Great Expectations; Charles Dickens

TITLE: Great Expectations

AUTHOR:  Charles Dickens

PUBLISHER:  Recorded Books (Frank Muller, Narrator)

PUB. YEAR: 2001

SETTING:  Victorian England
FORMAT:  - audio - library
RATING: 4/5

Set in Victorian England around 1860, this Dicken's classic was a first time read/listen for me and overall, I really enjoyed the story of "Pip" (Phillip Pirrip), a boy of about 7 who grows up with very little.  His much older sister, Georgiana beats him routinely for no real reason so he stays away from the home as much as possible.  In contract to his sister, his brother-in-law Joe is his solace. Joe is a kind-hearted soul who does all he can for Pip.

From the escaped convict Magwitch to the quirky, eccentric Miss Havisham the characters came alive as I listened. I enjoyed the parts with Miss Havisham, a wealthy spinster who lives in a dilapidated house and prances around in a wedding dress. Her adopted daughter Estella is someone Pip is always trying to impress as he longs for her love and attention.

There are multiple plot lines in this classic and I especially enjoyed the vivid imagery Dickens created.  I thought the narrative was excellent but that maybe this was just a little longer than it needed to be.  I liked the Pip character, even though he makes some foolish choices, I liked watching him evolve. Frank Muller, the audio book narrator did a fabulous job.

The Red Pony; John Steinbeck

Title: The Red Pony

Author:  John Steinbeck

Publication Year: 2011 (audio) (1933-novel)

Publisher: Penguin Audio

Edition: audiobook

Reader: Frank Muller (okay)   

Source: Library

Date Completed: September/2012

Rating: 4/5 

Recommend: yes

Most of you have probably read this classic in school at some point, but for me it's been decades, so i thought it was time for a refresher. Honestly, all I remembered was - a little boy, a "red pony" and a sad story.

Jody Tiflin is only 10 year's old when his father surprises him with a pony which he names Giliban.  Jody develops a bond and a sense of responsibility with Giliban and then something happens to the pony, which leaves Jody with feelings of sadness, anger and even rage.  Jody's trust in Billy Buck, the horse trainer is tested as Billy lead the boy to believe the horse would be okay.  Jody takes his anger out by injuring small animals -- this was very hard to read.

Believing another colt for Jody might be the answer that will help heal, Jody gets to witness the birthing process, but yet another tragedy occurs, and although the colt survives, Jody seems to have no interest in it.

It's a story that reflects life's early heartaches that are experienced by many young, vulnerable children. 
John Steinbeck’s The Red Pony is an incredibly sad coming of age story.  It's the kind of story that will leave readers who are looking for a happy ending disappointed, but in classic Steinbeck style it's though provoking and easy to understand why it is a staple in many school curriculums.  The audio book reader was Frank Muller, his affect was a bit dry but yet somehow still appropriate for this story.

East of Eden; John Steinbeck

Title: East of Eden

Author:  John Steinbeck

Publication Year: (originally 1952)

Publisher: Penguin (2002) (Recorded Books - audio)

Edition: trade softcover and audio book

Source: my copy and Library audio book
Setting: (mostly Salinas Valley, California)

Date Completed: 1/20/2012

Rating: 5/5
Recommend: yes - a must read!

It's always difficult for me to write a review about a book I absolutely loved.  I can't believe I waited this long to read this epic masterpiece.  The writing is beautiful, the story and characters memorable; it's one of those stories you will never forget, but you will want to reread even though you know what will happen.

--just one of my favorite passages---

"In uncertainty I am certain that underneath their topmost layers of frailty men want to be good and want to be loved.  Indeed, most of their vices are attempted short cuts to love.  When a man comes to die, no matter what his talents and influence and genius, if he dies unloved his life must be a failure to him and his dying a cold horror.  It seems to me that if you or I must choose between two courses of thought or action, we should remember our dying and try so to live that our death brings no pleasure to the world".

We have only one story.  All novels, all poetry, are built on the never ending contests in ourselves of good and evil.  And it occurs to me that evil must constantly respawn, while good, while virtue, is immortal.  Vice has always a fresh young face,  while virtue is venerable as nothing else in the world is."

The book is 600 pages and the audio book was read by Richard Poe, a favorite reader. I loved the audio, but needed to reread sections, just because the writing was so wonderful.  The story is somewhat autobiographical and it also reminds the reader of the biblical story of Cain and Abel from the Book of Genesis. It is a story which spans a period covering the Civil War and World War 1, but yet, it is not a story about our country at war.

It's a story of three generations and two families. The family of Samuel and Liza Hamilton, Irish immigrants. Samuel was a wise and loving man, and a wonderful husband and father to nine children.  The other family is Cyrus and Alice Trask, and their two sons Charles and Adam.  Cyrus is a tough on his boys as well as his wife. 

Adam and Charles Trask are brothers with personalities as different as day and night, from an early age they vie for their father's love and approval. Adam is gentle, Charles is mean. After their mother passes away and later their powerful father, Cyrus, the brothers are left a large sum of money. Adam marries a woman named Cathy, who he knows very little about. Not only is she conniving, she has a sordid past and is pure evil. She's a woman who will do whatever it takes to get what she wants. Shortly after they move away to Salinas Valley, California, Cathy gives birth to twin sons, who she wants nothing to do with.  Not only doesn't she want to be a mother, she has no interest in being a wife either. She does what she must to escape her situation.

