Book Blog #320: The Art of War by Sun Tzu

 

Title: The Art of War

Author: Sun Tzu

# of Pages: 90 (hardback)

Genre: Classics, Non-fiction

Rating: ★★☆☆☆

Synopsis: Sun Tzu's insights are still relevant today, and his advice can be applied to a wide range of situations, from business negotiations to political campaigns. If you are looking for a book to help you succeed in any competitive position, then The Art of War is a must-read. It is a timeless classic that has something to offer everyone.

Review: This book might be short, but it's far from sweet.

I either going to give this book 2 stars or 3. 3 stars because I know it's a very old historical text (500 B.C.) that has ALSO been translated - so it's not fair to hold it to the same standards as a fictional modern text that I read for fun. 2 stars because, in short, I didn't learn much and didn't enjoy the read.

Although it was only 5 pages, the introduction was long winded and almost made me put the book back on the shelf forever. It details some of the history of Sun Tzu and other military greats that I quickly forgot about (not particularly interesting to me). I picked up this book to hear some ancient advice about facing opponents and leading an army (cough, team, cough), not to hear a dry history lesson.

Sun Tzu might have some strong points (that I'm sure were much more original back then than they are now), but he chooses to say them in way more words than necessary. The points that are most applicable to a modern audience include:

- Knowledge (e.g. spies) is the most important first step before strategizing and attacking

- Know your opponent/competition

- Know your army (team) and how to establish discipline

- Don't spread you and your resources too thin. Focusing your strategy will yield better results than trying protect everything. 

None of these points are particularly enlightening. Sun Tzu also provides some advice that seems harder to generalized, such as his repetitious chapters on different types of terrain and how to position your army on it.

If someone tells you to read this for the sake of leadership advice, don't bother. 

Book Blog #265: Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov

Title: Lolita
Author: Vladimir Nabokov
# of Pages: 211 (ebook)
Genre: Fiction, Classics
Rating: ★★★☆☆
Synopsis: Humbert Humbert is a middle-aged, fastidious college professor. He also likes little girls. And none more so than Lolita, whom he'll do anything to possess. Is he in love or insane? A silver-tongued poet or a pervert? A tortured soul or a monster? ...Or is he all of these?
Review: I had to read this book as an ebook because I was traveling and didn't have a physical copy I could bring with me. If a book is already difficult to get through (i.e. is a classic), it becomes 10x harder for me to read it as an ebook.

It goes without saying that Humbert is one weird dude. His not-so-romantic relations with Lolita (Dolly) are told from his first person perspective, so we hear this story through an unreliable narrator. While it was interesting to ponder whether the series of events he describes actually happened as they said they did, Humbert definitely has some mental issues (pedophilia aside, sometimes he sounds straight up insane). Be prepared to read more attentively than you would for other books.

Overall an okay read; I wouldn't recommend it unless you are already interested and are ready to buckle down to read a classic.

Book Blog #259: The Little Prince 75th Anniversary Edition by Antoine de Saint-Exupery

Title: The Little Prince (75th Anniversary Edition)
Author: Antoine de Saint-Exupery
# of Pages: 224 (hardback)
Genre: Childrens, Fantasy, Classics
Rating: ★★★★☆
Synopsis: With a timeless charm it tells the story of a little boy who leaves the safety of his own tiny planet to travel the universe, learning the vagaries of adult behaviour through a series of extraordinary encounters. His personal odyssey culminates in a voyage to Earth and further adventures.
Review:
“It is much harder to judge yourself than to judge others. If you succeed in judging yourself, it’s because you are truly a wise man.”

I've heard so many people reference this book that I just had to read it for myself.

When I learned this book was categorized as "children's," I was shocked. I was even more shocked when I learned that there was a debate on whether this book is meant for children or adults. After reading, I think this story is best appreciated by adults who may have lost touch with the child within all of us. This does not mean children cannot read and enjoy this book too; there is just a difference in appreciation.

I checked this book out at the library, and it just so happened that the only available copy was the 75th anniversary edition. This version is much longer than the actual story because of all the bonus content. The beginning of the 75th anniversary edition has a lot of information on the author and those he knew, which might be useful for those doing a research project. I ended up reading The Little Prince story first (which appears in the middle of this book) and then went back to the beginning to read about the author. The real content is what comes after The Little Prince story: an analysis of The Little Prince by researcher and historian Delphine Lacroix. Her analysis of the story is almost more beautiful than the story itself.

