Vivian recently graduated from MUHS and works at VBS during school vacations. She attends Haverford College and is overly enthusiastic about WWI and kids' graphic novels.
This is by far one of the most detailed history books I have ever read. Heffer builds an incredible portrait of 19th and early 20th century Britain, with topics ranging from imperial tensions in Egypt and beyond to the surprisingly gripping budget crisis of 1909, mixed in with tales of the adultery among the Members of Parliament. Though intimidating in size, this book was highly enjoyable and full of fascinating (and sometimes horrifying) tales from the Edwardian era that was perhaps not as golden as it is remembered.
I have always been impressed by how Nathan Hale handles difficult concepts and historical moments (like slavery, cholera, starvation, and war) and how he manages to make tragedies feel as striking and horrible as they truly were, while keeping his (generally) young audience interested. Blades of Freedom, which covers one of the most vivid, fascinating, and overlooked periods in history (The Haitian Revolution), exceeds the standard Hale has set. Hale's beautiful art combined with his ability to make complex histories understandable for young audiences make this by far one of the best Hazardous Tales books there are. Combining several stories at once, Blades of Freedom is a vivid and fast-paced read that boils down an enormously complex moment in history to a graphic novel enjoyable for all ages.
Dyer incorporates historical theory and analysis and personal narrative in this moving and sharply written account of his travels of the remains of the Western Front. A highly enjoyable read best accompanied by access to a search engine with which to look at pictures of all the monuments Dyer dutifully describes and sad classical music, The Missing of the Somme will be particularly striking to those who already have a base knowledge of WWI and its writers, but Dyer's quick-witted writing and deep reflection into the ideas of memory, loss, and memorialization would be interesting to anyone at all. A quick read that leaves the reader with a lot to think about, The Missing of the Somme is a modern and necessary addition to existing WWI literature.
The main thing that impressed me about this book was its concision: Howard covers several facets of the entirety of a war spanning four years in only 122 pages. What I enjoyed most was the depth Howard allowed for political analysis, going behind the scenes of the war to analyze treaties, past relationships between countries, and the personalities of world leaders. A quick read that still contains an immense amount of knowledge, The First World War will grant you both the coveted ability to share interesting facts about WWI at parties and a greater understanding of how one of the most disastrous conflicts in history shaped the subsequent century and how we live today.
Mitchell's based on a true story novel is melancholy, well-crafted, and meticulously researched. The incorporation of details of reconnaissance flight in WWI and the complicated and technical process of photography adds a layer of depth to a story that is already complex. Told along two timelines, one in the summer of 1918 and one following a series of photographs taken in the years preceding the war, Edward Steichen and his friends, lovers, and acquaintances move through early 20th century France and America with an emotional intensity that makes The Last Summer of the World a very hard book to put down.
For fans who were devastated by the end of the series, this book comes as a welcome reunion with the world of time loops and peculiars. Filled with Ransom Riggs' signature writing style, the usual eerie photographs, and the beautiful printing quality characteristic of the other Miss Peregrine books, Museum of Wonders is at once familiar and wonderfully brand new. Prepare to venture into the history and tales of the peculiar world once more!
Reading Testament of Youth was the first time I truly saw myself in the voice of a writer and in a protagonist. Despite being separated by a century, and ocean, and completely different kinds of life experiences, Vera Brittain's voice felt natural to me, and the personality she brings to her autobiography makes the brutal consequences of WWI even more horrifying. Her writing is beautiful, her observations on English Edwardian society and the war were revolutionary and articulate. Her story is compelling and her voice even more so. Following her through her provincial childhood to the field hospitals of the First World War, to Oxford and London and pacifist activism is at once one of the most tragic and inspirational stories of resilience I have ever read. Vera Brittain is captivating. She is strong, fascinating, and wonderful to spend time reading about. I have never found a writer's voice who I love as much as hers. If I could choose any person in history to meet and talk to, it would be Vera Brittain. Testament of Youth should be required reading for anyone remotely interested in WWI, history, the lives of women, good writing, and human endurance and tragedy. One of my favorite books of all time.
Probably my favorite book of all time, Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children is part of the rare breed of book that does not get worse the more you read it. Despite being written for young adults, the writing style stands the test of age, as do the charm of the characters and the intrigue of the plot. For those who enjoy horror, history, eerie photography, and fabulous world-building, this would be a great pick. It is also worth saying that the rest of the series does not disappoint, or fall into the 'bad second book' trap that so many series fail to avoid. Every twist is interesting, and each of the many characters is different and wonderful. Based on the fascinating union between vintage photography and prose, Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children is fun to read while retaining the maturity necessary to be read over and over.
