Here It Is, Here It Is At Last, the Encounter With Reality. . . All Is Lost Now!

As I mentioned in my review of The Bell Jar, I greatly appreciate an author that can write an interesting and convincing first-person narrative. To date, I have scarcely read one more engaging that Dostoevsky's Notes From the Underground. What impressed me most about this short novel was Dostoevsky's ability to completely change my opinion of his main character half-way through. For those who know me well, this may come as a surprise.

I began the story highly irritated by the Underground Man. His constant contradictions make him a remarkably unreliable narrator. While this is part of the point of his character, it annoyed me nonetheless. In the second half of the story, when the mask of his insincerity begins to fall apart, I suddenly found myself completely sympathetic to him. His narrative truly is tragic and his character's evolution highlights Dostoevsky's mastery as a writer. Coming in at less than 200 pages, there's really no excuse for you not to read it! I give it an A.

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"Beauty is mysterious as well as terrible. God and devil are fighting there, and the battlefield is the heart of man." (Fyodor Dostoevsky)

In Short, Whatever Does Become of the Gentleman, They Are Not at Cranford

If any of you readers out there have taken the time to look through my earlier posts, you'll know my profound love of Jane Austen. Along a similar vein is Elizabeth Gaskell's novel, Cranford. Differences abound, however, but not without its advantages. As such, it was very interesting to read about an entirely different aspect of the same culture. Rather than the high class attitudes and aspirations of the majority of Austen's characters, Cranford centers around a small, close-knit, and poor town. Even more striking is that the town is entirely comprised of women, all of whom are entirely opposed to the very idea of men. Quite a difference from Austen's husband-seeking protagonists!

If you're a fan of Pride and Prejudice or Sense and Sensibility, these differences alone make it worth the read. I give it an A-.

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"Sometimes one likes foolish people for their folly better than wise people for their wisdom." (Elizabeth Gaskell)

I Have Listened To All the Sounds of the Woods For Thirty Years

I honestly cannot remember much about Cooper's The Last of the Mohicans. I read it when I was in seventh grade or so. However, I can imagine that I didn't care for it much. As a child, I was never fascinated by stories of the Native Americans or the French and Indian War. Seeing as the plot of this novel is a story during that very time period, I have decided to give it a solid B. My indifference and lack of memory here speaks for itself.

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"The Americans...are almost ignorant of the art of music, one of the most elevating, innocent and refining of human tastes, whose influence on the habits and morals of a people is the most beneficial tendency." (James Fenimore Cooper)

This Is God's Curse On Slavery

For some reason or another, I thought it would be a good idea to read Harriet Beecher Stowe's Uncle Tom's Cabin when I was in middle school. I'm sure it had something to do with my fascination with the musical The King and I which mentions this very novel. I don't think I was quite prepared then for the thorough treatment of slavery that this novel presents. I remember finding it long winded and rather boring, as I read about a pair of slaves being sold from one plantation to another. I should probably give this book a second chance now that I'm older, but since I don't remember hating it, for the moment I'll give it a solid B.

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"Any mind that is capable of real sorrow is capable of good." (Harriet Beecher Stowe)

Through Error You Come To the Truth

For a while now, Criminal Minds has been one of my favorite shows on television. I find watching profilers asses the mental conditions of various sadistic criminals absolutely fascinating. In essence, Fyodor Dostoevsky's novel Crime and Punishment is such an examination. My senior classmates and I had a difficult time keeping all the Russian names straight, but other than that I thoroughly enjoyed the novel. Like the ever changing mental anguish of Dimmesdale in The Scarlet Letter, Raskolnikov's true punishment comes from himself rather than the law. His relationships with the outside world become schizophrenic after he commits his intended murders and Raskolnikov is forced to alienate himself as a result. Being alone with one's sins can be a horrible experience and only makes Raskolnikov's self scrutiny worse. It's a wonderful study of the power of the human mind and is worth sorting out the Russian names to read. I give it a solid B+.

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"Beauty is mysterious as well as terrible. God and devil are fighting there, and the battlefield is the heart of man." (Fyodor Dostoevsky)

I Am No Bird; and No Net Ensnares Me

This past year I spent four months studying abroad in London. And, as one should do when they visit London, I spent an afternoon touring Westminster Abbey. Among the notable kings and queens buried there, is the infamous niche dubbed "the poets corner". It is here that Charles Dickens is buried. In addition, the corner is filled with memorials to Jane Austen, T.S Elliot and William Shakespeare as well as many other great writers. I'm not above admitting that being in such a magnificent place brought a tear to my eye. One of the most touching areas of this corner is the memorial to the three Bronte sisters. I've only read works from two of the Bronte's but I'm certainly anticipating more great things from all three of them as I continue to trudge through this list of books. The two Bronte works I have read however, are two of my favorite books of all time.

