The Town of Odyssey

I'm reading Les Miserables. It's like, 1,500 pages. I need to have it read for a book report soon, and have tried to force myself to read it fast, but the writing is so beautifull I cannot!

I have heard good reviews of Les Miserables but have never started it myself. I must get around to it one of these days--if I can ever get off of ToO!

Dr. Watson wrote: I must get around to it one of these days--if I can ever get off of ToO!

That's going to be tricky.

Hm, how difficult is Les Miserables? In comparison to the works of authors like Charles Dickens, F. Scott Fitzgerald, or Nathanael Hawthorne?

Other authors whose books I enjoyed reading include: Leo Tolstoy, Elie Wiesel, and Nathanael Hawthorne. I found books such as The Death of Ivan Ilych, The Scarlet Letter, and Night extremely enthralling. Plenty of thought-provoking themes.

Here goes nothin'...

Books:
Ella Enchanted, Princess Diaries (all of them), The Lord Of The Rings (all three ), Teen Idol, How My Private, Personal Journal Became a Bestseller, Cecile Gates of Gold, Roll of Thunder Hear my Cry, Let the circle be unbroken, Narnia (series), Return to Harmony, Ballet Shoes, Cherised Wish, A Texas Sky, City Girl, The Bible (;)), Alec Forbes and His Friend Annie, Chance Encounters Of the Heart (three books in one ), Hangmans Curse, AND Besty, Tacy, and Tib books (when they're older).

Authors: Lori Wick, J.R.R. Tolkien, Meg Cabot, Gail Carson Levine, Frank Peretti, Maud Hart Lovelace, Jerry B. Jenkins, Kristi Holl, and Julia Devillers.

*pants*

Sarah

Dr. Watson wrote:C.S. Lewis, JRR Tolkien, and G.A. Henty.

Anyone heard of Henty? He wrote during the late nineteenth-century--somelike a 144 novels and short stories. All of them are adventury stories. The main characters experience wars, battles, kidnappings, sailing on the Spanish Main, etc. They are really quite interesting.

I also used to read lots of Lloyd Alexander. He has good books on the surface, but I sensed a despairing atheism/post-modernism in his works, so I've avoided him since.

Cheerio

I've heard of G. A. Henty. I've read about nine of his books and loved all of them. Since I'm studying the Civil War I got out "With Lee in Virginina" to reread it. Although many of Henty's books include battle and bloodshed (since they're historic) he includes storylines that will interest girls as well. His characters are so noble.
This history included in this books is fabulous. Just the books I read taught me a lot about the events they covered. I'd really like to get more of the books but they're so expensive. Recently I discovered some of them were on Project Gutenberg so I did some downloading.

My Favorite authors are Lurlene McDaniels, Dan Brown, and JK Rowling

Lord of the Rings, Lord of the Rings, Lord of the Rings, Lord of the Rings, Lord of the Rings, Lord of the Rings, and oh, did I mention- Lord of the Rings? I also like Roverandom, Poems and Stories, Lord of the Flies (sooo sad! Poor Piggy, Samneric and Ralph and Simon!), etc, etc, etc...

Oh yes. G.A.Henty. I used to read his works quite a bit a few years back. But as I read, I noticed something. All his main characters seem like carbon copies of each other. Malchus, Cuthbert, Jack, James-- they all may live in very different time periods, but their personalities are basically the same, almost as if G.A.Henty just gave this one character different names and planted them into different eras.

The main character almost always has a sidekick. And a girlfriend whom they meet somewhere along their adventure. They always get captured. And they always talk a certain way.

Now, those aren't necessarily bad things, although they can be somewhat annoying. What I found unpleasant was the way Henty creates a mishmash of religious beliefs in some of his books. Take the Cat of Bubastes, for instance. He seems to write from a "all paths ultimately lead to the same goal" approach. I mean, mixing up Egyptian religion with Christian beliefs? There's something wrong with that.

Don't get me wrong, however-- G.A.Henty is a decent writer, and there is much to learn from his books.

Elf of Rivendell wrote:Oh yes. G.A.Henty. I used to read his works quite a bit a few years back. But as I read, I noticed something. All his main characters seem like carbon copies of each other. Malchus, Cuthbert, Jack, James-- they all may live in very different time periods, but their personalities are basically the same, almost as if G.A.Henty just gave this one character different names and planted them into different eras.

Not a problem for me as I love the history I get out of those books. It would probably be too strange if he said it was the same person each time.

Elf of Rivendell wrote:Now, those aren't necessarily bad things, although they can be somewhat annoying. What I found unpleasant was the way Henty creates a mishmash of religious beliefs in some of his books. Take the Cat of Bubastes, for instance. He seems to write from a "all paths ultimately lead to the same goal" approach. I mean, mixing up Egyptian religion with Christian beliefs? There's something wrong with that.

