Category: - BC Reads!

"War and Peace" by Leo Tolstoy

3/29/2014

Title: War and Peace
Author: Leo Tolstoy (Anthony Briggs Translation)
Genre: Horror, science fiction, thriller
# pages: 1358, 1408 with notes
Date published: 1869
5-star rating: 5 stars
Would you recommend it? Yes

Perhaps it is the novel’s reputation as Tolstoy’s masterwork, to be referenced and reflected upon for a generation of Russian writers. Perhaps it is its girth, so sprawling that Tolstoy reportedly called it “not a novel” and “still less a historical chronicle,” but “what the author wanted and was able to express, in the form in which it is expressed.” Still yet it may be the title of War and Peace itself, a sweeping overview of the broad cross-section of the world it seeks to portray, and seeming to imply a philosophical inquiry into the nature of warfare and its effect on the societies involved, rather than a human story. Despite these and other red flags that might intimidate a modern reader, it would be a shame to dwell on them, because War and Peace ultimately proves emotional, compelling, and terrifically readable.

In spite of its sweeping title, and a smattering of rather metaphysical tangents along the way, Tolstoy’s work emerges as a distinctly affecting, even tender story. Napoleon’s invasion of Russia, though the central axis on which the plot turns, never overwhelms the far more intimate struggles in the daily lives of the characters. The dichotomies of love and loss, of nationalism and personal interest, of duty and desire, all manifest themselves not only in Tolstoy’s sweeping examination of the war itself but in the lives of the three major protagonists and their families. Natasha, Prince Andrey and Pierre emerge as human figures, inherently flawed and utterly relatable. Most of us can sympathize with Natasha’s confusion between infatuation and love in attempting to find a partner, or Pierre’s ill-fated philosophical experimentation in his quest to understand the meaning of life.

In short, War and Peace need not be so intimidating. Beneath the cacophony of names and places, of battles and cold history, lives a novel of people struggling with forces beyond their control; perhaps we can even call it a heart. And therein lies the reason to read War and Peace at all, if we put to rest our preconceived notions, our wider views of war and peace, and simply give ourselves up to the small victories, the moments quiet and monumental, the intimate victories that people Tolstoy’s world.

Review by Jennifer Heine, A&S '16

"In the Garden of Beasts: Love, Terror, and an American Family in Hitler’s Berlin" by Erik Larson

2/26/2014

Title: In the Garden of Beasts: Love, Terror, and an American Family in Hitler's Berlin
Author: Erik Larson
Genre: Historical Nonfiction
# pages: 464
Date published: 2011
5-star rating: 5 stars
Would you recommend it: Yes

I chose In the Garden of Beasts because I loved Erik Larson’s Devil in the White City. Although I normally shy away from non-fiction, Larson’s writing captures my attention by making history come alive, using the style of fiction to tell a historical story.

The book begins with William Dodd’s move to Germany with his family to fulfill his post as the first American Ambassador during Hitler’s rise to power in Germany in 1933. His original mission is to ensure that Germany pays back its debts to the United States. As time progresses and Hitler gains more power and support, Dodd strives to maintain the diplomatic relations between the two countries. Everyone hopes that the Nazi government will grow more moderate and that the persecution of the Jews will stop, but for Dodd and his family, it remains unclear what will happen.

This book provides a unique perspective of Nazi Germany from an American family, relying mainly of William Dodd and his daughter, Martha, who have more freedom than most foreigners do at this perilous time. The direct quotes from their diaries give the reader a rare look into the calm before the storm of World War II. Both father and daughter meet the notorious future dictator, the father giving a political view of Hitler while his daughter provides a different perspective, as a woman propositioned to be the future tyrant’s girlfriend. Over the course of the book, Martha has relationships with many men, including the head of the Gestapo, Rudolf Diels, and Soviet attaché and secret agent Boris Vinogradov. In the beginning, she supports the Nazis, but as the number of attacks against Jews and other foreigners mounts, her opinion shifts. At twenty-four years old at their arrival in Germany, Martha is not much older than most BC students, which makes her a relatable source in spite of her unique situation.

