Month: September 2020

Top 10 Literary ‘Hero’ Resides Here!

2:02 PM 24 SEPTEMBER 2016

For such an acclaimed classic novel, I’ve come to it late. I know the the reputation of the masterpiece by Harper Lee and the centrality of the character, Atticus Finch. What I hadn’t realised was that it’s written from the perspective of his young daughter, Jean Louise, aka ‘Scout’ and I think this was a masterstroke. Atticus is heroic because he acts as the conscience of the community of Maycomb, Alabama, albeit he is impotent in the face of 1930s racism.
Nonetheless, Atticus represents the rule of law and advocates for justice via the courts and crucially he has imbued his children with the ideals of what is right. And it is the naive belief of his children, unencumbered by the subverting effects of the prevailing white adult culture, which seizes the imagination. Throughout the book the invisible spectre of Boo Radley (local recluse) looms large for Scout and her brother (Jem), but so does the presence of their ‘coloured’ cook (Calpurnia) and as a consequence it is the simply balanced view of Scout, which deftly marshalls the sympathies of the reader. A remarkably well written book, which continues to stand the test of time.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

SOURCE: HTTP://WWW.GOODREADS.COM/REVIEW/LIST/51836771

Classic American Novel

12:30 AM 24 SEPTEMBER 2016

Beautifully crafted, classic American novel, the mysterious, detached Gatsby is dissected through his relationships with acquaintances, friends, businessmen and father. In spite of extreme wealth, he cuts a tragic,isolated figure at times, undone by emotional attachment. The backdrop of 1920s US is also utterly compelling.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

SOURCE: HTTP://WWW.GOODREADS.COM/REVIEW/SHOW/1521144352

Dark Matters

12:21 AM 24 SEPTEMBER 2016

A challenging read which plumbs psychological depths and questions the morality underpinning ‘crime and punishment’. I found the brutal killing and attendant emotional turmoil both disturbing and fascinating in equal measure and the abundant food for thought truly marks this book out as a classic.

SOURCE: HTTP://WWW.GOODREADS.COM/BOOK/SHOW/7138

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Political Theory

12:14 AM 24 SEPTEMBER 2016

A seminal work, which offers an interesting, if dated, critique of capitalism and an alternative way of perceiving the world’s dominant system of social organization. Certainly the thoughts expressed by Marx and Engels lays bare the assumptions which accompany our embrace of capitalism, but its longevity may owe much to the absence of a workable alternative to date (the subsequent attempts at the implementation of communism being largely discredited).  

SOURCE: HTTP://WWW.GOODREADS.COM/REVIEW/SHOW/1521144565

Rating: 3 out of 5.