The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas

8/10

I enjoyed this book. There's something about a revenge story that really gets the blood pumping. Eckspecially a really well told one. Expecially one which involves a wrongfully accused man with a just cause whose life has been turned upside down, big time. Specially one that has one of if not thee coolest prison escape ever. Eggspecially one like that. Plus, the Chateau d'If? Best prison name ever. Edmond Dantes is an awesome name too. Just an all around classic. Call me what you will, but I have always enjoyed reading books where it's made possible where I can root for a villainous character. While I did say Dantes had a just cause, he does go to extremes with his vengeance, and yet I'm right there with him. He's not quite villainous, but he does turn into a scary dude. Wouldn't want to cross that guy, no sir.

A note about the movie: The movie is much different, yet I still liked it a lot. The book goes far deeper into the depth of his revenge and is much darker. The movie changed some key parts, but I was like, "Whatev." Both are good in their own ways. The book is better, I say, but ain't that always the case?

Quoteth's:

"He would remember the oath he had sworn...the fear of despising himself kept him from violating it."

"Live, then, and be happy, beloved children of my heart, and never forget that, until the day God deigns to reveal the future to man, the sum of all human wisdom will be contained in these two words: Wait and hope."

East of Eden by John Steinbeck

10/10

Another top-tener if not a top-fiver. Steinbeck, you've done it again. Earlier in my Othello posting I mentioned that Iago is the most evil character in all of fiction. Well, here in this book we have a character who certainly rivals Iago. Kate, who murders her parents and becomes entangled in the lives of the main characters in the book, holds her own. She sure does her darndest to ruin their lives as well. She later changes her name to Cathy and becomes the head mistress at a brothel. She is seriously one disturbed cookie. But she sure does make the book more interesting/entertaining/frustrating.

The story can be viewed as a huge Cain and Abel allegory. We are shown two sets of brothers during the book. Each instance there is the aggressive, evil brother and the low-key, kind brother. Also, each time, the evil brother's name starts with a C and the nice brother's name begins with an A. Charles and Adam the first time around and Cal and Aron the next go around. Some deep, fun stuff.

The movie starring James Dean is a minor let down. I mean, I know you can't cover the whole book or anything, but the movie started two-thirds of the way through. I was like, "Uh, aren't you kind of skipping over some important details?" Also, they entirely left Lee out of the movie and he was a crucial character, probably my favorite character in the entire book. Oh well, I guess you can't win them all. The book is great though. Really great. I even think I recall hearing that Steinbeck considered this his great masterpiece.

Quotage:

"You can boast about anything if it's all you have. Maybe the less you have, the more you are required to boast."

"I don't know where being a servant came into disrepute. It is the refuge of a philosopher, the food of the lazy, and properly carried out, it is a position of power, even of love."

"An unbelieved truth can hurt a man much more than a lie. It takes great courage to back truth unacceptable to our times."

"When the Lord God did not call my name, I might have called His name - but I did not. There you have the difference between greatness and mediocrity."

"Isn't it odd that Cain is maybe the best-known name in the whole world and as fas as I know only one man has ever borne it?"

"Give me a used Bible and I will, I think, be able to tell you about a man by the places that are edged with the dirt of seeking fingers."

"We gather our arms full of guilt as though it were precious stuff."

"I know that sometimes a lie is used in kindness. I don't believe it ever works kindly. The quick pain of truth can pass away, but the slow, eating agony of a lie is never lost. That's a running sore."

"It is one of the triumphs of the human that he can know a thing and still not believe it."

The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne

9/10

I absolutely loved this book. It may even be a top-tener. Which is funny because in high school before I realized how cool books are, we had to read this book and I instantly hated it without reading it and I always convinced myself that I hated this book. I finally got myself to give it another chance and boy was I an unfair high schooler.

Hawthorne, to me, is one of the best pure writers of fiction of all time. Really. Even though this is pretty much his only acclaimed novel, he has some great short stories. He's just a guy who when I read his stuff I feel like I'm reading art, but not art for art's sake, just a guy who can tell a cool story and do it with the perfect combination of words. I even think he's a tad bit underrated even though he is well known and considered by most as a great writer. He was pretty much the first great American novelist. Americans before him still wrote about Europe and the European life. Hawthorne is all American. Many of his stories deal with the Puritans, Quakers, and early settlers of the colonies. They dealt with America. He showed that America has stories of its own.

