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Victorian Humor At Its Silliest, Cheesiest Best()
December 5, 2011 Can the mishaps of three seriously misguided Victorian gentlemen still provoke laughter? More than 120 years after its first edition, author Julia Stuart says Jerome K. Jerome's classic caper, Three Men in a Boat, is still a delightful read.
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Three Men in a Boat; Three Men on the Bummel
Trapped In A Nightmare: A Sweet, Funny, Brutal Read()
November 16, 2011 The best books don't just get inside a character's psyche, they get in the reader's head, as well. Author Ismet Prcic recommends Irvine Welsh's Marabou Stork Nightmares, a funny, provocative, cerebral novel that explores the meaning of violence.
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Marabou Stork Nightmares
Tumultuous Tales Of Loathing And Wit()
November 4, 2011 Love is a many splendored thing ... or is it? Author Eleanor Henderson, once admittedly infatuated with the writings of her teacher, Robert Cohen, insists that you must read The Varieties of Romantic Experience — his collection of tumultuous tales of love and the struggles that lie therein.
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The Varieties of Romantic Experience
In A Girls-Only World, A Land Of Brainy Beauty()
October 14, 2011 Set amid an imaginary world of harmony, beauty and intellectual thought, Rokeya Sakhawat Hossain's story Sultana's Dream only had one catch — no men. Author Tahmima Anam explains why it remains one of her favorite feminist pieces.
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Sultana's Dream
Drunk On Words: A Literary Escape From Adolescence()
October 12, 2011 The romantic power of words has the uncanny ability to lead us through the aches and pains of growing up. Author Leah Hager Cohen recommends Brian Hall's The Saskiad, a coming-of-age tale with a bookish twist.
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The Saskiad
An Ancient Tale Of War, An Ode To Epic Mythology()
October 10, 2011 Homage to the Iliad lingers in literature even today, but most retellings do not live up to the grandeur of their ancient ancestor. Author Dawn Tripp recommends a rare find that does measure up — the haunting Homeric novel Ransom, by David Malouf.
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Ransom
This Miniature Masterpiece Is Quietly Transcendent()
September 29, 2011 The rolling green hills and charming villages of the English countryside have inspired many a contemplative novel. Author Jesse Browner describes why none are quite so lovely as J.L. Carr's A Month in the Country.
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A Month in the Country
A Life-Changing Book With A Fierce, Feisty Heroine()
September 26, 2011 Critics originally described it as a "housewife's choice" when it won the Booker Prize in 1987, but the feisty female protagonist in Penelope Lively's Moon Tiger is a "little wife" to no one. Author Moni Mohsin explains why the unexpected verve of this novel is worth its weight in pages.
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Moon Tiger
In Wordless Imagery, An Immigrant's Timeless Tale()
September 23, 2011 In his beautifully illustrated book, The Arrival, Shaun Tan depicts the struggle of immigration — without a language barrier. Author Ruta Sepetys explains how a wordless story can say so much.
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The Arrival
Our Basest Desires: The Cruel Chaos Of Revolution()
September 21, 2011 Robert Stone's characters fall all over the moral spectrum, but between a revolutionary nun, a treacherous spy and an alienated anthropologist, they certainly make for good reading. Author Roland Merullo recommends Stone's A Flag for Sunrise, a rich depiction of Central America in the turbulent '70s.
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A Flag for Sunrise
One Ordinary Day In One Extraordinary Life()
September 16, 2011 It's easy to become resentful when life is too mundane or throws an unsavory curveball. Author Monica Ali knows that sometimes we need to get a fresh perspective. For this she insists you read One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich by Alexander Solzhenitsyn.
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One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich
A Creepy Collection Of Supernatural Delights()
September 8, 2011 Scary landscapes and spirit creatures appear in many ghost stories. But author Alan Heathcock knows that for the best of them, only the writings of Algernon Blackwood will do. These spooky tales will have you shivering with fright and delight.
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Best Ghost Stories of Algernon Blackwood
Best Ghost Stories of Algernon Blackwood
Tiny Gems: Irish Stories That Sparkle And Charm()
September 6, 2011 The sound of the sea, the smell of rain — what makes Ireland such a magical place? Maybe its writers like Claire Keegan who tease the nuance and grace out of everyday interactions. Author Keith Donohue says each of Keegan's stories is a morsel worth savoring.
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Walk the Blue Fields
In A High, Snowy World, A Quest For Self-Discovery()
September 5, 2011 Author Marc Kaufman recommends this tale of an explorer on the hunt for a rare animal — and something more. The Snow Leopard shows that while we can't always find what we're looking for, we still get what we need.
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The Snow Leopard
Appreciating The Awkward Absurdity Of Adolescence()
August 30, 2011 What makes a memorable character? It is the one who changes the most throughout the book? The one who makes a personal discovery? Or is it simply the most eccentric who we love? Actor Simon Pegg says that for his favorite literary protagonist, all three apply.
