent look at post war, pre Christian C.S. Lewis.

Paradise Lost

Isn't it shameful I waited until I was eighteen years old before I read this book? The epic poem is probably the greatest ever written, and has stood the test of time since first published in 1667.

Most of you probably know the basics of this story--a retelling of Genesis in blank verse. I knew that before I was going into it. Yet I had no idea how fascinating this story would prove to be. It isn't just a retelling of Adam and Eve, and the fall, and how it affected human history. It is written as an epic romance, but it also functions as a commentary.

Every Christian should read this book. Everyone should read this book for the literary merits, but Christians should be particular interested in this poem. It is not Scripture, of course, but it gives you an idea on the emotions, events, and experience of Adam and Eve, as well as turning Satan into an incredibly powerful literary figure. We can't take it as truth, but it is like a biblical commentary--if you know the true story, you can decipher what is truth, and what is opinion. Truth is what matters, but sometimes opinion can help us understand a lot more.

Doctor Zhivago

This famous piece of Russian literature is set during the Russian Revolution of 1917, and the Russian Revolution.

Yuri Zhivago is a poet and doctor. His idealism is a stark contras to the war surrounding him, but eventually even the young peace loving doctor is caught up in the war. It breaks apart his family, and life, including that of his love, Lara.

While this is a very famous book (and movie), I found it hard to move through. I generally enjoy Russian literature, but later into the 20th century Russian literature does not impress me as much. While it wasn't a complete waste of time, I don't believe I'm any wiser for having read this book. It had ups and downs.

Inkheart

I'm so cool. I read another contemporary children's book! And even more shocking, I enjoyed it!

Twelve year old Meggie, and her dad Mo, live by themselves after the death of her mother. One night, though, a strange figure comes to talk with Mo. Meggie is intrigued, especially when her father and the stranger, called Dustfinger, whisk her off to her Aunt Elinor's. The eccentric older woman is a rare book collector, and has an immense library. Meggie and her father both are avid readers--but Meggie does not know that her father has a secret about his reading.

Turns out, Mo is not a typical reader. When he reads aloud, he transports the characters, events, and objects from the book, into our world. Meggie is shocked at this revelation, and even more so to find out that Dustfinger is a character from a book that Mo had "read out" years ago. Dustfinger isn't the only one, though. The evil Capricorn and his men were also read out, and want back in their book.

Mo believes this would be too dangerous, so Capricorn and his men resort to desperate measures. They will do anything to be read back into their story...anything!

Madame Bovary

Flaubert's masterpiece is a compelling tale. It is easy to see why it is a classic.

Emma Bovary is a young, vibrant woman who falls into a marriage with a steady and loyal doctor, Charles. While she at first is delighted with Charles, she finds his plain, provincial life boring, thinking he lacked the ambition to rise to the top. She falls into a number of affairs and they eventually lead to her downfall.

Interestingly, it is Charles who turns out the hero. He is steadfastly loyal, loving, and generous to his wife, despite her very numerous shortcomings and failure to support him and their child.

While no Anna Karenina, this is an insightful book about adultery, remorse, forgiveness, and mercy. 

 Ella Enchanted

Another modern children's book on my shelf for this month. Surprising, eh?

I caved in and saw this movie before I ever read the book. That may have given be a bit of a different perspective of the book. I can say I do think I liked the movie a bit better. I did enjoy the book immensely though.

Ella is a young girl who lives in a fictional world. Her fairy godmother gave her a gift upon her birth--the gift of always being obedient. Of course, this turns out to be a curse as well. Upon Ella's mother's death, her father remarries, and her new stepsister's learn about her secret "gift". They learn to use it to their advantage.

Can Ella break free from this "gift"? Will the kind prince, Char, be able to help her? It is a charming story and lots of fun!

 Who Killed Kit Marlowe?: A Contract to Murder in Elizabethan England

I think I first became interested in Christopher (or "Kit') Marlowe in British literature class when my lit class described Marlowe as "one of the most violent figures" of British literature. I don't know why that interested me, but it did, and I've been reading about the author on and off since.

While nothing in this book can be proved, the author lays the foundation of how he believed Marlowe lived and died. We know a lot about Marlowe, but his death is a mystery. He was only 29 when he died in 1593, apparently in a tavern brawl in Depford.

There are many variations of the story of his death, though. Basically, though, there are two categories--some say his death was real, some that it was fake. We do know, besides being a poet, Marlowe was a spy for the government. Thus, his death could have been more than just a tavern brawl--it could have been a deliberate attempt to take Marlowe the spy out. Secondly, if his death was fake, he could have faked it himself (there is some mystery and suspicion involving whether or not a body was ever present) to avoid being taken out by his enemies. (Some who believe in this theory also believe that Marlowe faked his death, then went on to write many more plays under a different name--the name of William Shakespeare. This is actually a somewhat plausible theory...but I'll save it for later!)

The author of this book tries to prove the first case, which is indeed the most likely. Marlowe was taken out because he was a spy. The drunken tavern brawl was a coverup.

This is very much a fascinating subject to research. Unless you are interested, I don't know if I'd say read this book, but if you happen to be like me and want to know who killed Marlowe and why he died, this is a great scholarly work to start with, that reads much like a mystery novel.

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Tuesday, April 7, 2009 - March Book Reviews

Allegory of Love: A Study in Medieval Tradition

This is one of Lewis' most well-loved and often read literary works. Lewis was professor of Medieval and Renaissance Literature, and this book reflects his extensive knowledge on the subject of not just medieval literature, but medieval thought as well.

This book specifies particularly the medieval idea of love. This is such an important topic and theme in medieval literature. However, the medieval idea of love is very different from the postmodern, western idea of love. Lewis introduces us to this foreign idea of love and how it affects our interpretation of medieval literature. This is a must read for interested readers of medieval literature!

Miracles

Miracles? We read about them in the Bible and sometimes we even see them in our own lives. But what are they? Are they really miracles we see, or is there some other explanation for it? Can miracles actually exist?

Lewis shows that miracles are not just plausible, but they are practical. He answers all these questions and more in his little book. We learn what a miracle is, as well as how to respond to them and the different reactions of other religions to miracles.

But most importantly, Lewis shows that miracles CAN happen. This is the best defense for miracles that there is--showing that miracles can happen, and just because they defy the laws of nature, doesn't mean they defy the laws of God.  

 

Fathers and Sons

Considered Turgenev's finest work, this book was written during a period of upheaval in Russia which is directly reflected in the work itself. The growing division between generations of Russians is illustrated between two young men, and their relationship with their families.

Bazarov is a young man studying to be a doctor. He is a nihilist and clashes with his more traditional parents. He plays the role of mentor to young Arkady, who follows him blindly while trying to figure out his own family.

The book is a great side by side comparison of these conflicting generations as Russia was splitting politically, socially, and spiritually.

 

How to Read Literature Like a Professor: A Lively and Entertaining Guide to Reading Between the Lines

I flipped through this book at Barnes and Noble a LONG time ago and knew I wanted to read it. I'm glad I finally got a chance to read the whole thing.

The author of this book does a great job of explaining symbolism and allusions in literature. He shows how it is necessary to look at everything--weather, biblical allusions, mythology, Shakespearean allusions, sickness--and find out exactly what it all means, rather than just "get the big picture" of a story.

Now, of course, that is an extremely important part of literature. But I have two reasons that this book isn't as helpful as it sounds.

1. When you are reading literature, you can enjoy the symbol isms. They make the work that much better and give you a good understanding of characters and events. However, I don't believe that is because every little thing was intended by the author of that piece. Mr. Foster, in this book seems to conclude that authors put everything in on purpose. He believes that if the book says, "it was raining outside" that the author consciously thought of that for an important reason. Now, yes, that could be the case sometimes. Rain could be important to the plot. HOWEVER, I don't hold to this in all cases. I know, because I write. What Mr. Foster failed to point out is this--in ancient literature, you may find little details to be more important. In more modern literature, however, we have entered into a state of realism, in which we add these details not because they are important because they are part of everyday life. We don't really think about it when we write "it was raining outside."

So while symbolism is great, I disagree that ALL authors ALWAYS have  particular reason in mind for each detail. Enjoy the symbolism, but please don't let that make you think everything you read is the author's intent.

2. Secondly, this book tells us about these ways to read literature like a professor. Unfortunately, you don't just read this book and know it all. At least for me, I *knew* almost all these topics before. It is just applying them that is hard. People don't need to read a book on how to read, they need to read that way. So that makes this book not as helpful as it sounds.

Nevertheless, it IS an interesting book. I would probably recommend it to someone who wants to start reading more, rather than someone who already has for years. For me, it wasn't anything really that new, but I'm sure it could be helpful for some. I still enjoyed it, and it confirmed what I already believe, so it wasn't a waste of time, but don't expect your reading to be dramatically changed by this book.

 

Notes From Underground

Notes from Underground is one of Dostoevsky's shorter and earlier works. The work is literally "notes" from a man, divided into two parts--the first more of an analysis of the man, and the second the actual story and action of the man.

This "Underground Man", as he is called, plays the existentialist part as his actions and circumstances propel him to further a sort of "extra consciousness." This book inspired many existentialist writings, but also caused controversy as it rejected socialism.

The book is much better than it sounds, though. It lives on, in many people's opinions, including mine, not as an existentialist work but as a amazing character sketch of a seemingly ordinary man.

 

The Misanthrope

  Moliere is one of the wittiest writers ever. In this play, a comedy of manners, he satirizes the high class French and also the human nature.

This play is one of his best known today. However, the tone of the play is very different from his other works. This focuses less on plot and more on characters. Thus, some readers may not find it very interesting.

The play does a remarkable job creating fascinating and humorous characters--all in Moliere's astoundingly witty language.

 

The Personal Heresy: A Controversy

  This book makes up several articles and letters written between C.S. Lewis and E.M.W. Tillyard, a British literature scholar, in the thirties. The articles were collected into book form because both authors thought that readers would be able to glean something useful from the philosophies presented in them.

Both men argue on the best way to read poetry. They both make great arguments, and sometimes agree. However, their most important points conflict. Tillyard argues that poetry is above the common man, and that poetry is a direct reflection of the author's personality . Lewis, however, believes that all men should be able to enjoy poetry, and that the poet writes about something "external" to him.

If you are a reader of poetry, this book presents some great suggestions and ideas from two leading scholars!

 

The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism

My mom has been trying to get me to read this book for months. I tend not to read a lot of theology, other than Lewis, because...well...I'm a quick reader and sometimes reading theology quickly can be overwhelming. Theology is something you want to chew on, read slowly over a long period of time...and I dread doing that. But I found this book suited me, because I actually couldn't put it down! Not only did I get through it quickly, I enjoyed it and was able to take a lot from it.

I've read a few 'defense of the faith' type books over the past few years. To be honest, other than Mere Christianity, I haven't been very pleased with a lot of them. As a Christian, I understand them, but when I read apologetic type works, I try and read them with the mindset of the unbeliever. And unfortunately, it seems like when doing that I'm left with more questions than answers with a lot of books.

Not so with this one. Pastor Tim Keller covers not just the basics of Christianity, but answers EVERY question that modern day skeptics bring up. Any doubt of Christianity is clearly answered. He brings in good arguments (another thing seemingly lacking in other books I've read) and humor, drawing from literature, pop culture, the Bible, and philosophy.

This is a great book for the skeptic, and a even better one for the person who wants to have an answer for the skeptic. This book and Mere Christianity should probably be the top books on any apologist's shelf!

