Since his debut in 1951 as The Catcher in the Rye, Holden Caulfield has been synonymous with "cynical adolescent". Holden narrates the story of a couple of days in his 16-year-old life, just after he's been expelled from prep school, in a slang that sounds edgy even today and keeps this novel on banned book lists. It begins:

If you really want to hear about it, the first thing you'll probably want to know is where I was born and what my lousy childhood was like, and how my parents were occupied and all before they had me, and all that David Copperfield kind of crap, but I don't feel like going into it, if you want to know the truth. In the first place, that stuff bores me, and in the second place, my parents would have about two haemorrhages apiece if I told anything pretty personal about them.

His constant wry observations about what he encounters, from teachers to phonies (the two of course are not mutually exclusive), capture the essence of the eternal teenage experience of alienation. --Amazon.comSince his debut in 1951 as The Catcher in the Rye, Holden Caulfield has been synonymous with "cynical adolescent". Holden narrates the story of a couple of days in his 16-year-old life, just after he's been expelled from prep school, in a slang that sounds edgy even today and keeps this novel on banned book lists. It begins:

If you really want to hear about it, the first thing you'll probably want to know is where I was born and what my lousy childhood was like, and how my parents were occupied and all before they had me, and all that David Copperfield kind of crap, but I don't feel like going into it, if you want to know the truth. In the first place, that stuff bores me, and in the second place, my parents would have about two haemorrhages apiece if I told anything pretty personal about them.

His constant wry observations about what he encounters, from teachers to phonies (the two of course are not mutually exclusive), capture the essence of the eternal teenage experience of alienation. --Amazon.com

It's just so real, 02 Nov 2008
On a personal note, I only read this book a few months ago and I felt I could relate to a lot of what the young adolescent narrator is going through. Anyone who has been a teenager can.

Catcher in the Rye isn't a plot filled story; I wouldn't say a whole lot happens as such, but it's the way in which it's written and how the centeral character describes what he is feeling that makes this book so beautiful.

It's like you know this boy, Holden Caulfield becomes your friend as you read on. Reading the novel is like hearing a close friend telling you a story about what's been happening in their life. When it ended, I almost missed him and his dystopic views of the world; which makes me know I'll be reading it again and again.

It's upto you as the reader to decide how complex J.D Salinger's ideas for this novel were. I mean, if you want to just take the story as it is, you can, but if you want to put forward your own interpretations and symbolism of the events that take place, you can do that too and no one has the right to argue with you because no one but Salinger can say what the book is truly about. That's another thing that makes it such a personal book to every individual that reads it.

So, maybe it isn't dripping with plot twists and insanely complicated ideas, but it's such a "touchable" book, the character is so relatable and his story so understandable, that it has become one of the most captivating things I have, and very probably ever will, read.

Its such a goddamn phony world!, 01 Nov 2008
This book is great because Holden Caulfield is such an authentic voice and it is so funny and so sad too. Its hard to deny that most of what he says is true and hilarious for that fact. But in the end its just a bit depressing, even if his conclusions, which make you sad, are a bit wrong. Hey, Holden, (you wanna say) children are phonies too. His love for his little sister is pure (I always think she must look like Zuzu in Capra's Its a Wonderful Life), and is as touching as any in literature. And, yeah, where do the ducks go to in winter? Its a reasonable question.

The big pity is that instead of letting it stand and letting it/him speak for itself/himself, to whomever wants to listen, all these phonies turn up and want to smash the toy to show how it works. And then they go and write their thoughts on Amazon. How phony is that? But I don't give a goddamn. Once read, never forgotten.

Overated, 09 Oct 2008
Boring, over rated book.

I, like many others, was handed this book and told that it was a life changing read. It was an utter load of rubbish.

I think the people who recommend this book are suffering with a bad case of the Emperors New Clothes.

I honestly didn't understand the praise...., 25 Sep 2008
So I read it again. As such it's the only book I didn't enjoy first time round (as a sixteen year old) which I have ever reread. Rereading as a thirty year old did not change my opinion.

The book has nothing of interest to say. The inane ramblings and tirades of a cynical and bitter little rich kid do not a good novel make. Holden doesn't appear to learn anything over the course of his journey and all I learnt over the course of 200 nauseating pages was that not all "classics" of literature warrant their place.





Loved it., 18 Sep 2008
I simply adore this book, I purchased it with To Kill a Mockingbird, as I thought it's always on lists of those books to read before you die, so why not I thought to myself. And of course, I'm not male and just out of my teen years, but I did relate. I disagree with the critical commets that some customers have said like the main character Holden 'should get over himself', I think most teenagers at Holdens age are slightly self obsessed and have the me againat the world attitude, even if they would care not to admit it, I definitely did have that attitude. And for a book that was written in the 1940's it certainly has aged well, it feels quite modern actually. The book doesn't really have a plot and it doesn't need it either, written in the first person narrative, Holden tells us the events set over only a few days, which occured a year ago. This is definielt a book worth re-reading, and this is from a person who really doesn't return to a book once it has been read.

It's just so real, 02 Nov 2008
On a personal note, I only read this book a few months ago and I felt I could relate to a lot of what the young adolescent narrator is going through. Anyone who has been a teenager can.

Catcher in the Rye isn't a plot filled story; I wouldn't say a whole lot happens as such, but it's the way in which it's written and how the centeral character describes what he is feeling that makes this book so beautiful.

It's like you know this boy, Holden Caulfield becomes your friend as you read on. Reading the novel is like hearing a close friend telling you a story about what's been happening in their life. When it ended, I almost missed him and his dystopic views of the world; which makes me know I'll be reading it again and again.

It's upto you as the reader to decide how complex J.D Salinger's ideas for this novel were. I mean, if you want to just take the story as it is, you can, but if you want to put forward your own interpretations and symbolism of the events that take place, you can do that too and no one has the right to argue with you because no one but Salinger can say what the book is truly about. That's another thing that makes it such a personal book to every individual that reads it.

So, maybe it isn't dripping with plot twists and insanely complicated ideas, but it's such a "touchable" book, the character is so relatable and his story so understandable, that it has become one of the most captivating things I have, and very probably ever will, read.

Its such a goddamn phony world!, 01 Nov 2008
This book is great because Holden Caulfield is such an authentic voice and it is so funny and so sad too. Its hard to deny that most of what he says is true and hilarious for that fact. But in the end its just a bit depressing, even if his conclusions, which make you sad, are a bit wrong. Hey, Holden, (you wanna say) children are phonies too. His love for his little sister is pure (I always think she must look like Zuzu in Capra's Its a Wonderful Life), and is as touching as any in literature. And, yeah, where do the ducks go to in winter? Its a reasonable question.

The big pity is that instead of letting it stand and letting it/him speak for itself/himself, to whomever wants to listen, all these phonies turn up and want to smash the toy to show how it works. And then they go and write their thoughts on Amazon. How phony is that? But I don't give a goddamn. Once read, never forgotten.

Overated, 09 Oct 2008
Boring, over rated book.

I, like many others, was handed this book and told that it was a life changing read. It was an utter load of rubbish.

I think the people who recommend this book are suffering with a bad case of the Emperors New Clothes.

I honestly didn't understand the praise...., 25 Sep 2008
So I read it again. As such it's the only book I didn't enjoy first time round (as a sixteen year old) which I have ever reread. Rereading as a thirty year old did not change my opinion.

The book has nothing of interest to say. The inane ramblings and tirades of a cynical and bitter little rich kid do not a good novel make. Holden doesn't appear to learn anything over the course of his journey and all I learnt over the course of 200 nauseating pages was that not all "classics" of literature warrant their place.





Loved it., 18 Sep 2008
I simply adore this book, I purchased it with To Kill a Mockingbird, as I thought it's always on lists of those books to read before you die, so why not I thought to myself. And of course, I'm not male and just out of my teen years, but I did relate. I disagree with the critical commets that some customers have said like the main character Holden 'should get over himself', I think most teenagers at Holdens age are slightly self obsessed and have the me againat the world attitude, even if they would care not to admit it, I definitely did have that attitude. And for a book that was written in the 1940's it certainly has aged well, it feels quite modern actually. The book doesn't really have a plot and it doesn't need it either, written in the first person narrative, Holden tells us the events set over only a few days, which occured a year ago. This is definielt a book worth re-reading, and this is from a person who really doesn't return to a book once it has been read.

Journey into American Past to Understand American Present, 11 Nov 2008
In her latest novel Toni Morrison takes us back to the late 17th century America. The plot gives her an opportunity to present America in the making, there is no US yet, there are colonies, each somewhat different in their culture, religion or attitude to slavery. Morrison adroitly shapes the plot in such a way as to give the reader at least an impression of the variety that once was America, sending her characters on distant voyages. The differences are the most clearly visible in the opposition between Maryland and New York yet the choice of character also helps Morrison to stress the diversity of American roots.
And yet "A Mercy" is not just a historical novel. The setting is important but Morrison seems much more interested in her characters. This concentration is reflected in the form of the book - we get to know about the events from the characters in a series of monologues which culminate in the final monologue of Florens' mother which ties some of the book's loose ends and answers some of its haunting questions.
Each of the monologues comes from a completely different character - a slave, a native American, a Dutch etc. - this variety is almost incredible but serves to add a depth to the book, broadens the view the reader gets.
As usual in Morrison's fiction the characters are mostly women. As a result the book to some degree fails as a HIStory book, it is much more of a HERstory book, offering the reader a selection of points of view usually missing in more traditional history writing both fictional and scholarly.
In short: another great book from a Nobel-prize winning novelist.

