Spring Reading Inspiration – Books I Have Read Lately

Dearest reader,

Are you in a need of a book recommendation? If you have indeed done the imposibble and are out of books to read this is your time to jump back to those pages. Namely, here are fife books which I have read lately and would like to tell you about. Perhaps, one of them will spark your interest!

Oscar Wilde

THE PICTURE OF DORIAN GREY

The Picture of Dorian Grey tells a story of a handsom English gentleman Dorian Grey whose looks charm both an artist Basil Hallward and Sir Henry Wotton, the latter introducing Dorian into the dangerous prospects of worshiping beauty and youth. Finally, Sir Wotton's influence causes Dorian to make a wish that all traces of age should be mirrored in his portrait rather than on Dorian's face. Unfortunately, the wish becomes true filling Dorian's life with misery, heartache, madness and horror. Are eternal youth and beauty worthwhile after all?

My thoughts: Oscar Wilde's famous wit can be sensed throughout the book and while his manner of writing is highly entertaining it is also thought provoking in its themes. A deep study of beauty and apperance makes you reflect on your own conseption of one's changing looks. Furthermore, I thought it was a brilliant Victorian tale so much so that I even felt a bit frightened at one point.

F. Scott Fitzgerald

TENDER IS THE NIGHT

Tender Is The Night is a novel set in the 1920s Europe, more specifically in French Riviera, Paris and Zurich and follows a relationship between Dick and Nicole Diver. Dick, a charming American psychoanalyst and Nicole a beautiful American heiress with "cured" schizophrenia are one day introduced to an up and coming movie star, Rosemary, whose entrence into the their life's shocks the delicate balance of their relationship. A question remains, is Dick and Nicole's love strong enough to stand the test of temptation?

My thoughts: Althought, at times a slightly long-winded read "Tender Is The Night" was still an invigorating depiction of the roaring twenties' fashion and luxury lifestyle of the American socialites. Fitzgerald certainly knows how to write a tragic love story, however, if you are hoping for a glittering fairytale esque plot similar to" The Great Gatsby" you might be disappointed. Namely, "Tender Is The Night" had, in my opinion, a more melancholicly stagnatious athmosphere, almoust depressed and oppressing as a heatwave that would swell up and burst whenever something shocking appeared.

Jane Austen

THREE SISTERS, LOVE & FRIENDSHIP, LESLEY CASTLE AND LADY SUSAN

These four stories were part of a collection of Austen's epistolary novels: Three Sisters, Love & Friendship, Lesley Castle and Lady Susan. Staying true herself, Austen explores the themes of love, marriage, friendship and gossip through letters written to each other by friends, daughters, mothers, aunts and enemies.

My thoughts: First of all, absolutely hilarious characters! It is safe to say, that you can expect a full array of the type of sillyness only our darling Austen can express about the 18th century society. What is more, it was interesting to follow these stories through the medium of letters which inspired me so that I wrote a full blog post about epistolary novels and women writing letters.

Torsti Lehtinen

SOFIAN SISARET: FILOSOFIAN HISTORIAN VAIKUTTAVAT NAISET (eng. Sofia's Sisters: Influential Women in the History of Philosophy)

"Sofia's Sisters" is a brief introduction into 13 different women philosophers from antiquity to modern day and aims to raise awareness for women philosophers. Therefore, the book provides a quick overview to each philosopher's key ideas, theories and publication as well as shelds light on their lifes and even relationships. For example, Simone de Beauvoir, Mary Wollstonecraft, Diotima and Hildegard of Bingen are featured in the book alongside with more unknown philosophers such as Hypatia, Miss Anscombe, Aspasia, Edith Stein, Simone Weil and so on.

My thoughts: Needless to say, that Sofia's Sisters was a very invigorating read and a book I will definetly come back to. Althought, I have to confest not understanding everything these women talked about and stood for but thankfully that only means I have room to learn more. Especially, Mary Wollstonecraft wakened my intrests as well as Hildegard of Bingen, a Benedictine abbess, who seemed to have led a very interesting life during the Middle Ages.

Louisa May Alcott

LITTLE WOMEN

"Little Women" is a heart warming, coming of age story of the March family's four sisters Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy whom the book follows through humble but loving childhood, hopeful teenage dreams and fears and depressing but occasionally delightful realities of adulthood. How each of the sisters will adapt to the expectations of their own hearts and preassures of society? Will life turn out the way they always dreamt it would?

My thoughts: I am not exaggerating when I say that words cannot begin to express how much I love, love, love "Littel Women"! Ouh, I get emotional even thinking about it. I have read it twice within two years and by now I consider the book my most valued posession. Basically, there is no way on earth you can pass this book!