Jane Eyre: Words cannot describe how much I love this book and its characters. Jane is everything I could hope to be. She values intelligence and never gives up her beliefs, even for Mr. Rochester, the love of her life. She is not afraid to break the customs of her time; her strength and conviction is inspiring.Her personal struggles in her search for for freedom in the midst of love is beautiful. And then there's her relationship with Mr. Rochester. Their love is one filled with passion. The reader experiences the painful longing that Jane feels for him, and the agony that accompanies her discovery that Rochester is, in fact, a married man. In addition, the reader is made keenly aware of the passion Rochester has for Jane. He makes it clear at all times (except the exposition of the story, of course) that he values and loves Jane for her intelligence and spirit. Their relationship is exactly of the kind I envision for myself, an admiration of both personality and ability founded on mutual love and respect. A story worthy of an A+, hands down.

Wuthering Heights: I loved Wuthering Heights. Despite is oppressive and tragic nature, it offers one of the most interesting character studies in the person of Heathcliffe and capitalizes on my interest in the theme of revenge. Heatcliffe sets out on a mission to get revenge on those who have wronged him, and will stop at nothing to achieve his goals. This story offers a beautiful examination of the dangers of obsessive love and poses a rather interesting question. The reader is left to decide if the passion of Heathcliffe and Catherine is heroic or immoral and destructive. There is a wonderful juxtaposition of nature and culture here, and the novel is definitely worth a thorough reading. I give it an A.

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"I feel monotony and death to be almost the same." (Charlotte Bronte)

A Pure Hand Needs No Glove to Cover It

I first read Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter when I was in sixth grade. At the time, I certainly didn't understand the implications of Hester Prynne's crime and the way her puritan society had shunned her so brutally. Reading it much later with greater knowledge of the world, in my junior year of high school, I was able to fully appreciate the novel. It's one of my favorite works of American literature, and I'm looking forward to reading Hawthorne's other four works that are featured on this list. For some reasons, I seem to love stories that have some sort of a focus on revenge and psychological manipulation. I am completely fascinated by the mental conditions of both Chillingworth and Dimmesdale and enjoyed watching the way their relationship unfolds and becomes more and more destructive. I was disappointed that much was left unsaid about Hester's character, but I admired her strength and independence in the face of adversity. Pearl's innocent but perceptive character is truly a delight to watch. Many of my classmates failed to love this novel, but it remains one of my favorites. An A+.

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"Happiness is a butterfly which, when pursued, is always just beyond your grasp, but which, if you sit down quietly, may alight upon you." (Nathaniel Hawthorne)

Only a Man Who Has Felt Ultimate Despair Is Capable of Feeling Ultimate Bliss

I love epic adventure novels. I find it terribly exciting in reading about characters that have once in a lifetime experiences to do something truly extraordinary. Such stories usually exhibit a wonderful spectrum of human emotions and explore many different kinds of relationships. Alexandre Dumas is a master of these types of novels. I have read two of his three novels that on the 1001 book list, and I am really looking forward to reading the third. As should be expected, I've read his two best known stories, and here are my thoughts.

The Count of Monte Cristo: I absolutely adore this novel. If I were ever wronged and decided to take revenge on those that unjustly accused me of a crime, I would want to do it on the epic scale that Edmond Dantes achieved. I am always touched by the relationship that Dantes and Faria develop while in prison together. During this time, Edmond learns the importance of knowledge and patience, an understanding that will be vital in his method of revenge. His plans are expertly laid out before him, and he bides his time while befriending his very enemies in the hopes of manipulating them. I continue to be impressed by how interwoven the subplots are in this story, and this interconnectedness magnifies the sheer intelligence and brilliance of Dantes' plans. A wonderfully told adventure story and well deserving of an A+.

The Three Musketeers: This is the epitome of an adventure novel. D'Artagnan and his friends encounter an almost impossible number of dangerous sword-fighting adventures on their quest for love, glory, and the illustrious title of "musketeer". It doesn't have the same level of complexity that The Count of Monte Cristo has, but greatly enjoyable nonetheless. A solid A of a book.