The short chapters and quick progression from one event to the other kept the action moving, even though most of In the Garden of Beasts takes place before the major events of World War II. Personally, I have always been interested in the events in Germany during this era, and in particular how one man came to hold such power and instill fear in the hearts of his country’s citizens. This book offers insight into this build-up, in a way that keeps the reader flipping pages. I would definitely recommend In the Garden of Beasts to anyone who has any interest in World War II or Nazi Germany.

Review by Liz Handler, A&S '15

"The Book Thief" by Markus Zusak

4/10/2013

Title: The Book Thief
Author: Markus Zusak
Genre: Historical Fiction
Pages: 560
Date published: 2007
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Recommended:

I first noticed this book during the summer before my freshman year of high school. It appeared alongside The Diary of Ann Frank on the English Honors reading list, and to be perfectly honest, I wasn’t very keen on the idea that I was being told what I had to read during my last two weeks of freedom (I’ve never been the type to spread out my summer homework. Why prolong the agony?) After slowly stumbling through The Book Thief’s confusing first chapter, I was even more indignant about the injustice that is summer homework and slightly worried that I wasn’t cut out for the rigors of high school. But my brief bout of pouting aside, I quickly became enthralled by the book, finishing off the remainder of my summer immersed in the world of Holocaust-era Germany.

The Book Thief follows the life of Liesel, a young girl living in Germany who is sent to live with foster parents right before World War II starts. The novel chronicles the small-town adventures she embarks on and the wide array of relationships she fosters, highlighted by the several times she steals books. Liesel’s relatively happy, uncomplicated life becomes dangerous when her family takes in a Jew – an unspeakable crime in Nazi Germany. The novel is narrated by Death personified, a point of view that enriches the story (but also was the direct cause of my confusion while reading that first chapter).

Of course, as can be expected from a story set in Nazi Germany narrated by Death, the novel is dark. Zusak excels, however, at putting a positive spin on the atrocities of the time without ever diminishing their weight. A major theme of the book is the power of words, particularly the immense weight Hitler’s words had over all of Germany, and the destruction that followed. By means of a beautifully crafted story within the story, a parable written by Max, the Jew Liesel’s family hides, Zusak explores the great constructive power words can have.

I have read The Book Thief probably around six or seven times since that first time almost five years ago, and each time I’m as emotionally invested in and as blown away by the story as I originally was. Even with Death’s affinity for spoilers (you’ll know the ending to the story about halfway through, but don’t worry, I won’t spoil it for you), tears stream down my face every time I read the book. Yet this novel is so much more than a sob story: it’s a masterful destruction of stereotypes, a love letter to human nature, a case study of the purest form of friendship. This book truly makes me believe in the goodness of humanity, an incredible feat for a Holocaust story.

I would recommend this book to everyone: its uplifting message, unflinching honesty, and superb writing will forever keep it in my top-ten list.

Review by Laura Baumgartner, A&S '16

"The Paris Wife" by Paula McLain

3/25/2013

Title: The Paris Wife
Author: Paula McLain
Genre: Historical Ficiton
#Pages: 314
Date Published: 2011
Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars
Recommended?: Yes

The Paris Wife is brilliant, beautiful, and heart wrenching. Set in 1920s Paris, a time of transition and innovation, this novel tells the true story of Ernest Hemmingway’s first wife, Hadley Richardson. Hadley is a practical women – honest and all things good. She brings out the best in Ernest and loves him to a fault. Their marriage is one with many obstacles, such as Ernest’s severe mood swings, his fierce commitment to his career, and even infidelity. Sometimes I wished she would finally snap and let Ernest have it. I wanted her to scream at him, to make him truly understand how much he hurt her. But no, that is not Hadley’s way. She is ever the perfect wife.