 

A Death in the Family

A perfect little family is suddenly and irrevocably destroyed. That is the main theme of this book--heartbreaking and tragic, but written in a way that no other book on death has ever been.

The autobiographical novel tells about the family of a young man, Jay, who is killed suddenly in a car accident after going to visit his father. The thirty-five year old man leaves behind a wife, a three year old, and a five or six year old, and the novel tells from the point of view of these characters from the time that Jay leaves to see his father through is funeral. It is a intimate portrait of the grief and responsibility, especially of Jay's widow, as she seeks comfort in her own family, cares for her children, and tries to reach out to Jay's distant family, while seeking comfort in her faith.

 

Treasuring God in Our Traditions

For my review of this book for Crossway, you can find it here.

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Tuesday, March 3, 2009 - February Book Reviews

Boxen: The Imaginary World of the Young C. S. Lewis

 When most people think of C.S. Lewis' fiction, they think of Narnia. If you are more familiar with the author, you might think about the Space Trilogy or even Till We Have Faces. If you are very into Lewis, you might have even picked up The Dark Tower and some other of his short stories and unfinished novels. But most people, I can bet, haven't read this--Lewis first piece of fiction.

Possibly, this could be because Lewis wrote this collection starting at the age of eight. While it doesn't at all resemble Narnia, Lewis and his brother Warnie spent hours over their childhood inventing Animal Land.

This published edition features all the surviving stories of Animal Land--including the humorous anecdotes, geography, history, civilization, culture, and social issues going on in this great imaginary country. It also includes a few of young Jack's inventive illustrations.

While of course this is not an award winning piece of fiction, if you are interested in Lewis, it is worth it to see his earliest work of fiction. The affect is humorous, yet fascinating as you see how different his writing was at age eight versus age fifty-eight!

God in the Dock: Essays on Theology and Ethics

  Essays on theology and ethics?!? You might ask. It doesn't sound the most...uh..interesting, does it?

It is. It's C.S. Lewis. It has to be.

This book of essays is divided into three parts--the theological, the semi-theological, and the secular ethical.  Each section deals with various problems--everything from Lewis' thoughts on capital punishment, war, and other social issues, to his thoughts on theological problems themselves--from prayer to apologetics.

This is a great collection of essays--some of the best on Christianity offered by a great mind!

Of Other Worlds: Essays and Stories

  While most of the "stories" in this collection are published in The Dark Tower and Other Stories, which I've read, the essays in this collection are brand new to me. They cover primarily literature, ranging on subjects such as science fiction and writing for children. Lewis also takes time to discuss both Narnia and his own Space Trilogy--something he rarely does. For that reason alone this is a worthy text.

Lewis spends a good deal of time on three essays in particular. First, one on writing for children.  As someone who would love to write for kids, that aspect of it was fascinating. Lewis presented the idea that when writing for children you must write what you would like to read yourself. Although children have different tastes than adults sometimes, adults don't have to have different tastes than children. He points out mistakes authors make--such as writing things they think are boring but because they think kids would be into it. Second, Lewis discusses science fiction in depth. He discusses Verne, Wells, and other sci-fi writers, giving his thoughts on the history of sci fi and on the genre itself. How do you really accomplish writing in this genre? Lewis does his best to answer that question. Finally, Lewis' essay on criticism is great for any budding author or reader to read. Other works include publisher's notes, and a very humorous interview conducted not too long before Lewis' final illness.

Narrative Poems  (C.S. Lewis)

  I admit--I'm not a huge poetry person. But I do love narrative poetry. And I love C.S. Lewis--so how could I not love this collection of every narrative poem Lewis wrote?

First we begin with Dymer. This poem was written by Lewis as a young man. He began it at age seventeen, and it was published when he was twenty-eight. In an ironic turn of events, it tells the story of a man who throws off the bonds of a totalitarian society and faces his own monsters (literally).

Next, we have Launcelot and the Nameless Isle, but shorter poems but fascinating. Finally, another longer poem, called the Queen of the Drum. This was probably my favorite, with rich imagery and symbolism.

If you aren't into narrative poetry, you may struggle with these poems. Narrative poetry is fun and beautiful, but learn to love it the more you read it. I wouldn't try these poems to begin with, but if you do like narrative poetry, I would recommend these poems.

East of Eden

  This book was not quite what I expected. I knew the story--I thought it was about two brothers. Apparently, that's only part of the story. Unfortunately, it is the best part, and the first two hundred pages of back story could have been compressed into fifty.

Once you get past that, though, the next four hundred pages telling of Cal and Aron are quite fascinating. These two brothers symbolize Cain and Abel. Their mother abandons them as babies, and their father is at first distant. These two boys grow up very close, but very different. Aron is good and likeable, while Cal is deep, dark, and mysterious.  The characterizations of these brothers is by far the best part of the story. They are two great literary characters and their relationships to each other, their family, and their friends is a great glimpse into human character.

I don't usually make disclaimers with my books as far as who I recommend them to. While I enjoy some books and can learn from them, that doesn't mean I would give them to everyone who reads my blog. Some of the stuff I've read, while not in itself bad, I just wouldn't want to hand over to any twelve year old. I think that goes without saying--just because I've read it doesn't mean you younger folks shouldn't check it out with your parents first. I always assumed you folks were smart enough to know that. However, with this book I do have to make a bit of a disclaimer. There is nothing really graphic in this book--but I know that Steinbeck sometimes is read at an earlier age . People see The Grapes of Wrath movie then assume all of Steinbeck's stuff is equally fitting for kids. It's not. First, Steinbeck's mom should have washed his mouth out with soap. Haha! Like I said, though, there's nothing horribly graphic about this book (not trying to scare you older people away from it!) but it does deal with some more mature issues--at least I wouldn't recommend it for the middle school set, no matter how much you enjoyed Of Mice and Men. There, that's said. Good.

The Artist as Critic: Critical Writings of Oscar Wilde

  Wilde is the king of a lot, in my humble opinion. Plays, poetry, even a novel--he's done it all and done it well. This is the first bit of non-fiction I've read, though. I was unsurprisingly impressed.

Wilde discusses all aspects of art and criticism in this series of essays. Whether he is talking about Americans, painting, or poetry, he makes his opinions clear in his humorous and witty style.

Perhaps the most interesting piece in this book, though, is his analysis of Willie Hughes, a young boy whom is believed to be the subject of some of Shakespeare's sonnets. Wilde explores exactly who Hughes could be (albeit a stretched story that he made up, some critics now believe it to be closer to the mark than even Wilde thought) and makes this an almost detective story and literary criticism rolled into one!

A great collection of essays on criticisms!

 

Nicholas Nickleby

  Nicholas Nickleby has a great name. That alone makes this book awesome! However, I'm wiling to say that Dickens also did a nice job in writing a decent story, not just creating nice alliteration in name.

Nicholas Nickleby, after the death of his father, is left to support his mother and younger sister. He is only nineteen, and takes a job as an assistant at a boarding school. There he finds out that this seemingly respectable school is a place of abuse and cruelty to the young boys in it. He leaves--but not before he has made some enemies--and of course, some friends. Meanwhile, his sister tries to find her way in the world, hoping to contribute to the family. Unfortunately, like her brother, she is startled to find that the world isn't nearly so nice a place as she thought it was.

While a great story, it does drag a bit. I've always thought Dickens was great at beginning and ends, but sometimes he just let things go on a bit long in between. There was about two-three hundred pages in the middle that just made me want it to speed up. Maybe that's just the nature of something written as a serial.

Regardless, it is still a nice story, especially if you love Dickens.

Julius Caesar

Some people are surprised to hear I'm not a huge Shakespeare person. They know I love British lit, so they just assume I'm a follower of the Bard. I'm not really...sure, I read Lamb's Book of Shakespeare when I was eight; I've read quite a few of his plays since then; I've listened to them on tape and I've seen several of them a few times (Romeo and Juliet more times than I care to mention..gah, my least favorite of Shakespeare!). However, I never really connected with Shakespeare.

At least not until now.

And I realized, that part of it is, that I've never read Shakespeare properly. He wasn't meant to just be read, he was meant to be watched. And by better performers than Bob Jones University has to offer. No offense, of course.

So with Julius Caesar, I not only read it. I re-read it. I read it cover to cover twice, then read portions over and over. I've memorized parts. I'm still working on Antony's funeral speech ("Friend, Romans, Countrymen, lend me your ears!"). I watched it (Brando version, of course). Multiple times.

I felt like I did it right. And I haven't enjoyed something so much in a long time.

Of course, it isn't just what I did. Caesar itself is a great play, the best of Shakespeare, in my opinion. It is a play of politics, glory, love, loyalty, and it is all a blaze of fire, action, and eloquent speech. There is nothing comparable to it.

If you aren't familiar with the story, basically--Caesar is offered the crown, and the senators in Rome don't like it. They are afraid he'll go to far and become a tyrant. Led by Brutus, they kill him, but his good friend Mark Antony manipulates the plebeians into waging war on these Senators.

There is so much depth in this play, about human emotions, struggles, revenge...it is the most complex of anything Shakespeare wrote, as far as I'm concerned. Brutus is conflicted as he wonders what is the right thing to do ("I loved Caesar but I loved Rome more"). Antony plays the loyal friend and comes across as a great leader. Antony is so well defined, that he is fast becoming one of my new favorite fictional characters.

Yet if you are going to read it, do it right. Don't make the mistake I've made with Shakespeare all this time. He takes time, but in the end it is worth it. Make sure you don't just read it, but watch it, as it was meant to be. For Julius Caesar, I highly recommend the 1953 version with Marlon Brando, James Mason, Deborah Kerr, and Greer Garson. It captures the essence beautifully. If you don't watch Shakespeare as well as read it, it might just be Greek to you!

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Thursday, February 5, 2009 - January Book Reviews

Letters to Malcolm: Chiefly on Prayer

C.S. Lewis tackles important issues on prayer and other subjects in this set of "letters" to a fictional character, Malcolm. They are written in a friendly conversational style yet full of intellectual and spiritual wisdom.

Lewis' letters address issues such as canned prayers and the Lord's prayer. He talks about traditions and ceremony in church services and gives his thoughts on "liberal Christianity."  Lewis discusses when to pray and how to pray, praying to saints, and praying about the dead.

Lewis makes several interesting points as he writes these letters about prayer.  One of his most consistent, though, are these two questions we must ask regarding prayer: What is important to God in our prayers, and what does man need himself in praying to God?

If you want to explore issues regarding prayer from the point of one of the greatest theologians (only a layman, he insists, though) of all time, I would highly recommend this book.

Sense and Sensuality: Jesus Talks to Oscar Wilde on the Pursuit of Pleasure

As you probably know, Oscar Wilde is one of my favorite authors. He wrote some of the most hilarious plays in the world, and he also wrote an incredible novel (his only) dealing with morality and man. However, Wilde was not the most moral man on the planet.  Ravi Zacharias explores the last few hours of Wilde's life--drawing on what we know to be Wilde's tormented sickness and supposed deathbed conversion to Christianity, and filling in the time between.

The time in between is Zacharias' own fictional account of what would happen if Wilde had "meant" Jesus before his death. What led Wilde to his conversion? We do not know. Zacharias draws from Wilde's own life and writings, and the Word of God, to show what could have influenced Wilde as he talks to Jesus on the "pursuit of pleasure."

Pleasure was something Wilde lived his life for.  He went to jail for it. He was infamous for it. But he was never satisfied--his private correspondence, writings, and friends knew it.  He was missing something--and Zacharias does a wonderful job explaining what might have led Wilde to what he needed.