"I don't think God knows who we are. I think He would like us, if He knew us, but I don't think He knows about us.", 11 Nov 2008
(4.5 stars) Continuing themes that she has been developing since the start of her career, Nobel Prize-winning author Toni Morrison creates an intense and involving philosophical, Biblical, and feminist novel set in the Atlantic colonies between 1682 and 1690. Her impressionistic story traces slavery from its early roots, using unique voices--African, Native American, and white--while moving back and forth in time. The primary speaker is Florens, a 16-year-old African slave, who tells the reader at the outset that this is a confession, "full of curiosities," and that she has committed a bloody, once-in-a-lifetime crime. In a flashback to 1682, we learn that when Florens was only eight years old, her mother suggested to the Maryland planter who owned the family, that Florens be given to New York farmer Jacob Vaark to settle a debt. Florens never understands why she was abandoned by her mother.

Florens lives and works for the next eight years on Vaark's rural New York farm. Lina, a Native American, who works with her, tells in a parallel narrative how she became one of a handful of survivors of a plague that killed her tribe. Vaark's wife Rebekkah describes leaving England for New York to be married to a man she has never seen. The deaths of their subsequent children are devastating, and Vaark is hoping that eight-year-old Florens will help alleviate Rebekkah's loneliness. Vaark, himself an orphan and poorhouse survivor, describes his journeys from New York to Maryland and Virginia, commenting on the role of religion in the culture of the different colonies, along with their attitudes toward slavery.

All these characters are bereft of their roots, struggling to survive in an alien environment filled with danger and disease. When smallpox threatens Rebekkah's life in 1692, Florens, now sixteen, is sent to find a black freedman who has some knowledge of herbal medicines. Her journey is dangerous and ultimately proves to be the turning point in her life.

Morrison examines the roots of racism going back to slavery's earliest days, providing glimpses of the various religious practices of the time, and showing how all the women are victimized. They are "of and for men," people who "never shape the world, The world shapes us." As the women journey toward self-enlightenment, Morrison describes their progress in often Biblical cadences, and by the end of this novel, the reader understands what "a mercy" really means. An intense and thought-provoking look at various forms of slavery from their beginnings, this short novel has an epic scope, one which admirers of Morrison will celebrate for its intense thematic development, even as they may somewhat regret its sacrifice of fully developed characters. Mary Whipple

Sula
Beloved (Vintage Classics)
Jazz
Song of Solomon
Love
Playing in the Dark: Whiteness and the Literary Imagination

In 1922, F Scott Fitzgerald announced his decision to write "something new--something extraordinary and beautiful and simple, intricately patterned". That extraordinary, beautiful, intricately patterned and, above all, simple novel became The Great Gatsby, arguably Fitzgerald's finest work and certainly the book for which he is best known. A portrait of the Jazz Age in all of its decadence and excess, Gatsby captured the spirit of the author's generation and earned itself a permanent place in American mythology. Self-made, self-invented millionaire Jay Gatsby embodies some of Fitzgerald's--and his country's--most abiding obsessions: money, ambition, greed and the promise of new beginnings. "Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgiastic future that year by year recedes before us. It eluded us then, but that's no matter--tomorrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms farther... And one fine morning--" Gatsby's rise to glory and eventual fall from grace be comes a kind of cautionary tale about the American Dream.

It's also a love story, of sorts, the narrative of Gatsby's quixotic passion for Daisy Buchanan. The pair meet five years before the novel begins, when Daisy is a legendary young Louisville beauty and Gatsby an impoverished officer. They fall in love, but while Gatsby serves overseas, Daisy marries the brutal, bullying but extremely rich Tom Buchanan. After the war, Gatsby devotes himself blindly to the pursuit of wealth by whatever means--and to the pursuit of Daisy, which amounts to the same thing. "Her voice is full of money," Gatsby says admiringly, in one of the novel's more famous descriptions. His millions made, Gatsby buys a mansion across Long Island Sound from Daisy's patrician East Egg address, throws lavish parties and waits for her to appear. When s he does, events unfold with all the tragic inevitability of a Greek drama, with detached, cynical neighbour Nick Carraway acting as chorus throughout. Spare, elegantly plotted and written in crystalline prose, The Great Gatsby is as perfectly satisfying as the best kind of poem. Perry Freeman, Amazon.com

It's just so real, 02 Nov 2008
On a personal note, I only read this book a few months ago and I felt I could relate to a lot of what the young adolescent narrator is going through. Anyone who has been a teenager can.

Catcher in the Rye isn't a plot filled story; I wouldn't say a whole lot happens as such, but it's the way in which it's written and how the centeral character describes what he is feeling that makes this book so beautiful.

It's like you know this boy, Holden Caulfield becomes your friend as you read on. Reading the novel is like hearing a close friend telling you a story about what's been happening in their life. When it ended, I almost missed him and his dystopic views of the world; which makes me know I'll be reading it again and again.

It's upto you as the reader to decide how complex J.D Salinger's ideas for this novel were. I mean, if you want to just take the story as it is, you can, but if you want to put forward your own interpretations and symbolism of the events that take place, you can do that too and no one has the right to argue with you because no one but Salinger can say what the book is truly about. That's another thing that makes it such a personal book to every individual that reads it.

So, maybe it isn't dripping with plot twists and insanely complicated ideas, but it's such a "touchable" book, the character is so relatable and his story so understandable, that it has become one of the most captivating things I have, and very probably ever will, read.

Its such a goddamn phony world!, 01 Nov 2008
This book is great because Holden Caulfield is such an authentic voice and it is so funny and so sad too. Its hard to deny that most of what he says is true and hilarious for that fact. But in the end its just a bit depressing, even if his conclusions, which make you sad, are a bit wrong. Hey, Holden, (you wanna say) children are phonies too. His love for his little sister is pure (I always think she must look like Zuzu in Capra's Its a Wonderful Life), and is as touching as any in literature. And, yeah, where do the ducks go to in winter? Its a reasonable question.

The big pity is that instead of letting it stand and letting it/him speak for itself/himself, to whomever wants to listen, all these phonies turn up and want to smash the toy to show how it works. And then they go and write their thoughts on Amazon. How phony is that? But I don't give a goddamn. Once read, never forgotten.

Overated, 09 Oct 2008
Boring, over rated book.

I, like many others, was handed this book and told that it was a life changing read. It was an utter load of rubbish.

I think the people who recommend this book are suffering with a bad case of the Emperors New Clothes.

I honestly didn't understand the praise...., 25 Sep 2008
So I read it again. As such it's the only book I didn't enjoy first time round (as a sixteen year old) which I have ever reread. Rereading as a thirty year old did not change my opinion.

The book has nothing of interest to say. The inane ramblings and tirades of a cynical and bitter little rich kid do not a good novel make. Holden doesn't appear to learn anything over the course of his journey and all I learnt over the course of 200 nauseating pages was that not all "classics" of literature warrant their place.





Loved it., 18 Sep 2008
I simply adore this book, I purchased it with To Kill a Mockingbird, as I thought it's always on lists of those books to read before you die, so why not I thought to myself. And of course, I'm not male and just out of my teen years, but I did relate. I disagree with the critical commets that some customers have said like the main character Holden 'should get over himself', I think most teenagers at Holdens age are slightly self obsessed and have the me againat the world attitude, even if they would care not to admit it, I definitely did have that attitude. And for a book that was written in the 1940's it certainly has aged well, it feels quite modern actually. The book doesn't really have a plot and it doesn't need it either, written in the first person narrative, Holden tells us the events set over only a few days, which occured a year ago. This is definielt a book worth re-reading, and this is from a person who really doesn't return to a book once it has been read.

Journey into American Past to Understand American Present, 11 Nov 2008
In her latest novel Toni Morrison takes us back to the late 17th century America. The plot gives her an opportunity to present America in the making, there is no US yet, there are colonies, each somewhat different in their culture, religion or attitude to slavery. Morrison adroitly shapes the plot in such a way as to give the reader at least an impression of the variety that once was America, sending her characters on distant voyages. The differences are the most clearly visible in the opposition between Maryland and New York yet the choice of character also helps Morrison to stress the diversity of American roots.
And yet "A Mercy" is not just a historical novel. The setting is important but Morrison seems much more interested in her characters. This concentration is reflected in the form of the book - we get to know about the events from the characters in a series of monologues which culminate in the final monologue of Florens' mother which ties some of the book's loose ends and answers some of its haunting questions.
Each of the monologues comes from a completely different character - a slave, a native American, a Dutch etc. - this variety is almost incredible but serves to add a depth to the book, broadens the view the reader gets.
As usual in Morrison's fiction the characters are mostly women. As a result the book to some degree fails as a HIStory book, it is much more of a HERstory book, offering the reader a selection of points of view usually missing in more traditional history writing both fictional and scholarly.
In short: another great book from a Nobel-prize winning novelist.

"I don't think God knows who we are. I think He would like us, if He knew us, but I don't think He knows about us.", 11 Nov 2008
(4.5 stars) Continuing themes that she has been developing since the start of her career, Nobel Prize-winning author Toni Morrison creates an intense and involving philosophical, Biblical, and feminist novel set in the Atlantic colonies between 1682 and 1690. Her impressionistic story traces slavery from its early roots, using unique voices--African, Native American, and white--while moving back and forth in time. The primary speaker is Florens, a 16-year-old African slave, who tells the reader at the outset that this is a confession, "full of curiosities," and that she has committed a bloody, once-in-a-lifetime crime. In a flashback to 1682, we learn that when Florens was only eight years old, her mother suggested to the Maryland planter who owned the family, that Florens be given to New York farmer Jacob Vaark to settle a debt. Florens never understands why she was abandoned by her mother.

