Pride and Prejudice (Jane Austen)
One of my all-time favorites, this one manages to embody humorous social commentary, without ever lowering itself to a snarky tone. All of the characters are flawed, none of them truly evil, many of them absolutely delightful. It's a little like real life, if only real life could be scripted by Jane Austen. The language is a work of art, but easy to read and not cumbersome. Best of all, it is just really, really funny.
Wuthering Heights (Emily Bronte)
The tempestuous relationship between the self-centered Cathy and brooding Heathcliff is like a BBC period soap opera, but without good guys. It is nearly devoid of typical dramatic heroes, but rife with delightfully malevolent nut jobs. Anti-social psychopaths? Check. Narcissists? Seemingly so. Munchausen? Natch. This is my all-time favorite tome, which may explain my struggle with crippling depression. I jest; however, it is not Pollyanna.
Those Bronte girls. It must have been something in that contaminated water. Like moldy cheese spawns penicillin, whatever microbes lived in their drinking water fed their genius. I love the Gothic feel, as well as its juxtaposition with Jane's absolutely pure soul. Although the melancholy Mr. Rochester (Boo!) needs nothing so much as a time-out in the corner, he eventually gets it in a big way, and it serves him well. (Sorry for the spoiler, but without it, you might despise him so much you would refuse to finish the book.)
No, I am not too old for this children's tale. Neither is anybody else. In fact, as I read it to my kids, I feel a little sorry that they are simply too young and inexperienced to understand some of the best comedic moments. As a near-adult, I can nearly understand the brilliant plays on words that Mr. Juster musters. As an architect and not "just" a writer, he seems to actually utilize both sides of his brain simultaneously, in one beautiful hodgepodge of nonsense. It is a lovely cacophony not present in many literary works.
Fix It and Forget It Lightly (Phyllis Pellman Good)Okay, so a 'light" cookbook does not constitute light reading, for most people. But, as an avowed kitchen hater, crockpots are it for me. I have never caught one on fire, or even burned the contents beyond recognition. Line it with aluminum foil, and you do not even have to clean it (much.) With 600 recipes containing nutritious members of the actual food groups, this book keeps my family from a life of ramen noodles.