I read this as a recommendation and stubbornly expected not to be a fan. Unfortunately, Richard Powers is an amazing writer. This book has one of the most fascinating storylines I have ever encountered, weaving different histories, both human and natural, together in ways you never expect. Powers uses scientific detail without losing the interest of the audience, and the ethereal way he writes about trees is mind-bending. I would recommend The Overstory to anyone looking for a fast read that reminds them of the urgency and beauty of the natural world.
This book has the most absurdly interesting plot I have ever read. At once dystopian, historical, and deeply human, it's hard to distinguish which genre this stellarly written book belongs to. With Never Let Me Go, Ishiguro has crafted a subtle and deeply touching story about the lives of a class of people born to be organ donors for their richer peers. Though the story begins with three children and follows them into their normal-seeming adulthood, the darkness of their almost inevitable futures hangs over the mood for the entirity of the book. Beautifully created in every way, I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to feel a desperate sadness in the pit of their soul or just read a fascinating book.
This book has the best puns on the planet, no competition. I have lost track of how many times I have read this book, and have thus lost track of how many times I have loved it. Milo, the main character, escapes his drab world to meet all kinds of fantastical creatures and people and places and finds out all sorts of fantastical things about the world around him. The illustrations paired with the wonderful writing bring the Lands Beyond to life, so that the reader will never want to leave.
In the beginning, this book feels like the literary equivalent of eating cotton candy. A delightful piece of historical fiction that will be liked by Downton Abbey enjoyers, perfect for summer reading. Soon, with the outbreak of WWI, the plot turns more serious and what was once a carefree English town is a place of grim events that leave the reader heartwrenched and deeply invested in the lives and woes of the characters. As an avid WWI enthusiast, I would recommend this book to anyone who shares that affinity, enjoys historical fiction in general, or watches an absurd amount of period dramas. Deeply satisfying, charmingly written, and yet still serious, The Summer Before the War is one of the best books on the subject of WWI I have read to date.
I have an enormous amount of love for this book, as it combines many of my favorite things in life and writing. The early 20th century, Brooklyn NY, historical accuracy, and girls who like to read, all combined in a beautifully written book that is at once charming and tragic and altogether lovely. I would recommend A Tree Grows in Brooklyn to anyone as a timeless classic that holds great wisdom and value but is also tremedously fun to read. I would especially recommend it to bookish teenage girls, for despite having been written in 1943, the vividness of this portrayal transcends the period and is still just as powerful and relevant today. I love this book with all my heart.
As a WWI nerd of many years, I can say that this is without question one of the best WWI books out there, and a great introduction to one of the most horrific events in world history. Somehow it manages to be funny and at times incredibly gut-wrenching, even when you havbe read it at least five times. Nathan Hale has done soemthing very impressive in writing this book, for it concisely summarizes the intensely complex war into a child-friendly book using animals that wear funny hats. Even as a teenager I enjoy this book every time I read it, and would recommend it to anyone interested in WWI, graphic novels, compelling artistry, or a fan of Hale's other works.
By far one of the best representations of the difficulties of teenagerdom I have ever encountered. The characters are complex and lovable without being archetypal, and they face their struggles, both academic and supernatural, with heart and intelligence. The one-shot style of the comics allows the reader to get to know the characters slowly and in a way that feels very real, with a sprinkling of absolutely incomprehensible absurdism that brings an eerie quirkiness to the entire book. A joy to read and reread again and again, SuperMutant Magic Academy is unexpectedly refreshing and wholly unique.
I wouldn't usually refer to a nonfiction book as a page-turner, but with Dead Wake Erik Larson has truly created something unusual. The narrative of the last voyage of the Lusitania is told through the narratives of several historical figures, many of whom the average person probably hasn't heard of. This account of a globally disruptive historical event reads the same as a novel,going on many fascinating tangents that bring the world of 1915 to life. I would recommend this book to anyone who is remotely interested in WWI, naval history, the twentieth century, or good writing.
Pat Barker, in this series (of which I recommend all the books), has succeeded in bringing the WWI poets to life in a way few others have. Focusing on Wilfred Owen and Siegfried Sassoon when they meet in the Craiglockhart mental hospital, this book is beautifully written and an immensely enjoyable read. The vividness of the characters and their upsetting memories of war are just two of the aspects of Regeneration that are great. A phenomenal first book for a phenomenal trilogy, this is required reading for anyone interested in war poets, WWI history, or good books.
