Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie

225 pages

"When the Darling children are visited by Peter Pan and Tinker Bell, he convinces them to fly away to the island of Neverland, where children never grow up! There they meet the Lost Boys, a giant crocodile, and the evil Captain Hook." -Back Cover

For years we've had an "8 O'Clock Club" at our house. My mom started it with my siblings when they were young and we adopted the tradition when my kids were young. Its name came from reading at 8:00, right before kids went to bed. When my kids were younger that's what I would do, but as they've grown up we've changed the times but it's always been called the 8 O'Clock Club. The last few summers we've read in the afternoon and I've read out loud to the girls while they eat treats. I was planning on doing that again this year but my almost-15-year-old daughter told me that it's hard for her to concentrate when someone else is reading. I figured they'd be getting too old for me to read to them eventually. I still want us to experience the joy of reading something together so this summer I decided to try something different.

We've seen every Peter Pan movie but we've never read the book so I thought we should. I went on Amazon and bought cheap copies, enough for each member of our family to have one, even my husband who doesn't really have time to read. Then I gave us all a deadline for finishing. Those who finish get to participate in an activity of some sort related to the book. We all finished (even my husband who read it while he was at scout camp) and then we had a treasure hunt.

As far as the book goes, Tinkerbell swears, which bothered my kids because they don't. My youngest crossed out the word Tinkerbell uses (a##) in her copy. The book is more violent than the movie and because it was written so long ago had some references that we didn't quite understand. Knowing the story definitely helped and it was fun to see the differences, to see how some movies quote the book line for line and some change parts. It was written in a very whimsical way and had some tongue-in-cheek humor that I found pretty funny. I had to read most of it out loud to my 10-year-old because she really struggled with it. The vocabulary is probably more high-school level and I had to explain a lot of things, but we finished two hours before the activity after reading 35 pages out loud! I was proud of her for sticking with it. This month's book will be easier.

The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame

205 pages

"THEY'RE JUST STRANGE LITTLE GUYS
Shy Mole, who dreams of an exciting new life by the endless River. Ratty, a friendly, unflappable, altogether civilized chap. Gruff Badger, who hates absolutely everyone--except all his friends. And Toad, Ohh, Toad--glorious, crazy, doomed Toad: Toad the pampered braggart, Toad the desperate thief, Toad the hunted fugitive and hero of his own silly dreams.
WHO HAVE WONDERFUL ADVENTURES
From buzzing summer days to winter's killing cold, from gentle picnics to deeds of mighty daring, from wild escapes to a meeting with a god...
Everyone should have a life like this--
And friends like these." -Back Cover

I'm pretty sure I've seen the cartoon movie of this book but I wasn't sure I'd ever read the book. What convinced me to read it now was the foreword's description of how this book came about. "Grahame started it as a series of episodes for his partially blind four-year-old son, Alastair, nicknamed 'Mouse.' Storytelling to Alastair at bedtimes had been a long, established custom in the Grahame house." Alastair went on a trip without his dad. His dad promised to send him a story each day so he wouldn't miss them. The Wind in the Willows are those stories. My husband tells our kids stories almost every night at dinner and we always talk about writing those down one day.

Apparently Kenneth Grahame didn't have the happiest life, or at least not the one he dreamed of. He was not able to attend the university he wanted to and worked for years in a job he didn't love. His real passion was writing and he dreamt of living a quiet life along the river, much like Rat.

I wouldn't necessarily consider this a children's story. I think it's better suited for young adults and adults to be fully appreciated, but everyone can relate to its idea of being a good friend. Rat instantly accepts Mole when he first meets him and treats him as if they've been best friends forever. Rat is maybe my favorite character. He's kind to everyone and always thinks of others. Badger has a reputation for being cranky but he also cares about his friends. (I think the cranky thing is just an act.) He can be gruff though if he needs to be; he's the one who stages an intervention for Toad. These three characters are very good-natured.