The following is an excerpt from Lacroix’s analysis that particularly touched my heart.

“When you tame something, the fox teaches, you create a bond of affection with it: ‘But if you tame me, we’ll need each other. You’ll be the only boy in the world for me. I’ll be the only fox in the world for you…” Things become special to us when we’ve invested in them, when we’ve take the time to single them out, rescued them from the anonymity that comes of being one of the large number. And this is how something leaves its mark on us, beaks up the monotony of time, and gives meaning to our existence. To learn about friendship is to learn a sort of slow, choreographed dance. Finally, the fox delivers its biggest secret: ‘Anything essential is invisible to the eyes.’ And anyone able to see through this invisibility to the underlying bond that gives meaning to things will be the richer.” - 177

I recently found myself in a difficult situation with a friend of a couple months. I was advised by many others to cut this person out of my life, but despite what happened, I found this task to be very difficult. When I read this passage, I now believe it is because we have “tamed” each other. Although what happened will forever change our relationship, the investment into our friendship keeps me from cutting this friend completely from my life.

In The Little Prince, the fox knew that he would not be able to be with the little prince forever, yet he still insisted that he be tamed by the prince. He believes that that although he will be sad when the prince is gone, he would rather find meaning in the world when he is reminded of the prince than to not have those experiences at all. Although in my situation with my friend, I cannot say that I am glad what happened did happen, I know these experiences with this person have helped me learn and grow and changed how I view certain aspects of the world, just like the fox when he was tamed.

The story itself would earn 5 stars from me. However, the bonus content, while enlightening, was sometimes superfluous. I would recommend the story to EVERYONE.

Book Blog #214: The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood

Title: The Handmaid's Tale
Author: Margaret Atwood
# of Pages: 311 (paperback)
Genre: Fiction, Classics, Science Fiction
Rating: ★★★★☆
Synopsis: Offred is a Handmaid in the Republic of Gilead. She may leave the home of the Commander and his wife once a day to walk to food markets whose signs are now pictures instead of words because women are no longer allowed to read. She must lie on her back once a month and pray that the Commander makes her pregnant, because in an age of declining births, Offred and the other Handmaids are valued only if their ovaries are viable. Offred can remember the years before, when she lived and made love with her husband, Luke; when she played with and protected her daughter; when she had a job, money of her own, and access to knowledge. But all of that is gone now...
Review: For a classic, this book is very easy to read.

Yes, The Handmaid's Tale is definitely a more modern classic than most, yet it is refreshing to be able to read something higher on the respectability scale than your run-of-the-mill YA book with such ease. This is not to say Atwood's writing style is simply written, rather, she is a good storyteller. For the most part, her writing flows very naturally. However, not using quotation marks when Offred is recalling a memory is bothersome; although it may aid in separating actual speech and thought, it doesn't make it any less difficult to distinguish the dialogue.

I nearly gave this book three stars because I didn't like how exaggerated the dystopian world Atwood created is. Although there are instances of woman subjugation in this book that parallel situations in real life, the United States is warped into such a strange and unrealistic state that the story seems more like a tall tale you'd tell children rather than a warning against an undesirable yet probable future.

I was worried about how this book would portray sex and was impressed with how desexualize "The Ceremony" is portrayed. There is nothing romantic with how the society forces women to reproduce, and I was glad Atwood didn't make it that way.

The book held my interest the whole way through, and the ending leaves me thinking about it still. I would highly recommend this book!

Book Blog #213: Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad

Title: Heart of Darkness
Author: Joseph Conrad
# of Pages: 72 (paperback)
Genre: Fiction, Classics, Africa
Rating: ★★☆☆☆
Synopsis: Dark allegory describes the narrator's journey up the Congo River and his meeting with, and fascination by, Mr. Kurtz, a mysterious personage who dominates the unruly inhabitants of the region. Masterly blend of adventure, character development, psychological penetration. Considered by many Conrad's finest, most enigmatic story.
Review: This is one of the few classics I've read purely recreationally.

I might have enjoyed this book more if I read it in a classroom setting where I could learn to appreciate all the fine details of this book. However, since I did not delve into deep analysis of the book, I read it as it appears: a sloppy narration by a man's experience voyaging up the Congo. Whether Marlow, the protagonist, was a bad storyteller for some deeper reason does not change the fact that he is a BAD storyteller.

