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)

It Seemed To Me a Situation Fraught With Embarrassing Potentialities Had Arisen

I find it difficult to describe what profound love and respect I have for the countries and culture of Great Britain. My semester abroad in London only magnified this admiration, and it is now my future goal to live there (much to the dismay of both my parents and my closest friends). My favorite "products" of British culture are too many to count, but among them is the television series "Jeeves and Wooster" (with excellent performances by both Hugh Laurie and Stephen Fry in the title roles). The episodes are based off of various novels by P.G. Wodehouse and, needless to say, I was more than thrilled when one such novel, Thank you, Jeeves, appeared on this list.

Long story short, the "Jeeves" novels chronicle the innumerable mishaps of Bertie Wooster, a privileged and eccentric British gentleman and the unorthodox yet brilliant schemes devised by his overly-qualified manservant, Jeeves, that always seem to prevent complete disaster. As you can imagine, these stories are hilarious and, being written by a comedic British writer, incredibly witty and hilarious. These are just plain fun to read, and I cannot recommend them highly enough. A+.

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"Every author really wants to have letters printed in the papers. Unable to make the grade, he drops down a rung on the ladder and writes novels." (P.G. Wodehouse)

To Air Differences and Remain Friends, the Essence of Civilized Existence, Don’t You Think?

As I have written previously, I was wholeheartedly disappointed with the first Ian McEwan novel I read. To this day, Atonement is still the only story for which I enjoy the film adaptation more than the original novel. I had been worried to see so many more of McEwan's novels on this list. Despite this, he survived his second chance, offering readers a beautifully written morality tale.

There is much lacking in this novel: it's characters seem to lose their luster halfway through the book, the excitement of the plot begins to lose steam, and the ending seems hollow. However, McEwan still paints an accurate portrayal of a dramatically conflicted friendship that is riddled with moral questions and debates; I have never read a book that examines euthanasia from such an interior perspective.

What struck me most about Amsterdam, however, really has nothing to do with the plot or themes. One of the main characters of the novel is a musical composer, and the way in which McEwan describes the way that character "sees" his symphony come together is brilliant. The imagery is beautiful and a true delight to read for anyone who loves music.

In the end, I still expect better from McEwan, an author who has four or five books on this list. I give this attempt a B+.

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"No one knows anything, really. It's all rented or borrowed." (Ian McEwan)

Scotland Takes Drugs in Psychic Defence

Growing up in a suburb of Philadelphia, I've lived a rather sheltered life. Sure, I've come across the random acquaintance who, on occasion, smokes weed or takes hallucinogenic drugs, but I have no absolutely no experience with "drug cultures" or junkies. This, however, is precisely the culture depicted by Irvine Welsh in his cult classic, Trainspotting. I had watched the film based on the book during my freshman year study abroad experience in London. The professor of my British Life and Culture course was obsessed with the evolution of British youth culture, and Trainspotting certainly defines a particular area its history.

The novel follows a group of friends in Scotland, bonded by their mutual need to shoot up. They share everything: drug cocktails, needles, AIDS, and girls. Of course, their destructive habits are not without consequences, and the book's plot serves as a chronicle of both their individual and mutual downfalls. This is, of course, not at all surprising. Fortunately for both the characters and the reader, it ends with a glimmer of hope.

What sets Trainspotting apart from other novels that examine the same dark subject matter is the language and perspective. Welsh writes his chapters from the viewpoints of a variety of narrators, each accompanied by his or her own distinctive Scottish dialect. The phonetic spelling of these dialects can be hard to read and understand at first (for example, my ignorance of the Scottish slang word for "baby" had me missing that one of the characters had an abortion in the opening chapters), but as the novel continues, this difficulty is almost completely erased. The confusion of the reader in experiencing the phonetic spelling of the Scottish accent, in my opinion, even enhances the confusion that the drug addled minds of Welsh's characters experience.

This book is a fascinating one to read, both as a character study and as a literary work. I give it a B+ and would highly recommend it, although it is certainly not for the faint of heart. Those opposed to reading graphic descriptions of unsafe drug injections or sexual acts, all told in extremely explicit language, should skip this one.

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"I didn't have any concept of Trainspotting being published. It was a selfish act. I did it for myself." (Irvine Welsh)

This Is the Sorcery of Cities

Arcadia (n): a region or scene of simple pleasure and quiet.

This is certainly not the definition with which Jim Crace is working in his novel of the same title: Arcadia. Rather, his theme focuses on the corruptive nature of cities in opposition to the rustic life that country settings provide. In the book's second half, the building of "Arcadia", what is supposed to be a modernized country-style market, only causes destruction and grief. His themes show clearly in his characters, who all carry some sort of burden as a result of their city-inspired ambitions.

