N's Literary Asylum

 

Say "Hello" to the upcoming Spring and spring books! Let's start with the nine classic March authors, their quotes, books and BookLikes bloggers reviews.

 

Ralph Ellison: (March 1, 1914- April 16, 1994) 

 

 

Ralph Waldo Ellison  was an American novelist, literary critic, scholar and writer. Ellison is best known for his novel Invisible Man, which won the National Book Award in 1953.

 

Rowena's Reviews:  I really enjoy coming of age books and this one is no exception. It’s hard to really summarize this book because so much goes on. Of course the main issue is about race and how it was for a person of colour living in a racist society at the time... read more

 

meganbaxter: The writing is hypnotic in Invisible Man and the dread all-pervasive. Every time I sat down to read a bit more, I was sucked into the prose, even though it made me deeply uneasy and worried about what was going to happen next... read more

 

Chris Blocker - Literary Snob: The story begins with one of the most vivid introductions and jumps into a first chapter that is enthralling. Critics heap praises on the work and compare it to the works of Doestoevsky. Within a year the novel has won the National Book Award. It is perhaps the most eye-opening account of the black experience in America ever written in novel form... read more

 

 

 

Theodore Geisel (March 2, 1904- September 24, 1991)

 

 

Theodore Geisel better known as Dr. Seuss was an American writer, poet, and cartoonist. He was most widely known for his children's books written and illustrated as Dr. Seuss.

 

Ronyell (a.k.a Rabbitearsblog): Dr. Seuss has once again created a truly brilliant and engaging book where each story details the consequences of letting too much pride cloud your good judgment.  I enjoyed all of the stories in this book as each story shows a different take on characters becoming too self-absorbed into themselves in certain situations, such as “Yertle the Turtle” showing the consequences of letting the power go to your head... read more

 

Isa Lavinia: One of the annoying things about English not being my first language is that I missed out on a lot of popular children's books. And the thing is, when you do get to read them as an adult, you are fully aware you're not experiencing them as you were meant to - there are a great many books beloved by English speaking people which I read and go, "Oh, okay, was that it?" Not the Grinch, though!... read more

 

 

 

Elizabeth Barrett Browning (March 6, 1806- June 29, 1861)

 

 

Elizabeth Barrett Browning was one of the most prominent English poets of the Victorian era. Her poetry was widely popular in both Britain and the United States during her lifetime.

 

The English Student: 

Aurora Leigh is a relatively esoteric Victorian verse novel about a woman trying to gain independence and become a writer. It's basically Jane Eyre in verse. Gets a bit tedious at about book 9, but for the most part it is a very interesting poem with some wonderful poetic moments: "Behold! The world of books is still the world". A mixture of social criticism, lyricism and satire... read more

 

 

 

Kenneth Grahame (March 8, 1859- July 6, 1932)

 

 

Kenneth Grahame was a Scottish writer, most famous for The Wind in the Willows (1908), one of the classics of children's literature. He also wrote The Reluctant Dragon; both books were later adapted into Disney films.

 

Kaethe : 

Yet another classic of children's literature that I didn't discover until adulthood. But this one, I really liked. It inhabits that fictional Edwardian period I love so much, with many of the modern conveniences, and none of the annoyances. Also, in British literature, as in American film and TV, you get adults who don't really work... read more 

 

 

 

Jack Kerouac (March 12, 1922- October 21, 1969)

 

 

Jean-Louis "Jack" Kérouac was an American novelist and poet. He is considered a literary iconoclast and, alongside William S. Burroughs and Allen Ginsberg, a pioneer of the Beat Generation. He became an underground celebrity and, with other beats, a progenitor of the hippie movement, although he remained antagonistic toward some of its politically radical elements.

 

BrokenTune - Reviews & Rants: 

I first read and adored On the Road in my teens , when the ideas of road trips seems pretty cool and the defying defined roles seemed something to aspire to. I would not say that picking up Steinbeck’s novels in the years since that first reading On the Road changed that perception completely... read more

 

Literary Exploration on Booklikes: While some might think this is a rather boring novel, I tend to think there is so much in the book worth exploring. I like the style and feel of this book, it reminds me of dirty realism and the quest for knowledge and satisfaction in life really hit home for me... read more

 

 

 

Lois Lowry (born March 20, 1937)

 

 

Lois Lowry is an American writer credited with more than thirty children's books and an autobiography. As an author, Lowry is known for writing about difficult subject matters within her works for children. She has explored such complex issues as racism, terminal illness, murder, and the Holocaust among other challenging topics.

 

 Ani's Book Abyss: There's no doubt that I enjoyed reading The Giver; there was an immensely hungry curiosity I felt while reading the book.  Throughout, I had a need to know what was going to happen on every aspect, be it the story, the characters, or even Jonas, himself.  I found myself more and more curious about the story's development and I started asking questions about the society, the community, the world, the people... read more

 

Hadeer's Ranting: I feel like i took a bite out of a delicious dessert, then someone snatch it, and i am left with the memory of the taste with no way to experience it again.  what I mean it I felt unsatisfied. This is one of those novels that leaves people with conflict feelings and conclusions... read more

 

  

 

Tennessee Williams (March 26, 1911- February 25, 1983)

 

 

Thomas Lanier "Tennessee" Williams III was an American playwright, author of many stage classics. Williams adapted much of his best work for the cinema, and also wrote short stories, poetry, essays and a volume of memoir.

 

hippieed perceptions: I loved this book, but then I love Tennessee Williams. It's a very candid look into his personal life that helped shape his work, rather than the work itself. It can be sporadic at times, it jumps from the present to past several times in a chapter, but it comes across as if you are sitting in the room with him as he is reminiscing about his life... read more

 

Teresa Tumminello Brader: Williams' style didn't stay static. As he said at the time of this production (I'm paraphrasing), he didn't realize at first how far he had departed from realism, long since exhausting 'poetic realism' and now finding that 'German expressionism' (for the sets in particular) was right for his material. He added, "This, after all, isn't twenty years ago."... read more 

 

 

 

Robert Frost (March 26, 1874- January 29, 1963)

 

 

Robert Frost was an American poet. His work was initially published in England before it was published in America. He is highly regarded for his realistic depictions of rural life and his command of American colloquial speech.

 

 Munira @ In Vogue with Books:

One word- Awesome. I am not much of a poetry person and very rarely I like them. But I must say Robert Frost| is completely different. Each of the poem seem to represent more than it meets the eye. Poems like "The Road Not Taken", "Out, Out-", "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening" are simply epic. These poems show grave philosophies of life with subtle hints and deceptively simple lines... read more

 

 

 

Anna Sewell (March 30, 1820- April 25, 1878)

 

 

Anna Sewell was an English novelist, best known as the author of the classic novel Black Beauty. Sewell sold the novel to local publisher Jarrolds on 24 November 1877, when she was 57 years of age. Although it is now considered a children's classic, she originally wrote it for those who worked with horses.

 

 kneubeck: I don't think I have to say much about Black Beauty. I'm sure most of you have seen one of the film adaptions (the 90s version is one of the few films, where Sean Bean doesn't die, btw). It's a beautiful story about a horse and its many owners and fellow horses. If you haven't seen one of the movies, watch one, if you haven't read the book, read it... read more

 

Sharon E. Cathcart: It has been many years since I read "Black Beauty," the book that set me on the road to my lifelong work in animal rescue and welfare. As an adult, the additional themes of caring and compassion ring throughout Sewell's text... read more