Decline and Fall by Evelyn Waugh

DECLINE AND FALL BY EVELYN WAUGH

Very Short Description (to keep you intrigued) :)

Paul Pennyfeather is sent away from the fictional College in Oxford for running through the grounds without his trousers. Due to that he is deprived of his inheritance and is obliged to take a job in an obscure school in Wales.

My humble opinion

Probably the best satira I've ever read! From the very first pages the storyline is ridiculously amusing and sarcastically smart. 

The characters and their stories are one more absurd than another and the 

novel breathes with mockery of the society. 

I have only one advice to give: constantly keep in mind  the genre of the novel, otherwise you'll think the author went crazy :)

Interesting Facts

The title of the novel was inspired by Edward Gibbon's "The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire" as well as Oswald Spengler's "The Decline of the West". One of the leading ideas of the latter is that the rise of nations is always followed by their decline.

Why read?

For the sake of dark humour! 

The Magus by John Fowles

THE MAGUS BY JOHN FOWLES 

Very Short Description (to keep you intrigued) :) 

A young English teacher Nicolas Urfe escapes from London to find peace on a beautiful remote island in Greece. There he meets Maurice Conchis, a master trickster, who drags Nicolas into psychological games. The more the character is buried in these games, the more they become dark and serious. 

My humble opinion 

Honestly, the first 50 pages had almost no impact on me. But then… I was so surprised I couldn’t put the book down. The author masterfully depicts sustains the tension and keeps the reader absorbed in the intrigue. The psychological games drive you crazy and at the same time astound. One has no idea what is true or false and cannot at all predict what will happen next. To my biggest satisfaction, the ending is ambiguous, which is perfect for such a dubious novel. 

Interesting Facts 

“Great Expectations” by Charles Dickens inspired the novel. As John Fowles himself mentions, he even thought of making Maurice Conchis a woman to make a parallel with Miss Havisham. 

Why read? 

For the sake of mystification and the search of truth.

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Martin Eden by Jack London

 MARTIN EDEN BY JACK LONDON

Very Short Description (to keep you intrigued) :)

Martin Eden is a poor and uneducated sailor, who idealises the world of Ruth Morse, a young lady from the bourgeois family. Martin decides to make his way in the world to become her equal.

My humble opinion

Of course the transformation of the main character is very impressive and inspiring, but the book is more about individualism. So is it possible to follow your ideas/ideals and remain part of the society, be understood? That’s the rhetorical question Jack London imposes throughout the book. It appears that the story and the problems become more complex as Martin advances, as if one had to literally experience this progress. So I really enjoyed that the novel turned out far more intricate than it seemed at first, both from the point of view of the storyline and the main idea.

Interesting Facts

Martin Eden’s character is semi-autobiographical and the character of Ruth Morse was inspired by Jack London’s first love, Mabel Applegarth.

The author did not choose the Surname Eden by a hazard. It is metaphorical and makes reference to the Garden of Eden.

Why read?

For the sake of metamorphosis and the rich ideas of Friedrich Nietzsche and Herbert Spencer!

The Moon and Sixpence by Somerset Maugham

         THE MOON AND SIXPENCE BY SOMERSET MAUGHAM

Very Short Description (to keep you intrigued) :)

The story is told by the first-person narrator, who encounters Strickland, a middle-age stockbroker through the latter’s wife. Strickland leaves his wife and children as well as his job and travels to Paris to become an artist, although he has never drawn before.

My humble opinion

Although the storyline of The Moon and Sixpence is not the most extravagant one I was astonished by the colorful images this book arose in me.  The simplicity and at the same time the complexity of the life of the major character Strickland strikes one’s philosophy. It gives way to quiet reflexion about life’s values and struggles to do what one wants to do in order to achieve happiness.

Interesting Facts

The post-impressionist artist Gauguin inspired the major character –Strickland. So the book more or less describes Gauguin’s life as well as his art.

Why read?

For the sake of Art and the amazing descriptions of paintings!