Crime and Punishment

Title: Crime and Punishment
Author: Fyodor Dostoevsky
Published: 1866

Uncle Tom's Cabin

Title: Uncle Tom's Cabin
Author: Harriet Beecher Stowe
Published: 1852

I was eager to read this to find out what made it so great. Was it so well known because it was a great novel, or because of what it achieved?

Many critics called the book sentimental. Harriet Beecher Stowe obviously cared deeply about the plight of the slave, and she was motivated to change the hearts of the people in this country so that the travesty of slavery would end. Because of this, there is the temptation to go too far, sacrificing the story to make a point. There are moments where Stowe interrupts the flow of the narrative to lecture the reader, to prove a point which has already been expertly proven by what has happened in the story itself.

These moments are few, however, and only mildly annoying. The story itself is beautiful. I fell in love with some characters, was disgusted by others, and thought about them throughout the day.

This book is certainly not outdated. Although slavery has ended, there was so much to think about as I was reading it. It challenged me in many ways: The way mother my children, the way I treat others, and in my Christian walk.

This is not a light read, but I would assuredly read it again! This is a worthy book, and I cannot recommend it highly enough!

Moby Dick

Title: Moby Dick
Author: Herman Melville
Published: 1851

I never thought I'd be sorry to have read a non-abridged classic.

First, it amazes me that it's taken nearly a year for me to read this book. Part of it was the business of life in general, especially the whole part where we adopted three children ages three and down. But that cannot be my only excuse. I found it painful to read.

The beginning was great. Funny, even. I laughed at the meeting between Ishmael and Queequeg, and it gave me an enthusiasm for the rest of the book.

There were several chapters which did showcase Melville's talent for comedic writing, but they were lost amongst the chapters so full of detail that I lost interest. I dreaded reading it. By the end there were many times where I was reading on auto-pilot, skimming along in hopes that something would happen. Of course the symbolism was lost on me. I stopped paying attention.

To anyone who is going to tackle this beast, choose an abridged version.

The Scarlet Letter

Title: The Scarlet Letter
Author: Nathaniel Hawthorne
Published: 1850

I read the Bantam Classic version.

I loved it. Despite not having much time, I made time for this book and finished it quickly. I loved reading and not knowing what was going to happen. Somehow I've made it through 39 years in this world without hearing how this book ended, so it wasn't spoiled one bit for me.

It truly was a pleasure to read.

Next Up: Jane Eyre

Title: Jane Eyre
Author: Charlotte Bronte
Published: 1847

Bauer recommends the Signet Classic Edition (1993), which I already have on my shelf.

I read it for the first time in March of this year. Because it was so recent, I considered skipping it and moving on to the next on the list, but I can't. It is Jane Eyre, after all! I can't wait to read it again!

Oliver Twist

Title: Oliver Twist
Author: Charles Dickens
Published: 1838

Having seen the movie and stage musical "Oliver!" numerous times, I thought I knew what to expect with this book. I couldn' t have been more wrong! Sure, it followed the story of an orphaned boy who falls in with some thieves and is then rescued by a wealthy benefactor and given a home. But there was so much more to the book.

Charles Dickens believed "that a lesson of the purest good may . . . be drawn from the vilest evil." He showed the stark ugliness of the poverty stricken neighborhoods of London. He does not hide from the reader the depths of depravity that man is capable of when he turns himself over to sin.

Toward the end of the book, one character is given a chance to escape from poverty and a way of life that has become ugly to her. Nancy, a prostitute, knows that the way she lives is wrong and she hates it, but her final decision is to turn her back on a chance for a fresh start because of her love for a cruel man who treats her harshly.

The book is not all bleakness, however. The protagonist chooses an opposite path from Nancy. Oliver is horrified to learn of crimes that men have committed. He falls to his knees in tears and prays for God to not allow him to commit these deeds. He is soon calmed by this prayer, which is later answered as the burglary he is being forced to have a part in by the adults around him goes wrong.

Oliver finally gains a home and a loving family, surrounded by friends. At times I felt the "good" people in the book were a bit too perfect. The ending wraps up a bit too neatly, with each of the criminals either dying, being arrested, or turning their lives around, and the good people settling down near one another and living happy lives together. Other than that minor issue, though, the book was a powerful look at Britian's Poor Laws and how they affected people. I definitely recommend reading it!

