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March 22, 2009

books I wish I would have written first.

Here are some recent reads of mine you should definitely check out
(and some personal commentary):

Middlemarch, by George Eliot
-First of all, it will be useful to know that "George Eliot" is actually a pen name for a woman named Mary Anne Evans. Back in the 1800's, women often used pen names so people would pick up their books because men were a lot more respected. This is an amazing book; long, but a classic worth the read. To sum it up, it is about a town set in the 1830's (called Middlemarch), and all the drama that happens. You suckers for happy endings, this is a good pick for you :) It is a very long book, like 839 pages, and the characters are difficult to sort out at first, but it is a classic I will definitely read again. I cannot say that about many books.







Night,
by Elie Wiesel
-It is real. It is stomach-twisting, tear-jerking, unbelievable, gruesome, but real. The author is a Holocaust survivor, and it is his story. Shortly after finishing this book, I found out it is a trilogy, the books being Night, Dawn, and Day. They are very short books, and easy-to-read, but not so easy to stomach. Highly recommended.








Song of Solomon, by Toni Morrison
-This is now one of my favorite books (ever.) I know I say this a lot, but seriously. It is so good. It is about an African-American man named Macon Dead, (and Pilate Dead) and his journey. There is so much more to it, though. I love how Morrison intertwines so many motifs and themes: all in one beautifully composed book! There is not much I can explain about this work; you will just have to see for yourself. Something to keep in mind: the author won a Nobel Peace Prize in Literature. Now if nothing else convinces you to read her books, that should!





Some great resources to use to read classics (free!) online:

www.literaturepage.com
www.online-literature.com

1 comment:

Rachel E. Watson said...

Sasha,

If you like these books, you might also enjoy short stories by Zora Neale Hurston (an African-American author and poet), or youth lit. historical fiction selection "The Devil's Arithmetic," also about the Holocaust.

Anniversary