A good one by Hawthorne in this book is that he wrote an introduction to the novel explaining where he got the idea for this book from. He says that he worked at a custom house and was cleaning out the attic when he found a cloak with the scarlet letter A on it with a note attached explaining the purpose of the cloak. He said that the book is based on this true story of a girl who had to wear this cloak for her crime of adultery. He says that he still has this cloak and anyone who wants to see it can just come by his house and he'll show them. So then people read this crazy, amazing story and buy into all sorts of things all the time wondering if this is how it happened to the lady in real life. Turns out, however, that he just made that up. He never found any such cloak. Ha ha. Burn by Hawthorne. I think it was a pretty good ploy because everyone always likes a true story or a story that could have perhaps been true. Kinda like how in Fargo they say it's a true story at the start but it's not. The book is still good enough that it doesn't need a fake story to fool people into its believability. There's some high drama and some sweet plot twisters, as well as some compassionate feelings for poor Hester. She turns out to be quite the strong and brave woman. Great stuff. But don't take my word for it, take this guy named Arnold Bennett who says that The Scarlet Letter is "the one American literary work which comes as near to perfection as is granted to man to bring his achievements."

To quote two quotes:

"Loss of faith is ever one of the saddest results of sin."

"No man, for any considerable period, can wear one face to himself, and another to the multitude, without finally getting bewildered as to which may be the true."

The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien

10/10

Yes, this book is awesome. One of my early beginning favorites. My old man read it to me back in the day and I just loved Bilbo and all the dwarfs. I thought it was one seriously cool adventure, and I was right. Because I read it later in my young adulthood and enjoyed the story just as much.

As you may well know, this is the prequel to The Lord of the Rings. It is more playful and geared toward a younger audience, but it still has its fair share of dangerous adventure. One of the cooler moments in the book is the meeting between Bilbo and Gollum. It's intense and fun simultaneously. They share some sweet riddles in the dark that are quite clever. Bilbo asks a ridiculous riddle though at the end. Poor Gollum. Bilbo finds the ring, learns its power, and uses it throughout his adventures when necessary not knowing of its evil power. Plus, later, some fun Smaug action where Bilbo spots a minute weakness that leads to Smaug's eventual undoing. Good ole' Bilbo and his fun adventures. Love it.

Rumor has it that a movie is in the works for this that will probably be ready in a year and a half. I even heard that they're splitting it up into two movies to which I say, "The more the merrier." Can't wait for those.

Ender's Shadow by Orson Scott Card

10/10

Due to the first few days of March Madness, I have been unable to find time to make a quick post the last few days. But thanks to the boring Syracuse v Gonzaga blowout I feel I have a moments time once and for all.

Ender's Shadow is today's choice. It is the fifth book written in the Ender series. However, it is not the fifth chronologically speaking in terms of the story. It is actually the same time line as that of the first book, Ender's Game. It is even telling of the same basic story, which is the human battle in space by a bunch of super young kids. But this time it is told from Bean's perspective. Bean was my favorite character behind Ender in the first book, so this was truly an exciting treat. I got to relive some awesome battle school moments and enjoy it all while learning and experiencing more. Some awesome, awesome stuff. Really enjoyed this book and came to appreciate Bean all the more.

A quote:

"Do you know why Satan is so angry all the time? Because whenever he works a particularly clever bit of mischief, God uses it to serve his own righteous purposes."

P.S. I love the huge book cover pictures.

Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith

9/10

That's right, the Priesthood/Relief Society book. This book is chock-full of cool teachings. Whenever I read stuff by Joseph Smith I am just blown away by his knowledge and clarity of explanation. This manual covers a sturdy 47 different topics at about ten pages each. It's some pretty inspiring stuff. Plus, I bet I am part of a small percentage of people to read this whole book. I mean, nobody reads the Priesthood manual. It is unfortunate because there is no shortage of insight. Jam-packed in fact.

