What I have Read (and Taught) Recently

I have finished student teaching! I'm currently finishing up the paperwork and certifications needed to become a hireable and certified teacher! I thought I would recap what I read and taught over the semester, with some thoughts on how I enjoyed reading and teaching each piece. I'll have a second post coming soon with what I read for fun while I've been gone.

Short Stories

My freshman started the year with a short story and literary terms unit. This was the first story in the unit and the first story of the year that I taught. This was also my first short story by Dahl that I have read. I knew that he wrote some adult literature and that it was pretty dark, and this story definitely fits that description. This story is super short; I read it aloud in about twenty minutes, but there is so much there to discuss, unpack, and think about, which made it perfect for English class. I'm really interested in reading more of Dahl's short stories. 

 This is a super popular short story that is in numerous anthologies and textbooks. I did not care for this story all that much. It's long and consists of too much rising action. I don't have a whole lot to say about this one beyond that. There's a lot going on in terms of literary elements which makes it useful for teaching vocab and concepts, but for personal enjoyment, it's not for me.

This is another very short story, but it's very well done. I really enjoyed this story, and to me, it felt like an O' Henry story. It has a great ending, and great build up to the ending, and my students really enjoyed it. I highly recommend taking a few minutes to read this one, as that's all it will take you. 

Novellas and Novels 

My freshman read the original novella version of Flowers for Algernon, which has become a modern science fiction classic. When I finished reading this, I had some mixed feelings. The novella is short and written in diary form which works really well for the plot. This novella deals with some really serious themes, and the ending was super impactful for me. I was left feeling a little uneasy about the truths of the world that the novella had revealed. It was interesting to teach this piece to freshman, as their thinking tends to be more black-and-white at that age, and they didn't have as strong of a reaction to it as I did. After reading, they were required to write an argumentative paper on whether or not Charlie should have had the surgery, and students didn't have any difficulty making their choice, but I could not decide for myself and kept going back and forth in my own mind.  

This was the only novel I read with my sophomores this year was To Kill a Mockingbird. I hadn't read this novel since I was a sophomore in high school, and I loved it even more the second time around. I didn't recognize a lot of the brilliant word usage, wise world views, and humor in the novel when I read it as a teen. I loved teaching this novel. This is a novel I would love to teach again. If I were to teach it, I would want to supplement it with material by authors of color from the time period as that is important, but this book has stood the test of time and will continue to. 

Recently Read: Almost Famous Women

Author: Megan Mayhew Bergman
Genre: Short Stories- Adult Fiction
Page Count: 230
Publication Date: 2015
Rating: 3.5/5

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The stories of women on the brink of fame, including Oscar Wilde's niece, Lord Byron's illegitimate daughter, an aging artist, and Edna St. Vincent Millay's sister, are imagined in this short story collection. These women are connected by their bravery, their proximity to fame, and the sadness that is coupled with being an almost famous woman.

I have had this collection on my TBR for quite some time. The premise and the beautiful cover sucked me in and I knew this book would be right up my alley. I picked it up as I have been so busy with teaching this month,that I thought a short story collection would be easier to get through than a novel. The stories in this collection range in length, some are only three pages, others are twenty-or-so, and I loved reading one or two stories a night before bed. 

Each story features an image of the woman it is about as well as suggested reading material about that woman in the author's note. I loved this touch, and found myself itching to research the real lives of these ladies. Bergman uses a close companion or third party as the narrator for most of these stories, which really helps to build a common thread through the collection and commentary on what it was like to be a woman breaking the mold. These women were never given the opportunity to tell their own stories, and gossip runs wild about a woman challenging society's standards, so being once removed from each title lady was the perfect way to convey these ideas. 

I enjoyed all of the stories in this collection; I felt like each story was equally as good as the last, but I didn't feel like any of the stories particularly stood out as amazing. I really loved the idea behind this collection and thought it was very well executed. I will definitely be spending some time researching more about these ladies!   