Next Up : Oliver Twist

Title: Oliver Twist
Author: Charles Dickens
Published: 1838

Bauer recommends the Modern Library edition (New York; Random House 2001), and Chris was able to find it at our local bookstore. The illustrations are a nice touch, but the print is small. We'll see how I do. 

I'm excited about this one. I've never read it, but I know the basic storyline. I've also seen the musical numerous times, both the movie and on stage, so it'll be interesting to see how closely they line up.

Pride and Prejudice

Title: Pride and Prejudice
Author: Jane Austen
Published: 1815

On the surface, Pride and Prejudice is a love story about a young woman named Elizabeth, the second of five daughters in the Bennet family. It follows her through an unusual courtship with a man whom at the beginning she has a strong prejudice against. She eventually comes to realize that she has heard misinformation about him, and that he is not prideful and cold as she once believed. It's a delightful and quick read, lots of fun and completely believable.

A deeper reading reveals the author's feelings about the society in Great Britain at that time: the materialism and politics that went into choosing a spouse, competitiveness of women in catching a husband, superficiality of some friendships, and the way money could be used to cover a multitude of sins. Another thing I got out of reading this book a second time was how people tolerate the ugliness of people in our lives and choose to love them anyway.

This could be something I'd read numerous times throughout my life.

Next Up: Pride and Prejudice

Title: Pride and Prejudice
Author: Jane Austen
Published: 1815

Bauer recommends the Bantam Classic paperback 1981 version of this, however, I already have a different version on my shelf, so I'll stick with that.

I read this years ago. I bought it after watching one of the movies, and I did like reading it. I'm looking forward to reading it again while I'm on the cruise next week!

Here goes!

Gulliver's Travels

Title: Gulliver's Travels
Author: Jonathan Swift
Published: 1726

Gulliver's Travels is a satirical tale about a man's journeys to various previously unknown countries. It very clearly points out the idiocies of human behavior and thought in a humorous way. Gulliver boards four ships, and each time, through some misfortune or another, he becomes lost on an island and lives there for a time, learning the language and customs of the inhabitants.

First he comes to Lilliput, where the people are six inches tall, and the creatures and plants are of proportionate size. First he is feared as a giant, but when the leaders find that he may be useful to them in war, they seek to make him do their will. When he refuses to bring a nearby island into bondage to the Lilliputians, he discovers how quickly they turn on him while pretending to be friendly to him. He soon makes his escape.

His next voyage lands him in Brobdingnag, quite the opposite of Lilliput in that they are all giants, and he becomes their tiny pet. Although the not-so-little girl who looks after him loves him, the others use him for their own entertainment and gain. There are many dangers in this country, and finally his box is taken by a giant eagle who drops him into the ocean. He is picked up by a passing ship and is taken home once again.

His travels take him to a floating island called Laputa, where the people are brilliant in science and music, but are so occupied by their deep thoughts that they get little accomplished and are a benefit to nobody. The island floats (and rules) over other islands where our explorer also visits. He visits farms where nothing is grown but dirt, because they have discovered new ways of farming that are better than the traditional ways, but haven't gotten around to implementing them. The people live in poverty except for one man, who is looked down upon for his old fashioned farm which actually produces goods. Gulliver also visits an academy where all sorts of ambitious but useless experiments and inventions are attempted. He finally receives permission from the king to return to his home.

Not having learned that his voyages always seem to go wrong, he embarks on another one. This one brings him to a land where intelligent horses called Houyhnhnms rule over human-like beasts called Yahoos.The Houyhnhnms are so perfectly virtuous that he grows to love them, and the Yahoos so base and hateful that he despises his own race, and is ashamed to be a human. When he finally arrives home he cannot abide to be near other people, even his own family; he purchases some horses and lives in the stable with them.

This novel exposes every type of sinful inclination we have as fallen people, and gives us a beautiful example of sinless life in the houyhnhnms. Sadly, he never reaches the truth; that we will never be sinless until heaven, and the only way to get there is by relying on Jesus' atonement for us. Gulliver seems to be insane, easily swayed to others' ways of thinking, and perfectly willing to stretch the truth while believing in his own virtues.