Despite its beautiful descriptions of Paris and the incredible era of the ’20s, this book is a love story above all else. In fact, Paula McLain stated her whole idea for this book started when she read A Moveable Feast, Ernest Hemmingway’s memoir of his and Hadley’s days in Paris. In the final pages, he writes of Hadley, “I wished I had died before I ever loved anyone but her.”

Surrounded by greats like Gertrude Stein and F. Scott Fitzgerald, Hadley and Ernest live exciting lives. The novel is so full to the brim of famous names from the “Lost Generation” that I found myself often pulling out my computer to research the many secondary characters that make cameo appearances. It was as though I was transported back in time, and I wanted to learn more about these fascinating people. Paula McLain’s commitment to staying true to the facts is admirable. I became enraptured by the story of the Hemmingways and sought out more information about them. I was surprised to learn how much of The Paris Wife is factually accurate.

The Paris Wife goes deeper than simply telling the story of the often forgotten first Hemmingway wife. It delves into the universal struggles of marriage and love. Despite their fame and the fact that this story takes place ninety years ago, Hadley and Ernest go through many of the struggles couples go through today. This brings the novel down to earth and renders it relatable to a modern audience. When reading this novel, I could feel Hadley’s love, strength, and heartache. Paula McLain breathes life into her, finally giving her a voice and a presence that will live on, allowing her to move out of the shadow of Ernest Hemmingway and be given her own identity. I came to love her and her story will stay with me for a long time to come.

Review by Brittany Duncan,

"The Help" by Kathryn Stockett

2/27/2013

Title: The Help
Author: Kathryn Stockett
Genre(s): Historical Fiction
# pages: 464
Date published: 2009
Rating: 4 out of 5stars
Would you recommend it? Yes!

This heart-warming novel is a story about the help—a contingent of black maids raising white children in Jackson, Mississippi during the civil rights turmoil of the 1960s. Aside from its central focus on racial tensions during this time, it is also a story of unexpected friendship and love. Told from the perspectives of Aibileen and Minnie, two maids in Jackson, along with Skeeter, a young white woman who doesn’t quite fit in, The Help will have you laughing, crying, and wishing you had Minnie’s caramel cake recipe. From the delicious southern comfort food, to the scandalous drama within the upper-class social circles, there is always some action to maintain your attention.

While the recent film adaptation of the novel was relatively well done, even people who have already seen the movie will enjoy this book. As with most novel-based films, there are several scenes worth reading that were not included in the script. There is hardly a dull moment throughout the plotline, especially when the horrible Hilly Holbrook is involved.

As someone who has not studied much about the civil rights movement, I thoroughly enjoyed reading a book where historical events and critical social issues of the era were interwoven in a way that wouldn’t bore me to tears. So, if you’re looking for a fairly light read with a feel-good ending, The Help is just the kind of book you need!

Review by Kristie Dickinson, CSOM '14

"The Forgotten Garden" by Kate Morton

1/28/2013

Title: The Forgotten Garden
Author: Kate Morton
Genre: Historical Fiction, Mystery
Date Published: 2008
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

It is a ship set to sail from London to Brisbane in 1913 that spurs the entangled, enticing story of The Forgotten Garden. But, luckily for us, we need neither months aboard a vessel nor the ability to time travel to unravel this mystery. Instead, we must only look to Kate Morton, whose encapsulating voice carries us across continents and centuries with her story centered around a foster child named Nell. At first, Nell’s world is shattered when her father informs her that she was adopted. After her father’s death in 1975, Nell hoped to travel back to England from Australia to discover her true origins, but her granddaughter Cassandra’s unexpected, elongated stay kept her from continuing her search. In 2005, with Nell on her deathbed, Cassandra continues her grandmother’s journey, determined to piece together the puzzle that is their family history.

Coming in at a hefty 552 pages, The Forgotten Garden is no light read – but it is a quick one. The chapters seep with mystery, and each question answered only raises new complications. Every time I thought I had the mystery solved, a new revelation would force me to reconsider and read on. Despite the many hours of sleep sacrificed, I finished the novel in a matter of days.