Although this story may also serve as a demonstration of how life was in Africa during the boom of ivory trade, it is so finely focused on one man's experience, one that is taken up by the obsession of finding Mr. Kurtz, I didn't find it very enlightening.

To paraphrase someone of Goodreads, the book is not long, yet far too long. The read can be finished in one sitting but is not worth your time.

Book Blog #201: The Mayor of Casterbridge by Thomas Hardy

Title: The Mayor of Casterbridge
Author: Thomas Hardy
# of Pages: 231 (PDF)
Genre: Classics, Fiction, Literature
Rating: ★★★☆☆
Synopsis: In a fit of drunken anger, Michael Henchard sells his wife and baby daughter for five guineas at a country fair. Over the course of the following years, he manages to establish himself as a respected and prosperous pillar of the community of Casterbridge, but behind his success there always lurk the shameful secret of his past and a personality prone to self-destructive pride and temper. Subtitled ‘A Story of a Man of Character’, Hardy’s powerful and sympathetic study of the heroic but deeply flawed Henchard is also an intensely dramatic work, tragically played out against the vivid backdrop of a close-knit Dorsetshire town.
Review: This classic took me longer than usual to read, most likely because I didn't have the pressure of school deadlines to keep me reading. As far as Victorian classics go, The Mayor of Casterbridge is pretty standard - a mundane setting with the characters being interconnected and overdramatic plot-twists.

I became interested in reading this book because of an excerpt I read in an AP test; it decently easy to read and the conflict between father (Henchard) and daughter (Elizabeth-Jane) was strange; I wanted to know more about why this father rejected her daughter so cruelly. While the story was interesting, the ridiculousness of some of the characters' actions made the story less compelling than the excerpt seemed to portray. For its time period, it is a good read, and if it were to be written again with a more modern style, it would probably rival many well-written young adult novels.

For a classic, it is not as enlightening as others I have read; the themes of love, loyalty, and duty are all ones I've seen before. However, it is (or at least should be) a quick read and like all classics gives the reader a peek into the lifestyle of that time period. I would recommend reading this book if you're to-be-read shelf is a bit empty and you feel you have time to do some close reading.

Book Blog #196: Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller

Title: Death of a Salesman
Author: Arthur Miller
# of Pages: 139 (paperback)
Genre: Fiction, Plays, Classics
Rating: ★★★☆☆
Synopsis: Willy Loman, the protagonist of "Death of a Salesman," has spent his life following the American way, living out his belief in salesmanship as a way to reinvent himself. But somehow the riches and respect he covets have eluded him. At age 63, he searches for the moment his life took a wrong turn, the moment of betrayal that undermined his relationship with his wife and destroyed his relationship with Biff, the son in whom he invested his faith. Willy lives in a fragile world of elaborate excuses and daydreams, conflating past and present in a desperate attempt to make sense of himself and of a world that once promised so much.
Review: I've been slacking on my reviews. Even though it's been less than a week since I finished reading this play, I'm already having difficulties recalling my immediate reaction after reading the ending.

The beginning of the script is difficult to read, mostly because it is setting the scene. Since I was traveling during the weekend when I was suppose to be reading this book, I had watched the first half of the movie before I read it (I know; I'm violating my own motto, but plays should be watched not read anyway). The movie really helped me get into the book, although I still haven't finished the movie because I'm waiting to watch it in class. Once you get passed the beginning part of the play, the story flows really well...but it's depressing (like most of the literature I've read for school this year).

It's so short, you could read it in one sitting. I would definitely recommend it!

Book Blog #195: As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner

Title: As I Lay Dying
Author: William Faulkner
# of Pages: 267 (paperback)
Genre: Fiction, Classics
Rating: ★★★☆☆
Synopsis: As I Lay Dying is Faulkner's harrowing account of the Bundren family's odyssey across the Mississippi countryside to bury Addie, their wife and mother. Told in turns by each of the family members—including Addie herself—the novel ranges in mood from dark comedy to the deepest pathos.
Review: I'm definitely writing this review very, very late. Over a month late to be exact.

The worst part of this situation is that I don't remember how much I like/dislike this book. I know for sure that it wasn't my favorite; any book the changes POV isn't going to go over well with me. It wasn't terrible either, but I would never read it again.

