Classic Books
Following are some books that I would consider "classic." There are thousands more out there; these are just a sampling of some I have read and think might be interesting for you to read. If you would like additional recommendations, then please ask a librarian for some ideas. A librarian will be glad to offer you information and recommendations based on your interests and preferences.
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Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maude Montgomery: Oh how I Ioved this story about Anne Shirley, an orphan who goes to live with an elderly couple on Prince Edward Island. Once the couple gets over the shock that Anne is not the boy they were expecting, they get to know Anne and witness her many adventures. Anne is a lively, imaginative heroine who has been very memorable for me.
The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath: This book is a fictional account of the author’s battle with depression during her late teen years.
The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger. I read it. I remember almost nothing about it except that the main character is Holden Caulfield, and his sister is named Phoebe. I know I didn’t love it, but almost everyone else I know did. So maybe pick it up and decide for yourself. Better yet – remind me what the plot is about!
Cheaper by the Dozen by Frank and Ernestine Gilbreth: This book, the nonfiction story of two parents and their twelve wild children, is one of my favorite books ever. In this book, the authors (who were two of the twelve aforementioned kids) tell the story of their happy childhood during the 1920s, recalling memories of trips to the movies, a cross-country train trip to California, dating under the watchful eye of Dad, sharing household jobs, and generally dealing with the chaos that comes with a household of 14. A darling, funny book!
The Crucible by Arthur Miller: The Crucible is an historically based play about the witch trials of Salem, Massachusetts in the 1600s. The play pivots around the relationship between John Proctor, a farmer, and Abigail Williams, the reverend's orphaned niece with whom Proctor had a brief affair. Abigail and her girlfriends pretend to be overcome by the Devil in order to cover their own guilt in both playing at witchcraft and, of course, the affair. The result is, as history tells, disastrous for many
families in the area. (Posted August 2008)
Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller: This classic American play examines the life of Willy Loman, a faltering salesman who is haunted by both his past mistakes and the failure of his grown sons to make successful lives for themselves. Over the course of the play, the audience sees inside Loman’s tortured mind and watches as the Loman family struggles with the realization that their lives are in shambles. Death is deep and sad, but well worth reading. (Posted July 2008)
Emma by Jane Austen. Emma is an endearing young heroine who believes that she is a master at matchmaking. Yet her attempts to “set up” her friends become comically bungled. In addition, she very nearly misses her own chance at romance because she is so busy inserting herself into the affairs of others. Keep your eye out for Mr. Knightly, a level-headed, considerate foil to Emma’s silliness.
The End of the Affair by Graham Greene: Sarah and Bendrix are involved in a love affair, but Sarah breaks off the affair very suddenly, leaving Bendrix confused and angry. Later he learns the reasons why she has broken off the affair, and he tries to reconcile with her. A very sad, very beautiful love story.
Ethan Frome by Edward Wharton. Ethan Frome is a quiet, henpecked husband who patiently tolerates his invalid wife. But when his wife’s cousin comes to live with them, Ethan and the cousin fall in love. This ultimately results in tragic consequences for Ethan, his wife, and his cousin. A bit slow to read, but a very interesting premise.
Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes: Charlie Gordon is a mentally retarded man who becomes part of an experiment that increases his intelligence. In a matter of months, Charlie has a phenomenal IQ and is even smarter than the scientists and doctors who performed this experiment on him. But Charlie eventually realizes that the experiment is flawed, and he must find out whether he will soon regress while simultaneously sifting through the many memories of his tragic life as a rejected child. A bittersweet book.
The Good Earth by P.S. Buck: I read this book during my freshman year of high school, and then I had to write a three-page report on foot-binding in China. Lucky you, you won’t have to do this (although I’ll still need a book report). Anyway, this novel is about a Chinese farmer, Wang Lung, who devotes his entire adult life to acquiring land – the ultimate sign and source of wealth for his family.
Gone With The Wind by Margaret Mitchell: If you happen to have some extra time on your hands, why not read this classic novel about a Southern belle whose home life, social life, and love life pretty much fall to pieces during the Civil War? This book is long but good, although I began to grow weary over Scarlett’s inability to stop pining over Ashley Wilkes. Move on, my friend!
Howards’ End by E.M. Forster: I spent a lot of time in my undergraduate years doing research on Forster. This book is about a pair of sisters in early 20th-century England who are searching for love and liberation from traditional roles as women. Part love story, part family-feud.
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte. This is, in my opinion, the quintessential romantic novel. Jane Eyre is a feisty, determined, independent young governess who falls in love with Mr. Rochester – a man with a dark and mysterious past. Creepy people, unfortunate circumstances, and dangerous events threaten to tear the lovers apart forever. The novel is a bit slow to start, but now that I’ve read it four or so times, I can unequivocally say that I love this book.