 

Reflections on the Psalms

 Who can explore the depth of the Psalms better than a literature expert? C.S. Lewis fuses his Christian beliefs and his knowledge of literature--specifically poetry--to help us better understand this book of the Bible.

Lewis not only discusses the spiritual aspects oft he Psalms, but instructs his readers on how to enjoy and learn from them. They are songs, he reminds us. They teach us to praise God and revere Him, and also to fear Him.

Finally, Lewis shows how the Psalms must be read from a literary perspective. That is what they are--poetry.  Keeping this in mind, Lewis shows how each verse is significant for various literary reasons--including employing such literary forms that can be translated into any language.

 

Daisy Miller

Henry James was famous for writing about Americans traveling abroad and how they are treated in other countries.  In this novella he introduces us to a young woman named Daisy Miller.

As for Daisy--well, "Daisy Miller was a flirt--a pretty American flirt." She captures the interest of a young man while vacationing in Switzerland and they are later reunited in Italy. But Daisy becomes involved with an Italian man--confusing all three of them.

Daisy Miller is a quick read--not incredibly interesting, but still offering some insight into the mind of a young woman who has charms, but doesn't quite know how to use them.

 
Tarzan of the Apes

 I'm really surprised with this book. In all honestly, I thought I wouldn't like it very much. You see, I'm not partial to books that involve animals. I like people in my books.  I don't relate to animals very well, I guess. I never liked Old Yeller or Black Beauty or any of those books as a kid. So knowing this book contained a good deal involving the life of animals--I didn't have very high expectations.  However, it was ten cents at the library sale...can you refuse that?

Anyway, I stand humbled before you today. I LOVED this book.

Lord John Clayton--or Tarzan, as we will know him as--was born in Africa after his parents were marooned.  When both his parents die, he is adopted by a family of apes.  There the child grows not as a man, but as an ape himself.  The "primitive man", so to speak. However, Tarzan knows something is missing. He knows he is different--and when he discovers the belongings of his parents, years later, he begins to realize what exactly this is. With English books, he teaches himself to read and write English--although, as he only knows the written words and has never heard it spoken, he cannot speak it.

Years go by. A party of Americans and Englishmen are marooned on the African coast.  Among these Americans in Jane Porter. Tarzan, who has never seen a white woman before, is mesmerized by her. Yet how can he win the love of a woman who could view him as a fierce animal of the jungle?

Far From Madding Crowd

This book was originally attributed to George Eliot--and I can see why.  While parts of it "seem" like Thomas Hardy, it often seems like a very different work for him. It is hard to explain--especially if you aren't familiar with Hardy or Eliot--but it is easy to see why the great writers were confused when it comes to this novel.

Gabriel Oak is a young shepherd who falls in love with a visiting woman. Bathsheba rejects him, however, and returns home. Gabriel finds this the least of his tragedies, though, when he loses his farm and wealth. He must search for a job--and he finds himself in the position of having to take a job from the Bathsheba, who had recently inherited a large estate.

While he still loves the girl, neither of them can face their pride in admitting it. Bathsheba begins a whirlwind courtship with first one man--then turns around and marries another.

Yet Bathsheba's marriage is full of secrets. Her new husband may not be the kind of husband she thought she was getting--is it too late to realize who really loves her?

 I believe this had been my favorite Thomas Hardy novel I've read.  It also is not as well known as, say, Tess of the D'ubervilles or Return of the Native. I'm not quite sure why. It is a fascinating book with amazing characters!

Dubliners

 I had read a few of the stories when I took British literature a few years back. James Joyce's collection of fifteen short stories is one of the most famous short story collections in English literature.

All of these stories depict middle class Irishmen in early 20th century Dublin. Each of them deals with something different--from a boy's first glimpse of death to a boarding house woman's matchmaking with her daughter and a boarder. 

Joyce has a very sparse writing style, as is seen in his longer works. It works to his advantage well, here, as he attempts to create a story while leaving the reader much to wonder.

Carpe Diem

My aunt gave me this book for Christmas--I had heard of it before but never thought to look into reading it. I am glad she gave it to me, though, because this book was a lot of fun and I wouldn't have liked to miss it!

Sixteen year old Vassar Spore is a perfectionist. She also has her whole life planned out--where she goes to college, when she will win the Nobel Prize, and when she will marry a tall blonde surgeon (wow, she almost has her life as well planned out as me!). You have to love that--academics is her life.  I swear Vassar could be homeschooled.

Over the summer, though, her important plans are interrupted. Instead of spending the time studying and taking classes (so she can become school valedictorian), her grandmother blackmails her into backpacking through the jungles of Southeast Asia.

Needless to say, Vassar is thrown into a lot of adventures and fun--while trying to figure what is important in life. She also wonders how her grandmother could blackmail her parents--what was the big family secret? Unfortunately, the secret is pretty obvious from the beginning, at least to me.

Along the way, Vassar also meets a young Malaysian cowboy. Yes, cowboy. And he's awesome. Down to his boots--his pride and joy. (I'm sure mine are way cooler though.)

Although this book is supposed to have a message, the message is rather cliched. Instead, I appreciated this book just for the fun involved.  A delightful read for anybody, but especially over achiever teenage girls (don't even say it!)!

 
North and South

Roll over Mr. Darcy. Tell Don Juan the news. I've found a better romantic hero in this book--Mr. Thornton.

Let me back up a little first and introduce you to the story though before I go into why every man should be like Mr. Thornton (or look like Richard Armitage, who plays him in the movie...err, nevermind....).

Margaret Hale is the daughter of a clergyman. She's happy living in delightful, peaceful southern England. Yet when her father decides to leave the church when he feels he cannot agree with some of the precepts required, Margaret and her parents move to the town of Milton in northern England.

Milton is a factory town--overrun with mills and poor, tired workers.  Margaret develops a persistent sense of social justice as she befriends the workers--and butts heads with the biggest mill owner in town--Mr. John Thornton.  Of course, as always, their disdain for each other hides an attraction--but with such big differences between them, it seems impossible for them to be together as mill strikes, poverty, and death push them further and further apart.

I think the most amazing thing about this book is how there is no wrong or right side. We have two sides--the mill owners (namely Thornton) and the mill workers.  They both present a good case.  Both groups contain men of high integrity. Yet why can't they get along?  Can they compromise? That is the question--and I think that is a question we often face in life. There isn't always the good and the bad. Often, two "goods" seem to disagree--and this book explores that in a fascinating way.

This is my new absolute favorite book (and movie!). Everyone needs to read it. Elizabeth Gaskell (dare I say it!) officially outranks Jane Austen, and North and South surpasses Pride and Prejudice in every way.  Can't miss this one!

 

The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood

We've all seen the old movie, or at least the Disney animated film. Who isn't familiar at least a little bit with Robin Hood? I grew up watching the films (actually, little known fact about me: I played a villager/prisoner in a homeschool drama club production at age five!) and knowing the story, but I never read this--probably the most famous adaptation, till now.

Interestingly, though this book was written in 1883, it was written in an "Old English" type style.  Also, it was adapted specifically for children. 

I love the character of Robin Hood--he's one of my favorite in fiction. So that alone drew me to this book. Pyle tells several of the old familiar tales in an easy style for children. However, some of my most famous Robin Hood tales were missing. Frankly, I think the old Robin Hood ballads of the Middle Ages were much more interesting.

Reread:

The Scarlet Pimpernel 

This was one of my absolute favorite books years ago. My mom read it to me when I was about ten, and I read it several times the year or two after that. I hadn't picked it up for a long time, so I decided to order it again.  I am pleased to say it is every bit as good as it was seven or eight years ago. 

 Set during the French Revolution, this story explores the life of a young Frenchwoman, Marguerite, and her wealthy husband Percy. Just hours after they were married, Percy finds out a dreadful secret about his beloved wife--she sent a French aristocrat and his family to the guillotine. Percy is disgusted and becomes estranged from his new bride. 

Marguerite is determined to win her husband back. However, when the life of her brother is at stake, Marguerite jumps to action to save him--even it means betraying England, which of course would even further damage her relationship with her husband.  A French ambassador blackmails Marguerite into spying for the French on the English--specifically to keep her eyes out for the "elusive Pimpernel", an unknown Englishman who smuggles death-sentenced French into England.

Marguerite has a choice to make--does she betray England, and lose her husband forever, or does she let her brother die?  It is a riveting tale--and the characters of both Marguerite, Percy, and others are some of the best in fiction.

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Monday, January 5, 2009 - December Book Reviews

 All My Road Before Me: The Diary of C. S. Lewis, 1922-1927

We know him as a master apologist--the so called "apostle to the skeptics". But he also was once a skeptic. In fact, C.S. Lewis was more than a skeptic--he was an outright atheist. Lewis' conversion didn't occur until his early thirties. This diary was begun when Lewis was only a young man of twenty-three.

We're given a unique glimpse into the early life of Lewis in his journal that he devotedly kept during an important time of his life. For four years, we are treated to snapshots of every day life--such as taking the dog for walks, Lewis' reading schedule, and what Lewis had for tea. We're also given a look at some of the bigger moments in Lewis' twenties, like getting a Fellowship, continuing his education, moving, and meeting influential friends such as J.R.R.Tolkien.  Slowly, we see Lewis begin his gradual path towards Christianity as his life changed during these five years.

In some ways, the C.S. Lewis of the 1920's is the same C.S. Lewis we've always known. Yet in other ways, he is completely different. This diary shows this so well--showing us the man who ended up writing theology books as a man who had no need for God, yet also showing the brilliant intellect that Lewis exhibits even then--the very intellect that was slowly shaped for the glory of God.

Surprised By Joy

This is Lewis' first (of two) autobiographical work. However, this is a bit different from your typical autobiography. Rather than focusing on his entire life, Lewis only takes portions of his whole life--the very portions that tell the tale of his conversions.

How did a young boy raised Protestant turn atheist, then to Christianity? What led Lewis on these two seemingly opposite paths? Lewis writes about several occurrences in his life that shaped his religious and spiritual beliefs--or lack thereof--through his childhood, teen and college years. 

The situations vary--from reading a certain book to the death of his mother to his experiences in the trenches of France. All of these, though, somehow helped shape the mind--and soul--of the greatest apologist for Christianity of the twenty first century.

Poems (C.S. Lewis)

C.S. Lewis wrote everything--theology, children's stories, literary criticism, academic essays, newspaper articles, science fiction--and of course, poetry.  He first tried poetry at age fourteen, and continued to write it through his life.  Even his classic myth, Till We Have Faces, originally started as a narrative poem.

This collection of shorter poems deal with a variety of subjects--mythology, God, nature, love--Lewis covers it all.

The Complete Works Of Josh Billings

Josh Billings was the most famous humorous writer after Mark Twain in America. Unfortunately, he is not read as much now as he was during his own time. This is disappointing--because the man had a very unique style and was quite funny. This book itself is hard to find--my copy was from 1876, and I'm not sure that it has been reprinted in recent years (although I know it has since 1876!).

Billings wrote a variety of essays in an unusual manner. He employed an informal writing style, complete with phonetic spellings and local slang.  His essays cover many subjects--from animals, philosophy, morality, and finally, just plain humor!  I think you'd get a better idea of how Billings wrote, though, if I just gave you a few quotes:

"'Familiarity breeds kontempt.' This only applies tew men, not tew hot bukwheat slapkakes, well buttered and sugared. "

"It iz a darned sight eazier tew find six men who kan tell exactly how a thing ought tew be did than tew find one who will do it. "

"About one haff the pitty in this world iz not the result ov sorrow, but satisfackshun that it aint our hoss that haz had hiz leg broke. "

"Men are often praized for their sagassity, but all the fore sight in the world kant tell a dubble yelked egg untill it itz broken. "

While most people haven't read Josh Billings (although you Yankees who use the expression "just joshin'" are more familiar with him then you know, as he coined the term after himself!), he is well worth it!

