The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I believe I enjoyed this book a bit more than my daughter, that I do. I suspect her enjoyments was a bit impaired by my ability to phrase the voices of some of the characters properly, especially the dialect of Jim and many of the more “Southern” folk. Still, the ride was great and never boring.

The racist language aside, I felt it was an interesting reflection of how slaves were treated in the South and the attitudes of the main characters towards Blacks. Still some of this was rough to read, that it was.

This book piqued my interest to take a raft down the Mississippi!



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The Sirens of Titan by Kurt Vonnegut

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Wow, what an awesome book. I love Vonnegut. His writing style is always engrossing and his tales suck me in and leave me thinking with a tear in my eye. There is such beautiful sadness in this book and many others I have read by him.

I believe this is his second published novel and you can see many of the themes he carries on in future works being established here: Destiny, futility, loss, regret, and longing.

The story is broken into three parts and I must say the transition between the first and second parts rather jarring, but necessary. Reflecting back upon this in the third part revealed the effect to be perfect.

I do strongly recommend reading this novel early on in any Vonnegut experience so as to enjoy the early establishment of universe.



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escape into reality by Anthony Souza

My rating: 0 of 5 stars

I really do dig the Essean philosophy and this book came at a time when I really needed to hear what it said. The idea of handling negative thoughts and stress through an escape to reality; well more of a focus on the reality in front of you has been an excellent coping mechanism through some recent stressful times.

Like the two books before, this is an extremely quick and simple read but do not let that detract you from the important message delivered.



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The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is another work of literature that I somehow bypassed in my studies growing up. I cannot recall how so many others have read this book yet it remained untouched for me. I read to this Avery over the span of a few weeks and we absolutely loved the novel. While it was a bit wordy at times, and the dialogue difficult for me to master, it was a delightful romp.

The characters were so colorful and exciting. The racism at times risque for today’s ears but a good reminder of how things used to be. If you have not read this novel you better do so and the rest of his novels.



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The Mantel and Other Stories by Nikolai Vasilievich Gogol

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

What an odd collection of stories: A officer who overwhelming concern for a new cloak captures his complete attention and serves as his ruin spins off into the supernatural; a man’s nose turns up in a pastry then completes a trek as an officer whom he chases all the while worrying over his appearance; another “official” slowly disappears down the halls of insanity, talking to dogs, obsessing over a beauty and finally discovering he is the king of Spain; and two fairy tales which on one hand seem a bit out of place but on the other, seem to fit perfectly. A Cossack who strives to win the heart and had of the village beauty but is thwarted by his father the headman who excessively touts his one time life changing event of assisting the Czar. His mechanitions to despoil his father’s reputation collide head long with an old ghost story. Finally, a haunting tale of Gnomes and wandering scholars, a witch and the rising of the dead.

The first three stories often bordered on the absurd and at times winded down avenues of interest only to meet and abrupt end and take up on another street. Gogol infatuation with Russian bureaucracy is astutely flushed out and quite jarring. My interest is piqued in this period of government and it’s minutia in daily life.

What seems to be the main recommendation in this collection is the Nose. While this story is great, I was left wondering if there was some satire I had not understood. The Mantle and Memoirs of a Madman hit home the effects the Russian life of a middling bureaucrat could result in. The single quest of the Mantle’s protagonist to purchase a replacement cloak at first seemed quite obsessive yet eye opening. Life in today’s United States where simple goods are purchased without a second thought is a drastic cry from the strife this poor man had to go through just to replace his word mantle. Very eye opening it was.

The last two Ukranian fairy tales could easy be said to be the jems of this collection, but I have a hard time selling the remaining three stories short, they are treasures in themselves for different reasons. There is some of Gogol’s depictions of bureaucracy but these are rooted more in the traditional fairy tale settings. For that alone this collection is highly recommended.



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Lord of the Flies by William Golding

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Wow, what a powerful book! For some reason it surprised the wife that I had not read this book back in primary school, as it seems to be on a lot of curriculum; but alas I did not. The imagery was astounding and the pace well suited. My only criticism ist that I had a hard time trying to determine how long they were on the island. Some chapters seemed to take place over a few days while others seemed to have a span much longer between.

The last third of the book is a roller coaster and as the pace quickened to the final pages so did my pulse and my reaction. The build up of fear was palpable, that it was.