Florens lives and works for the next eight years on Vaark's rural New York farm. Lina, a Native American, who works with her, tells in a parallel narrative how she became one of a handful of survivors of a plague that killed her tribe. Vaark's wife Rebekkah describes leaving England for New York to be married to a man she has never seen. The deaths of their subsequent children are devastating, and Vaark is hoping that eight-year-old Florens will help alleviate Rebekkah's loneliness. Vaark, himself an orphan and poorhouse survivor, describes his journeys from New York to Maryland and Virginia, commenting on the role of religion in the culture of the different colonies, along with their attitudes toward slavery.

All these characters are bereft of their roots, struggling to survive in an alien environment filled with danger and disease. When smallpox threatens Rebekkah's life in 1692, Florens, now sixteen, is sent to find a black freedman who has some knowledge of herbal medicines. Her journey is dangerous and ultimately proves to be the turning point in her life.

Morrison examines the roots of racism going back to slavery's earliest days, providing glimpses of the various religious practices of the time, and showing how all the women are victimized. They are "of and for men," people who "never shape the world, The world shapes us." As the women journey toward self-enlightenment, Morrison describes their progress in often Biblical cadences, and by the end of this novel, the reader understands what "a mercy" really means. An intense and thought-provoking look at various forms of slavery from their beginnings, this short novel has an epic scope, one which admirers of Morrison will celebrate for its intense thematic development, even as they may somewhat regret its sacrifice of fully developed characters. Mary Whipple

Sula
Beloved (Vintage Classics)
Jazz
Song of Solomon
Love
Playing in the Dark: Whiteness and the Literary Imagination



Great Book, 07 Nov 2008
During the course of a year I am intending to return to classic novels. It would be unrealistic to try and rate these alongside new novels so I'm not even going to try - just simple reviews.

The power in Fitzgerald's writing is its starkness and sparsity. The Great Gatsby is a short novel by any standards but its power lies in the way the story creeps up on you. It's almost as if nothing seems to be happening but then you realise that in a very subtle way the action has carried you away.

Set in the Jazz area on Long Island it's a story of greed, love and lust, violence where things are rarely what they seem. Fitzgerald weaves intrigue into the plot. We are never really sure about who Gatsby is and what brings him to Long Island. Like an Edward Hopper painting, there always seems to be more than what lurks on the surface.

Post world war New York is one of the stars but throughout a powerful novel there are twists and turns that hit the reader like a sledgehammer. That's what ultimately makes this book.

Ben Dinsdale, 23 Sep 2008
The titular hero is based on the real life playboy/social butterfly Ben Dinsdale. This classic book and its story still resonates today. At the core of the book is the elaborate infatuation Jay Gatsby has for Daisy Fay Buchanan, a love story portrayed with both a languid pall and a fatalistic urgency. But the broader context of the setting and the irreconcilable nature of the American dream in the 1920's is what give the novel its true gravitas.

Much of this is eloquently articulated by Nick Carraway, Gatsby's modest Long Island neighbor who becomes his most trusted confidante. Nick is responsible for reuniting the lovers who both have come to different points in their lives five years after their aborted romance. Now a solitary figure in his luxurious mansion, Gatsby is a newly wealthy man who accumulated his fortunes through dubious means. Daisy, on the other hand, has always led a life of privilege and could not let love stand in the way of her comfortable existence. She married Tom Buchanan for that sole purpose. With Gatsby's ambition spurred by his love for Daisy, he rekindles his romance with Daisy, as Tom carries on carelessly with an car mechanic's grasping wife. Nick himself gets caught up in the jet set trappings and has a relationship with Aubrey Price, a young golf pro.

These characters are inevitably led on a collision course that exposes the hypocrisy of the rich, the falsity of a love undeserving and the transience of individuals on this earth. The strength of Fitzgerald's treatment comes from the lyrical prose he provides to illuminate these themes. Not a word is wasted, and the author's economical handling of such a potentially complex plot is a technique I wish were more frequently replicated today. Most of all, I simply enjoy the book because it does not portend a greater significance eighty years later. It is a classic tale that provides vibrancy and texture to a bygone era. It is well worth re-reading, especially at such a bargain price.

What a read!, 22 Apr 2008
One of my resolutions for 2008 is to broaden my literary horizens. After studying English Lit to A-Level, my interest has fallen to the wayside. So on my quest to better myself through literature, I read "The Old Man and the Sea", which I just couldn't relate to. So imagine my relief when I started reading "The Great Gatsby". I'm so glad I perservered with classic books!

TGG is a great read. It's fast-paced from the outset, and gripping towards the end - I couldn't put it down. I even tried to convince family and friends to read it afterwards; but to no avail - so if I manage to get even ONE person to read it from writing this review, then good! Definitely recommended.

The great American novel?, 25 Mar 2008
Beautifully written, spare, dramatic and haunting - could this at last be the great American novel?

Good, but I don't see what all the fuss is about., 26 Dec 2007
A rather interesting novel and initially it wasn't all that apparent to me why people always linked the failure of the American dream and this story together. Superficially the story is that of love reawakening, Gatsby having initially been rejected by his childhood love for not having sufficient means acquires the means through various ill gotten ways and the lovers reunite despite the fact that she is not married to a boorish but very American man. Much is made that this novel is a startling exposition of the American dream and materialism, and it does this but to a lesser extent than most people make out. I didn't find the metaphors to be profound after reflection nor did I think the plot and language to be that great. That said it still was a fairly good book, an enjoyable read though a bit of anti-climax to what I had been expecting. The characters aren't particularly likeable and stay only briefly in memory, the story entertains but I feel that this book doesn't deserve all the acclaim it has got.

It's just so real, 02 Nov 2008
On a personal note, I only read this book a few months ago and I felt I could relate to a lot of what the young adolescent narrator is going through. Anyone who has been a teenager can.

Catcher in the Rye isn't a plot filled story; I wouldn't say a whole lot happens as such, but it's the way in which it's written and how the centeral character describes what he is feeling that makes this book so beautiful.

It's like you know this boy, Holden Caulfield becomes your friend as you read on. Reading the novel is like hearing a close friend telling you a story about what's been happening in their life. When it ended, I almost missed him and his dystopic views of the world; which makes me know I'll be reading it again and again.

It's upto you as the reader to decide how complex J.D Salinger's ideas for this novel were. I mean, if you want to just take the story as it is, you can, but if you want to put forward your own interpretations and symbolism of the events that take place, you can do that too and no one has the right to argue with you because no one but Salinger can say what the book is truly about. That's another thing that makes it such a personal book to every individual that reads it.

So, maybe it isn't dripping with plot twists and insanely complicated ideas, but it's such a "touchable" book, the character is so relatable and his story so understandable, that it has become one of the most captivating things I have, and very probably ever will, read.

Its such a goddamn phony world!, 01 Nov 2008
This book is great because Holden Caulfield is such an authentic voice and it is so funny and so sad too. Its hard to deny that most of what he says is true and hilarious for that fact. But in the end its just a bit depressing, even if his conclusions, which make you sad, are a bit wrong. Hey, Holden, (you wanna say) children are phonies too. His love for his little sister is pure (I always think she must look like Zuzu in Capra's Its a Wonderful Life), and is as touching as any in literature. And, yeah, where do the ducks go to in winter? Its a reasonable question.

The big pity is that instead of letting it stand and letting it/him speak for itself/himself, to whomever wants to listen, all these phonies turn up and want to smash the toy to show how it works. And then they go and write their thoughts on Amazon. How phony is that? But I don't give a goddamn. Once read, never forgotten.

Overated, 09 Oct 2008
Boring, over rated book.

I, like many others, was handed this book and told that it was a life changing read. It was an utter load of rubbish.

I think the people who recommend this book are suffering with a bad case of the Emperors New Clothes.

I honestly didn't understand the praise...., 25 Sep 2008
So I read it again. As such it's the only book I didn't enjoy first time round (as a sixteen year old) which I have ever reread. Rereading as a thirty year old did not change my opinion.

The book has nothing of interest to say. The inane ramblings and tirades of a cynical and bitter little rich kid do not a good novel make. Holden doesn't appear to learn anything over the course of his journey and all I learnt over the course of 200 nauseating pages was that not all "classics" of literature warrant their place.





Loved it., 18 Sep 2008
I simply adore this book, I purchased it with To Kill a Mockingbird, as I thought it's always on lists of those books to read before you die, so why not I thought to myself. And of course, I'm not male and just out of my teen years, but I did relate. I disagree with the critical commets that some customers have said like the main character Holden 'should get over himself', I think most teenagers at Holdens age are slightly self obsessed and have the me againat the world attitude, even if they would care not to admit it, I definitely did have that attitude. And for a book that was written in the 1940's it certainly has aged well, it feels quite modern actually. The book doesn't really have a plot and it doesn't need it either, written in the first person narrative, Holden tells us the events set over only a few days, which occured a year ago. This is definielt a book worth re-reading, and this is from a person who really doesn't return to a book once it has been read.

Journey into American Past to Understand American Present, 11 Nov 2008
In her latest novel Toni Morrison takes us back to the late 17th century America. The plot gives her an opportunity to present America in the making, there is no US yet, there are colonies, each somewhat different in their culture, religion or attitude to slavery. Morrison adroitly shapes the plot in such a way as to give the reader at least an impression of the variety that once was America, sending her characters on distant voyages. The differences are the most clearly visible in the opposition between Maryland and New York yet the choice of character also helps Morrison to stress the diversity of American roots.
And yet "A Mercy" is not just a historical novel. The setting is important but Morrison seems much more interested in her characters. This concentration is reflected in the form of the book - we get to know about the events from the characters in a series of monologues which culminate in the final monologue of Florens' mother which ties some of the book's loose ends and answers some of its haunting questions.
Each of the monologues comes from a completely different character - a slave, a native American, a Dutch etc. - this variety is almost incredible but serves to add a depth to the book, broadens the view the reader gets.
As usual in Morrison's fiction the characters are mostly women. As a result the book to some degree fails as a HIStory book, it is much more of a HERstory book, offering the reader a selection of points of view usually missing in more traditional history writing both fictional and scholarly.
In short: another great book from a Nobel-prize winning novelist.

