Esther's Classic Literature Blog

Today is the last day of 2005! We've made it through another year, and we're hopefully still all standing. Now, it's time to celebrate--remembering the year that's gone, and looking ... Read More

In a new article for The Guardian, Kathryn Hughes talks about detoxing herself from poor reading habits. As a "book slut," she feels "compelled to gulp down anything." So, in ... Read More

What's happening in literary criticism? Is it in a "lull"? Is it time for "a major new way of thinking about literature" to take "the academic world by storm"? In ... Read More

What makes a bestselling novel? Is it the plot, the characters, the setting, the theme, or the conflict? Is it some combination of these elements of fiction? Now, The Guardian ... Read More

What book by a Scottish writer have you read lately? Or, for that matter, which Scottish book have you ever read? You may have experienced Robert Louis Stevenson, Lewis Grassic ... Read More

We're in the final days of 2005--time enough to look back at a year that has been so full! Not all of the events of 2005 were as devastating as ... Read More

After the holidays are over, you'll hopefully have a few moments to pause and reflect on the year that has passed. Which classics have you read this year? How many ... Read More

Today, my nephew asked me if we have piñatas as part of my Christmas? tradition. In case you're wondering, I don't have a piñata; but I do have a little ... Read More

Hanukkah is the Jewish festival of lights, commemorating the rededication of the Jerusalem temple. With the giving of gifts, the lighting of the menorah, recipes, crafts, and history, Hanukkah has ... Read More

Tomorrow is Christmas Day. Whether you're preparing for the big day tomorrow, dreaming of a white Christmas, or thinking about what books or other reader-resources you'll find under the tree ... Read More

The holidays are a time of togetherness--with lots of fun and laughter. But, for some, this timeof year can also be one of the most depressing and most tragic times ... Read More

Many Biblical scholars believe that Jesus Christ could not have been born on December 25, but the tradition of Christmas (the Mass of Christ) continues. Several sources place the date ... Read More

Today marks the first day of winter in the Northern Hemisphere (and summer in the Southern Hemisphere), with the sun shining directly over the Tropic of Capricorn. Each year Winter ... Read More

John Steinbeck died on December 20, 1968. Steinbeck is known for his depictions of California and the Great Depression. His works include: "East of Eden," "The Grapes of Wrath," and ... Read More

Books of poetry are great gift ideas for readers of any age. And, if you're still searching for the perfect gift, a few great classics--available with full-color illustrations--include: Jabberwocky, ... Read More

If you've ever wondered what it is about some books that makes them impossible to put down, a new study of Agatha Christie's novels may offer an answer. According to ... Read More

The individual moments of a person's life are lost forever when one dies--all we often have left is a jumble of images and anecdotes, filtered through the perceptions and memories ... Read More

Charles Dickens published A Christmas Carol on December 17, 1843. The book is still one of the most popular Christmas classics, as we read the book, watch the many adaptations, ... Read More

Today, we remember the day that Jane Austen was born--December 16, 1775. Pride and Prejudice, Northanger Abbey, Mansfield Park, and Emma are a few of Austen's most famous works. With ... Read More

The cover of "The First Noel" features white silhouettes against a red background. It's the nativity scene in a star shape that's beautiful and artistic. As Elizabeth Kennedy says, "You ... Read More

Aphra Behn is one of the most famous women writers in literature, partly because she was one of the first, but also because of the controversies that have surrounded her ... Read More

It's an age-old question, which has become intertwined with the spirit of giving, with the magic of Christmas, and a wish to have one time of the year when truly ... Read More

Who wrote Madame Bovary, and why is this 12th day in December so important to his legacy? Gustave Flaubert was born on December 12, 1821. Words and books were always a ... Read More

The recent earthquake in Kashmir caused devastation that is still being felt--in lost lives, crumbling and destroyed structures, and in the millions of people who have been left without food ... Read More

With all the debates about digitizing copyrighted books and the attempts by both Google and Microsoft/Yahoo to create their own versions of huge online libraries, the long-standing online libraries seem ... Read More

Narnia is a fantastical land, filled with creatures of myth and legend. In the series, The Chronicles of Narnia, we start of with "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" ... Read More

Harold Pinter delivered his Nobel lecture via pre-recorded video due to health concerns, which prevented him from attending the Nobel Awards Ceremony in Sweden. Read Harold Pinter plays (or ... Read More

Some of my most cherished holiday memories involve the stories and picture books I once read (or listened to) around the Christmas tree. Christmas storytelling adds to the magic of ... Read More

In an article for The Guardian, Jeremy Mercer says, "Bookstores are sanctuaries. Places to lose yourself, escape the harsh demands of daily life, find new ways to dream and new ... Read More

Finding the perfect stocking stuffer for those readers in your life isn't always easy. Books just don't fit well in those stockings, and they can be fairly heavy. Here are ... Read More

'Twas the Night Before Christmas is a favorite Christmas classic, which has been adapted and re-adapted to a variety of formats and styles. Now, Hephzibah Anderson talks about the newest ... Read More

"No poetry is more fresh, more immediate, more deftly challenging," writes editor Robert Pinsky. "William Carlos Williams is at the center of one of poetry's greatest historical flowerings." In this ... Read More

More snow is on the way, according to forecasts across the United States. Whether you're watching the snow falling outside, or just experiencing the winter chill, read more of snow ... Read More

The first installment in the serial publication of Great Expectations appeared in "All the Year Round" on December 1, 1860. The novel is sometimes considered the greatest accomplishment by Charles ... Read More