This book has nothin’ , no heroines, just a fat old country woman who doesn’t want to bake bread anymore. No heroes, just a little red-headed runt of a book peddler trying to make a profit, selling books to farmers. No villains, except a vindictive old brother who doesn’t think his sister is capable of thinking for herself and so he has to keep meddling into her affairs and a couple of worthless hoboes. No suspense, except when the hoboes get a gun. No conflict, except the part with the bloody nose. No plot, unless you think Don Quixote running around the country on a quest, making a fool of his self for no known reason, is a plot.
Plot Summary
Little runt peddler sell his business which consists of a wagon full of old books to a heavy set farm woman and they go gallivanting around the country side trying to sell culture to farmers, while he educates her on literature, while her meddling bother tries to stop them and the hoboes do what hoboes do.
Recommendation
It’s hard to recommend this book unless you’re the type that’s only looking for entertainment, in which case, I would recommend it highly - I also feel it's my duty to warn you, it may be considered offensive to hoboes.
William Dean Howells was considered the “Dean of American letters” from the late 19th century, through the first decades of the 20th century. He was a personal friend of Henry James and Mark Twain. He was a strong and influential supporter of many of the up coming writers of the time, including Emily Dickenson, Sarah Orne Jewett, Frank Norris and Stephan Crane among others. He is considered the leader of the American school of “realism”.
The Story
First, Annie Kilburn is not a romance; rather it is a story of class consciences in a small American town. Annie returns from Rome after her father dies to Boxboro Massachusetts, where her family is held in high esteem, as her father was formerly a Congressman. She is called upon by the ladies of the community, to support a charitable event for the benefit of the under privileged working class. But, is it really about charity or is simply a means to justify another round of gossip and frivolous entertainment for the bored and idle upper class of Boxboro?
You figure it out. However, it may not as easy as you think, because everybody has their flaws, in Boxboro.
A very entertaining tale, told by children… good children
This is the story of the Bastable children and their efforts to restore their family fortune as narrated by a very boastful young man, who has requested he be kept nameless, so as to not spoil the story.
The Bastables have fallen upon hard times. Their mother has died and their father, though loving, struggles at his business and as a consequence they are frequently left on their own.
But the Bastable children do not suffer; they love and look out for each other. And, every worn out, humble or useless object in their world is renewed through the magic of their fertile imaginations.
Every day becomes an adventure, every adventure becomes a lesson and every lesson becomes a step on a journey. Or… maybe not, but I do think it is a very nice sentence never the less, don’t you?
This is life as a grand adventure as seen through the eyes of a child. However, it can be enjoyed by anyone seeking to view the world once more with an uncluttered heart.
Four stars, because it’s a children’s story and I’m an adult… but, if nobody were around.. I would give it five.
Nana comes from the streets, a runaway from a dysfunctional family. She becomes an overnight celebrity when she appears nude in a theatrical production while still a teenager. Though she cannot sing and she cannot act, it’s apparent that she has something very powerful - something that men want and women envy.
Men pursue her, they are always around, she gives them pleasure and they give her gifts. They give until they cannot give anymore and then one by one they fall to their ruin. And, while Nana finds pleasure in giving pleasure she does not seek love, only commerce, because commerce begets money, which begets power which begets envy and with enough begetting, one can become a celebrity and so Nana begets.
But, in the end, Nana lies dieing disfigured by disease, while a mob outside joyfully howls, “to Berlin, to Berlin”, anticipating a short and glorious war - with Prussia.
This is a great novel about the rise and fall of Nana and the society that made her a celebrity, a society obsessed with excessive displays of sexual and economic exhibitionism, a society that fortunately, no longer exists…
The story centers on a group of boarders living in a Parisian boardinghouse. The exterior of the boardinghouse appears aged yet respectable but inside; it is old and shabby. The social standing of each residence can be determined by their rent, which is determined in turn by the floor they reside on; the lower the floor the higher the rent.
While, old Goriot slowly ascends the staircase to poverty, in an attempt to buy love, another boarder, young M. Rastignac attempts to ascend into upper society by romancing wealthy young ladies.
