The Once and Future King

The Once and Future King is by T.H. White. White's classic retelling of the legend of King Arthur and his Knights. These retellings are funny, charming, poignant, and thoroughly enjoyable. A Reader's Corner Highly Recommended Read. Great for children and adults alike, this is one of the best books ever written and you should definitely experience it before you pass. You really feel like you know and understand all the characters in these tales much better after reading this book. 

Ratings: 6th grade - 10 out of 10. 

The Children's Shakespeare

The Children's Shakespeare is by E. Nesbit. The classic historical fiction retelling of 11 of the Bard's plays. The book is written for children, to acquaint them early on with these timeless works. The stories include famous plays like "Romeo and Juliet and "Hamlet;" as well as lesser known works like "Pericles," "The Winter's Tale," and "Cymbeline." A must have book for parents who want to start their children off on the right reading track. 

Ratings: 4th grade - 10 out of 10. 

The Oxford Inklings: Lewis, Tolkien, and Their Circle

The Oxford Inklings: Lewis, Tolkien, and Their Circle is by Colin Duriez. Another magnificent nonfiction book by Duriez. In this work, he discussed the founding of the Inklings and provides biographies and insights into all of the essential members. Some of this material is covered in J.R.R. Tolkien: The Making of a Legend, but it does not seem redundant even if you have read the Tolkien biography. All of Duriez's works are well researched and thoroughly readable. Highly recommended for all fans of Tolkien, Lewis, Barfield, and Williams. 

Ratings: 10th grade - 8 out of 10. 

J.R.R. Tolkien: The Making of a Legend

J.R.R. Tolkien: The Making of a Legend is by Colin Duriez. A masterful biography of Tolkien. Duriez writes in a readable and interesting way. He takes you into Tolkien's life and writings in a seamless fashion. A must read for all Tolkien fans. Actually, anything written by Duriez should be a must read. 

Ratings: 9th grade - 8 out of 10. 

Troy

Troy is by Stephen Fry. The third in his trilogy of books on Greek Mythology. The wonderful mythological tale of the Trojan war told by a master storyteller. Fry relates the entire history of the Trojan War, in all its horror and glory, in his own inimitable way. 

Ratings: 9th grade - 9 out of 10 - P (profanity) - AC (mature thematic content). 

Northrop Frye on Shakespeare

Northrop Frye on Shakespeare is by Northrop Frye. Frye's classic nonfiction literary criticism of nine of Shakespeare's plays. A must read for all teachers of Shakespeare or readers who love Shakespeare. 

Ratings: Adult - 9 out of 10. 

Hard Times

Hard Times is by Charles Dickens. The classic historical fiction tale of the Head vs the Heart. Mr. Gradgrind runs the school in Coketown; he believes in Facts and bans Fancy from the minds of his children and his pupils. Mr. Bounderby is a the local businessman, a man of "boundless humility" who "pulled himself up by his own bootstraps;" he marries Louise, Gradgrind's daughter and employs his son Tom at his bank. Their lives become entwined with those of Sissy Jupe (a girl abandoned by her father in Gradgrind's care), Stephen Blackpool (a weaver at the local mill), James Harthouse (a lazy interloper), and Mrs. Sparsit (the local busybody). As things move from bad to worse, Mr. Gradgrind must face the value of the human heart in a world of materialism and "progress." Dickens is at his darkest in this book; at times his tone is sarcastic and almost vitriolic. A must read for fans of Dickens. 

Ratings: 11th grade - 8 out of 10.