Fiction Literature Books

In case you were wondering, the translators are multiple: the neoclassical British authors Dryden, Addison, and Pope.

I initially bought this book because it was a required reading for a class. I had no idea how wonderful this book was. The poetry is so beautiful it moves you. It provokes and engages readers with something new every time you read it. If you're a fan of Roman mythology, this is a must.

I confess that reading Ovid's Metamorphoses has left me a changed man. His focus on transformation parables of ancient myths taught me quite a bit about change. I was intrigued by how often unwanted change was unwillingly created by life-denying action that angers one of the gods. All the great figures of ancient times are here: Daedalus, Achilles, Paris, Perseus, Hector, Pygmalion, Midas, Helen and Aeneas to name but a few. The origins of common fables must have had their ancient roots in Ovid. So much of art, especially painting, music and literature, owes its transformation from the tales articulated with wit and charm by Ovid. This is an important window into ancient times and the stories must have been intriguing to hear in engaging oratory. This is genuinely a great work of literature and the pages really fly by rapidly. These tales of Ovid on change helped me understand better the constant role of change in my own personal transformation. And, thus, the tales of Ovid transformed me in the reading and in the writing transformed Ovid into immortality.

It's not like designers at Penguin Classics are lacking
the knowledge
Of how to handle hexameters. Why then their failure
to use it
In Raeburn's recent translation of Metamorphoses?
On an average page, there's barely three verses that's
typeset within
A single line, with all others continued with vast
indent--
And most roving over a single word. The pages are
ugly,
Everything awkward to read. The font size is generous,
though,
So why not reduce it a point and gather more verses
together?
Nor does it help that the poem is written in thumping
sub-Longfellow,
With all of the beats but now with just one third the
sonority--
Dietetically versed. Avoid this volume. Feh, and more
feh.

First, this is obviously not a book for everyone - although anyone can read it - you have to really want to read it for it to be enjoyable. Take the time to read it slowly. If you try to skim it you will miss far too much.

The glossary and notes were very useful & I didn't find the type to be a problem.

Murakami's Norwegian Wood seems like another Catcher in the Rye without any traces of annoying repetitiveness of themes. Watanabe, the protagonist of the novel, has already become a figure to emulate in some respects...

I've read three of Murakami's books, and quite frankly, I don't understand his appeal to so many people.
In this book Watanabe is a listless, dull, young man. To give you a taste for his depth, witness the following excerpt of a conversation he had with a friend who, according to Watanabe, had a profound insight into Mozart's music: "...with Itoh's smart and heartfelt commentary ('There - that part., "How about that?')...." Other conversations throughout the book are equally stimulating.
I struggled to get through this book filled with suicide and depression, without any insights.

I have read all Murakami's Books mostly in Japanese. I have been in love with the book ever since 16. I recently bought this book because I wanted to see how my favorite book is translated in English. I was deeply impressed by the translation - very accurate and great choice of words to preserve a tone of the book. I totally recommend this book.

"Norwegian Wood" tells of a college student's life in the 1960s in Japan. The narrative primarily concerns itself with the relationships of the narrator, Toru Watanabe.


Watanabe is a humble, self-described 'average' guy. In contrast to his perfectly plain self-depiction, he quietly questions the social mores and structure around him. His reluctance to mindlessly conform isolates him from most, but one-by-one he befriends a diverse cast of characters, all of whom are struggling with something. There's Naoko, the ex-girlfriend of Watanabe's dead best friend, the womanizing Nagasawa, Nagasawa's main squeeze Hatsumi, and the spark-plug Midori.


"Norwegian Wood" is a novel about love, it is a novel about youth. It explores passion, why we burn and feel for others, the context of sex in love, and so many other things. But it NEVER analyzes, it never stops and reflects upon itself. It keeps moving, allowing us to experience all these emotions for ourselves and make of them what we will. I can't express enough how much of an experience this book is.


