Fiction

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest

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Background

Ken Kesey’s classic book published in 1962, adapted first for the stage in 1963, and then for the silver screen in 1975.

The story takes place in an insane asylum which is run by an iron fisted nurse who is not to be crossed.

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest

My Thoughts

I haven’t seen the movie nor have I seen the play. (I was surprised there was a play and that the first revisions had such big names as Kirk Douglas and Gene Wilder. Later on it had revivals with Danny DeVito and Gary Sinise. All of which I had no idea did stage acting. Shows how much I know.

I really didn’t know anything about the book other than having heard the name Nurse Ratchet and knowing a young Jack Nicholson was on the cover.

I felt it did a good job of depicting the possible horrors of the mentally ill in post WWII America. The tragic story is both inspiring and deflating. I was engaged through the entirety of the read.

Recommendation

Great book and a classic. A must read for those ready for a good story which might not end how you’d hope.

The Two Towers

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Background

The Two Towers is the sequel to The Fellowship of the Ring. It continues the story of Frodo and Sam and the Ring of Doom.


The Two Towers

My Thoughts

I always feel a bit like I just want to get through this book. However, so much happens in it, you can’t just skip it. I’ve read it enough times and I still mix up what happens in each book.

It isn’t the first and it isn’t the last. It’s like the middle child who can’t quite get enough attention…

Recommendation

Great book. Try not to rush through it.

Insurgent

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Background

Insurgent is the sequel to Divergent in the series by Veronica Roth. It was published a mere year after Divergent was released.

This time it goes beyond the factions. One is trying to wipe out all the resistance and take over the city.

Insurgent
Insurgent

My Thoughts

Though easy to read and not a bad story there is still too much of the odd self deprecating yet almost unstoppable protagonist who has powers beyond everyone around her. She suffers self doubt constantly yet somehow survives the un-survivable. The world is seen through the eyes of a 16 year old girl and it shows.

Recommendation

If you are a 16 year old girl then you will likely enjoy this book. However, I wouldn’t suggest it for the 16 year old girl. Yet, I was still glad I read it… If nothing else, I know what people are talking about.

The Maze Runner

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Background

The Maze Runner was written in 2009 by James Dashner and is the first book in the Maze Runner series. It is a post apocalyptic juvenile fiction book that centers on a gifted 16 year old named Thomas. He finds himself placed in a maze without memories and needing to survive.

The Maze Runner
The Maze Runner

My Thoughts

This was a good book and may even want to see the movie. (If nothing else, I’d like to see how they depicted the reavers. Though it was pretty campy at times it was an engaging read and I didn’t get bored reading it.

Recommendations

Be aware there is some nasty violent scenes and some messed up situations. However, if you are good with that, I would recommend the book.

Divergent

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Background

Divergent is the story of post-apocalyptic world where the main character is just coming of age. It is part of the Divergent Trilogy and was made into a movie by the same name a mere 3 years after the book’s release.

Divergent
Divergent

My Thoughts

I haven’t seen the movie and I don’t know that I will. This book reads a lot like the Twilight Series. That is to say it is teenage girl fodder. It is a decent story and all but there are some surprisingly sensual parts of it that I don’t think the average teenager needs in their life. As a forty something man, it was a bit comical to read about the male characters. If you dropped a teenage girl in the body of man and she tried to act male, this is what you would get.

Just like Twilight, it was made into a movie pretty quickly after the books. It feels a bit like it was made for it.

Recommendation

Probably stick to the movie on this one and skip the book.

The War That Saved My Life

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Background

Published in 2015 Kimberly Brubaker Bradley intended this book to be a historical fiction for middle school students. It became a best seller and has a sequel The War I Finally Won.

It is a story of an English girl and her brother were moved out to the country during the German assault on the UK in WWII.

The War that Saved My Life
The War that Saved My Life

My Thoughts

I read this because my 13 year old son was reading it for school. It really wasn’t a bad story but it isn’t my normal genre of book. Ms. Bradley does a good job of keeping the reader engaged and wanting to continue.

I was glad to hear there was a sequel to the book as it left off without much closure.

Recommendation

I’m about half way on this. I’m not sure why my son was reading it for school but it isn’t a bad story.

The Fellowship of the Ring

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Background

I don’t think there needs to be too much introduction to this book. The Fellowship of the Ring is J.R.R. Tolkien’s the first book in The Lord of the Rings trilogy.

The Fellowship of the Ring
The Fellowship of the Ring

My Thoughts

I enjoyed this rendition of the book. I’ve read it a few times now and I enjoyed the audiobook. It was much quicker and still enjoyable. However, it did skip a good deal of the details.

The story itself keeps you engaged throughout the story. The whole series is the classic hero’s epic of how Hobbits saved all of Middle Earth.

Recommendation

Read it rather than watch the movies. They are good but the book is better.

The Hobbit

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Background

The Hobbit is the first book which kicked off the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy by J. R. R. Tolkien over 80 years ago. It is the tale of a halflings, or Hobbits, or rather, one Hobbit and an adventure he hadn’t planned on taking. This is a fantasy story of dwarfs, elves, dragons, goblins, trolls, and others… The book was originally a children’s book before it was taken and made into 3-PG-13 movies.

The Hobbit
The Hobbit

My Thoughts

I’ve read this book several times and this go around was the most unique. I was scheduled for 2 teeth which were in need of root canal re-treatments and was facing at least 3 hours in a dentist’s chair. I wanted something to take my mind off of the drama and felt this was a good way to go.

For the most part, it worked. I still enjoyed the book, which is saying something as I was literally being drilled during it. Particularly, I enjoyed the BBC radio version. All the characters had their own voices and it really made it come to life.

Recommendation

Great book! Well worth the time and effort.

A Study in Scarlet

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Background

A Study in Scarlet is the first novel with Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson. Written in 1886 by Arthur Conan Doyle. This work introduces Mr. Holmes’ famed powers of deduction and sets up his rocky association with Scotland Yard.

Also included is a short story of “The Adventure of the Speckled Band” which is a quick murder mystery which is solved by Mr. Holmes.

A Study in Scarlet

My Thoughts

Surprisingly, it was more a story of the killer than of Sherlock and Watson. More surprising, it gave a description of the Mormon Pioneers and life in frontier Salt Lake City before Utah became part of the United States after the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo.

As a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I was surprised and a little dismayed by the light cast on the church and how they did business at that time. Conan Doyle stated it was a work of fiction and “best to let the matter rest”. I will also let it rest but simply to say, I didn’t expect it.

Recommendation

I enjoyed the read. It also spurred me to check out a number of sources regarding the time period. I would recommend it.

Animal Farm

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Background

George Orwell made such a splash with this book it is still used as required reading in schools across the nation. Animal Farm is the bedrock of anti-totalitarian books and was published during the second world war.

The book is a story of the animals on a farm who throw off their oppressive masters and start living their lives as equals. As time passes, many things change and very quickly the animals learn that some are “more equal”.

Animal Farm
Animal Farm

My Thoughts

I’m so glad my daughter was given the assignment to read this book as it had been far too long since I had even thought of it. I remember the phrase “more equal” being quoted to me while I lived in Bulgaria and was being told about where the “party members” lived. The Bulgarians were very familiar with the concepts of communism and much of the story rung true their experience.

I think the story does a great job of showing even how the best of intentions can go astray. How the best of us can be corrupted and misused if we are simply given something we can believe in. The horse Boxer’s mottos of, “I will work harder” and “Napoleon is always right” are good examples of this. He had the ability to stop what was happening but he clung to the ideals and ended up working himself to death.

Recommendation

A good quick read. No one has put it better than Orwell.