This was an expertly crafted novel. I did like reading it, although at times it got a bit too ridiculous for my taste. It gave me plenty to think about regarding my own fallen nature.

Next Up: Gulliver's Travels

Title: Gulliver's Travels
Author: Jonathan Swift
Published: 1726

 

Susan Wise Bauer recommends Oxford's World's Classics 1998 version of this, however, I already have a different version on my shelf, so I'll stick with that.

 

I attempted to read this years ago. I'm not even sure how it ended up on my shelf or why I started reading it, but it was during my "old books are boring" phase, so it's no wonder I didn't get very far in it. I have much higher hopes this time.

 

What I know about it mostly comes from cartoons and a children's book that I had called "Gulliver Mickey." So I'm expecting an island full of tiny people, but I'm guessing that Gulliver is not a giant talking mouse. The old-fashioned language turned me off the first time I read this, but I'm getting used to it. Plus, this book is over a century newer than Don Quixote, so I think I can handle it. 

Here goes!

The Pilgrim's Progress

Title: The Pilgrim's Progress
Author: John Bunyan
Published: 1678/1684
What was it I said in my last entry? I hope it doesn't take a whole month to finish this one? Great; it's taken me just under three months! Judging from the length of time it took me to finish this book, you probably think I didn't enjoy this one. But I loved it!

The Pilgrim's Progress is again two books in one, published six years apart. It's an allegory about a man's journey from the City of Destruction to the Celestial City. This journey represents the highs and lows of any Christian's life while growing in his faith, becoming more Christlike, and eventually ending up in heaven. Many people meet him on the road, both good and bad.

Early in his journey Christian meets Mr. Worldly Wiseman. Despite the Bible's statements that the only way to the Father is through Jesus, this minister attempts to instruct Christian to rid himself of his burden (sin) by going to the village of Morality and speaking to a man named Legality. Christian is at first led off of his path and finds himself in fear that Mount Sinai (the law of Moses) is too much for him. He is soon brought back to the correct Way by his friend Evangelist.

I loved the allegorical nature of the book; it really gave me a lot to think about while being fun to read. One thing that confused me, though, was toward the end, when they entered the land of Beulah, where the sun shines night and day. "In this land they heard nothing, saw nothing, felt nothing, smelt nothing, tasted nothing that was offensive to the stomach or mind." My first thought was that this was heaven. But then it discussed the River that they had to cross over to get to the Celestial City. "...only when they tasted of the water of the River . . . they thought that tasted a little bitterish to the palate, but it proved sweeter when 'twas down." The River is clearly death, which Bunyan describes as bitter to the flesh, but sweet to the soul. But there is no place that is perfect until we die and get to heaven. So I am still unsure of what this land of peace could be.

I looked Beulah up in the dictionary and it means either "married" or "bride" depending on which dictionary is used. I'm thinking this land could be the peace of mind a mature Christian gets when his faith in God is strong. That there are still painful things all around him, but because of his faith and hope in eternal life, he doesn't taste the bitterness. That answer doesn't completely satisfy me, but it's the closest I can figure.

Over all, I loved this novel. One of the most beautiful moments was near the end, when Mr. Ready-to-Halt crossed the River of death. He had said his goodbyes to his companions, given away his crutches, and stepped into the water. His last words were, "Welcome, life!"

Next Up: The Pilgrim's Progress

Title: The Pilgrim's Progress
Author: John Bunyan
Published: 1679

Bauer recommends the Penguin Classics paperback, 1987. Chris picked it up at a local bookstore, and it says that it is edited to include modern spelling and punctuation.

I've read this before, but several years ago. Since then I've read the picture book Dangerous Journey and the chapter book Little Pilgrim's Progress to Seth. I know there are numerous other adaptations of this book for children and young adults. I vaguely remember enjoying the original, but I am sure I rushed through several passages. Since Bauer recommends reading each book three times (which I am not doing) I'll go ahead and count this as my second reading, the "logic stage reading". I'm not following her reading directions very closely, but I am using a few tips here and there.

Since I've already read it and other versions of it, I know what to expect, so I won't write my first impressions here. I will say that I'm excited to read this one again.

Hopefully this one won't take a month for me to get through!

