Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

by Carol6 Comments
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley I think this is the first time I've actually sat down and read Frankenstein, but I had the story all mixed up in my mind with the various movie interpretations I've seen, either whole or in part. I didn't even know that it was a story being told by Frankenstein to a ship captain, and that part of that story had been told to Frankenstein by the monster himself. Captain Robert Walton, who is on a voyage of discovery in the North Polar Seas, takes on board his ship a man who is on the verge of death. This man is Victor Frankenstein and before his death he tells Walton his whole, unbelievable story. Frankenstein relates to Walton that, as a student, he became passionate about the natural sciences. So much has been done, exclaimed the soul of Frankenstein,—more, far more, will I achieve: treading in the steps already marked, I will pioneer a new way, explore unknown powers, and...
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Teaser Tuesday

by Carol9 Comments
Grab your current read. Let the book fall open to a random page. Share with us two (2) "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page. You also need to share the title of the book that you're getting your "teaser" from...that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you've given. Please avoid spoilers! My teaser: I perceived, as the shape came nearer (sight tremendous and abhorred!) that it was the wretch whom I had created. I trembled with rage and horror, resolving to wait his approach, and then close with him in mortal combat. He approached; his countenance bespoke bitter anguish, combined with disdain and malignity, while its unearthly ugliness rendered it almost too horrible for human eyes. -pg 99, Frankenstein by Mary Shelley Teaser Tuesdays is hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Play along. My copy was borrowed from the library. I am an Amazon Associate.....
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I is for I

by Carol8 Comments
Vicki of Reading At The Beach hosts A-Z Wednesday. Today's letter is I. I read this novel in the summer of 2007. I don't remember many of the details, but I do remember loving it. It's not actually on my shelf anymore, but I still wanted to share it. I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith Seventeen-year-old Cassandra Mortmain wants to become a writer. Trouble is, she's the daughter of a once-famous author with a severe case of writer's block. Her family--beautiful sister Rose, brooding father James, ethereal stepmother Topaz--is barely scraping by in a crumbling English castle they leased when times were good. Now there's very little furniture, hardly any food, and just a few pages of notebook paper left to write on. Bravely making the best of things, Cassandra gets hold of a journal and begins her literary apprenticeship by refusing to face the facts. She writes, "I have just remarked to Rose that our situation is really rather romantic, two...
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The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster

by Carol5 Comments
The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster,illustrations by Jules Feiffer From the dust jacket: Readers of all ages will find much wit and wisdom in Norton Juster's beguiling, offbeat fanatasy about  a boy named Milo "who didn't know what to do with himself." Through the Phanotm Tollbooth lies a strange land and a series of even stranger adventures in which Milo meets some of the most logically illogical characters ever met on this side or that side of reality, including King Azaz the Unabridged, unhappy ruler of Dictionopolis; the Mathemagician; Fainly Macabre, the not-so-wicked Which; and the watchdog Tock, who ticks. In his quest fo Rhyme and Reason, Milo helps settle the war between words and numbers, visits the Island of Conclusions , and ventures into the forbidden Mountains of Ignorance. My thoughts: This is my brother-in-law's favorite childrens book, and he's the one who bought it for Amber. It's a classic and I'm definitely glad we read. Amber gave it 5.9 out of 5 starts...
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The Old Man and the Sea

by Carol2 Comments
The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway From the cover: The Old Man and the Sea is one of  Hemingway's most enduring works. Told in language of great simplicity and power, it is the story of an old Cuban fisherman, down on his luck, and his supreme ordeal - a relentless, agonizing battle with a giant marlin far out in the Gulf Stream. Here Hemingway recasts, in striking contemporary style, the classic theme of courage in the face of defeat, of personal triumph won from loss. Written in 1952, this hugely successful novella confirmed his power and presence in the literary world and played a large part in his winning the 1954 Nobel Prize for literature. My thoughts: I was prepared to dislike this book. Most of the people I know are not Hemingway fans and 120 pages about catching a fish just didn't sound that great. I was suprised that I actually enjoyed it. I liked the writing style, you feel...
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