From what I can remember, I didn't value the message of this book as I did other classics I've read recently. As someone who has such a different lifestyle from the Bundren family, it is very difficult for me to relate to the characters although this story has helped me learn of different type of life than my own. But the level of dysfunction in the Bundren family is disturbing.

I don't regret reading this book, but I don't think I would have been missing much if I didn't read it. Therefore, I don't recommend this book.

Book Blog #193: Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

Title: Frankenstein
Author: Mary Shelley
# of Pages: 273 (paperback)
Genre: Fiction, Classics, Horror
Rating: ★★★★☆
Synopsis: At once a Gothic thriller, a passionate romance, and a cautionary tale about the dangers of science, Frankenstein tells the story of committed science student Victor Frankenstein. Obsessed with discovering the cause of generation and life and bestowing animation upon lifeless matter, Frankenstein assembles a human being from stolen body parts but; upon bringing it to life, he recoils in horror at the creature's hideousness. Tormented by isolation and loneliness, the once-innocent creature turns to evil and unleashes a campaign of murderous revenge against his creator, Frankenstein.
Review: I usually put the recommendation at the end, but I want to say this now: EVERYONE should read this book.


Frankenstein, as Frankenstein's monster is commonly mislabeled, is nothing like the costumes children wear during Halloween. Unlike other great works such as Romeo and Juliet, pop culture's version of the story has been warped beyond recognition.

Are there problems with living in solitude when people are social beings by nature? How much does appearance affect how accepted people are in society? What does revenge truly accomplish? These are only a few question this book has strove to answer.

I couldn't help but compare Frankenstein's monster with other "monsters" such as Wicked's Elphaba and the Beast in Beauty and the Beast. Although the monster does not marry a beauty nor run away with a scarecrow, he faces the same rejection from society due to his unusual appearance just as Elphaba faces scorn from her classmates because of her green skin. Although the monster is compassionate, people are quick to shut him out of their lives because of his scary image similarly to how Glinda is loved over Elphaba despite Elphaba's "strange" appearance. With so many labelling the monster a "wretch" and "vile being," he needs someone to love him to prevent him convincing himself that he IS what people call him. The Beast is only "saved" when someone (Beauty) sees past his beastly looks to his true personality, and Frankenstein's monster REALLY needed to have at least one person on his side...

In the end, the reader can feel pity for both the monster and Victor Frankenstein, although perhaps for different reasons. Victor is incredibly self-centered yet his intentions were not innately evil which prevents the reader from completely hating him. Yet in the same turn neither character can be truly loved by the reader due to their actions/decisions.

A very interesting read and one of my favorite classics.

Book Blog #190: Othello by William Shakespeare

Title: Othello
Author: William Shakespeare
# of Pages: 314
Genre: Fiction, Classics, Plays
Rating: ★★☆☆☆
Synopsis: In Othello, Shakespeare creates a powerful drama of a marriage that begins with fascination (between the exotic Moor Othello and the Venetian lady Desdemona), with elopement, and with intense mutual devotion and that ends precipitately with jealous rage and violent deaths.
Review: I don't have too much to say about this play. It was exactly what I expected from a Shakespearian play: difficult to read and a predictable, simplistic plot line. Although it may have been revolutionary for its time, it can't even compare to more modern works.

However, as I am not used to Shakespeare's writing style, I was able to find more amusement in the No Fear Shakespeare version...but that's not the version I'm reviewing. If Shakespeare was modernized, I would have given it three stars. But since Shakespeare's writing style hinders comprehension, I had to take off a star.

For recreational reading, I would not recommend this play, unless you are already interested in Shakespeare's works. While classic literature is always worth reading, I feel like I wouldn't have been missing much if I hadn't read Othello.