Inevitably "Norwegian Wood" has been compared to its influences: 'Catcher and the Rye', 'The Great Gatsby', and Thomas Mann's 'The Magic Mountain.' While each novel has its own flavor, 'Norwegian Wood' is arguably the most affecting of the bunch. It hurts every time I read this book. This novel has life in it, and the more you perceive and are in touch with your own experiences in this world, the more meaningful and poignant your time with this book will be.

This book is my second favorite by Murakami. I think his strength lies in his style of writing. As if you read Bukowski without swearing and vulgar stuff.

I can't add anything that is not written, and I don't wanna spoil it for you. Go get it.

I have read all or parts of several versions of The Aeneid, including the highly praised Robert Fagles's and Robert Fitzgerald's versions. Mandelbaum's translation is far superior. He takes the reader into the epic's action without sacrificing the Latin of the original. His version is lively and the reader will (or should) have no difficulty reading the Aeneid to the conclusion. He will be carried along by the poetry and the subject matter of this great epic. Highly recommended.

With Robert Fagles's version of 'The Aeneid' just released, I thought that would be the version I would be reading. I tried Robert Fitzgerald's version some years ago, but I gave up after the 5th or 6th "book".
After reading the numerous glowing reviews for Allen Mandelbaum's translation, I thought I would give it a shot.... plus it cost a lot less than Fagles's! I was not disappointed.
Mr. Mandelbaum's take on Virgil's epic is eminently accessible, very easy to understand (but not dumbed down at all). The glossary at the end is a huge help in identifying characters and places (as many of them go by more than one name).
This is a thrilling tale full of adventure, romance, war, friendship and loyalty. If you buy only one version, this is the one to get.

First, I'm not qualified to opine on whether Mandelbaum's translation is true to the Latin. I struggled with Virgil's complex poetry as a 4th year Latin student and have no idea if Mandelbaum gets it right. But this translation is eminently readable, retaining the feel of epic poetry. I have the feeling that any flaws in Mandelbaum's rendering reflect shortcomings in Virgil's original text.

Second, this is a very handy edition, especially for the price. Even if you already own the Aeneid in other form, you might want to pick this one up. It is a pocket-sized paperback, yet the print is not tiny and is very readable. This is a better edition to bring with you on the plane than one of the bulkier versions. Plus, this edition provides an excellent glossary, which is an absolute must given the torrent of names that flow through this work.

Finally, the Aeneid itself: Virgil is a literary titan, if only for his Georgics. The Aeneid is also a towering work, but troubling and flawed. Virgil himself was troubled by this work, which he left unfinished with instructions for it to be destroyed. In his effort to give Rome its own epic, combining features of both the Odyssey and Iliad to create the Aeneid, Virgil adopted some of the less interesting mannerisms of those older works. In particular, the battle scenes are violent, soaked in blood, long on smashed brains and decapitations and dripping entrails, short on exploring the pathos of life cut short for the sake of pointless conflict. It reads much like the Iliad, with seemingly endless lines of "A slew B and C slew D and E slew F." Maybe this was good stuff to an ancient Roman but to a modern reader it is boring in the same way as all the "begats" in some books of the Bible. Even more disturbing than the over-the-top, repetitive violence of the work is the sense of underlying pessimism, as every time reason and peace seem about to prevail, some god or goddess shakes things up and -- all too easily -- the killing starts anew. Maybe this reflected Virgil's own disgust with the times that he had lived through, with civil war erupting every few years until Octavian had finally killed off every other rival. But the rivers of blood that are spilled in the second half of the Aeneid do not make for as ennobling a foundation myth as perhaps Virgil was looking for. While Rome is destined for greatness, it is so because Jupiter has said so, has decided to favor Aeneas above his enemies, not because of anything inherently great about the proto-Romans. Maybe, had Virgil lived longer, he might have found a way to tweak this work to have Aeneas end up as more than just an executioner for Fate.

And it is in the first half of the epic that Aeneas indeed is more than just a slayer. His romance with Dido is perhaps the most famous story within the poem and, although it is also marred by too much Olympian meddling, portrays Aeneas as possessing humanity and a capacity to love that is missing at the end. His descent into Hades, so that he can have one last conversation with his father, is also a compelling episode. In short, the Aeneid stands as a great work, a classic, for these beautiful passages, even if the last few books of the poem read a little like someone trying to narrate the events in a violent video game.