It doesn't get much more quote-worthy than Joseph Smith, here are two I hand-picked: (the second one is maybe my favorite quote ever by anybody.)

"If men do not comprehend the character of God, they do not comprehend themselves."

"Let us this very day begin anew, and now say, with all our hearts, we will forsake our sins and be righteous."

That's a wrap!

Hamlet by Shakespeare

9/10

Hamlet is awesome and one of Shakespeare's finest. May I here state that I think Shakespeare is much easier to read than the stereotypical difficulty that is given him? He gets a bad rap in those regards and, I think, frightens people away from some top notch work unfortunately. Pretty much most editions will have lots of footnotes for any tough words. You heard it here folks, not as difficult as it's made out to be.

Skinny: Hamlet learns from his father's ghost that his new step-dad and the new king murdered his father to gain the throne. Usurpage. Hamlet plots and stews and slowly goes mad, seemingly. All chaos breaks loose and leads to one of the cooler endings ever. Lets just say that blood and dead body's are everywhere. Good stuff.

Stamp: You betcha.

Quotes from Billy boy:

"This above all, to thine own self be true."

"What a piece of work is man, how noble in reason, how infinite in faculties, in form and moving how express and admirable, in action how like an angel, in apprehension how like a god."

"To be, or not to be: that is the question." You know I had to go there.

"Give me that man That is not passion's slave, and I will wear him In my heart's core, ay, in my heart of heart."

"My words fly up, my thoughts remain below. Words without thoughts never to heaven go."

"Refrain tonight, And that shall lend a kind of easiness To the next abstinence; the next more easy; For use almost can change the stamp of nature, And either the devil, or throw him out With wondrous potency." A footnote in my book says there is probably a word missing after 'either', because it is a little confusing. I still like the quote though.

"When sorrows come, they come not single spies, But in battalions."

The Complete Sherlock Holmes Volume II by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

9/10

Today I am both happy and sad. Happy for as of this morning I have read every Sherlock Holmes story ever written. Yes folks, 58 short-stories and 4 novellas. Sad because there are no more for me to read. I feel similar to when I finished all three seasons of 'Arrested Development'. The amazing part is that there wasn't a bad one. Really, there wasn't. Some I liked slightly more than others, but rarely lots more. What is also amazing is that each of the stories contain pretty elaborate and differentiated plots. Seems like it would be tough to churn out 58 stories with plots that aren't repetitive or anything.

This is what Vol. dos had in store for us:

1. The Return of Sherlock Holmes with 13 stories. Very solid collection of stories, my favorites being 'The Empty House' (sheds some light, some cool light, on where we were left off with Sherlock), 'The Adventure of the Six Napoleons (bizarre mystery about a guy who has been smashing Napoleon busts around the city), and 'The Second Stain' (just a nice, neat, and tidy display by Mr. Holmes).

2. The Valley of Fear, the fourth and final longer Holmes story. For me, I enjoyed the four novellas more than the short stories. Just because it allowed Conan Doyle to really get into some sweet details and make the mystery more difficult and unlikely to be solved. I really liked this one even though it breaks away from the action half way through to give an extended prologue. However, this prologue was fun and interesting so I didn't mind. This was my favorite story in Volume Two.

3. His Last Bow which delivers nine short-stories. My favorites being: 'The Adventure of the Bruce-Partington Plans' (Sherlock deduces how a dead body came to be at a certain location through some pretty ingenious observations), 'The Adventure of the Dying Detective (Different than any other of the stories. Easier to see what was coming but a sweet trick by Holmes to catch the criminal), and 'The Adventure of the Devil's Foot' (contains a scary/dangerous experiment that almost dooms Holmes and Watson).

4. The Case Book of Sherlock Holmes with 12 stories to it's credit. Most well-received: 'The Adventure of the Sussex Vampire (about a mother who drinks her baby's blood, but Holmes can always get to the heart of the matter), 'The Adventure of the Three Garridebs' (Holmes with some pretty cool setting-up the bad guy by pretending he's off the scent), and 'The Problem of Thor Bridge' (Holmes being Holmes and making cool deductions like he is wont to do).