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"One's work may be finished someday, but one's education never." (Alexandre Dumas)

The Voice of the Sea Is Seductive

I've always considered myself to be a sort of Anglophile. I love everything about British culture, especially its literature. So when I had to leave behind the British lit class of my sophomore year of high school and move on to American lit, I was less than thrilled. Unfortunately, the selections we studied did little to stir my passion for American authors. Kate Chopin's The Awakening was one such work. I can't exactly put my finger on why I didn't like The Awakening. I enjoyed the plot and thought the ending was fitting. I appreciated the use of the theme of music and art to demonstrate the important nature of self-expression. I am all in favor of Edna's self-empowerment, non-conformist nature, and decision to be independent. But I think the ambiguity of the story is what must have bothered me when I read it three years ago. Chopin never makes a judgement, through her text, about whether or not Edna's quest for independence and her eventual suicide was heroic or cowardly. Don't get me wrong, I think it is important for the reader to be given an opportunity to have their own opinions about the way the characters of a story act, but I don't see the point of an author writing a piece of literature without putting forward a position on the very events they themselves created. An author should by no means expect every reader to agree with their point of view, but it is difficult for a reader to make a judgement on the message of a work without knowing what that message is. Final verdict: like the message of the novel, I'm indifferent. I give it a C.

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"And moreover, to succeed, the artist must possess the courageous soul...the brave soul. The soul that dares and defies." (Kate Chopin)

Life Is Very Much More Exciting Now Than It Used to Be

Charlotte Perkins Gilman's short story The Yellow Wallpaper was required reading for my freshman literature course. I haven't read it since then, but I remember vividly my love for this story. It was twisted and bizarre and wonderful. Like The Color Purple, the first person perspective of a journal is vital in order to understand the changing mental condition of the narrator. The dramatic irony of the story is spectacularly played out. While the narrator attributes the "strange rings and things" on the walls, the barred windows, and the fixed down furniture in her room to her belief that it was previously used as a nursery, the reader slowly comes to realize that in actuality it was most likely used to restrain an insane person. How ironic that the room would come to serve the same purpose that it did in the past! The evolving pattern and smudges of the yellow wallpaper reflect the slow decline of the narrator into insanity, as she sees a trapped woman trying to escape it's repeating and menacing pattern. The changing of the woman's activity directly reflects the increased nervousness of the narrator's own psyche. Despite the tragic ending, the reader is somewhat satisfied in seeing the shock of her husband/doctor, who must admit that his methods of treatment and neglect failed miserably. This story is an excellent study of the human mental condition, and I highly recommend it. An A in my book!

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"To swallow and follow, whether old doctrine or new propaganda, is a weakness still dominating." (Charlotte Perkins Gilman)

I Am a Citizen of the World

My first experience with Wilkie Collins' The Woman in White was listening to the soundtrack of its musical adaptation written by Andrew Lloyd Webber. In this way, I was able to familiarize myself with the story, and found it both mysterious and exciting. I purchased the book with the hopes that it would mirror Lloyd Webber's soaring musical, but this was not to be the case. I suppose that I ruined my reading experience by already knowing the mystery's conclusion, but I found the plot to be slow moving and somewhat dull. This is surprising since this novel has been praised as the creator of the new genre of "sensation novels". Perhaps I was thrown off by the constant changing of narrators, each offering their different perspectives on the events occurring at Limmeridge House. Maybe I ignored Collins' character development since I had already made up my mind about which characters I liked and which I didn't. Looking back on it now, I should probably read this again to see if I find it more captivating, but for the moment, I give it a C.

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"I have always maintained that the one important phenomenon presented by modern society is the enormous prosperity of fools." (Wilkie Collins)

Tell Fire and Wind Where to Stop but Don’t Tell Me

For the past year, I’ve worked at my local Barnes & Noble, both as a barista in the café and a bookseller. In my opinion one of the best parts of the job is working with so many other people who are passionate about literature. I was surprised to find however, that many of my coworkers dislike Charles Dickens. As one bookseller commented “he uses too many words!” I can understand the objection; some people simply don’t like his style of writing, but I still think that anyone fan or not, can find something of value from Dickens’ excellent attention to characters and setting. His characters also serve as important symbols, and London itself becomes a character. I think this makes Dickens’ works even more interesting and profound. I have yet to read all of the Dickens novels on the list, but here are the ones that I have previously enjoyed.

A Tale of Two Cities: My favorite of the three Dickens novels I’ve read. I adore the character of Sydney Carton. His personal transformation is inspiring to watch as he moves beyond his selfishness and sacrifices everything for the love of another. Dickens manages to capture all the violence and chaos of the French Revolution within the character of Madame Defarge, whose need for revenge is understandable yet heartbreaking. Although the story certainly doesn’t end the way one would hope, the reader is oddly at peace with the tragedy that befalls its well known and loved participants. An A+ in my book.

Nicholas Nickelby: There’s no way around it, this book is sad. Each of the main characters has had a horrible fate thrust upon them, but I love the strength of Nicholas. He becomes the man of the house after his father dies and, although he is certainly a flawed hero, is more than willing to come to the rescue of his family. It’s nice to see Dickens give his protagonists a well deserved happy ending here. The character development is not as strong here as I would have wished, but the social satire is amusing. I give it an A-.

