Fiction Literature Books

I had to force myself to put this book down and enjoy it SLOWLY. Truly amazing!

The Shack is a powerful piece of literature that can open your eyes to a revolutionay way to live and love. It showcases the Holy Trinity as real personalities with no religious or political agenda. Anyone who has ever wondered why God does what he/she does and about their own role in the universe will find something here to hang on to.

This is the most amazing book I have EVER read (and I read a lot)! I wish I had enough $$ to buy one for everyone I know. It will definately be birthday and Christmas gifts for a long time to come. It will change your life.

This book is an Everyman's book .It gives an overview of how many people view their relationship with the entire Deity of God. It is void of rules and directions of how we should be, but rather takes us on a journey of what we are and who God is. It's simplicty is it's strength and allows the reader to work through some highly complex issues that we probably have all wondered about from time to time. A must read and re-read many times.Today's "Pilgrims Progress".

A friend recommended this book. I bought it and began to read it in a casual way. I became so riveted so quickly, I could not put it down. One reading is not enough. It is a blessing and deeply healing--as one of my friends said, it is worth going to the difficult places the author takes you. It gives you a deeper revelation of the love of our precious Lord. Get it in hardback, you will want to have it for a long time!!!

This is a master piece in literature and should be read not only by student but everyone who enjoy a good written book. It is richly set in the jazz era and portraits the life and shallowness of Gatsby the main character. An impossible love and the empty life he lives in pursue of this undeserving girl. A great work of art.

Anna del C.
Author of "The Elf and the Princess"
and "Trouble in the Elf City"
The Elf and The Princess: The Silent Warrior Trilogy - Book One (The Silent Warrior Trilogy)

F. Scott Fitzgerald's timeless classic is evocative, stirring and unsettling. I had not read this book in thirty years and decided to re-read it while looking for another book at the library. I can now understand why leading experts believe this is one of the best if not the best American novel in the last one hundred years. It has it all: lost love, class struggle, deceit, betrayal and murder. Fitzgerald's descriptive prose is exquisite. His imagery shines every step of the way. I highly recommend reading this great American novel!

Surely everything has been said before. BUT, I shall point out that if you like Gatsby, you will probably love Fitzgerald's short stories as well. Also, there are several interesting books written about F.Scott Fitzgerald and his wife Zelda--two truly compelling people who lived somewhat reckless rock star lives long before we watched rock stars burn out on MTV reality shows.

The Modern Library declares that this is the 2nd greatest novel of the 20th century?

Are you serious? Above Lolita.

and let's not forget the novels the list completely disregarded, that trample all over Fitzgerald's poorly dated morality tale:

Gravity's Rainbow
V.
The Crying of Lot 49
White Noise
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
Journey to the end of the Night
Naked Lunch
Blood Meridian
The Stranger
The Old man and the Sea

Seriously, Fitzgerald just was no good, and pales horribly in comparison to the true giant of 20th century American literature; Hemingway

It has been a while since I read a book in one sitting. It has also been a while since I first read "The Great Gatsby". Since then, I read articles and saw movies about F. Scott Fotzgerald and his wife Zelda. It is hard not to draw some similarities between Fitzgerald's best work and the way his own life ended. Without going thru the plot, this is all american story about difference between old money and new money. Not all rich are created equal. It is also a story of obsessive love that will not let go. Can a man love so much that getting rich in order to be close to the woman of his dreams can consume his entire life? How much does it take for a person to understand that one cannot live in the past? Love story is set in it's moment, time and place. Once any one of the components is not there, love is not the same or there is none at all left. And then of course, there is pure love and there is recklessness - way of using people and there emotions as means of reassuring ourselves - with always disasterous outcomes. This book talks about all of that in a way that feels like being said in one breath. Storytelling is so compelling and language so beautiful, you cannot put this book down until you are finished reading it.

This is a great book. The violence was hard to take but I understood why the author felt that is was necessary.

What more can be said about "A Thousand Splendid Suns"? It is an astonishingly good novel and proves without doubt that Hosseini is no one-hit literary wonder. Whilst I didn't get into it from the get-go the way I did with "The Kite Runner", that is a minor quibble. The plotline and main characters are remarkable, memorable and heartbreaking. The novel gives a unique perspective on the living hell that is everday life in Kabul, Afghanistan, told through the eyes of two women at very different stages in their lives who are brought together in heartbreaking circumstances. They have to endure living their lives in a manner that I find horrific to contemplate, and Hosseini really brings to life their unlikely friendship and struggle to endure intolerable personal circumstances. I cannot recommend "A Thousand Splendid Suns" highly enough and have given it a 5-Star rating.

I enjoy Hosseini's writing style. A good way to learn the history of Afganistan.