Toad is crazy but in a really lovable way. I love the part where he sees a motor car and just has to drive it. That compulsion is what leads to so much trouble. Toad is the comic part of the story--the jailbreak, the fat lady on the barge, running all over the country in a washerwoman's outfit--it's all great fun. He gets himself into all kinds of trouble and then when he gets out of it--sometimes by luck and sometimes through the help of others--he thinks it's because he's so great and he takes the credit. He rarely thinks of others, but in the end shows that he's capable of change.

There are a couple of fantasy elements to this story (aside from the whole talking animal thing) that seemed a little whimsical and maybe a bit out of place. Mole and Rat meet Pan when they're out looking for Otter's son. I liked how Pan was watching over the little otter. Grahame obviously felt a love of nature and that nature takes care of its own. Rat also encounters an older, well-traveled rat whose story-telling of life on the road puts Rat in a trance and almost causes him to leave his home.

These little animals are completely endearing. Grahame told his illustrator, Ernest H. Shepard, "I love these little people, be kind to them." They do seem like people. It took me a second glance at one chapter to realize that there are also humans in this book, too. I'm not sure if that helps or hurt the story. Overall though, this is a great story of friendship, adventure, and home. It was a fun read.

The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin

216 pages

"A bizarre chain of events begins when sixteen unlikely people gather for the reading of Samuel W. Westing's will. And though no one knows why the eccentric, game-loving millionaire has chose a virtual stranger--and a possible murderer--to inherit his vast fortune, one thing's for sure: Sam Westing may be dead...but that won't stop him from playing one last game!" -Back Cover

{SPOILERS}

I read this book (which won the Newberry Medal) probably in junior high but couldn't remember much of it so I thought it was time to read it again. It's a good little mystery. Sixteen people are brought together and invited to live in Sunset Towers, an apartment building in the shadows of Westing House. After seeing smoke coming from the chimney of the house, which has supposedly been vacant for years, the teenagers of Sunset Towers become curious and stage a late-night run to the house. Turtle Wexler is dared to go in the house and offered money for each minute she stays there. What she discovers is Sam Westing's dead body lying in his bed. Shortly after, the sixteen are invited to a reading of Westing's will and invited to play a game with the winner inheriting Westing's vast fortune.

The sixteen people are paired off and given clues that will help reveal the murderer's identity. They become suspicious of one another and somewhat paranoid. Then someone starts setting off bombs around the Towers. (Which, once the identity of the bomber is discovered, was the only part of the story I didn't think was explained very well. It didn't really make sense why that person would plant bombs.) The puzzle part of the story was fun--the reader could play along and try to figure it out, too. Any reader will probably be able to figure out that Sam Westing might not actually be dead and he's also not vindictive. Each of the sixteen people's lives are changed for the better as a result of playing The Westing Game.

1984 by George Orwell

298 pages

"The year 1984 has come and gone, but George Orwell's prophetic, nightmarish vision in 1949 of the world we were becoming is timelier than ever. 1984  is still the great modern classic of 'negative utopia' - a startlingly original and haunting novel that creates an imaginary world that is completely convincing, from the first sentence to the last four words. No one can deny the novel's hold on the imaginations of whole generations, or the power of its admonitions - a power that seems to grow, not lessen, with the passage of time." -Back Cover

I love dystopian fiction which is why I'm kind of embarrassed to say that I'm not sure that I've ever read this classic, so I wanted to rectify that. I have to preface my review by saying that I love to read because I enjoy being transported to new worlds and/or entertained or moved in some way for a few hours. I don't necessarily want to have to think very much while I'm reading. I am the mother of three and the wife of a busy executive director so by the time I do 2nd-6th grade math and listen to my husband's worries, my brain's done. There's not much left to put towards deep literary thinking.

Having said that, I did try to pay attention! I'm amazed that this book was written in 1949. Its message still resonates today in different ways. I believe George Orwell was writing to warn of the dangers of communism. The threat of Big Brother today comes in a different form yet is no less real. Government is increasingly present in our lives. Big Brother watches us and monitors our actions in many places. Government tries to assert itself into our families and tell us what's best for us. Mass media tries to tell us what is real and what is not. In a lot of ways our society accepts what is given to it by government without question.

