The Moon Is Down by John Steinbeck

8/10

I read this one a little over a year ago. Another Steinbeck winner. I really enjoyed this one. Not only was it a great story that gets you hooked from the very beginning with interesting characters, but it actually had a significant impact for many people during World War II. It was used widely as Allied propaganda in Nazi-occupied Europe. Very fascinating look at the thoughts and ideas and feelings of both those being occupied and the occupiers. It was also fun to see Steinbeck outside of the labor struggle of coastal California and write a war book in a style that only Steinbeck can.

Rankings of the Steinbeck books I've read:

1. The Grapes of Wrath
2. Of Mice and Men
3. East of Eden
4. The Moon Is Down
   
5. In Dubious Battle
6. Tortilla Flat
7. Cannery Row
8. The Winter of Our Discontent
9. The Pearl
10. The Long Valley

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain

 

10/10

I read this over a year ago. Just a super obvious 10/10. This is my ideal type of book and what I hope all books resemble when I pick them up and start to read them. Tom Sawyer is one of the all time great fictional characters. Always scheming and always hilarious and always getting into a pickle of his own creation during an excellent adventure. Again, because of my delay in making this post, I don't have anything specific to say other than how I loved it and love Mark Twain's writing.

Rankings of Mark Twain books I've read:

1. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (easily a top five book all time for me)
2. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
   

Clearly, I need to read more Mark Twain. I like how both characters appear in each other's books, although briefly. Just such fun, lovable characters.