Top Ten Tuesday: My Fall TBR

I'm not sure how much reading I will be getting done this fall as I have just started teaching. I am writing up this post quite far in advance, so I have no idea how much reading current me is doing! Here's some books that I would like to curl up with this fall. You'll notice I crave historical fiction and mysteries in the fall and winter seasons!
Hosted by: The Broke and the Bookish

1. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, J.K. Rowling 
I have been working my way through this series, and this is the next in line. I really want to dive into this one and continue with this reread, but the size mixed with my limited reading time is making me hesitant. I might find myself diving into this comfort read in the midst of things anyways.

2. Jane and the Unpleasantness at Scargrave Manor, Stephanie Barron
Fall is the perfect time to read mysteries! I have been wanting to dig into this series where Jane Austen solves mysteries for a while because it sounds so cute! I think fall will be the perfect time to start this series.

3. More than This, Patrick Ness
This book has been calling my name from my shelf for a long time.

 

4. A Tyranny of Petticoats, Jessica Spotswood
I really think I will love this collection, but for whatever reason, I haven't dug into it yet. With a second volume coming out next year, I really want to get into this one!

5. Sleeping Giants, Sylvain Neuvel  
This book is number one on my buy list right now! I've heard that this is a decent start to the series but that the second one is better and I really want to dig in! I've really been craving some quality science fiction lately.

6. The Gentlemen's Guide to Vice and Virtue, Mackenzi Lee
I've been hearing lots of great things about this one, and I love the sound of the premise. I really want to pick this one up and dig in!

7. Dust Tracks on a Road, Zora Neal Hurston
I've been loading up my TBR with feminist nonfiction, and this is one I want to get to very soon!

8. Tipping the Velvet, Sarah Waters 
I loved Water's Fingersmith so I'm eager to read more from her. Her books always have a mysterious element to them, and a great historical atmosphere, which screams fall to me.

9. Other Voices, Other Rooms, Truman Capote 
I've been meaning to read more of Capote's fiction since I have only read his short stories. I think this novel will be perfect for fall as it sounds a bit creepy and strange.

10.  All the Light We Cannot See, Anthony Doer
Another book that has been on my TBR forever and would be perfect for the fall weather! 

Top Ten Tuesday: The Classics You Really Should Have Read in School (Hidden Gems)

We all know how much I love talking about under-rated classics, so of course I was going to spin this week's hidden gems topic in that fashion. High school and college English classes are always assigning the same reading material, and while most of it is really good, it would be nice to switch it up every once and a while. So here are ten hidden gem classics that I think deserve a spot on syllabus lists everywhere. Unsurprisingly, you will note that 8/10 of these works are written by women. It's 2017 people, let's get some women on our syllabuses!  

Hosted by: The Broke and the Bookish

1. Passing by Nella Larson
I've talked about this one in regard to hidden gems a couple of times on the blog. This is an amazing novel about race, women, and Harlem in the 1920s. I really need to reread this one soon.

2. The End of the Affair by Graham Greene
This short novel packs quite a powerful punch as it covers a lot of really big themes. It comments on religious faith, romantic love, and keeping a sense of self while in a romantic relationship. This is the only Greene I have read so far, even though I own quite a few, so I really need to get to more of his works.

3. We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson
I just recently finished this one, so I haven't even reviewed it yet, but it's safe to say that this novel has officially cemented my love of Shirley Jackson. This short novel is eerie, thought provoking, and loveable.

 

4. Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton
This novella has been one of my favorites for quite a while, and I talk about it any chance I get. I love the straightforward story line that Wharton amps up by creating complex characters and intricate symbols. Wharton is another author that I need to dive into along with Greene. Suggestions on where to start with her novels are much appreciated!

5. The Kiss by Kate Chopin 
Chopin is a genius, and although at least one of her short stories can usually be found on a reading list, either "Desiree's Baby" or "The Story of an Hour," her shortest story, "The Kiss" is my favorite. Chopin writes powerful feminist literature that gets better and better every time you read it.

6. In Our Time by Ernest Hemingway
While it's not unusual to find Hemingway on a reading list, you almost never find In Our Time on this list, which I think, is one of his best. It was written very early on in his career and contains short stories all loosely connected by vignettes. While I dislike Hemingway as a person very much, I can't deny his incredible writing talent.