I can't say enough good things about this novel, it was perfect. I loved every page, every paragraph, every word.
Thank you Khaled for another fantastic read, keep up the good work!

I loved this book! I'm a slow reader and I was so engrossed in the story, I finished it in five days! When you're staying up all night reading, you know it's a good book!

I was so moved by the story, I bought The Kite Runner afterwards. This book really gives us a sense of what Afghans are going through, especially the women of Afghanistan. This is a touching and inspirational story and I recommend it to everyone!

This is a hard book for me to describe. It is the first novel that I have ever read by Cormac McCarthy and, perhaps, will be the only one I ever read. The Road is by turns hopeful, bleak, devestating, horrifying and... Wll, just nearly impossible to put down. From the opening scene in the unnamed fathers nighmare to the closing scenes it held my attention like few other novels have in recent years.

I cannot recommend this book enough. Read it, I believe you will not be disappointed.

The novel is about the despair and hope againgst knowing better of a father that wants to save his child in a world that has lost life and above all, it's civilization. There's hardly any indication of what caused this situation (probably a nuclear war) but that's not important. The description of the scenery is breathtaking. The world is all gray and covered in mist, with ashes being swept around by a cold wind. What remains of life are the stubs of burnt trees; what is left of civilization are the houses that they have to plunder in order to find food. Of course other survivers have plundered the same houses before them. The agony and despair of the father as their physical condition wears down are heartbreaking.
In its grayness, a great book.

I read it. But being a post-apocalyptic fan, this story felt short. The relationship between the father and the son was endearing, but the simplicity of the story which most people seemed to enjoy was actually what I enjoyed the least. It felt like I was watching an incredibly slow movie that would end up getting an Oscar.

Everyone is entitled to they're own opinion, but for post-apoc fans, I don't think you'll dig this one too much. But hey I might be wrong. I def was annoyed by the language throughout the whole book. But then again I didn't see what the big deal was abt. No Country for Old men either, so gauge this review on that.

THE ROAD is a brutal examination of what awaits mankind when the ultimate disaster strikes. A man and his son try to survive in the desolate wasteland the Earth has become; no explanation is given for this apocalypse, but the only survivors of it appear to be human. As the unnamed pair head south in the hopes of finding something other than the impending death winter will bring in the North, they confront what humanity has devolved into, wild packs that prey upon others for their own survival. Armed with a gun that has few bullets, the man uses his wits and a feral sense of survival to keep his son from falling prey to the elements and others. He finds himself hampered by his son's will to believe that he and his father are "good guys" searching for others like themselves, and when the situation class for drastic action, the boy is, in a way, humanity's last hope; the one thing keeping his father from descending to the level of the others they have encountered. McCarthy has succeeded in creating a realistic endpoint, the why and how are not important, it just is. The barren landscapes and the occasional breaks from danger that take place only continue to build the feelings of tension until the conclusion is reached, leaving this reader breathless. McCarthy's work is one of genius, an examination of how fragile our society is and it is filled with a sense of despair and wonder that few novels can hope to create.

Did you know McCarthy wrote 'No Country For Old Men'?
I was really surprised at the depth of the movie, but didn't know it was based on McCarthy's book until I started reading 'The Road'. Well, this changed the way I approached his book.

'The Road' is a very vivid, very engaging and at the same time very subliminal read.
It's a story of two survivors (of a mere handful) from a nuclear obliteration. They, a man and a child (McCarthy never names them in the book, or their ages) make their way to the Gulf Coast while at the same time battling their fears, the utter desolation, the human savagery (apparently all others have turned to cannibalism with no other food in sight) and the unknown that lays ahead.

In the midst of painting this environment, McCarthy explores the inner struggles of each of the two characters and make for a good case of what makes a man human and what makes him a savage. The book is written with exceptional clarity, the dialog is kept simple yet very meaningful.

I recommend it and if you haven't seen 'No Country For Old Men', put it on your to-view list.

by Simon Cleveland

I read this book in one day. Not necessarily because it was a "can't put it down page-turner", but more because I had a Sunday with nothing else to do. I am always a fan of well-researched work, and Gruen has definitely done her work here. I was somewhat disappointed in the lack of details in character development and/or setting, but that's just a personal preference. I have read some other reviews that say the book was drawn out and too lengthy, but I disagree. I feel that it moved rather well and flowed. My biggest problem with the book was the last chapter. It seemed to be a bit too fanciful and didn't really match the tone of the rest of the book. Still definitely worth reading though.