Lee, is a Chinese cook and servant for the Trasks who basically raises the young boys, after Cathy leaves. Adam is devastated after his wife has left and unable to deal with the young twins. It is only after she is gone that the twins are even given names after Lee insists on it.  They are named Caleb (Cal) and Aron,  after Cain and Abel.

Lee was an amazing character, a gentle and smart man who shares his bits of wisdom though out the story.  The boys, like their father and his brother Charles, are opposites, and each compete for their father's love and affection as well.  As the boys grow up Cal learn bits and pieces about the mother they knew.  Eventually they meet her, and one son fears he shares some of his mother's evil traits.

While the first half of the book tells mostly the story of the Hamilton's, Cyrus and Alice Trask and their son's Charles and Adam.  The second half's focus is on the sons of Adam and Cathy, Caleb (Cal) and Abel.

The entire story held my interest, and the 600 pages and numerous audio discs came to an end all too quickly. I want to read it again already.  So happy I read this book -- you must move it up on your TBR list--you'll be glad that you did. This is sure to be a new top 5 books of all time.

Back to Classics Challenge - 2012

Goal (4)

(tentative plans)

1. East of Eden; John Steinbeck - 5/5 (print and audio)
2. Travels With Charley; John Steinbeck - 4/5 (print and audio)
3. A Moveable Feast; Ernest Hemingway (memoir - print) - 4.5/5
4. The Red Pony; John Steinbeck - 4/5 (audio)

Of Mice and Men; John Steinbeck

Title: Of Mice and Men
Author: John Steinbeck 
Publication Year: 1937 / 2002 (this edition)
Publisher: Penguin

Edition: softcover
Source: my shelves
Date Completed: 2/13/2011
Setting: Soledad, CA area
Rating: 5/5 stars
Recommend: Yes 

 

I have not read this book since high school (a long time ago), so I actually had forgotten how much I loved this book, probably more this time as it was read for pleasure.

Briefly, Of Mice and Men, tells the story of two drifters, Lennie, a mentally challenged, gentle giant, and George, the man who looks after Lennie.  They are just two of the many itinerant labors who search for jobs in the fields of California during the Depression. George and Lennie hope that at some point, they will achieve the American Dream of owning a small piece of land and having a few rabbits as well, because Lennie loves small little critters and having something soft to pet.

'We're gonna have a little place,"  Lennie explained  patiently. "We're gonna have a house an' a garden and a place for alfalfa, an' that alfalfa is for the rabbits, an' I take a sack of it fulla alfalfa and then I take it to the rabbits."...................."I like to pet nice things with my fingers, sof' things."

Lennie is extremely loyal to George, and although he has caused some problems as the two travel from place to place trying to find work, the one constant is that they have each other. 

"I ain't got no people...'Course Lennie's a God damn nuisance most of the time, but you get used to goin' around with a guy an' you can't get rid of him."

George is often angry about some of the things that Lennie does, and feels burdened, believing that Lennie is holding him back in life.  Lennie, in turn worries that George may leave him some day. In addition to george and Lennie, there are some minor characters in this story: Crooks, Slim, Curley and Carlson, and themes of loneliness surface again through these men. Throughout this story there is a lot of foreshadowing which occurs, preparing the reader for a some of the bad things that are about to take place. There are several issues explored in this novel: the mentally challenged individual, poverty and racism, and although the characters here are different, their issues are often the same, leading each to experience many of the same disappointments in life.

For those of you who have never read this amazing story (under 130 pages),  Of Mice and Men, packs a  mighty punch for such a small book. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

This is about the fourth Steinbeck novel I have read in the last few years, and honestly, I am always amazed at how much I love his work.  My next Steinbeck novel will be East of Eden, a somewhat hefty tome, but I am sure it will be well worth my time.  Have you read any Steinbeck books that you really loved?

29 - The Wayward Bus; John Steinbeck

The Wayward Bus; John Steinbeck

I'm so glad I finally read The Wayward Bus, as it did not disappoint.  The entire story takes place over a two day period in post WWII (1947). A group of very different people board a bus driven by 50 something, Juan Chicoy, Juan and his wife Alice operate a small luncheonette at Rebels Corners. Juan also is a mechanic, and drives a bus from Rebels Corners to San Juan de la Cruz. Juan is bored with his life and routine, and on this particular trip, heavy rains and an unsafe bridge, has Juan taking an alternate dirt road route. The passengers end up stranded, when the bus becomes stuck in the mud, and Juan tells the group he plans to walk to get help.

Now what really frames the central story is the relationships of all of the characters. Each of characters, in one way or another, are unhappy with their life : bored, love issues, frustrations, addictions etc. There is a pimple-faced teenager with raging hormones, a beautiful but promiscuous young woman, a dysfunctional but conservative husband and wife and their college daughter, a shy insecure waitress who dreams of being an actress and writes letters to Clark Gable, and a few others as well.  Will these individuals recognize that they need to make changes in order to improve their lives?

The Wayward Bus, gave great insight into what life was like for every day people in the 1940s. A terrific character driven novel in which I suspect that many readers might find at least one of these passengers someone they could relate to.  It's not a happy story, but it is one that should hold your interest and make you think. RECOMMENDED (4.5/5 stars)

Have you read this book? If so what did you think?