Reading Log: Agatha Christie: Evil under the Sun

A reading log by F.

What made you pick this particular book?

I used to enjoy reading Agatha Christie novels when I was younger, but I never read one in English. So I went to the library to get Evil under the Sun.

Give a brief summary of the book.

Hercule Poirot, an eccentric Belgian detective, is vacationing in a hotel in South England. The beautiful actress Arlena Marshall is murdered and, more or less, everyone at the resort has a motive. Poirot is trying to find the actual murderer now.

Was it good?

I quite liked it. It was not what you’d call a very adventurous book but I didn’t find out who it was till the end and it was a surprising but plausible solution.

Who you recommend this book to?

Anyone who likes an enjoyable but not necessarily deeply moving read.

 

 

Reading Log: Arthur Miller, The Crucible

A reading log by S.

What made you pick this particular book?

Some friends told me about it. That made me very interested in reading it.

Give a brief summary of the book.

In the Puritan New England town of Salem, Massachusetts, a group of girls is caught while they were dancing around a fire. The town accuses them of witchcraft, so they in turn accuse a slave of being a witch, and once these girls (the most important of which is Abigail) notice how much power and influence they have, they accuse every other woman in the town of being a witch. Abigail’s personal reason for this is her attempt to get back John Proctor, a married man she had an affair with. She wants his wife to be accused of witchcraft. This turns into the biggest witchcraft trial this little town ever had (in fact, the biggest witchcraft trial of colonial America ) and ends in disaster.

Was it good?

I liked the play very much because I thought it was very interesting; the story is hard to believe and kind of shocking. I also liked the themes of the play, for instance intolerance, reputation and hysteria.

Who would you recommend this book to?

I don’t know… Probably to anyone who likes to read.

Reading Log: F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby

A reading log by S.

What made you pick this particular book?

A friend of my family gave it to me as a Christmas present, so I thought, well, I have to read an English book anyway … and got started.

Give a brief summary of the book.

Nick Carraway moves into a house in Long Island’s West Egg. Gatsby is his wealthy neighbour living next door in a lavish mansion where he holds many extravagant weekend parties. Daisy (Nick’s cousin) lives in the East Egg section with her millionaire husband Tom Buchanan and was in love with Jay Gatsby five years ago, but rejected him due to his lack of wealth.

Gatsby is still in love with her (or rather, obsessed with her) and tries to win her back with the money he got through shady business dealings. Daisy’s husband is having an affair with Myrtle, but then Myrtle’s husband finds out and thinks Gatsby is her lover…

Was it good?

I liked this book although it wasn’t the best I’ve read so far. I liked the style of writing. One negative aspect is that I thought it was a bit boring.

Who would you recommend this book to?

Probably to the friend of my family who gave it to me in the first place. 

Reading Log: Jostein Gaarder, The Orange Girl

A reading log by V.

What made you pick this particular book?

I really like all books by Jostein Gaarder I have read so far and the blurb of the book sounded as if the book was light and refreshing holiday reading.

Give a brief summary of the book.

A 15-year old boy called George receives a letter from his father who died eleven years ago and whom George can barely remember. The letter is, of course, a farewell letter and is supposed to be read by George when he comes of age. In the letter his father tells him about his persistent search for the mysterious Orange Girl, the love of his life, and challenges him to ponder about life and love by asking him some profound questions.

Was it good?

Firstly, the language of the book is very clear and nice. The book is written in a sort of dialogue between father and son: it seems as the father is asking questions or telling something in his letter and George is replying and commenting. This way you form your personal answer or opinion to the father’s mostly philosophical questions and compare it with George’s approach or rather Jostein Gaarder’s.
Secondly, the story is not kitschy at all and I think the actual questions (e.g. about the existence of the universe) behind the story concern everyone.

Who would you recommend this book to?

Although I enjoyed it, I would not recommend the book to everyone because it is rather for young adults. It is also a bit sad at some points and I think it appeals to girls rather than to boys.

Reading Log: J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye (III)

A reading log by J.

This is turning out to be an incredibly popular book among my students. See the other reading logs here and here. After an enthusiastic review and a rather scathing one, here’s one from a young man who is in two minds about the book.

What made you pick this particular book?

My dad gave it to me as he read it, too, when he was about my age. I was a bit put off by the title because “Catcher in the Rye” doesn’t sound like a particular entertaining and enjoyable book; but I quite liked what he told me about it an so I started reading it.

Give a brief summary of the book:

The 16 year old 1st person narrator Holden Caulfield decides to roam the streets of New York City on his own, after being expelled from school because of the lack of academic achievement (on his part). While observing and interacting with the people he meets in these 48 hours in NYC, he reflects about adulthood, childhood and growing up.

Was it good?

The book caused different reactions in me: Partly I can identify with Holden or at least I like him for his sense of humour and cynicism; but then, if I read more than ten pages in one go, I start to dislike him because he is always criticising everyone and everything around him and he is never at one with the world.

Who would you recommend this book to?

I recommend this book to everyone who hates phonies and has always been searching for someone to share their hate; all those will find their soul mate in Holden Caulfield.

I also suggest that all phonies should read this book to see how annoying it is to be surrounded by those kinds of people. (The most useful word from the book is “phony”. Holden uses this word for almost every person around him; therefore it is use at least a million times, like in “…One of those stories with a lot of phony, lean-jawed guys named David in it, and a lot of phony girls named Linda or Marcia…”)

Reading Log: Stephenie Meyer: Twilight

a reading log by mrs h.

