Throwback Thursday Review: Charlotte's Web by E.B. White

Title: Charlotte's Web

Author: E.B. White
Illustrator: Garth Williams

Publication Date: July 3rd, 2014

Publisher: Puffin Classics

Genre: Children's, Classics

Pages: 184

ISBN13: 9780141354828
Awards: Newbery Honor (1953), George C. Stone Center for Children's Books Recognition of Merit Award (1970), Massachusetts Children's Book Award (1984), Laura Ingalls Wilder Award (1970)

Source: ARC from Publisher

Rating: 

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

Some Pig

The tale of how a little girl named Fern, with the help of a friendly spider, saved her pig Wilbur from the usual fate of nice fat little pigs.

(From Puffin Books)

An affectionate pig named Wilbur befriends a spider named Charlotte, who lives in the rafters above his pen. In this story of friendship, hardship, and the passing on into time, White reminds readers to open their eyes to the wonder and miracle found in the simplest of things.

  

Elwyn Brooks White was a leading American essayist, author, humorist, poet and literary stylist and author of such beloved children's classics as Charlotte's Web, Stuart Little, and The Trumpet of the Swan. He graduated from Cornell University in 1921 and, five or six years later, joined the staff of The New Yorker magazine. He authored over seventeen books of prose and poetry and was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Letters in 1973. 

White always said that he found writing difficult and bad for one's disposition.

Mr. White has won countless awards, including the 1971 National Medal for Literature and the Laura Ingalls Wilder Medal, which commended him for making “a substantial and lasting contribution to literature for children.”

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     Puffin Books is releasing a series of 20 classics with new covers and extra goodies inside. The one I've had the opportunity to review for today is none other than the beloved tale of Charlotte's Web. Now I'll be honest, I've developed a slight fear of spiders since I was a kid, but a huge part of me still loves our eight-legged heroine from childhood.

In this book, you will find pages and pages enriched with the original illustrations by Garth Williams. Does that name sound familiar? If so, its probably because he is also the illustrator of a few other books you may have grown up reading, such as Stuart Little and Little House on the Prairie. With this edition, you have the joy of reliving the intricate sketches and designs from Charlotte's Web.

Puffin Books has added some neat features to this version: background information on the illustrator and author, including what inspired E.B. White to write Charlotte's Web, definitions of the words used to describe Wilbur in the web, and a quiz at the end adding an educational experience for the reader.

The galley I received wasn't quite formatted well for my kindle, so everything was a bit jumbled. I'm sure the final product is user-friendly, but mine, unfortunately, was not. However, all the things that I was able to pick out from the galley are all great things that enhance the reader's interaction with the story.

I'm really looking forward to the next set of books that Puffin will be putting out in this collection. The covers are definitely something to note as well. They've really amplified the illustrations we associate with childhood, making the old seem new again. I can't wait to see the rest!

Throwback Thursday: David Copperfield by Charles Dickens

Title: David Copperfield

Author: Charles Dickens

Publication Date: Published in monthly parts May 1849-November 1850

Publisher: Bradbury & Evans

Genre: Classic

Pages: 1,024

ISBN13: 978-0140439441

Source: Personal Library
Rating:

Synopsis (from Penguin):

David Copperfield is the story of a young man’s adventures on his journey from an unhappy and impoverished childhood to the discovery of his vocation as a successful novelist. 

Among the gloriously vivid cast of characters he encounters are his tyrannical stepfather, Mr. Murdstone; his formidable aunt, Betsey Trotwood; the eternally humble yet treacherous Uriah Heep; frivolous, enchanting Dora; and the magnificently impecunious Micawber, one of literature’s great comic creations. 

In David Copperfield—the novel he described as his “favorite child”—Dickens drew revealingly on his own experiences to create one of his most exuberant and enduringly popular works, filled with tragedy and comedy in equal measure.

