It’s Back to School season, and no matter how long ago you graduated, this time of year beckons us to settle into a new routine, and create new habits.
Since Reading Resolutions is all about our reading habits, there’s no better time than September to tackle a literary classic. It might be a book you read in school and loved. It might be one you didn’t like as a student, but want to give another try. It might be a book first published hundreds of years ago– or twenty years ago. It might be a graphic novel, or even a childhood favorite.
You see, literary classics don’t have to be old, boring, or hard to read. They can be suspenseful, or scary. Some are even funny! Here are a few suggestions from our online literary classics catalog that might surprise you. To place one on hold, give the title a click. Find more great reads by browsing the catalog, or come into the library and check out the new Reading Resolutions display in the Adult Services Department. Old favorite, or new discovery…the choice is yours.
Jurassic Park (1991) by Michael Crichton – What happens when an entrepreneur decides to create the world’s most astonishing theme park, full of genetically-cloned dinosaurs? If you’ve seen the movie, you already know things go horribly wrong. The novel packs all the action and thrills of the film, but is also full of fascinating scientific detail that make a Michael Crichton novel like no other. The New York Times calls it “full of suspense.” Jurassic Park is a classic by a one-of-a-kind author at the top of his game.
The Dark Knight Returns (1986) by Frank Miller- Time Magazine calls The Dark Knight Returns one of the Top 10 Graphic Novels of All Time, in a reboot of one of the greatest comic book heroes ever created. Ten years after the Dark Knight’s retirement, Gotham City has gone to rot. Mysterious millionaire Bruce Wayne must resurrect his crime-fighting alter ego Batman against a new generation of criminals. He’s joined by a new Robin, a young girl named Carrie Kelley, who is every bit the equal of her predecessor.
Ramona the Pest (1968) by Beverly Cleary- A childhood classic, this is the story of kindergartner Ramona Quimby, who is determined to make her mark. When her efforts to be the best kindergartner EVER backfire, she’ll do anything to salvage the school year. Joined by her sister Beezus, her best friend/worst enemy Henry Huggins, her long-suffering parents, and a green-haired doll named Chevrolet, Ramona’s laugh out loud adventures make this a book a timeless favorite.
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil (1994) by John Berendt- A classic read for true-crime fans, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil is more than the story of a murder; it’s a depiction of one of America’s most unique cities, Savannah, Georgia. The sprawling cast includes society ladies, drag queens, gigolos, debutantes, and a voodoo priestess, all offering their perspective on a mystery that gripped the city for a decade.
Psycho (1959) by Robert Bloch- From true crime, to fictional, this dark, creepy novel was inspired by legendary serial killer Ed Gein and became Alfred Hitchcock’s most famous film. Motel manager Norman Bates lives with his mother in an old house behind the Bates Motel. Too bad Mother has been dead for twenty years. When a beautiful, and desperate young woman checks into the Bates Motel, Norman’s tempted. Good thing Mother, and her butcher knife, are there to protect him.
Don’t forget to update your Reading Resolutions page in Beanstack by highlighting this month’s activity badge, to be entered into our end of the month drawing for a $10 gift card.
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Covid-19 has changed many things, including the way we shop. Rather than go from store to store to look and compare, we now turn first to our computers. Sometimes, we complete the entire purchase without ever laying eyes on the item we’ve just bought.