It is the nature of all books surrounding the Holocaust to be gut-wrenching and deeply horrifying, and in this way Maus is not unusual. But the frame tale structure and Spiegelman's unique art style bring the early 1940s to life in a way that few other books have managed to do. The allegorical art brings dimension to an utterly human story, following the life of Spiegelman's father, a concetration camp survivor. The historical narrative is interspersed with scenes from the modern day, where Spiegelman navigates his complicated relationship with his father and the psychological struggles of living a much easier life than his father had. Haunting and worth reading dozens of times over, I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in history, art, or interesting narrative structures. A perfect choice for an avid historian or graphic novel enthusiast.
This is the perfect book for people who are interested in WWI but who aren't particularly fond of military strategy and numbers. Meyer offers a full portrait of an era as well as a war, with sections on the personalities of important leaders, authors of note, advances in medicine and science, and nearly every aspect of society. A World Undone is intimate and delightful, full of stories and anecdotes that bring the events of WWI to life in a way that is rare in nonfiction. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys history written to make you feel things, or anyone who wants to know anything about WWI.
There is a disappointingly small number of books in the world with a young, dynamic, fun, intelligent, and relatable female protagonist, but Persepolis is one of them. A completely refreshing narrative about coming of age in Iran in the 70s and 80s, the story follows Marjane through the struggles of growing up, both in general and in the wider context of Iranian national events.
I read this book as part of a literature class I was taking in my junior year of high school, and I was extremely surprised to find that it became probably my favorite book in the course. A harrowing tale of adventure and myth, this interpretation includes some of the most beautiful writing I have ever come across. Being in verse, Gilgamesh is a very quick read and definitely a good one. As someone who tends to prefer twentieth century history, I was surprised by how vivid the Babylonian times were. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys adventure, poetry, nature, or history.
I raced through this book in about two hours because I could not put it down. The narrative style, the protagonist, and all the other characters were gripping. Written in verse, The Poet X is a unique book, with an aspiring and endearing slam poet as its protagonist. I don't usually enjoy verse, but this book was delightful and painful in the way that all self-discovery must be. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys slam poetry or vibrant charaters and settings.
In WWI literature a lot of attention is given to the horrors of the War, the senselessness of the conflict and the supposed inevitablity of its occurrence and scale. But To End All Wars focuses on those who opposed the war in their lives and activism. An interesting read in this age of political uncertainty and nationsalism (which could, of course, describe almost any era). To End All Wars is an example of that rare genre: nonfiction that reads like a story. I would recommend this to anyone interested on WWI or historical activism (particularly British suffragettes). Educational while simultaneously fun.
To be perfectly honest, the only reason I actually read A Room with a View is because I had already seen and loved the 1985 film (horrible, I know). I immediately fell in love with the Italian and English settings, the vivid and funny characters, and the lighthearted romantic comedy feel of the movie, and Forster's unusual writing style only made things better. If a tad more serious, the book retains thne same level of humor and charm that the movie so faithfully portrayed. The stuffiness of the twentieth century characters is even more obvious with Forster's writing, which brings the time to life. I would recommend this book to anyone who liked the movie, enjoys history, or loves a light, funny, and historical comedy.
Madeline Miller's rendering of Ancient Greece astounds once more. The trials and loves of the witch Circe detailed in this novel are gripping and fast-paced, despite spanning several centuries. She is an easy protagonist to root for, and the reader feels her pain and joy just as poignantly as she does. A fast, fun read not quite as tragic as The Song of Achilles, but familiar fare for Madeline Miller fans.
Fangirl is an ultimately charming book, built on two interwoven storylines: the college life and romance of Cather, andthe fantastic adventures of Simon and Baz, characters in Cather's fanfiction. A perfect read for anyone who delights in fanfiction, creative writing, or realistic stories about introverted, bookish girls. This book is a fast and comforting read that doesn't make college seem terrifying, also including a romance that isn't riddled with red flags, which is always nice. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys Rainbow Rowell's other works or is just looking for a good read with dynamic characters and a compelling plot.