I must say that when I first saw this book, I was a little skeptical of whether or not it would be worthy of buying or reading. I am pretty picky about what I read, because I get sick of reading books with the same type of love theme or crime theme, and etc. over and over again; you get the picture. I took a chance and bought the book, and found the plot to be a definite page turner in terms of the suspense that subtly builds and makes one want to know what was happening in each of the two major time eras of the characters' lives. I think that "Water for Elephants" was written in a unique style and gives the reader better insight into the characters' lives and it definitely paints a vivid picture of Depression-era circuses by mixing some facts with the fictional storyline without sounding like a history textbook.

Amazing book!! Starts of slowly and snowballs into a fabulous tale... you won't be disappointed!!

I read this book and am doing a book review for my book club for same. I bought this audio version to listen to the book and refresh my memory. It was great! The readers were great and the book is terrific.

This is one of my all-time favorites! For some reason, I put off reading this book for months. I tried to convince myself that it didn't look interesting. Was I ever wrong! This will stay in my house, I will not trade or sell it, or loan it out. It's that good! Reading the author's notes, I discovered it was based on the the Biblical story of Jacob. Then I had to read it all over again! And I still loved it!

This was the absolute WORST book I've ever read in my life. My English teacher made me read it over the summer and I hated it. It's this boring hard to understand book about this guy in Nigeria just livin' his life. Then he accedentally kills this kid and is sent into excile for seven years. These people come from Europe trying to make the people more civilized and become Christians. So this guy gets mad when he comes back from exile. While they were at a meeting trying to figure out what to do, a messenger comes and the guy gets mad and shoots him. Then he goes home and hangs himself. All of that happens in the three hundred pages. It was an awful book and I would not suggest it to anyone. I wish I could give it no stars. Yeah, it was that bad.

This is probably the worst book I've ever read. It's very difficult to follow and leaves out much which could explain to the uninitiate the point of the book. As someone who has read thousands of books (literally!), I found this one stilted and forced, unreadable, pointless, unpleasant, poor character development, etc. ad nauseum. The only reason I read it is that I couldn't believe my 8th grader when he said the teacher who assigned it said it was a bad book (and, yes, she assigned it anyway!). It is an excellent example of how not to write a book you want people to read. Avoid this one like the plague, unless you've read every other book on the face of the planet.

I know this is the classic debate of all time when it comes to literature: Is it about beautifully written prose (THE STORY OF EDGAR SAWTELLE, incidentally, is a good example of this problem) or does it tell a compelling story? (yet the prose itself is not its strong point).

It seems that many works of fiction these days are of the former and unfortunately, not enough of the latter. I recently re-read this book along with another classic, JOHNNY GOT HIS GUN, after a discussion I had with a friend about this very subject. As a middle-aged person, I often look back at the books that made a difference in my life and much of the time, it's not about the author's writing style. Achebe's is a plain, straightforward style, but it's what he is conveying that is so striking about this story. (I am a bit miffed at the "English" teachers and the like who are downing this book!) Bottom line: I was left with a lasting impression that stayed with me. I can't say that many books do this today.

All I can say is pick up this read and decide for yourselves. Bottom line, this story is just as relevant today as it was so many years ago when it first appeared. These issues are universal and the world today is replete with similar conflicts. It's unfortunate to have to go back in time to find classic works of fiction, but sometimes there are exceptions. Check out--SIM0N LAZARUS, a word of mouth wonder more should know about.

Chinua Achebe is an accomplished Nigerian writer. "Things Fall Apart" is reputed by Wikipedia to be the most widely read book in modern African literature and has made Achebe the most widely translated African writer of all time.

The book deals with the impact of a foreign culture (the British Empire expanding into Nigeria) on the traditional ways of life and tribal beliefs of the Ibo people of Nigeria. History tells us who inevitably won that "clash of civilisations".

In the book the destruction of a tribal community comes at the hands of well-meaning, but fundamentally arrogant, Christian missionaries, supported by the "civilising mission" of government officials.

Many of the old Ibo beliefs and customs (at least as described by Achebe) were violent and superstitious. The superstition should be no problem for any objective reader - after all, it is simply a different form of spiritual belief to that which most Western readers will be used to, no worse and no better than any of the major religions, just different.

Unfortunately for the Ibo, it was these very beliefs that the christian missionaries found repugnant - perhaps more so than the violence.

However, it is the violence of men towards one another and towards women and children that will appal most modern readers.

Of course, this is a work of fiction and the non-Nigerian reader has no hope of knowing how realistic is the traditional village culture portrayed. Nigerian readers will immediately be able to put it into the correct perspective.

Without any other cultural background or context, books like this in the hands of the unthinking reader can perpetuate stereotypes and even do harm. There is already too much ignorance of, and intolerance to, the customs of other people. One has only to think of today's general ignorance and stereotyping of Muslims - and the general ignorance and stereotyping of Russians during the Cold War.