Sister Carrie

While this book may not be nearly as good as the author's other big work, An American Tragedy, I enjoyed the read all the same.

Carrie is just a young country girl. She wants change, though--so she moves to the city to live with her sister, brother-in-law, and nephew in Chicago.  Yet Carrie finds Chicago to be a very different place then she imagined.  Carrie must work hard to find the American Dream--but will she find it?

Carrie finds a factory job to pay her keep, but soon becomes more interested in a young salesman. Carrie finds herself in a relationship with this man, as she realizes that Drouet would be able to care for her with his money. She could live an easy life and not have to work for it.

Yet Drouet, despite his promises, won't marry her, and she begins to feel that maybe he isn't the one for her. She meets another man, older and wealthy, but soon she has to learn that to reach her American Dream, she will have to rely on herself, and not others.

Prometheus Unbound

In Greek mythology Prometheus was a Titan who stole fire from Zeus. Because of this, Zeus punished him by having his guts slowly eaten out. Lovely, huh?

Ironically, it makes for a lovely narrative poem. In Shelley's four part play, he explores the torture of Prometheus. Can Prometheus overturn Zeus (presented in this poem as Jupiter)?  Or will he be forever bound to the anguish inflicted upon himself?

Shelley was one of the most famous of the Romantic poets. Although I personally prefer Coleridge or Byron to Shelley (and I prefer his wife, Mary Shelley, author of Frankenstein to him as well!), I cannot deny that the man was a master at verse. I've been fascinated with his personal life for years, and reading this poem specifically helped me to better understand Shelley the man.

The Redemption of Sarah Cain

Since it was December, and the end of the semester, I wanted to take my Christmas break to relax a little bit. So I picked a couple of light works to read. You know, the kind that don't require much imagination or intellect.  This was one of them! Of course, that is not meant to be an insult to the book or intellect of the author--just different for me as something actually written in my own lifetime! That's a change--you don't see much of that from me.

Sarah Cain is a successful woman of the world. Single, with no children, and few responsibilities other than work, she lives the perfect life--so she thinks. Other than a want-to-be- suitor, her life as a real estate broker was just where she wanted it.

Yet Sarah's family is very different. Years before, her sister and her husband had become Amish and moved to Lancaster, Pennsylvania (rather far from her state of Oregon!).  Sarah grew apart from her Plain sister and her family.

Now, though, upon her sister and brother-in-law's death, Sarah finds herself appointed guardian to her five nieces and nephews. The news is startling--how in the world could she possible raise Amish children? And how would these children react to their 'worldly' aunt?  Can they ever reconcile their lifestyles?

Fahrenheit 451

451. The temperature at which a book will burn.

In Ray Bradbury's novel, set in the future, we find a very different world. In a future America, reading is, in essence, outlawed.  The main character, Guy, is a fireman. He doesn't put out fires in homes though. He doesn't save people from burning flames. No, instead, he is a book burner. 

Yet as Guy burns the books, he is faced with a startling temptation. What are in these books? Are they really so bad as they seem? What would happen to him if he tried to read just one book?

The Idiot

Before you even think about cracking a joke, no, my biography is not out already. Sorry, my brother already tried that one!

Prince Myshkin returns to his country of Russia after being away for many years. Myshkin is a sickly young man--an epileptic--but he is also an almost perfect man. Dostoevsky wrote the book to depict a "good man", a Christ like figure, who enters fallen Russia and thrown into the world of betrayal, deceit, and the wickedness of all men.

However, will Prince Myshkin be able to remain a good person as he "walks with the wicked"?  Myshkin is surrounded by darkness--can he be a light? Or will he too fall?  This story explores Myshkin's relationships with those around him--such as the beautiful Nastasya, the playful Aglaya, and the wicked Rogozhin.  How will each of them react to this "perfect" man?

Keeping Holiday

If you haven't already read my review of Keeping Holiday and interview with author Starr Meade, you can check it out here: 

http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Earthling/635118/

Twilight

Before I review this book, I do want to make a disclaimer--there are some out there who will think I shouldn't have read this book.  I understand your position. However, this is my review about it. I have plenty of reasons why I believe there is nothing wrong with this book; why it is not dark nor occultish nor evil, but in fact, a book with a message of light in a world where evil and darkness DO exist--yes, even in our world. Sorry, that is a fact.  I'd be more than happy to go into this with you, if you want to send me an email or private message or even in a comment. But if you don't want to discuss it and hear my side properly, I ask that you refrain from bashing my choice here.  I'm perfectly fine with discussing it as mature Christians, but I reserve the right to edit/delete your comment if it only attacks me rather than try to engage in a civilized discussion! Right now, though, I'm not here to give my thoughts on why I felt comfortable reading this book, but what my thoughts on the book as a literary work were.

And of course, if you haven't read these books and aren't sure about them, and want to talk, feel free to ask any questions you may have.

Phew. Now that that is over...

Bella is a high school junior who moves to Oregon to live with her dad. When beginning school at her new high school, Bella meets Edward Cullen. At first Edward seems to hate her, but eventually, when he saves her life, Bella sees another side to him.  The two become close friends, but Bella knows that Edward has a secret--could her new friend really be a vampire?  How will Edward be able to control the desire for the blood of this girl he finds himself falling in love with?

The story itself isn't badly written. It kept my interest. The characters were amazing--Bella is my long lost twin; while Edward is hopelessly Byronic, and lesser characters equally held their weight.

There is a powerful message as well. The worldview of the author (a Mormon) clearly seeps through in this tale. Dark and light. Temptation and resistance. What makes them? Is it worth it to succumb to temptation for short term pleasure, or does it have long term tragedies associated with it? Our world today needs this book--if only because it dares to show that we have choices to make, and they can hurt us--we can't live for ourselves and our pleasures. There's something greater out there--and we must resist temptation, as well as, when we do fall, receive forgiveness. This book allegorizes these truths in a fantastic way. The book also contains a strong pro-abstinence message (although underneath the surface, as sex plays basically no part in this book. It's a surprisingly clean book!), and Bella is a decent role model, which is saying something, as this book is being read by preteen girls across the country.

Now that I've said the good about Twilight, I must focus on the bad.

It is kind of stupid.

Sure, the message is good, the characters are good. The story is even interesting. So what is the stupid parts, you ask? Well, I think it mostly revolves around the fact that these two main characters are seventeen. (well, since Edward is a vampire, he's technically older...but he lives as a teenager).  I think that part is just laughable--maybe it is because I'm seventeen myself. This isn't 1860 anymore.  A deep, dark, mysterious romance--between two modern American teenagers. I'm sorry, that just doesn't work for me. I'd be able to appreciate the book much better if these two characters were thirty.

Now that I've got that out--I can't say that everyone will like this book. I am in no hurry, to be honest, to read the rest of the series.  I'm sure I'll get to it one day--I did enjoy reading this one--but there was enough cheesy moments to turn me off just a little bit for now.  If you think it sounds interesting, you will probably like it. If you read this and think 'No way--that sounds so dumb!" then I would guess you'd think that of the book as well. Everybody seems to have a different reaction to this book--and although it is not my most favorite book in the world, it is fun, enjoyable, and thought provoking--and most of all, I'm extremely pleased with the fact that this book, with such a great message that is taboo in modern America, has become so popular with our young people. Hopefully, it will change the minds of those who read it and need it most.

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Wednesday, December 17, 2008 - Book Reviews--Literature Fall 2008

 I've treated you to all the books I've read "for pleasure" each month over the past year.  I haven't, though, included books I've read in literature class this past semester. I was going to include them, but I found it didn't really work to add them to my monthly reading list, since some of them took longer than a month to read, etc.  So I saved all of those up for the end of the semester, and now that the class is over, here are the books/works we studied in the fall. I have read some of them before (and even reviewed some of them before on here).

Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift

I've read this before this class several times, and liked it a lot, but I have never fully appreciated it until now. I've learned to see it not just as a children's story or even an adventure novel, but as a fantastic commentary on the age of Swift as well as humanity in general.  It can be enjoyed in either of those three ways, but it is well worth it to be able to enjoy it ALL of those ways at the same time. 

Swift's ironic humor always gets to me, whether in A Modest Proposal or this, his most well known work.  The man was a pure genius.

Swift's satire tells the story of Gulliver. He is shipwrecked and journeys to several faraway lands in the course of years.  His first travel is to Lilliput, where he encounters a race of tiny people--only a few inches high.  This stubborn people was engaged in a war with the neighboring country over whether an egg should be broken on the large end or small end. Swift was commenting on the little issues that were made such a big deal of during his time, such as rifts inside the church and government itself.

The second travel brings Gulliver to a land of giants. This is a fascinating contrast to the first land, and Gulliver must learn to vary his perspective as he finds himself a tiny insignificant man, much like the Lilliputians.

Gulliver's third journey was to a island that floats, where the people were so engrossed in intellectual pursuits they get literally lost into their own world.  Swift satirizes here the intellectual scientists of his day who elevated reason above anything else.

Finally, the last (and most important) journey for Gulliver brings him to the land that is home of two races. One, the yahoos, are human like creatures who disgust Gulliver. The other are horse like creatures who are perfect. Swift presents the idea of a perfect society and contrasts it to Gulliver's home of England, where men are nothing more than "yahoos".

 

Candide by Voltaire

Candide is the story of a young man who travels around the world. Like Gulliver, Candide is a satire.  A big theme of Candide is "why do bad things happen to good people?" The character Candide must deal with this question as he goes through impossible troubles.

The book is clearly mocking this philisophy of "optimism"; that all things will work out for good. It is truly quite worth the read--although definitely not for everybody (you younger folks may want to skip this one!)--as it explores some very deep philosophical and theological issues through a story of a man who misses the answers of life and instead settles to "cultivate his own garden."

Faust, Part One by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

I read Christopher Marlowe's Dr. Faustus and I believe I reviewed it here earlier this year. This is another perspective of the same story of the man who sells his soul to the devil. 

Faust is a brilliant man who is tired of his intellectual pursuits. Where have they gotten him? He seems to ask.  When Mephistopheles, the devil, comes to him, he decides to forgo his life in search of something greater; something he does not have--power. Faust sells his soul to the devil, and embarks on a journey of depravity.

This is a very interesting work--and a must-read for any Christian.  While it sounds hopeless and dark, in reality, it is a stark reminder that Satan wants our souls--and will do anything to get them; we, on the other hand, must be on our defense and not succumb as Faust did, but instead, like the main female character of the story, listen for God's voice (even amidst our sin) to proclaim, "She is redeemed!"

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

This is another book I've read before. Again, I enjoyed it so much more this time around!  Quite an extreme and spiritual tale.

Frankenstein, a young man, aspires to be a great scientist. Yet his plans go wrong when he in his eagerness, actually creates a life. The life he creates starts off well, but because of his appearance, is shunned by society. This causes the monster to, literally, turn monstrous. Frankenstein must deal with the monster as it wreaks havoc across England--killing his family and friends. 

Frankenstein is faced with a horrendous decision when the monster offers him peace--on one condition.  Frankenstein must create a female monster for the monster, so that he will no longer be alone in this world. If Frankenstein does this, the monster promises to stay away from all humans.