1984  is not a happy story. It is a cautionary tale. Winston Smith does not win his fight against Big Brother and the Party. In fact, he stands no chance of winning from the start and the tragedy is that he knows it and the reader knows it. He is manipulated, tortured, brainwashed, and ultimately stripped of his humanity. He becomes exactly what the Party wants him to become - a human machine that suppresses any real memories in exchange for "truths" given to him by Big Brother and acts in an automated, predictable way. He's so reprogrammed that he has lost all feeling for anything. You almost feel relieved that that's the case because of the hopelessness O'Brien instills in the reader via Smith during his time in the Ministry of Love. You feel like it would almost be better to live in trained stupidity than to rage against such a big machine. Big Brother destroys everything good and leaves nothing but hatred and loneliness. Its sole purpose is to destroy the individual and control thought.

As depressing as the story was I also found it be hopeful. I still felt, even at the end, that there was hope for humanity, that even though Winston failed someone else might one day rise up and succeed. Maybe that's what George Orwell was trying to tell us - that we must be the ones to succeed. I'm sure there's probably a deeper message than that. One of these days I'll let one of the 2,000 reviewers of this book on Amazon tell me what it is.

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

122 pages

"Ebenezer Scrooge is not a nice man. He is mean to his employees and mean to his family. He doesn't understand Christmas at all. Then three ghosts appear, haunting Scrooge. One shows him Christmas past. One shows him Christmas present. And one shows him an eerie Christmas future. Now Scrooge has one last chance...before it's too late." -Back Cover

What can you say about Charles Dickens? Except perhaps that I ought to read more of him more often. I've seen versions of this movie several times, probably every Christmas, but I'm not sure I've ever read the book. Unlike many of his other books, this one's short. I feel a new holiday tradition coming on.

A Christmas Carol is a story of redemption. Ebenezer Scrooge is as cranky and dispassionate as they come. He has no tolerance for the suffering or condition of others. Yet the lessons of the three ghosts, four if you count Marley, are not lost on him. The thing I love about Scrooge is that he's really not a bad person. He's just lost his way, and become all consumed with things that aren't important. Yet he's also quick to embrace change. I've sometimes wondered why Marley would appear to him in the first place, to give him a shot at changing the course of his life. They didn't seem to have been that good of friends while he was alive. I think it's probably because Marley wasn't a bad person either and didn't wish his fate on anyone.

I love Scrooge's nephew and his zest for life and cheerful countenance. He's the type of person that spreads joy wherever he goes. I love that Scrooge has some fun with him and with Bob Cratchit on Christmas Day. You know that the change Scrooge has experienced is a permanent one and that the message of A Christmas Carol is for everyone.

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

376 pages

"The unforgettable novel of a childhood in a sleepy Southern town and the crisis of conscience that rocked it, To Kill a Mockingbird  became both an instant bestseller and a critical success when it was first published in 1960. It went on to win the Pulitzer Prize in 1961 and was later made into an Academy Award-winning film, also a classic.

Compassionate, dramatic, and deeply moving, To Kill a Mockingbird  takes readers to the roots of human behavior - to innocence and experience, kindness and cruelty, love and hatred, humor and pathos. Now with over 18 million copies in print and translated into ten languages, this regional story by a young Alabama woman claims universal appeal. Harper Lee always considered her book to be a simple love story. Today it is regarded as a masterpiece of American literature." -Back Cover

This book truly is a masterpiece of American literature. I haven't read it since probably freshman or high school English and I know I liked it a lot way (!) back then, but I have a much greater appreciation for it now. The message of tolerance that runs through this book is as appropriate today as it was back then. There are so many powerful life lessons in this story about how we should conduct ourselves, treat others and raise our children. It is also a story about how life goes on. The characters are some of the greatest ever written. I could gush on and on but there's no need. If you've read it you know what I mean and if you haven't get yourself to the library right now.