Great Expectations: In high school, I was surrounded by people who disliked this book, probably because they were “forced” to read it freshman year. It’s certainly not my favorite of the three Dickens novels I’ve read, but the story is fascinating. It is easy to empathize with Pip who has a sometimes unrealistic view on life, but is always seeking to improve himself. He certainly doesn’t have an ordinary life, and it is full of interesting twists and turns! Despite her many flaws, Miss Havisham is a fantastic character, both hilarious is her eccentricity and pitiable for the hardship she suffered and the way it impacted her own life and the life of her adoptee Estella. Like Madam Defarge in A Tale of Two Cities, many are hurt by her quest for revenge, but Miss Havisham comes to see the error of her ways and is, in some way, redeemed. Full of interesting character studies, I give it an A.

Bottom line on Dickens: if you can get past his occasional wordiness, a thorough reading of his novels can provide an excellent opportunity to explore the human condition and the importance of forgiveness and redemption.

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"Electric communication will never be a substitute for the face of someone who with their soul encourages another person to be brave and true." (Charles Dickens)

I Shall Be Miserable If I Have Not an Excellent Library

If you asked my friends to describe me in one word, I’d wager that more than half would choose the word “obsessive”. It’s long been a family joke that I don’t simply like things, I become obsessed with them. In the literary world, Jane Austen is one of those obsessions. I’ve read each of her novels countless times and own most of the film versions currently available. I’ve visited filming locations and have strongly considered letting this be the year that I join the Jane Austen Society of North America. I have an entire bookshelf devoted to the works of Jane Austen, spinoffs, and sequels. Needless to say, I was thrilled when all of her novels appeared on the list with which this blog is concerned. Here, briefly, are my thoughts on each:

Pride and Prejudice: What a classic! This book started my fascination with all things Austen. It’s tied as my favorite with Sense and Sensibility. There are so many things I could say for my love about this book, but I’ll only elaborate on one. I adore the relationship between Darcy and Elizabeth. They tested their relationship before it even began and found each other strong and reliable. They accepted both their own flaws and the flaws of the other to form a lasting love that neither could have anticipated. Elizabeth finds that she can both marry a true English gentleman without losing her independence. Perhaps this is the source from which women’s love for Mr. Darcy springs. I give it a resounding A+.

Sense and Sensibility: How can I not love a book that’s hero is portrayed on screen by Alan Rickman?! My feelings for the actor aside, Austen again crafts a wonderful story that I never tire of reading. Sure it greatly parallels its sister novel, Pride and Prejudice, but the juxtaposition of the whimsical Marianne and the ever sensible Eleanor is both charming and laughable. The character of Edward Ferras is absolutely adorable in all of his aloof glory and the desperate longing of Colonel Brandon is heartwarming and tragic. The story makes for four interesting character studies, and nothing makes me happier than when they each find their “happily ever after” at the novel’s close. Another A+ for Miss Austen.

Emma: I love the comedic irony that runs through this entire novel. Emma’s character is both infuriating and loveable as she tries to play matchmaker to all of her friends. I most enjoy that she finds love where she least expects it, in the person that is one of her closest friends. I think that out of all the Austen novels, this most closely represents common life experiences. I give it an A.

Persuasion: A true story where the clichéd “love conquers all” motto rings true. Anne and Wentworth are destined for each other, and Austen creates a world where no obstacle can stand in their way. Wentworth’s determination is admirable to say the least. I would certainly want someone to fight that hard for me! I believe another A is in order here.

Northanger Abbey: I particularly appreciated the sense of mystery in this novel. In my opinion, it is the most unique of Austen’s novels. The banter between Catherine and Tilney is lighthearted and fun to read. As for the Abbey itself, I picture it to be a rather extraordinary place and imagine a scene rather like that of Beauty and the Beast when General Tilney throws Catherine out for snooping. As always, an A.

Mansfield Park: This is my least favorite of the Austen novels. In all honesty, I find that the plot moves rather slowly and that the character of Fanny Price annoys me. The almost frantic hesitancy of Edmund sets him apart from the heroes of the previously discussed novels. Everyone seems to complain all the time and I didn’t find myself to be as emotionally attached to these characters as I usually am when reading an Austen novel. I give it an A-.

I apologize for my brevity, but I’m trying to write 48 mini-reviews so I can get to my more lengthy detailed posts! Bottom line about Austen: read her books. She’s a delight and will increase your vocabulary by leaps and bounds!

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"I do not want people to be very agreeable, as it saves me the trouble of liking them a great deal." (Jane Austen)