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spatterson · Feb 23, 2005, 10:14 PM

I am being required to read a book based before 1877 in the United States for my history 101 class. It does not have to be written before 1877, it just has to be set before that time period.

Today I went to Boarders and looked through the books. Found nothing interesting. I pulled a employee aside at the customer service desk... She took me to Poe, Steinbeck and Austen to name a few. I am not very fond of older literature. Call me a black sheep, but the writing style, well it just does not interest me. I can't seem to focus on older books like I can with current writing styles.

So my question is... does anyone know of a book written in a time period before 1877 that is a real good read? A book that is not very long, but entertaining and a book that I will get something out of.

Thanks!

Timo · Feb 23, 2005, 10:23 PM

"Pride and Prejudice" by Jane Austen is excellent. It takes a bit to tune your ear to her speech, but it's well worth it.

MacNStein · Feb 23, 2005, 10:31 PM

Well, Steinbeck is out, he came along after that date (1902-1968).

I'd recommend:

The Fall of the House of Usher by Poe
Twenty Thousand Leagues under the Sea by Jules Verne
or Moby Dick by Melville

spatterson · 12:26 AM

Has anyone read "The Guns of the South" by Harry Turttledove?

My friend who goes to Auburn recommended it.

Originally posted by MacNStein:
Well, Steinbeck is out, he came along after that date (1902-1968).

I'd recommend:

The Fall of the House of Usher by Poe
Twenty Thousand Leagues under the Sea by Jules Verne
or Moby Dick by Melville

Good ideas, thanks!

Originally posted by Timo:
"Pride and Prejudice" by Jane Austen is excellent. It takes a bit to tune your ear to her speech, but it's well worth it.

Oh, also, I don't know if I have the brain span to read "Pride and Predjudice"... I've heard awesome things... But I just don't know if it will be a page turner for me.

JLFanboy · Feb 24, 2005, 12:50 AM

Moby-Dick. Great book that's sadly underappreciated. At least by the younger generations (e.g. mine).

malvolio · Feb 24, 2005, 01:21 AM

Originally posted by JLFanboy:
Moby-Dick. Great book that's sadly underappreciated. At least by the younger generations (e.g. mine).

Don't even think about it! Moby-Dick is a loooooong book with lots of arcane info on whale hunting and other highly relevant topics.
For some very well-written action and adventure, check out The Killer Angels.

Spliff · Feb 24, 2005, 01:23 AM

Originally posted by Timo:
"Pride and Prejudice" by Jane Austen is excellent. It takes a bit to tune your ear to her speech, but it's well worth it.

Yeah, but she's British. He needs a book by a US author.

Spliff · Feb 24, 2005, 01:27 AM

How about "Walden" by Henry David Thoreau?

His Dudeness · Feb 24, 2005, 01:54 AM

How about The Bible?

malvolio · Feb 24, 2005, 01:58 AM

Originally posted by His Dudeness:
How about The Bible?

The book has to be set in the US. So he'd have to go with the Book of Mormon, I guess.

JLFanboy · Feb 24, 2005, 02:50 AM

Originally posted by malvolio:
Don't even think about it! Moby-Dick is a loooooong book with lots of arcane info on whale hunting and other highly relevant topics.

See, this is what I'm talking about. Seriously, there are only two chapters in the middle of the book that have to do with the specifics of whales and whaling.

And there's a reason why it's long. It's all story. Unlike some authors, Melville doesn't spend pages describing a bucket. In those hundreds of pages, stuff is always happening. I mean it, anyone who finds Moby-Dick boring misses the point that books are books. They're not movies, or TV shows. They are long and dense. And anyone with a short attention span probably isn't going to appreciate them.

Seriously, spatterson, even if you don't read Moby-Dick for this assignment, ignore the peanut gallery and give it a read at some point in the near future. It's a classic for a reason.

iLikebeer · Feb 24, 2005, 05:28 AM

You can read The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain here while surfing MacNN.
It was published in 1876 and is 296 pages long. It's a good adventure book and an American classic.

SimeyTheLimey · Feb 24, 2005, 05:35 AM

Originally posted by spatterson:
I am being required to read a book based before 1877 in the United States for my history 101 class. It does not have to be written before 1877, it just has to be set before that time period.

The well written, historically accurate, page turningly gripping modern novel set in the US before 1877 I would definitely recommend would be The Killer Angels by Michael Shaara. It's about the battle of Gettysburg.

That's about as pivotal a moment in American history as you can find, and I suspect your history professor would approve. It's a damned good read too.

spatterson · Feb 24, 2005, 09:11 AM

Originally posted by malvolio:
The book has to be set in the US. So he'd have to go with the Book of Mormon, I guess.

LOL!

Thanks for all the good book recommendations guys and gals!

Timo · Feb 24, 2005, 09:31 AM

Originally posted by Spliff:
Yeah, but she's British. He needs a book by a US author.

yeah, missed that. Everyone should read it anyway!

paully dub · Feb 24, 2005, 09:50 AM

Originally posted by JLFanboy:
Moby-Dick. Great book that's sadly underappreciated. At least by the younger generations (e.g. mine).

I agree. One of my favorites.

I'll add Henry James. One of the truly great American writers. I've read Portrait of a Lady, Turn of the Screw, Washington Square.

Edit: Oops, didn't look at the date.

Actually, Washington Square may be the only one set in the pre 1877 period. It's not really defined when it was set, other than being in the Gilded Age (which could mean anywhere from 1866 to about 1900). I'm not sure if Portrait of a Lady makes the cut, but look at it anyway.

I recommend Washington Square at least. A rather cold and cruel story where no one come out a winner. Underapreciated, although they made a nice film out of it with Montgomery Clift and Olivia De Havilland.

spatterson · Feb 24, 2005, 05:38 PM

Originally posted by SimeyTheLimey:
The well written, historically accurate, page turningly gripping modern novel set in the US before 1877 I would definitely recommend would be The Killer Angels by Michael Shaara. It's about the battle of Gettysburg.

That's about as pivotal a moment in American history as you can find, and I suspect your history professor would approve. It's a damned good read too.

I'm thinking this may be the right book to read for this class. Maybe it will get me interested in the civil war too. Thanks!

Thanks to malvolio and all of you guys and gals for great recommendations too!