Christianity didn't exist back then. Really. I notice that he seems to have the characters convert to the worship of One true God like the Jewish girl in the book does.

Elf of Rivendell wrote:Don't get me wrong, however-- G.A.Henty is a decent writer, and there is much to learn from his books.

Religion isn't overly prominent in his books. But the characters are usually good models for us anyway. I wouldn't really take issue with the religion in "The Cat of Bubastes" considering the time period. The one tiny thing I noticed was in "Beric the Briton" when Beric married the Christian girl while he was still unsaved. Now the author lets us know that Beric eventually converted but Biblically the Christian girl shouldn't have married until conversion. Although they were already promised to each other before she converted...
But again it's just a minor point. And it's not like she had the whole Bible to guide that decision anyway.

I love most all works from Stephen King (alot of reading to do still), Michael Crichton (just started liking him recently, so I have alot of books of his to read yet), and Frank Peretti (I only read his youth fiction though. I hope his thick novels are just as good. I only own This Present Darkness and haven't read it yet). I also enjoy tons and tons of movie novels (after watching the movie), cause the books add more to the movie. You think to yourself, when your reading (after watching the movie), "so that's why he/she did that!".

:: bumped ::

I really enjoyed reading my advanced biology textbook this year. Still do, in fact.

I hear you TDW...biology, geology, and books on how to make kids learn have been my constant companion. After this semester is done, I'll read my new, great and wonderful collection of Jane Austen books. My best bud bought me the whole set for Christmas.

Dee Henderson is always good for a spine tingler.

I enjoyed the Trials of Kit Shannon series by James Scott Bell.

Trent DeWhite wrote::: bumped ::

I really enjoyed reading my advanced biology textbook this year. Still do, in fact.

I really like my geography book. I made my mom keep it.

Laura, those kit shannon books were great fun. I think ted (isn't his name ted?) must have been very fine to look at, but maybe a tad dense.

Trent DeWhite wrote:Hm, how difficult is Les Miserables? In comparison to the works of authors like Charles Dickens, F. Scott Fitzgerald, or Nathanael Hawthorne?

Les Miserables was the most beautiful book that I've ever read in my life. Sometimes it's really hard to get through, (Like when they describe the character of Javert or Gavroche for 50 pages straight...and those long historical chapters describing Napoleon and whatever he was doing at the time were long and tedious too.) but it is soooo worth it to read. Radio Theatre did a good job, but they left out so many fascinating details and storylines. It's an awesome book. Read it even if it's not a school assignment!

My favorite book isA Walk To Remember. I love Nicholas Sparks. All his books are amazing.

Let me think.....

.....Janette Oke's, Love Comes Softly series (8 books), Alone Yet Not Alone, and I used to really like all of the old books of Nancy Drew.

That wasn't so bad!

Frank wrote:

Trent DeWhite wrote:Hm, how difficult is Les Miserables? In comparison to the works of authors like Charles Dickens, F. Scott Fitzgerald, or Nathanael Hawthorne?

Les Miserables was the most beautiful book that I've ever read in my life. Sometimes it's really hard to get through, (Like when they describe the character of Javert or Gavroche for 50 pages straight...and those long historical chapters describing Napoleon and whatever he was doing at the time were long and tedious too.) but it is soooo worth it to read. Radio Theatre did a good job, but they left out so many fascinating details and storylines. It's an awesome book. Read it even if it's not a school assignment!

Since I’ve heard the original book is over 1,000 pages long , I kind of figured they must have... as I posted elsewhere on this site. I located a copy of it online and downloaded it. Maybe I’ll read it someday.

K I read about a book a week and have a lot of favs so here it goes
::Deep Breath::

nonfiction
Bible-almost done reading. favs are Ruth and Hebrews.

Phillip Yancey-What's so Amazing about Grace, the Jesus I Never Knew (this book will change your outlook on Christ in a wonderful way)

Brother Andrew-God's Smuggler, God's Call, working on a couple of others. He smuggled Bibles behind the Iron Curtain for decades and now works with Muslims anong other people. These books are his biography of sorts.

Ed Decker- The God Makers and The God Makers II. Both about Mormanism from an ex Morman's point of view.

Jim Cymbala- Fresh Wind Fresh fire, Fresh Faith, Fresh Power. fresh faith is so amaizing. It has helped my faith so much. A good read when you are doubting God'your faith for various reasons.

many more but can't think right now

fiction
Frank Peretti- all of them. Several still terrefy me though because they take place very near to where I live. Mainly the Prophet and the Oath. (JF shudders)

Narnia books

Dee Henderson-all. Even though I've read them all half a dozen times, sh still stumps me with certain details. Probably my all time favorite author

Christian romance books-anthologies(3 or 4 stories in one book. I love these things) Love inspired, Hearsong Presents etc. sappy books like that

Authors

Lori Wick, Linda windsor, Lori Copeland, other Christian Romance writers.

I'm sure there are more, but I can't think right now.