Lynn's comments (member since Jun 22, 2008)

Lynn's comments from the 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die group.

many people have chosen To Kill a Mockingbird, although as Gerald stated, it's really not narrated by child Scout but by adult Scout looking back. So I guess something of that vein would count since so many other people are doing that.

It has to be a first person narrative as I understand it.

We read and studied Huck Finn in one of my lit classes last semester and in the Norton Anthology there was a footnote stating: "Twain identifies Huck as 'a boy of 14' in a notebook." (My first post was a guess, but I double checked and that's what I found). So no it wouldn't work.

I believe he was between 13 and 15 while the events were taking place.

Thanks for the suggestions everyone! Yes, Gerald, that's the problem I was having. So many of them are narrated at a much later point in life. Leila, I have read EL&IC and yes: it is amazing and it should be on the list! I liked it better than Everything Is Illuminated. Oh and for the challenge, we decided that the narrator must be under the age of 13 to constitute a child. So Catcher and some of the others wouldn't work as it is a teenage narrator.

This may be an odd request, but I'm working on a challenge for another group and I'm trying to incorporate as many 1001 books as I can. The category I'm having the most difficult with is "Read a book with a child or animal narrator." The descriptions of most books don't tell you the POV so I guess I'll have to rely on the wisdom of others.

Have any of yall come across books from the list that are narrated by a child or animal? (Excluding the most obvious - To Kill a Mockingbird - which I have already read and loved)

The Ramona books are a series of children's books by Beverly Cleary. They are wonderful! She also wrote books about Ramona's older sister Beezus and Beezus's friend Henry Huggins.

I only think Emma was naive b/c she didn't pick up on certain clues/flirtations that were pretty obvious to the reader.

and the certain girl that the certain new boy in town favors - that was about where I stopped reading b/c of getting sidetracked... but she came off to me as a goody-good which didn't particularly make me like her (although I didn't hate her or anything). Oh! If you read the Ramona books - it's kinda like how there was that little girl with curls in Ramona's class and she was little miss perfect and then there was Ramona who was always getting into trouble. But Ramona was so much more interesting b/c of her flaws and easier to relate to. I relate much easier to a "screw up" than to some perfect, always sweet chick. Does that make sense? haha.

regarding P&P v. Emma: yeah I think you hit the nail on the head! I don't have anything against marriage at all, it's just refreshing to hear a female character say that it's not her whole goal in life, especially during that time.

While it's true that Emma is full of herself, spoiled, self-centered, etc I still always got the feeling that she meant well (at least in the movie version and from the parts I've read. I read about 1/4 of it I think). She was just naive and immature/petty. And her bumbling flaws and errors make her endearing, though at times just frustrating.

As for Elizabeth I see her as feisty and spunky. I didn't really see her as vivacious (she just doesn't really fit the term in my interpretation - although I can see how others would see her as such) but not particularly interesting... ooh, maybe I find P&P boring b/c it is so based on romantic relationships/marriage and as for Emma, b/c of her social station, she is freed from that worry of Elizabeth and Elinor which allows her to meddle in the lives of others (which I find highly entertaining, although I can see where other would find it immoral)... I hope we aren't spoiling this for people! haha.

I thought Elizabeth Bennet and Elinor were boring compared to Emma... she's so much more... textured? dynamic? real? at least in my opinion. Duygu, you've seen Clueless, yes? Maybe that unfairly enhances my liking of Emma :]

I'm preparing to read it after I finish the ones I'm midway through now. I've started it a couple different times and have enjoyed it, but I keep getting sidetracked. I'm ashamed to say I haven't finished an entire Austen novel yet (sparknote-d my way through Pride and Prejudice in high school after reading a couple chapters) but as far as the movie versions I've seen, Emma is my favorite of her characters!

The spreadsheet is the 2008 list but it also includes the 2006 books that were dropped. So in downloading you essentially get both.

Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day is a very light-hearted read and very enjoyable!

yeah I agree... I really hated the ending. I thought Part 1 was amazing, Part 2 was bearable but not great, and Part 3 just sucked.

I LOVE EL&IC (although it has its flaws). I think it's easier to get into than Everything Is Illuminated

Kim, just wondering, what would have finally brought atonement for you? I mean, there's really nothing she could have done to fix her mistake, in my view... I feel like being haunted her whole life was the only way to atone for what she did.

I think that's a really good idea. I tried to incorporate as many of the 1001 books as I could stand in another challenge I'm doing. It will help me make a nice little dent.

I've been wanting to read him... Does anyone have any suggestions on where to start? I was thinking Veronika Decides to Die...

I read this book several years ago and really enjoyed it, but I also remember being frustrated by the vague ending. I need to re-read it again. But I agree that the true story was probably the one he told the reporters.

You actually have just about ever book in the world at your fingertips through Interlibrary Loan. Go to your local library and ask about it. It's great!