Why, on the 30th of December, am I publishing a post on Christmas literary recommendations? Firstly because, in the words of Bob Cratchit, I was making rather merry—and still am! Hence the short post, as well. Secondly because (and this is for another post), Christmas has not ended! In the Church (outside of which ChristmasContinue reading “Christmas Reading List”
Tag Archives: Fiction
Clay & Steel: Differences between Children’s Stories, Young Adult, & Adult
A while back I was trying to determine what distinguishes children’s books—specifically for older children, say age 10 on average—from young adult, and young adult from adult novels. I think it may consist partly in the following. The protagonists in children’s books are generally not on a path of self-discovery, but rather have a practicalContinue reading “Clay & Steel: Differences between Children’s Stories, Young Adult, & Adult”
Lloyd Alexander’s Gypsy Rizka: A Delightful Read!
I nearly missed this book! I was at The Dusty Bookshelf looking for The Prydain Chronicles, and almost walked away without seeing that Lloyd Alexander’s books occupied another shelf! I had previously seen Gypsy Rizka listed among his works on Audible and it sounded interesting. I had no idea it would be so good! ItsContinue reading “Lloyd Alexander’s Gypsy Rizka: A Delightful Read!”
Book Review & Analysis of Children’s Stories: The Mysterious Benedict Society
A delightful read, which exemplifies two or three characteristics especially important in children’s books. The first of these is a catalyst right at the start (or nearly so). If we look at some other well-done (or at least popular) children’s stories, all or nearly all of the following have the inciting incident occurring within theContinue reading “Book Review & Analysis of Children’s Stories: The Mysterious Benedict Society”
Homicidal Passivity: An Analysis of Hemingway’s “The Killers”
In The Killers, Hemingway displays how passivity, rather than reducing one’s agency, can make one an agent, even an agent of evil, through cowardice and irresoluteness. He displays this in each character, either by example or by an ironic contrast. The first person named is neither of the apparent killers, Al or Max, but George.Continue reading “Homicidal Passivity: An Analysis of Hemingway’s “The Killers””
Humility, Charity, and True Honor: A Book Review of Black Cauldron (Prydain Chronicles #2)
In Lloyd Alexander’s Black Cauldron, second of The Prydain Chronicles, both Taran and Prince Ellidyr show in wonderful character arc’s different paths to the the same virtues of humility and charity.1 While we may like Taran and dislike Ellidyr from the beginning, their arcs begin in similar places. Both possess great pride and shame inContinue reading “Humility, Charity, and True Honor: A Book Review of Black Cauldron (Prydain Chronicles #2)”
At Home in Oneself: A Book Review of Taran Wanderer by Lloyd Alexander
In Taran Wanderer, fourth in The Chronicles of Prydain series by Lloyd Alexander, Taran begins his quest to learn his parentage with a great deal of pride. His pride has always manifested itself in the series as quickness to judge others, accumulated shame regarding his own mistakes, and a high value on birth, nobility, andContinue reading “At Home in Oneself: A Book Review of Taran Wanderer by Lloyd Alexander”
The Purpose of Art & My Struggle to Write: A Reflexion on J. R. R. Tolkien’s ‘Leaf by Niggle’
Last Sunday I was getting ready to head home from Mass, which takes a little under an hour, and was wondering whether I might listen to an audiobook or pray a Rosary on the way home when a wonderful and providential thought came into my head. I had just finished J. R. R. Tolkien’s TheContinue reading “The Purpose of Art & My Struggle to Write: A Reflexion on J. R. R. Tolkien’s ‘Leaf by Niggle’”
A Literary Experiment in Autobiographical Fiction
Foreword: Here follows a short paper I wrote for my Tolstoy professor after we studied Tolstoy’s Childhood, Boyhood, and Youth. The task was to write an autobiographical account from a time in our childhood, and afterward to analyse the process we went through to write it, in order to better understand Tolstoy’s Childhood, Boyhood, andContinue reading “A Literary Experiment in Autobiographical Fiction”
Exploring Reality as Beauty: The Importance of Reading Fiction
‘Reading is escape, and the opposite of escape; it’s a way to make contact with reality after a day of making things up, and it’s a way of making contact with someone else’s imagination after a day that’s all too real.’ Nora Ephron To many of us today, reading is a luxury, and reading fictionContinue reading “Exploring Reality as Beauty: The Importance of Reading Fiction”
The Curious Critic 