Part of what compelled me to continue flipping the pages was Morton’s ability to create sympathy for her characters. I related to each and every character, whether she lived in 2005 or during the 1800s. I wanted desperately to fill in the dark patches of history that influenced Nell, Cassandra, and everyone else involved in the familial search.

Though Morton waits until the very last page to fully enlighten her readers, the journey that gets us there is well worth it. Morton is a master storyteller in both her descriptions that drive the main plot and in the gems of original fairy tales that are sprinkled throughout the novel. While reading, I was often conflicted between a subconscious desire to admire the genius of her writing and my need to know what would happen next. With The Forgotten Garden, Morton creates a beautiful homage to the institution of storytelling.

I recommend this book, or any Kate Morton novel for that matter, to everyone. The Forgotten Garden has earned a distinction in my head I previously thought impossible to win: favorite book. As far as I’m concerned, this book has everything: mystery, beauty, compelling characters, prodigious prose. And while I’ve read - and loved - all of Morton’s other books, The Forgotten Garden is unquestionably the best.

Review by Laura Baumgartner, A&S '16 Illustration by Kayla D'Ambrosio, A&S '14

"Les Misérables" by Victor Hugo

12/3/2012

Title: Les Misérables
Author: Victor Hugo (Charles E. Wilbour translation, with modern notes)
Genre: Historical Fiction
Number of pages: 1488
Year Published: French: 1862, Original Wilbour Translation: 1863
Rating (out of 5): 5

The highly anticipated film version of Les Miserables to be released this Christmas will undoubtedly send devotees back to the timeless musical upon which the movie is based. But many forget even the musical is based upon an original source: Victor Hugo’s classic novel.

Often considered his masterpiece, Les Miserables has proved the most enduring of Hugo’s works. Even those who have never read the novel often recognize the characters. To call Les Miserables epic would prove a grand understatement, weighing in at about 1500 pages in the most commonly accepted English translation by Charles E. Wilbour and spanning the entire adult life of its major character as well as the countless intersecting lives.

This depth and attention to detail enables the reader to slide easily into the richly drawn world of nineteenth-century France. Although abridged versions leave out what some deem unnecessary detours into such subjects as the pidgin of the urban poor and the history of the Parisian sewer system, these addendums not only serve to deepen the reader’s appreciation for the setting, but the information often proves vital later on. How better to appreciate Jean Valjean’s harrowing journey through the sewers than with a full understanding of these labyrinthine tunnels, and how better to appreciate little Gavroche’s endearing songs than with an understanding of his dialect?

Despite the historical fiction setting, Les Miserables draws its scope beyond the breadth of its time and place. The language itself, even in translation, proves nothing short of breathtaking. Throughout the work, the reader finds himself pausing to relish the simple beauty of Hugo’s sentences, a pleasure that never flags even during the tautest of scenes. Furthermore, the story extends far beyond the tragic student revolution. As in the musical, that fateful night serves as the novel’s climax, but here the climax extends some 200 pages and expertly sweeps up a multitude of divergent storylines into one heartbreaking, electrifying, and ultimately life-affirming whole.

Every character here receives not just a song but a wholly realized life, with such histories that even those familiar with the popular musical will have something to learn. Most adaptations, for instance, do not acknowledge that the beloved Gavroche is in fact Eponine’s younger brother. These histories lend characters that may seem simplistic in the well-publicized drama greater complexity; never before have the sometimes excessively villainous Javert or the childishly sycophantic Azelma seemed so pitiable, even relatable.

It would be fair to conclude that, despite the desperate conflict at its heart, there are no villains in Les Miserables, only flawed mortals anxious that they might become heroes, and as readers we become invested in them all. We swoon for Marius and Cosette’s relationship just as we ache for Eponine’s unrequited love; we cheer Jean Valjean’s earnest hope of self-redemption just as we understand Javert’s irremediable dedication to his duty. Over the long course of these pages, these characters take on greater depth than any adaptation can afford them: their story has become akin to a life, a life from which one emerges with almost a sense of bereavement from the world to which he has dedicated so much emotion. Ultimately, this is less a novel than an experience.

