The Grand Babylon Hotel by Arnold Bennett

The Grand Babylon Hotel was originally published in 1902 as a serial in The Daily Mail in London. It has since been adapted into two films of the same name.

Theodore Racksole is a New York millionaire vacationing with his daughter, Nella, in London. The Racksoles are staying at the luxurious and famous Grand Babylon Hotel. After being unable to order dinner that wasn't on the menu, Theodore impulsively purchases the hotel from the owner. Once he takes over the hotel, though, Theodore discovers a nasty conspiracy against a guest implicating members of his staff. 

I throughly enjoyed the plot of this book: there were mysteries, cliffhangers, and intriguing characters. These elements kept me engaged and on the edge of my seat. That being said, I was disappointed that most of the action took place outside of the hotel. I wanted to hear more about how a hotel in the early 1900s was run.

Some of my favorite parts were the descriptions of London, and in particular, the Thames. The descriptions weren't all that imaginative, but they were nonetheless cool to read. 

The writing was also not very imaginative. In fact, none of the writing was exceptional in quality or style. It's annoying that the writing wasn't better, because it would have complemented the great plot.

This book does have a few laughs, some swashbuckling moments, and loads of plot twists, but better writing would have made this a great book. Three out of five stars.

The Time Machine by H. G. Wells

Ahead of its time in 1895, The Time Machine touches on ideas like time travel and futuristic vehicles.

The novella starts with the "Time Traveller" sitting around his dinner table with guests. He discusses the idea of time being the fourth dimension, and he announces that he has built a machine that can travel to the future. After his hesitant guests leave, the Time Traveller embarks on a test journey.

I wanted to read this book because I have never read much science fiction and thought I should give it a chance. Usually, I think of science fiction books as being the kind of cheap and poorly written pocket books you'd find in the drugstore, but this was nothing of that sort.

The descriptions of the action and the future are imaginative and vivid. From the buildings that seem to appear out of nowhere to the giant murderous crabs, Wells entertains the reader with memorable images. 

What I enjoyed so much about The Time Machine was its exploration of modern ideas in a Victorian writing style. It was refreshing and interesting to have that pairing of chronological opposites and it elevated the quality of the book. 

This was a great first exposure to science fiction and I'm happy to give The Time Machine five out of five stars. 

Dracula by Bram Stoker

Published in 1897, Dracula has become a staple in horror and gothic literature.

Jonathan Harker is a solicitor sent to conduct business with Count Dracula in Transylvania. Harker barely escapes Dracula's castle and returns to England where he reunites with his fiancée, Mina. At the same time, Dracula expands his vampiric operation to England. Mina's best friend, Lucy, receives three marriage proposals. An unknown illness makes Lucy deathly ill and Dr. John Seward, one of her suitors, steps forth to cure her. When he can't figure out what's wrong, Seward calls upon his former professor, Dr. Van Helsing, to help. It is determined that the cause of Lucy's illness is a vampire bite and this reveals that the Count has come to England. Jonathan, Van Helsing, Mina, Seward, and Lucy's two other suitors form a coalition against the Count, and make plans to track him down.

A unique attribute of Dracula is its interesting story-telling format. The story alternates among protagonists' diary entries, memoranda, and letters to reveal the action. I found this format refreshing and unlike anything I've ever read.

Honestly, I was disappointed that the story wasn’t scarier. Perhaps our definition of what is scary has evolved over time and that is why I didn’t find it bone chilling, where a contemporaneous reader might have. Sure, there were a few creepy and suspenseful moments but overall I thought the “fear factor” was lacking. 

Dr. Van Helsing was annoying because he always acted superior to everyone else, and even though he was only invited to help with the operation, he took it over. His cockiness could have been toned down.

One of the most fascinating elements of the story was its portrayal of women in Victorian society. At the noble end of the spectrum, there is the innocent and intelligent Mina who has a “man’s brain” and a “woman’s heart.” As the secretary of the group of vampire hunters, Mina plays a key role in tracking down Count Dracula, and she is the type of woman I would have aspired to be had I lived in the 1800s. In the middle of the spectrum lies Lucy who, like Mina, is smart. However, Lucy’s beauty is described more frequently than her intelligence, and it prompts three marriage proposals. After Dracula bites Lucy, she becomes a highly sexualized vampire. Using Lucy as an illustration, Bram Stoker shows how a woman’s reputation could quickly improve or become tarnished. At the evil end of the spectrum are Dracula’s female, vampire prisoners who try to seduce and kill any men they can. By the end of the story, Dracula’s prisoners and Lucy have been killed, and only Mina lives a full and happy life. 

Overall, Dracula's storytelling and interesting portrayal of vampires are incredible, however, it won't keep anyone up at night. Three out of five stars.

Breakfast of Champions by Kurt Vonnegut

Published in 1973, Breakfast of Champions is Kurt Vonnegut’s seventh novel. The story was adapted into a 1999 film of the same name.

Kilgore Trout is an aging science fiction writer. Trout is invited by his only fan, Eliot Rosewater, to an arts festival in Midland City where Trout will read some of his stories. Dwayne Hoover is a lonely, mentally ill old man who owns a Pontiac dealership in Midland City. Trout and Hoover eventually cross paths, provoking Hoover’s illness to erupt in violence. Most of the action alternates between Trout’s journey to Midland City and Hoover’s further descent into insanity.

Vonnegut writes well. His use of technical terminology connects the reader with the topic. In addition, he uses humor to make the most boring things sound interesting. Breakfast is also peppered with whimsical drawings of everything from buttons to chickens. These little bonuses were unique and entertaining.