Sadly, traditional customs and beliefs, even languages, are under increasing threat from the blandishments of the modern world. This is a pity. Most cultural beliefs have a valid place in the human community and are worthy of preservation, as an historical and anthropological record if nothing else. Many of the social and other problems that beset traditional peoples can be laid at the feet of the destruction of customs and beliefs.

The challenge is not only to protect traditional customs, but also to do so in ways that are consistent with preventing violence in those communities. It is difficult, for example, to make any case in favour of female circumcision.

On another level the book can be read as the human tragedy of the principal character, Okonkwo. To our eyes he is a flawed figure, but to his tribe he was an important man.

Achebe's style is very spare and the text is pared to the bone, with few adjectives and adverbs. Sentence constructions are very simple - but not naïve or unsophisticated. Hemingway and other famous writers used a similar style. I like it very much.

I found it helpful to read the Wikipedia entries after I had started the book. This gave me some background and made my reading a more meaningful exercise.

This book made me confront important matters: the clash of civilisations and comparative spiritual beliefs. "Things Fall Apart" is an important book and worth reading.

I was surprised and disappointed in some of the incredibly harsh reviews of this book. Since I've read a decent amount of African literature (not a vast amount), my first thoughts are that "Things Fall Apart" isn't superior to some of those novels. However, it is also important to realize this was a pre-cursor and likely an influence on many if not all of those more recent novels. One needs to think about the historical context and timeframe that this book was written in, the late 1950s. There had not been a large acceptance nor critical recognition of African literature in the Western world during that time, especially of literature from Africa. Achebe's novel had played a critical roled putting African literature on the world map.

The novel centers on one of the leaders of a Nigerian tribe, Okonkwo. Achebe divides the novel into three parts -- setting up tribal life and the Okonkwo's family, his exile to his mother's ancestral tribe and Okonkwo's return to his tribe. The other important theme underlying the story centers on the impact of colonialism, specifically Christianity, on African tribal life.

What "Things Fall Apart" provides us with is deeper knowledge of African tribal life, the customs and mores of a people and the affect of outside influences, in this case Western culture, on traditional tribal life. The book has an elegant simplicity to it, matching the picture Achebe paints of tribal life. While there are a few bits that move slowly, this is a short book and is worthy of a read for both the influence and impact it has had on African literature as well as the the knowledge of a different culture and people that many of us are unlikely to encounter during our life.

In Khaled Hosseini's Kite Runner we're introduced to two young boys growing up together in war-torn Afganistan. The timeline is set in the early 70s and these two yong boys are put under terrible strain by horrifing events. But it's what happens at a kite flying tournament that really pushes this friendship to its limit. Amir is the main character and the book is told from his point of view now a man. But the real heart felt moments occur when Amir returns to Afganistan to rescue his childhood bestfriend's son. Everything said about this book is true. It's heartfelt, well-written, and tear jerking. It's a great first novel by an incredibly talented author. I'd also like to recommend another incredibly talented author: Georgiou Tino if you missed his book: The Fates, I'd recommend reading it.

Fates (2nd Edition)

I just finished this book and it was EXCELLENT! It's written so well and the story itself is something that is so real and can be true. It's such a heartbreaking tale which made me cry in several occasions! I felt everything that the characters felt! This book is not for the faint hearted, there are some very serious and emotional issues that not everyone can read or handle. But even with all that, it's a moving story and well worth the read.

Just finished this book yesterday.

Great novel.
Tells of unconditional love, unwavering loyalty... and then betrayal followed by ultimate redemption.

This book can move you to tears at some point.
It's one of the stories that you'll remember for a long time.

'For you, a thousand times over'.

I found this fiction as very gripping and thoroughly enjoyed it. Only complain i have is that the lead character grew bold all of a sudden. I can accept that the lead character is faced with hostility in Afghanistan but his reaction to it is something that I don't find realistic; even for someone having strong feeling of redemption. Though in author's defence, this is not the first time I have seen in fictions where lead characters suddenly become heroes.

A tear came down when I finished this book. And, btw, I liked the movie too (for different reasons).

I've read all of the Harry Potter books aloud to my son (who is now 10), and, while we're not yet far into Deathly Hallows, we can see that it will be as fun as all the others. We became engrossed in it from Page One. We're excited to see how the series ends, but we'll miss reading it. It's not only been a good read, but a great experience for us to have together. He could certainly be reading it alone at this point, but we wouldn't miss the shared enjoyment.

Product true to description, good condition, great seller, moderately timed shipping. would buy from again! thank you!

My book is missing pages 83-114. I've looked all the way through my book, but it's not there. Has this happen to anyone else?

