Books
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100 Nursery Rhymes |
4/4 |
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This is a collection of 100 classic nursery rhymes; play together, animal rhymes, girls and boys, number rhymes, favorite folk, best-loved rhymes, bedtime rhymes. |
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50 Great Short Stories |
3/4 |
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This is a collection of short stories. Various famous authors were given the opportunity to choose one story they enjoyed reading. |
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Adventures of Huckleberry Finn |
3/4 |
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A young boy growing up in a pre Civil War America. Rustic lifestyle. |
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Aesop’s Fables |
4/4 |
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A collection of short stories about animals. Each story demonstrates a moral or lesson. |
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American Short Story Masterpieces |
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A collection of short stories recommended to me by a writing teacher. |
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Andersen (Hans Christian, Fairy Tales) |
3/4 |
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Andersen’s fairy tales are enjoyable for the most part. Some feel a bit overly focused on issues of God, Heaven, and salvation; and some are stories of animals and objects given personality so that he can explore their perspective. |
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Arabian Nights |
3/4 |
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The story of a woman married to a sultan, sentenced to death in the morning so he can marry again tomorrow. She tells him stories at night, and he must hear the ending. Therefore, she is allowed to live another day so that he can hear the rest. Some of the stories are strong, some are weak. |
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Aspects of the Novel |
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I have not yet read this book. |
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Batman, Year One |
3/4 |
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Bruce Wayne knows he wants to save Gotham. He’s trained for years to achieve that goal. But he hasn’t figured out exactly how to save Gotham, yet. |
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Batman Arkham Asylum |
3/4 |
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The inmates of Arkham take over. The story is powerful and heavily symbolic. |
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Batman Long Halloween |
3/4 |
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A killer with a specific MO kills on holidays. Various classic villains cameo. |
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Batman, Killing Joke |
3/4 |
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The Joker wants to prove that anyone can be like him. All it takes is one really bad day. |
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The BFG |
2/4 |
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Roald Dahl’s story of a friendship between a child and a friendly giant. |
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Castle in the Attic |
3/4 |
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A young boy, his castle, and a toy knight that comes to life. That’s how it starts… |
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Cathedral |
4/4 |
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Cathedral is a collection of short stories by Raymond Carver, including the short story Cathedral. His writing is powerful in the details. The stories as a whole may or may not impress, but the quality of writing should.
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Changing Planes |
4/4 |
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Airplanes are so unpleasant that the mind takes you to another plane of existence, where you can experience another world. Some are very similar to ours, some are not. The book covers several worlds; a mixture of anthropology and a narrative. |
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Chronicles of Amber |
4/4 |
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The story begins as a desire to be king; then becomes a more complex exploration of how Corwin, the main character, has changed. Most of the story cannot be revealed without ruining the experience. It begins with Nine Princes in Amber. |
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Conan |
3/4 |
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Stories of the barbarian Conan; as a king, fighting ancient gods/demons, wizards, pirates, and armies. Stories range from short to novelllas. |
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Coraline |
3/4 |
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A young girl is bored in her quiet home, until she finds her Other Mother. But this fairytale world is hiding secrets and danger, and eventually Coraline must outwit the “witch”. |
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Dark is Rising (5) |
3/4 |
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The Dark, magical beings of power, wish to control the fate of man. The Light, Old Ones, wish to protect man from the Dark. The Light must find the prophecies and seek the objects of power, all in preparation for the last rising of the Dark, when victory or defeat will be final. The first volume is Over the Sea, Under the Stone. |
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Dark Materials |
3/4 |
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Dark Materials is a story in an alternate world, where people have a shadow partner that takes the form of an animal. The story explores issues of God, sentience, and right/wrong. Golden Compass, Subtle Knife, Amber Spyglass |
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Dark Sword Trilogy (3) |
3/4 |
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A world where everyone is born with magic, born to one of the elements (there are more than 4). Those without magic are banished or killed. |
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Death Gate Cycle (7) |
4/4 |
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The world has been shattered into four worlds; Air is a series of floating islands, Fire is a lush jungle, Earth is a subterranean world, and Water is a series of islands in air bubbles surrounded by water. To go from one world to another you must pass through Death’s Gate, something few can do. The story is grim and harsh, exploring how powers greater than the characters can easily crush them, and chance and luck play as much importance as skill and choice. The first volume is Dragon Wing |
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Dracula |
3/4 |
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Bram Stoker’s original story of a vampire. |
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Dragon Nimbus |
2/4 |
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Dragon Nimbus is a trilogy, with the prequel Dragon Nimbus History. Dragons exist, wizards/magicians exist, and a small kingdom struggles to maintain peace both within and without as enemies try to destroy it. The story is written by a female author, and I would say the most interesting aspect is seeing how her gender changes a type of story seen quite often in fantasy genres. First novel, Glass Dragon.
