Pick a victorian age novel

[DinoDoc]

Originally posted by b etor
which are......?

The Picture of Dorian Gray - Oscar Wilde
The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde - Robert Louis Stevenson

[Ben Kenobi]

I'd pitch her any of these books.

Kim, Rudyard Kipling.
Thackeray, Vanity Fair
War of the Worlds by HG Wells.

Anything by Jules Verne.

Anything by Dickens.

A tale of two cities, Great Expectations, Oliver Twist. You have numerous choices here.

Oh, I missed Stevenson, Jekyll and Hyde.

Take that one. Stevenson is better then Hardy.

I second Dino's recommendation for Arthur Conan Doyle and Sherlock Holmes.

There are so many good and interesting books in that period. Why do they all have to do the terrible novels?

Victorian era is the age of the adventure novel!

[Stuie]

I too am in the Hardy sucks camp. Can't stand him.

From the list, I most enjoyed Dorian Gray, with Jane Erye a very close second.

[Zkribbler]

Originally posted by Ben Kenobi
....Anything by Dickens.....

I too was surprised not to see anything by Dickens. He's the touchstone of Victorian writers.

[Ben Kenobi]

I don't get it either.

I had to read Dickens on my own. We never did him in any of my English lit classes, although to be fair I never did one on just Victorian Literature.

Is it just not popular among English teachers? Or is the thought that if the books were popular back then they are unworthy of critical studies?

[Ben Kenobi]

Does she mind if you do Americans?

If they count, then you can include

Melville- Moby Dick
Hawthorn- The scarlet letter

Anything by Twain.

So many good books out there.

[snoopy369]

I think many english teachers consider Dickens to be 'popular fiction' of the time, ie like John Grisham or something of the current day. Thus, not literature.

I think they're full of it myself, but ...

[Elok]

Dude, it's from a list. Twain, Melville, and Sherlock Holmes are not optional.

Of that list, I've read Wuthering Heights and Mayor of Casterbridge. I didn't think Mayor was terrible, just lengthy and in places difficult. I found it a rather rewarding read in the long run. Then again, I'm an English major. Wuthering Heights wasn't bad either.

All in all, I'd recommend Dorian Gray. Wilde was a witty fellow, much more lively than most of the rest except perhaps Jekyll and Hyde (which, as someone said, will probably be chosen by practically everyone in the class, so steer clear to avoid competing directly with half your peers).

[Ben Kenobi]

Dude, it's from a list. Twain, Melville, and Sherlock Holmes are not optional.

You'd be surprised.

I used to do that all the time, make some suggestions and ask if I could write about these books instead. If the suggestions are 'reasonable' and show that you've done your homework, then you can go ahead.

That IMHO is the best way to ensure you are doing a book different from everyone else.

[Kidlicious]

Re: Pick a victorian age novel

Originally posted by b etor
for me to read plz.

I'm not sure which to read.

We, my english class and myself, are given 10 choices. We have to read one then most likely we'll write about it. I'm tempted to just go for one I am already familiar with, but I want to read a new story. So please, tell me which you enjoyed reading.

The one with the best cliff notes.

[Ben Kenobi]

I think they're full of it myself, but ...

I've had lit professors in university show videos instead of lecturing, and our class consisted of sitting down and watching them.

They are one to talk. Why does it matter which books you choose when you are choosing to show students videos instead of teaching?

[Krill]

I was intending to read "The Picture of Dorian Gray" over the holidays when I have some time off and I want a break from revision.

[Zkribbler]

Originally posted by Krill
...I want a break from television.

Fixed

[Sandman]

I read The Moonstone recently, it was fantastic. Then again, I am a bit of a crime fan and it was a buzz reading one of the earliest and best detective novels.

[DinoDoc]

Originally posted by Elok
Dude, it's from a list. Twain, Melville, and Sherlock Holmes are not optional.

I think we've already established that her teacher has no taste in literature.