I consider the primary difficulty in studying The Aeneid to be the introduction of more than 250 proper names in the first three books. This Bantam Classic includes the best glossary I have found in any translation or commentary. The Mandelbaum translation is also the one quoted by Professor Elizabeth Vandiver in her lectures "The Aeneid of Virgil" published by The Teaching Company.

Every two or three years some semi-educated American Classics professor trots out another translation of Virgil or Homer - these being the last two Classical poets that anyone can be prevailed upon to read, even in translation. It was much the same in the nineteenth century, except that back then every educated person understood more or less what metre was and how poetry differed from prose. In America at least the educated are no longer at all sure what metre or poetry are, and 'poets' apparently just sit down and scrawl out some prose that they think sounds vaguely poetical. Occasionally they will even chop up their prose into 'verses' of more or less equal length.

Noted reviewers can be prevailed upon by the publishers to give blurbs to these American professors' abominable travesties of Virgil or Homer, and the poor ignorant masses read this stuff in college. A few - a VERY few - are even impressed by these translations, God help them.

I remember a class I was in where everyone groaned about how aweful Mandelbaum's Virgil was. The consensus was Virgil must have been a very second-rate poet. I was the only student that knew Latin - I had been studying it since the age of eight. I tried to tell my fellows that Virgil was at least as interesting as Spenser or Shakespeare, and much more beautiful, but no one believed me.

I will say however that Mandelbaum is not the worst of the lot. To split your sides laughing, try Fagles, who converts Virgil into low buffoonery. Fagles by the way, had not studied Latin for decades when he made his translation - apparently he never read Latin for pleasure. And he presumed to translate the Aeneid! Enough said.

Okay, so I'm taking AP World History, and I chose this book for my summer reading. If you're around my age, you won't really enjoy this book. Trust me, I like reading, and this book doesn't come close to being one of my most favorite, or even one I would reccomend. It's basically too dull, and there really isn't anything in this book that's gripping.... (meaning, it doesn't hold your attention.) In other words, it's too boring. You can explain this book in less than 5 sentences. It starts out with a girl who has an arranged marriage with a guy name Nathan. They have many kids, and live off of everything they grow at the house. When time gets rough, the family hardly can survive, and sometimes have to live days without food. Many of the family members die, or move off somewhere else for better oppurtunities.

This book isn't the type that wants you to keep reading. It's that type where you just want it to end. The only good thing I can say is that it is easy to read, it's not complex or hard to understand at all, it's just really simple.

This book tells the story (the melodramatic story) of a peasant, tenant farming family in rural India at the turn of the century. Rukmani, the main character, is a youngest daughter married off to a man she has never met. The marriage turns out to be a good one and the couple have many children. The family experiences unspeakable tragedy as a late monsoon and one son's involvement in labor organizing catapults them even deeper into poverty. It catalogues the absolute vulnerability of the poor in traditional society transitioning towards industrialization, and the anguish of losing everything for people who have almost nothing. The book was very melodramatic and depressing.

Set in a small village locate somewhere in India, Kamala Markandaya's Nectar in a Sieve is a gripping novel that tells a story of a woman's struggle to find happiness and her own inner strength in a changing India. At the age of twelve, Rukmani was married off to a tenant farmer named Nathan, whom she had never met. Frightened at first, Rukmani soon adjusted to her new life as a farmer's wife. Over the years, Nathan and Rukmani's marriage becomes filled with love, compassion, and many children. It was not long until she found her self mingling with many of the women in her neighboring village. There she met Kali, a kind and cheerful woman who was kind enough to teach her how to perform her household duties. She also meets Kunthi, the village beauty and her friend Janaki. Unable to bear a son for quite some time, Rukmani became very depressed. Misfortune seemed to have found a great home in the lives of Rukmani and Nathan, causing as much problems as it could. A tannery built near their village would forever alter Rukmani's life, being that the change from an agricultural community to an industrial community frightens her. Unhappy and struck by poverty, Rukmani watched her first born child, Ira, go into prostitution, her son Kuti die of starvation, her teenage son Raja beat to death for stealing, and her two oldest sons, Thambi and Arjun set off to Ceylon to work in a tea plantation. Under such harsh conditions, Rukmani survived. Nectar in a Sieve is an influential, depressing, yet optimistic novel of a life lived out by one particular woman who will do just about anything and everything for her family.

