Scathing Book Reviews of Romeo and Juliet, by William Shakespeare

Romeo and Julietby William Shakespeareis certainly a story you can’t avoid. They say the story of star-crossed lovers was old even when Shakespeare wrote Romeo and Juliet, but even if its true, its never been done so indelibly.
Take Romeo and Juliet away and you also lose West Side Storyand a good hunk of Shakespeare [...]

Scathing Book Reviews of “Pride and Prejudice” by Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen is one of those books that hovered about the edge of my male consciousness, vaguely associated with “Wuthering Heights”, men in Top Hats and PBS.
Then my wife and I somehow got into a “Jane Austen movie” viewing jag, or let’s say she did and I was along for the [...]

Scathing Reviews of Hamlet, by William Shakespeare

My first introduction to Hamlet by William Shakespeare was, like millions of other kids, from that redoubtable source of literary insight, Gilligan’s Island.
No, I’m serious… There was an episode guest starring Phil Silvers as a Hollywood Producer who came to the Island to get away from it all. The castaways put on a [...]

Scathing Book Reviews of Lord of the Flies, by William Golding

Lord of the Flies by William Golding is one of those books that you read as a kid and think “Oh, that couldn’t happen…” And then you grow up and you’re not so sure. (Poor Piggy). Now CBS has a reality show with some Lord of the Flies overtones. Here’s a [...]

Animal Farm, by George Orwell

Animal Farm, by George Orwell has one of the most misleading titles you could ever imagine. Bottom line, no matter how much your child likes farms, animals or Charlotte’s Web, don’t give this book to them as a birthday present. If you do, they may start singing “Old MacDonald” to the tune [...]

Scathing Book Reviews of A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens is probably more often seen than read, with movie adaptations featuring Alistair Sim, Albert Finney, George C. Scott, Scrooge McDuck, the Muppets, and even Kelsey Grammer of Frasier for crying out loud.
The book itself is a quick read and quite enjoyable, at least to most. One surprise to [...]

Scathing Book Reviews of Wuthering Heights, by Emily Bronte

Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte falls rather outside my reading circle, but its certainly one of those books that you’d like to be able pretend you’ve read, particularly when talking with women of a certain age, many of whom seem to use it as a touchstone of some kind.
Perhaps I will – but these Scathing [...]

Scathing Book Reviews of Great Expectations, by Charles Dickens

Great Expectations by Charles Dickens was the first “classic literature” in my experience, thanks to 9th Grade English with Mrs. Shively. I approached it with trepidation, and found it to be fairly enjoyable, and far easier to decipher than the Shakespearean English of Romeo and Juliet. The movie wasn’t bad either, and even [...]

Scathing Book Reviews of Black Beauty, by Anna Sewell

Black Beauty by Anna Sewell is a classic that we’re all familiar with. OK, one that we’ve all heard of, anyway. No, its not the same as the movie The Black Stallion.
Imagine a Charles Dickens novel. Now insert a big Black Horse into the role usually played by a little boy.
Yes, THAT book. [...]

Scathing Book Reviews of “Master and Commander”, Book 1 of the Aubrey/Maturin Series, by Patrick O’Brian

Patrick O’Brian’s series of 20 completed books about the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars has won wide renown, and for millions of readers, Jack Aubrey and Stephen Maturin are compelling characters. Despite Russell Crowe’s best efforts, the movie based on the series was quite good. But for these readers? They’re not quite [...]