By Madeline Miller
FROM USA TODAY: “"It takes a truly gifted writer to make a song this old feel this beauti- fully new. What's startling about this sharply written, cleverly reimagined, enormously promising debut novel from Madeline Miller is how fresh and moving her take on the tale is--how she has managed to bring Achilles and his companion Patroclus to life in our time without removing them from their own."
NY. Harper Collins. 2012. 426p. USED BOOK. CONTAINS MARK-UP
By Cape. W. E. Johns
Another in the Biggles series glorifying war and vilifying enemies. . “In which Air Detective-Inspector Bigglesworth takes leave from the Special Air Section Scotland Yard to join the Foreign Legion, and has an adventure involving an old friend, an even older enemy and a near fatal trip to the desolate Valley of the Tartars in Kurdistan.”
London. Hodder and Stoughton. 1954. 198p. USED BOOOK
By Captain W. E. Johns
The classic boys’ books trumpeting the attraction and excitement of war, especially World War 2.
FROM CHAPTER 1: ““Air-Commodore Raymond, Chief of the Air Section of Scotland Yard, greeted his operational staff from behind a paper-littered desk, as, in obedience to his invitation, they filed into his office.
" Pull up some chairs," he requested. "This is only in the nature of a conference, and, strangely enough, for once there's nothing urgent about it. Help yourselves to cigarettes-we may be some time." He pushed the box forward.
London. Holder and Stoughton. 1954. 162p. USED BOOK
By Charles Dickens
From the Preface: “The late Mr Waterton having, some time ago, expressed his opinion that ravens are gradually becoming extinct in England, I offered the few following words about my experience of these birds. The raven in this story is a compound of two great originals, of whom I was, at different times, the proud possessor. The first was in the bloom of his youth, when he was discovered in a modest retirement in London, by a friend of mine, and given to me. He had from the first, as Sir Hugh Evans says of Anne Page, ‘good gifts’, which he improved by study and attention in a most exemplary manner. He slept in a stable—generally on horseback —and so terrified a Newfoundland dog by his preternatural sagacity, that he has been known, by the mere superiority of his genius, to walk off unmolested with the dog’s dinner, from before his face…”
London Chapmwn Hall. 1870. 770p
By Nevil Shute
"On the Beach" is a post-apocalyptic novel written by Nevil Shute, a British-Australian author. It was first published in 1957 and is set in the aftermath of a global nuclear war that has destroyed most of the northern hemisphere.
The story takes place in Melbourne, Australia, which has been spared from the immediate effects of the war due to its southern location. However, as the radiation from the northern hemisphere begins to spread southward, the people of Melbourne realize that their time is running out.
The novel follows a group of characters, including an American submarine captain, a young Australian woman, and a scientist, as they confront their mortality and the inevitability of their impending deaths. The story explores themes of hope, despair, and the futility of war.
London Heinemann. 1957. 310p.
By John Updike
"Terrorist" is a novel by John Updike, published in 2006. The book tells the story of a young Muslim-American named Ahmad Ashmawy Mulloy, who becomes radicalized and plots a terrorist attack in the United States.
The novel explores themes of religion, identity, and extremism, and provides a nuanced portrayal of the motivations and beliefs that drive individuals to engage in acts of terrorism.
"Terrorist" received mixed reviews upon its release, with some critics praising Updike's exploration of complex themes and his ability to create nuanced and sympathetic characters, while others criticized the book for being overly didactic and preachy.
NY. Alfred A. Knopf. 2006. 318p.
By Mario Puzo
"The Godfather" is a novel written by Mario Puzo and published in 1969. The book tells the story of the Corleone family, a powerful mafia family based in New York City, and their involvement in organized crime during the mid-20th century.
The novel is notable for its detailed portrayal of the inner workings of the mafia, as well as its exploration of themes such as power, loyalty, and family. The central character of the novel is Don Vito Corleone, the patriarch of the Corleone family, who is widely regarded as one of the greatest characters in American literature.
"The Godfather" was a commercial and critical success, and has been adapted into numerous films, television series, and video games. The book is widely regarded as one of the greatest works of fiction of the 20th century, and its influence on popular culture and the portrayal of organized crime in media is still felt today.
Greenwich. Conn. Fawcett, 1969. 439p.
By Steele Rudd
Sydneeele Ruddy. Angus and Robertson. 1899. 258p.
"On Our Selection" is a play and a collection of stories written by Australian author Steele Rudd (real name Arthur Hoey Davis) in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The stories are based on Rudd's own experiences growing up in rural Queensland and revolve around the trials and tribulations of a farming family, the Rudds.