Overall:
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4 stars - A fairly satisfying ending to the Dark Lord / Harry Potter saga -- the ending is a bit weak, slightly cliched and a lot of dead cool characters.
Harry controls the final confrontation with the Dark Lord yet gives the Dark Lord a way out (why?). The Dark Lord's insanity combined with meglomania is his downfall not Harry Potter. It is a cheapening of what one expected from Harry Potter.

The search for the Horcruxes is only really possible due to Hermiene's knowledge of magic and magical skills. Harry does show much character and pushes for understanding the Deathly Hallows but really it is more a plot device than anything else. The Dark Lord is blinded by power (searching for the Elder Wand) when he should be finishing off the opposition with the ruthlessness of hardened, paranoid war lord.

The great losses by the forces of good seem to be trivialized by the epilogue. I was looking for some type of memorial / recognition of the sacrifices made. The life as usual with the references of respect by naming of the various children is touching but not enough.

Characters:
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The deaths of main characters "off-screen" is disappointing and cheapens their loss. Frankly, I cared much more about the characters that died off-screen than the potential loss of Harry's life. It is strange to think the side-characters were more important; I guess the sacrafice they were willing to make for a friend and the side of good is more compelling than Harry's battle with the Dark Lord.

The assault on Hogswort showed a tremendous amount of the internal qualities of the side characters than Harry. Harry raised the you can not do this as I will not have your death on my conscious non-sense again. Harry is clearly missing the point of friendship, trust, sacrafice and need to fight evil/darkness at all costs. Why does Ron and Hermiene have to be Harry's conscience all the time? The characters understand the risk but they also understand what is at stake -- please give them some credit!

Mrs. Weasley: She rocks! It was great to see her step up as it is hinted that she is a formittable witch in the other books.

Snape: He is one of the best characters in a very long time for me. He is very complex and well developed. I did not like how it was all tied back to silent love of a character that is barely developed. If you are going to tied up so much of your life for a lost love, the lost love should be developed in more detail.

Harry: The sudden rash of logistical ability to get the horcruxes is out of character for him. The sudden wisdom to appreciate what Dumbledore had setup is out of character and seems forced just to get the story to a conclusion. It is good that he finally accepts people for being able to think and work as a team (not guided by him).

The selflessness of Harry that the ability to turn down the Deathly Hallows is not done well as it conflicts with his selfness internal discussions. I appreciate that Harry is supposed to be the bright shining light of all that is good but the suddenness of being selfless does not quite work for me; it needed more development as I have found Harry to be very selfish in a lot of ways through out the series.

Ginny: She is a good character that deserves more development.

Dobbie: A good tie in here and lead up to the final battle. A way to turn an annoying character from early on into a real character.

Plot:
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The plot is pretty straight forward as it needs to resolve the Dark Lord vs. Harry situation...does the evil triumuph over good. The race between the Dark Lord and Harry's small group is reasonably well done. However, the Dark Lord would have realized the problem with the Elder Wand before the final showdown.

The Deathly Hallows is an interesting plot device but should have been mentioned in the prior books. It seems like it was added as a way to wrap up the series while the rest of the books show a clear well-developed back story. Note: this is a minor point given the level of complex back story JKR has developed for the other books.

Action:
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The final assault is well done with good pacing. The "good" guys should really have been wiping out attackers more effectively as they would fight together better than typical one-on-one tactics of the Death Eaters...the concept of surpressing fire, area of effect spells and defensive casting would really have helped the good guys. Also, it is a war and killing the attackers is ok...war is hell!

Prose:
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The prose is on par with the other stories.

Summary:
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Overall: 4 stars
Characters: 3 to 3.5 stars
Plot: 3 stars
Action: 4 to 4.5 stars -- the assault is well done
Prose: 3 stars

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Book 7)

This is the last book in the Harry Potter series. Before the book was released, I had a lot of questions that remained unanswered. I wondered how J.K. Rowling would tie up all the "loose-ends". I began reading this series in first grade, and as I read each book found that the story line became darker because it focused more on Harry and Voldemort, and less on how wonderful it would be to be a wizard. This was sort of disturbing because Harry lived through such horrible events. However, since I wanted to know what would happen to each of the characters, I read the book and quickly began to enjoy myself.

Harry's skills as a wizard and his endurance are put to the test when he is attacked by Death Eaters at Weasley's home. Harry, Ron and Hermione set out to find and destroy a series of horcruxes which contain different parts of Voldemort. They learn many things about Dumbledore during their journey and learn that he had a complicated life. Their journey eventually takes them back to Hogwart's where the join forces with Neville, Luna, Ginny and others who battle against Voldemort in a final confrontation. In the end, it is Neville who proves that he is a powerful wizard too.