Book Blog #189: Demian by Hermann Hesse

Title: Demian
Author: Hermann Hesse
# of Pages: 49 (pdf)
Genre: Fiction, Psychology, Classics
Rating: ★★★★☆
Synopsis: Emil Sinclair is a young boy raised in a bourgeois home, amidst what is described as a Scheinwelt, a play on words that means "world of light" as well as "world of illusion". Emil's entire existence can be summarized as a struggle between two worlds: the show world of illusion (related to the Hindu concept of maya) and the real world, the world of spiritual truth. In the course of the novel, accompanied and prompted by his mysterious classmate 'Max Demian', he detaches from and revolts against the superficial ideals of the world of appearances and eventually awakens into a realization of self.
Review: 

"I grew more and more accustomed to idly drawing lines with a dreaming paintbrush and to coloring areas for which I had no model in mind, that were the result of playful fumblings of my subconscious" 

"Finally, one day I produced, almost without knowing it, a face to which I responded more strongly than I had to any of the others"

 "The storm became audible and rain rattled down mixed with hail. A brief, incredible, terrifying roar of thunder cracked across the rain-lashed landscape and immediately afterwards a gleam of sunshine burst through"

---

A K-Pop group called BTS made their comeback yesterday. Their teasers for said comeback were heavily influenced by Demian, a book I had never heard of until last month. In my struggle to understand the meaning behind their videos, I decided to read Demian so I could interpret their meaning myself. 

I was surprised; I usually do not enjoy reading classics recreationally, but I found the story of Sinclair fascinating. Since I just recently finished studying Oedipus and Antigone, I loved how Demian discussed the question of whether a person has free will. About half way through, the book begins to discuss Sinclair's struggles through puberty, which I found to be less pleasant to read. However Demian absence from that portion of the story may have been a contributing factor. 

As this book is extremely short, I would recommend that everyone reads Demian. (Also, you should definitely check out BTS, their Wings teasers, and Blood Sweat & Tears MV).

Book Blog #188: Oedipus the King by Sophocles

Title: Oedipus the King
Author: Sophocles
# of Pages: 114 (paperback)
Genre: Fiction, Plays, Classics
Rating: ★★★☆☆
Synopsis: In presenting the story of King Oedipus and the tragedy that ensues when he discovers he has inadvertently killed his father and married his mother, the play exhibits near-perfect harmony of character and action.
Review: With little knowledge of Greek anything, I was surprised (and delighted) to find that this play's story precedes Antigone. This play is definitely a short read that fits the definition of a tragedy perfectly.

Although I cannot say I would read this play again during my free time, Oedipus the King lives up to all expectations as a Greek tragedy.

Book Blog #187: Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

Title: Pride and Prejudice
Author: Jane Austen
# of Pages: 432 (paperback)
Genre: Classics, Romance, Historical Fiction
Rating: ★★★★☆
Synopsis: Pride and Prejudice—Austen's own "darling child"—tells the story of fiercely independent Elizabeth Bennet, one of five sisters who must marry rich, as she confounds the arrogant, wealthy Mr. Darcy. What ensues is one of the most delightful and engrossingly readable courtships known to literature, written by a precocious Austen when she was just twenty-one years old.
Review: It surprised me that I was able to get this far along in life without actually knowing what Pride and Prejudice was about.

At one point the whole 1995 BBC series was played in front of me, but I didn't care enough to pay attention. Years later, when I opened this book, the only part of the story I could remember was that there is character named Mr. Darcy.

I'm a sucker for cheesy romance, and this fits the bill quite well. In a world filled with plenty of romance novels (not to mention the fanfiction), I doubt this book would have done as well as it did in its time.

Don't get me wrong; I enjoyed the book very much. I sent hours straight reading it just so I could find out more about Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy. What I am trying to say is that the plot is incredibly predictable, but maybe that's part of the charm of the book. Or maybe this book has been so revolutionary that it has shaped how modern romances are depicted.

While the writing style may take some a little getting used to, this story is filled with all the romance and humor I expected from it. Would recommend.

Book Blog #186: Candide by Voltaire

Title: Candide
Author: Voltaire
# of Pages: 176 (paperback)
Genre: Fiction, Philosophy, Classics
Rating: ★★★☆☆
Synopsis: One of the finest satires ever written, Voltaire’s Candide savagely skewers this very “optimistic” approach to life as a shamefully inadequate response to human suffering. The swift and lively tale follows the absurdly melodramatic adventures of the youthful Candide, who is forced into the army, flogged, shipwrecked, betrayed, robbed, separated from his beloved Cunégonde, and tortured by the Inquisition. As Candide experiences and witnesses calamity upon calamity, he begins to discover that all is not always for the best.
Review: In the past two weeks, I've read One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, One Hundred Years of Solitude, and Antigone, all of which (spoilers) end generally in an unhappy manner.