 

7. The Lamplighter by Maria Susana Cummins 
This is a very long, and semi-forgotten, novel of nineteenth century America. It's a Dickens-esque drama written by a female author about a female character. Although it's long, it is quite enjoyable and was a huge success during its time. This is a key domestic novel in the era of the independent women writer. See this post for more on these independent women writers.

8. Memoirs of a Beatnik by Diane di Prima
This novel has such an interesting back story, I suggest you read my review (linked above) before reading this novel. This is not a truthful memoir, but what was requested of di Prima from her publisher and it perfectly embodies di Prima's struggle as a woman poet in the male lead Beatnik era.

9. The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie by Muriel Sparks 
Another short novel that packs a punch, although a quieter punch than some of the others. This novel is such an interesting look at the complicated feelings between children regarding adults.

10. Trifles by Susan Glaspell 
This one act play is about as clever as it gets. I loved this play when I read it for the first time and thought I had never read anything quite as true and clever in my life. It's heavy feminist themes were perfect for its 1916 debut and current times. 

Recently Read: The Lottery and Other Stories

Author: Shirley Jackson
Genre: Classic/ Short Stories
Page Count: 302
Publication Date: 1949
Rating: 3.5/5

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Shirley Jackson is known for her mastery of unnerving fiction. The Lottery is one of the most often anthologized short stories, and one of the most infamous short stories of the twentieth century. This collection features some of Jackson's most well-known short works of fiction. 

This was my first experience with Jackson. As you have probably picked up on, I have been devouring anything slightly creepy that I can get my hands on, and Shirley Jackson is essential creepy reading. Since reading these stories, I have bought one of her novels, with plans to buy and read them all, and I have become extremely interested in learning more about her works and her life. 

Jackson lived as a typical suburban American women in the early and mid 1900s. She was married to a college professor/literary critic and the caretaker of her four children. Her writings were popular during her lifetime, and in fact, they created quite a stir. The Lottery was first published in The New Yorker in 1948 and caused quite the commotion. Letters of horror and complaint came pouring in as well as mass subscription cancellations. Jackson was very quiet, hardly ever did interviews, and suffered from extreme anxiety and fear in the final years of her life. 

What I loved about these stories were how simple yet unnerving they were. Jackson does not rely on the supernatural to make her reader feel uneasy. All of the stories in this novel take place in the real world, either a big city or the rural country, and involve everyday people, yet something is off. A few of the stories really stuck out to me including, The Daemon Lover, The Renegade, Of Course, and The Lottery. All of the stories in this novel sucked me in and had me on edge, but those stories in particular made me shutter. 

Many critics see Jackson's works as not a reflection of her own paranoia, but as a reflection of the Cold War paranoia and society she was living in, and I have to agree. Jackson's stories reflect the Cold War brilliantly, as in both settings, life continues normally on the surface, but there are small hints that everything isn't quite as stable as it seems. 

I'm really eager to read the rest of Jackson's works and learn more about her as I think she's brilliant. I highly recommend checking her out if you are into creepy reads. 

Here's an article about Jackson herself that I found interesting.

And here's where you can read The Lottery for yourself. 

Just Added to my TBR (16): (Weird Reads)

If you have been reading anything I've been putting out lately, you will have caught on to my craving for weird and creepy reads lately. I've rounded up the last three creepy reads I've added to my Goodreads TBR.

Just Added (15)
Just Added (14)

Magic for Beginners by Kelly Link

Summary from Goodreads:

The nine stories in Link's second collection are the spitting image of those in her acclaimed debut, Stranger Things Happen: effervescent blends of quirky humor and pathos that transform stock themes of genre fiction into the stuff of delicate lyrical fantasy. In "Stone Animals," a house's haunting takes the unusual form of hordes of rabbits that camp out nightly on the front lawn. This proves just one of several benign but inexplicable phenomena that begin to pull apart the family newly moved into the house as surely as a more sinister supernatural influence might. The title story beautifully captures the unpredictable potential of teenage lives through its account of a group of adolescent schoolfriends whose experiences subtly parallel events in a surreal TV fantasy series. Zombies serve as the focus for a young man's anxieties about his future in "Some Zombie Contingency Plans" and offer suggestive counterpoint to the lives of two convenience store clerks who serve them in "The Hortlak." Not only does Link find fresh perspectives from which to explore familiar premises, she also forges ingenious connections between disparate images and narrative approaches to suggest a convincing alternate logic that shapes the worlds of her highly original fantasies.