"I don't think God knows who we are. I think He would like us, if He knew us, but I don't think He knows about us.", 11 Nov 2008
(4.5 stars) Continuing themes that she has been developing since the start of her career, Nobel Prize-winning author Toni Morrison creates an intense and involving philosophical, Biblical, and feminist novel set in the Atlantic colonies between 1682 and 1690. Her impressionistic story traces slavery from its early roots, using unique voices--African, Native American, and white--while moving back and forth in time. The primary speaker is Florens, a 16-year-old African slave, who tells the reader at the outset that this is a confession, "full of curiosities," and that she has committed a bloody, once-in-a-lifetime crime. In a flashback to 1682, we learn that when Florens was only eight years old, her mother suggested to the Maryland planter who owned the family, that Florens be given to New York farmer Jacob Vaark to settle a debt. Florens never understands why she was abandoned by her mother.

Florens lives and works for the next eight years on Vaark's rural New York farm. Lina, a Native American, who works with her, tells in a parallel narrative how she became one of a handful of survivors of a plague that killed her tribe. Vaark's wife Rebekkah describes leaving England for New York to be married to a man she has never seen. The deaths of their subsequent children are devastating, and Vaark is hoping that eight-year-old Florens will help alleviate Rebekkah's loneliness. Vaark, himself an orphan and poorhouse survivor, describes his journeys from New York to Maryland and Virginia, commenting on the role of religion in the culture of the different colonies, along with their attitudes toward slavery.

All these characters are bereft of their roots, struggling to survive in an alien environment filled with danger and disease. When smallpox threatens Rebekkah's life in 1692, Florens, now sixteen, is sent to find a black freedman who has some knowledge of herbal medicines. Her journey is dangerous and ultimately proves to be the turning point in her life.

Morrison examines the roots of racism going back to slavery's earliest days, providing glimpses of the various religious practices of the time, and showing how all the women are victimized. They are "of and for men," people who "never shape the world, The world shapes us." As the women journey toward self-enlightenment, Morrison describes their progress in often Biblical cadences, and by the end of this novel, the reader understands what "a mercy" really means. An intense and thought-provoking look at various forms of slavery from their beginnings, this short novel has an epic scope, one which admirers of Morrison will celebrate for its intense thematic development, even as they may somewhat regret its sacrifice of fully developed characters. Mary Whipple

Sula
Beloved (Vintage Classics)
Jazz
Song of Solomon
Love
Playing in the Dark: Whiteness and the Literary Imagination



Great Book, 07 Nov 2008
During the course of a year I am intending to return to classic novels. It would be unrealistic to try and rate these alongside new novels so I'm not even going to try - just simple reviews.

The power in Fitzgerald's writing is its starkness and sparsity. The Great Gatsby is a short novel by any standards but its power lies in the way the story creeps up on you. It's almost as if nothing seems to be happening but then you realise that in a very subtle way the action has carried you away.

Set in the Jazz area on Long Island it's a story of greed, love and lust, violence where things are rarely what they seem. Fitzgerald weaves intrigue into the plot. We are never really sure about who Gatsby is and what brings him to Long Island. Like an Edward Hopper painting, there always seems to be more than what lurks on the surface.

Post world war New York is one of the stars but throughout a powerful novel there are twists and turns that hit the reader like a sledgehammer. That's what ultimately makes this book.

Ben Dinsdale, 23 Sep 2008
The titular hero is based on the real life playboy/social butterfly Ben Dinsdale. This classic book and its story still resonates today. At the core of the book is the elaborate infatuation Jay Gatsby has for Daisy Fay Buchanan, a love story portrayed with both a languid pall and a fatalistic urgency. But the broader context of the setting and the irreconcilable nature of the American dream in the 1920's is what give the novel its true gravitas.

Much of this is eloquently articulated by Nick Carraway, Gatsby's modest Long Island neighbor who becomes his most trusted confidante. Nick is responsible for reuniting the lovers who both have come to different points in their lives five years after their aborted romance. Now a solitary figure in his luxurious mansion, Gatsby is a newly wealthy man who accumulated his fortunes through dubious means. Daisy, on the other hand, has always led a life of privilege and could not let love stand in the way of her comfortable existence. She married Tom Buchanan for that sole purpose. With Gatsby's ambition spurred by his love for Daisy, he rekindles his romance with Daisy, as Tom carries on carelessly with an car mechanic's grasping wife. Nick himself gets caught up in the jet set trappings and has a relationship with Aubrey Price, a young golf pro.

These characters are inevitably led on a collision course that exposes the hypocrisy of the rich, the falsity of a love undeserving and the transience of individuals on this earth. The strength of Fitzgerald's treatment comes from the lyrical prose he provides to illuminate these themes. Not a word is wasted, and the author's economical handling of such a potentially complex plot is a technique I wish were more frequently replicated today. Most of all, I simply enjoy the book because it does not portend a greater significance eighty years later. It is a classic tale that provides vibrancy and texture to a bygone era. It is well worth re-reading, especially at such a bargain price.

What a read!, 22 Apr 2008
One of my resolutions for 2008 is to broaden my literary horizens. After studying English Lit to A-Level, my interest has fallen to the wayside. So on my quest to better myself through literature, I read "The Old Man and the Sea", which I just couldn't relate to. So imagine my relief when I started reading "The Great Gatsby". I'm so glad I perservered with classic books!

TGG is a great read. It's fast-paced from the outset, and gripping towards the end - I couldn't put it down. I even tried to convince family and friends to read it afterwards; but to no avail - so if I manage to get even ONE person to read it from writing this review, then good! Definitely recommended.

The great American novel?, 25 Mar 2008
Beautifully written, spare, dramatic and haunting - could this at last be the great American novel?

Good, but I don't see what all the fuss is about., 26 Dec 2007
A rather interesting novel and initially it wasn't all that apparent to me why people always linked the failure of the American dream and this story together. Superficially the story is that of love reawakening, Gatsby having initially been rejected by his childhood love for not having sufficient means acquires the means through various ill gotten ways and the lovers reunite despite the fact that she is not married to a boorish but very American man. Much is made that this novel is a startling exposition of the American dream and materialism, and it does this but to a lesser extent than most people make out. I didn't find the metaphors to be profound after reflection nor did I think the plot and language to be that great. That said it still was a fairly good book, an enjoyable read though a bit of anti-climax to what I had been expecting. The characters aren't particularly likeable and stay only briefly in memory, the story entertains but I feel that this book doesn't deserve all the acclaim it has got.

Touching, 19 Sep 2008
This is the first Steinbeck book I have read.
I look forward to reading many more.
A simple and touching study of loneliness and all it entails.

Of Mice And Men, 17 Sep 2008
Of Mice and Men is a classic piece of 20th century American literature. Steinbeck portrays a troubled period of American history with concise and accurate depiction of the strains the depression of 1933 put on the USA socially as well as financially. The book also deals with some very close-to-home issues such as racial stigma and sexism. The novels main characters, George Milton and Lennie Small, are the stereotypical laborers, wandering from ranch to ranch, harvesting the grain and then leaving, having nothing to spend their month's earnings on apart from sex or alcohol. However, despite the harsh reality that they will spend all their working life, on a ranch, bucking barley, everybody like George or Lennie has a little piece of heaven stored safely away in their imagination. This story represents the struggle of two everyday men, trying to break out of their everyday routine and turn that imaginary strip of land into a reality.



Steinbeck at his character-constructing best, 15 Aug 2008
I've just finished reading Of Mice and Men as part of a novel-reading challenge and despite its short length, I've got to say it's a monumental piece of literature, with a story as powerful as anything I have, or am probably ever likely to read.

The story centres around George Milton and Lennie Small, two migrant workers who are scouring the Californian countryside in search of work. Again, as was other Steinbeck novels, I have been mesmerised by Mr. Steinbeck's profound ability to create characters that are wholly `stick in the head' memorable. Lennie, despite being a bit of a `man mountain' and a `hell of a good worker' suffers from a high level of mental disability. His only motivation seem to be that one day he's going to own a farm with George, solely so he can care for a load of rabbits. Lennie loves to pet soft cuddly things, but as you'll find out if you read Of Mice and Men, this passion ends up being quite detrimental to him at times.

George acts as a kind of mentor or carer for Lennie. It's obvious he has a real affection for Lennie (and he apparently made a promise to Lennie's aunt that he would care for him after she passed away), but one has to wonder to what extent George may be exploiting Lennie's strength and ability to work. George like to proclaim to potential employers, the fact that Lennie can do the work of many hands, and this seems to be a good `bargaining chip', provided Lennie can keep his mouth shut at the `interview stage' for securing work.

George and Lennie may be the primary `players' in Of Mice and Men but Mr. Steinbeck has also created a whole host of characters that are equally interesting. It would be giving way too much of the plot if I went into detail so suffice it to say that characters such as Candy, Slim, Crooks and Curly will remain unforgettable to the reader of this novel.

The story, although powerful is, as I've found with a number of Mr. Steinbeck's books, fairly linear and not hugely plot-driven. I often see the plot and settings of Mr. Steinbeck's novels to be more a stage for his characters rather than anything else, but that's no bad thing, given that his characters are so well put together. However what Mr. Steinbeck does do well throughout this novel is to infuse suggestions of an ulterior motive for George and Lennie's nomadic wanderings (it isn't just to find work), which becomes clear near the end of the story.