  

Dickens was born on February 7, 1812, the son of a clerk at the Navy Pay Office. His father, John Dickens, continually living beyond his means, was imprisoned for debt in the Marshalsea in 1824. 12-year-old Charles was removed from school and sent to work at a boot-blacking factory, 12-year-old Charles was removed from school and sent to work at a boot-blacking factory earning six shillings a week to help support the family. earning six shillings a week to help support the family. This dark experience cast a shadow over the clever, sensitive boy that became a defining experience in his life, he would later write that he wondered "how I could have been so easily cast away at such an age.”

This childhood poverty and feelings of abandonment, although unknown to his readers until after his death, would be a heavy influence on Dickens' later views on social reform and the world he would create through his fiction.

Dickens would go on to write 15 major novels and countless short stories and articles before his death on June 9, 1870. He wished to be buried, without fanfare, in a small cemetery in Rochester, but the Nation would not allow it. He was laid to rest in Poet's Corner, Westminster Abbey, the flowers from thousands of mourners overflowing the open grave. Among the more beautiful bouquets were many simple clusters of wildflowers, wrapped in rags.

DP's Charles Dickens Page |  Dickens Museum

      Published in 1850, David Copperfield has often been considered Charles Dickens’s best novel and his most autobiographical.  Readers familiar with Charles Dickens’s biography will see many similarities between Dickens and Copperfield, such as being taken out of school at a young age to do labor or sharing the profession of court reporter and author. This novel is rather long – over 700 pages – and I would guess that many individuals have foregone giving it a go because of its intimidating appearance. To those individuals and to those who simply have not considered reading it, this review is for you.

The novel follows its namesake from literal birth (the first chapter is “I am Born”) through adulthood, in what most Victorian scholars would call a “bildungsroman” – which is a fancy term for a coming-of-age story. Readers will see David as he struggles with death, poverty, and the everyday struggles of life and come out of those struggles successful and content. This summary in itself cannot do the novel justice because of its simplicity. As in reality, it is not the parameters of birth and death that define “life” – it is the many moments in between that make life so much more than mere “existence.” Within David Copperfield,  the many joyful, sorrowful, or lovely moments that occur within the main character’s life make the novel worth reading again and again. 

I would not go so far as to claim that David Copperfield is the best novel that Dickens has written because I have not yet read them all! However, I think that any Dickens fan should read it because of the autobiographical potential. There are raw moments within the text that belie genuine emotion and might make even the driest eyes teary. The vivid imagery, endearing catchphrases, and unforgettable characters – anticipated with any Dickens novel – abound in David Copperfield. You will fall in love with the characters and situations that Dickens masterfully paints. 

This book is safe for the whole family. There are no embarrassing moments or vulgar language. The only problem I would foresee for readers is confusion at the changes in social response. For instance, part of the novel deals with what Victorians called “fallen women” – or women who ran away with men before marriage. The climate was not very forgiving in that time, and this may  have to be explained to young adults or children. However, despite social expectations during that time period, one of the most inspiring moments in the novel occurs when the relative of one “fallen” girl chooses to search the world to redeem her rather than forsake her for her mistake. Again, these situations are not given any graphic or lingering attention, so there should be no blushes at the dinner table.

For any avid readers out there who want to pick up and devour David Copperfield because of the description but shy away at its massive bulk, you might try reading as the Victorian reader would. David Copperfield was originally printed serially – in small, manageable chunks. Try reading three chapters of the novel at a time; soon you won’t be able to keep setting it down.

