Charles Dickens’ “favorite child,” David Copperfield is a sprawling book that delivers everything you expect from a Dickens novel.
Diversions
Worth Reading: Les Miserables by Victor Hugo
You’ve seen the play! You’ve watched the movie! Now read the book!
Worth Reading: Moby Dick; or The Whale by Herman Melville
Don’t fear The Whale. Despite all of the attention from scholars, Moby Dick really is an exciting adventure story.
Worth Reading: The Good Soldier Svejk by Jaroslav Hasek
This week marks the 100th anniversary of the end of the colossal idiocy that was World War I, a good time to consider Svejk. He is the quintessential soldier and The Good Soldier Svejk is the quintessential antiwar novel.
Worth Reading: Dracula by Bram Stoker
It’s almost Halloween. Looking for appropriate reading material? The definitive vampire tale, Dracula shows very little age more than 120 years after it was written.
Worth Reading: The Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling
Everyone knows about them, many have read them, but the books are worth reading again.
Worth Reading: Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman
Who knew the End Time would be this funny?
Worth Reading: The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
The beginning and end of fantasy literature.
Worth Reading: Genius in Disguise–Harold Ross of The New Yorker
A bio of Harold Ross, the creator of one of our premier magazines and the catalyst for assembling a cast of some of the most interesting characters in journalism and publishing.
Worth Reading: Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke
Bringing magic back to England is neither simple nor safe.