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Dune (6) |
4/4 |
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In the year 10,191, in a galaxy ruled as a medieval empire, many plans hinge on one person, Paul Atreides. Some want him dead, others want to use him, and he struggles with his own identity. Which path should he choose? Is there any way to escape them all? |
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Eddings, David |
2/4 |
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David Eddings has written many books. I have 2 trilogies and 1 five-part. His stories are almost always grand quests to recover a powerful item, with a group of characters like thief, barbarian, knight, archer, old wise man (magician) or wise god/godess, and a powerful female magician with healing and combat magics. Villains are associated with red or green, depraved sexual and violent tendencies, and an almost infantile desire to acquire the “ancient power”, which is blue. Villains are idiots. |
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Emperor’s Soul |
?/4 |
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A magic called Forging, where you can rewrite the past of an object to change the present condition. A well renowned practitioner must use Forging to restore the Emperor’s Soul. |
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Ender’s Game |
3/4 |
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Ender’s Game is the first in a series about Ender. It’s about war and a clash between cultures so different they don’t understand each other. The first volume is Ender’s Game. The second series begins with Ender’s Shadow. |
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Fantasy Encyclopedia |
4/4 |
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This is a book of fantastic creatures; little people, elementals and nature spirits, mysterious animals, fabulous beats, mythical beings, magic and spells, ghosts and the undead. This book is illustrated by one of the two artists from the Lord of the Rings. |
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Flight of Dragons |
4/4 |
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The author examines the various legends and representations of dragons, and tries to imagine a creature that would evolve a single strategy for survival, and could fit, or appear to fit, all of the legends and stories. |
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For Writers Only |
4/4 |
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This book does not teach a person how to write, rather it encourages a person to write. It is a comforting and therapeutic book to quiet the fears and self depreciation that many artists face. |
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Fortress on the Sun |
2/4 |
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A penal colony inside the sun, using the sun’s power to create a protective shield. There are no guards, only a list of rules. Break the rules, and the shield will be shut down. This threat helps the inmates maintain order and live in this strange place. |
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Goblins in the Castle |
2/4 |
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A boy growing up in a castle finds a secret door, and strange voices calling him to open it. |
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Gnome (Forest Gnome) |
4/4 |
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This book is like an anthropological study of the culture and society of gnomes. If you have ever seen the show “David the Gnome” it is similar, but most of the text is not a narrative but informational format. There are a few short stories near the end. |
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The Complete Brothers Grimm |
/4 |
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I have not yet read this.
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Gulliver’s Travels |
3/4 |
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A man visits strange lands; where he is a giant, where he is small, where a powerful kingdom floats in the sky. |
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Had I 100 Mouths |
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A collection of short stories. I have not yet read it. |
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Harry Potter (1-7) |
4/4 |
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Harry Potter is a fun book series about a boy who learns how to become a wizard in a secret magical world that lives alongside the 20th century. The plot includes the story of a boy growing up, and a dark lord who will rule all. The story starts with Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. |
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Hero with a Thousand Faces |
4/4 |
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An analysis of the common chapters or roles in the classic hero’s journey into the world, combat evil, and return to his home as a man. |
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Hunger Games (Trilogy) |
2.5/4 |
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A future world of elite with technology and many with medieval resources. Children are chosen to fight to the death in an arena to punish the many for their crimes. The story follows how the system works, and falters, before crashing into chaos. Gets darker fast. |
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The Illiad |
3/4 |
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Homer’s great story of the war between Greece and Troy. |
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Interview with a Vampire |
3/4 |
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A vampire tells his life story, a bitter struggle with what it is to be a vampire. |
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Jumanji |
4/4 |
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Jumanji looks like an ordinary board game, but once you start playing, you have to finish. |
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Keats (Complete poems of John) |
3/4 |
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The poetry of John Keats. |
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Last Unicorn |
4/4 |
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Last Unicorn is a wonderful story with many virtues, not the least of which is the tale of an immortal creature, a unicorn, fearing that perhaps she is the last, and the journey she takes in search of her kin. |
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Leaves of Grass |
3/4 |
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Transcendentalism |
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Le Morte D’Arthur |
3/4 |
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This is the original story of King Arthur. Solid read, but sometimes the language makes it challenging to understand. |
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Lord of the Rings |
4/4 |
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Lord of the Rings is the tale of a medieval world where many mythical races exist, and a dark lord seeks to conquer all. The story begins with Fellowship of the Ring, but prequels in The Hobbit. |
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Lost Years of Merlin (7 volumes) |
3/4 |
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Emrys, later to be called Merlin, goes on a journey to find out where he comes from, and who he really is. He finds his way to Fincayra, a magical land slowly dying under the rule of a cruel king. The first volume is The Lost Years of Merlin. |