The book had a lot of twists and turns, but in the end good triumphs over evil. We know that Harry finds some well deserved peace and happiness, and that Ron and Hermoine were destined for each other. We are left to imagine what the next generation of wizards will be like. Can you imagine what it would be like to be Harry and Ginny's child? I think this might make a good book...or two.

You know what, I was about to put that book down and stop reading it. I heard so many people telling what a good book/movie it was so I was curious to find out why.

The first half of the book was really dragging and sometimes seemed irrelevant and boring, but it totally turned around starting at chapter 17 (I know, a loooong way to go, but don't give up). I was amazed at how well it ended, though.

I only give it 3 stars because of the slow-moving development of the plot. However, I still think it's worth reading.

1. Does the law treat individuals differently based on race? Yes. In 1836, Maycomb, Alabama is shock of talk of rape. The accused talk of rape of a white woman by a black man. The facts of the case were circumstantial and the jury strongly biased towards protecting a long standing ideology. Justice was far from equally administrated. Generally, a white mans word superseded a contradictory claim by a black man. Judge Taylor brought a bible tone overture to the court room and a eye contemptuous of Bob Ewelle. The incestuous probable, Bob Ewelle, states that he heard Mayella Ewelle screaming and peer through the window and saw Tom Robinson "rutting on Mayella". Atticus could not control the damage done, the court immediately erupted into a frenzy. Judge Taylor pound his gavel until exhaustion. Christian citizens declared with fervor a determination to protect their women from such beasts. Atticus revealed through cross examination that the attacker was left handed. If a court demonstation, Atticus requested that Bob Ewelle sign his name; Bob Ewelle was left handed; the attacker was left handed; and Tom Robinson had no use of his crippled left hand; and Mayella injury was to the left eye. The sheriff, Hector, tells the court that he say Mayella with injuries. Atticus disturbingly shows the jury that a weak crime scene procedure was follow with the absence of a doctor requested to verify rape. Mayella does not deviate from her claim that Tom Robinson raped her, family loyalty embedded in generations of disfunctional behavior, in such a manner, an innocent man faces the peril of electric chair and an incestuous father ridden with alcoholic stupor preserved like a saint. Tom testifies that Mayella invited him in the house to assist with chores; Mayella had sent the seven children to the store for icecream having saved for months to provide the money; Mayella then grabbed Tom and kissed him, tell him, that she never had been with a man and it might as well be a black man and her father sexual relations did not count; Tom attempted to flee but Mayella grabbed him around the waist; Tom escapes and runs out the back door, as Bob Ewelle burst in the room. Tom ran because he was afraid, but the jury believed, he ran because he was guilty.

Woman spoke critically within hearing of scout. Cast dynamics played a part in the trial. Maycomb families existed as a cast society: at the bottom of the cast hierarchy was the Ewelles, who lived on and near the city dump; next up the social ladder was the Cunningham's, who lived in the forests; and the church loving citizens of Maycomb, who lived a connected and intimate life in the small community. The Cunninghams despised the Ewelles. Cunningham was somewhat convinced of Tom Robinson innocence and held out on the jury decision, but finally capitulated with a guilty verdict.

3. If your black should you trust a jury to administer justice? No. Jem wanted Atticus through state congressional process in Birmingham to change the law, allowing a Judge to rule on case. Tom Robinson was not a slave. Yet, Tom seemed subservient in his manners and speech, unable to defend himself against sophisticated legalism. Should circumstantial evidence or preponderance of doubt be an adequate test for capital offenses? No. Retribution, anger, and self indignation can become the fuel that brings punishment. The lack of direct causal evidence replaced with moral condemnation of the accused. Someone has to pay and why not a black man.

4. What social order did Tom's conviction and eventual death serve? Tom attempted to escape from prison, climbed over a fence, and at the crest of the fence was shot seventeen times. If Tom had two arms, he would have escape over the fence into short term freedom. Tom provided a means to reinforce the barrier between white and black culture, segregation, and fear governing the cast. Interaction between black and white norms established in a secure manner of socastic long term social stagnation. Legalism does not transform social norms. Toms conviction reinforced the social norm of segregation, class distinction, and racism extremes.

5. Will the black culture find the promise land? This is a compelling and dynamic questions with very complex implications. The church is the gather place, the songs, a cry for deliverance. Atticus was a hero, loved, and respected like a great leader for defending Tom Robinson. Gifts of food, a standing exit, and kind gestures implied appreciating for the defender of the faith. A man who follow his duty and followed his conscience. The children of the promise have journeyed for many years. The civil right act did not bring them into the promise land. The legal system did not bring them a land of milk and honey. The corporation did not offer a land of inheritance. If a black man is equal in the law today, he truly has entered the promise land. The constitutional privilege, the inalienable rights of divine law, and justice have been served.