The Prince and the Pauper by Mark Twain

215 pages

"On an autumn day, in the second quarter of the sixteenth century, two boys were born in England, one to a poor family by the name of Canty who lived in Offal Court, not far from London Bridge, and the other to a wealthy and high-placed family by the name of Tudor. Young Tom Canty, unwanted, unloved, began his day-dreaming early in order to forget the petty stealing to which he was forced by his cruel rogue of a father--and the royal Court and young Prince Edward became the focus of his dreams.

It was beyond Tom's dreaming that he would one day actually meet the Prince and enter the Palace. But Fate had decided that these two boys, born on the same day--and who looked exactly alike--should play a part in the history of England." -Cover

It was refreshing to read the original story, since the version of this story that's most told/heard/seen at our house is the Barbie one! Mark Twain is obviously one of the greatest writers of all time and this story, though not his most famous one, is definitely worth reading. You just can't go wrong with the classics...at least not when you're an adult. (There were plenty of classics I didn't fully appreciate as a teenager, i.e. Wuthering Heights.)

I loved that this book contained classic villains (John Canty) who are downright evil, and true heroes (Miles Hendon) who are good and noble and are rewarded for their actions. Tom and Prince Edward are also good. I loved their sense of justice and of righting wrong in their various spheres of influence, especially when Tom, acting as the prince, summons the prisoners who are about to be executed (in truly gruesome ways) and holds court to determine whether they are actually guilty or not. I also love that he's able to relinquish his crown to the true king without any reluctance or resistance. King Edward responds as a true king should and honors Tom. I think there's a lot to learn from this story about character and integrity.

Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte, 406 pages

"This only novel by a young and sheltered Victorian clergyman's daughter introduces two of the world's imperishable lovers. The tender attachment of Heathcliff to young Cathy grows into a savage and devouring passion, destroying one generation and nearly wrecking a second." -Back Cover

I read Wuthering Heights in high school and hated it. I figured that I would give it another try and see if 20 years of maturity would change my opinion. I think it did. I can now understand the obsessive, intense, and destructive nature of Heathcliff and Cathy's love, whereas as a teenager I felt like all love stories should end with "and they lived happily ever after." This one is pretty much "not happily ever after" from start to finish.

This time around I could feel sorry for both Heathcliff and Cathy. I found myself thinking, "If only he had stayed two minutes longer to hear what she said after 'it would degrade me to marry Heathcliff now.'" Minutes later she says those classic words, "If all else perished, and he remained, I should still continue to be; and if all else remained, and he were annihilated, the universe would turn to a mighty stranger."

I pretty much felt sorry for all the characters in this book. It's a tragic love story with all the characters falling victim to that love - Hindley, Hareton, young Cathy, Edgar, Isabella, even Ellen Dean. Heathcliff and Cathy could not let go and forgive and forget. They had to continually punish each other and those around them regardless of the consequences.

I loved that the story was told from Ellen's point of view with a mixture of past and present. I loved how the story ended and now, as a 30-something adult, I can recommend this book as the classic that it is.

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson, 80 pages

"The Herdmans are absolutely the worst kids in the history of the world. They lie and steal and smoke cigars (even the girls). They talk dirty, hit little kids, cuss their teachers, set fire to Fred Shoemaker's old broken-down toolhouse, and take the name of the Lord in vain. Still, no one is prepared when the Herdmans invade church one Sunday - and decide to take over the annual Christmas pageant.

None of them has ever heard the Christmas story before. Their interpretation - the Wise Men are a bunch of dirty spies and Herod needs a good beating - has a lot of people up in arms. But the actual pageant is full of surprises for everyone, starting with the Herdmans themselves." -Back Cover

My girls loved this book. They couldn't believe how bad the Herdmans were. When we finished the book we watched the old movie starring Loretta Switt. It was cute and followed the book but didn't really do the book justice. When do the movies ever do the books justice? Still, it was nice for the girls to see what we had read and hopefully they understood what had happened by the end. The ham gets me every time.

