Uncle Tom's Cabin - Harriet Beecher Stowe

Recommended for all ages.

Ok, move over The Yellow Wallpaper. I have a new favourite book. Seriously.

I was getting in a bit of a rut after reading all these novels which didn't live up to what others said about them ('brilliant', 'insightful', 'must-read' kind of books). I've gone through a series of books that deal with stupid issues and unconcerning concerns, that treat the reader like a sort of narcissistic teenager or petulant child instead of an intelligent, free-thinking adult, and that generally are not worthy of publication or anyone's time. Thankfully I got into Uncle Tom's Cabin.

It claims to be the best-selling nineteenth-century American novel, with its sensitive and intelligent portrayal of life as a slave in the South. I see no reason why it shouldn't still have resonance with its readership, because slavery isn't over with around the world (not by a long shot). We just call it something else.

Anyway, Uncle Tom's Cabin (1850's) is a beautiful and inspiring read. It's the sort of book that gives you an almost spiritual elevation, thanks to the honest and earnest discussions of faith. Its characterisation is brilliant, subtle and at the same time overwhelming. You really get to know and love the central characters, and I challenge anyone not to bawl their eyes out by page 270. The plot is fast-paced (definitely the sort of book you read under the table or by torchlight under the sheets) and the suspense is not prefaced by knowledge of the final outcome. But its most redeeming feature is that its moral tone isn't didactic. It is a genuinely good book, which will inspire any reader to greater acts of kindness towards their fellow humans.

Recommended to every reader. Now how can I enforce that??

Particularly recommended to those with an interest in the American history of slavery.

Wide Sargasso Sea - Jean Rhys

Recommended for ages 15-adult.

Wide Sargasso Sea is a book I have been trying to track down for ages. It tells the story of Antoinette Cosway, better recognised as Bertha in Jane Eyre. I really enjoy reading novels which give the backstory of minor characters in other books I've read, like Robin Klein's short story 'Bluebeard's Daughter', Rhys' interpretation left me a little underwhelmed.

For one, I have absolutely no knowledge or experience of the West Indies, which forms the setting for 90% of this book. I don't understand the race relations which the book draws upon, nor the reasons for Rochester's conquest of Antoinette. I understood that power relations were really important in this book, but couldn't get a grip on the specifics. And the multiple shifts in perspective just further confused me.

On saying all that, the language and imagery is magnificent, and thanks to her writing skill, Rhys is able to transform Bertha from the mad woman in the attic of Thornfield Hall into a tragic-heroine figure. It's an interesting shift in perception. Rochester comes off as being mean, heartless and unconscionable rather than being young and naiive as Bronte presents him. I liked that.

Although I couldn't really appreciate this novel, it is a quick read and it does challenge your existing ideas about Jane Eyre.

Recommended for people who enjoyed Jane Eyre and want to delve deeper into the plot. Best to leave it till you're 15 or 16 so you can understand some of Rhys' subtleties.

The Worry Tree - Marianne Musgrove

Recommended for kids 7-15.

The Worry Tree is a sensitive look at how kids are affected by and cope with stress. It tells the story of Juliet, a young girl with an annoying baby sister, an ageing grandma, a school bully, and her arguing parents to worry about. Not to mention her two friends who seem to be fighting over who is Juliet's best friend. In fact, it's enough to give anyone a headache. Juliet finds comfort through sharing her problems with the mysterious 'Worry Tree' that has bloomed in her house.

Although I found the book a bit didactic (trying to teach kids how to deal with stress), I loved the gentle storyline and characterisation, and could empathise with Juliet at many times in the book!

Younger readers will get more out of this than I did, particularly if they are worrywarts themselves. Older readers might prefer The 10pm Question, although I much preferred The Worry Tree.

Beowulf - Translated by Burton Raffel

Recommended for all ages.

Move over Homer, I've got a new favourite epic poem. And possibly a new favourite book (!)

Beowulf is extraordinary. It's an incredible epic poem (very-long poem) about the adventures of Beowulf. Full of wars and battles, kings and dragons, treasure and kinship, Beowulf comes off as the ultimate guy. Move over Edward Cullen - Beowulf is so much smarter, kinder, more generous, strong and clever, and ultimately more awesome.

At first I thought this book would be a struggle - I've found the language of other epic poems really hard to get into (Homer, Milton etc), but this particular translation (from Old English into new) was very reader-friendly. Raffel did a marvellous job translating the beautiful language into something readable, to the point where I could hardly put the book down.

All in all, it's a brilliant translation of a gripping story, and readers of every age will love it. Particularly if those readers love tales of ancient glory!

When You Reach Me - Rebecca Stead

Recommended for ages 8-16.

When You Reach Me seems at first like the story of a regular 12 year old girl growing up in the suburbs - family and friendship dramas, boys, school etc. But suddenly she receives an anonymous note, then another, and another. These notes are weird, and hint at future events, personal things that their author could have no way of knowing about. They creep Miranda out in more than one way.

It's not possible to know about things that haven't happened yet. Or is it???

Playing on the borderline of mystery, adventure and science fiction, this book is a quick and engaging read. The characters are satisfactorily drawn, the plot is fast-paced, and although the ending is not as neatly drawn together as I like, I concede that the topic is one that denies a tidy ending.

This book has similarities with The Time-Traveller's Wife, although explores its themes in a much more child-friendly way. Great for readers who are happy to be left in the dark a little.

The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Vol 1 The Pox Party - M.T. Anderson

Recommended for ages 8-adult.

Thought I'd tackle this book with a ridiculously long name as it was on the New York Times bestseller list a while ago.

I don't see why.

