Great Expectations

 

Title: Great Expectations

Author:  Charles Dickens

Copyright: First published in serial form between December of 1860 and August 1861 under the publication “All the Year Round”

Summary: It is too difficult to even give the premise of the book because so much happens. My attempt here will be poor at best. It is a book is about Pip, an orphan living with his sister and her husband Joe, the local blacksmith, on the marshes of Kent in England. Pip’s humble and poor circumstances are changed when he is told that he has a secret benefactor that has left Pip a small fortune. Now he can finally live the kind of life he has always dreamed of and he eventually moves to London to learn how to become a gentleman. The novel shows us the ups and downs that occur in Pip’s life because of his fortune and there are many twists and turns along the way that make for a very entertaining story.

My Opinion: I loved this book.  I should also say that prior to reading this book I had never seen one of the various movies made that were based on the book and I knew next to nothing about the story. This was the second Dickens novel that I have read and it truly is a masterpiece. Most of the people in the book, including Pip at times, put a lot of emphasis on social status and social classes. Although he does have flaws, as most protagonists do, Pip, grows dramatically during the book and he is a very likeable character. He does make bad choices but he also makes a lot of good choices and in most cases you can’t help but hope the best for him. It is a pretty good-sized book and Dickens uses some pretty big words and has a very flowery writing style. Whether you like that or not, the story is excellent and although it took me a few chapters to get into it, once I was into it there was no stopping me.

The Pearl

Title: The Pearl

Author:  John Steinbeck

Copyright: 1947

Summary: This is the story of Kino and his family. Kino is a broken-hearted father at times when he realizes he is so poor that can’t even attain medical services for his own son, Coyotito, when he is stung by a scorpion. Into the book, however, Kino finds a pearl larger and more valuable than most people in the village have ever seen or even heard of. The book describes how this very fortunate event quickly turns sour for Kino and his family when they find many challenges in dealing with this sudden wealth and local fame.

My Opinion: Greed takes center stage in this book. All I have to say is, “poor Kino”. I really feel bad for him. He is just a husband and father trying to do what’s best for his family and when this great fortune comes to his family, it seems like the people and even the elements are conspiring against him to manipulate him, steal from him and even kill him, all because of the great pearl that he found. It is probably important to note that it is not the pearl that brings on these trials that Kino must face, but rather it is the greed of other individuals (and sometimes Kino himself). I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again… Steinbeck is a great writer, and a simple writer. The story is really good and although this story on the surface is not as sad as most Steinbeck books, I found it pretty sad because I really grew to like Kino and his family so much. It is a good lesson for us to know that we need to be careful for what we wish for, because some day we may get it.

Of Mice and Men

Title: Of Mice and Men

Author:  John Steinbeck

Copyright: 1937

Summary: This is a story about two migrant workers, George and Lenny, also good friends, who are starting a new job on a California farm. Lenny has a mild mental disability and is very dependant on George, while George willingly accepts this responsibility to help care for Lenny and help protect him (often from Lenny’s own actions). Giving much more of a summary will give away the ending, so I will end by saying that George finds it to be increasingly difficult care for Lenny, to protect him and to protect others around them.

My Opinion: First of all, I think Steinbeck is a great writer and he tells a really good story. This book, however, has some pretty sad parts (as if most Steinbeck books don’t). George finds himself in a very tough situation where he really wants to help Lenny and many times in the past, he has really stuck his neck out for Lenny. However, over time he finds it very difficult to continue doing this. As a person who used to work at a mental hospital and has seen hundreds of people that are literally a danger to themselves and others, I can really feel for George when he has situations where he has to choose between being loyal to his friend or doing what many consider to be right for society’s sake. Regardless of whether or not we agree with George’s decisions, it is very interesting to think about what we would do in a similar situation at a similar time in history.

The Call of the Wild

Title: The Call of the Wild

Author:  Jack London

Copyright: 1903

Summary: This story is about Buck, a domesticated dog (Saint Bernard-Shepherd) who lives in California with his owners. One day buck is kidnapped, taken up north and sold to various individuals in the gold rush and sled dog industries. He has good times and bad times and eventually has to make the decision to remain domesticated, or answer the call of the wild.