Sherlock Holmes is a household name for a reason. Never has there been a more clever and astute detective and the stories are quite pleasurable to read. It receives my stamp of approval. It is stamp-worthy.

A few quotes:

"Work is the best antidote to sorrow."

"Mediocrity knows nothing higher than itself; but talent instantly recognizes genius."

"Slips are common to all mortals, and greatest is he who can recognize and repair them."

"The example of patient suffering is in itself the most precious of all lessons to an impatient world."

Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl by Harriet Jacobs

8/10

I have always been fascinated with slave stories, particularly of slaves on the run. Not sure why. Perhaps it stems from watching 'Roots' and rooting for Kunta Kinte. Or from learning about all the cool Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad stories as a youngster in Elementary School. Wherever it comes from, I am always amazed at the courage involved as well as the lengths they would go to obtain their freedom.

This true story follows the life of Harriet Jacobs who writes remarkably well for someone who was denied an education, as was the case with many slaves. Her life turned for the worse when she was sold to a terrible human being and slaveholder. Her flight is absolutely amazing. Lets just say that she stayed in this tiny crawlspace in the attic of her grandmother's shed, still in the same town of her slaveholder, for seven years! Seven years! 7! Incredible. A sweet burn on the slaveholder was that she would write letters to him while still hiding in town and give them to someone she knew who would go up north and send them to him with a northern postmark to make him think she was up there. She finally escaped to the north where she experienced further trials but finally overcomes.

It's worthwhile to read if, like me, you enjoy slave narratives. It's also pretty inspiring. She also tells the story in an impressive way where she isn't calling for pity, pointing fingers, accusing all whites of slavery, or even holding grudges. Her quickness to forgive and not feel sorry for the wasted years in her life hiding in an attic is quite moving.

Some quotes from the viewpoint of a slave:

"Slavery is a curse to the whites as well as to the blacks."

"There is a great difference between Christianity and religion at the south."

"Childhood is like a day in spring, alternately shower and sunshine."

"There are no bonds so strong as those which are formed by suffering together."

"There are wrongs which even the grave does not bury."

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain

10/10

Samuel Langhorne Clemens that is. The pseudonym 'Mark Twain' comes from a riverboat term meaning 'safe water'. Pretty awesome stuff.

This is one of my all-time favorite books. It's one of the very first books that I liked that helped me realize that I enjoy reading. For school I would do a book report on this book about every year. That's how I beat the system, Tom Sawyer style. It is in my top five I reckon. Or at least near unto it.

Huck Finn is one of the most likable fictional characters ever. He's a rebel of sorts, a handful at times, and just an all-around sly lad. Huck is being trained out of his old habits of cussing and ruffian nature when his drunken father takes him away. His father beats him a lot until Huck finally runs off. He meets Jim who is a slave who has also just ran off. They then begin an awesome adventure as they journey down the Mississippi on a raft. Huck and Jim form a bond of friendship that is quite strong. They are two outsiders and on the run, but during their adventures they meet many, many people who have surrendered their own freedom in various ways. Mob mentality, family feuds, and other issues have enslaved the people they meet. And we learn that Huck Finn is a much better person than others, including himself, think he is. Even despite the fact that he isn't 'sivilized'.

Plus, this book is super funny. I mean, just check out this line before the book starts: 'NOTICE Persons attempting to find a motive in this narrative will be prosecuted; persons attempting to find a moral in it will be banished; persons attempting to find a plot in it will be shot. By ORDER OF THE AUTHOR'. Ha ha, classic. Just the way to get to my heart, a mix of adventure and excitement, drama, danger, and comedy. Well done 'safe water', well done.

The Third Man by Graham Greene

8/10

This book is sweet. It's pretty mysterious. It is a plot-twister and quite suspenseful. It's one of those books that can be somewhat confusing due to the sparse details provided early on. The story reveals itself in stages the further you go. You know the book is going to be sinister and dark when the first line states thusly: "One never knows when the blow may fall." That's what I call a fantastic opening line.

