Chopin, Kate. (1899, 2008). The Awakening. Premier Classic Paperback; New York. It is hard for me to fathom how this book was written and published so very long ago, although Knopf Publishing Group thoughtfully outlines a chronology of historical events to contextualize the work in my version. While reading the book, I had to keep…
Category: Book Thoughts
The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
Plath, Sylvia. (1963, 2009). The Bell Jar. Faber and Faber Limited; London. I recently came across a compilation of 49 quotes from Sylvia Plath on Thought Catalog and it reminded me of her notorious (and only) novel. The Bell Jar goes into a category all its own in the world of novels – not only…
Bobbed Hair and Bathtub Gin by Marion Meade
Meade, Marion. (2004). Bobbed Hair and Bathtub Gin: Writers Running Wild in the Twenties. Doubleday; New York. I first sought out the tale when I stumbled (purely by chance) across the work of Edna St. Vincent Millay – particularly her poem “A Few Figs From Thistles” (My candle burns at both ends/It will not last the night/…
The War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells
Wells, Herbert George. (1898, 2013).The War of the Worlds. Wilder Publications; United States. This tale, one of the most commented-on works in the world of science fiction, takes place in what readers typically imagine to be a safe, relaxed setting – Surrey, Essex, and London – with an unnamed protagonist and his brother (Wikipedia article)….
Sea Jade by Phyllis A. Whitney
Whitney, Phyllis Ayame. (1964). Sea Jade. Fawcett Publications Inc.; Connecticut. As mentioned earlier this week, I have a weakness for gothic romances and often yearn for nothing more than to retreat to a quiet place to gorge myself on the world of mystery, suspense, and intrigue that they offer. Phyllis A. Whitney, dubbed “The Queen…
The Secret Woman by Victoria Holt
Holt, Victoria. (1970). The Secret Woman. William Collins Sons & Co Ltd.; Glasgow. It would be remiss of me not to cover the very great volume of books available in the genre of ‘gothic romance’, as I consider it to be one of the most relaxing forms of fiction. You always know what the plot…
Sphere by Michael Crichton
Crichton, Michael. (2011, 1987). Sphere. Ballantine Books; New York. My all-time favorite Michael Crichton novel is Timeline, a story about a group of history researchers who travel back in time. Sphere shares some of the same themes as Timeline – time travel is involved, along with a strong dash of psychological tension between team members….
The Steppenwolf by Herman Hesse
Hesse, Herman. (2002, 1927). Steppenwolf. Picador; United Kingdom. My first exposure to the work of Herman Hesse was in his most well-known book, Siddhartha. While Siddhartha relies heavily on the stories and principles of Eastern mysticism to engage with a series of (very distinct) self-discovery experiences, Steppenwolf is set in European culture and addresses the…
The Sword in the Stone by T.H. White
White, T.H. (2008, 1938). The Sword in the Stone. HarperCollins; London. I initially read this book for an undergraduate class I took almost three years ago, but have kept it on the shelf for a variety of reasons. First, it’s a wonderfully playful and fun tale of the boyhood adventures of King Arthur, at a…
The Eyes of the Dragon by Stephen King
King, Stephen. (1987). The Eyes of the Dragon. Viking Penguin Inc.; New York. This novel was written by Stephen King for his daughter’s benefit, and thus has all the trappings of a typical fairy tale. There’s an evil and malevolent wizard, a young prince fighting for his right to the kingdom, and plenty of potions….
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
Huxley, Aldous. (1932, 2007). Brave New World. Vintage Canada Edition; Toronto. I don’t feel properly qualified or deeply knowledgeable enough about the enigma that was Aldous Huxley and his famous work, Brave New World, to speak with any degree of expertise in this post. All I can do is vigorously recommend to the reader that…
The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury
Bradbury, Ray. (1950). The Martian Chronicles. Bantam Books; Toronto. For the curious and creative reader, this Ray Bradbury novel is a loosely episodic collection of short stories woven together with vignettes; as such, it allows the reader to interpose their own conclusions onto the plot line (Wikipedia article). The stories describe the colonization of Mars,…
Maria Legault 