Frankenstein must decide. Does he create the female, and hope the monster stays true to his word, or by doing so, is he inflicting a whole new race of these creatures upon the world forever?

Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky

One of the best novels ever written, this book is also a top on the list of books that best define Christianity. I've read it before, and even reviewed it, so you can check my review if you want to know more about the book itself.

I loved this book the first time I read it, but I'm even more in awe of it now. This book has a stronger message of sin and redemption than any other I've ever read. 

The Death of Ivan Ilyich by Leo Tolstoy

Another deeply Christian book with a great message of redemption. Tolstoy, like Dostoevsky, was a Christian man, but unlike Dostoevsky (who wrote his greatest works after his conversion), he wrote many of his more famous works (Anna Karenina, War and Peace) as he was still searching for God (which makes them very Christian works, indeed, actually). However, this book was written after his conversion, and it clearly shows.

Ivan Ilyich has led a pretty normal, ordinary life. He's married, has kids, works hard--nothing exciting, nothing all that great, but nothing bad either. Yet a simple accident leads him to his deathbed.  The first chapter starts off with Ivan's funeral, and the rest of the book starts from the beginning until his death.  We are treated to a rare glimpse of the life of a dying man who realizes he needed something more in his life. But is it too late for him?

The Cherry Orchard by Anton Chekhov

This plays-- defies what you would normally expect from a book.  It is a very realistic work. This influences the plot--for instance, things don't always work out or resolve themselves--as well as the dialog--like the fact that the character's discussions are like real world ones, with changes of subject and interruptions.

The family in this play is faced with a struggle--they must pay off their mortgage. To do so, they must build cottages to rent on part of the estate. Yet this presents a problem, because to build these cottages, the beloved cherry orchard must be cut down. This presents a theme of change and failure in late eighteenth century Russia.

From a literary perspective, this play is pure genius. From a enjoyment perspective, though, it's not incredible. If you are reading for pure entertainment, you may not quite find this play what you are expecting.

Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad

I just love the title of this novella, because it very much demonstrates what this work is all about. The heart of man is truly a heart of darkness, no matter how man may appear on the outside.

Marlow is an Englishman who is given an assignment down the Congo River to import ivory.  But that is just a cover up as he learns he is sent in reality to bring back a ivory importer, Kurtz. Marlow knows nothing about Kurtz, but realizes that a sense of mystery surrounds the man.

Who is Kurtz? And what is he really like? Marlow must find out in this riveting tale.

Mother Courage and Her Children by  Bertolt Brecht

Although written in the 1930's, Brecht's play goes back in time to the Thirty Years War. Here, he tells of a woman, Mother Courage, as she attempts to survive war-torn Europe.

Mother Courage is anything but courageous. She makes her living off the war as she travels around with her family, peddling. One by one her family is killed off--and by the end, we finally have demonstrated true courage.

Some believe this one of the greatest plays of the 20th century.  I agree.  The books presents some very interesting questions--such as "Why bother with morality if bad things still happen?". Unfortunately, the book fails to give a concrete answer.

 

The Wasteland by T.S. Eliot

Oh, my. It is beyond me to interpret this poem. Instead, I will only say that the free verse it demonstrates is amazing. What it means--does anybody know?

It really has some pretty parts. And interesting ones, too. But as a whole, the poem seems to be a collection of unrelated parts, leaving the reader rather confused.

Six Characters in Search of an Author by Luigi Pirandello

This satirical tragicomedy was first written in 1921.  At the beginning of the play, an acting company is beginning to rehearse their own play, when several people walk in. These people claim to be characters with a story that needs to be told, and insist the director tell their story in their play.

The director gives these characters' story a chance; but he uses his own professional actors.  The characters are not content--this is their story. These actors can't tell it!  Thus, the characters go through their intriguing story of their family in front of the whole play.

Of course it is interesting that this is almost a play within a play. We have the play itself, and then the story of the characters.  But there is more than creativity here. What is the characters place in life?  Are they real? Are they more or less real than the director and other members of the play, because they have their own story already planned, and not the unexpected moments of 'real life'?

The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka

"One morning, as Gregor Samsa was waking up from anxious dreams, he discovered that in bed he had been changed into a monstrous verminous bug."

Thus begins Kafka's short story--and how could not love it just because of that? 

Imagine. You come home from work, like you do everyday, maybe a bit tired of the monotonous life you live.  You kick off your shoes, loosen your tie, and fall asleep. When you wake up in the morning, you find yourself to have transformed into an enormous bug.

What would be your reaction?  Fear? Horror?  Terror?  Gregor shows none of these feelings--instead, he is perplexed by how, in his current state, he would be able to get to work that day.

But as time goes by, Gregor finds this would be very difficult.  His parents and sister soon come upon him and are--well, a bit surprised. And maybe a little afraid too.

So Gregor begins his new life as a bug. His parents can't bear to be around him, but his sister looks out for him.  Yet, how will they be able to take this transformation? Without Gregor's income, the family is nothing. How will they manage now that they are alone with a giant bug to take care of?  What results of Gregor's metamorphosis is more than his own transformation, but also the metamorphosis of his entire family.

Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett

Is it mindless nonsense, or is a great work of literature? Or is it (gasp!!) both?  You can decide here. It is a hard choice when you have a deeper work, but one that seems to lack a plot, conclusion, resolution, climate..."no end and no beginning" as we read in class.

Two men, Vladimir and Estragon, are waiting for Godot. Who is Godot, you ask? These two men aren't sure either. They only know that they must wait for Godot.

This play makes of a mockery of these two men. To the reader, it is obvious that Godot will never come.  These men are just wasting their lives. They continue to do nothing, waiting for someone who won't come and may not even exist, for all we know. It leaves for a rather hopeless play.

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Thursday, December 4, 2008 - November Book Reviews

 The Diamond of Darkhold

This fourth book in the Ember series was not a letdown. I didn't have my hopes up for this book--with a series where three books before have been very well written, could one possibly expect the same from the book that completes the saga? The author surprised me again and I believe this is my favorite of the Ember books, after the first one.

In this book, we go back to Doon and Lina after they have escaped the underground city of Ember. They have fit in well in their new home in Sparks, but it is not without problems. In a world ravaged by war, there is not enough basic necessities for the people of Ember and Sparks to live off of for the coming winter.

Doon and Lina attempt to solve the problems and are faced with only one answer--they must return to Ember. But secrets still exist under the ground in that deserted city--or is it deserted? Will Doon and Lina be faced with only two choices--death above ground, or death in their dead city?

If you are an Ember fan, I think this book will please you!

Middlemarch: A Study of Provincial Life

One of her last and greatest novels, George Eliot (pen name of Mary Anne Evans) published Middlemarch in 1874.

Dorothea Brooke is a charming young woman with philanthropic ideas. Her greatest goal in life is to further her intellect and change the world for the better. She is not content to merely settle down and marry any local well to do landowner. Instead, she finds herself interested in a middle aged scholar, Edward.

The story follows Dorothea as her ideals begin to burst. She expects a perfect relationship with Edward, and when they marry, she is startled to find out that maybe, her ideas on marriage were not quite right.

"Dorothea, with all her eagerness to know the truths of life, retained very childlike ideas about marriage. She felt sure that she would have accepted the judicious Hooker, if she had been born in time to save him from that wretched mistake he made in matrimony; or John Milton when his blindness had come on; or any of the other great men whose odd habits it would have been glorious piety to endure; but an amiable handsome baronet, who said "Exactly" to her remarks even when she expressed uncertainty,--how could he affect her as a lover? The really delightful marriage must be that where your husband was a sort of father, and could teach you even Hebrew, if you wished it."

Middlemarch follows Dorothea as she has to learn that her ideas on love, though noble, are not all that must exist for a happy relationship. It was an eye-opening read for me, because I will say, I do have similar ideas about relationships to Dorothea's. But the story illustrates what a relationship must really be built on--it can be neither a fairy tale romance full of happiness, nor can one be totally happy with a business-like marriage built around unromantic ideals.

The book does not completely focus on Dorothea, though. It is a study of many residents of Middlemarch, including the new young doctor as he comes to town, hoping to further his career and remove the discrimination against his "novelty" practice of medicine. We are also treated to Fred's story, a young man's carefree choices lead him into a life of debt and may cost him the girl he wants to marry.

Overall, Middlemarch is not just a charming tale of small town life, but also a deep novel filled with truths about people, relationships, and social status.

Wuthering Heights

Heathcliff and Cathy. They are probably one of the most famous literary couples of all times, right after Romeo and Juliet. This is their story--the story of an orphaned gypsy's obsessed love for a young woman. When she betrays him, he seeks revenge-- a revenge that will not just take over his life, but affect all who know them.

Definitely a classic novel of great insight regarding obsessive love, Wuthering Heights also brings with it wonderful characters--shallow Cathy, passionate and tormented Heathcliff, gentle Edgar, miserable Hindley, and deceived Isabel. These are the kind of characters one loves to see in books--and it is fascinating to watch their lives unravel because of theirs and other's actions.

It is not a happy love story (c'mon, where's the fun of that--there's enough of those in real life!). Instead, it is a brilliant tale of passion, revenge, and finally, closure.

Don Juan

I've always enjoyed Lord Byron's poetry, although I have not read a whole lot. This poem surprised me, though. It is very different from Byron's other more serious, romantic works. Instead, Byron delivers this narrative poem with humor, irony, and wit. I had many many laughs over it! I have to quote a reviewer from Amazon.com (forgive me!) "Byron dictated a lot of it out loud while he was shaving in the morning. I'm not kidding. Read this brilliant stuff, and imagine a guy just making it up as he goes along, in the bathroom while he's shaving." Yes, now that leaves for a funny work!

This is Byron's greatest masterpiece, it is said, although he died before it was completed. We are still left with over sixteen cantos left.

Don Juan, at age sixteen, is forced to flee from his country. Following this, we are treated to an extended account of his journey and troubles and he, literally, tries to find his place in the world (and pick up a few women along the way. Blah! There's always a catch with literature, you know). And truly, everything one could experience in life is in this poem!

Overall it is a wonderful and funny poem--I'd recommend it even to those of you who struggle with poetry, as it truly does read like prose.

The Wood Beyond the World

It is very easy to see why this book influenced fantasy as we now know it. Among the first books to mix fantasy, science fiction, and supernatural elements (which is so commonly what we consider fantasy to be now), we can still see how this book changed the genre that is very popular in current times.

William Morris is known for writing books that followed the patterns of a medieval romance. Thus, this book is written in the style of that chivalrous time--from the amount of many unrelated adventures down to the very grammar.

After he finds out his wife has been seeing another man, young Walter leaves his homeland. During a terrible storm, he is taken to a secret country, where he meets up with a evil (and beautiful) queen. After discovering her true nature, Walter must teem up wit the queen's pretty young maid and together, they must find away to defeat evil.

The plot is interesting, and it is wonderful to see how this influenced fiction. It is also nice to read a book published in 1894 with the style of a medieval romance. Yet, for all of that, the story was only okay. Rather predictable, it isn't terrible--but don't expect an epic fantasy story. Instead, lower your expectations and settle for a charming fairy tale, and you won't be let down.

The Princess Bride

I only have one thing to say about the author's sense of humor in this book.

"Inconceivable!"

I think a good majority of my readers have seen this movie and probably know it for the humorous story it is. However, I assure you, the book is ten times more funny.