While admittedly very dark and occasionally gruesome, I thoroughly enjoyed Lord of the Flies, due to the fast-paced plot, the fascinating characters, and Golding's clear-cut writing style. The plot of the book follows a group of schoolboys stranded on an island without any adults, and the power dynamics, hierarchies, death, and disaster that ensue. The main lesson of The Lord of the Flies is that, if left alone, adolescent boys have the potential to be horrible people. I would not recommend this book as a comforting fireside read, but it's perfect if one is looking for something visceral and oddly satisfying.
I think there are probably very few books in the world that are this charming all the way through. As is usual with the impending end of the world, it's very funny. These two beloved authors have crafted a world that is delightful to inhabit, and the relationship between Crowley and Aziraphale is wondrously layered. A fabulous book on all levels, and a definite comfort during a period of time that feels like the actual end of the world.
Over the course of my lifetime I have read thirty-one books about WWI (and counting), and this is by far one of the best. A gripping story that does not feel like it was written in 1928, All Quiet on the Western Front gives you the feeling in the bottom of your stomach that only a good book can.
Even though the characters are insufferably pretentious and make many bad decisions over the course of the novel, Donna Tartt's writing and the dark academia New England atmosphere make it worth the read. Filled with murder, incest, tangled romances, bacchanals, mythology, and the horrible pull of immorality, The Secret History is pretty much the college experience no one wants to have. A cup of tea, classical music, and a crackling fire are necessary while reading this book.
There are many reasons to recommend this book, including its wonderful protagonist and unashamed feminism, but what I found truly compelling about Jane Eyre is the inescapable eeriness infused om Brontë's writing. Equipped with a slightly bizarre plot, this book is best appreciated by those who like dark period pieces, vivid imagery, and eccentric characters that are distinct from any other fictional people you will find. Best enjoyed at night with a hot drink.
This is a necessary read for anyone who enjoyed Jane Eyre (and maybe also for people who didn't). Casting Rochester and his "crazy" wife Bertha (previously known as Antoinette) in an entirely different light, this anti-colonialist book acts as a prequel to Charlotte Bronte's beloved classic. This book has some of the most vivid settings and characters, and one of the strongest sensed of place that I have ever encountered. A fast and brilliantly sad story.
I have read many history books, some of them equal to Crucible in its enormous size, but this one stands out. The narrative style of focusing on several different notable people (It was highly enjoyable to guess who the author was writing about before the name was revealed) is fun and keeps the story from getting dry. Fast-paced and yet rooted in fact, this is a very gripping book, improved significantly by the cheekiness of Emmerson's writing style. Delightful and very informative, this is required reading for anyone interested in the beginning of the 20th century for looking for a bit of fun..
This modern adaptation of Little Women is just as lovely as the original, full of characters that are immediately endearing and storylines that are heartwarming and utterly and completely delightful. I have read this book series again and again, beginning when I was about eight. Its charm does not diminish over time, and returning to the Penderwick family is always a joy. Perfection.
Blankets is devastating and beautiful and familiar, especially to those familiar with long, dark, snowy winters. Craig's story of growing up among people not like him and finding his first love is beautifully rendered with striking and often ominous drawings. The inside of Craig's mind is often a dark place, but the story that unfolds is gripping and wonderful and in some profound way very, very sad. Beautiful to look at and beautiful to read, Blankets is a good choice for anyone wanting to feel the pain of being young and, in some ways, alone.
Maurice is, overall, a rare novel, for being the love story of two men that (eventually) ends happily. Forster's luscious writing style, familiar to readers of A Room With a View and others, returns in this remarkable story of getting to know oneself and finding love despite stuffy English society. A little tragic around the edges but overall a good story.
Despite certain tragic events that occur later in the series (*ahem*), the Maze Runner series is a lot of fun. The characters are vibrant and so much fun to spend time with, the universe building is strong, and the creatures are gruesome. Adventurous and just as twisted as the maze the characters live in (and are always attempting to escape), The Maze Runner is the perfect next read for fans of YA dystopia books like The Hunger Games.
This book takes an angle not often seen in WWI literature, following two brothers from the Cree Tribe through their trials of war. Though gruesome, this is a vividly written book that tells an important and unforgettable story about the connections between people, land, and spiritualism. An important read for WWI enthusiasts.
This is perhaps my favorite of Raina Telgemeier's books (which is saying a lot), because the characters are so loveable and their stories so delightful to follow. The protagonist, Callie, is one of my all-time favorite characters, and her brightly colored hair is just a preview of how vibrant and brilliant she is as a person. I love inhabiting her backstage world with her as she works on a show for her high school theater program, and navigates the ups and downs of production and the drama (haha) on and off stage.