His plot is not a fast paced one, nor is it particularly imaginative. The true gem in Crace's writing, here, is his imagery. He truly is a painter with words, making his descriptions wonderful to read. Reading the novel, I felt that I was seeing exactly what Crace, as an author, wanted me to see. While some might find that limiting, I am of the opinion that it serves to enhance his theme. A division between two alternatives cannot be completely understood if one does not have a clear picture of the two alternatives in and of themselves.

Crace does a wonderful job with a fairly slow-moving plot line, keeping the reader interested in the setting more than the action. Definitely worth the read; I'm giving it a B.

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"There is no remedy for death - or birth - except to hug the spaces in between. Live loud. Live wide. Live tall." (Jim Crace)

The Answer to the Great Question of Life, the Universe and Everything... Is... Forty-two

I have, since grade school, been meaning to read Douglas Adams' The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Once, when I was home from school, sick, a very good family friend lent me his VHS (yes, I just said VHS... I was in grade school, remember?) set of the BBC mini-series adaptation, and I absolutely loved it. Then, lo and behold, Marvin the manically depressed robot was voiced by Alan Rickman in the 2005 adaptation. Could I possibly love The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy more? Yes; I could read it.

What's there to love, you ask? What isn't there to love? This book is just plain fun. It's hilariously clever and sarcastic, and I found myself, on several occasions, laughing out loud. Don't be fooled, though, it's surprisingly poignant in some places. Isn't it just a book about aliens, you ask? Not really. True, it's "science-fiction-y" enough for those of us who enjoy that sort of thing, but it's not so far "out there" that it's rigidly genre-specific and off-putting to those who claim to hate sci-fi classics the likes of Star Wars. It has to be that way, in a sense, given Arthur Dent's whirlwind introduction to intergalactic travel. To that end, the excerpts from the actual Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy are not only helpful in acclimating the reader to new planets and their inhabitants, but they are written in a fun and light-hearted manner. It's as if much of the book is written like one big inside joke between Douglas Adams and his readers, and it makes it a true delight to read. Screw the quintessential chick-books often referred to as "summer reading" and pick this up instead. Sure, you might get some strange looks on the beach, but I have a feeling you'll be much more satisfied. Hands down, a well-deserved A+.

It should be noted that The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is only one of five novels that tell the entire story of Arthur Dent's journey through space. However, why stop there when it's end so clearly sets up the next novel's beginning? I didn't! Barnes & Noble *insert shameless pitch for my place of employment here* currently offers a beautiful leather-bound book with all of them in one; I strongly suggest purchasing it. It costs less than buying all five separately! Even less if you have a membership! *insert shameless pitch for the Barnes & Noble membership program here*

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"A common mistake that people make when trying to design something completely foolproof is to underestimate the ingenuity of complete fools." (Douglas Adams)

All of the Advantages of Christianity and Alcohol; None of Their Defects

I love when professors just happen to assign books on this list. Not that I find reading other course books useless, but there's a nice sort of satisfaction in reading something that will "double count" for something. It makes me feel much more productive. And so, as per my syllabus, I completely dove into Aldous Huxley's novel Brave New World.

I must admit that I enjoy dystopian novels, especially those that serve to point out how humanity will destroy itself if it continues down the path on which it is currently venturing. Is that morbid? Perhaps, but these books, in my opinion, are fascinating to read. However, I admit that I most likely would not have liked this particular novel as much were it not for the humanities gateway for which I am reading it. Thus far in the semester, my class has been examining the shift between the classical and modern views of the world and how the scientific revolution served as the catalyst of this drastic change. We have considered whether what we view today as "scientific progress" is really progress at all, and how all of our contemporary conceptions of reality are altered if we look at the world as a series of forms that have their own intrinsic meanings. In Brave New World, reality takes one more shift away from us, serving to exaggerate the very principles by which we are living life now. The allusions to our previous class discussions abound. Rarely have I seen a work of fiction so well employed in a class that has previously been reading philosophical works and scientific treaties.

I still, however, maintain that I would not have enjoyed this book as much without this class. Huxley's novel is surely not a literary work of art. There is nothing particularly admirable about his writing style; his sentence structure is short and clipped. Yes, this partly serves to demonstrate the barren nature of the world he has created, but is nonetheless unimaginative. His plot is interesting, but, as I suppose must be the case considering the setting, there is little to no character development. The entire plot, especially the ending, is rather abrupt. I felt as though the book should have been longer.

But despite this, Brave New World leads us to ask questions that are vital for the world in which we currently live. And for that, I give it an A.

