Taylor Swift by the Book: The Literature Behind the Lyrics, from Fairy Tales to Tortured Poets by Tiffany Tatreau and Rachel Feder

 Taylor Swift by the Book: The Literature Behind the Lyrics, from Fairy Tales to Tortured Poets by Tiffany Tatreau and Rachel Feder-256 pages 

⭐⭐⭐⭐

I am a Swiftie and love to read (obviously), so this book intrigued me. I find Swift's lyrics often poetic and full of prose. This book attempts to flesh out the literary influences behind Swift's songs and lyrics. It also includes anecdotes and short biographies on several poets and authors. I learned about several poets and authors that I previously didn't know much (or anything) about, including Emma St. Vincent Millay, Frances Ellen Watkins Harper, Sylvia Plath, Dylan Thomas, Patti Smith, and others. Swift's music is greatly influenced by The Great Gatsby, Wuthering Heights, Peter Pan, and other works/characters. 

I enjoyed reading it and learning about authors and poets and their works that have influenced Swift's songs and lyrics.

Moby-Dick or, the Whale by Herman Melville

 654 pages / 23 hrs, 58 mins

"'It is the horrible texture of a fabric that should be woven of ships' cables and hawsers. A Polar wind blows through it, and birds of prey hover over it.'

"So Melville wrote of his masterpiece, one of the greatest works of imagination in literary history. In part, Moby-Dick is the story of an eerily compelling madman pursuing an unholy war against a creature as vast and dangerous and unknowable as the sea itself. But more than just a novel of adventure, more than an encyclopaedia of whaling lore and legend, the book can be seen as part of its author's lifelong meditation on America. Written with wonderfully redemptive humour, Moby-Dick is also a profound inquiry into character, faith, and the nature of perception."  --from the publisher

I doubt I can say anything about this classic that hasn't already been said. Parts are funny and parts are thrilling, but most of it is truly an encyclopedia of whaling. The writing is exceptional, as expected. Unless you want every detail of whales and whaling, I would highly recommend reading an abridged version. I give it three out of five stars because so many chapters are informational and do not advance the story.

Classical Literature: An Epic Journey from Homer to Virgil and Beyond by Richard Jenkyns

Classical Literature: An Epic Journey from Homer to Virgil and Beyond by Richard Jenkyns -270 pages

The author is an Oxford University scholar, and intended this book for a general audience seeking an overview of classical Greek and Roman literature. His criticism of The Iliad and The Odyssey were illuminating for anyone who read them as a student without any context. The book could have used a few more samples of the works discussed, and some of the later Roman writers seem to blur together. Overall, this is an insightful book for readers wanting to re-acquaint themselves with ancient lit.

The Book of Books by Jessica Allen

The Book of Books by Jessica Allen, 276 pages

I checked this book out from the library, but after reading it, I decided I will probably buy it.  The book is based on the series on PBS called the Great American Read.  The book covers 100 of America's most favorite books.  The book contains a summary and background of the books including wonderful photos of the covers.  The Book of Books also contains lists like favorite characters and some of the early jobs of the authors.  Some books were surprising to see on the list like the Twilight series and the Fifty Shades series.  After reading this book, I discovered I had only read about a dozen of books on the list and was inspired to read some books I did not have on my to read list.  I would say this book may be one for every reader's collection!  The introduction is written by former Today show host Meredith Vieira.

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green - 352 pages

I would sum up the book as SAD.  Two teenagers have cancer but fall in love.  They shared several unique experiences like traveling to Amsterdam to meet an author, making love etc.  But in the end she is waiting for death and the boyfriend, Augusta dies.  Very sad but interesting.

This is how Amazon describes the book:


Despite the tumor-shrinking medical miracle that has bought her a few years, Hazel has never been anything but terminal, her final chapter inscribed upon diagnosis. But when a gorgeous plot twist named Augustus Waters suddenly appears at Cancer Kid Support Group, Hazel’s story is about to be completely rewritten.