Why I added It: Short stories can be a great way to get your creepy fix (think The Twilight Zone or The Outer Limits but in book form) and I saw this book on quite a few recommendation lists for creepy reads. Plus I love that cover! 

Alice and the Fly by James Rice

Summary from Goodreads:

A spellbinding debut novel by an exceptional new young British talent.

This is a book about phobias and obsessions, isolation and dark corners. It's about families, friendships, and carefully preserved secrets. But above everything else it's about love. Finding love - in any of its forms - and nurturing it.

Miss Hayes has a new theory. She thinks my condition's caused by some traumatic incident from my past I keep deep-rooted in my mind. As soon as I come clean I'll flood out all these tears and it'll all be ok and I won't be scared of Them anymore. The truth is I can't think of any single traumatic childhood incident to tell her. I mean, there are plenty of bad memories - Herb's death, or the time I bit the hole in my tongue, or Finners Island, out on the boat with Sarah - but none of these are what caused the phobia. I've always had it. It's Them. I'm just scared of Them. It's that simple. 


Why I added it: I saw this one over on Mixed Margins' post about her top five books of 2017 so far, and it sounded perfectly weird and delightful. 

The Red Parts by Maggie Nelson 

Summary from Goodreads:
One day in March 1969, twenty-three- year-old Jane Mixer was on her way home to tell her parents she was getting married. She had arranged for a ride through the campus bulletin board at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, where she was one of a handful of pioneering women students at the law school. Her body was found the following morning just inside the gates of a small cemetery fourteen miles away, shot twice in the head and strangled. Six other young women were murdered around the same time, and it was assumed they had all been victims of alleged serial killer John Collins, who was convicted of one of these crimes not long after. Jane Mixer's death was long considered to be one of the infamous Michigan Murders, as they had come to be known. But officially, Jane's murder remained unsolved, and Maggie Nelson grew up haunted by the possibility that the killer of her mother's sister was still at large.

In an instance of remarkable serendipity, more than three decades later, a 2004 DNA match led to the arrest of a new suspect for Jane's murder at precisely the same time that Nelson was set to publish a book of poetry about her aunt's life and death - a book she had been working on for years, and which assumed her aunt's case to be closed forever.

The Red Parts chronicles the uncanny series of events that led to Nelson's interest in her aunt's death, the reopening of the case, the bizarre and brutal trial that ensued, and the effects these events had on the disparate group of people they brought together. But The Red Parts is much more than a "true crime" record of a murder, investigation, and trial. For into this story Nelson has woven a spare, poetic account of a girlhood and early adulthood haunted by loss, mortality, mystery, and betrayal, as well as a subtle but blistering look at the personal and political consequences of our cultural fixation on dead (white) women.

The result is a stark, fiercely intelligent, and beautifully written memoir that poses vital questions about America's complex relationship to spectacles of violence and suffering, and that scrupulously explores the limits and possibilities of honesty, grief, empathy, and justice.

Why I added it: This basically sounds like a cross of the last two documentaries I have watched and loved on Netflix: Packed in a Trunk and The Keepers. (Read more about these documentaries here.) It has the family mystery and detective work of Packed in a Trunk and the true-crime mystery element of The Keepers. Bonus: I live in Michigan and have never read a book about true-crime; I'm very intrigued!

Recently Read: The Women Who Got Away (Mini-Review)

Author: John Updike
Genre: Classic Short Stories
Page Count: 108
Rating: 3/5
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The Women Who Got Away is a collection of short stories by John Updike complied into this Penguin Great Loves edition. I picked up quite a few of these on Book depository a year-or-so ago because I loved the concept and the beautiful pocket size designs and I thought it was about time I actually read them.