The novel Nectar in a Sieve by Kamala Markandaya follows the long and tragic life of a young woman, Rukmanni, who is thrown into this type of life at the early age of12. The book follows her from her wedding day until the end of the troubles she endures in her life.
It is hard not to enjoy the strong and caring character of Rukmanni, who despite the troubles thrown to her, maintains a optimistic and controlled manner even in the worst circumstances. She is a wonderful wife and mother to her family ; she puts the well being of her children and husband before herself and would do anything to ensure there success. She also holds her friends and neighbors high, and help them when it is possible. When Rukmanni leaves to live with her husband Nathan in a small village, she meets the neighboring women, Kali, Janaki, and Kali. Their relationship, though it takes a turn later on, is kind and warm, since they are like a new family to here because she has moved far from her original home. In this new village she works on the rice fields with her husband. Though the land is not theirs, they live in a house near by.
She enjoys her peaceful life until things start to change.First, a giant tannery is built in the middle of town, bringing in more people and noise to the once peaceful village. Rukmanni absolutely despises the tannery. Then two of her sons leave to work there. A few years later, they get a surprise visit from their already-married-off daughter, Ira. She has been unable to bear children for her husband, so he has decided to leave her. She is forced then to live with her mother and father, along with her younger brothers. Later, worst of all, their is a great flooding of the village. Their rice is destroyed and they go into poverty. The lack of food and money leads to the death's of their last two sons and her daughter prostituting to earn money to live. When there are first signs of fate turning good, even more troubles come their way. Despite all this, Rukmanni keeps her head and remains a strong and unbreakable spirit.
All in all, this was a wonderful read. The book was very detailed and made you feel like you actually knew Rukmanni. Also, coming from a completely different lifestyle, I enjoyed learning about this cultures way of life and cultural values. It is not a very long book page wise, but it is a long story with many interesting events. Like all books, it is not a book for everyone, but if you enjoy historical fiction novels and tales of people who overcome their hardships to have a better life, you will absolutely love this book.

Nectar in a Sieve, by Kamala Markandaya is the struggle between life and death in a poor society. The main character, Rukami, married Nathan, a tenant farmer. In her culture, to have a boy is the most important thing to any women and family. Rukami's first born was a girl named Ira. After many attempts to conceive a boy, Rukami needed someone to turn to for help. She turns to Kenny, a white doctor who assists and helps the people of her village. He helps her overcome her infertility and they become friends. Rukami and Nathan eventually conceived a son and named him Arjun. After him, Rukami has 5 more boys. With each birth, food becomes scarcer.

I could not finish listening to the terrible injustice Burt Reynolds did to this classic. It sounded as though he was reading it for the first time. The voice he chose to portray Ishmael was one of a drunken sea salt instead of a school teacher off on an adventure. All sense was lost of the meaning of the sentences with his arbitrary screeching and bellowing. I later found an unabridged version that I loved, the language and the cadence of the speech was respected in a way that Mr. Reynolds had not the wit, ability, or intelligence to understand let alone portray.

the modern library classics version is far superior !!!! for the amazing illustrations by rockwell kent truly enhance the experience (as does the font size and spacing)

Simply put, this is a must read. Herman Melville's _Moby Dick_ received largely unfavorable reviews at the time of publication, and it never brought Melville literary acclaim during his lifetime. It was not until critics rediscovered the novel in the 1920s that it began to be viewed as a masterpiece and the apotheosis of the Great American Novel.

My own reception of the book, back in my high school days, paralleled its treatment by the literary establishment. While I enjoyed portions of the text, I could not really get into it and actually ended up abandoning the story a few chapters shy of its conclusion. When I later picked it up again, though--out of curiosity rather than necessity--I was hooked. Whether my own maturity or the motive behind reading it were more influential I cannot say, but I suspect that many who find this novel difficult at first will eventually find it a rewarding and noteworthy read.

