ELIOT GEORGE
Список книг автора ELIOT GEORGEThe Mill on the Floss - The Original Classic Edition
Powerful and moving, The Mill on the Floss is considered to be George Eliots most autobiographical novel. Along with Middlemarch it is my favorite. Set in early 19th century England – St. Oggs, Lincolnshire to be exact – this is the tale of gifted, free-spirited Maggie Tulliver and her selfish, spoiled brother, Tom, who were born and raised at Dorlcote Mill on the River Floss. Eliots portrayal of sibling relationships is terribly poignant and plays a major part in the novel, as does the longstanding rivalry between two local families – the Tullivers and the Wakems. <p> From earliest childhood Maggie worships her brother Tom, and longs to win his approval, and that of her parents. However, her fierce intelligence and strong streak of independence bring her into constant conflict with her family. She finds, in literature, the kindness and love she longs for in life. …everybody in the world seemed so hard and unkind to Maggie: there was no indulgence, no fondness, such as she imagined when she fashioned the world afresh in her own thoughts. In books there were people who were always agreeable or tender, and delighted to do things that made one happy, and who did not show their kindness by finding fault. The world outside the books was not a happy one Maggie felt. If life had no love in it, what else was there for Maggie? Her nature, complex, passionate, sensuous, noble, intellectualized, and spiritualized, is of great importance to this novel, as is the pathos of her relationship with Tom. <p> As she reaches adulthood, Maggie finds herself torn between her relationships with three extremely different men: her proud, stubborn brother, Tom; Philip Wakem, a beloved friend who is also the son of her familys worst enemy; and a charismatic but unacceptable suitor. When Tom is thrown suddenly into the role of adult, after his fathers death, he becomes obsessed with acquiring social status and power. He attempts to arrange a socially advantageous marriage for Maggie, and when she refuses, he severs ties with her. <p> I wont spoil your read with any further discussion of the novels details, especially the dramatic conclusion. George Eliot writes with a keen sense of humor, especially when addressing the grotesque in the human character. Her narrative has great depth, as insight to character and social observations are more important to Eliot than pace and action. The Mill On The Floss is deeply romantic – a work of great beauty and a literary classic. I cannot recommend it highly enough. <p> The Mill On The Floss is based partially on Eliots, (born Mary Ann Evans), own experiences with her family and her brother Isaac, who was three years older than she. Eliots father, like Mr. Tulliver, was a businessman who had married a woman from a higher social class. His wifes sisters were rich, ultra-respectable, and self-satisfied. These maternal aunts provided the character models for the aunts in the novel. Like Maggie, Eliot was extremely intelligent, energetic, imaginative and unconventional. She did not fit traditional models of feminine beauty or behavior, causing her family a great deal of consternation. Eliot lived with a man who she had not married – a daring enterprise in Victorian England. By the time this novel was published, she had gained considerable notoriety as an immoral woman.
Silas Marner - The Original Classic Edition
If you have a heart, the story of Silas Marner will warm it. You are better coming to it fresh, without knowing anything of the simple yet solid plot, so I will say nothing of it. I will just urge you to read this wonderful book. Eliot writes beautifully and from page one, you realize you are in the hands of a true artist. This is a very human, very English story of simple people living through those very basic emotions that make the world turn and give the universe meaning. <p> Silas Marner is one of the greatest novels in the English language. <p> Yes, it starts out sad, as our pathetic hero looses both his trust in humanity and his faith in God. But the power of love replaces his lust for money, and wins out in the end. Meanwhile, morally poor but financially rich, high-living Godfrey Cass provides a counterpoint to simple Silas. At the end theres a surprise when the fate of Godfreys evil brother is revealed. <p> When youre all done, before you file Silas Marner on the shelf, go back and read the paragraph about Silas thoughts when he discovers that his hordes of coins are missing. If you have ever felt sudden extreme loss, you will recognize the stages of despair from disbelief to acceptance like a man falling into dark water. Which is why this book is not suitable for children, and is most appreciated by those who have undergone their own moral redemption. <p> Silas has been the inspiration for many other characters, including Dickens Scrooge. He has been portrayed in movies, including A Simple Twist of Fate starring Steve Martin. But none is as good as the original. If you havent read it since junior high, try it again. Silas Marner is an excellent book. Theres a gem of human understanding in every chapter.
Middlemarch - The Original Classic Edition
This book was on a booklist of the 100 best books written, and once read, you will have to agree. It will take a while to get into it because theres a great deal of expository writing at the beginning, but stick with it and youll be introduced to some fascinating characters in the town of Middlemarch. <p> Dorothea Brooke is a young woman about to take a much older husband, determined to find purpose in her life by assisting him with his lifes work, a book which is to a definitive guide to all the mythologies of the world. When she begins to suspect her husbands work is little more than empty piffle, how will she find her way? <p> Mr. Lydgate is a hotshot young physician determined to do great works from the small town of Middlemarch. Thwarted by small town suspicion and politics, and increasingly saddled by debt incurred by a pretty young wife, how will he cope as his lifes dream slips away? <p> Fred Vincy is the son of a town merchant determined to see him made a gentleman. Hes paid for Fred to recieve a gentlemans education at Oxford with the intention that Fred will join the Church. Fred knows the Church isnt for him, but isnt sure what else to do, nor how to tell his father his education was for naught. <p> These are just three of a huge cast of characters, all of them fascinating in their own way as their lives intersect. The book feels more like a documentary than a novel, and you grow to feel as if the characters could be your own friends and neighbors. <p> Highly recommended, I know this is going to be one of your favorite books.