Anderson explores the concepts of slavery and human dignity amidst the setting of the Boston Tea Party et al, while commenting on the incompetence of philosophical societies at the time. Sadly, Anderson's attempts to replicate the language of the past has made his book somewhat inaccessible for the average reader. I don't know why he makes such an effort, given the thematic complexity of the book. It's a challenging book in terms of its length, its vocabulary and its perspectives. That's not to say that challenging books aren't worth reading, but I just didn't enjoy this one.

I didn't really connect with any of the characters, and found the end quite unsatisfying. I also got bored reading during the battle scenes, and thought the overall storyline wasn't too well though out.

BUT I did think Anderson was clever in employing the device of scratching out pages of Octavian's thoughts - it really told the reader more about Octavian's grief than words ever could.

Perhaps this is a book better suited to boys, or readers particularly interested in American history...

The Yellow Wallpaper - Charlotte Perkins Gilman

Recommended for ages 14-adult.

When people ask me what my favourite book is, this one always springs to mind. Nothing beats The Yellow Wallpaper for it gripping narrative, its fearsome character development, and its rich symbolism. And, of course, an ending which will haunt you long after you put it down.

Written prior to 1892, this story was considered a horror story by some readers of the day. It's not, but that's how Victorian readers always felt about books which portrayed women stepping outside their place in society. But even that's not what the story is really about. At the most basic level it tells the story of a woman's mental decline after the birth of her first child and her husband's decision to move the family to an isolated house in the country. As you get into the story, however, you start to see between the layers of the infamous wallpaper and recognise that this book is making all sorts of comments on women's rights, the relationship between men and women, and the care of patients with depression. Every time I read it, I get a new perspective on it. And it still chills me every time I turn the final page.

The version of the story I read came with a few other short stories by Gilman, each quaint but definitively didactic, almost pushy about women's rights. None came close to the mastery of The Yellow Wallpaper. Perhaps because of the very personal nature of this story to Gilman.

Although only a short book, 21 pages, The Yellow Wallpaper has a similar level of complexity as Jane Eyre or Northanger Abbey. But in terms of readability for a modern audience, it is poles apart.

If you love short stories, gothic fiction, psychological thrillers or Victorian literature, you will love this.

The Word Spy - Ursula Dubosarsky

Recommended for all ages.

The Word Spy is a great book about the English language. Dubosarsky explores how our language and types of words came to be in a really fun way, with codes to crack and mysteries to solve along the way. It's full of wacky titbits that English teachers love - for instance, Lewis Carroll (author of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland) loved apostrophes so much that he used as many of them as he could!

This book will be loads of fun for any reader, and adults will find they learn a lot too. But be warned - some of the codes are really tricky!

Tuck Everlasting - Natalie Babbitt

Recommended for ages 5-18.

Tuck Everlasting is a gorgeous tale - a story in the truest sense of the world. It has magic, adventure, excitement, danger, conspiracy, love and a lot of great characters. Babbitt is a masterful writer, and she transports the reader to the curious world of the Tuck's. The Tuck family differs a little from others because of a mistake they made almost a century ago, when they unwittingly drank from the spring of eternal life.

When little Winnie discovers their secret she has to decide whether to stay silent and help the Tucks, and whether to join them in their eternal journey. Her choice will touch the heart of every reader.

There's so much to love in this book. There really is something for every age group. Youngsters will need someone's help to read the story, but ages 8-13 should manage on their own. Older readers and Twilight lovers, Babbitt was there first (minus the vampire vs werewolf thing).

Atlas Shrugged - Ayn Rand

Ayn and her novel.

Recommended for ages 15-adult.

Not the most well-written story in the world, Atlas Shrugged makes up for its limited literary skill with some hard-hitting ideas about wealth and the nature of free industry. It's a basic story of love and intrigue on one hand, with a fiercely independent railway tycoon as the protagonist, but also a thought-provoking political volume. Although it drags on a bit (particularly the final chapters with John's big speech), this novel may just set you thinking about the ways society values people with intelligence and ambition. It's also an interesting celebration of working women. Indeed one reviewer calls it 'chic-lit for feminist libertarians'.

I listened to the audio version of the book (all 11 hours), and found the breaks between discs the optimum way to reflect on some of Rand's key statements. I reckon reading it would be quite full-on.

This book is intended for adults, but politically switched on young people (over 15) will find food for thought too.

Sarah, Plain and Tall - Patricia MacLachlan

Recommended for ages 7-13ish.

Sarah, Plain and Tall is a great little book for younger readers. It's 67 pages long, and tells the story of an American family who place an ad in the newspaper for a new wife and mother (after the loss of their first). Sarah, who answers the ad, is a delightful character - stubborn, honest and loving, but she has difficulty adjusting to life away from the coast where she grew up.

This book is well-written and has a particularly nice ending. It's a deserving recipient of the Newbery Medal - an award "for the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children".

Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters - Jane Austen and Ben H. Winters

Recommended for ages 8-adult, particularly tomboys or Austen fans.

What happens when you take one Jane Austen book about romance and add an ocean full of menacing sea creatures? You get this book, or something very similar.

Winters obviously had a lot of fun with this quirky take on Austen's classic. He got to expand his vocabulary into the world of tentacle-snot, and seems to relish in presenting the most repulsive images to the reader.

About halfway through the book I got a bit bored, and started to get annoyed with the author for stuffing around with Austen just for laughs, but the ending was nicely summarised and all the loose ends tied up (which I really appreciate in a book). Although I still think some of the tentacle references and octopi attack scenes are unnecessarily sensationalist, I can appreciate the new dimensions to which Winters has taken 'Sense and Sensibility'.

Note that this book is best enjoyed while NOT eating. It's hard to maintain one's appetite when hearing of Lady Middleton's dinner parties which frequently involve the maggot version of Russian roulette...

Recommended for all who enjoy quirky literature and sea monsters!