The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien, 458 pages

"The dark, fearsome Ringwraiths were searching for a hobbit. Frodo Baggins knew they were seeking him and the Ring he bore - the Ring of Power that would enable evil Sauron to destroy all that was good in Middle-earth. Now it is up to Frodo and his faithful servant, Sam, with a small band of companions, to carry the Ring to the one place it could be destroyed - Mount Doom, in the very center of Sauron's dark kingdom."

I've lost track of how many times I've read The Lord of the Rings. I just know that every time I read them I'm reminded why they are my favorite books. If you haven't read them you should. Peter Jackson did a great job making the movies as true to the books as possible with a couple of exceptions.

Aragorn is one of my favorite literary characters. I've never liked how he is depicted in the movies, and I also don't like what they do with his sword, Anduril, in the movie. He also seems to spend the whole movie doubting himself, afraid to become who he was meant to become. In the books I always felt that he knows who he is. His heart is with Arwen yet he knows there are things he is supposed to do.

I love the complexity of the characters, the friendships, the courage, the adventure, the story, everything!

The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Orczy, 248 pages

"Who is this man, this Scarlet Pimpernel?"

"Every day this question grew more pressing to the rulers of the French Revolution. Only this man and his band of followers threatened their total power. Only this maddeningly elusive figure defied the vast network of fanatics, informers and secret agents that the Revolution spread out to catch its enemies.

Some said this man of many disguises, endless ruses and infinite daring was an exiled French nobleman, returned to wreak vengeance. Others said he was an English lord, seeking sheer adventure and supreme sport in playing the most dangerous game of all.

But of only one thing could those who sought him be sure. They knew all too well the symbol of his presence, the blood-red flower known as the Scarlet Pimpernel..." -Back Cover

I've read this book more times than I can count. It's on my short list of all-time favorites, and after watching the Anthony Andrews/Jane Seymour film adaptation of this book this week I had to read it again. (I've seen the movie more times than I can count, too.) I've had me a little crush on Sir Percy Blakeney since the first time I read this as a teenager. I love that he is handsome, brave, honorable, resourceful, intelligent and proud, yet not too proud to appear to be a complete idiot in public to protect his true identity. Who he plays in public is the polar opposite of who he really is. I love that he loves wholeheartedly and is loved wholeheartedly. So, basically he's the perfect man - Edward Cullen included - and that's coming from a huge Twilight fan.

The Razor's Edge by W. Somerset Maugham, 314 pages

"Intimate acquaintances but less than friends, they meet and part in postwar London and Paris: Elliott, the archsnob but also the kindest of men; Isabel, considered to be entertaining, gracious, and tactful; Gray, the quintessence of the Regular Guy; Suzanne, shrewd, roving, and friendly; Sophie, lost, wanton, with a vicious attractiveness about her; and finally Larry, so hard and so trustful, lost in the world's confusion. Their story, one of Somerset Maugham's best, encompasses the pain, passion, and poignancy of life itself." -Back Cover

I never like to divulge too much about a story in my review of it because I don't like to start a book knowing everything that happens beforehand so I'll try not to divulge too much. The Razor's Edge is a very entertaining character study. I really enjoyed it. W. Somerset Maugham comes in and out of contact with the 6 people over several decades and the twists and turns that their lives take make for an interesting read.

Elliott was such a fun character. His whole life consisted of parties, those he held and those he attended. Even on his deathbed he insists on replying to a party invitation. He is completely superficial and yet loves his family dearly.

Isabel is in love with Larry but her social and economic aspirations lead her to a life that is content but not extraordinary. In the end Maugham describes her as having perfect taste and ruthless determination but lacking tenderness. She is quite a shallow woman.

Gray is a good husband and a hard worker.

Larry is probably the "hero" if you will of this story. He spends a large part of his life "loafing" as he calls it, while trying to uncover the true meaning of his existence. He travels the world soaking in every bit of knowledge he can. He reads for hours on end. I think he was my favorite character. I loved his opinion of money and possessions.

I found Suzanne and Sophie entertaining. Suzanne is very self-sufficient, practical and does what she must to live. Sophie is a tragically lost soul.

There is a little language in this book though not a lot. I would definitely recommend it.