Review by Jennifer Heine, A&S '16

"Half of a Yellow Sun" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

11/5/2012

Title: Half of a Yellow Sun
Author: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Genre: Historical Fiction
# pages: 433
Date published: 2006
5-star rating: 4.5

Set in the West African country of Nigeria, Adichie’s novel focuses on a single event in Nigerian history: Biafra’s secession bid and the eastern part of the country’s eventual reabsorption into the country. The time frame oscillates between the early sixties and then a few years later at the end of the decade. We follow four main characters – Odenigbo, his lover Olanna, Olanna’s sister Kainene, and Kainene’s lover Richard – in the period leading up to the secession of Biafra, during the war between Nigeria and Biafra, and finally a brief era after Biafra is reclaimed into the country. Two of the tribes in the country, the Igbo and the Hausa come to a clash. There is widespread massacre of Igbo in the North, which functions as an impetus for the ultimate drive for rebellion. Some parts of the narrative are vivid and disconcerting, but they serve as excellent illustrations of the nature of the conflict. The book is long, but it is a really engaging and fast read. Adichie is a great writer and the story is gripping. The book contains a number of themes about fear and faith, the newness of modernity vs. maintaining tradition, the battle between power and identity, and love. I really loved trying to understand the different nuances present in the relationships of the couples, both Olanna and Odenigbo and Kainene and Richard. In a world that seems hopeless and virtually wretched, love seems to prevail in all of its complex forms. While very captivating, the novel ends on a disappointing and slightly depressing note, but I still found that there was a lot of valuable material to learn from it.

Review by Yande Lombe, A&S '14

"The Secret Scripture" by Sebastian Barry

10/15/2012

Title: The Secret Scripture
Author: Sebastian Barry
Genre: Historical Fiction
Number of pages: 300
Year Published: Great Britain – 2006; United States – 2008
Rating (out of 5): 4

If one considers the mark of a good character the extent to which he or she inhabits the reader’s head, Sebastian Barry does the reverse with the characters in his novel, The Secret Scripture. Rather than conforming to our minds, his protagonists beckon us to enter theirs.

And what richness they offer. The novel’s heroine, the enigmatic and ironically named Roseanne Clear, opens with the revelation that she, at 99, has decided to pen her own “secret scripture” hidden away on scraps of paper, detailing the upheavals of her life en route to her present existence at Roscommon Regional Mental Hospital, including the distraught the nation of Ireland faced in the 1900’s. Paralleling her story is that of William Grene, the senior psychiatrist coping with a personal tragedy of his own.

The book’s structure is a unique one. It doesn’t begin with the early part of Roseanne’s life, but instead starts with the end and then proceeds to recall the characters’ histories in an erratic fashion, akin to a series of journal entries. The effect of this style, though potentially limiting in that the reader knows from the beginning where both Roseanne and Dr. Grene will end up, is one of greater intimacy. Although the novel does offer some revelation, its chief satisfaction is not in the disclosure itself, as the reader realizes far in advance what the “twist” is going to be. Our enjoyment derives from the effect this information will have on the characters, who the reader easily comes to admire.

Yet Barry manages not merely to depict the inner lives of his protagonists. It is through their struggles that he broadens the novel’s scope to include the struggles of Ireland throughout the twentieth century. The intensely personal nature of The Secret Scripture only serves to focus the overwhelming subject matter: an entire nation boiling down to two individuals filled with adversity in their lives but still surviving. Much of her life will remain uncertain, caught between the contradictory testimonies of her own memory and Dr. Grene’s discoveries, but the one omnipresent certainty for the reader is Roseanne’s endurance. Just as Ireland emerged from the twentieth century battered but not beaten, this personification of its century perseveres to share her story.

Review by: Jennifer Heine, A&S '16