Nate & Elli Miller
The Lincoln Highway
by Amor Towles
Who doesn’t love a good ol’ American Odyssey? You might recognize the name Amor Towles as the author of A Gentleman in Moscow. The Lincoln Highway has a very different feel to it. Over the course of a ten-day, whirlwind roadtrip set in 1950s America, we follow Emmett and his young brother Billy as they pursue some “friends” who had stolen their car in pursuit of a supposed treasure. There’s a lot of physical movement to push the plot along at a good clip, yet each character is embellished with a complete past and vivid dreams of the future. The strength of Towles’s writing is his characters (though not his women), and the ability to raise thoughtful questions without preaching literary sermons and bogging the reader down. Good example of switching POVs without being annoying or distracting. A longish read, but worth it.
The Remains of the Day
by Kazuo Ishiguro
This is one of those books that you get from the library, read it, and then realize you need to own a copy and buy one. This fictional story set in England post-World War II features a butler looking back on his long-time service for a British gentleman. The unique thing about this story is that it’s told in the first-person narrative, but there’s a little voice in the back of your head wondering if you can fully trust the narrator’s presentation of the events. How much are his loyalties coloring his narrative? How much is he trying to convince himself of what believes? He does not raise the question, “Did I do the right thing?” directly, but it seems he is asking the reader to judge that for themselves. A good introduction to Ishiguro’s writing.
Mansfield Park
by Jane Austen
Ask anyone what their favorite Jane Austen novel is. Odds are, not many will say Mansfield Park. This is in large part because there just aren’t as many funny characters in this story; their flaws are less forgivable and don’t entertain us in the meantime. Yet, as with any of Austen’s books, she pinpoints characters' issues in relationships and behavior with deadly accuracy. We’re going to write a longer post on Mansfield Park, but here are a couple of observations for now:
Some people get the wrong idea that the protagonist in this novel, Fanny, has no weaknesses other than being a little shy. In Austen’s novels, her heroines’ flaws are often rooted in their personality, but Fanny’s arise from the unfortunate circumstances of her upbringing. In our current victim culture, we are tempted to excuse Fanny on account of this; but Austen fully expects Fanny to rise to the occasion.
Another reason that Mansfield Park is not often a favorite is that the main male love interest is less attractive than Austen’s other male protagonists, like Mr. Darcy or Mr. Knightly. Edmund commits the unforgivable crime of pursuing one woman despite a “better” one being right at hand. While Fanny can forgive him if he “settles” for Mary Crawford, the modern reader certainly can’t. Or can you? Give it a go.