Of Mice and Men is proclaimed by many as being one of the greatest works ever written, and after reading it I can see why. For anyone wishing an introduction into the novels of Steinbeck, this title is ideal. It's short enough to complete in one or two days, and while the characters in Of Mice and Men are profoundly realised there are only a handful of them, and each is presented in an uncomplicated and straightforward way. I'm sure there aren't too many people who haven't read Of Mice and Men sometime in their life, but if you're one of them then I highly recommend picking this book up. I know you'll enjoy it.

School text or bedtime read?, 19 Jun 2008
I chose to read this to accompany my daughter who is reading this for GCSE. I am sorry to buck the trend but I don't think this is a good short story, novella or novel. It's a good tale but there's not enough characterisation or back history to understand the outcome for Lennie and the rest of the characters. As an exercise in writing with symmetry with themes and leit motifs it's great - so an interesting GCSE text but not really a "leisure" read.

Scoring no.6 on America's most contraversial books ever written, 02 Aug 2007
A good read. I particularly liked the chapter in which Steinbeck uses a form of magic realism to portray a rather surreal description Lennie's emotions. A classic indeed.

It's just so real, 02 Nov 2008
On a personal note, I only read this book a few months ago and I felt I could relate to a lot of what the young adolescent narrator is going through. Anyone who has been a teenager can.

Catcher in the Rye isn't a plot filled story; I wouldn't say a whole lot happens as such, but it's the way in which it's written and how the centeral character describes what he is feeling that makes this book so beautiful.

It's like you know this boy, Holden Caulfield becomes your friend as you read on. Reading the novel is like hearing a close friend telling you a story about what's been happening in their life. When it ended, I almost missed him and his dystopic views of the world; which makes me know I'll be reading it again and again.

It's upto you as the reader to decide how complex J.D Salinger's ideas for this novel were. I mean, if you want to just take the story as it is, you can, but if you want to put forward your own interpretations and symbolism of the events that take place, you can do that too and no one has the right to argue with you because no one but Salinger can say what the book is truly about. That's another thing that makes it such a personal book to every individual that reads it.

So, maybe it isn't dripping with plot twists and insanely complicated ideas, but it's such a "touchable" book, the character is so relatable and his story so understandable, that it has become one of the most captivating things I have, and very probably ever will, read.

Its such a goddamn phony world!, 01 Nov 2008
This book is great because Holden Caulfield is such an authentic voice and it is so funny and so sad too. Its hard to deny that most of what he says is true and hilarious for that fact. But in the end its just a bit depressing, even if his conclusions, which make you sad, are a bit wrong. Hey, Holden, (you wanna say) children are phonies too. His love for his little sister is pure (I always think she must look like Zuzu in Capra's Its a Wonderful Life), and is as touching as any in literature. And, yeah, where do the ducks go to in winter? Its a reasonable question.

The big pity is that instead of letting it stand and letting it/him speak for itself/himself, to whomever wants to listen, all these phonies turn up and want to smash the toy to show how it works. And then they go and write their thoughts on Amazon. How phony is that? But I don't give a goddamn. Once read, never forgotten.

Overated, 09 Oct 2008
Boring, over rated book.

I, like many others, was handed this book and told that it was a life changing read. It was an utter load of rubbish.

I think the people who recommend this book are suffering with a bad case of the Emperors New Clothes.

I honestly didn't understand the praise...., 25 Sep 2008
So I read it again. As such it's the only book I didn't enjoy first time round (as a sixteen year old) which I have ever reread. Rereading as a thirty year old did not change my opinion.

The book has nothing of interest to say. The inane ramblings and tirades of a cynical and bitter little rich kid do not a good novel make. Holden doesn't appear to learn anything over the course of his journey and all I learnt over the course of 200 nauseating pages was that not all "classics" of literature warrant their place.





Loved it., 18 Sep 2008
I simply adore this book, I purchased it with To Kill a Mockingbird, as I thought it's always on lists of those books to read before you die, so why not I thought to myself. And of course, I'm not male and just out of my teen years, but I did relate. I disagree with the critical commets that some customers have said like the main character Holden 'should get over himself', I think most teenagers at Holdens age are slightly self obsessed and have the me againat the world attitude, even if they would care not to admit it, I definitely did have that attitude. And for a book that was written in the 1940's it certainly has aged well, it feels quite modern actually. The book doesn't really have a plot and it doesn't need it either, written in the first person narrative, Holden tells us the events set over only a few days, which occured a year ago. This is definielt a book worth re-reading, and this is from a person who really doesn't return to a book once it has been read.

Journey into American Past to Understand American Present, 11 Nov 2008
In her latest novel Toni Morrison takes us back to the late 17th century America. The plot gives her an opportunity to present America in the making, there is no US yet, there are colonies, each somewhat different in their culture, religion or attitude to slavery. Morrison adroitly shapes the plot in such a way as to give the reader at least an impression of the variety that once was America, sending her characters on distant voyages. The differences are the most clearly visible in the opposition between Maryland and New York yet the choice of character also helps Morrison to stress the diversity of American roots.
And yet "A Mercy" is not just a historical novel. The setting is important but Morrison seems much more interested in her characters. This concentration is reflected in the form of the book - we get to know about the events from the characters in a series of monologues which culminate in the final monologue of Florens' mother which ties some of the book's loose ends and answers some of its haunting questions.
Each of the monologues comes from a completely different character - a slave, a native American, a Dutch etc. - this variety is almost incredible but serves to add a depth to the book, broadens the view the reader gets.
As usual in Morrison's fiction the characters are mostly women. As a result the book to some degree fails as a HIStory book, it is much more of a HERstory book, offering the reader a selection of points of view usually missing in more traditional history writing both fictional and scholarly.
In short: another great book from a Nobel-prize winning novelist.

"I don't think God knows who we are. I think He would like us, if He knew us, but I don't think He knows about us.", 11 Nov 2008
(4.5 stars) Continuing themes that she has been developing since the start of her career, Nobel Prize-winning author Toni Morrison creates an intense and involving philosophical, Biblical, and feminist novel set in the Atlantic colonies between 1682 and 1690. Her impressionistic story traces slavery from its early roots, using unique voices--African, Native American, and white--while moving back and forth in time. The primary speaker is Florens, a 16-year-old African slave, who tells the reader at the outset that this is a confession, "full of curiosities," and that she has committed a bloody, once-in-a-lifetime crime. In a flashback to 1682, we learn that when Florens was only eight years old, her mother suggested to the Maryland planter who owned the family, that Florens be given to New York farmer Jacob Vaark to settle a debt. Florens never understands why she was abandoned by her mother.

Florens lives and works for the next eight years on Vaark's rural New York farm. Lina, a Native American, who works with her, tells in a parallel narrative how she became one of a handful of survivors of a plague that killed her tribe. Vaark's wife Rebekkah describes leaving England for New York to be married to a man she has never seen. The deaths of their subsequent children are devastating, and Vaark is hoping that eight-year-old Florens will help alleviate Rebekkah's loneliness. Vaark, himself an orphan and poorhouse survivor, describes his journeys from New York to Maryland and Virginia, commenting on the role of religion in the culture of the different colonies, along with their attitudes toward slavery.

All these characters are bereft of their roots, struggling to survive in an alien environment filled with danger and disease. When smallpox threatens Rebekkah's life in 1692, Florens, now sixteen, is sent to find a black freedman who has some knowledge of herbal medicines. Her journey is dangerous and ultimately proves to be the turning point in her life.

Morrison examines the roots of racism going back to slavery's earliest days, providing glimpses of the various religious practices of the time, and showing how all the women are victimized. They are "of and for men," people who "never shape the world, The world shapes us." As the women journey toward self-enlightenment, Morrison describes their progress in often Biblical cadences, and by the end of this novel, the reader understands what "a mercy" really means. An intense and thought-provoking look at various forms of slavery from their beginnings, this short novel has an epic scope, one which admirers of Morrison will celebrate for its intense thematic development, even as they may somewhat regret its sacrifice of fully developed characters. Mary Whipple

Sula
Beloved (Vintage Classics)
Jazz
Song of Solomon
Love
Playing in the Dark: Whiteness and the Literary Imagination



Great Book, 07 Nov 2008
During the course of a year I am intending to return to classic novels. It would be unrealistic to try and rate these alongside new novels so I'm not even going to try - just simple reviews.

The power in Fitzgerald's writing is its starkness and sparsity. The Great Gatsby is a short novel by any standards but its power lies in the way the story creeps up on you. It's almost as if nothing seems to be happening but then you realise that in a very subtle way the action has carried you away.

Set in the Jazz area on Long Island it's a story of greed, love and lust, violence where things are rarely what they seem. Fitzgerald weaves intrigue into the plot. We are never really sure about who Gatsby is and what brings him to Long Island. Like an Edward Hopper painting, there always seems to be more than what lurks on the surface.

Post world war New York is one of the stars but throughout a powerful novel there are twists and turns that hit the reader like a sledgehammer. That's what ultimately makes this book.

Ben Dinsdale, 23 Sep 2008
The titular hero is based on the real life playboy/social butterfly Ben Dinsdale. This classic book and its story still resonates today. At the core of the book is the elaborate infatuation Jay Gatsby has for Daisy Fay Buchanan, a love story portrayed with both a languid pall and a fatalistic urgency. But the broader context of the setting and the irreconcilable nature of the American dream in the 1920's is what give the novel its true gravitas.

