Let's first discuss the style and writing of The Handmaid's Tale. The writing, though not beautiful, is very impressive. Atwood does an excellent job of capturing the sense of …
- Aug. 8, 2010There is so much to say about The Tale of Genji, that it's ridiculous to even pretend like I can get everything in during this small critique. I'll do …
- July 25, 2010There is a lot to say about Don Quixote! This discussion will not be very linear or logical, so bear with me. What struck me immediately was how funny …
- May 13, 2010I don't remember ever being as disgusted with the main character in a book as I was with Bird. How could he, upon seeing his new son, not want to …
- April 4, 2010This is an amazing book. Oskar Schell is one of the most endearing, lovable, and creative characters I can remember encountering in a book. His constant inventing was fascinating, and …
- March 15, 2010I read Dubliners after finishing How to Read Literature Like a Professor because I thought it would present the perfect opportunity to test out the tools that How to presents. …
- March 7, 2010I am so glad that Catching Fire did not devolve into a mere romance novel after the ending of The Hunger Games. The love triangle is still there, of …
- Jan. 15, 2010Early on in The Hunger Games I was disappointed by how similar it was to Battle Royale, a Japanese novel where children are put on an island and forced …
- Dec. 27, 2009The first thing that struck me while reading Blindness was the fact that the dialogue in the book is not separated by quotations, or new paragraphs. What this means is …
- Dec. 26, 2009I knew Olive Kitteridge was a pulitzer prize winner, so I was not surprised that I enjoyed reading the book. I was, however, immediately surprised that the first chapter didn't …
- Dec. 2, 2009There are so many good things that can be said about East of Eden that it is hard to know where to start, so I'll start with something simple. This …
- Sept. 29, 2009America America is a beautifully written book that is full of insight, especially for someone who has just had a child and is often thinking about what being a father …
- Aug. 8, 2009Kokoro, according to the foreword by the translator, is best translated as "the heart of things". In many ways, this seems fitting for this book. From the beginning, when the …
- June 5, 2009Somehow, I have never read To Kill a Mockingbird until now. Yet, so many of the characters (Atticus Finch and Boo Radley in particular) were familiar by name. This just …
- May 14, 2009As with the synopsis above, I apologize in advance for the length of this critique. However, there is a lot to say! Before I started reading I Am a Cat, …
- April 4, 2009The first chapter of Firmin is wonderful. I was immediately charmed by Firmin as he gushed over literature. I laughed as he described his inability to create a good first …
- March 17, 2009Through the first fourth of The Master of Go, I did not think I would enjoy it. It felt, not surprising considering Kawabata was originally the reporter for the match, …
- Feb. 12, 2009The initial effect that reading Charlie's progress reports had upon me was significant. Though I was aware of the general plot of the book, I was not expecting to read …
- Feb. 8, 2009Snow Country relates the story of a tragic love affair between Shimamura and Komako. The style utilizes frequent sets of contrasting elements and opulent imagery to adapt the haiku style …
- Jan. 3, 2009Nip is a dark, desolate, straightforward book. There is no mystery about what is happening. Though many comparisons might initially be drawn between it and Lord of the Flies, they …
- Dec. 20, 2008Yasunari Kawabata's Snow Country is one of the most unique novels I have read in years. The combination of the style, as well as the exploration I was taken on …
- Oct. 17, 2002