Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe

Category: Classic, Adventure
Published: 1719
Review: 4/5

I missed book club when they chose the next 6 books. When I heard that they had chosen Robinson Crusoe, I thought, "Okay?" Then I started reading it and by the time I was 20 pages in, I thought, "Who the heck suggested this boring book?" I was actually glad we were reading it because it forced me to read a classic that I may never have read otherwise. By the time I got to page 50 and came across a great quote I realized that this book was definitely worth reading even if it was boring and repetitive. Here's the quote:

"Upon the whole, here was an undoubted testimony that there was scarce any condition in the world so miserable but there was something negative or something positive to be thankful for in it; and let this stand as a direction from the experience of the most miserable of all conditions in this world that we may always find in it something to comfort ourselves from, and to set, in the description of good and evil, on the credit side of the account."

About half way through it starts getting interesting and by the time I was finished, I thought it was pretty good. Robinson Crusoe is considered one of the very first English novels so I feel inclined to forgive Daniel Defoe for the problems that exist like repetition and a implausibility. I really liked the lessons of repentance, endurance, faith, hope, and man's relationship with God. I did read a version that had been modernized a bit so that spellings, punctuation, and capitalization are presented in a way consistent with modern English grammar. Others in my book club who read a more historically accurate version were a bit distracted by the old grammar. If you choose to read it, you might try to decide which version would be better for your enjoyment.

Rating: 1.3.1 Contains violence.

Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton

Category: Classic, literary fiction

Published: 1911

Review: 4/5 stars

As I was reading Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton I wondered why it was a classic. It wasn't until I finished it and was able to look at the whole picture that I realized it's beauty. I don't know how to describe it without giving away too many plot points so I will just say that it is worth the read. I read this for book club so I will post a Book Club Report soon and talk much more about the book then.

Lord of the Flies by William Golding

Category: Modern Classic, Fiction
Published: 1954
Audiobook
Review: 4/5 stars

This is another one of those books that is hard to review. I could give it anything between 3 and 5 stars. I recognize that it is regarded as a classic and I think the distinction is well deserved. I wouldn't say that I particularly enjoyed it, though. I'm glad I listened to it but it is rather a disturbing story. The audiobook I listened to was read by William Golding himself, and I quite liked that about it. In the beginning he tells a little bit about how the book came to be and then he starts reading and it feels like you are sitting there in the room while he reads from the book. He doesn't use different voices for the different characters; he just reads it and reads it well. There is a short interview at the end that is also very interesting. While I was listening to the book I found myself thinking that I just wanted to get it over with but once I was done with it I was very glad to have read it. I finally decided on 4 stars even though my personal enjoyment of it was more like 3 stars.

Rating: 1.3.2 There are some scenes of violence along with disturbing images and a little bit of mild profanity.

Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier

Category: Modern classic, romance, suspense
Published: 1938, 380 pgs.
Review: 4/5 stars

Our book club read Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier back in October with the idea that it was a good one for Halloween. Although it's not especially creepy, there is a sinister feeling to the book. I guess that's why Alfred Hitchcock turned it into a movie. I had tried to read this book when I was a senior in high school. It was an assigned book for my English class and most of the class was struggling to finish it. The night before the test, everyone came to my house and we watched the old Hitchcock version in hopes of getting enough out of it to pass the test. I'm from a really small town and my English teacher's house was just down the block and around the corner. I have a sneaky suspicion that she knew what we were doing. I can't remember what happened with that test. I think I did alright thanks to the movie.

So, this time around, I really read it. And I did enjoy it. I'm not going to say anything about it because if you haven't read and you want to someday, it's better if you don't know anything about it. There is one quote that I just love. I think I can share it without giving anything away.

I am glad it cannot happen twice, the fever of first love. For it is a fever, and a burden, too, whatever the poets may say. They are not brave, the days when we are twenty-one. They are full of little cowardices, little fears without foundation, and one is so easily bruised, so swiftly wounded, one falls to the first barbed word. To-day, wrapped in the complacent armour of approaching middle age, the infinitesimal pricks of day by day brush one but lightly and are soon forgotten, but then--how a careless word would linger, becoming a fiery stigma, and how a look, a glance over a shoulder, branded themselves as things eternal. A denial heralded the thrice crowing of a cock, and an insincerity was like the kiss of Judas. The adult mind can lie with untroubled conscience and a gay composure, but in those days even a small deception scoured the tongue, lashing one against the stake itself.