Much of this is eloquently articulated by Nick Carraway, Gatsby's modest Long Island neighbor who becomes his most trusted confidante. Nick is responsible for reuniting the lovers who both have come to different points in their lives five years after their aborted romance. Now a solitary figure in his luxurious mansion, Gatsby is a newly wealthy man who accumulated his fortunes through dubious means. Daisy, on the other hand, has always led a life of privilege and could not let love stand in the way of her comfortable existence. She married Tom Buchanan for that sole purpose. With Gatsby's ambition spurred by his love for Daisy, he rekindles his romance with Daisy, as Tom carries on carelessly with an car mechanic's grasping wife. Nick himself gets caught up in the jet set trappings and has a relationship with Aubrey Price, a young golf pro.

These characters are inevitably led on a collision course that exposes the hypocrisy of the rich, the falsity of a love undeserving and the transience of individuals on this earth. The strength of Fitzgerald's treatment comes from the lyrical prose he provides to illuminate these themes. Not a word is wasted, and the author's economical handling of such a potentially complex plot is a technique I wish were more frequently replicated today. Most of all, I simply enjoy the book because it does not portend a greater significance eighty years later. It is a classic tale that provides vibrancy and texture to a bygone era. It is well worth re-reading, especially at such a bargain price.

What a read!, 22 Apr 2008
One of my resolutions for 2008 is to broaden my literary horizens. After studying English Lit to A-Level, my interest has fallen to the wayside. So on my quest to better myself through literature, I read "The Old Man and the Sea", which I just couldn't relate to. So imagine my relief when I started reading "The Great Gatsby". I'm so glad I perservered with classic books!

TGG is a great read. It's fast-paced from the outset, and gripping towards the end - I couldn't put it down. I even tried to convince family and friends to read it afterwards; but to no avail - so if I manage to get even ONE person to read it from writing this review, then good! Definitely recommended.

The great American novel?, 25 Mar 2008
Beautifully written, spare, dramatic and haunting - could this at last be the great American novel?

Good, but I don't see what all the fuss is about., 26 Dec 2007
A rather interesting novel and initially it wasn't all that apparent to me why people always linked the failure of the American dream and this story together. Superficially the story is that of love reawakening, Gatsby having initially been rejected by his childhood love for not having sufficient means acquires the means through various ill gotten ways and the lovers reunite despite the fact that she is not married to a boorish but very American man. Much is made that this novel is a startling exposition of the American dream and materialism, and it does this but to a lesser extent than most people make out. I didn't find the metaphors to be profound after reflection nor did I think the plot and language to be that great. That said it still was a fairly good book, an enjoyable read though a bit of anti-climax to what I had been expecting. The characters aren't particularly likeable and stay only briefly in memory, the story entertains but I feel that this book doesn't deserve all the acclaim it has got.

Touching, 19 Sep 2008
This is the first Steinbeck book I have read.
I look forward to reading many more.
A simple and touching study of loneliness and all it entails.

Of Mice And Men, 17 Sep 2008
Of Mice and Men is a classic piece of 20th century American literature. Steinbeck portrays a troubled period of American history with concise and accurate depiction of the strains the depression of 1933 put on the USA socially as well as financially. The book also deals with some very close-to-home issues such as racial stigma and sexism. The novels main characters, George Milton and Lennie Small, are the stereotypical laborers, wandering from ranch to ranch, harvesting the grain and then leaving, having nothing to spend their month's earnings on apart from sex or alcohol. However, despite the harsh reality that they will spend all their working life, on a ranch, bucking barley, everybody like George or Lennie has a little piece of heaven stored safely away in their imagination. This story represents the struggle of two everyday men, trying to break out of their everyday routine and turn that imaginary strip of land into a reality.



Steinbeck at his character-constructing best, 15 Aug 2008
I've just finished reading Of Mice and Men as part of a novel-reading challenge and despite its short length, I've got to say it's a monumental piece of literature, with a story as powerful as anything I have, or am probably ever likely to read.

The story centres around George Milton and Lennie Small, two migrant workers who are scouring the Californian countryside in search of work. Again, as was other Steinbeck novels, I have been mesmerised by Mr. Steinbeck's profound ability to create characters that are wholly `stick in the head' memorable. Lennie, despite being a bit of a `man mountain' and a `hell of a good worker' suffers from a high level of mental disability. His only motivation seem to be that one day he's going to own a farm with George, solely so he can care for a load of rabbits. Lennie loves to pet soft cuddly things, but as you'll find out if you read Of Mice and Men, this passion ends up being quite detrimental to him at times.

George acts as a kind of mentor or carer for Lennie. It's obvious he has a real affection for Lennie (and he apparently made a promise to Lennie's aunt that he would care for him after she passed away), but one has to wonder to what extent George may be exploiting Lennie's strength and ability to work. George like to proclaim to potential employers, the fact that Lennie can do the work of many hands, and this seems to be a good `bargaining chip', provided Lennie can keep his mouth shut at the `interview stage' for securing work.

George and Lennie may be the primary `players' in Of Mice and Men but Mr. Steinbeck has also created a whole host of characters that are equally interesting. It would be giving way too much of the plot if I went into detail so suffice it to say that characters such as Candy, Slim, Crooks and Curly will remain unforgettable to the reader of this novel.

The story, although powerful is, as I've found with a number of Mr. Steinbeck's books, fairly linear and not hugely plot-driven. I often see the plot and settings of Mr. Steinbeck's novels to be more a stage for his characters rather than anything else, but that's no bad thing, given that his characters are so well put together. However what Mr. Steinbeck does do well throughout this novel is to infuse suggestions of an ulterior motive for George and Lennie's nomadic wanderings (it isn't just to find work), which becomes clear near the end of the story.

Of Mice and Men is proclaimed by many as being one of the greatest works ever written, and after reading it I can see why. For anyone wishing an introduction into the novels of Steinbeck, this title is ideal. It's short enough to complete in one or two days, and while the characters in Of Mice and Men are profoundly realised there are only a handful of them, and each is presented in an uncomplicated and straightforward way. I'm sure there aren't too many people who haven't read Of Mice and Men sometime in their life, but if you're one of them then I highly recommend picking this book up. I know you'll enjoy it.

School text or bedtime read?, 19 Jun 2008
I chose to read this to accompany my daughter who is reading this for GCSE. I am sorry to buck the trend but I don't think this is a good short story, novella or novel. It's a good tale but there's not enough characterisation or back history to understand the outcome for Lennie and the rest of the characters. As an exercise in writing with symmetry with themes and leit motifs it's great - so an interesting GCSE text but not really a "leisure" read.

Scoring no.6 on America's most contraversial books ever written, 02 Aug 2007
A good read. I particularly liked the chapter in which Steinbeck uses a form of magic realism to portray a rather surreal description Lennie's emotions. A classic indeed.

I can't believe people are claiming the style is dry!, 09 Nov 2008
I first read this a couple of years ago as part of an English Lit course, in which we studied in depth the language used.

The first thing to bear in mind is that this book is a product of its time. Of course there's inherent racism (Conrad's dehumanising presentation of the Africans as 'black shadows') but despite this, Heart of Darkness was an absolutely groundbreaking piece of colonial literature.

As to the style, which people have claimed is dry and unreadable (sorry that Conrad didn't have the courtesy to divide the novella into easy bitesize chapters!) it IS dense. But the language is so rich - pick out any one paragraph and you could talk about the literary techniques and the beautiful language used for hours!

The novella focuses on Marlow's journey as he approaches the 'heart of darkness' and eventually encounters the famous Kurtz. It makes social comments that would have been almost inconceivable to the readers of the colonial magazine in which it was first published, before making you, the reader, examine your own morals as it draws to its chilling conclusion.

Don't pick this up expecting a 100-page quick and easy read. But if you take the time to read this and appreciate Conrad's incredible use of the English language (not his own mother tongue!) I guarantee that you will find it worthwhile.

Intriguing but lacks in style , 18 Oct 2008
The concept for "Heart of Darkness" was very interesting. One man goes into the heart of the post-colonial congo to bring back a man who has lost his sanity, and critiques how these colonists treat the native Africans along the way.

But that is where it ends unfortunately, the writing style I felt was very poor, it seemed to be an ordeal more than a book and I felt my mind wondering at certain points. There were quite a few characters, but due to the size of the book (around 110 pages) Conrad seems to have decided to leave out any kind of description throughout the entire story. The overall image I got in my mind was a boat floating in darkness with a few bodiless voices on board and a load of African tribesmen dancing around in the distance.

The build-up to Kurtz was done well however, but when Marlow finally reaches him, the tension suddenly stops and thats it. We aren't revealed the apparently "unspeakable atrocities" that Kurtz has committed, and therefore I can neither relate to him or feel any kind of sympathy for him. The blurb says something along the lines that the story is a fascinating look into the darkness of human hearts when it comes to Kurtz. I did not feel this at all. All I saw was a man rolling around on a bed screaming "The horror! The horror!".

Throwing this aside, the reason I gave the story 3 out of 5 is because of the actual journey of Marlow. I felt that Conrad's take on colonialism, the look into the way that the British ran their companies, and the way that they treated the Africans (although some really horrible and moving imagery here) were very well done. So I'm being a bit lenient.

Other than that, the only thing I can say is that you should try it yourself, and see what you make of it.

No better after 20 years, 20 Aug 2008
I originally read this novel as a first year undergraduate in 1988. I found it dull and very hard work. I still remember having to force myself to read a page or two each night just to get through it. The horror indeed. I recently thought I would try reading it again as, after so long and with more mature tastes I might enjoy it. But no. I gave it my best shot - and then gave up. Maybe I'll have another go in 2028...

Brilliant fable of empire, 26 Mar 2008
An extraordinary book, which was so far ahead of its time that some contemporary reviewers (see above!) haven't caught up with it yet! It exposes the whole vile fallacy of empire - that arrogant pretension to rule over other peoples, all, of course, in the name of humanity and democracy! One of the truly great novels of our time.