Goldman says that he abridged S. Morgenstern's classic satire to include only the "good parts" that he enjoyed as a young boy. Of course, Morgenstern's book never existed, leaving Goldman with an incredible literary device that he employs better than anyone who ever tried it.

So if you want a lot of laughs (and danger and intrigue and love and romance and death and terror and philosophy and about anything else you can think of), get ready to embark on a tale of the most beautiful woman in the world, Buttercup, and her "farm boy" Westley. But when Westley dies, Buttercup promises to marry the wicked Prince Humperdinck--until she is kidnapped by a Spanish fencer who swears to revenge his father's death by finding the six fingered man who killed him, a Turkish giant wrestler, and a Sicilian genius. If that is not bad enough, Buttercup and her captors find themselves being followed by a masked man in black--could it be the Dread Pirate Roberts? Follow the gang through the Cliffs of Insanity, the Fire Swamps, and the Zoo of Death in this hilarious fairy tale!

Studies in Medieval and Renaissance Literature

Most of you know that C.S. Lewis was professor of Medieval and Renaissance literature. He wrote many books on the subject. This, though, is a collection of never before published essays on literature of that era. It sounds intimidating, but actually, it is an enjoyable read even if you do not have much experience in literature of that time. I found it extremely helpful (I even found a wonderful quote to use in my Arthurian Literature speech!) as an introduction to earlier literature, as well as exploring it on a deeper level at the same time. It works for anyone, beginner or someone more familiar with medieval literature.

The book contains essays on authors such as Dante and Tasso, and on medieval thought itself, and how it influenced the literature. I found the most fascinating parts, though, to be the essay on Le Morte D’Arthur (I'm an Arthurian lit nut! Which reminds me, the introduction in this book almost made me cry, because I've always wished Lewis would have written a book on Arthurian literature. Turns out, he was planning on it before he died. *sniff*) and the many essays on Edmund Spenser, including Lewis' famous biographical sketch of him, as well as essays talking about common devices in medieval literature.

If you are interested in literature, especially early literature, or would like to know more about it, this is a good place to start! If you are already familiar, then I am sure you will pick up some new things here!

Present Concerns

We usually think of C.S. Lewis the apologist, C.S. Lewis the fiction writer, and C.S. Lewis the literature expert. However, it isn't often we get to see C.S. Lewis the newspaperman. In this collection of essays, though, we are treated to Lewis' views on, well, "present concerns"--the current events of his time.

Things haven't changed all that much. We're still debating the same issues we debated in the fifties, it appears. The essays are startling relevant--whether on war, book censorship, or living with the threat of weapons of mass destruction.

Quite a good look at yet another side of Lewis as you can explore nineteen essays published in newspapers and magazine from the forties through the sixties. It is a strange mix of different topics, but all are extremely important.

 Letters to an American Lady

Although he actually was not that fond of letter writing, Lewis wrote many letters throughout his life to various friends, family, and fans. This collection of letters are to one middle-aged American woman that he never met.

Written during the last thirteen years of his life, these letters touch on some major parts of his life--his marriage, his widowhood, and his own sickness (the last letter being written not too long before his death). We also are treated to a look at his relationship with this woman as they both grow through the various struggles in their life (In fact, the woman, who had numerous family and financial struggles, received money from Lewis for many years, even after his own death).

The letters are a light look into the everyday life of Lewis. He wrote about his life, his likes and dislikes, and his activities. Showing a side of Lewis you can only see through his personal correspondence, this is a must read for all Lewis fans.

Studies in Words

Since C.S. Lewis was a literature expert, he also had a very natural interest n linguistics. This is his primary work of linguistics--a fascinating look at the origin, history, and modern uses of eleven words.

Lewis relates how these words have developed over the years, and how their meanings have changed. He shows how this affects our knowledge of early literature, as well, as we have come to know different words as meaning uses that they were not intended for.

This is a very scholarly work, to be sure, but nonetheless, very interesting!

Selected Literary Essays (C.S. Lewis)

This book is hard to find (it has not been reprinted) but it is just a gem. I wish I owned it--I loved every bit of it. It contains twenty-two essays on numerous literary subjects. Whether on authors themselves, literary devices, rhythm, or even psycho-analysis and literature, there is a lot covered in this selection!

Among my favorites were essays on Sir Walter Scott, Kipling, Shelley, Jane Austen, and Marlowe. I was amazed at how my reaction to various works, authors, and styles were so similar to Lewis'!

Literature fanatics, this one is definitely for you. Lewis gives clear and insightful examples as he interprets and explains literature--from Shakespeare to the Bible to T.S. Eliot. 

 NOTE: Before you die over the amount of books I read this month, I'll let you breathe. Of the following, I didn't read the entire book, because they are all essay collections that overlap. Some of them I only had to read one essay, some I had to read all but one essay. Technically, I have read everything in all these books, but because, again, they overlap, it's not as if I sat and read all these cover to cover. Gee, I don't have THAT much time on my hands. :) and since they overlapped, I'll just give short reviews. If I can. ;)

The Weight of Glory

This a shorter collection of essays and sermons. "Weight of Glory" is perhaps Lewis' most famous sermon considering heaven and what lies ahead of us. A few essays, written during World War Two, directly address war. "Transposition" is an enlightening little essay on spiritual "experiences". My favorite of these essays was probably "Is Theology Poetry?" which explains the Bible and theology from a literary point of view. Other essays address prayer, forgiveness, and more.

If you just want to check out some of Lewis essays, you can start here. However, most of these are published in other works, so it is not necessary if you want to read all of Lewis' works or prefer something that has more to it.

The World's Last Night: And Other Essays

This is another shorter work--seven essays in all. Like the above work, it has been published before, so it is not the best collection. Again, if you don't want to do some serious digging, though (and feel free to ask me about any of the specifics of what overlaps and whatnot, if you are interested), this is a decent (and cheap) collection.

The seven essays explore prayer, belief, good works and working good, and Judgment, among other topics.

They Asked for a Paper

Several of these were also published in Selected Literary essays. These are more academic works, twelve in all. One of the highlights of this book was "De Descriptione Temporum", Lewis' inaugural lecture at Cambridge University. Other than that, though, most of these are readily available elsewhere. Unless you are like me and on a mission to read everything by Lewis, you really don't need this book.

Rehabilitations & Other Essays

Quite a mix of different (mostly previously published) essays! The two highlights in this for me that I had not read elsewhere were both on teaching English.

Christian Reflections

This is a book of essays that is primarily Christian in nature. All have been published in other essay collections. However, if you want to focus on only Christian works instead of academic, then this is a good collection to start with. Fourteen essays cover topics like Biblical criticism, modern theology, music, prayer, the Psalms, and Christianity and literature. A worthy investment for a shorter collection of Christian works.

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Wednesday, November 5, 2008 - October Book Reviews

Yes, I only had four books in October.  But they were four books that totaled over 3500 pages. That makes up for not having eight or so books that have about 350 pages each, right?

The Abolition of Man: Or Reflections on Education With Special Reference to the Teaching of English in the Upper Forms of Schools

Books with long/cool subtitles positively make me giggle.  And very few things do, so pay attention.

'Men without chests". It is probably one of the most famous terms C.S. Lewis popularized, and most of you have probably heard it before. It is in this book he explains what this phrase means and how it involves education.

Lewis was introduced to an English book that he thoroughly disagreed with. He wrote this book partly as a rebuttal of said book. This book, Lewis said, although claiming to teach merely English, did more than that--it subjected young children to philosophy.

Lewis then goes on to expand on his feelings on education--including how to educate children in order not to make them "men without chests" (in other words, ensuring that they do not become heartless brainiacs!)  How do we educate children, then? How do we teach them to think, and not mimic what they are "taught"?

I think this book is fairly popular with homeschool moms, but it is for everyone who is interested in not just teaching, but learning. It is as relevant to the state of America's schools in 2008 as it was to the English ones of 1943!

War and Peace

Although it is 1400 pages, I am proud to say I read this book in exactly seven days. I'm not sure how I managed to do that, but I did. Go me!

The novel is the story of several upperclass Russian families during Napoleon's invasion of Russia. From 1805 to 1813, we are told the story of Natasha Rostova (from age twelve) and Pierre Bezukhov as they suffer the hardships of not just the war, but peace--life in general. From love and to death (warning: incredible death scene in this book!), to philosophy and religion, this book gives us the character's experiences in everything. Along the way we are introduced to the stories of their friends and families, as well as being treated to a narrative of the war itself--which Tolstoy treated with incredible detail, even going so far as to use actual correspondence from the war in the novel.

Overall, you can't miss this one.  And please, don't let the size intimidate you. There is nothing hard about, despite the length (okay, the Russian names can be confusing--but I assure you, they are the MOST confusing part of the book!).  Don't feel bad taking it slowly--enjoy it!

 

 Le Morte d'Arthur: Volume I

This book was first published in the 1400's by Caxton. Sir Thomas Mallory wrote it because at the time, so many legends and written tales (both in English and French) existed on King Arthur. Mallory compiled many of these into one book, creating his masterpiece that is now the authority of Arthurian literature--Le Morte D'arthur, or, The Death of Arthur.

I do love Arthurian literature.  I've read many parts of Le Morte D'arthur before, but never sat down and read the whole thing. I only read the first volume this month, but I'll look into the next volume eventually.

As an Arthurian literature next, this book is amazing. It contains so much detail and information, and combines all of the never-ending early medieval sources for the stories of King Arthur. 

It also gives a different perspective of Arthur. I think we are led to believe Arthur and his knights are perfect. This tells the other side of the story--authors since (such as Tennyson and others) have made Arthur an exemplary hero who did no wrong. How many of us would have guessed he also had children (including his own) murdered for his own reputation, that his knights would kill senselessly, and that, overall, he's not the perfect person we were led to believe?

From a more personal perspective, I will say I enjoyed Tennyson's retelling, Idylls of the King, more.  However, both are good works, and Le Morte D'arthur is definitely worth the read.

 

 The Faerie Queene

I'm not going to lie--this book was a challenge for me.  I don't normally come across that feeling, so this is hard for me to admit.  This is probably the hardest book I've ever read--and I honestly came away feeling like I didn't get more than a third of it.

Most of it had to do with the way it was written.  It was published in 1590, so as you can imagine, it's a fair bit different way of writing.  If you are fine reading 1400 pages of this:

How then shall I, Apprentice of the skill,
  That whylome in diuinest wits did raine,
  Presume so high to stretch mine humble quill?
  Yet now my lucklesse lot doth me constraine
  Hereto perforce. But ô dred Soueraine
  Thus farre forth pardon, sith that choicest wit
  Cannot your glorious pourtraict figure plaine
  That I in colourd showes may shadow it,
And antique praises vnto present persons fit.

then you are okay. But for myself, I came to the conclusion that this book (1300 pages long, and taking me about eighteen days to read) needs to be read, re-read, studied, and most importantly and read ALOUD to fully get everything. Unfortunately, I didn't have the time to do that.  I would like to one day, however.

If you can get past all of that, however, a gem does lie underneath. It is utter genius--I mean, come on, it's the longest poem in the English language--and the author only completed half of it before he died. That says something about it's brilliance, huh?

 It's also very symbolic. It was originally supposed to be twelve books of twelve cantos (each canto averaging about fifty stanzas) each. Spenser was only able to write six books before he died, but each one is unique as it represents one of the twelve virtues.

Book I: Holiness

Book II: Temperance

Book III: Chastity

Book IV: Friendship

Book V: Justice

Book VI: Courtesy 

  Also, it is an allegory written about Queen Elizabeth.