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"It's with bad sentiments that one makes good novels." (Aldous Huxley)

The Cost of Oblivious Daydreaming Was Always This Moment Of Return

It is a strange business, turning well known and loved novels into films. No matter how much producers, directors, and actors may try, it has been my experience that a film adaptation of a book rarely lives up to my own imagination. True, the BBC has managed to capture some of my favorite classics adequately on film, but only in mini-series form, which takes 4 or 5 hours to view. It was completely by surprise then, that I finally discovered a situation in which I enjoy a movie more than the book it depicts. That was the film based on Ian McEwan's Atonement. It is rare that I see a book-based film without first reading its accompanying novel, but such was the case in this scenario. I was quite impressed with the film. I immediately loved the story, not only for the plot as constructed by Briony, but the way the story changes after the twist at the end. It offers a beautiful commentary on the power of literature. Although she is too late to change the past, Briony attempts to find atonement through her writing, giving those in her life that she has injured a "happily ever after". In addition to the story itself, the way the film combined cinematography with a brilliant score was stunning, and I loved the way McAvoy and Knightly crafted their characters. I found myself becoming emotionally attached to the characters, which is precisely why I love film and literature. As a result of this experience, I was looking forward to reading the novel.

Unfortunately, as with The Woman in White, McEwan's novel did not live up to the epic beauty I expected after watching the film. My preconceived notions of the characters were challenged, and I favored their on screen counterparts to the way they expressed themselves in the written word. The story itself was no less captivating, but was rather slow moving in the novel. I finished the book severely disappointed. Regardless I applaud McEwan for his imaginative commentary on literature and authorship. Judging the book itself rather than the film, I give it a B-.

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"Politics is the enemy of the imagination." (Ian McEwan)

Fear of Danger Is Ten Thousand Times More Terrifying Than Danger Itself

I love Survivor. I've been watching since the first season aired 10 years ago and can't seem to get enough. Sure, it started the reality show craze that has since been plaguing nearly every television station, but Survivor continues to set itself apart. It truly requires skill to be a contestant on Survivor and I love watching the strategies and alliances play out just as much as I love watching the tribes struggle to build shelters, find food, and sleep through monsoons. Needless to say I loved reading Daniel Defoe's Robinson Crusoe, the original survivor story. I loved reading of the adventures he has on what he begins to call "his" island. He is resourceful and determined as he builds a canoe and outwits a group of cannibals. His re-assimilation into society after being rescued is speedy and he succeeds in creating a fortune for himself. The whole of his story is an admirable one and exciting to read. I give it an A-.

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"The soul is placed in the body like a rough diamond. It must be polished or the luster of it will never appear." (Daniel Defoe)

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)

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)

All That Is Gold Does Not Glitter, Not All Those Who Wander Are Lost

Where does one begin when discussing the epic tales woven so masterfully by J.R.R Tolkien? Along with the Harry Potter series, The Lord of the Rings defined by middle school years. My friends and I were obsessed. We read the books, saw the movies together, bought the soundtracks, and had LOTR calendars gracing the walls of our rooms. I still enjoy those rare snow days during which I can watch all three of the extended version DVDs in a row. I never doubted that The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings would be on this list, and was thrilled to see that my assumptions were correct.

The Hobbit: It is hard to separate this novel from The Lord of the Rings trilogy, since it serves as a prequel. That being said, the character development of Bilbo is what is crucial here. With the encouragement of Gandalf, my personal favorite character, Bilbo finds his own inner strength and is able to lead a hapless group of thirteen dwarves to their goal. At its heart, The Hobbit demonstrates the importance of staying true to oneself. Bilbo doesn’t allow his newfound courage to change him; he remains the humble Hobbit he always was. This is juxtaposed by the wealth driven character of Thorin, whose leadership skills suffer as a result of his own selfishness and greed. For the way it sets up the Lord of the Rings, I give it an A+.

The Lord of the Rings: I have so much love for this story. Epic nature of the story itself aside, I appreciate this trilogy for all of its relationships. The familial bond between Merry and Pippin is touching, especially in the moment during which they find out they are to be separated. The relationship of the fellowship is transcendent, demonstrating quite literally that people can overcome racial prejudices and stereotypes. The sacrifice of Arwen’s immortality to be with Aragon, the one she loves, is incredibly moving. And the devotion of Sam to his greatest friend, Frodo, ends up saving Middle Earth. All readers can find something of themselves in The Lord of the Rings. It is a true story for all ages. A definite A+.

Bottom line: Anyone can save the world. You’ll never know you can’t do something unless you try.

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"Faithless is he that says farewell when the road darkens." (J.R.R Tolkien)

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)