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Lovecraft, best of |
3/4 |
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About 12 of Lovecraft’s best, including Call of Cthulu and Dunwich Horror. |
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Mage Winds (3 volumes) |
2/4 |
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The kingdom of Valdemar has no magic, and magic cannot be performed in their country, but the barrier is weakening. A young herald (knight) is sent to find mages and bring them back to combat the neighboring country, who seeks to conquer them using magic. The first volume is Winds of Fate |
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Magic Shop (3 volumes) |
4/4 |
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The three books tell the story of three people who encounter Mr. Elvis’s Magic Shop, and come away with a magical item. Jeremy Thatcher Dragon Hatcher, Monster’s Ring, and Jennifer Murdley’s Toad. |
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Magickal Mystical Creatures |
3/4 |
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A comprehensive encyclopedia of magical creatures from various cultures, sorted by the type of creature, not the location. |
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Making Shapely Fiction |
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I have not yet read this book. |
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The Man Who Was Thursday |
3/4 |
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Difficult to describe. |
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The Maxx |
4/4 |
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The Maxx a graphic novel series about a homeless man who uncontrollably flickers between the real world and his Outback. The stories are gritty and dark, and very well done. |
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Mike Mulligan and his Steam Shovel |
4/4 |
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A man and his steam shovel. |
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Mistborn Trilogy |
2.5/4 |
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The world has been ruled by a tyrant for 1,000 years. A man intent on revenge wishes to start a rebellion and kill the tyrant. The story is full of many plot twists/escalations, and a grim story. |
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Mouse Guard (2 volumes) |
4/4 |
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A graphic novel about mice that have built towns in trees and underground. The mouse guard help to protect and help the towns from the dangers of large animals and famine. Very well drawn. The first volume is Fall 1152 |
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Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of Nimh |
3/4 |
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Mrs. Frisby lives in a field on a farm. She must move her family before the plow comes, but her son is sick. To save him, she seeks out the Rats of Nimh. |
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Myst (3 volumes) |
3/4 |
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The Myst Reader contains the three volumes of the series. The culture of D’Ni could write a special kind of book, describing a world, and then use that book to go to that world and return. |
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Nature and Selected Essays |
2/4 |
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Transcendentalism |
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Night Angel Trilogy |
4/4 |
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A child street thief becomes an apprentice assassin, eventually becoming a key player as an evil empire attempts to conquer the known world. |
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Ninja The Shadow Warrior |
4/4 |
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This is a historical account of the techniques and history of the ninja. It is both respectful and realistic. |
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Norton Anthology of English Literature |
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It’s difficult to rank this text. It is a massive volume, containing many stories that historical scholars have ranked as important. (shrug) |
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Nutcracker Ballet |
4/4 |
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A novelized version of the ballet the Nutcracker. |
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October Country |
¾ |
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Short stories by Ray Bradbury. Comparable to episodes of the Twilight Zone or Outer Limits. |
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The Odyssey |
3/4 |
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Homer’s story of Odysseus’s struggle to return home. |
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The Old Man and the Sea |
3/4 |
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An old fisherman’s struggle with a large marlin. |
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Owl Moon |
4/4 |
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A father and his son go out in the winter night, to look for an owl. |
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Perrault (Fairy Tales, Charles) |
4/4 |
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Perrault’s fairy tales are few, but all classics. |
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Peter Pan |
4/4 |
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Four children meet Peter Pan, a flying boy who takes them to Neverland, where children can meet Indians, pirates, mermaids, and fairies. |
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Pet Shop of Horrors (10 volumes) |
4/4 |
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This is a Japanese manga or graphic novel. Stories are primarily standalones. The pet shop owner, D, sells strange pets to people. Sometimes he’s trying to help them, sometimes he’s trying to punish them. The story explores people’s faults and dreams. |
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Redwall |
3/4 |
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An abbey of mice under siege by an army of rats, weasels, etc. While trying to defeat Cluny, the mice reclaim the lost history of their founder, Martin the Warrior. |
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Sandman (10 volumes) |
4/4 |
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This is Neil Gaiman’s brilliant graphic novel series about Dream, one of the endless. The first volume focuses on how he is imprisoned for a lifetime, starved and cut off from everything, but unable to die. Later volumes explore various stories and develop the character of Dream. The first volume is Preludes & Nocturnes. |
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Scribner Anthology of Contemporary Short Fiction (1999) |
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A collection of short stories. I have not yet read it. |
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The Secret of the 7 Willows |
4/4 |
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Children discover a wishing ring, and go on adventures of mischief and discovery. |
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Sherlock Holmes |
4/4 |
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I am a big fan of Sherlock Holmes.
