(by guest blogger Cassie)
Summertime
is a beautiful season and what better way to spend it than sitting back in the
sunshine with a good book. There are hundreds of summer reading lists out
there, but for fans of Jane Austen and classic literature, we’ve compiled five
incredible stories that are bound to tickle your fancy.
They
are all easily purchasable for Amazon's Kindle, making them perfect to take
away with you. However, particularly if you're buying while abroad, it's wise
to make sure you're using the right tools to keep your details. Check out this
post by Secure Thoughts on Kindle security for more information.
Ready for some recommendations?
1. North and South, by Elizabeth Gaskell
This
fantastic social commentary uses the British North/South divide as a catalyst to explore
differences of opinion between the working poor and the wealthy mill owners.
Set in a fictional version of industrialized Manchester—named Milton—in the nineteenth
century, it follows Margaret Hale as she is forced to leave her tranquil, rural
southern home for the din and drama of city life.
Truly depicted as the heroine of the novel, Margaret forms an allegiance with
the downtrodden workers and comes to heated blows with the factory owners. It
uses her naïve perspective to discuss the social situation of the time and, as
her understanding develops, addresses the ethics of life during the industrial
revolution.
2. The Tenant Of Windfell Hall by Anne Brontë
Anne
was the youngest and least well-known of the Brontë sisters, only releasing two
novels before her death at just 29 years of age. However her final book, “The Tenant
of Windfell Hall” is largely considered to be of the first true feminist pieces
of literature ever written.
The
story is told through a series of letters passed between a man named Gilbert
Markham and his brother-in-law. In the writing, he discusses how a mysterious
young woman arrived in his village, along with son and servant, and had
immediately been vilified by local people. Befriending the girl, he gains
access to her diaries and discovers she has fled from an abusive husband. As
this act broke both the social convention of the time and the law, this book is
hailed as the most controversial work from the Brontë sisters and is a truly
historical read.
3. Belinda, by Maria Edgeworth
This novel by Irish author Maria
Edgeworth was wonderfully ahead of its time when it was released in 1801.
Exploring the idea of interracial marriage, it was so
controversial that it had to be heavily edited for the third edition in 1810.
The
story follows the title's namesake, Belinda, and is centered around her
relationship with Lady Delacour, whom she is sent to live with by her impatient
aunt. Struggling with bad health and fighting with suspicions around Belinda’s
romantic interest in her husband, Lady Delacour struggles to hide her distress
under wit and charm. The early versions see Belinda almost marry a West Indian
man, and a minor English character betrothed to a plantation worker. However,
these sections are reduced in the later editions.
4. Barchester
Towers, by Anthony Trollope
Often
referred to as the male Jane Austen, Anthony Trollope was a prolific nineteenth-century
writer, whose best work—“The Chronicles of Barsetshire”—focuses on the
relationship between the aristocracy and the church in a fictional county of
the same name. Barchester Towers is the second in the series but by far the
most well-known.
It follows the disruption of the
quiet diocese of Barchester when an evangelist bishop and team arrive with the
hopes of gaining control. Tempers flare as the genetic successor of the last
bishop also declares his bid for the see. The latter has the backing of the
people, however, owing to the new political landscape, the law might not lean
in his favor. This truly gripping tale can be enjoyed with reading its prequel;
however, if you want to read the Warden first, then it can be purchased here.
5. Fitzwilliam
Darcy, Gentlemen, by Pamela Aidan
Depending on your opinion of
sequels to classic novels, you will either love or hate this trilogy by modern
author Pamela Aidan. The basic premise of the series looks at re-telling large
parts of Jane Austen’s famed novel “Pride & Prejudice" from the
perspective of Mr. Darcy instead.
Separated
into three installments, it puts particular focus on looking at the male
perspective of his flourishing relationship with Elizabeth Bennet, from whose
perspective the original story was told. Book one covers his first visit to
Herefordshire; the second looks at the period in which he was absent during
Austen's original version, and the final covers the last chapters of the
original novel. There’s so much great content here that it will keep even the
most avid reader busy.
These
beautiful works of literature are some of our favorite for whiling away the
summer days, but we'd love to hear yours. Leave a comment below if you have any
ideas to share!
Cassie is an
entertainment blogger for Culture Coverage and a lifelong reader. Raised on the
classics, she loves to share her favorite reads with people and is always
scouring the internet to find something new.
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