My Opinion: This book was interesting for me. The first half was a bit depressing because it is a dark time for Buck when a lot of sad things happen to him. He is ripped from his “family” and treated very badly by several owners. By the second half of the book though, Buck has started to figure things out and has some pretty good experiences. The book was enjoyable for the most part, and for that reason, I would recommend it.

Around the World in 80 Days

Title: Around the World in 80 Days

Author:  Jules Verne

Copyright: 1873

Summary: The wealthy main character, Phileas Fogg, claims that it is possible to go around the world in eighty days (keep in mind that the story takes place in the mid to late 1800’s). He is challenged by “friends” to accomplish the feat himself and he accepts the challenge. The story describes his journey around the world, the people he meets and the various challenges that he faces along the way.

My Opinion: I loved this book and it is definitely one of my all time favorites. It is a wonderfully written story and the characters are very likeable. Verne even makes some of the antagonists likeable. I think there is really something for everybody, action, suspense, romance, comedy. And just when you think Fogg has reached an object that seems insurmountable, he uses creativity and ingenuity (and sometimes cold hard cash) and astonishes even his closest friends with his solutions. I think the book is amazing and I can’t imagine what it would have been like to read in the 1800’s. Jules Verne has a new fan.

The Great Gatsby

Title: The Great Gatsby

Author:  F. Scott Fitzgerald

Copyright: 1925

Summary: The book takes place on Long Island, New York after the First World War. The story (which is NOT told from the perspective of Gatsby), basically describes the efforts of Jay Gatsby, a self-made millionaire, in his pursuit of the beautiful Daisy Buchanan, an old flame of Gatsby, who has since married another man.

My Opinion: First of all, I learned that F. Scott Fitzgerald was related to Francis Scott Key and his real name is Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald. Other than that neat trivia gem, this book was just okay for me. I had heard really great things about it and was very excited to read it. I will admit that it is a well-written story but at first I was at a loss to explain why this book is a classic. After thinking about it, I do see the appeal (or at least I know what I’ve gained from reading the book). I would recommend the book, if for nothing else, to have read a classic. But I do see this book almost as a cautionary tale. Most of the characters in the book seem to be very unhappy. I believe there is a direct correlation between their lifestyles and each characters level of happiness. They desire pleasure in all forms, including wealth, luxury, alcohol, immorality and Gatsby’s extravagant parties. In the end, as I said, this was a good story, but for me, it is beneficial because it is lesson about what NOT to do.

Fahrenheit 451

Title: Fahrenheit 451

Author:  Ray Bradbury

Copyright: 1951

Summary: The book is set in a futuristic world where the main character, Guy Montag, is a fireman. In his time, however, a fireman is actually a book burner. If an alarm is called in (a.k.a. somebody told the authorities that you have books and/or they suspect you of having books), the firemen come into your home and burn your books. In many cases they burn your whole house down to be sure you won’t have any books safely hidden. This world that Guy is living in is a world where books are banned. The story is about an awakening that Guy has (sort of like a Matrix moment) where he starts to realize everything he has been taught is a lie. The reader is able to see this awakening occur along with Guy’s reaction to what he sees, hears and learns.

My Opinion: I really liked the book on a few levels. (1) It was downright enjoyable to read. It is a really good story and very creative. I was happy with the ending and if I had one complaint it would be that it was too short. I would have loved to read more. I think the book is about 180 pages or so and I could have taken in another few hundred pages. (2) I think it really shows how small and simple choices, even with the best of intentions, can have far reaching and unintended consequences, whether they are choices made by the general public, by individuals or legislative choices that eventually become laws. In this book, all play a part in creating this sad future. The eventual situation and way of life probably would have sounded utterly ridiculous 100 or even 50 years before when those choices were being made. (3) The world in which the story takes place all started when people willingly stopped reading books, especially the classics. Unfortunately we as a society read way too few books and wrest the classics (including religious texts) way too much. I don’t picture a world quite like Fahrenheit 451, but it does make you wonder what consequences we will see because we are slowly sliding down the same path. (4) Lastly but most importantly, I love how there were believers in a non-believing world. In this case it was all about the books. There were people who resisted on various levels and we see in Guy Montag one reason for this. Humans have a sense of right and wrong. When he was learning the truth he wasn’t just seeing it, hearing it and learning it… he was also feeling it. Sometimes we feel it strongly and sometimes we can’t feel it much at all. But regardless of how many lies we are told, we have a way of discerning right from wrong if we really want to know the difference between the two.