The Complete Tales of Peter Rabbit is by Beatrix Potter. The classic children's fantasy book. All of Peter Rabbit's stories in one beautifully illustrated volume. A masterpiece and must read for all children, and the young at heart.
Ratings: 5th grade - 10 out of 10.
Characters of Shakespeare's Plays is by William Hazlitt. A classic must read for all Shakespeare lovers and teachers. Hazlitt walks us through all of Shakespeare's plays and reviews what he considers the high and low points of all of them. While I don't agree with everything he presents, his ideas are educational and thought-provoking.
Ratings: 12th grade - 10 out of 10.
Gift from the Sea is by Anne Morrow Lindbergh. A classic thought-provoking memoir by the wife of Charles Lindbergh. This book was written while Anne was on a week's vacation in Florida. She took some time in a small remote cabin to use her surroundings, namely sea shells, to reflect on her life. This book is a must read for all women of all ages. It is insightful and brilliantly written. A Reader's Corner Highly Recommended Read.
Ratings: 9th grade - 10 out of 10.
The Blue Fairy Book is by Andrew Lang. The first book in the classic fantasy collections of myths, legends and fairy tales Lang began collecting in the 1800s. This volume contains such gems as "The Sleeping Beauty in the Woods," "Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp," "Beauty and the Beast," "The Master-Maid," "The Brave Little Tailor," and "Prince Darling." A must-read classic for children, and everyone else.
Ratings: 6th grade - 9 out of 10.
As I Lay Dying is by William Faulkner. A classic historical fiction tale by the master of modernist writing. This is the tale of a poor rural family. Their mother is dying and the father has promised to bury her in her home town in a neighboring county. The various chapters are told from a wide variety of points of view and is challenging to read. It's not just the dialect, it's the stream-of-consciousness writing that can be very difficult to follow. The writing is beautiful and the characters are heart-breaking and disturbing. While I understand the artistry of the book, it is just not in my personal wheelhouse, although I am very glad to have read it.
Ratings: 12th grade - 6 out of 10 - P (profanity) - AC (mature thematic content).
Christina Rossetti: Selected Poems is by Christina Rossetti. A superb collection of poems by this magnificent poet. A must read for poetry lovers.
Ratings: 9th grade - 9 out of 10.
You Sexy Thing is by Cat Rambo. The first in the science fiction You Sexy Thing series. A motely crew of ex-soldiers now running a restaurant on a space station are forced to flee when an unknown alien race destroys the space station. They find themselves on board a sentient bio-ship headed toward a pirate haven where an enemy from the past waits. Sad, funny, horrifying - this is an interesting book. Fans of space opera will enjoy it.
Ratings: 12th grade - 8 out of 10 - AC (mature thematic content) - P (profanity) - V (violence).
Tuesday Mooney Talks to Ghosts is by Kate Racculia. A strange fantasy tale of ghosts, murder, and a fantastic game. Tuesday Mooney researches the rich who might be possible donors to the hospital she works for - and she is good at her job. When a rich donor dies suddenly at a fundraiser, Tuesday finds herself involved in a strange ghostly game that has very real world consequences.
Ratings: 11th grade - AC (mature thematic content) - P (profanity) - V (violence)
The Age of Innocence is by Edith Wharton. A historical fiction classic of Old New York Society. Newland Archer is engaged to society heiress May Welland, only to find himself in love with her cousin, the Countess Ellen Olenska, who has run away from her husband and fled to live with her family in New York. Her situation is disgraceful, but Newland finds her enchanting and much more like himself than his fiancée. Now he must chose between the woman he loves and the society he has grown up in.
Ratings: 12th grade - 8 out of 10.
Sone Mythical Elements in English Literature is by E.M.W. Tillyard. The Clark Lectures from 1959-60, on mythical elements in English Literature. The lectures include topics such as: Myth and Literature, the Harrowing of Hell, Retirement, and two Tudor myths. Fascinating and very helpful for students of literature.
Ratings: Adult - 10 out of 10.
The Metaphysicals and Milton is by E.M.W. Tillyard. Tillyard's nonfiction lectures at the University of Washington in 1955-1956 regarding Milton's relationship to the Metaphysical poets. A must read for fans of the Milton and the Metaphysical poets in general.
Ratings: Adult - 8 out of 10.
Shakespeare's Problem Plays is by E.M.W. Tillyard. Tillyard examines Shakespeare's so-called "problem plays" which include: "Hamlet," "Troilus and Cressida," "All's Well That Ends Well," and "Measure for Measure." He walks us through the problems with these plays and what makes them good plays even so.
Ratings: 12th grade - 10 out of 10.