So, I'm not recommending this one to everyone. If you have the time to study it and analyze it, then by all means, do so. But don't attempt it as light reading--at least not the whole thing. If you just want to get familiar with it, read just one book (I recommend the first one, actually).  It is a good story--with lots of adventure of knights, ladies, and myths, but it's not a book you can just read and get much out of it. It takes a whole lot more than that. 

 Oh, and apparently a modern translation does exist. Perhaps I'll try that one as well!

     

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Wednesday, October 1, 2008 - September Book Reviews

 

At the Back of the North Wind

Although it is quite different from any other George MacDonald book I've ever read, it is one of his more famous ones. Unlike Phantastes and Lilith, which I reviewed a few months ago, At the Back of the North Wind is a pleasant children's story. In fact, it is credited with being a pioneer in the children's novel. It also is equally engaging for adults, though, as it contains a good deal of spiritual symbolism.

Little Diamond is a young child who lives a pretty regular life with his poor parents. One day, though, he meets a new friend--the North Wind. Diamond travels with the mysterious North Wind--who takes many shapes, from big storms to tiny breezes. Although he is certain he loves the North Wind, Diamond is confused by her. He does not understand all of her actions--like why she must, through her large gusts, sink a ship of innocent people. Why is she helping people sometimes, but causing pain and death with others?

Diamond must learn the answer to this question, always hoping that he will, through his love of the North Wind, get to the country that is at her back one day.

At the Back of the North Wind is a sweet little fantasy for children, but it is not for children alone. A good one for the whole family to enjoy!

 The Discarded Image: an Introduction to Medieval and Renaissance Literature

This, the last book written by C.S. Lewis, is a different kind of literature book. Rather than focusing on learning or even criticizing different literature from the Medieval and Renaissance periods, Lewis goes a lot further.

Lewis points out medieval thought and imagery and relates it to the literature of that time. He uses the worldview of the medieval period to successfully analyze literature. Thus, by putting each of his readers into the shoes of a medieval person, he is enabling them to better understand the literature. Lewis points out the views that influenced the writers of the period by explaining what they believed about the planets, earth, life, people, education, and more. It is altogether a fresh and unique way to approach literature--laying away our modern views to think like a typical medieval person.

The Prophet of Yonwood

This third book in the Ember series is a bit different from the other two. Whereas the first two books chronicles the life in Ember, and the life of the people who depart from Ember to the earth, this book goes back before the Great Wars, to when Ember was just being built.

Nickie is an eleven year girl from Philadelphia. Her family is left a mansion in North Carolina, so she and her aunt travel there to fix up the place to sell. Nickie is determined, though, that the home will stay in the family. She dreams of it being a happy place where her mother, father (who is often away on mysterious trips), and herself can live like a normal family.

However, the city of Yonwood is anything but normal. With world war looming ahead, citizens everywhere are tense, even in the quiet town. Yonwood is also under the control of a "prophet," and although everyone is intimidated into obeying her, Nickie and others feel that something about her just doesn't seem right. Would God really want the prophet to tell them to do some of the things she asked them to do? Are the people the prophet proclaims "evil" really that bad? What is good and what is evil? Can we ever know?

The only thing I do have to complain about is I'm not crazy about the main character. She's too mature--sometimes the stuff she says sounds like it could come out of the mouth of a lonely depressed thirty-five year old, rather than a little girl.

This novel is definitely the most philosophical in the series so far. An apocalyptic book, it deals with war and destruction, but on an even more intense note, it is an interesting look into false prophets and the fear that leads people to follow them. It's a great reminder that we must look to God, not men.

 The Dark Tower and Other Stories

After the death of C.S. Lewis in 1963, his brother Warren went through some of his old papers. There were many many papers that he could not understand or did not have the time to go through, so he was planning on burning them. But first, he called Walter Hooper, C. S. Lewis' secretary and adviser of his estate, to take a look at them. It is very lucky that Warren did, because Hooper uncovered among these writings several manuscripts written by Lewis, which are included here along with a few previously published short stories.

The Dark Tower

The first of these was, of course, The Dark Tower. It is a science fiction story that is connected to Lewis' Space Trilogy. The Dark Tower is a story of a group of academics at Cambridge University. Long have they discussed time travel, but now they were thrown into the world of it when one of the group invents a machine that will enable them to see the future. They use this machine to observe the future world--complete with bizarre aliens. Yet surprises are in store for the group when they discover that some of them have a double in this "future world", and when one of them is accidentally transported to the world, it cannot be good for any of them!

It's really a fascinating story--unfortunately, Lewis never wrote any more beyond the first 75 pages. Although it is somewhat dissatisfying to read a book that doesn't finish, it is a lot of fun speculating on what may have happened. The editor gives some hints on where Lewis may have intended the plot to go, which eases the dissatisfaction. Even with the disappointment, though, at it being incomplete, it is still a remarkable beginning and a must read for science fiction or Lewis fans!

The Man Born Blind

Although probably my least favorite of the stories in this collection, it is nonetheless interesting. It is a short, several page story chronicling a man who is given sight after being blind all his life. It is a neat concept--exploring the perspective of a man who hasn't seen before. How do you explain color to him? How do you explain light? But it all ends in tragedy for the man, as he comes across a stranger who tries to explain just that to him.

The Shoddy Lands

A man at a college experiences a visit from a young friend in this short story. The friend brings along with him his brand-new fiancé. The man was beginning to get bored, however, until he suddenly found himself in a new world. It bared resemblance to the old world--for instance, his friend's fiancé Peggy was there--yet it was different. What follows is a bizarre story of how the man views this new world--and wondering all the time, "is it a dream?"

Ministering Angels

I'd be crazy if I didn't say this story is a bit....weird. Unusual. Strange. Bizarre. And dare I say rather funny?

A group of scientists, technicians, and astronauts (all male) are sent to Mars. They are to stay there several years, studying the planet. They are all of different backgrounds--from newly married to old men, meteorologists and botanists--all different men. Yet they all have one thing in common--they are pitied by those they left behind on earth, because, of course, what would men do without any women?.

So in a gesture of kindness, those on earth send up two women to keep the men company. Of course, what happy woman would want to leave a planet full of men on earth for a dangerous journey into space? Not many, so the men are stuck with two flirtatious--yet horribly unattractive--women. Lots of laughs as they try to avoid the duo!

Forms of Things Unknown

There is nothing better than mixing mythology and modern day space travel/science fiction. All of that is accomplished in this story about a young lieutenant, John Jenkin, who volunteers to voyage to the moon. It is a risky voyage--because the three before had ended in disaster. Each of the three previous explorers had landed alive on the moon, and sent messages--but every single message was interrupted, and the three men were never heard of again.

John is delighted to have been chosen to be the fourth. He is not concerned about the risk, because he believes he has discovered the secret of why the men had seemingly disappeared mid-message. Each message, he realized, only ended as the speaker was describing what was behind him. For instance, one message ran, "On my left, far away across the crater, I see the big peaks. On my right I see the Yerkes cleft. Behind me--". Each message was cut off in the same manner--and John realizes that, for some reason, on the moon, you cannot turn around.

John is proven right in this climatic ending. Yet what lurks behind you on the moon is more terrifying than even he can ever imagine.

This was my favorite of the short stories. It has a wonderful build up and ending--but as a warning, if you read it and don't quite understand the ending, look up your mythology. Or just ask me, because I researched it and have it all figured out--but I won't give it away till after you've read the story!

After Ten Years

This is another unfinished book. I think it is even more sad to see this book unfinished that it was to see the Dark Tower unfinished, though, because I honestly believe this story had the potential to be Lewis' best book ever.

It follows closely in the path of Lewis' Till We Have Faces, but much more intense from chapter one. It is a retelling of the tale of the Trojan War, but from the eyes of Menelaus (if you aren't' familiar with the story, Menelaus was the king of Sparta who waged war on Paris of Troy after Paris stole Helen, the wife of Menelaus). We find Menelaus struggling as he wars against Troy, wanting to find his wife, yet enraged at her unfaithfulness. He is conflicted--should he take her back as his wife, or treat her as a miserable slave? And will he find his wife the same woman as when he last saw her?

The first four chapters are the beginning of the story, then Lewis skips somewhere ahead to what is called the fifth chapter, but that actually would take place in the middle of the story. This gives one an idea of where Lewis was going with the story, and Hooper reiterates this by giving some good ideas on how Lewis may have intended to end it.

The amazing thing about this book is that, although it only goes on for five chapters, you can already see the brilliance behind it. The plot is catching, and the characters are so well developed. It is a shame it was never finished, because it would have been a great classic work.

 

An Experiment in Criticism  

I've really got to stop reading so much Lewis. I'm coming to a point where I'm afraid to read any more of his writings, because I am honestly afraid I might discover something we disagree on. No one I've ever "meant"--whether in real life or through their writing, have I been able to relate and agree with any more than Lewis. I swear we have the same mind (hey, he was a genius!). Maybe we were switched at birth--come on, it could be possible. He's only 93 years older than me!

I think I have decided this is my favorite of his non-fiction works. It's a different kind of literary criticism. Lewis explores how we should approach literature by first showing the differences between the literary ("The Few") and the unliterary ("The Many"). He shows how each of these two groups read literature, why they read literature, and what literature they read.

Lewis also argues on how we need to judge books. Do we judge them by other criticism we have read (here Lewis points out--in what I've always said--that literary criticisms are not good for someone wanting to read a book, but for someone who has read it and wants to explore more)? Do we judge it by preconceived notions? Do we have prejudices and biases going into literature? Do we care what is "popular", "smart", or "distasteful" at the time when we read?

This is a must have for any student of English and serious reader or writer. It is also highly relevant to others, as it is not just a commentary on how we view literature, film, and other forms of media, but deep down, on how we view culture. I can't recommend this book enough--it is the best introduction for literature or even reading there is. If you are a student, get it to complement your literature courses. If you are a parent, read it and make sure your kids do as well. If you are a teacher, there is no excuse for not reading this. If you are just a big reader, it is you who this book is directed to. Don't miss out.

 A Long Fatal Love Chase  

I always knew Louisa May Alcott had this book in her, even before I had heard of this book. Some of her works, like Little Women and Jo's Boys, hinted at it. I wasn't sure she was capable of something deeper and darker, though, until I read her Rose in Bloom (sequel to Eight Cousins and my favorite of her books!), and saw the intensity that loomed over a certain story line in it.

But still, she never completely gave in to that intensity until this book. In fact, it was so intense that was deemed too sensational and not published in her lifetime--actually, it was only published 13 years ago. Take the story of Faust, who sells his sole to the devil, and mix it with Jane Eyre, and you've got A Long Fatal Love Chase.

Rosamond Vivian is a young girl living on an island in England with her grandfather. She's lonely--her only friends are books. Although a pleasant and vivacious young girl, she's also a bit innocent. Thus, when her grandfather's friend, Tempest, appears one night, she falls for him. Tempest, twice her age and an admitted scoundrel, returns the girl's favors and "buys" her off her grandfather. He marries her, and they start a happy life together traveling around the world.

Soon, though, young Rosamond finds out some secrets about her mysterious husband. Is he as wonderful as he sounds? When she discovers his true character, she runs away, and thus begins the long "chase." Tempest will not have his wife running off, and is determined to hunt her down. "Mine!" he swears, "Mine first - mine last - mine even in the grave!" His determination leads to a startling tale of deceit, lies, love, and reckless obsession. Will Rosamond ever escape her husband and his tormenting secrets? Can she undo any of the wrong he has done? Will she ever find a man who truly loves her, and does not think of their love as but a game?