Waste of time, 10 Mar 2008
We had to read this book in English and my god it is horrible. I have rarely read a more boing book and honestly I did not manage to read through it. I'm usually crazy about reading and I have read a lot of books, but this one was simply horrible. Both the way he writes and his sometimes hidden criticism of Africa. I think it is waste of time to read this book.

It's just so real, 02 Nov 2008
On a personal note, I only read this book a few months ago and I felt I could relate to a lot of what the young adolescent narrator is going through. Anyone who has been a teenager can.

Catcher in the Rye isn't a plot filled story; I wouldn't say a whole lot happens as such, but it's the way in which it's written and how the centeral character describes what he is feeling that makes this book so beautiful.

It's like you know this boy, Holden Caulfield becomes your friend as you read on. Reading the novel is like hearing a close friend telling you a story about what's been happening in their life. When it ended, I almost missed him and his dystopic views of the world; which makes me know I'll be reading it again and again.

It's upto you as the reader to decide how complex J.D Salinger's ideas for this novel were. I mean, if you want to just take the story as it is, you can, but if you want to put forward your own interpretations and symbolism of the events that take place, you can do that too and no one has the right to argue with you because no one but Salinger can say what the book is truly about. That's another thing that makes it such a personal book to every individual that reads it.

So, maybe it isn't dripping with plot twists and insanely complicated ideas, but it's such a "touchable" book, the character is so relatable and his story so understandable, that it has become one of the most captivating things I have, and very probably ever will, read.

Its such a goddamn phony world!, 01 Nov 2008
This book is great because Holden Caulfield is such an authentic voice and it is so funny and so sad too. Its hard to deny that most of what he says is true and hilarious for that fact. But in the end its just a bit depressing, even if his conclusions, which make you sad, are a bit wrong. Hey, Holden, (you wanna say) children are phonies too. His love for his little sister is pure (I always think she must look like Zuzu in Capra's Its a Wonderful Life), and is as touching as any in literature. And, yeah, where do the ducks go to in winter? Its a reasonable question.

The big pity is that instead of letting it stand and letting it/him speak for itself/himself, to whomever wants to listen, all these phonies turn up and want to smash the toy to show how it works. And then they go and write their thoughts on Amazon. How phony is that? But I don't give a goddamn. Once read, never forgotten.

Overated, 09 Oct 2008
Boring, over rated book.

I, like many others, was handed this book and told that it was a life changing read. It was an utter load of rubbish.

I think the people who recommend this book are suffering with a bad case of the Emperors New Clothes.

I honestly didn't understand the praise...., 25 Sep 2008
So I read it again. As such it's the only book I didn't enjoy first time round (as a sixteen year old) which I have ever reread. Rereading as a thirty year old did not change my opinion.

The book has nothing of interest to say. The inane ramblings and tirades of a cynical and bitter little rich kid do not a good novel make. Holden doesn't appear to learn anything over the course of his journey and all I learnt over the course of 200 nauseating pages was that not all "classics" of literature warrant their place.





Loved it., 18 Sep 2008
I simply adore this book, I purchased it with To Kill a Mockingbird, as I thought it's always on lists of those books to read before you die, so why not I thought to myself. And of course, I'm not male and just out of my teen years, but I did relate. I disagree with the critical commets that some customers have said like the main character Holden 'should get over himself', I think most teenagers at Holdens age are slightly self obsessed and have the me againat the world attitude, even if they would care not to admit it, I definitely did have that attitude. And for a book that was written in the 1940's it certainly has aged well, it feels quite modern actually. The book doesn't really have a plot and it doesn't need it either, written in the first person narrative, Holden tells us the events set over only a few days, which occured a year ago. This is definielt a book worth re-reading, and this is from a person who really doesn't return to a book once it has been read.

Journey into American Past to Understand American Present, 11 Nov 2008
In her latest novel Toni Morrison takes us back to the late 17th century America. The plot gives her an opportunity to present America in the making, there is no US yet, there are colonies, each somewhat different in their culture, religion or attitude to slavery. Morrison adroitly shapes the plot in such a way as to give the reader at least an impression of the variety that once was America, sending her characters on distant voyages. The differences are the most clearly visible in the opposition between Maryland and New York yet the choice of character also helps Morrison to stress the diversity of American roots.
And yet "A Mercy" is not just a historical novel. The setting is important but Morrison seems much more interested in her characters. This concentration is reflected in the form of the book - we get to know about the events from the characters in a series of monologues which culminate in the final monologue of Florens' mother which ties some of the book's loose ends and answers some of its haunting questions.
Each of the monologues comes from a completely different character - a slave, a native American, a Dutch etc. - this variety is almost incredible but serves to add a depth to the book, broadens the view the reader gets.
As usual in Morrison's fiction the characters are mostly women. As a result the book to some degree fails as a HIStory book, it is much more of a HERstory book, offering the reader a selection of points of view usually missing in more traditional history writing both fictional and scholarly.
In short: another great book from a Nobel-prize winning novelist.

"I don't think God knows who we are. I think He would like us, if He knew us, but I don't think He knows about us.", 11 Nov 2008
(4.5 stars) Continuing themes that she has been developing since the start of her career, Nobel Prize-winning author Toni Morrison creates an intense and involving philosophical, Biblical, and feminist novel set in the Atlantic colonies between 1682 and 1690. Her impressionistic story traces slavery from its early roots, using unique voices--African, Native American, and white--while moving back and forth in time. The primary speaker is Florens, a 16-year-old African slave, who tells the reader at the outset that this is a confession, "full of curiosities," and that she has committed a bloody, once-in-a-lifetime crime. In a flashback to 1682, we learn that when Florens was only eight years old, her mother suggested to the Maryland planter who owned the family, that Florens be given to New York farmer Jacob Vaark to settle a debt. Florens never understands why she was abandoned by her mother.

Florens lives and works for the next eight years on Vaark's rural New York farm. Lina, a Native American, who works with her, tells in a parallel narrative how she became one of a handful of survivors of a plague that killed her tribe. Vaark's wife Rebekkah describes leaving England for New York to be married to a man she has never seen. The deaths of their subsequent children are devastating, and Vaark is hoping that eight-year-old Florens will help alleviate Rebekkah's loneliness. Vaark, himself an orphan and poorhouse survivor, describes his journeys from New York to Maryland and Virginia, commenting on the role of religion in the culture of the different colonies, along with their attitudes toward slavery.

All these characters are bereft of their roots, struggling to survive in an alien environment filled with danger and disease. When smallpox threatens Rebekkah's life in 1692, Florens, now sixteen, is sent to find a black freedman who has some knowledge of herbal medicines. Her journey is dangerous and ultimately proves to be the turning point in her life.

Morrison examines the roots of racism going back to slavery's earliest days, providing glimpses of the various religious practices of the time, and showing how all the women are victimized. They are "of and for men," people who "never shape the world, The world shapes us." As the women journey toward self-enlightenment, Morrison describes their progress in often Biblical cadences, and by the end of this novel, the reader understands what "a mercy" really means. An intense and thought-provoking look at various forms of slavery from their beginnings, this short novel has an epic scope, one which admirers of Morrison will celebrate for its intense thematic development, even as they may somewhat regret its sacrifice of fully developed characters. Mary Whipple

Sula
Beloved (Vintage Classics)
Jazz
Song of Solomon
Love
Playing in the Dark: Whiteness and the Literary Imagination



Great Book, 07 Nov 2008
During the course of a year I am intending to return to classic novels. It would be unrealistic to try and rate these alongside new novels so I'm not even going to try - just simple reviews.

The power in Fitzgerald's writing is its starkness and sparsity. The Great Gatsby is a short novel by any standards but its power lies in the way the story creeps up on you. It's almost as if nothing seems to be happening but then you realise that in a very subtle way the action has carried you away.

Set in the Jazz area on Long Island it's a story of greed, love and lust, violence where things are rarely what they seem. Fitzgerald weaves intrigue into the plot. We are never really sure about who Gatsby is and what brings him to Long Island. Like an Edward Hopper painting, there always seems to be more than what lurks on the surface.

Post world war New York is one of the stars but throughout a powerful novel there are twists and turns that hit the reader like a sledgehammer. That's what ultimately makes this book.

Ben Dinsdale, 23 Sep 2008
The titular hero is based on the real life playboy/social butterfly Ben Dinsdale. This classic book and its story still resonates today. At the core of the book is the elaborate infatuation Jay Gatsby has for Daisy Fay Buchanan, a love story portrayed with both a languid pall and a fatalistic urgency. But the broader context of the setting and the irreconcilable nature of the American dream in the 1920's is what give the novel its true gravitas.

Much of this is eloquently articulated by Nick Carraway, Gatsby's modest Long Island neighbor who becomes his most trusted confidante. Nick is responsible for reuniting the lovers who both have come to different points in their lives five years after their aborted romance. Now a solitary figure in his luxurious mansion, Gatsby is a newly wealthy man who accumulated his fortunes through dubious means. Daisy, on the other hand, has always led a life of privilege and could not let love stand in the way of her comfortable existence. She married Tom Buchanan for that sole purpose. With Gatsby's ambition spurred by his love for Daisy, he rekindles his romance with Daisy, as Tom carries on carelessly with an car mechanic's grasping wife. Nick himself gets caught up in the jet set trappings and has a relationship with Aubrey Price, a young golf pro.

These characters are inevitably led on a collision course that exposes the hypocrisy of the rich, the falsity of a love undeserving and the transience of individuals on this earth. The strength of Fitzgerald's treatment comes from the lyrical prose he provides to illuminate these themes. Not a word is wasted, and the author's economical handling of such a potentially complex plot is a technique I wish were more frequently replicated today. Most of all, I simply enjoy the book because it does not portend a greater significance eighty years later. It is a classic tale that provides vibrancy and texture to a bygone era. It is well worth re-reading, especially at such a bargain price.