So, while old Goriot spends his money trying to buy love, young Rastignac uses love to acquire money and a another boarder the depraved M. Vautrin freely admits his willingness to kill for money.
But, Goriot’s unselfish love makes young Rastignac reconsider his immoral behavior which upsets M. Vautrin plans, and unhappily as a result, nobody is happy.
So, in the end, young Rastignac finds; love cannot be bought, villains may be honorable and society which may appear honorable on the outside can be deceitful and shabby on the inside - which is where we started.
A kindly old man, a troubled young man and a cunning villain combine to make a great novel.
An old man and his young female companion check into an inn. The old man doesn’t appear to be doing well. Word gets around. A pack of wolfish relatives come to the inn concerned for his health as well as the contents of his will. All, make rude remarks about his companion.
However, this old man, Martin Chuzzlewit, regains his spirits and decides to test the mettle and sincerity of his relations by devising a cunning and unscrupulous plan. But, who can prove worthy of this test in this unworthy family?
Cousin Picksniff and his charming daughters, Charity and Mercy (otherwise known as Cherry and Merry), bother Anthony, nephew Jonas or his grandson, young Martin?
Cousin Picksniff is pompous and self-serving, his daughter Charity, sadly lacks charity while his daughter Mercy also known as Merry can become quite melancholy. Brother Anthony is old and miserly whilst young nephew Jonas is oafish, cruel and menacing and alas young Martin is regrettably, both penniless and prideful. All, treat each other with remarkable rudeness.
Caught up in this tale of selfish aggrandizement are the remarkably good hearted Mr. Pinch and his remarkably wonderful sister Ruth along with the kind hearted and overly optimistic Mark Tapely. But, which Chuzzlewit or Picksniff is capable of learning from the likes of these?
Along the way, young Martin and Mr. Tapely journey to America where Mr. Dickens rudely satirizes America’s passion for commerce.
“Men were weighed by their dollars, measures were gauged by their dollars; life was auctioneered, appraised, put up, and knocked down for its dollars. The next respectable thing to dollars was any venture having their attainment for its end. The more of that worthless ballast, honour and fair-dealing, which any man cast overboard from the ship of his Good Nature and Good Intent, the more ample stowage-room he had for dollars. Make commerce one huge lie and mighty theft. Deface the banner of the nation for an idle rag; pollute it star by star; and cut out stripe by stripe as from the arm of a degraded soldier.”
Very rude! And he then goes on to comment on our virtuous pride of freedom and democracy and juxtaposes it with our vociferous defense of slavery and racism in a curious attempt to suggest hypocrisy – most ungracious!
Ok, then they go back and somebody gets murdered, somebody gets married, somebody is exposed, somebody is abandoned, somebody goes to jail, somebody drinks too much, everybody learns a lesson and everybody gets what they deserve… excepting Americans of course.
Actually a tale of two brothers, named James and Henry. James is a demonic charmer, boastful, egocentric and usually broke. Brother Henry is industrious and thrifty, a good man, but also tends to vacillate.
They don't like each other. James likes to tease Henry, by calling him names, taking his money, flirting with his wife and doing other bad things.
But Henry is tougher than you might think and can be quite resourceful when angry. However, this just serves to increase James' anger and make him all the more determined.
A bit of a swashbuckler, a bit of a psychological drama, not bad, not Stevenson at his best, but others who will beg to differ.
Vernon Lee was the pen name of Violet Paget who is known primarily as writer of supernatural fiction. She never married and her appearance could be best described as androgynous or asexual leaving many to speculate she was a lesbian. I don’t know whether that is true or not but I think you will find an element of confused sexuality around many of her characters.
The book consists of four stories involving obsessions with alluring creatures of the past, although it can be stated plainly that some are less alluring than others.
It is apparent Ms. Paget was a scholar of art, culture and history which becomes evident by the exquisite background she paints for each of her obsessive tales.
If you count, Sheridan Le Fanu, William Hope Hodgson and H. P. Lovecraft among your favorite authors of the supernatural, I think you may want to strongly consider adding Ms. Paget as well.