The Jungle by Upton Sinclair: If you have been thinking about becoming a vegetarian, then this is the book for you. I didn’t touch meat for ages after reading this gross but interesting book. Much of the book chronicles the life of an immigrant family who goes to work in the meatpacking industry in Chicago more than 100 years ago. The Rudkus family’s life is filled with squalor, death, and corruption. The good news? Well, one of the effects of this book was that it encouraged changes in the meatpacking industry and in labor. Good work, Upton!
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott: The ultimate story about sisterhood starring a very strong female character, Little Women chronicles the lives of the March sisters during their teen years and early adulthood. The novel involves romance (several times over), sickness and death, dream-chasing, and the search for inner strength.
Mrs. Mike by Benedict and Nancy Freeman: This is a marvelous love story about Kathy O’Fallon and Sgt. Mike Flannigan of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. When Kathy moves to Canada for health reasons, she falls in love with Mike and marries him. Their lives are complicated and dangerous, and Kathy must learn to tolerate this life or leave Mike forever. A sad, sweet, gorgeous story; share it with your mom or sister!
O Pioneers ! by Willa Cather: If you like My Antonia, you might like yet another novel by Willa Cather. Once again, strong women and love of the land are two important themes in this story about Alexandra, who inherits a farm from her father and spends her adulthood improving it. Two love stories also are worked into this novel.
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck: This is a beautiful, sad story about two men, George and Lennie, who are laborers trying to save enough money to buy their own farm. As the men pursue this dream, they encounter many obstacles, including Lennie’s retardation, a lack of money, an angry boss, and discrimination in multiple forms. In spite of the sad storyline, John Steinbeck creates some of the best and most realistic characters I have read about in a long time. Watch, in particular, for the ways he makes good people seem good and bad people seem bad; this is sublime character development.
The Postman Always Rings Twice by James Cain: This is a very dark book about a drifter who falls in love with a lonely woman. The problem? She’s already married, so the two plot to kill her husband. Interesting, but morbid.
Rebecca by Daphne DuMaurier. This is a great Gothic romance. A young woman (her name is never revealed to us) falls in love with Maxim DeWinter, a widower several years her senior. When the new Mrs. DeWinter arrives at Maxim’s beautiful manor house, she learns that the first Mrs. DeWinter – Rebecca – died very mysteriously. As the novel unfolds, huge secrets are revealed about Rebecca and Maxim, and the new Mrs. DeWinter must struggle with the truth. I loved this book. If you like mysteries and romance, then this is the book for you.
A Room With a View by E.M. Forster. I read this book as a teenager and thought it was merely okay. I read this book several times as an adult and thought it was great. This story is about Lucy Honeychurch, a wealthy and naïve British young woman. While on a tour of Italy, she is passionately kissed by George Emerson, an open-minded, free-spirited man who (through a variety of odd circumstances) eventually becomes her neighbor. Upon her return to England, Lucy becomes engaged to the very boring Cecil, but she can’t stop thinking about that kiss! Lucy must ultimately decide whether to marry the man society expects her to or the man who has shown her the “view” of life’s possibilities. So romantic!
The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Orczy: As the horrible events and executions of the French Revolution take place, a “mystery man” is freeing prisoners and bringing them to safety – much to the dismay of the authorities. Against this backdrop is the romantic story of Marguerite St. Just and Sir Percy Blakeney, a French woman and an English nobleman. I haven’t read this story in many years, but I remember loving it. Maybe I should read it again; let me know what you think….
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee: This is the first book I read during the summer of 2006 after not having read this book since, oh, the mid-1980’s. This book is so beautifully written, and the character development alone of Atticus Finch makes the book worth reading. The story is narrated by Atticus’ daughter, Scout, who reveals how her life changes when her father agrees to defend a Black man accused of rape during the early 1900’s in Alabama.
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith. The best way to describe this book is “bittersweet.” Francie and Neely Nolan are the children of two poor, young Irish immigrants. Their father is a raging alcoholic, and their mother struggles desperately to keep the family fed and content. Set in a Brooklyn tenement in the early 1900s, this story traces Francie’s quest to educate herself and become a happy woman in spite of tremendous poverty, fear, loss, and discrimination. I loved this book when I was a teen.
The Wedding Dress by Carrie Young: This book is a lovely collection of interesting characters and memorable “stories from the Dakota Plains” by a woman whose own mother settled in North Dakota by herself and homesteaded 160 acres. The stories are sweet and beautiful; I highly recommend this book. (Posted August 2008)
Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte. Wuthering Heights is the bleak tale of the troubled Heathcliff and his beloved Catherine. When Catherine rejects Heathcliff and marries Edgar Linton, there is no end to Heathcliff’s bitterness. I didn’t love this book, but a lot of people do. If you like dark romance, give this book a try.
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