New readers face three key challenges with this text: fears about its length and complexity, discomfort with Melville's loquacious writing style, and confusion over the juxtaposition of plot, factual discourse, and philosophical musings. These are easily overcome if one reads at a comfortable pace and allows oneself to become acquainted with Melville's language, which is at times reminiscent of the learned style employed by authors like Edgar Allen Poe. A wonderful way to understand the nuances of the text and truly "get into" the novel is to listen to the audiobook version, narrated masterfully by Frank Muller.

Reserve this book for a time when you can read it without pressure and expectations. Allow yourself to become immersed in Ishmael's world. Re-read passages that confuse you, and don't be afraid to skip ponderous chapters like "Cetology" if they will prevent you from completing the novel. Whatever you do, though, be sure this is one story you allow yourself to complete -- you will be rewarded as you do so.

Having reached the mid-life point, I didn't "get around to" reading MOBY-DICK until just recently. I'm certainly glad that I finally stopped putting it off. Herman Melville's work is truly one of the most amazing books I have read. As others have pointed out here, it's not always an easy read, but it is well worth devoting time to. Indeed, I approached it as if it were an artisan cheese or a fine glass of wine; I ingested it slowly, savoring it over a period of months.

MOBY-DICK is told (mostly) through the eyes of a seaman ("Call me Ishmael"), beginning with his journey to Nantucket to find a job on a whaler and then continuing with his voyage on the Pequod. The initial chapters (minus the introductory matter) are somewhat misleading in that they employ a traditional narrative structure--quite amusingly describing Ishmael's first encounter with the cannibal harpooner Queequeg--and the unaware reader who enjoys this initial rollicking ride may be disappointed with the "digressions" that follow.

Once the Pequod sets sail, the narrative adopts the rhythm of a voyage, i.e., long days at sea, labor-intensive with respect to the upkeep of the vessel, but otherwise dull, interspersed with heart-stopping whaling and welcome encounters with other ships. This pattern of life at sea is reflected in the book's structure in this way: the long, uneventful days lend time to the narrator to present the history, science, and art of whales and whaling, while the whaling and ship encounters brings the narration back to a more-or-less (and often less) traditional narrative structure.

The core story is well known, and would be familiar even to those who haven't much other knowledge of the work. (Anyone who's seen or read JAWS would recognize the story.) A psychologically scarred and physically mutilated man, Ahab, the captain of the Pequod, is obsessed with exacting retribution against the highly dangerous white whale that made him a cripple, not to mention killing many other men. His loyal first mate, Starbuck, tries to reason with him, but Ahab is unable to respond to reason; Ahab feels that he is acting out a preordained role.

MOBY-DICK, which was first published in 1851, is a surprisingly modern work. Melville explores the story using multiple perspectives and various literary devices, most notably inserting chapters written as scenes in a play. An example of this can be observed beginning with Chapter 36, "The Quarter-Deck": This is a seminal chapter in that in it Captain Ahab explains the Pequod's true mission--to kill Moby-Dick--and his personal motivation for doing it: "Aye, Starbuck; aye, my hearties all round; it was Moby-Dick that dismasted me..." Chapters 37-40, which are given sequential temporal titles ("Sunset," "Dusk," "First Night Watch," "Midnight") provide reflections on Ahab's speech to the crew from the perspective of three of the main characters, Ahab, Starbuck and Stubb; these are followed by a chapter written like a script of a musical play and which involves a number of crewmen. There is, in short, considerable exploration of and experimentation in narrative forms.

What I found particularly moving were the small, almost painterly touches in Melville's writing, such as the image of a hawk in the far distance dropping Ahab's hat into the sea (Chapter 130, "The Hat"). Also delighting the reader are the intensely cinematic moments, e.g., Starbuck, standing outside Ahab's door and full of angst, ponders murderous thoughts while handling a musket (Chapter 123 "The Musket"). MOBY-DICK is a fabulous piece of art and is veritable literature worthwhile reading.