Virginia Wolf referred to her as the “the mother of English fiction.” Dr. Samuel Johnson considered by some as the greatest literary critic of all, held her in the highest esteem. Her novels influenced Jane Austin, William Thackeray and most likely every Victorian writer who followed. Jane Austen took the title of her book Pride and Prejudice directly from the last chapter of this book.
Her appearance makes her look like the embodiment of the Victorian heroine young, pretty, petite, well mannered and fashionable; rather like a small porcelain figurine suitable for mounting on top the piano. Her writing on the other hand suggests her bust would make a very suitable replacement for Mr. Dickens in the library, metaphorically speaking of course.
If you like writers like Austin, Dickens, Eliot and Thackeray you can’t fail to like Fanny Burney, she is that good.
Last a warning, this is a long novel and the language is both rich and dense. But it is also warm-hearted and fun. I hope you give it a try.
John Masefield was the British Poet Laureate from 1930 to 1967. He wrote two classic children’s novels, The Midnight Folk and The Box of Delights.
The Story
Martin Hyde loses his father and moves to London to live with his Uncle. He likes to sneak out at night to seek adventure. Unhappily, while pursuing his pleasure, he gets kidnapped and is then caught up in a civil war between the Duke of Manmouth and his half brother the King.
The Duke is strikingly handsome, charming and Protestant. The people adore the Duke and joyously await the opportunity to fight for his cause. He also benefits by having the young Mr. Hyde on his side.
The King is not particularly handsome, is certainly not charming, is an absolute monarch, is definitely Catholic and as a consequence is not very much liked by the Protestants, of which there are plenty. However he compensates by being cunning and resolute; he also owns the treasury and pays the army.
So who triumphs? --the wealthy unpopular King and his army or the handsome Duke and his rebellious peasants; and what role does our scrappy hero, Mr. Hyde play?
Well, you can read about it in a history book. (Although, good luck with the young Mr. Hyde question and I guess you will continue to know nothing about the charming and mysterious Miss Aurelia as well.) Or, you could read this book.
This book is well written, fast paced and a great deal more fun. However, the choice remains yours, but chose wisely, for Mr. Hyde and Miss Aurelia wait within.
Francis BlueDevil’s book reviews
This book has nothin’ , no heroines, just a fat old country woman who doesn’t want to bake bread anymore. No heroes, just a little red-headed runt of a book peddler trying to make a profit, selling books to farmers. No villains, except a vindictive old brother who doesn’t think his sister is capable of thinking for herself and so he has to keep meddling into her affairs and a couple of worthless hoboes. No suspense, except when the hoboes get a gun. No conflict, except the part with the bloody nose. No plot, unless you think Don Quixote running around the country on a quest, making a fool of his self for no known reason, is a plot.
Plot Summary
Little runt peddler sell his business which consists of a wagon full of old books to a heavy set farm woman and they go gallivanting around the country side trying to sell culture to farmers, while he educates her on literature, while her meddling bother tries to stop them and the hoboes do what hoboes do.
Recommendation
It’s hard to recommend this book unless you’re the type that’s only looking for entertainment, in which case, I would recommend it highly - I also feel it's my duty to warn you, it may be considered offensive to hoboes.
The Author
William Dean Howells was considered the “Dean of American letters” from the late 19th century, through the first decades of the 20th century. He was a personal friend of Henry James and Mark Twain. He was a strong and influential supporter of many of the up coming writers of the time, including Emily Dickenson, Sarah Orne Jewett, Frank Norris and Stephan Crane among others. He is considered the leader of the American school of “realism”.
The Story
First, Annie Kilburn is not a romance; rather it is a story of class consciences in a small American town. Annie returns from Rome after her father dies to Boxboro Massachusetts, where her family is held in high esteem, as her father was formerly a Congressman. She is called upon by the ladies of the community, to support a charitable event for the benefit of the under privileged working class. But, is it really about charity or is simply a means to justify another round of gossip and frivolous entertainment for the bored and idle upper class of Boxboro?
You figure it out. However, it may not as easy as you think, because everybody has their flaws, in Boxboro.