"To Kill a Mockingbird", was a book that was required of me to read for school. I did not think that I would enjoy the book, but as I read more and more I just couldn't stop reading it. I would have to say the my favorite thing about the whole book is how Jem, Scout, and Dill are so curious about Boo Radley and think that he is this horrible monster of a person but really he ended up saving one of there lives and also kept Scout warm with the blanket he gave her when their neighbors house caught on fire. I would recommend "To Kill a Mockingbird" to anyone I know...that is if they haven't all ready read it.

If you think that the title and the star rating don't go well together, keep on reading...

To Kill a Mockingbird is a novel set in Alabama during the late 1930s. The novel has a first-person narrator who is a girl named Scout. The novel has two parts: Part 1 and Part 2.

In Part 1, Scout describes her ancestors, family at the time of the novel's setting, neighbors, early years in school, interactions with neighbors, and experiences with her brother Jem and her father Atticus.

In Part 2, a black man is accused of a serious crime and declared guilty by a white jury even though there did not appear to be any sound evidence that he was guilty. Atticus was the defendant's defense lawyer. I will not say what happens after this in case you want the climax to be a surprise.

Now, let's compare the two sections. Atticus denounces racism in both sections, and there are examples of racism in both sections. However, most of the characters mentioned in Part 1 do not have any involvement in the trial that I mentioned earlier, which I think is a key element of not only Part 2, but the entire novel. In Part 1, there was one particular character that got a few too many pages focused on her.. especially when taken into consideration that she died before Part 2 (the "important part").

Here is another problem: The novel is told from a child's perspective. Indeed, I did noticed well-presented character development in Scout's personality, but it's all about Scout. Everybody else is static. It is true that children have limited perception of adults, so the static presentation of the adult characters is definately realistic. However, this is not a "children's book;" there clearly are mature subject matters. The target audience would have to be teenagers or adults. With that in mind, the static presentation of adults does not correspond with the target audience.

Nontheless, my views of this novel are in a minority category. This book is a classic, and I can understand why. The author has an impressive understanding of the time and place in which this book is set. However, that does not mean that the book is a good NOVEL! A detailed setting is enough for expository text, but a NOVEL must take advantage of the elements of FICTION. When I said elements of FICTION, I meant a detailed, consistent plot, well-rounded characters, a broad range of perspectives, variation (but connections) in subject matter (all of which relates to the ENTIRE PLOT), a lot of characters that influence the outcome of the plot in their own, unique way, and so forth. To Kill a Mockingbird does not take advantage of the elements that NOVELS have to offer, and NOVELS can offer more than just a detailed setting. For this reason, I am going to give this novel a one star rating.

Now, as for the title of this review, the book did enhance my imagination. It inspired me to imagine... criticims.

I honestly have no idea how many times I have read this book. I read it first as an assignment in the eighth grade; most recently, at the age of 41, I read it aloud to three of my children. As with the more recent readings that I recall, I choked up a bit at the end as Scout is experiencing the tragedy and love that surrounds her in the form of her conservatively eccentric father, her mythically reclusive neighbor, and the whole Depression-era, post-Reconstruction sugary gothic Alabama town of her home.
There seems so little to add in reviewing this book. I will say that even as I read it I ponder the strength of its charm. What is it that is so powerful? Scout is herself quite endearing, although even a casual reading should tell the reader that the first-person voice that is speaking is not the voice of the eight-year old Scout; Harper Lee somehow conveys a tone that retains the childlike innocence of Scout (the child), but the story told is mature and the vocabulary is college-educated. So is this Scout (or Jean Louise Finch) as an adult? I don't think so, as there is very little biographical/autobiographical information provided beyond the timeline of the story (e.g, did Scout grow up and marry?; what happened to Scout's mother?; does everyone live happily ever after?).
I read once that Harper Lee considered this to be a simple love story, or something like that. I've wondered who she was thinking about: Atticus and his kids, or Boo Radley and the kids, or some other pairing. I guess it is all of the above. It's a simple story of relatively normal children with an independently thinking father who all live in the politely racist South of the 1930's. The circumstances that confront this family (racism of the lowest order and ugly poverty and dysfunction from the underbelly of society) are really not abnormal until the violent climax. Blood is shed; much blood. But it is all presented with a humanity and Southern nostalgia that draw us into a world - as ugly as it is - that makes us wish we were there, and that we could have changed a few things.
Highly recommended, if you haven't read it yet.

Several comments leave an impression to at least one not academically qualified to have wandered into a symposium for MBA/PhD credentialed professionals.

Give classicists their due in literary art forms, this common reader also enjoys contemporaries, such as David Guterson's introspective The Other,
circa 2008.