Among the musty old Classics, this book is surprisingly entertaining. I found the sections on whaling to be fascinating. I don't understand why some consider it "grueling" or "hard work" to get through it. Don't approach it as a Classic; rather, enjoy an amazing story written by a terrific storyteller. Afterwards, ponder the profundity of what you have read.
The Norton Critical Edition has the most useful footnotes for casual readers.

The book arrived earlier than expected and in the condition as advertised. I couldn't ask for more.

My instructor specified a certain edition of this work, and I found it on Amazon for a song. It arrived in plenty of time for use in my Celtic Literature class.

There are wine enthusiasts who claim that certain vintages are wasted on those who fail to appreciate them. I'd never go that far in trying to restrict anyone from reading anything that's out there, but in Dubliners there is a certain sense that for those who have trained their minds to seek out the nuances hidden within literature, a great reward lies waiting. These ultra-realistic, almost dry stories of ordinary men and women and the para-extraordinary in each of their lives, is set in Dublin, circa 1900, and is one of those collections that shows a new side of itself on every reading. Plus unlike most of Joyce's work, this book is easily readable.

Just like "Ish" this story warms my heart and I have enjoyed sharing it with my 4th grade students. It is a great way to teach that ALL art work is special, unique and valuable!

This is a great children's book. I have read a few of this author's books and I like this one the best.

Simple, yet profound. Many lessons can be learned from this story. The Dot is encouraging and uplifting and I recommend it to everyone.

I love how this book helps kids make their mark. I use this book in my class rooms and it goes great with my little ones who are just learning how to make art for the first time.

This is one of the greatest kids books ever! Especially for my son, who always thinks he has to be perfect. This book shows kids that everyone has their own talents; it might not be what you thought was perfect, but it can still be beautiful and amazing, unique and yours. I hope this book gives more children the courage to do their own thing and express themselves.

A wonderfully crafted masterpiece, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is one of the must-reads of all time. This beautiful piece of literature appeals to many different senses and emotions. It is inspiring to see a plot so innovative and novel in the way the story presents itself. This story is just absolutely amazing.

Written like an investigative report, Robert Louis Stevenson slow guides the reader through the story. The story progresses, not to slow and not to fast, but just enough to get the story moving and not lose the reader's interest. The story tells of how a Dr. Jekyll is able to separate the evil in him into an entirely different form- Mr. Hyde. I love how the reader is always anticipating what happens next as the reader is fed clues throughout the story, but the answer remains dangling and untouched- tempting readers to continue and read. The story is well-constructed in that readers can also see into the view of other characters and not just Mr. Utterson himself.

Stevenson's portrayal of the good and bad side of man is wonderful. I have never seen a book where the author portrays the evil in a person by an entirely different character. The different transformations and continual action scenes in the book kept me on my toes. The mood and atmosphere is set by Stevenson's vivid description of the environment. Because Stevenson's style is not complex for his sentences are really direct and straightforward, it was not burdensome to read the book.

I guarantee if you read this book, you will not be disappointed. It is a light and easy read, which you can probably finish in no time at all because Stevenson's writing makes you glued to the book- always anticipating the next action. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is an absolute must-read.

A scientist events a formula that can bring out man's dual nature. His opposite number, in this case, is somewhat of super-powered wanton, who does whatever he likes. Free of the social restraint of his other half, he happily commits any crime that comes to mind as he feels like it.

Eventually, investigators begin to suspect something, and a hunt is on.

Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde is one of the most popular horror classics.
It is one of my favorites. Dr. Jekyll's experiment goes fowl.

After becoming involved with a production of Jekyll & Hyde, the musical, in the local community theater, I decided to re-read the original novel by Stevenson. In the book Jekyll/Hyde admits that he had no honorable motive for the transformations (other than curiosity). In the musical he is experimenting to develop a treatment or cure for his father's mental illness. Also, in the book there are no major female characters like the fiancee, dance hall girl(s), etc. If you are familiar with the Broadway show the original book might be a disappointment, but read it anyway. It is a classic and the commentaries at the beginning and the end of the edition for sale on Amazon.com effectively put the cultural signifcance of the plot of the novel into perspective.