A very entertaining tale, told by children… good children
This is the story of the Bastable children and their efforts to restore their family fortune as narrated by a very boastful young man, who has requested he be kept nameless, so as to not spoil the story.
The Bastables have fallen upon hard times. Their mother has died and their father, though loving, struggles at his business and as a consequence they are frequently left on their own.
But the Bastable children do not suffer; they love and look out for each other. And, every worn out, humble or useless object in their world is renewed through the magic of their fertile imaginations.
Every day becomes an adventure, every adventure becomes a lesson and every lesson becomes a step on a journey. Or… maybe not, but I do think it is a very nice sentence never the less, don’t you?
This is life as a grand adventure as seen through the eyes of a child. However, it can be enjoyed by anyone seeking to view the world once more with an uncluttered heart.
Four stars, because it’s a children’s story and I’m an adult… but, if nobody were around.. I would give it five.
Nana comes from the streets, a runaway from a dysfunctional family. She becomes an overnight celebrity when she appears nude in a theatrical production while still a teenager. Though she cannot sing and she cannot act, it’s apparent that she has something very powerful - something that men want and women envy.
Men pursue her, they are always around, she gives them pleasure and they give her gifts. They give until they cannot give anymore and then one by one they fall to their ruin. And, while Nana finds pleasure in giving pleasure she does not seek love, only commerce, because commerce begets money, which begets power which begets envy and with enough begetting, one can become a celebrity and so Nana begets.
But, in the end, Nana lies dieing disfigured by disease, while a mob outside joyfully howls, “to Berlin, to Berlin”, anticipating a short and glorious war - with Prussia.
This is a great novel about the rise and fall of Nana and the society that made her a celebrity, a society obsessed with excessive displays of sexual and economic exhibitionism, a society that fortunately, no longer exists…
While, old Goriot slowly ascends the staircase to poverty, in an attempt to buy love, another boarder, young M. Rastignac attempts to ascend into upper society by romancing wealthy young ladies.
So, while old Goriot spends his money trying to buy love, young Rastignac uses love to acquire money and a another boarder the depraved M. Vautrin freely admits his willingness to kill for money.
But, Goriot’s unselfish love makes young Rastignac reconsider his immoral behavior which upsets M. Vautrin plans, and unhappily as a result, nobody is happy.
So, in the end, young Rastignac finds; love cannot be bought, villains may be honorable and society which may appear honorable on the outside can be deceitful and shabby on the inside - which is where we started.
A kindly old man, a troubled young man and a cunning villain combine to make a great novel.
An old man and his young female companion check into an inn. The old man doesn’t appear to be doing well. Word gets around. A pack of wolfish relatives come to the inn concerned for his health as well as the contents of his will. All, make rude remarks about his companion.
However, this old man, Martin Chuzzlewit, regains his spirits and decides to test the mettle and sincerity of his relations by devising a cunning and unscrupulous plan. But, who can prove worthy of this test in this unworthy family?
Cousin Picksniff and his charming daughters, Charity and Mercy (otherwise known as Cherry and Merry), bother Anthony, nephew Jonas or his grandson, young Martin?
Cousin Picksniff is pompous and self-serving, his daughter Charity, sadly lacks charity while his daughter Mercy also known as Merry can become quite melancholy. Brother Anthony is old and miserly whilst young nephew Jonas is oafish, cruel and menacing and alas young Martin is regrettably, both penniless and prideful. All, treat each other with remarkable rudeness.
Caught up in this tale of selfish aggrandizement are the remarkably good hearted Mr. Pinch and his remarkably wonderful sister Ruth along with the kind hearted and overly optimistic Mark Tapely. But, which Chuzzlewit or Picksniff is capable of learning from the likes of these?
Along the way, young Martin and Mr. Tapely journey to America where Mr. Dickens rudely satirizes America’s passion for commerce.
“Men were weighed by their dollars, measures were gauged by their dollars; life was auctioneered, appraised, put up, and knocked down for its dollars. The next respectable thing to dollars was any venture having their attainment for its end. The more of that worthless ballast, honour and fair-dealing, which any man cast overboard from the ship of his Good Nature and Good Intent, the more ample stowage-room he had for dollars. Make commerce one huge lie and mighty theft. Deface the banner of the nation for an idle rag; pollute it star by star; and cut out stripe by stripe as from the arm of a degraded soldier.”
