Roof Beam Reader
Adam Burgess
Reviews: The Earlies Part 15
A Separate Peace
Wonderful, wonderful book. Highly recommended.
The Blithedale Romance
Probably one of my favorite Hawthorne novels. I think I like it even better than The Scarlet Letter.
Midnight’s Children
Beautiful ‘writing back to empire’ book. Rushdie is pretty amazing.
Geography Club
Simple. Kinda boring.
Jack Maggs
This is another ‘colony strikes back at imperialism’ boko – like Wide Sargasso Sea. Jack Maggs takes on the story of the character Magwitch from Charles Dickens’ Great Expectations. Beautiful and intelligent telling of the characters – cunningly writes a Dickens-esque character into the book.
Wide Sargasso Sea
This is a brilliant prequel to Bronte’s Jane Eyre. If you read Jane Eyre and liked it – read this book! Actually, read it anyway. I read it before reading Jane Eyre and still loved it.. but it’s definitely better to get the back-story first – makes you appreciate the symbolism and storyline even more. A wonderful ‘colonial’ book.
Reviews, The Earlies Part 14
The Coming Storm
Another book about the blurred lines between teacher/student and adult/teen and lover/lover relationship. A boarding school boy falls for and seduces a new young teacher… and all the mayhem follows close behind. Actually a very good read.
The Da Vinci Code
Wildly intelligent and fun. Almost as good as Angels and Demons.
Christ the Lord: Out of Egypt
Very interesting fictionalization of the story of Jesus Christ’s childhood. Very much enjoyed this book.
The Picture of Dorian Gray
Great, great book. Don’t know what else to say except ‘read it.’
Running With Scissors
Amazing! Incredibly funny and intelligent. One of my favorite books.
England, England
Hilarious irony. Brilliant.
Totally Joe
So cute and funny. An easy, enjoyable read. Something for a lazy summer day.
Reviews: The Earlies, Part 13
The Unthinkable Thoughts of Jacob Green
Such a good, relaxed read. Very, very funny. And also very moving.
Wuthering Heights
One of the best British Victorian novels.. or any novel.. of all time. I absolutely loved this book. The Bronte sisters are incredible.
Jane Eyre
Beautiful. Beautiful. Beautiful.
The Color Purple
Very beautiful story about the life of two black sisters in the 1950’s. Takes place in southern U.S.A.
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest
Awesome! Simultaneously hilarious and haunting.
Robinson Crusoe
A classic… but ‘meh.’
The Death of Ivan Ilych
Beautiful commentary on living “the good life.” Highly recommended.
Reviews: The Earlies, Part 12
I Am the Cheese
Awesome book. Wonderfully mind-bending. Definitely my favorite young-adult fiction thriller.
Brothers: Life, Death, Truth
Very touching. Short and sweet.
Angels & Demons
Best mystery/thriller I’ve ever read. Even better than Brown’s famous ‘Da Vinci Code.’
Frankenstein
The epitome of Romantic (capital R).
A Million Little Pieces
Would have been terrifying if it weren’t so obviously self-centered and contrived.
The Bell Jar
Sad. Beautiful. Great. Horrible. Read it.
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close
Really great book about a boy learning of his ancestry and history. Definitely recommended.
That Eye, The Sky
Interesting. Not much to the story, but the writing is certainly creative. I suppose I’m glad to have read it because it’s just.. ‘different.’
The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde by R.L. Stevenson
Typical Romanticism. Comparable to ‘Frankenstein.’
A Prayer for the Dying
Scary and sad.
Reviews: The Earlies, Part 18
A Child Called It
Amazing book. Sad, disturbing, heart-breaking, and maddening.
Tears of Rage
Incredibly sad story (true story) about a child’s kidnap and murder. Tear-jerking and intense. Very good book.
Lord of the Flies
So awesome. (I warned you that some of these reviews were simplistic! I must have been in my “minimalist” period.)
The Catcher in the Rye
Best book ever. Well, maybe not, but it’s certainly a favorite of mine.
And Then There Were None
I read this book in seventh grade, and it is what first got me interested in reading for fun. Until that point, I had only picked up the stray Goosebumps or Choose Your Own Adventure book. I’ve read this book three times and will probably read it again.
Moby Dick
Stunning. One of the most – no, the most elaborately detailed book I have ever read. Not the most exciting plot, not the easiest language, not too many exciting sub-layers to the story. But definitely, positively one of the best books ever written. It took me 7 months to get through (and I’m an insanely fast reader) but it was well worth it.
The Pearl
Beautiful story about the evils of wealth and greed.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
Amazing finale to an incredible series. Well done, Ms. Rowling. Well done.
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