Reading this collection of poetry in one sitting alone in the dark was one of the most visceral experiences I have ever had. Sassoon's imagery is devastating and vivid, and offers an incredible perspective into the outrage felt by soldiers in WWI. Sassoon's poetry is painful and heartbreaking, but an important read for anyone interested in WWI. I wouldn't necessarily recommend Sassoon to anyone looking for delicate verse, but in terms of creating atmosphere and shedding light on the horrors soldiers faced, Sassoon is virtually unmatched.
I'm a humanities person through and through, but I thought this book was wonderful. Stephen Hawking's voice makes it worth the read, whether you're looking to understand the physics or not. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in theoretical physics, Stephen Hawking (fans of The Theory of Everything, perhaps) or anyone looking for a short and enjoyable read that will at once make you feel very smart and also very dumb.
Despite its intimidating size, this book is a fast and enjoyable read that provides a context for much of what happens in modern society as well as history. I enjoyed Stamped from the Beginning because it's well-written but also because it illuminates history and explains the phenomena that seem to have no logic about them. Though the tales encompassed in this book are dark and often uncomfortable, it's a necessary read and a very enjoyable one for anyone remotely interested in the politics and history of race.
For anyone familiar with the myth of Achilles, the ending will not come as a surprise, but that does not make it any less devastating. The Song of Achilles is gripping and fast-paced, with a rendering of Ancient Greece that feels so real that it's hard to believe the author didn't live there herself. A heartbreaking story with an appropriate writing style, The Song of Achilles is sad but also immensely fun.
Though I don't care for much of the modern frame tale, the obviously well-researched and well-rendered depiction of pre-war France and the terrible fate that befell it between 1914 and 1918 is worth reading. Following several characters from all walks of life, Birdsong offers a glimpse into the horrifying underground world inhabited by sappers and sometimes soldiers, a perspective and role in the war that is often left out. Rich with detail and, frankly, quite luscious in style, Birdsong is heartbreaking and gripping, but also quite beautiful.
There are few WWI stories that so completely and so devastatingly show the disillusionment that befell an entire generation of young men at he beginning of the 20th century. This diary follows Edwin Campion Vaughn through his journey in the war, with powerful contrasting images like a stray cat eating a corpse on the battlefield and young men peacefully gardening in their time behind the lines. A horrifying read that allows the reader to really see exactly how this young man went from a patriotic and well-meaning young boy to a hardened and desperate man.
In-depth and simultaneously comprehensive, this encyclopedia has a page on virtually everything you could think to wonder about on the subject of WWI. Big shiny pages make the experience of reading and looking at it very nice. Useful for both learning the basics and going beyond common knowledge into the minutia of the war or trench life, this book is informative and interesting. Also, it smells amazing.
I read this book in the span of one afternoon, and I have rarely encountered anything that matched its intensity. Being trapped inside the bandages and hospital with the protagonist (and bearing witness to his memories from before his experiences in the war) is deeply sad and encapsulates a rarely-seen perspective in literature: that of someone whose existence is suddenly reduced to what is going on inside their head. A horrifying but well-told story, Johnny Got His Gun is essential WWI reading.
At times, this books is immensely sad. It is also an important story of growing up in a family with a difficult history. Reading the story of Jarrett's childhood and adolescence is a collection of highs and lows that hit you harder than you'd think a graphic novel would. Through the beautiful art style and dialogue unique to each of the characters, the members of Jarrett's family come alive and speak for themselves. Hey, Kiddo is painful, joyful, and hard, just like adolescence itself.
These characters have some of the most expressive faces I have ever seen on paper. The designs of the students at Berrybrook Middle School are so different and charming, their stories are all the more fun to follow. Examining the intersections and equal importance of science and art and the people that love them, Awkward is an important tale for students especially, but enjoyable to anyone. I have read it many times over, and enjoy every time.
I can never tell when exactly this book is set, and it's amazing. There's elements of modernity in with an early Industrial Revolution time period that shows in the clothes and society of the characters. What the setting proves, beyond the prowess of the illustrations, is that the story is timeless. The forms of love explained and explored in this book are important no matter the location or time period. Other than being an utterly joyful and visually delightful read, The Prince and the Dressmaker discusses the importance of love, acceptance, and value for yourself and others and does so with such charming characters that it is a story not easily forgotten.
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