I don't care How Fiction Works, as long as a story works for me, written then or now.

The retro cover says it all. Farrar, Straus knew that it had the next big thing and that the next big thing consisted of a return to the best of the past. The book is receiving a great deal of attention, confirming their prescience.

How Fiction Works is a study of something that is very old-fashioned these days: craft. It is an examination of key elements of fiction and how they are most fully utilized by skilled writers. The vast majority of the writers examined here are canonical ones--another old-fashioned touch. The book is also cognizant of the nuances of narrative history and (a more modern touch) draws on popular culture for key insights. In short, this is a delightful, perceptive "book" book. First and foremost, it is an exceptional read. It is opinionated (though not abusive or flippant) and is a nice example of something that many modern students may never have seen before--judicial criticism. Frye famously argued that judicial criticism is passé, now that we realize that literary "quality" is like the stock market. Particular authors' "stock" rises and falls, depending on generational interests, so we should not concern ourselves with evaluative judgments. That is all very nice, except for the fact that reviewers, referees, acquisition editors and agents are forced to make evaluative judgments and in a world in which 800,000 books are published annually, readers seek help and advice from putative experts.

The book takes part of its inspiration from E. M. Forster's Aspects of the Novel, an interesting little book that has enjoyed some influence. How Fiction Works goes well beyond Forster (sometimes on issues which Forster is associated with specifically, e.g., the distinction between `flat' and `round' characters). This is a book for both critics and practitioners. It wears its erudition lightly, in the English mode, but its thoughts are often weighty and its insights acute (e.g. the notion that the French are suspicious of realism because of the function of the preterite in their language).

The book is a must read for teachers and students of narrative, both for the importance of its arguments and for its function as an exemplar of what once functioned as "criticism" and might so function once again.

I am one of those people who think if they buy and read enough writing self-help books, perhaps one day I will evolve to a level of confidence that I can begin putting my thoughts in coherent form on paper. For that reason I bought HOW FICTION WORKS. Perhaps this tome would be able to reveal the secret hidden from me. Had I been a PhD in literature, I might have had success. And I suppose there are those out there who will benefit from Wood's approach. I am not one of them. For me, HOW FICTION WORKS is a pedantic treatment of writing completely beyond my grasp. Wood writes, "Mindful of the common reader, I have tried to reduce what Joyce calls `the true scholastic stink' to bearable levels." He failed. Wood begins with a misguided assumption that the wide audience will share his background and familiarity with hard-to-reach literature from not only James Joyce, but Tolstoy, Humbert, Svevo, Wooster, Sebald, Dostoevsy, frequently referenced, Flaubert, and a hundred others. On occasion, he incorporates passages from important works by these giants to make a point, but more often than not he assumes you know Wooster's character Mr. Umtyfrump and how he reacted to so and so.

Without adequately describing his frame of reference, Wood assumes a knowledge base from his readers I doubt exists in all but a few percent. He jumps into esoteric literary terminology such as omniscient narration, direct speeh, free indirect speech, free indirect style, free indirect narration ... the list goes on.

I have two Bachelor's Degrees, two Master's Degrees, and some 45 years of being a "constant reader." But even I do not rise to the level of Wood's "common reader." I find high literature impenetrable. Judging by what sells well, I assume I am more common than not. So if you are an aspiring writer and Look to Stephen King or John Grisham as icons, then I don't think HOW FICTION WORKS is for you. On the other hand, if you want to better understand how Flaubert changed the fiction novel and wish to compare and contrast that to Christopher Isherwood, Cervantes, and/or Dickens, then you might enjoy it.

If you write, let's hope you do massive amounts of reading good literature. If you are a reader of substance, James Woods' book will edify your intellectual and emotional connection to what you have already learned, albiet subconsciously. All the devices are there, the silliness, the overworked metaphors, the sly styles, the magic. He is obviously a fan of Flaubert at whose feet Woods lays much credit for today's (good) writing. In fact, it's nearly an homage. So many great books are referenced, referred to, excerpted -- it makes you want to go back and re-read them all in order to see the work with a clearer vision. What we enjoyed as plain old storytelling, Woods shows us is hardly random and not without great intellectual and artistic effort. Woods compares great writers (old and new) to each other showing us flaws and greatness in each of them.

Highly recommended for readers and writers.

I was delighted that James Wood didn't take a condescending attitude about his subject. He doesn't say this is how it should be, but this is how it is and here is why. At first I didn't understand what the hell he was talking about, but somewhere during the second essay I adjusted to his style, became acclimated if you will, and I ended up getting a lot out of it. His examination of language in fiction was my favorite part.

I recommend this for anyone who appreciates an analytical approach to writing technique. This is not a how-to, however. Rather, it is more of a commentary.