Very rude! And he then goes on to comment on our virtuous pride of freedom and democracy and juxtaposes it with our vociferous defense of slavery and racism in a curious attempt to suggest hypocrisy – most ungracious!
Ok, then they go back and somebody gets murdered, somebody gets married, somebody is exposed, somebody is abandoned, somebody goes to jail, somebody drinks too much, everybody learns a lesson and everybody gets what they deserve… excepting Americans of course.
Five stars less one for rudeness 
Actually a tale of two brothers, named James and Henry. James is a demonic charmer, boastful, egocentric and usually broke. Brother Henry is industrious and thrifty, a good man, but also tends to vacillate.
They don't like each other. James likes to tease Henry, by calling him names, taking his money, flirting with his wife and doing other bad things.
But Henry is tougher than you might think and can be quite resourceful when angry. However, this just serves to increase James' anger and make him all the more determined.
A bit of a swashbuckler, a bit of a psychological drama, not bad, not Stevenson at his best, but others who will beg to differ.
Obsessive tales of old fancies
Vernon Lee was the pen name of Violet Paget who is known primarily as writer of supernatural fiction. She never married and her appearance could be best described as androgynous or asexual leaving many to speculate she was a lesbian. I don’t know whether that is true or not but I think you will find an element of confused sexuality around many of her characters.
The book consists of four stories involving obsessions with alluring creatures of the past, although it can be stated plainly that some are less alluring than others.
It is apparent Ms. Paget was a scholar of art, culture and history which becomes evident by the exquisite background she paints for each of her obsessive tales.
If you count, Sheridan Le Fanu, William Hope Hodgson and H. P. Lovecraft among your favorite authors of the supernatural, I think you may want to strongly consider adding Ms. Paget as well.
The Author
Virginia Wolf referred to her as the “the mother of English fiction.” Dr. Samuel Johnson considered by some as the greatest literary critic of all, held her in the highest esteem. Her novels influenced Jane Austin, William Thackeray and most likely every Victorian writer who followed. Jane Austen took the title of her book Pride and Prejudice directly from the last chapter of this book.
Her appearance makes her look like the embodiment of the Victorian heroine young, pretty, petite, well mannered and fashionable; rather like a small porcelain figurine suitable for mounting on top the piano. Her writing on the other hand suggests her bust would make a very suitable replacement for Mr. Dickens in the library, metaphorically speaking of course.
If you like writers like Austin, Dickens, Eliot and Thackeray you can’t fail to like Fanny Burney, she is that good.
Last a warning, this is a long novel and the language is both rich and dense. But it is also warm-hearted and fun. I hope you give it a try.
The Author
John Masefield was the British Poet Laureate from 1930 to 1967. He wrote two classic children’s novels, The Midnight Folk and The Box of Delights.
The Story
Martin Hyde loses his father and moves to London to live with his Uncle. He likes to sneak out at night to seek adventure. Unhappily, while pursuing his pleasure, he gets kidnapped and is then caught up in a civil war between the Duke of Manmouth and his half brother the King.
The Duke is strikingly handsome, charming and Protestant. The people adore the Duke and joyously await the opportunity to fight for his cause. He also benefits by having the young Mr. Hyde on his side.
The King is not particularly handsome, is certainly not charming, is an absolute monarch, is definitely Catholic and as a consequence is not very much liked by the Protestants, of which there are plenty. However he compensates by being cunning and resolute; he also owns the treasury and pays the army.
So who triumphs? --the wealthy unpopular King and his army or the handsome Duke and his rebellious peasants; and what role does our scrappy hero, Mr. Hyde play?
Well, you can read about it in a history book. (Although, good luck with the young Mr. Hyde question and I guess you will continue to know nothing about the charming and mysterious Miss Aurelia as well.) Or, you could read this book.
This book is well written, fast paced and a great deal more fun. However, the choice remains yours, but chose wisely, for Mr. Hyde and Miss Aurelia wait within.