I was within and without, simultaneously enchanted and repelled by the inexhaustible variety of life. The Great Gatsby is the quintessential American novel of glamor, irony, and social class. A profound exploration of the American Dream, the novel presents the timeless themes of wealth, class, and love in the most…
A generational family history told by the narrator, born as intersex and raised as Calliope later turned Cal, Jeffrey Eugenides’s Middlesex is a rare, unconventional gem of fiction. The family saga is rich and full of drama. It ran seamlessly when the book picked up its pace, despite its inconsistency…
Persuasion is my second Jane Austen book after Pride and Prejudice. Stylistically, there are some major differences that I can assume make these books appeal to different groups. If I had to sum it up simply, it would be that while Pride and Prejudice excels in wittiness and character development, Persuasion embraces more of…
The evening’s the best part of the day. You’ve done your day’s work. Now you can put your feet up and enjoy it. Kazuo Ishiguro in The Remains of the Day There is a certain experience that comes with reading this book. Intensely moving and perceptive, The Remains of the…
“Chess isn’t always competitive. Chess can also be beautiful.” Walter Tevis The Queen’s Gambit by Walter Tevis follows the story of a prodigious girl as she explores the world of chess and gradually loses herself to addiction. It is an analytical and fast-paced novel that wraps itself around Elizabeth Harmon’s…
“In the winter of 1561, Lucrezia, Duchess of Ferrara, is taken on an unexpected visit to a country villa by her husband, Alfonso. As they sit down to dinner, it occurs to her that their journey to this lonely place has a sinister purpose: he intends to kill her.” Maggie…
William Stoner lives a quiet life. After his death, he’s hardly remembered; during his life, he moves from his family’s farm to the University of Missouri, where he becomes a teacher. He falls in love with literature and teaching, but never rises above the rank of an assistant professor; he…
Right off the bat, the premise of this book caught my attention. Two magicians, bound for a life-and-death duel in a breathtaking circus…end up falling desperately in love. Who wouldn’t love a story so fairytale-like? Reading this book, I was impressed at how smooth a read it was. A large…