The satire in the book is well done; it’s funny, unique, thought provoking, and topical for the time (The Vietnam War). The plot itself was tedious and unamusing. I also didn’t like when Vonnegut inserted himself into the action in the final third of the story. I found that completely unnecessary and distracting from the two main characters. Throughout the book, Vonnegut jumps from one topic to the next, constantly ranting about the things Americans do. That’s okay, especially if it’s done cleverly, as it is here. However, I wish he had fully completed his thoughts before moving on to other rants.

Overall, I think Vonnegut’s satire on America is humorous and engaging, and I wish he were around to write one about America today. The lackluster plot and random, incomplete rants are not as praiseworthy. Two and a half out of five stars.

Cannery Row by John Steinbeck

Published in 1945, Cannery Row is about the characters and happenings in a section of the central Californian city of Monterey during the Depression. (The characters return in Sweet Thursday, written nine years later.) Driving through Cannery Row and visiting the National Steinbeck Center in Salinas, CA, inspired me to read this book.

Doc, a local marine biologist, has always been nice to the people of Cannery Row without asking for anything in return. To thank him, Mack and “the boys” arrange a party at his house, but Doc never makes it. The party spins out of control, and the next morning Doc returns to a house turned upside down. Mack and the boys feel awful and vow to throw Doc another party for his birthday. This time, the party is a success.

Cannery Row has a simple plot and its characters don’t change much but these factors do not affect its ability to engage the reader. In fact, they enhance Steinbeck’s portrayal of the people of Cannery Row, who are essentially good despite being thrown with some of life’s toughest challenges. No one in the town is wealthy, yet everyone seems satisfied with what they have. Mack and the boys throw the party even though they cannot afford it. Even after the first party’s failure, they don’t give up on the idea of rewarding their friend. Doc, to be generous, will buy a frog from anyone for a nickel. Doc also takes in a mentally challenged boy, Frankie, and is always patient with him, even though the boy constantly makes mistakes. Almost everyone in Cannery Row owes money to Lee Chong, the owner of the local grocery. Lee never asks to be repaid. Despite economic hardships, Dora, the owner of Cannery Row’s whorehouse, always gives generously to charity. Through his illustration of these characters, Steinbeck is saying that good people can be found in the most obscure and dirty places and in the most difficult of times.

The most interesting character in the story is Doc. Doc frequently goes down to the coast to collect specimens and works in his lab doing experiments. He lets anyone help who wants to. He helps everyone with anything and is always honest. He also does some surprising things. After a hitchhiker warns Doc about having a beer while driving, Doc punches him in the face. Doc also eventually allows Frankie to go to an institution. Doc made the right decision, however, I had expected Doc to adopt Frankie.

John Steinbeck is a wonderful writer. His introduction is evocative: “Cannery Row in Monterey in California is a poem, a stink, a grating noise, a quality of light, a tone, a habit, a nostalgia, a dream.” By the time you finish the story, you discover all of those qualities to be true. Steinbeck’s descriptions of the sea creatures Doc finds and of the California coast are beautiful. His writing is also humorous and entertaining.

I believe that Cannery Row has much to offer the reader; a laugh, a tear, heartbreak, and a promise. A very solid five out of five stars.

America (The Book): A Citizen's Guide to Democracy Inaction by Jon Stewart, Ben Karlin, And David Javerbaum

In America (The Book), Jon Stewart satirizes American politics, American history, and other countries.

Written in the style of a history textbook, this book has many elements. The book includes study guides, class exercises, and discussion questions. There are also essays written by people who were affiliated with The Daily Show when the book was written. Reading this book was never dull - it was always interactive and engaging.

As far as the history goes, I actually learned quite a bit that I didn't know beforehand and that was refreshing.

The original 2004 edition took me a while to find. This edition is no longer being printed - only the "teacher's" edition can be purchased new. I definitely recommend the 2004 edition without the annoying history professor's corrections in red found in the "teacher's" edition. This edition also lacks the hilarious section evaluating the 2004 presidential candidates. 

Overall, the best thing America has to offer is a good laugh; it's not that substantial. For these reasons, I give America three out of five stars. 

The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath

The Bell Jar is Sylvia Plath's only novel. Originally published under Plath's pseudonym Victoria Lucas, the novel is a roman à clef of Plath's college years.

Esther Greenwood is a talented writer interning at a prestigious New York magazine. During her time in NYC, Esther is surprisingly unexcited by the big city or its lifestyle. Instead, she just drifts along and is even frightened by some of the events that occur. She moves back to Massachusetts with the possibility of taking a writing course in the summer. When she doesn't get this opportunity, Esther plans on writing a novel but she can't - she is unable to write, sleep, or eat. Esther's mother becomes concerned and sends her to a psychiatrist. The psychiatrist's efforts don't help and Esther attempts suicide. After this event, Esther hops from one asylum to another. 

Sylvia Plath's own suicide was a genuine and tragic loss to literature because she was truly talented. In The Bell Jar, Plath compares the possibilities of Esther's life to figs on a tree. Esther is sitting in the low part of the tree starving because she can't decide which fig to pick. As time passes, the figs, representing opportunities, shrivel up and die. This is a beautiful and clever metaphor for life's possibilities. Perhaps the most poetic moment is Esther's feeling as if she is under a bell jar stewing in her own air and the bell jar follows her wherever she goes. This metaphor gives readers who have not experienced mental illness an insight into what it might actually feel like. 

As for the plot, with the exception of Esther, the characters are all unlikable. Esther's mother is in denial about Esther's all too real issues.  Esther's friends are shallow. Esther's ex-boyfriend is a hypocrite. Most of the psychiatrists and nurses seem useless. Esther, however, is funny and you feel for her because she is wildly talented. 

Overall, I think that this book has great value for its important subject matter and poetic moments; five out of five stars.