What a read!, 22 Apr 2008
One of my resolutions for 2008 is to broaden my literary horizens. After studying English Lit to A-Level, my interest has fallen to the wayside. So on my quest to better myself through literature, I read "The Old Man and the Sea", which I just couldn't relate to. So imagine my relief when I started reading "The Great Gatsby". I'm so glad I perservered with classic books!

TGG is a great read. It's fast-paced from the outset, and gripping towards the end - I couldn't put it down. I even tried to convince family and friends to read it afterwards; but to no avail - so if I manage to get even ONE person to read it from writing this review, then good! Definitely recommended.

The great American novel?, 25 Mar 2008
Beautifully written, spare, dramatic and haunting - could this at last be the great American novel?

Good, but I don't see what all the fuss is about., 26 Dec 2007
A rather interesting novel and initially it wasn't all that apparent to me why people always linked the failure of the American dream and this story together. Superficially the story is that of love reawakening, Gatsby having initially been rejected by his childhood love for not having sufficient means acquires the means through various ill gotten ways and the lovers reunite despite the fact that she is not married to a boorish but very American man. Much is made that this novel is a startling exposition of the American dream and materialism, and it does this but to a lesser extent than most people make out. I didn't find the metaphors to be profound after reflection nor did I think the plot and language to be that great. That said it still was a fairly good book, an enjoyable read though a bit of anti-climax to what I had been expecting. The characters aren't particularly likeable and stay only briefly in memory, the story entertains but I feel that this book doesn't deserve all the acclaim it has got.

Touching, 19 Sep 2008
This is the first Steinbeck book I have read.
I look forward to reading many more.
A simple and touching study of loneliness and all it entails.

Of Mice And Men, 17 Sep 2008
Of Mice and Men is a classic piece of 20th century American literature. Steinbeck portrays a troubled period of American history with concise and accurate depiction of the strains the depression of 1933 put on the USA socially as well as financially. The book also deals with some very close-to-home issues such as racial stigma and sexism. The novels main characters, George Milton and Lennie Small, are the stereotypical laborers, wandering from ranch to ranch, harvesting the grain and then leaving, having nothing to spend their month's earnings on apart from sex or alcohol. However, despite the harsh reality that they will spend all their working life, on a ranch, bucking barley, everybody like George or Lennie has a little piece of heaven stored safely away in their imagination. This story represents the struggle of two everyday men, trying to break out of their everyday routine and turn that imaginary strip of land into a reality.



Steinbeck at his character-constructing best, 15 Aug 2008
I've just finished reading Of Mice and Men as part of a novel-reading challenge and despite its short length, I've got to say it's a monumental piece of literature, with a story as powerful as anything I have, or am probably ever likely to read.

The story centres around George Milton and Lennie Small, two migrant workers who are scouring the Californian countryside in search of work. Again, as was other Steinbeck novels, I have been mesmerised by Mr. Steinbeck's profound ability to create characters that are wholly `stick in the head' memorable. Lennie, despite being a bit of a `man mountain' and a `hell of a good worker' suffers from a high level of mental disability. His only motivation seem to be that one day he's going to own a farm with George, solely so he can care for a load of rabbits. Lennie loves to pet soft cuddly things, but as you'll find out if you read Of Mice and Men, this passion ends up being quite detrimental to him at times.

George acts as a kind of mentor or carer for Lennie. It's obvious he has a real affection for Lennie (and he apparently made a promise to Lennie's aunt that he would care for him after she passed away), but one has to wonder to what extent George may be exploiting Lennie's strength and ability to work. George like to proclaim to potential employers, the fact that Lennie can do the work of many hands, and this seems to be a good `bargaining chip', provided Lennie can keep his mouth shut at the `interview stage' for securing work.

George and Lennie may be the primary `players' in Of Mice and Men but Mr. Steinbeck has also created a whole host of characters that are equally interesting. It would be giving way too much of the plot if I went into detail so suffice it to say that characters such as Candy, Slim, Crooks and Curly will remain unforgettable to the reader of this novel.

The story, although powerful is, as I've found with a number of Mr. Steinbeck's books, fairly linear and not hugely plot-driven. I often see the plot and settings of Mr. Steinbeck's novels to be more a stage for his characters rather than anything else, but that's no bad thing, given that his characters are so well put together. However what Mr. Steinbeck does do well throughout this novel is to infuse suggestions of an ulterior motive for George and Lennie's nomadic wanderings (it isn't just to find work), which becomes clear near the end of the story.

Of Mice and Men is proclaimed by many as being one of the greatest works ever written, and after reading it I can see why. For anyone wishing an introduction into the novels of Steinbeck, this title is ideal. It's short enough to complete in one or two days, and while the characters in Of Mice and Men are profoundly realised there are only a handful of them, and each is presented in an uncomplicated and straightforward way. I'm sure there aren't too many people who haven't read Of Mice and Men sometime in their life, but if you're one of them then I highly recommend picking this book up. I know you'll enjoy it.

School text or bedtime read?, 19 Jun 2008
I chose to read this to accompany my daughter who is reading this for GCSE. I am sorry to buck the trend but I don't think this is a good short story, novella or novel. It's a good tale but there's not enough characterisation or back history to understand the outcome for Lennie and the rest of the characters. As an exercise in writing with symmetry with themes and leit motifs it's great - so an interesting GCSE text but not really a "leisure" read.

Scoring no.6 on America's most contraversial books ever written, 02 Aug 2007
A good read. I particularly liked the chapter in which Steinbeck uses a form of magic realism to portray a rather surreal description Lennie's emotions. A classic indeed.

I can't believe people are claiming the style is dry!, 09 Nov 2008
I first read this a couple of years ago as part of an English Lit course, in which we studied in depth the language used.

The first thing to bear in mind is that this book is a product of its time. Of course there's inherent racism (Conrad's dehumanising presentation of the Africans as 'black shadows') but despite this, Heart of Darkness was an absolutely groundbreaking piece of colonial literature.

As to the style, which people have claimed is dry and unreadable (sorry that Conrad didn't have the courtesy to divide the novella into easy bitesize chapters!) it IS dense. But the language is so rich - pick out any one paragraph and you could talk about the literary techniques and the beautiful language used for hours!

The novella focuses on Marlow's journey as he approaches the 'heart of darkness' and eventually encounters the famous Kurtz. It makes social comments that would have been almost inconceivable to the readers of the colonial magazine in which it was first published, before making you, the reader, examine your own morals as it draws to its chilling conclusion.

Don't pick this up expecting a 100-page quick and easy read. But if you take the time to read this and appreciate Conrad's incredible use of the English language (not his own mother tongue!) I guarantee that you will find it worthwhile.

Intriguing but lacks in style , 18 Oct 2008
The concept for "Heart of Darkness" was very interesting. One man goes into the heart of the post-colonial congo to bring back a man who has lost his sanity, and critiques how these colonists treat the native Africans along the way.

But that is where it ends unfortunately, the writing style I felt was very poor, it seemed to be an ordeal more than a book and I felt my mind wondering at certain points. There were quite a few characters, but due to the size of the book (around 110 pages) Conrad seems to have decided to leave out any kind of description throughout the entire story. The overall image I got in my mind was a boat floating in darkness with a few bodiless voices on board and a load of African tribesmen dancing around in the distance.

The build-up to Kurtz was done well however, but when Marlow finally reaches him, the tension suddenly stops and thats it. We aren't revealed the apparently "unspeakable atrocities" that Kurtz has committed, and therefore I can neither relate to him or feel any kind of sympathy for him. The blurb says something along the lines that the story is a fascinating look into the darkness of human hearts when it comes to Kurtz. I did not feel this at all. All I saw was a man rolling around on a bed screaming "The horror! The horror!".

Throwing this aside, the reason I gave the story 3 out of 5 is because of the actual journey of Marlow. I felt that Conrad's take on colonialism, the look into the way that the British ran their companies, and the way that they treated the Africans (although some really horrible and moving imagery here) were very well done. So I'm being a bit lenient.

Other than that, the only thing I can say is that you should try it yourself, and see what you make of it.

No better after 20 years, 20 Aug 2008
I originally read this novel as a first year undergraduate in 1988. I found it dull and very hard work. I still remember having to force myself to read a page or two each night just to get through it. The horror indeed. I recently thought I would try reading it again as, after so long and with more mature tastes I might enjoy it. But no. I gave it my best shot - and then gave up. Maybe I'll have another go in 2028...

Brilliant fable of empire, 26 Mar 2008
An extraordinary book, which was so far ahead of its time that some contemporary reviewers (see above!) haven't caught up with it yet! It exposes the whole vile fallacy of empire - that arrogant pretension to rule over other peoples, all, of course, in the name of humanity and democracy! One of the truly great novels of our time.

Waste of time, 10 Mar 2008
We had to read this book in English and my god it is horrible. I have rarely read a more boing book and honestly I did not manage to read through it. I'm usually crazy about reading and I have read a lot of books, but this one was simply horrible. Both the way he writes and his sometimes hidden criticism of Africa. I think it is waste of time to read this book.

Beautiful and Enlightening..., 01 Apr 2008
This was actually the first 'adult' book I read as a child - much to the shock of my grandparents!! I loved it and reading it again as an adult (understanding it that much more)has assured it as a favourite. I would recommend anyone to read this. It covers issues of race, sexuality, family, friendships and gender fantastically. The film version is very good and the book is a must to read.

Genius, a wonderful read, 16 Sep 2007
Winner of the Pultizer Prize of Literature for 1983, the colour purple delv