Death Comes for the Archbishop - Lynn's Take

Set in the American Southwest in the late 1800s, Death Comes for the Archbishop is the story of two missionaries - Jean Marie Latour and Joseph Vaillant - as they bring Catholicism to the native population.

Plot is not the driver in this novel.  The characters and especially the beautiful setting are the reason to read.  Willa Cather has crafted a lyrical, prose portrait of the Southwest and its inhabitants that captures the imagination and that captures the spirit of the place and time.

Invisible Man - Lynn's Take

I actually finished Invisible Man a while ago, and I've been putting off writing my post about it, because I simply do not know what to make of it.

To tell you the truth, I think the narrator didn't really know what to make of it, either.  He experienced so many layers of prejudice, denial, pride, paternalism, indifference, victimization, stereotyping, adventurism, and wishful thinking that I don't think, even at the end of the story, he had a real sense of himself.  I would go so far as to say he was less an invisible man than an indeterminate man.

The Wind in the Willows - Lynn's Take

I'm not sure why The Wind in the Willows is on Radcliffe's list of the top 100 modern novels.  I did not hate it, but found it to be dated - it may have charmed generations of young readers, but I doubt it charms today's young readers, who are likely to find the book's syntax difficult to follow and many of the book's subjects unfamiliar (types of carriages, cellar storage, Edwardian social norms).

So, what follows are a few guesses as to why this book is included on the list.  Keep in mind, these are only guesses, as my (very) brief research into the literary importance of The Wind in the Willows didn't turn up anything.  

1.  This book is the first of a genre of human-like animals having human adventures.
2.  This book is the first piece of English children's "literature".
3.  It uniquely captures English nostalgia for pre-industrial revolution norms and traditions.

"The Wind in the Willows" from Kelli

What an insufferable piece of garbage!

I have been tortuously reading The Wind in the Willows since the beginning of the school year and only managed to finish it through sheer willpower about 3 weeks ago.  What is delightful about these stories?  Why is this on the list?  Was there not another token children's book that could've been included on the top 100 list?

I think The Wind in the Willows is supposed to be a lovely, whimsical tale of some animal friends who have some misadventures and learn some lessons in the end.  I found it, instead, to be a pointless, rambling novel about an intolerable Toad who is inconsiderate toward his friends and causes a lot of mayhem.

I disliked this book so much that I don't wish to spend more time thinking about it in order to write a post about how much I didn't like it.