Tag Archives: 19th Century

Emma, Wild, Phantom Tollbooth, Under the Skin

American Literature, British Literature March 29, 2015 Superfast Reader

I keep getting fed up with books and not finishing them. What is wrong with me? Two recent give-ups were The Buried Giant and The Book of Strange New Things. The former I dropped because it just go so boring, and the latter I dropped because the Christian missionary main characters didn’t ring true for me and my brain got tired from arguing with the book. I didn’t quite finish Wild by Cheryl Strayed, which was this month’s pick for book club. I meant to…

In the Kingdom of Ice, The Princess and Curdie, Luckiest Girl Alive

American Literature, Scottish Literature February 15, 2015 Superfast Reader

I don’t tend to read a lot of non-fiction, but I’ve always been a sucker for stories about people trying not to freeze to death. In the Kingdom of Ice: The Grand and Terrible Journey of the USS Jeannette was not only a suspenseful, exciting story, but it was exceptionally researched and suffused with narrative excellence. In 1879, the USS Jeannette headed off to the North Pole, captained by the capable and ambitious George Washington De Long. Their goal was to reach the North Pole…

Seraphina Sequel (Awesome!), The Princess and the Goblin

American Literature, Scottish Literature February 1, 2015 Superfast Reader

I basically spent all my reading time this week finishing up Shadow Scale, the sequel to Seraphina. I’ll have a full review on the release date in March, but I will spoil you for it by saying that it lived up to the full promise of the original–and then some! In read aloud land, we finished up The Princess and the Goblin by George MacDonald, the Scottish writer whom CS Lewis admired so such. I was deeply moved by the story, which is fey in…

Summer House With Swimming Pool, Swiss Family Robinson, Greek Myths, Veggies

American Literature, Dutch Literature, Swiss Literature January 18, 2015 Superfast Reader

I’m mixing up the format up in here. I’m finding that most of the books I read don’t warrant a whole blog post, plus I’m reading a ton of books that I don’t list here because they’re for homeschool, or they’re cookbooks or other reference books. Starting this week, as I approach the end of my 9th year of blogging, I’m going to post a weekly update on what I’m reading. If a book is awesome (like anything written by T. Greenwood), I’ll give it…

Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte

British Literature November 6, 2009 Superfast Reader 2 Comments

Synopsis: His true love thwarted by unfeeling family and Cathy’s callow thoughtlessness, foundling Heathcliff wreaks havoc on all who fall under his sway. Review: Wow, I had no idea what I was in for when I started Wuthering Heights! I knew it was a classic of Gothic romanticism, but I was expecting a florid love story of the kind I don’t usually enjoy. Instead I got a pile-on of selfish people behaving very, very badly and I loved every minute of it. What i liked…

War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy (Translated by Anthony Briggs)

Russian Literature July 12, 2007 Superfast Reader 11 Comments

Synopsis: The lives, romances, and fortunes of 3 prominent Russian families play out against the backdrop of Napoleon’s invasion of Russia. Review: It’s absurd to blog about War and Peace, Leo Tolstoy’s sprawling behemoth of a novel. The title alone is ludicrous and unfathomable. People laugh when you say you’re reading it, not because they think it’s not worth reading, but because of its reputation as one of the longest books ever written. Nevertheless, I, the Superfast Reader, who read this book for the Summer…

The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky

Russian Literature May 23, 2007 Superfast Reader 12 Comments

Synopsis: The tangled fates of Fyodor Pavlovich Karamazov and his four sons, three legitimate, one a bastard, culminating in a trial for murder. Review: I’d be a fool if I tried to pretend I were anywhere up to the task of critiquing The Brothers Karamazov. I can honestly say I’m a little freaked out by what I’ve just been through. Karamazov is a rollicking glory of human depravity shot through with tastes of the divine. Dostoevsky doesn’t hesitate to put theology and intellectual arguments adjacent…

Alice’s Adventures in Russia

British Literature, On Reading March 16, 2007 Superfast Reader

In honor of a rather silly book I read about a high school girl with a crush, I give you this article on the journey Lewis Carroll’s classic took in the Soviet Union. A choice excerpt:

Christine by Stephen King

American Literature March 7, 2007 Superfast Reader

Synopsis: An awkward teen buys a junky old Plymouth that seems to have a life of its own–and sinister plans for Artie and those he loves.

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland & Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll

British Literature March 1, 2007 Superfast Reader 1 Comment

Synopsis: A little girl falls down the rabbit hole and steps through a mirror, finding herself in an illogical, marvelous world.

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