Books, Books and more Books

[mrstotten]

For the next unit of my degree we are moving onto Approaching Literature, a study of different forms of Literature throughout the ages.  I have just purchased my Set Books and I have already read Pride and Prejudice, Great Expectations  and the three Shakespeare plays but have never even glanced at the others

Caryl Churchill's Top Girls
Henrik Ibsen's A Doll's House
Mary Shelley's, Frankenstein
IS Turgenev, Fathers and Sons and
Alice Walkers, A Colour Purple

I was just curious if anyone on my friends list has read these and if so what your thoughts on them were?

Comments

[darksilvercat.livejournal.com]

I've read Frankenstein and Colour Purple.

Now Frankenstein isn't all that bad for a horror story, especially an old horror story, very neatly told and suspenseful, although the ending is a bit strange. Perhaps it's just because I'm pretty unmoved by horror but it did seem a bit predictable at places, but if you actually enjoy sympathetic monster stories then it's a fine read.

A Colour Purple, well, it's kinda outside of my usual area of expertise, but DAMN!!! It's an incredible book, heartbreaking, inspiring (and more that a little confusing. You think the way Shakespeare writes is tricky, you ain't seen nothing yet lol!) Not my usual thing, but a damn good read.

[mrstotten.livejournal.com]

I think I will start with the Colour Purple one first then, as it comes so highly recced :) I'm not really keen on horror stories and am unsure how i'll be with Frankenstein as the story has been told so many times but I am really not looking forward to Fathers and Sons as it sounds like a really dreary read :(

[mrstotten.livejournal.com]

They have now all arrived and I'm finishing up assignment and settling in for good long read this weekend :) still havent decided between Frankenstein or Colour Purple :)

[fromward.livejournal.com]

I like Ibsen's and Turgenev's. I'm not familiar with Top Girls and I'd love to hear more about it! All the best this term!

[mrstotten.livejournal.com]

Read Top Girls today and it is very good. It is set in the late 70's and about a woman who has just been promoted to Managing Director of an employment agency who celebrates by having dinner with five woman from the past (including the rumoured female pope) if you like Dolls House you will love it.

Mags

[fromward.livejournal.com]

That sounds good. I'll have to check it out. Thanks!