The character of Dad Rudd, the patriarch of the family, has become an iconic figure in Australian literature and is known for his wit, wisdom, and resilience in the face of adversity. The stories offer a humorous and affectionate portrayal of rural life in Australia at the turn of the century, and explore the themes of family, community, and the struggle for survival in a harsh and unforgiving environment.
"On Our Selection" was first published in 1899 and became an instant success, both in Australia and overseas. The stories have been adapted into several films, plays, and television series over the years, and continue to be celebrated as a classic example of Australian literature.
By Rohinton Mistry
With a compassionate realism and narrative sweep that recall the work of Charles Dickens, this magnificent novel captures all the cruelty and corruption, dignity and heroism, of India. The time is 1975. The place is an unnamed city by the sea. The government has just declared a State of Emergency, in whose upheavals four strangers--a spirited widow, a young student uprooted from his idyllic hill station, and two tailors who have fled the caste violence of their native village--will be thrust together, forced to share one cramped apartment and an uncertain future.
As the characters move from distrust to friendship and from friendship to love, A Fine Balance creates an enduring panorama of the human spirit in an inhuman state.
NY. Vintage. 1997. 603p.
By Oliver Goldsmith.
“When Dr Primrose loses his fortune in a disastrous investment, his idyllic life in the country is shattered and he is forced to move with his wife and six children to an impoverished living on the estate of Squire Thornhill. Taking to the road in pursuit of his daughter, who has been seduced by the rakish Squire, the beleaguered Primrose becomes embroiled in a series of misadventures–encountering his long-lost son in a travelling theatre company and even spending time in a debtor’s prison. Yet Primrose, though hampered by his unworldliness and pride, is sustained by his unwavering religious faith. In The Vicar of Wakefield, Goldsmith gently mocks many of the literary conventions of his day–from pastoral and romance to the picaresque – infusing his story of a hapless clergyman with warm humour and amiable social satire.”
J.C. Krieger and Company, 1828 300p.
By G.K. Chesterton.
When two men decide to fight for their respective beliefs, they discover to their astonishment that an unbelieving world won’t let them, and they find themselves partners and fugitives from the law in this steampunk satire. Penned by G.K. Chesterton in 1909, this whimsical and biting novel eerily foreshadows a world in which “tolerance” is the only god and all those who believe ideas are worth dying for are forced to stand together to defend freedom of speech and belief.
New York: J. Lane, 1909. 436p.
By Gaston Leroux.
Young engineer Raymond Ozoux, accompanied by his uncle, arrives in Peru to meet his fiancée, Marie-Thérèse. Meanwhile, descendents of the Incas are preparing a great feast during which a virgin will be sacrificed to the Sun, walled up alive in a secret temple. At the same time, a mysterious Inca bracelet is sent to Marie-Thérèse purporting to be a gift of the Sun to his future bride.. The young girl is then kidnapped by the Incas and Raymond, his uncle and Marie-Thérèse's father set out on a trek across Peru to free her while a revolution shakes the country.
NY. Harrow and Heston Classic Reprint. (1912) 177 pages.
By Gaston Leroux.
Excerpt: “Excerpt: "The Nut lay on the scorching beach facing the terrible sea in which the hungry sharks, the warders of his prison, were disporting. The convict was like a weary animal at rest. In truth, he had availed himself of the "relaxation" at ten o'clock to seek out a little fresh air and seclusion between two precipitous crags which cut him off from the rest of the convict settlement. If only he could live alone! No longer to hear anything. No longer to see anything! No longer to think of anything. But how could he help thinking of what he had seen, of what he had been compelled to see, that morning?"
NY. Harrow and Heston Classic Reprint. (1924) 191 pages.
By Gaston Leroux..
The Phantom of the Opera is the most famous novel by Gaston Leroux. It is believed to be based in George du Maurier's Trilby. The novel is partly inspired by historical events at the Paris Opera during the nineteenth century and an apocryphal tale concerning the use of a former ballet pupil's skeleton in Carl Maria von Weber's 1841 production of Der Freischütz. It has been successfully adapted into various stage and film adaptations, most notable of which are the 1925 film depiction featuring Lon Chaney, and Andrew Lloyd Webber's 1986 musical — Wikipedia.
NY. Harrow and Heston Classic Reprint. (1911) 270 pages.
By Charles Dickens..
This is a rare detective story of Charles Dickens. The main character is a smart and attentive man named Sampson. One day he sees a strange Mr. Julius Silton in his office acting strangely as though he is hiding something. Sampson suspects that a crime is occurring and and from this point he becomes a real hunter of criminals. The story's antagonist is probably based on the real life of poisoner Thomas Wainewright.
NY. Harrow and Heston Classic Reprint. (1859) 39 pages.