A quick, enjoyable read, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde provides something of a reflection on the end of the spirit of alchemy which strove to connect the physical and the metaphysical through an almost-mystical mingling of the sciences with spirituality. Without cutting into the deeper considerations of philosophical schools, it is without question that humanity exists as a combination of various good and wicked impulses, although the promptings of such impulses will forever be relegated to the reflections of theologians and philosophers. In any case, the story of Henry Jekyll and his desire to remove from himself the inherent weakness of our somewhat duplicitous, multi-faced nature is the story of each member of humanity. It is our combined quest to always aim higher and to overcome those weakness which chain us to the lower strata of the waking world.

However, Henry Jekyll's story is also that of each fallen man who often attempts to ameliorate his condition by using his own power. It is also the story of a society which believes that it is within its collective power to create the world anew in holiness without the internal rectitude necessary to affect true change. His isolated alchemical processes expose him to the dubious character of Edward Hyde, an apparition of his dark, untamed humanity, which arrives on the scene precisely as Jekyll attempts to create himself anew by his own strength alone. The story of the good doctor's fall into a fancy for this darker side of himself is a fine example of the destruction of spirit which comes when the individual believes himself to be the sole master of his own amelioration. His own individualistic tendencies and their ultimate end are a continuous warning to all of humanity, for the same character flaws which are expressed with such noble intentions in Dr. Jekyll's character are those same well-intentioned hopes of all humanity which often lead to our own power-derived slip into the bowels of hell.

Sure, this book may speak strongly for the respect and preservation of the desert southwest, and for that, it deserves proper credit.

But for me, it has had a much deeper impact. This is a lot more than just an argument that we should protect our wilderness, although it is easily that. Rather, I found it to be a profound guide on how to think and act in general, about pretty much everything, everywhere.

This is one of the greatest books of the American twentieth century, a true classic, and everyone pondering how to think about and evaluate everything these days could surely benefit by reading it carefully.

I purchased this book because David Quammen referenced it in one of his books, and I really enjoy Quammen's books. It is listed on various websites and in some magazines as a "Nature Classic".

I have visited and hiked the deserts and canyon in Utah and northern Arizona. That allowed me to feel a lot of what Abbey writes about. It is a special place. I wish I could go back and see Arches National Park when Abbey was there. (It was Arches National Monument at the time of his stay there.)

While there are some controversial things in this book, and while I don't agree with everything Abbey writes, I have to say that I really hated to come to the end of this book. Besides the stories about nature, Abbey also writes about some of the human activities in this area.

I think I understand why people call this a landmark book. The environmental movement was just starting in the sixties. (Does anyone else remember the green Ecology symbol?)

An early environmentalist even before the term came into use. Ranks up there with Sand County Almanac and Silent Spring. A must read for those who care about the environment. Abbey predicted some of the water problems that now face the southwest.

This is my favorite book. I consider Abbey to be a hippie environmentalist--a sort of modern day Thoreau. The book will suck you in and you'll be wishing you could run off to Moab and have a beer with Abbey.

This is "classic Abbey" and his best work. What else can be said? This book should be on everyone's reading list whether you agree with Abbey on everything or not. I loved it. You will especially enjoy it if you have an affinity for deserts, the southwest, or Moab country.

I read this book as required reading the the 8th grade and I never did stop loving it. My classmates loved it too but to be fair, a lot of them wouldn't reread it.

So when I came to Amazon, I was overjoyed that Flowers for Algernon received so many 5 stars. But at the same time, I was incensed that there were actually people who hated it. I know everyone's entitled to their opinions so I decided not to judge them till I understood why they hated the book.

Apparently, the biggest beef they had with the story was that it "didn't have enough action." WHAT THE HECK. This book is not meant to be an adventure story where the suddenly smart protagonist is going to become a superhero and beat up villans. It shows the raw emotions of Charlie and how the people around him are like. It shows the ordinary, mundane, every day life of a normal man, depsite his unusual circumstances. People, even if something big happened in your life, you'd eventually get used to or over it and spend your days doing the same things. That's what the story's like.

