Monday, October 15, 2007

On ... of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck and The Enormous Crocodile by Roald Dahl

I should have remembered from my last trip through a Steinbeck novel that he doesn't refrain from profanity usage.

Steinbeck's skill is amazing. He crafts characters that are full and changing even if he doesn't give them a name. Unfortunately, Steinbeck...as mentioned in the previous paragraph...feels free to sprinkle profanity on almost every page. If Steinbeck had a positive story to tell with a happy ending or at least with hope of a happy ending than the profanity would be gratuitous.

Happiness and hope are two words not exemplified in any of Steinbeck's novels (at least the ones I've read and studied). I hurried through that book as quick as I could.


On other fronts...

I chose to read The Enormous Crocodile because I knew it would be completely different than of Mice and Men... a welcome relief.

Not being an active children's book reader I don't have that good of a base to judge The Enormous Crocodile. I enjoyed the read and even laughed at a couple of moments. :D

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