So here's the skinny: A writer comes into town to visit a friend only to find out that he has just died after being hit by a car. He talks to a man who says he saw it and was one of two men who pulled his body out of the street. However, the writer speaks with a porter who claims that a third man helped pull the body aside. The porter's statement sheds a lot of doubt on the other man's earlier story. The writer believes that there may have been foul play. Paranoia, danger, revealing investigations, and thuggish rogue appearances ensue. It's a pretty fun puzzle and mystery unraveller. It's a short book too, only 117 pages. Although it isn't as quick a read as other books of similar length due to the complex plot and twists/turns of the story. I recommend this book. It receives my stamp of approval.

This was made into a really good movie as well with Orson Welles.

A quote that I really, really like because it describes how I often feel in terms of my relationships with other people:

"We never get accustomed to being less important to other people than they are to us."

Public Speaking and Influencing Men In Business by Dale Carnegie

6/10

So here's the deal, I took a Public Speaking class at UVU about five or six years ago. And this book was assigned for us to read, but if you didn't read it it wasn't like the teacher knew or that your grade was affected in any way. I read a little of it back then and promptly put it in my partially-read-but-not-finished pile. (Yes, I do have a pile for such a purpose.) I have recently been bringing books to work. I work for seven or so hours straight without a break. Sometimes I'll have a few minutes where there is absolutely nothing to do but wait for bread to come out of the oven or whatever the case may be. Sometimes I only have five minutes during a work day, sometimes three, sometimes ten, sometimes none. So I bring a book and read a page or whatever as I stand around. Well, I have been reading this very book for the last while and finally finished it off yesterday at work. Congratulations to me. Wow, that was a long-winded intro.

This book is pretty extensive. It covers all you need to know and then some about public speaking. Some of it is pretty cool and interesting, but most of it is kinda boring. He does a great job of including some pretty sweet quotes from other people that are relevant to his topic. This book is very similar to another, more famous book of his.

Something unique to this book is that at the end of each chapter he has speech building exercises, grammar lessons, correct usages of words, and voice exercises. It was funny just reading the voice exercises and not doing them. I wonder if I'm the only person in the history of the world to ever do that. My favorite was his correct usages of words portion where he explains the differences between synonyms. He dominated at explaining those, it is actually quite impressive. Here's an example concerning the word 'bias'. To quote: "Bias is literally a weight fixed on one side of a ball used in bowling and causing it to swerve from a straight course." He's full of interesting insights like this. This isn't a bad book.

Other quotes:

"The way to develop self-confidence is to do the thing you fear to do and get a record of successful experiences behind you."

"Begin to talk as confidently as if every one of them owed you money." He's actually pretty funny and has a cool way of saying things.

"A well prepared speech is already nine-tenths delivered."

"Knowledge is of little use to the speaker without earnestness. Persuasive speech is from heart to heart, not from mind to mind."

"If you want a splendid text on public speaking, why not read your New Testament?"

There are actually lots and lots of other good quotes in here. Most of them are, as I said, from outside sources. However, I'll spare you. I now look forward to adding this book into my finished book section. (Yes, I do have the books I've read separated from the ones I haven't.) That's how I roll.

Children of the Mind by Orson Scott Card

6/10

Book four in the Ender Series and the conclusion of the Ender quartet, but as with books two and three, Ender takes a back seat to several other characters. The books still hold your attention decent enough. This is similar to 'Xenocide' where their planet is going to be destroyed. The planet consists of three different types of species: humans, pequininos, and the hive queen. But this time all the computers are going to be shut down, which will render Jane useless. Books two through four are true science fiction. So if that's more of your thing, then these books will be your favorite. They're alright.

Also, it should be noted, that I read this book on my honeymoon. It's true, it's true. I started it at the end of our cruise, read it during the flight from L.A. to Columbus, and finished it off at Cassie's Mom's house in Mt. Vernon, Ohio. Is it lame that I read on my honeymoon? Some people were in utter and complete disbelief that I would have the audacity to read on my honeymoon. In my defense, there was a lot of relaxing going on and I'm not known to be a big nap taker. I don't feel too sheepish about it.