The symbolism was subtle yet effective. The post-notes in my edition shed some interesting points and tied this story to a few others I am familiar with (i.e.; Conrads Heard of Darkness) and set the novel in the ideologies of the period. The concept of civilization at its heart still festering the shackles of savagery and humankind’s struggle to maintain the higher concepts of life were poignant.

If you have not read this book in a while, why not give it another read to see what you may have missed with a younger mind. If you never read this book, it is well worth your time to do so.



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The Perennial Philosophy by Aldous Huxley

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I picked this book up almost two decades ago coming off a run Robert Anton Wilson and a deep interest in Eastern Philosophies, particularly Taoism. I had never finished the book at the time as the real life of a young adult took sway. Coming back almost 20 years later this book still holds it’s allure.

This is not an easy book to digest and Huxley did an amazing job presenting such a succinct overview of the Perennial Philosophy drawing from so many resources, it’s just plain awe-inspiring. The excerpts from the myriad of texts were wisely chosen and fit the chapter topics and provided a jumping of point for further exploration.

From Zen to Christianity, Buddhism to Islam, Christ to Rummi, and all religions and philosophies in between, Huxley provides an great introduction to the underlying stream of commonality linking us all together in the greater whole of the universe. A thread that has stitched the saints and prophets throughout the ages and presents us with such a simple path that is oh so difficult to follow. The annihilation of self, the achievement of charity and the ultimate path of existence; it is in here.

This book is not a light read by any means and it forces one to take a long hard look at life. My hat is off to Huxley, that it is. Read it!



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The Sea Fairies by L. Frank Baum

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I must be honest, after reading the Oz series, this book did not live up to the tradition. I would think that this would be right up my alley, taking place in the ocean depths; but alas, not so much. That is not to say it was not a good story, just not great.

Both Avery and myself were not at all impressed with Trot. She came off as a sassy, spoiled brat who was too often combatitive and rude. Given that she is merely a little girl, her manners could have been more forth coming and yet never was there a chastising.

Captain Bill on the other hand is always a hoot. He brings joy and patience, every bit the foil of the pom-pass Trot. Why do I harbor such ill will to this character? She did not elicit such emotion from either Avery or myself in the Oz books.

Anway, Trot and Captain Bill explore the ocean depths with mermaids only to get caught up in the throws of the most wicked being at the bottom of the sea: Zog, the wicked magician. Although I have to say, for how wicked Zog was supposed to be he was presented as not unlikable. Every bit of his despicable demeanor was tempered with compassion which made for an odd juxtaposition.

The denizens of the deep blue sea were treated rather callously, very much beneath the way any bit of life was treated in the Oz books. Painted with idiocy and a callous manner, most seemed nothing more than a swimming snack to be forgotten rather quickly.

There was much to do about slaves in this book. Whether it was the poor souls brought to the ocean’s bottom to serve Zog, or the forced servitude of the simple animals of the deep for the Mermaids, Zog or King Anko, the magnificent sea serpent; very little was said about the predicament; and what was proffered was readily accepted as fate.

There were some other odd, dark moments in this book: Some talk of suicide and a bit more violence towards the favourite of my ocean dwellers: Squid; or as they book denoted them – sea devils.

While I am glad I did get to read his book, I am hesitant to read another tale of Trot. If it was Captain Bill alone, I’d jump a the opportunity.

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The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A quick read, and a very powerful read. I recall seeing the movie in grade school and how it brought a tear to my heart. This story still produces that effect and my heart was heavy by the end. Truly a great classic of children’s literature, if you have not read this get to it. It’s available from Project Gutenberg, albeit sans of any illustrations; but the words paint a beautifully touching picture.

Love your stuffed animals so they too can become real one day!



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Glinda of Oz by L. Frank Baum

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

And 14 marks the end of L. Frank Baum’s run on Oz books. What a fantastic journey, so full of adventure and so fun. This final tale begins with Dorthy and Ozma traveling to the far reaches of the Giliken country to the land of the flatheads and skeezers. There a war is brewing between two societies who have never heard of Ozma’s rule. To stave this war, bring peace, and tame the use of magic, Ozma and Dorthy fly to the rescue, and are summarily dismissed and captures by the wicked rules bent on revenge for past slights inflicting upon one another.

How are they rescued? Well I do not want to spoil the story, but it involves a great collection of Oz’s famous characters to rush to the aid!

While I wish there was more Shaggy Man, because he is the bestest, it was still a fun story and a great ending to the series that Baum wrote. I am eager to see how others keep the canon alive and how their tales compare. But before that, we are going to delve into some of Baum’s other tales.



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