To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Adapted and Illustrated by Fred Fordham

To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Adapted and Illustrated by Fred Fordham, 273 pages

I have read To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee a couple times.  I saw this graphic novel and it intrigued me what the illustrator would do with the novel.  The graphic novel was based pretty much word to word of the classic except with illustrations.  I actually really enjoyed this graphic novel.  The illustrations were very similar to the movie version with Gregory Peck.

The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger

The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger, 214 pages

I had been meaning to read this book for years, and I finally got around to it.  I must say after about 30 pages I was hooked.  This classic novel is about Holden Caulfield as he comes of age in the early 1900s.  He has been kicked out of multiple colleges and tries to hid it from his family by hiding out in New York City for a few days.  Holden's family has money so he is able to afford a few days in a hotel, some nice meals, and lots of drinks (with a fake id).  I did have to read a summary on this book as I missed the part on the first page where he was retelling the previous year of his life while possibly held in a mental institution out in Hollywood near his older brother.  I went into reading this book with no expectations and no knowledge of the plot, only the knowledge of the main character's name.  I do think this book is one everyone should read at some point in their life.

A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams

A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams, 142 pages

I had seen this classic movie before, but had never read the play before.  Tennessee Williams does not disappoint.  I enjoyed the book almost as much as I enjoyed the movie.  Tennessee Williams brings the characters to life in New Orleans in the heat of the summer.  When Blanche comes to visit her sister, Stella, who is married to Stanley, harsh words are exchanged between Blanche and Stanley with a very pregnant Stella caught in the middle.  This is an unforgettable classic!

The Body in the Library by Agatha Christie

The Body in the Library by Agatha Christie, 253 pages

This is one of Agatha Christie's classic murder mysteries with Miss. Marple.  When a body is found in the Bantry's Library, Miss. Marple is called in to help solve the case of the murdered young women, Ruby Keene.  Traveling to the Majestic Hotel where Ruby worked as a dancer, Miss Marple, uncovers many clues to the murder.  But, when another girl's body turns up, Miss. Marple really has a mystery to solve.  Agatha Christie's novels are timeless and leave the reader on the edge of their seat!

The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck

The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck
(House of Earth #1)
357 pages / 10 hrs, 57 mins

"This tells the poignant tale of a Chinese farmer and his family in old agrarian China. The humble Wang Lung glories in the soil he works, nurturing the land as it nurtures him and his family. Nearby, the nobles of the House of Hwang consider themselves above the land and its workers; but they will soon meet their own downfall.

"Hard times come upon Wang Lung and his family when flood and drought force them to seek work in the city. The working people riot, breaking into the homes of the rich and forcing them to flee. When Wang Lung shows mercy to one noble and is rewarded, he begins to rise in the world, even as the House of Hwang falls."  --from the publisher

It would seem this is an accurate commentary on life in China during this time period since it won a Pulitzer Prize.  The descriptions of culture and customs are rich and realistic.  Buck also outlines the social and emotional snares that are universal to the human race.  I don't know how I missed reading it in my school years, but I'm glad I finally took the time to experience this classic.

The Agony and The Ecstasy by Irving Stone

The Agony and the Ecstasy by Irving Stone - 703 pages

Irving Stone’s classic biographical novel of Michelangelo—in which both the artist and the man are brought to life in full. 

A masterpiece in its own right, this novel offers a compelling portrait of Michelangelo’s dangerous, impassioned loves, and the God-driven fury from which he wrested the greatest art the world has ever known.