This collection included five short stories by Updike that fit the theme of the title, women who got away. All five stories are told by a (usually) nameless male narrator lamenting on his mistress that has gotten away. I picked this up because A&P by Updike( you can read it here; it's very short) is one of my favorite short stories of all time, and one that I have studied and written papers on many times before, so I was looking to read more of his works. This was a quick read that I really enjoyed! I'm now interested in picking up some of Updike's longer fiction, but I'm not sure where to start. 

Despite these stories having very similar narrators and themes, the stories were not monotonous or boring. Updike is able to create such real and complex characters in such a short amount of words that even the shortest of his stories feel complete and complex. Updike writes about the mundane and the everyday, but he is able to capture humanity and emotion so well, that it feels like you are witness to intimate details and private moments in someone else's life. I would say that the title story was my favorite, but I enjoyed the other four stories as well. While I don't think these stories are Updike's best work, I do think this would serve as a good introduction to Updike's writing style if you are interested in jumping into his works. I would recommend starting with A&P before these stories though.  

Book Outlet Haul!

I treated myself to a Book Outlet order the other day, as their recent change to free shipping on orders of thirty-five dollars or more to the U.S. sucked me in. It's so easy to load a chart full of books on there, and I managed to pick up some book I've been eyeing for quite a while now. Here's a look at what I picked up!

 

She is not Invisible by Marcus Sedgwick and The Rose and the Dagger by Renee Adieh 
Sedgwick is one of my all-time favorite authors, but his back log of books can be difficult to find in the U.S. so I always scoop his novels up when I find them. This one is about a teenage girl who is blind, and that's all I want to know.  I read The Wrath and the Dawn on audiobook last winter and really enjoyed it even though the romance was a bit odd and cheesy; it was so entertaining. I'm eager to see how the story wraps up, and these books are designed beautifully.

 

N or M by Agatha Christie and The Lottery by Shirley Jackson 
I have been devouring Christie's novels this year; they are so fast paced and quick to read. I've read one other Tommy and Tuppence mystery and enjoyed it, so I picked up this cute edition when I saw it. I featured The Lottery in my creepy TBR post and mentioned how I'm craving all of the creepy reads lately. This one is sure to deliver. I haven't read any Jackson yet, so short stories are the perfect place to start.

 Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Caroll illustrated by Camille Rose Garcia
Garcia's work is stunning. She has a few illustrated editions of fairy tales out, that I have been eyeing for ages. I couldn't pass up the beautiful hardcover of this one when it was like five bucks! Here's one of my favorite illustrations I saw as I flipped through.

 

I Shall not be Moved by Maya Angelou and My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante
Angelou is my idol. I love and respect her work and her outlook on life so much. I have read almost all of her autobiography series and a few of her poems, and it's safe to say she is one of the best American writers in history. This is a collection of her poems. Surprisingly, I do not own any of Angeou's works in physical copies, so I'm always on the look-out for them. My Brilliant Friend and Elena Ferrante are two of the most talked about topics in the book world right now, and I finally bought book one. I found book two for fifty cents in a library sale and snatched it up before I even had book one, because these books are rather expensive in the States, and I'm glad to have found book one for a bargain as well.

That's all for my Bookoutlet purchases! I always end up with a cart full when I browse that site!

Creepy TBR!

I have been in the mood to consume everything slightly weird, creepy, and supernatural lately. Movies, T.V., books, you name it. I thought I would highlight some of the creepy and weird reading material on my TBR. Let me know if you have read any of these or have any recommendations. 

Paper Girls vol. 1 by Brain K. Vaughn, Cliff Chiang, and Matthew Wilson

From Goodreads:

In the early hours after Halloween of 1988, four 12-year-old newspaper delivery girls uncover the most important story of all time. Suburban drama and otherworldly mysteries collide in this smash-hit series about nostalgia, first jobs, and the last days of childhood.

This series is giving me Stranger Things vibes, but with a group of female pre-teens! I love, love the 80s style color pallet, and can't wait to breeze through this series. 

The Lottery and Other Stories by Shirley Jackson

From Goodreads:

The Lottery, one of the most terrifying stories written in this century, created a sensation when it was first published in The New Yorker. "Power and haunting," and "nights of unrest" were typical reader responses. This collection, the only one to appear during Shirley Jackson's lifetime, unites "The Lottery:" with twenty-four equally unusual stories. Together they demonstrate Jackson's remarkable range--from the hilarious to the truly horrible--and power as a storyteller. 

