Barnaby Rudge is one of those long classic novels most people today would not even think about reading. I do like them though. I had once set a goal of reading all Charles Dickens books, and I am well on my way to having accomplished that. Barnaby Rudge is one of his books, too. It is not so widely known and celebrated as the rest, and I think I understand why: the story involves a religious co...

With the 2002 movie release, we all know the story of the Count of Monte Cristo - or so we think. A young man wrongly accused and arrested on the day of his wedding spends 14 years in jail and then returns as the wealthy count, unrecognized and bent on revenge. The novel is much deeper than its many movie adaptations. While elaborate vengeance is indeed its central theme, the book clearly shows...

"The Mysterious Benedict Society" by Trenton Lee Stewart is labeled as a Sci Fi book for kids.  But it is so much more.  I am much older than the target age for this book and I couldn't put it down.  I felt like I did when I read the Harry Potter series.  I was swept up in the story, I felt for the characters, and even now that I'm done reading it, I want t...

We all know the story of Frankenstein, or so we think. A scientist stitches together dead body parts, creating an ugly-looking man; he brings his creation to life, and it starts killing people. I, too, thought that's what Frankenstein was about - until I read the book.As I delved into Mary Shelly's masterpiece, I couldn't help feeling cheated by all those movie versions out there: t...

Great children's books should be embraced as a part of every young life. As a thirteen-year veteran of the early childhood industry, and a mother of two, I spend a lot of time reading literature designed for children. A couple of years ago, I stumbled across a book called, Love You Forever, written by Robert Munsch and illustrated by Sheila McGraw.This book highlights a mother's undying...

The Golden Compass is the first book in the fantasy trilogy "His Dark Materials" by British author Philip Pullman.  Technically, The Golden Compass is a book for children ages ten and up, but the sophistication of its themes and the complexity of its characters will appeal equally to adult readers.  In fact, adults are probably better equipped to understand Pullman's und...

The Subtle Knife is the sequel to the glorious fantasy novel The Golden Compass and the second book in Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy.  Lyra Belacqua, the engaging heroine of The Golden Compass, returns, and she is joined by a new major character, Will Parry, a twelve-year old boy looking for his father who disappeared into another world.  At the novel's outset, L...

The Amber Spyglass is the final book in Philip Pullman's fantasy trilogy, His Dark Materials, which began with The Golden Compass and continued with The Subtle Knife.  Pullman does a good job of resolving questions and tying up loose ends.  The reader learns more about the mysterious substance, Dust, and Lyra's destiny and the meaning of the witches' prophecy about he...

I'm a big fan of Steinbeck's works and East of Eden is one of his best. East of Eden is, at its heart, a retelling of the bible story of Cain and Abel; though there is somewhat more to it than that. Like many of Steinbeck's other stories this one takes place in the Salinas Valley, California during the turn of the 20th century. East of Eden is longer than most of his other books, my...

I have always been an avid reader, and one who loves great literature.  I had read Maia by Richard Adams in college and had grown to love the book.  A few years back I decided to look for the book and found a used copy at a rock bottom price.  I just couldn't resist.It was used, but it was in great shape.  It is a book which I read over and over again.  It always ma...

Well, you might be wondering what it is that is so wonderful. It is a website, actually to be frank, a blog, of importance. It is a really great blog, tailored toward creating Good Writing. Please visit the blog here, Good Writing Help and Tips for New writers. The cute writing blog,  up for about a month now, contains all areas of great help for the new writers. Publishing, article w...

The Poe Shadow is Matthew Pearl's second novel. The story starts with the death of Edgar Allan Poe. It is based on the author's extensive research and knowledge of Poe's work. He uses actual letters and newspaper reports, from the time of Poe's death, and the following years. The cause of death has never been fully established, and Poe's exact whereabouts during his fin...

As a big fan of books and literature, I think this card game is absolutely wonderful. The game consists of thirteen sets of cards, four cards in each set. Every set features a certain author - Charles Dickens, Mark Twain, William Shakespeare - with their picture on the cards. Four cards feature four different works of the particular author - books or poems. The objective of the game is to co...

The Velveteen Rabbit was given to me as a child by my grandmother. I've loved this book from the moment I opened the cover. As an adult, feeling lost, I reach for this book finding that same piercing beauty and truths that have so resonated with people all over this world.The story opens with Rabbit residing in the nursery with Boy's other toys, and presided over by the Skin Horse. The ...

When my children were small and naughty, there were times when I was hard pressed for ideas to help them express their frustrations with limits they tested daily. Providing them with a secure, consistent, structured environment was important to David and I.One day, while browsing B.Dalton for more children's books, I happened on Where The Wild Things Are. Sitting down, I read it cover to co...

Harry Potter is the brainchild of JK Rowling. It was so successful that the author became one of the richest women in the world. The books is now a best-seller internationally and has been translated into 65 different languages. Before the commercial success, JK Rowling was a single parent who was struggling financially.  She lived on social security and was unemployed. She also had a hard...

 Game Informer is an excellent magazine for the video gamer in you. I always love to read about the new games that are out, the ones that are coming out, and sometimes even the ones that may never come out (when they seem to take forever). The writers tell you about all different aspects of the video gaming world icluding things like cheat codes, accessories (and how well they work) a...

I rented this book from the library, but I found it so interesting that I have it added to my Amazon wishlist for my next order.  The title grabbed me immediately because I don't think anyone could ever love books too much, but when I began reading about the whole world of book theives I was totally into it. The author starts out by talking about how the book world works and about...