Don Quixote

Title: Don Quixote
Author: Miguel de Cervantes
Published: 1605/1615

Did you think I'd given up? Amazingly enough, I've finally finished the first book in my ambitious list. I don't think it's ever taken me a month to read a novel. Now comes the awkward part: I'm going to attempt to write a bit about it. So here it is: a review by a non-intellectual.

I hadn't been looking forward to reading it, but from the first chapter I'd found some enthusiasm for reading Don Quixote.

A country gentleman with too much free time reads numerous romances, particularly those of knightly chivalry. He begins to believe these stories are true, and then decides to become a knight himself. He names his horse, throws together some junk to pass for a suit of armor, and calls himself Don Quixote. He rides off to find adventure and to rescue maidens, widows and orphans. While believing that his deeds are heroic, he only succeeds in making a nuisance of himself and, later on, providing others with amusement at his expense. He is so focused on following the chivalric code, that he forgets to be truly chivalrous. In one instance, he states that he's never read of a knight paying for his lodging, so he leaves an inn without paying, allowing his poor squire Sancho to suffer the punishment.

I was surprised to find this a comedy, and in the very first chapter I laughed at his determination to continue in his false reality. He spends a week making a helmet out of pasteboard. When he tests it with his sword, it is destroyed. He fixes it and refuses to test it again, instead choosing to believe that it is strong enough to protect his head.

The book I read is actually two books, published ten years apart. After the first was published and became popular, Cervantes wrote a second, continuing the adventures of Don Quixote. While he was writing it, he discovered that somebody else had written a sequel to his book. In response to this, Cervantes had Don Quixote and Sancho come across that "false history", and they lambaste the book as poorly written. Cervantes often calls attention to the writing process, as Quixote discusses the writing of the history of his heroic deeds.

I'm glad I read it. Would I read it again? Probably not. Although I found it funny and enjoyable at times, other times it became repetitive. The book does have entertainment value, but most rewarding was that it gave me a lot to think about; I barely touched the surface here. This is one of the first books I've read that caused me to want to just lie on the couch and think after finishing it. 

Edited to add: I have one word of warning, though, to anyone who decides to read this for themselves. It's surprising in a book written four hundred years ago, but just about every bodily function is mentioned in the course of the story. Most of these references are short, but if this type of thing bothers you, be warned. 

Next Up: Don Quixote

Title: Don Quixote
Author: Miguel de Cervantes
Published: 1605

According to Bauer, the best edition is the Penguin Classics Paperback translated by John Rutherford in 2000. She says that it's "readable" but tries to stay true to the original Spanish text. Unfortunately my library does not have this copy, so I'll be reading the 1957 unabridged translation by Walter Starkie.

I know nothing about this book. I even had to go online to find out how to pronounce "Quixote." So I really have no idea what to expect. I refuse to read the synopsis in Bauer's book; I've heard they tend to be full of spoilers. She also instructs the reader not to read the foreword or any notes unless they're written by the actual author until after reading the actual book. So I have nothing to go on.

Don't judge a book by its cover. That's what I have to keep telling myself when I look at Don Quixote sitting on my desk. It looks really thick and big and . . . old. Well, of course it's old; that's why I'm starting with it. I keep wondering if it's so well known because it's the first modern novel ever written, or because it's actually good. I do hope it's the latter.

I can't seem to get myself excited or even interested in starting this book. But I have to read it. How pathetic would it be to quit on the very first book?

Here goes.

It Begins

I went to a good high school, but I wasted the opportunities I had to learn. I loved to read but wasted my time on drivel. I want to change that. I want to find out what I've missed.

I recently checked out a copy of Susan Wise Bauer's The Well Educated Mind: A Guide to the Classical Education You Never Had. The first part of the book tells how to experience a piece of literature, how to get the most out of it; many of her ideas come from How to Read a Book, by Mortimer Adler. The second half of the book is an annotated list of books in five categories: novels, autobiographies, history, plays, and poetry.

Bauer recommends reading each category in chronological order. I don't think I want to read each category in its entirety before moving onto the next, however. If I were to do that, I'd have a great time going through the novels, but then when I got to history or poetry I'd get completely bogged down. So I do plan to mix it up a little, jumping from genre to genre, but still keeping in order of publication within each genre.

For the next few days I'll be reading Bauer's book. Once I'm done I'll get started on the first one in the list.