I can completely identify with that feeling and I think it is so beautifully written. Fun read.

Rating: 1.2.2 (I can't remember exactly what is in this book. There may be a little light profanity and a little violence, thus the 2 ratings.)

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

Rating: 1.3.1
Category: Classic, Sci-Fiction
Published: 1891
Audiobook

Review: 4/5

I listened to this book about 5 or 6 months ago and I never wrote a review because I wasn't sure how many stars to give it. I've decided on 4 out of 5 now and I'll tell you why. While I listened to it, I did enjoy it but found my mind wandering as Oscar Wilde went off on philosophical tangents that I just didn't care very much about. So at the time I thought that though I liked the premise and story of the book, I didn't like all the philosophy that the author goes on about. However, six months later as I think about the book, it is the philosophical questions that are raised by the story that I still think about. If you're not familiar with the premise of this book, it is the story of Dorian Gray and how a thoughtless plea changes his life. He was a very handsome young man who when he saw the portrait that a friend had painted of him, and realizing that his beauty would fade as he aged and experienced life, wished that the portrait would age and change instead of himself. He thoughtlessly bargained that he would give his soul if he could forever remain beautiful as he then was. The influences of Sir Henry and the painter Basil are so interesting as is the basic story. I recognize that this is truly a classic that is brilliant on many levels so it deserves 5 star rating but because I didn't personally enjoy it as much, I've finally decided on 4 stars.


I saw this comic strip the other day and decided that I had to include it with my review. It's a Mother Goose and Grimm comic and you'll get it if you know the story.

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith

Content rating: 2.1.2

Category: Classic, coming-of-age

Review: 5/5

We read A Tree Grows in Brooklyn for book club. It was an excellent choice. This is a character driven novel, not plot driven, and the characters are rich and deep. The relationships between these wonderful characters are what make this book so powerful. Betty Smith describes these people living in Brooklyn during the 1910's so well that they feel real. Some of the topics we discussed at book club were poverty, pride, family, marriage, love, money, and more. Our book club often meets for about 3 hours because we just love to sit and talk together. Most of the time we discuss the book for about an hour to 90 minutes and then we start talking about other things. With this book, although there were a few tangents, we stuck to the book most of the time. There was that much to talk about. I loved this book and highly recommend it.

My Antonia by Willa Cather

Rating: 1.1.1

Recommended audience: Mature teen to adult

Category: Historical, classic, romance

Review: 4.5/5

My book club really enjoyed My Antonia at last month's discussion. It is beautifully written and Willa Cather really brought the Nebraska of the late 1800's to life. The story is told in a memoir-like style by Jim Burden and focuses on how Antonia, a Bohemian immigrant (now the Czech Republic), influenced his life. Antonia is a strong, enduring character and one that our book club really enjoyed talking about. There were also many themes in this book that led to great discussions about immigration, women, family relationships, friendship, marriage, love, and women's rights. I would definitely recommend this book for any book club. I have to admit that when I read this book in my 11th grade American Literature class, I didn't like it at all. I thought it was boring and there wasn't really a plot which was very necessary for my reading enjoyment at the time. The romantic side of it wasn't quite what I expected from a "good read" either (if a book didn't have a good romantic plot to it, it wasn't worth my time back then). I was glad to see when I read this for a second time that I have matured as a reader. :)

Emma by Jane Austen

Rating: 1.1.1

Recommended audience: Teens to adults

Category: Romance, classic

I have tried to read Emma a few times before but never could get past the first few chapters. This time I was determined to finish and I'm glad I did. I liked it in the end but it is definitely not on par with Pride and Prejudice or Persuasion to me. (I can't comment on any other of Austen's books because it's been too long since I've read them.) For the first several chapters Emma drove me crazy. Her inept attempts at matching-making made me want to shake some sense into her. She was so blind to everything that seemed so plain. She did grow on me though and I could see her character improve so that by the end I really liked her. There are so many characters that are just ridiculous: Mr. Woodhouse, Miss Bates, and the Eltons, for example. There is so much humour in the conversations and goings-on between all the characters but it is dry and subtle and you have to read carefully to catch it. When I hear people say they don't get Jane Austen's popularity, I hope they continue to give it a chance because I think it does take some time and effort to understand. But once you catch it, you'll love it forever. This book is very wordy with not a lot of anything going on but in the end, definitely worth the read.