A Century Ago
War Horse, by Michael Morpurgo, 1982. I'd love to see the play someday, and I heard the movie wasn't as good as the book, so I'd put this on my must-read list. It's a short book, meant for children, but it's beautiful and intense. Takes place (at first) in Great Britain around 1914. Got the book for Mother's Day 2013.
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith, 1943. Also takes place around a century ago (the opening is 1912). The way the novel encompasses many of the author's philosophy on life reminds me of John Steinbeck's East of Eden. This novel isn't as bleak, though, although the surroundings that the girl, Francie, is raised in certainly counts as poverty. It does touch on America's involvement in WWI, even though it's not set there. Since so much of the book parallels the author's life, I wonder if it would be considered semi-autobiographical. Received the book as a birthday gift from Mike's Mom several years ago.
Loaned them both to Mom recently. I know she's started War Horse, and hope she enjoys them both as much as I did.
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith, 1943. Also takes place around a century ago (the opening is 1912). The way the novel encompasses many of the author's philosophy on life reminds me of John Steinbeck's East of Eden. This novel isn't as bleak, though, although the surroundings that the girl, Francie, is raised in certainly counts as poverty. It does touch on America's involvement in WWI, even though it's not set there. Since so much of the book parallels the author's life, I wonder if it would be considered semi-autobiographical. Received the book as a birthday gift from Mike's Mom several years ago.
Loaned them both to Mom recently. I know she's started War Horse, and hope she enjoys them both as much as I did.