Jackson is essential creepy reading, but I have yet to dive into her works. I picked up this short story collection on Book Outlet, and plan to use it as an introduction to her works. I know I'm going to love her work. 

The Birds and Other Stories by Daphne Du Maurier

From Goodreads:

A classic of alienation and horror, The Birds was immortalized by Hitchcock in his celebrated film. The five other chilling stories in this collection echo a sense of dislocation and mock man's dominance over the natural world. The mountain paradise of 'Monte Verità' promises immortality, but at a terrible price; a neglected wife haunts her husband in the form of an apple tree; a professional photographer steps out from behind the camera and into his subject's life; a date with a cinema usherette leads to a walk in the cemetery; and a jealous father finds a remedy when three's a crowd . . .

I have yet to read any of Du Maurier's works, despite hearing nothing but amazing things about her works. I'm thinking I will start with this short story collection as I have been in the mood for creepy short stories lately, and I know she won't let me down. I have seen and loved Hitchcock's adaptation of The Birds so I am excited to read the source material. 

The Dumb House by John Burnside

From Goodreads:

In Persian myth, it is said that Akbar the Great once built a palace which he filled with newborn children, attended only by mutes, in order to learn whether language is innate or acquired. As the year passed and the children grew into their silent and difficult world, this palace became known as the Gang Mahal, or Dumb House. In his first novel, John Burnside explores the possibilities inherent in a modern-day repetition of Akbar`s investigations. Following the death of his mother, the unnamed narrator creates a twisted variant of the Dumb House, finally using his own children as subjects in a bizarre experiment. When the children develop a musical language of their own, however, their gaoler is the one who is excluded, and he extracts an appalling revenge. 

I really don't know much about this one other than it is supposed to be unnerving and disturbing. The synopsis sounds like an absolute wild ride.  

Other Voices, Other Rooms by Truman Capote 

From Goodreads:

Published when Truman Capote was only twenty-three years old, Other Voices, Other Rooms is a literary touchstone of the mid-twentieth century. In this semiautobiographical coming-of-age novel, thirteen-year-old Joel Knox, after losing his mother, is sent from New Orleans to live with the father who abandoned him at birth. But when Joel arrives at Skully’s Landing, the decaying mansion in rural Alabama, his father is nowhere to be found. Instead, Joel meets his morose stepmother, Amy, eccentric cousin Randolph, and a defiant little girl named Idabel, who soon offers Joel the love and approval he seeks.

Another novel that I don't know much about, but that gives off some creepy vibes. I think there is more to the mansion than meets the eye in this one. I have read Breakfast at Tiffanys and other short stories by Capote and was a bit surprised at how weird some of his short stories got. This is his debut novel and I'm really looking forward to it. 

A Love Like Blood by Marcus Sedgwick 

From Goodreads:

 In 1944, just days after the liberation of Paris, Charles Jackson sees something horrific: a man, apparently drinking the blood of a murdered woman. Terrified, he does nothing, telling himself afterwards that worse things happen in wars. Seven years later he returns to the city - and sees the same man dining in the company of a fascinating young woman. When they leave the restaurant, Charles decides to follow... A Love Like Blood is a dark, compelling thriller about how a man's life can change in a moment; about where the desire for truth - and for revenge - can lead; about love and fear and hatred. And it is also about the question of blood.

Sedgwick is one of my all-time-favorite authors. He constantly blows me away with his YA fiction. He is a master of time and the universe and using the inexplicable in our actual word to send a shiver down my spine. This will be the first adult book by him that I read, but I recommend his novels so highly if you are in the mood for a creepy read! 

I have so many more creepy books on my TBR that I might have to make a part two! Leave me some recommendations for your favorite creepy reads! 