Candide, a book directly challenging the philosophy of optimism, just puts the icing on the cake for my series of "downer" reads.

The beginning of Candide was definitely enjoyable; Voltaire's use of satire and irony made a story I initially had no interest in more than endurable. However, Candide's numerous encounters with the world's misery not only lowered the morale of the characters, but the morale of the reader. While the ending is somewhat hopeful, I have been shocked so much by the despair and pessimism that I have realized that I do no like this book as much as I did initially.

Very depressing. Although the story is pretty interesting, I would not recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a "feel-good" book.

Book Blog #185: Antigone by Sophocles

Title: Antigone
Author: Sophocles
# of Pages: 80 (paperback)
Genre: Fiction, Classics, Plays
Rating: ★★★☆☆
Synopsis: The curse placed on Oedipus lingers and haunts a younger generation in this new and brilliant translation of Sophocles' classic drama. The daughter of Oedipus and Jocasta, Antigone is an unconventional heroine who pits her beliefs against the King of Thebes in a bloody test of wills that leaves few unharmed. Emotions fly as she challenges the king for the right to bury her own brother. Determined but doomed, Antigone shows her inner strength throughout the play.
Review: I believe this is the first play I've read.

I was intimidated at first of reading something by Sophocles, but I found the translation by J.E. Thomas very easy to read, even with very limited knowledge of Greek history/mythology.

The Prestwick House Literary Touchstone Edition provides plenty of background information and a glossary to guid understanding of the story. Throughout the play, little notes were made in the margin to explain allusions in the dialogue, which is incredibly helpful.

A very short and simple read, I recommend it to anyone who is already interested.

Book Blog #184: One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez

Title: One Hundred Years of Solitude
Author: Gabriel García Márquez
# of Pages: 429 (paperback)
Genre: Adult, Fiction, Classics
Rating: ★★☆☆☆
Synopsis: The novel tells the story of the rise and fall of the mythical town of Macondo through the history of the family. It is a rich and brilliant chronicle of life and death, and the tragicomedy of humankind. In the noble, ridiculous, beautiful, and tawdry story of the family, one sees all of humanity, just as in the history, myths, growth, and decay of Macondo, one sees all of Latin America.
Review: A past teacher recommended this book to me, praising it as "favorite book". But I don't get it.

After I finished reading One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest,  a book that actually takes place in an insane asylum, I thought I (foolishly) thought I couldn't read a book any weirder this year. But, of course,  I was wrong.

This book reads more like a history book for Buendia family with very little dialogue. Combined with the absurdities of this families life (including loose morals and plenty of incest to go around), I had a hard time reading, let alone enjoying, One Hundred Years of Solitude.

Winner of the Nobel Prize? I MUST be missing something. But right now, I wouldn't recommend this to anyone.

Book Blog #183: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey

Title: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
Author: Ken Kesey
# of Pages: 325 (paperback)
Genre: Classics, Fiction, Psychology
Rating: ★★★☆☆
Synopsis: In this classic of the 1960s, Ken Kesey's hero is Randle Patrick McMurphy, a boisterous, brawling, fun-loving rebel who swaggers into the world of a mental hospital and takes over. A lusty, life-affirming fighter, McMurphy rallies the other patients around him by challenging the dictatorship of Nurse Ratched. He promotes gambling in the ward, smuggles in wine and women, and openly defies the rules at every turn. But this defiance, which starts as a sport, soon develops into a grim struggle, an all-out war between two relentless opponents: Nurse Ratched, back by the full power of authority, and McMurphy, who has only his own indomitable will. What happens when Nurse Ratched uses her ultimate weapon against McMurphy provides the story's shocking climax.
Review: This was a very...strange read. But I should have expected as much from a book that takes place in a mental hospital.

I'm a bit hesitant in writing this review, although I find myself writing it nonetheless, following the habit of writing reviews almost immediately after finishing the book. But I feel I have not actually READ the book; I just did a "quick," surface-level read through.

However, I did find the whole mentally ill (or not?) vs Nurse Ratched conflict very interesting. I'm cheering for McMurphy in his fight against the evil nurse and yet I can not entirely support him and the other patients due to some of their reckless decisions (i.e. their last "victory" in part 4). The prevalent misogyny also attributes to my slight distaste for the book.