Mary Anna

Throwback Thursday Review/Spotlight: The Alchemist/Manuscript Found in Accra by Paulo Coelho

Title: The Alchemist

Author: Paulo Coelho

Publisher: HarperCollins

Publication Date: May 1, 1993 (first published 1988)

Pages: 167

Genre: Spirituality

Source: Purchased @ Amazon.com

Rating:

Summary (from Goodreads): PAULO COELHO'S enchanting novel has inspired a devoted following around the world. This story, dazzling in its powerful simplicity and inspiring wisdom, is about an Andalusian shepherd boy named Santiago who travels from his homeland in Spain to the Egyptian desert in search of a treasure buried in the Pyramids. Along the way he meets a Gypsy woman, a man who calls himself king, and an alchemist, all of whom points Santiago in the direction of his quest. No one knows what the treasure is, or if Santiago will be able to surmount the obstacles along the way. But what starts out as a journey to find worldly goods turns into a discovery of the treasure found within. Lush, evocative, and deeply humane, the story of Santiago is an eternal testament to the transformation power of our dreams and the importance of listening to our hearts.

   

In honor of Paulo Coelho's latest edition of his book Manuscript Found in Accra, I decided to do a review on an oldie but a goodie. His work that started it all: The Alchemist. I finally read this book last year when it was a pick for a book club I was in at my church. I had heard about it and knew of a lot of people who just thought it was the best book ever. Did I find it to be the absolute best book I've ever read? No, not really. But I did find it very unique and inspiring.

In The Alchemist, we travel on a journey with a boy named Santiago who leaves his home and so-called "destiny" of being a shepherd boy to search for an unknown treasure, his "Personal Legend." Along the way, he comes into contact with people and situations that help or hinder them, but he perseveres nonetheless. 

There are a few things I would recommend a reader to be aware of before diving into this book: 1) This isn't necessarily a novel as it is an extended parable. Coelho writes in a way that is simple and to-the-point so don't expect a lot of "fluff." 2) This book was originally written in Portuguese, not English. ....That's all I have to say about that. 3) Even though this book is written in simple-terms, there is an endless number of symbolism to keep an eye out for.

That being said, the general intent of The Alchemist is to paint a picture of man's journey out of the mundane life to pursue his calling. There are many obstacles in the way, doubts that creep in, and even people who may be against you, but that doesn't make the things that you have set out to accomplish any less real or out of reach. It's a beautiful thing and that's what The Alchemist portrays. It leaves the reader thoughtful and hopefully even a little inspired.

Stay classy my friends,

Title: Manuscript Found in Accra
Author: Paulo Coelho

Publisher: Knopf

Publication Date: April 2, 2013 (first published 2010)

Pages: 208

Genre: Spirituality

Summary (from Goodreads): There is nothing wrong with anxiety. Although we cannot control God's time, it is part of the human condition to want to receive the thing we are waiting for as quickly as possible. Or to drive away whatever is causing our fear....
Anxiety was born in the very same moment as mankind. And since we will never be able to master it, we will have to learn to live with it-just as we have learned to live with storms.

July 14, 1099. Jerusalem awaits the invasion of the crusaders who have surrounded the city's gates. There, inside the ancient city's walls, men and women of every age and every faith have gathered to hear the wise words of a mysterious man known only as the Copt. He has summoned the townspeople to address their fears with truth:

"Tomorrow, harmony will become discord. Joy will be replaced by grief. Peace will give way to war.... None of us can know what tomorrow will hold, because each day has its good and its bad moments. So, when you ask your questions, forget about the troops outside and the fear inside. Our task is not to leave a record of what happened on this date for those who will inherit the Earth; history will take care of that. Therefore, we will speak about our daily lives, about the difficulties we have had to face."

The people begin with questions about defeat, struggle, and the nature of their enemies; they contemplate the will to change and the virtues of loyalty and solitude; and they ultimately turn to questions of beauty, love, wisdom, sex, elegance, and what the future holds. "What is success?" poses the Copt. "It is being able to go to bed each night with your soul at peace."

Now, these many centuries later, the wise man's answers are a record of the human values that have endured throughout time. And, in Paulo Coelho's hands, The Manuscript Found in Accra reveals that who we are, what we fear, and what we hope for the future come from the knowledge and belief that can be found within us, and not from the adversity that surrounds us.