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, 165 pages

"Guy Montag was a fireman whose job it was to start fires. And he enjoyed his job. He had been a fireman for ten years, and he had never questioned the pleasure of the midnight runs or the joy of watching pages consumed by flames, never question anything until he met a seventeen-year-old girl who told him of a past when people were not afraid. Then Guy met a professor who told him of a future in which people could think. And Guy Montag suddenly realized what he had to do..." -Jacket

I have a list that contains books every home library should have and I'm slowly working on getting those books and reading/re-reading them. I haven't read Fahrenheit 451 in years and I was reminded this time of just how much I love it and how timeless its message is. It's beautifully written. Ray Bradbury has such a way with words and story-telling.

The message of this book is not only timeless, it becomes more and more relevant as time goes on. In a recent interview with the author, included at the end of the book, he talks about idiot TV and how movies and commercials are so fast-paced these days that they take away our ability to think as image after image is flashed at us. He referenced a movie that had 4,560 half-second clips in it. The camera never held still. He talked about how that "clicks off your thinking." That's exactly how I felt after watching Transformers. I loved the movie, but it was sensory overload. Immediately after I finished this book I watched a commercial that did exactly that - flash from one image to another in a half-second. It was very difficult to try to think through it.

The thing I took away from this book this time is the need for quiet and reflection, but more importantly the need for independent thought. It's written in a future world, but it's not so different from ours. This book is a good wake-up call, a call to think for ourselves, to express our ideas and opinions, and to not let government or news force feed us our opinions.

I love so many things about this book. I love Clarisse. She is such a ray of light. You can sense her joy at walking in the rain or smelling the flowers. I love when Guy tries to have a conversation with Millie and her friends as they try to watch their favorite show. You can just sense his frustration at their lack of individuality and absolutely understand why it leads him to do what he does. I love the ending.

If you've never read this book you absolutely should. It is a classic.

Good-Bye, Mr. Chips by James Hilton, 132 pages

"This well-loved novel has delighted millions of readers over several generations, just as schoolmaster Mr. Chips himself delighted generation after generation of students. From his auspicious first day of teaching at Brookfield to his two retirements, a tragic April Fools' Day, his famous and classic jokes, and then finall to his quiet farewell, Good-Bye, Mr. Chips is a beloved classic that will bring a tear to your eye and a lump to your throat. Above all, this masterful book shows you the life of this marvelous man, and makes you wish there were a Mr. Chips in your life." -Back Cover

This is a very quick read but three things stuck out to me.

1. The influence of a woman - I thought Katherine was like a burst of sunshine for Mr. Chips. She had such a vivacious personality leaving her mark on everything she touched. She came into his life unexpectedly and left it unexpectedly, but their love and influence lasted a lifetime.
2. The influence of a good teacher - My dad is a teacher and so I couldn't help but think about him as I read this. Let's face it, teachers are the greatest people on the earth. They are selfless individuals (their pay is crap!) who have a love of learning and a desire to share that with others. I think my daughter's third grade teacher is her Mr. Chips. He's taught her so much. Some teachers stay with you for the rest of your life and I can see how Mr. Chips would have been that kind of teacher. I love Mr. Chips' Latin lesson during the bombing and his witty sense of humor. I also loved how he enjoyed his own sense of humor.
3. Reminiscing - My husband runs a retirement community and whenever I stop in to visit I almost always talk with the residents. They are so quick to share their memories. For some of them that is where they live. Mr. Chips had so many wonderful memories and I got a little choked up at the end of the book when he talked about all of his children - all boys.

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, 334 pages

"Since its immediate success in 1813, Pride and Prejudice has remained one of the most popular novels in the English language. Jane Austen called this brilliant work 'her own darling child' and its vivacious heroine, Elizabeth Bennet, 'as delightful a creature as ever appeared in print.' The romantic clash between the opinionated Elizabeth and her proud beau, Mr. Darcy, is a splendid performance of civilized sparring. And Jane Austen's radiant wit sparkles as her characters dance a delicate quadrille of flirtation and intrigue, making this book the most superb comedy of manners of Regency England." -Back Cover

There's not much else you can say about Pride and Prejudice. It's pure fun, again and again.