Recently Read: The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie

Author: Muriel Sparks
Genre: Classic/ Fiction
Publication Date: 1961
Page Count: 128
Rating: 4/5

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Miss Jean Brodie is a woman in her prime. She is a teacher at a girl's school and doesn't quite fit in with the rest of the teaching staff. She is eclectic and unpredictable; she teaches her girls about life, love, and art and butts heads with the headmistress over educational philosophy. Miss Brodie has her set of favorite girls, and the novel follows them and Miss Brodie through the years. 

I really didn't know what to expect from this short novel. It was my first Spark, and I knew almost nothing about the plot. I had heard good things about Spark, and I loved this beautiful Penguin version, so I decided to add it to my February Short Reads TBR and I'm glad I did. I was surprised by how captivated I was by this novel and really enjoyed it. 

Although this novel is very short, it is packed with complexity. Sandy and Miss Brodie become the most developed characters and are very real. Both characters are so flawed and complicated on their own, that they combine to make a point about the complexities of human emotion and motivation. This novel is an interesting comment on how children view adults, and how they can admire them, hate them, love them, and be intimidated by them, all at the same time. It's also an interesting comment on loyalty and trust, as well as the enigma that is romantic entanglement. 

This is a novel I would have had a lot of fun writing a paper about, as it is short but packed full of complex and very-human themes and ideas. I may lose myself in the rabbit hole of academic writings on this novel the next time I find I can't sleep (totally normal to read academic journals when you can't sleep, right?) I'm interested to see if people are writing about this novel still, and if so, what they are saying. 

I'm really interested to pick up more of Spark's work now, and equally interested in the movie adaptation where Maggie Smith plays Miss Jean Brodie! 

Short Reads TBR

In this post I talked about some of my short-term reading goals I have set for myself. One of those was to use February to read some of the short books that have been on my TBR for ages! I've picked out six books that are under or around 200 pages that I have been meaning to get to for ages. If you've read any of them, let me know what you thought!

The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman- 241 pages

The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie by Muriel Spark- 128 pages

They do it with Mirrors by Agatha Christe- 202 pages

The Narrative of the Life of Fredrick Douglass and American Slave by Fredrick Douglas- 110 pages

The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho- 177 pages

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime by Mark Haddon- 221 pages

I would love to get through all of these this month, as they are all well-beloved books. 

What are your reading goals for this month? For the year? 

Recently Read: The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes

Author: Arthur Conan Doyle
Genre: Classic/Mystery/ Short Story
Publication Date: 1894
Rating: 4/5

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The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes was intended by Doyle to be his last collection of Holmes stories, Doyle longed to write other things, but fans only wanted to read his works if they featured Sherlock Holmes, he eventually came to resent his famous character and the fame he received. The Collection includes eleven short stories, and ends with one of the most famous Holmes stories, The Final Problem. where Holmes meets his evil equal Professor Moriarty, 

Is this the best collection of Holmes stories? No. Did I tear up a little bit while listening to the final problem on audiobook while driving? You betcha. It's the beautiful display of loyalty by Dr. Watson that gets me every time. 

I'm not sure how much I have talked about my love of Sherlock Holmes and my obsession with Holmes' and Watson's bromance on the blog, but the love and obsession is very real. I love film and TV adaptations of the stories, and have seen BBC's Sherlock, the movies with Robert Downey Jr., and the TV adaptation with Jeremy Brett more times than I can count; they are what I turn to when I want to watch something familiar. 

I find Sherlock Holmes to be such a fascinating character, as does the rest of the world, that's why he is still being written about constantly to this day. Every time I read a story, or watch an adaptation, I discover new elements of his mysterious and puzzling persona. His relationship with Watson is so improbable, but very real, I admire Watson's loyalty, and I think Sherlock is the adaptation that best conveys their complicated relationship.  

My favorite stories in this selection include: "The Resident Patient," "The Greek Interpreter," (which is the story in which Holmes' older brother Mycroft Holmes is introduced ) and "The Final Problem." 

If you haven't read any Holmes yet, I highly recommend that you do, but start with The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. And if you have never seen any or one of the adaptations I mentioned, you HAVE to watch them. 

If you have any recommendations of books that are twists off of Sherlock Holmes, or stories of Holmes written by modern authors, let me know please! I read and recommend The Sherlockian which is about a Sherlockian scholar and secret(ish) society.