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Shakespeare (Complete Works) |
3/4 |
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Shakespeare is another example where you hear how great he is before you read his work for yourself. I enjoy his earlier plays, both comedies and tragedies. Favorites: Romeo and Juliet, Midsummer Night’s Dream, 12th Night, and Othello. |
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Sin City |
4/4 |
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Sin City is a graphic novel series drawn using only black and white, no grayscale. The stories take place in a corrupt city where justice is often achieved through strong individuals or groups with weapons and power. |
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Sir Gawain and the Green Knight |
3/4 |
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Sir Gawain agrees to deal a blow to the green knight, and receive the same blow one year later. He chops off the green knight’s head, but the green knight does not die. |
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Steadfast Tin Solider |
4/4 |
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The steadfast tin soldier was made as a gift on Christmas. He has only one leg, but stands tall beside his brothers, gazing at the ballerina, his secret love. |
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A Stranger Came Ashore |
2/4 |
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In an island fishing village, a stranger named Finn Learson comes. He claims to be a survivor of a shipwreck, and everyone is enthralled by him, except the youngest son. There is something unnatural about his charm, and his abilities. |
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The Sun Also Rises |
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Not yet read |
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Tarzan of the Apes |
4/4 |
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A boy who grew up among apes on a tropical island, believing he was one of them. |
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Telling Stories |
3/4 |
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A collection of short stories recommended to me by a creative writing teacher. |
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Thief of Always |
4/4 |
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A boy goes to a house where every day is remarkable, the best of every season and holiday. But the glamor conceals a horrible price, and a terrible danger. A wonderful balance of horror and children’s literature. |
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Treasure Island |
4/4 |
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The original story of pirates, buried treasure, and a tropical island adventure. |
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The Vintage Book of Contemporary American Short Stories |
3/4 |
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A collection of short stories recommended to me by a creative writing teacher. |
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Walden |
3/4 |
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Transcendentalism |
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Watchmen |
3/4 |
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An alternate history where costumes superheroes became a dominant feature. Most of them are nothing more than a well trained person. The story…is too complex to describe. |
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The Wind in the Willows |
4/4 |
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The story of a mole, and the three friends he makes over the course of a year. The story is set in a time when cars are new, and horse drawn carriages and steamboats are normal.
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Winnie the Pooh |
4/4 |
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Winnie the Pooh is a story about a bear who finds his friends and has mischief filled adventures. |
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Wizard’s Hall |
2/4 |
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A boy goes to a school to learn magic in a medieval world. But the school is threatened by a villain, and their only clue is to gather up 113 students. |
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Writing Down the Bones |
3/4 |
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This is a very popular book on writing. I found it enjoyable. |
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Writing Fiction (5th Edition) |
3/4 |
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This book discusses writing, offers example short stories, and writing exercises. |
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Xanth (series) |
2/4 |
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Each novel stands alone, taking place in the magical world of Xanth, where every human has a magical talent, and every mythical creature imaginable can exist. The stories are often humorous, with puns, sexuality, and a teenage level conflict that always resolves into a happy ending. |
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Yeats (Collected poems of W.B.) |
3/4 |
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The poetry of W.B. Yeats. |
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You’ve Got to Read This |
3/4 |
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A collection of short stories recommended to me by a creative writing teacher. |
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