Ivanhoe by Sir Walter Scott, 410 pages

"'Take heed to yourself for the Devil is unchained!' the King of France warns his treacherous co-conspirator, Prince John of England. The 'Devil' is none other than Richard the Lion-Hearted, headed home from the Third Crusade to reclaim his throne. Amid the heat of a tournament, King Richard comes to the aid of another Crusader who has returned in disguise. Wilfred of Ivanhoe also seeks to recover a lost heritage - and the hand of Lady Rowena, 'a rose of loveliness, and a jewel of wealth; the fairest among a thousand.'

Sir Walter Scott's historical romance was published in 1819 and has reigned supreme ever since as the epitome of chivalric novels. Set at the close of the 12th century, if unfolds in a kingdom torn asunder by the hatred between Saxons and Normans. Cedric the Saxon, a powerful lord attempting to restore the Saxon nobility, disinherits Ivanhoe because of his son's fealty to the Norman king. Prince John, assisted by the scheming knights of the Templar Order, clings to the crown by having his brother imprisoned. The dispossessed heroes, Ivanhoe and King Richard, face an uphill battle against firmly entrenched adversaries. The success of their fight rests upon the support of an unlikely crew of outsiders: Rebecca, a Jew accused of sorcery for her skill in the healing arts; Gurth, a swineherd slave; Wamba, a wise fool; and England's most famous outlaw, the legendary Robin Hood." -Back Cover

When I was a teenager I watched either a mini-series or movie of Ivanhoe and have loved it ever since, but I don't think that I've ever read the book so I decided to rectify that. I loved the book just as much. The description from the back cover pretty much covered everything. Ivanhoe is full of great adventure, knights, romance, wit and chivalry. Who doesn't love Robin Hood and Friar Tuck?! It took me a little longer to get through than other books because of the old language that it's written in but it's well worth it!

The Hound of the Baskervilles by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, 240 pages

"The country doctor had come to 221B Baker Street, the famous lodgings of Sherlock Holmes, with an eerie tale - the legend of the Hound of the Baskervilles, the devil-beast that haunted the lonely moors around the Baskervilles' ancestral home. The tale warned the descendants of that ancient family never to venture out on the moor 'in those dark hours when the powers of evil are exalted.' But one of the most recent Baskervilles, Sir Charles, was now dead - and the footprints of a giant hound had been found near his body. Would the new heir of the Baskervilles meet the same dreadful fate? Sherlock Holmes and his faithful friend, Dr. Watson, are faced with their most terrifying case in this wonderful classic of masterful detection and bone-chilling suspense." (Back Cover)

I read this book back in junior high or high school. I remember liking it then and I like it still. I found I could even remember what was going to happen next in some parts even though it's been years! It's a quick, fun read and who doesn't love Sherlock Holmes?!

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte, 521 pages

"Orphaned Jane Eyre grows up in the home of her heartless aunt, where she endures loneliness and cruelty, and at a charity school with a harsh regime. This troubled childhood strengthens Jane's natural independence and spirit - which prove necessary when she takes a position as governess at Thornfield Hall. But when she finds love with her sardonic employer, Rochester, the discovery of his terrible secret forces her to make a choice. Should she stay with him and live with the consequences, or follow her convictions, even if it means leaving the man she loves? A novel of intense power and intrigue, Jane Eyre (1847) dazzled and shocked readers with its passionate depiction of a woman's search for equality and freedom." -Back Cover

I feel like I shouldn't even critique this literary classic so I will just say that I am a sucker for any love story. I admired Jane's spirit and her strength. I loved her school friend Helen Burns and her teacher Miss Temple. I admired Jane's integrity. I cheated, however, when she left Thornfield Hall, because I wanted to see if she and Rochester would wind up together in the end and so I read the last few chapters. Hey, I cheated in the 7th Harry Potter as well and I will most likely cheat with Breaking Dawn this weekend! I liked the fact that Jane & Rochester were drawn together for reasons other than good looks and that their love was real and true.