The Complete Short Stories  

This books contains every one of Robert Louis Stevenson's short stories. It's a fun read, with a variety of stories that only the author of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Kidnapped, and Treasure Island could bring. Some are short stories, others more novellas. Whether they are horror ("The Body Snatcher"), medieval-style romances ("The Sire de Maletroit's Door") or just plain mysteries ("The Suicide Club"), you will find plenty of stories that will suit you.

I'm not going to take the time to review each of the stories, since there are so many of them, but as a collective whole, I would recommend the book, especially if you have enjoyed any of Stevenson's longer fiction. There are a few stories that seem to drag on, but most of them are enjoyable tales that will keep you turning pages!

Wives and Daughters: An Every-day Story 

Well, I have heard so much about Elizabeth Gaskell lately that I figured I better read some of her books. It seems to me like she is fast replacing Jane Austen in popularity right now! And I can see why, I enjoyed this story and it is equal to Austen's novels, in my opinion. Keep a look out for more reviews of Gaskell's works as I plan to add more later on this year to my list!

Molly Gibson's mother died when she was young. She lives with her father, who she adores, and is very content. Of course, predictably, her father remarries, bringing into the family not just a new stepmother, but a new stepsister, as well. Molly, now seventeen, tries to love her new stepmother, but cant help but resent her a bit. But in her new sister, Cynthia, Molly finds a great friend her own age.

Cynthia and Molly are very different, however. While Molly is sweet and innocent (albeit a bit smart alecked sometimes!), Cynthia has been out in the world almost all her life. She is lively, worldly, and smart; Molly is quiet, simple, and wise. The two make an incredible duo.

Ah, but what kind of story would it be with men? Suitors began to arrive by the dozen--most of them preferring Cynthia. Molly, though, begins to love a certain young man--but her hopes are dashed when she realizes that Roger prefers Cynthia and only loves her like a little sister. Meanwhile, she finds out a secret about Roger's brother that she must keep, although it could be devastating if the family found out about it.

Although this story, actually, was not finished either, it was close to being done, so it has a pretty conclusive "ending". The characters in it are wonderful, and although the plot is predictable at times--well, as I always say, I'd much rather have good, developed, interesting characters in a less original plot then boring people in a more unique story!

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Wednesday, September 3, 2008 - August Reading List

 

The Pilgrim's Regress: An Allegorical Apology for Christianity Reason and Romanticism

You've all heard of the Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan, I'm sure. If you haven't, it's a delightful piece of literature that is an allegory of the path of a Christian from earth to Heaven. In that book, the main character, who represents the Christian, tries to find his way to the Celestial City, along the way meeting such characters as Envy, Prudence, Ignorance, and Mercy, all of whom teach him an important lesson.

That book was first published in 1678. 255 years later, C.S. Lewis published The Pilgrim's Regress. It is like the Bunyan book in many ways--it is an allegory (his first fictional book, and I believe the first book written after his conversion) of a man's journey to Christianity.  It contains the same fictional, representative qualities of the first book, but is an undoubtedly more modern version.

Whereas some books just can't be modernized with losing their touch, Lewis was able to revise The Pilgrim's Progress by updating it. Instead of the main character meeting the 17th century characters of the church, he meets characters that are much more meaningful to modern day readers. These characters address modern day philosophy, thought, worldviews, and politics. Instead of meeting people like Evangelist and Goodwill, the main character meets people like Lady Reason, Mr. Open Minded, and Mr. Enlightenment.

Both The Pilgrim's Progress and The Pilgrim's Regress are amazing books. Neither one will ever be "outdated", because both deal with issues that continue to plague Christians. One is more about the moral and character issues that a Christian deals with, though, while Lewis' book deals with the psychological issues and the worldviews of those around the Christian. Both should be read, but modern day readers will enjoy being able to relate more to the thought that comes out of The Pilgrim's Regress as it describes that state that the world is currently in.

The Problem of Pain 

"How can a good God allow suffering?" is the question that has been asked to and by Christians for centuries. It is probably the number one question Christians are familiar with, and many have explained it. But perhaps none so well as Lewis, as he attempts to tackle the issue with logic, reasoning, illustrations, and of course Biblical principle.

Lewis clearly shows where pain comes from, how we combat it, why the advantages outweigh the disadvantages,  how wickedness results in pain, how God uses pain, and what lays ahead for us when there is no pain.  He is frank in his writing, saying, "I am not arguing that pain is not painful. Pain hurts. I am only trying to show that the old Christian doctrine that being made perfect through suffering is not incredible. To prove it palatable is beyond my design." Lewis makes a good case with strong points, leaving a very stable argument for why God allows suffering.

Idylls of the King

A reviewer at Amazon.com wrote "If Malory's "Le Morte D'Arthur" is the backbone of Arthurian literature, Tennyson's "Idylls" are its flesh and blood."  I hope the reviewer doesn't mind me taking that quote, because I've loved it since the first time I read that review. I was introduced to both those works in literature classes, reading bits and pieces here and there, but I've never really sat down and read all of Idylls of the King. I finally got to it...and....have found one of my new favorite books.

Interestingly, the tales of King Arthur and his knights are expressed here in verse.  Although that may sound rather tedious--who wants to read a 200+ page poem?--it is not. I always said Tennyson "writes poetry that reads like prose," and never has this been better illustrated than in Idylls. The book is made up of several poems, each dealing with a different aspect of Arthurian literature. For instance, one is about the quest for the Holy Grail. Another details the love of the Lady of Shalott--Elaine--to Lancelot. Another is about Guinevere, and still another about the adventures of Sir Gareth--knight and kitchen scullion, and so on. 

The Amazon reviewer was in every way correct. While Malory tells the tale of King Arthur in simple prose, Tennyson adds depth and beauty to each of the scenes and characters. Each character is complex in their thoughts and actions--whether Queen Guinevere in her desperation after betraying her husband, or Sir Lancelot as he is haunted by past sins and present desires. It accumulates into stories that are heartbreaking and tragic, provocative and spiritual, funny and tender--keys to a book that is more than just an enjoyable read. 

A Grief Observed

While I've already discussed Lewis' book on pain, this one, written afterward, is much more specific--to a certain type of pain--and a lot more personal. Lewis was no stranger to grief--tragedies such as his mother's death when he was child or watching his friends die by his side in the trenches of France were among some he experienced at a young age. But the one that affected him most of all was the death of his wife, Joy.

Lewis was a bachelor for most of his life.  He and Joy were initially only pen pals, until she came to England with her two sons, where they became close friends.  There was nothing more between them, though, but when Joy and her boys were threatened to be sent back to the US, Lewis married her in order for her to be able stay in the country. Joy was later diagnosed with cancer, and somewhere at this point the two realized they were deeply in love. They shared over three years together before Joy's cancer came back and she died.

When Lewis penned this book on grief, it was initially not even a book. Instead, it was his scribblings on various blank notebooks he found about his home.  When he did go to publish it, it was under another name. Why?

Maybe, because this book isn't just another book on "how to be patient through suffering." Maybe it's because it isn't a how to manual, or a self help manual, or a "how to get over it quickly" book.  It's Lewis' own emotional ramblings about how he felt. In the foreword, Madeleine L'Engle writes,   "I am grateful to Lewis for having the courage to yell, to doubt, to kick at God in angry violence. This is a part of a healthy grief which is not often encouraged. It is helpful indeed that C. S. Lewis, who has been such a successful apologist for Christianity, should have the courage to admit doubt about what he has so superbly proclaimed. It gives us permission to admit our own doubts, our own angers and anguishes, and to know that they are part of the soul's growth." Lewis recognized this, and said that it wasn't that he stopped believing in God, but that everything he thought he knew about God had instantly changed.

It is through his anger and grief (in which he is able to admit everything that many of us, when grieving, feel but don't want to admit) that he is able to come to a conclusion about grief and about God.   That is what makes this different from any other grief books--it's not just sad. It's angry, which sometimes is the most important step in the grieving process. The step that leads us up--towards heaven and God. It has become another instant favorite of mine--a book in which I can relate without feeling ashamed of it; relate while knowing that I'm learning something.

Gifts of Passage

You know, sometimes timing is everything. The timing regarding when I got to read this book was very interesting.

I plan my book lists way in advance.  I had this one originally for July, and requested it from the library. For some reason, it wouldn't come in, so I moved it up to August, along with A Grief Observed and the others you see here.  Thus, I ended up reading A Grief Observed first, which I never planned.

Now here's the funny part. I had no idea of this, but this book was basically inspired by A Grief Observed.  The author was very influenced by that book in penning this book (also a grief book) and quotes it many times. I don't think I would have the same appreciation for this book if I hadn't read A Grief Observed first.

Gifts of Passage is a book about grief, but another very different one. Instead of focusing on the grieving person, it tells about the gifts that the dead leave us. Of course, this isn't about people talking from the grave or anything, at least not physically, but the things that God sends us to comfort us after the death of a loved one. Through various stories--from those of C.S. Lewis and Joy, the Phantom of the Opera, a forgotten locket (which happens to be about my aunt), the author's own struggle with her father's death, the author shows different ways that God can comfort us through death. And it all leads up to the greatest Gift ever given through death, and that of salvation through Jesus' death on the cross.

One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich

Here's timing again for you. I get this book at the library, next day, the author dies.  I'll leave you to figure out what that means.

This story takes place in a Soviet labor camp in the 1950's, and chronicles one prisoner's experience for an entire twenty four hour period. It is a grueling tale of the tedious life of a Soviet prisoner--and all the struggles he faces, from his meals to the cold to labor. 

Long considered a Russian (and world) classic, One Day in the Life gives a good glimpse of just one day among a work gang. One day--out of many thousands that most prisoners spent there.

Do Hard Things 

If you are in the blog world, or at least the Christian or teenage blog world, you've probably heard of the Rebelution. It was launched by Alex and Brett Harris not too long ago, and has quickly growing into one of the top Christian teenage blogs in the world.  Just this past year, Alex and Brett authored this book for teenagers.

In a world of low expectations for teenagers, the Harris brothers show just why and how teenagers need to take action.  By using historical and modern examples, they quickly disprove the so called "myth of adolescence" After all, it used to be that humans were two things--either children or adults. There was no such thing as teens--they were adults. So what has caused us to be so labeled? Why are there such low expectations for young people today?

Hint: it's not because we aren't capable of so much more. We are. In fact, Alex and Brett prove this by using example after example of modern day teens and what they can do. 

This is a great book for anyone, Christian or non-believer, who wonders why the teenage world has become, well, teenagers.  What can we do to rise up and surpass the lame expectations that society has given? Even those teenagers who "are good kids"--how much effort does that really take? Are we following the good path just because we haven't chosen the bad one? I totally recommend this book for any young person who wants to go against the grain and start doing "hard things." And as the brothers said, just because you do hard things doesn't mean they aren't fun!

People of Sparks

In this sequel to the City of Ember (see my review from last month), we find the people of the underground city of Ember realizing that there is a world above them. They flock to this above ground world, where they are dubiously welcomed by the people of the town of Sparks. However, the Emberites have come to a world that is not how we know the world to be. Instead it is a primitive society, destroyed by years of war.

The Emberites and people of Sparks must learn to get along, but it is a harder process that they realize.  Sparks is, like all the world now, not a wealthy city. They have enough food and necessities for themselves, but to add 300 Emberites to that? Tensions rise and war seems inevitable between the two groups of people.

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