And another thing - the sexual confusion is natural. After becoming more intelligent, the protagonist is of course going to experience the emotions he didn't during puberty.

Also, many of the reviews seemed to be written by kids who just resented the fact that they had been required to read it. Who'd rather play video games or read "great" literature such as Breaking Dawn (which has way more sexual content, to no one's surprise).

There, rant over.

It was a provocative and well written book. Both my teens also read and enjoyed it. I cringed at the look into how society treats mentally challenged individuals. The main characters have to make incredibly difficult and thought provoking choices. I cried at the end. It is short but has enough meat to be a great book club choice.

"Norma Screamed at her: "Mother! Put down that knife!" Seeing Rose standing there with the knife brought back a picture of that night when she had Matt take me away. She was reliving that now. I couldn't speak or move. The nausea swept over me now, the choking tension, the buzzing in my ears, my stomach knotting and stretching as if it wanted to tear itself out of my body. She had a knife, Alice had a knife, and my father had a knife and Dr. Strauss had a knife..."

The book Flowers for Algernon a science fiction novel by Daniel Keys is very intriguing, it begun with the surgery of 32 year old Charlie Gordan. Charlie lives in the suburbs of New York in the 1960's and is mentally challenged adult. With an IQ of 68 the surgery is meant to increase his intelligence by and almost triple his IQ. Once Charlie and his doctors notice a change in Algernon the lab rat who first had the operation they wonder if the same complications could turn up in Charlie. Will Charlie's IQ continue to sky rocket or will everything go very wrong? Could this hurt his relationship with the women he loves? Read FLOWERS FOR ALGERNON to find out!

I think that this story was so meaningful because of the strongly implied theme. That theme was that scientific advancement was not always positive. Scientist should realize that advancements are not always the best for human-kind and they don't have the right to change fate. Personally I strongly enjoyed this novel because it states a belief that I value. Science advancement I was delighted by this novel and think that anyone looking for an interesting book that changes the way you think about yourself, others and the world, then this would be a great book for you.

For the longest time I believed this was the worst book ever. After reading A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, I now realize it is the second worst book ever written. In both stories, nothing happens that is worth mentioning. It's just that kind of book that is critically acclaimed for how well it is written. However, the story is poor. I wrote better stories when I was in first grade.

Basically, things happen in chronological order as they would in real life. However, they are not connected. It's true that in real life not everything is connected. However, if I wanted to experience real life, I wouldn't read it, I would live it. The point of a book should be to tell an interesting story. That is not what this book does.

"Norma Screamed at her: "Mother! Put down that knife!" Seeing Rose standing there with the knife brought back a picture of that night when she had Matt take me away. She was reliving that now. I couldn't speak or move. The nausea swept over me now, the choking tension, the buzzing in my ears, my stomach knotting and stretching as if it wanted to tear itself out of my body. She had a knife, Alice had a knife, and my father had a knife and Dr. Strauss had a knife..."

The book Flowers for Algernon a science fiction novel by Daniel Keys is very intriguing, it begun with the surgery of 32 year old Charlie Gordan. Charlie lives in the suburbs of New York in the 1960's and is mentally challenged adult. With an IQ of 68 the surgery is meant to increase his intelligence by and almost triple his IQ. Once Charlie and his doctors notice a change in Algernon the lab rat who first had the operation they wonder if the same complications could turn up in Charlie. Will Charlie's IQ continue to sky rocket or will everything go very wrong? Could this hurt his relationship with the women he loves? Read FLOWERS FOR ALGERNON to find out!

I think that this story was so meaningful because of the strongly implied theme. That theme was that scientific advancement was not always positive. Scientist should realize that advancements are not always the best for human-kind and they don't have the right to change fate. Personally I strongly enjoyed this novel because it states a belief that I value. Science advancement I was delighted by this novel and think that anyone looking for an interesting book that changes the way you think about yourself, others and the world, then this would be a great book for you.