This is among the many book on my required reading list. If I had been given a choice, I would not have read it. Would I chose to read it over other books? Definitely - although some parts of the book are confusing (when the narration is by a patient in a mental hospital, what can you expect?) and make it a difficult read. But would I read it again? Not if I can help it.

Book Blog #178: The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck

Title: The Grapes of Wrath
Author: John Steinbeck
# of Pages: 464 (paperback)
Genre: Classics, Historical Fiction
Rating:★★★☆☆
Synopsis: First published in 1939, Steinbeck’s Pulitzer Prize-winning epic of the Great Depression chronicles the Dust Bowl migration of the 1930s and tells the story of one Oklahoma farm family, the Joads-driven from their homestead and forced to travel west to the promised land of California. Out of their trials and their repeated collisions against the hard realities of an America divided into Haves and Have-Nots evolves a drama that is intensely human yet majestic in its scale and moral vision, elemental yet plainspoken, tragic but ultimately stirring in its human dignity.
Review: Although this book exceeded my low expectations (I did not find Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men or Cannery Row particularly memorable), the shock value of the ending was lost on me. A friend had assumed I was never going to read the book and spoiled the ending years ago.

While this book reveals the shocking conditions of the migrant farmers during The Great Depression and emphasizes the importance of unity within family and community, the repetitious scenarios Steinbeck uses to enforce his message seem excessive - I am confident that he could have had the same impact without at least a hundred less pages.

As it is an important and well-known piece of literature, I would recommend that everyone should read it at least once in their lifetime. However,  I do not plan to read it again in the future.

Book Blog #175: Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain

Title: Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
Author: Mark Twain
# of Pages: 292 (paperback)
Genre: YA, Classics, Historical Fiction
Rating: ★★★★☆
Synopsis: Huckleberry Finn, rebel against school and church, casual inheritor of gold treasure, rafter of the Mississippi, and savior of Jim the runaway slave, is the archetypical American maverick. Fleeing the respectable society that wants to "sivilize" him, Huck Finn shoves off with Jim on a rhapsodic raft journey down the Mississippi River.
Review: Other than To Kill a Mockingbird, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn has to be my favorite classic I've read so far.

Huck's narrative is incredibly entertaining (and his few interactions with Tom even more so) making this book an enjoyable read. It started strong, but the ending was somewhat abrupt.

However, the sections including the king and the duke were not as pleasant to read. Their progression from kind and understanding to greedy and corrupt darkened Huck's adventure and the overall lightheartedness of the plot. While there is nothing wrong with having these types of parts in the book, I saw them as the book's weakness. While I understand why Twain wrote the characters' language the way he did, when characters with a similar speech pattern as Jim would speak, it would be difficult to understand and disrupt the flow of reading. I had to go on Sparknotes to read the "modern" text just to avoid spending too much time trying to decipher what was being said (which at times was a hassle; I just want to be able to read the book!).

I highly recommend this book!

Book Blog #158: To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee

Title: To Kill A Mockingbird
Author: Harper Lee
# of Pages: 376 (paperback)
Genre: YA, Classics, Historical Fiction
Rating: ★★★★☆
Synopsis: To Kill a Mockingbird is primarily a novel about growing up under extraordinary circumstances in the 1930s in the Southern United States. The story covers a span of three years, during which the main characters undergo significant changes. Scout Finch lives with her brother Jem and their father Atticus in the fictitious town of Maycomb, Alabama. Maycomb is a small, close-knit town, and every family has its social station depending on where they live, who their parents are, and how long their ancestors have lived in Maycomb.
Review: First Impressions - Before Reading

I had no idea what this book was about; I had avoided any synopsis, review, and discussion. The extent to my exposure to the book is someone accidentally telling me that there is a court case and that one of the characters is Boo Radley. If I were to guess what the book was about, looking at the cover in front of me, I would say it would be about a boy (in the 1900s, since this book is a classic) who is somehow involved in killing a mockingbird.

After Reading

This is probably the best book I've ever been required to read. Sure, George Orwell's 1984 and Animal Farm were fine, but TKAM surpasses all of them.

I was totally wrong with my plot prediction before reading, and I was pleasantly surprised with Scout and her relatable personality (she was part of the reason why I loved this book so much). It was very revealing of life in the early-mid 20th century in southern America.

I defiantly recommend it!

(Sorry if this review is sloppy, I was writing it while watching Dan and Phil's live show).