What made you pick this particular book?

All the 8th-graders are currently reading this book and have become totally engrossed with the story and the characters (whisper “Edward” in a 14-year-old girl’s ear and watch her faint). I was interested – besides, I was looking for a birthday present for my niece. When, on the last day of school before the Fasching break, my dear colleague Ms. H. told me she’d read it in record time and really enjoyed it, I immediately ordered it for some light and enjoyable holiday reading.

Give a brief summary of the book.

When 17-year-old Bella moves to the rainy town of Forks on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington state* and starts to make friends at her new high school, she is intrigued by the icy good looks and aloofness of a group of students who never sit with the others. One of them, in particular (enter Edward, the tortured hero), has some strange reactions around Bella. This is because he, just like his friends, is a vampire. Bella and Edward fall in irrevocable, passionate, star-crossed love and complications ensue.

Was it good?

Let me put it this way: If you, like the bazillion girls who wrote Amazon.com reviews, are saying this is the best book you’ve ever read, you are either 14 years old or haven’t read very many books. Within that frame of reference, though, it is a well-crafted, exciting and very entertaining novel for young adults and an amazingly gripping read. I finished it in 4 hours and really cared about what happened to the characters. The nice thing is that the vampire theme doesn’t result in a steamy, gloomy, tortured atmosphere generally (I would not even consider reading an Anne Rice book and generally don’t care for vampires at all) – instead, any steamy scenes that seem to be so unavoidable in modern YA (young adult) literature are nicely sublimated into scenes in which Edward struggles with bloodlust as opposed to regular lust. Much better reading, in my opinion. Also much more suitable for younger teenagers

Who would you recommend this book to?

Obviously, your 14-year-old sister. The only trouble is, she’s already got it – or her friends are planning to give it to her for her birthday. But if you don’t know what to do on the weekend and would like to lose yourself in an escapist romp, this book is a very good choice. You can borrow my copy, if you like.

Reading Log: Rudyard Kipling: The Jungle Book

a reading log by Chr.

What made you pick this particular book?

I saw the legendary Walt Disney film when I was young and I always wanted to read the original book. When I went into a bookstore to look for English books,this was the first book I saw.

Give a brief summary of the book.

The book is about Mowgli, a human boy who is brought up by wolves in the jungle and becomes a friend of a black panther and a bear, who teach him the laws of the jungle. When he grows up, he will be the master of the jungle, but he will have to pass some tests to reach this goal.

Was it good?

As I already mentioned above, I’d always wanted to read this book. The special thing about it is the atmosphere it creates. It can take the reader right into the jungle and make him hear the birds sing up in the trees.

Who would you recommend this book to?

It’s a classic, so I think everyone can read it.

Reading Log: Terry Pratchett: The Fifth Elephant

A reading log by Chr.

What made you pick this particular book?

I have already read a lot of Terry Pratchett books.A friend of mine advised me to read this one, and it was the right decision.

Give a brief summary of the book.

Sam Vimes, the commander of the Ankh-Morpork night watch, is sent to a foreign country to represent the city. Uberwald is a small state in which dwarfs, werewolves, vampires and humans live together. But as the old king has just died, a new one has to be found. Traditionally, this is riot time in Uberwald and Vimes finds himself right in the middle of intrigues.

Was it good?

Of course it was good. I like the way Terry Pratchett makes fun of this whole science-fiction genre. Another point I really like is the way he tells stories about a fictitious world you can compare with our world.

Who would you recommend this book to?

I think everyone who enjoys a well-told story will like this one. But some real sci-fi fans won’t like the way he makes fun all of those who take all this stuff too seriously.

Reading Log: Haruki Murakami: A Wild Sheep Chase

A reading log by Le.

What made you pick this particular book?

When I went to the bookstore to pick out an English book, this one stood out immediately with its unusual cover that shows a sheep with a red star on its back. I read the blurb on the back of the book and thought that it sounded smart, interesting and a bit crazy.

Give a brief summary of the book.

The book is about a guy in Japan who gets divorced from his wife, then it turns into a detective story that starts when a friend called the Rat sends him a picture of a sheep and a mythical person called the Boss sends a messenger, making it clear that he has to find the sheep. A surreal journey follows. The protagonist’s girlfriend is nothing special except for her perfect ears – and it is for those ears that he likes her!

Was it good?

Yes, I really liked it because it gets stranger and stranger as the story progresses. Although it is a little weird, it is about an ordinary man whose life changes, which almost makes you believe that fantastic scenes like in this book can happen to anyone. It is written very cleverly and poetry plays a big role.

Who would you recommend this book to?

People who don’t like overly emotional but weird, plain, funny and honest books.

Note: the title is a pun on the common expression wild goose chase.

Reading Log: J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye (II)

A reading log by L.

What made you pick this particular book?

I found The Catcher in the Rye on my bookshelf and noticed that I had never read it even though it is a famous book.

Give a brief summary of the book:

The book is about a boy called Holden Caulfield, who got kicked out of school. He tells the reader about his last day at Pencey Prep and the three following days. He is afraid to go home to his parents because they do not know he got kicked out yet, which is why he spends the three days wandering around New York.

Was it good?

The Catcher in the Rye is very easy to read and you get into it really quickly, but after a while Holden annoyed me a lot. His language is very colloquial and he is not likeable, nor is he polite to anybody. I prefer a nice main character who you care for while reading the book.

Who would you recommend this book to?

Nobody really, because I didn’t like it at all.