“The hunting gun is a lonely thing. It is not like a sword, which can be drawn in a moment of passion. A gun must be loaded, aimed, […]
German literature
Every Seventh Wave
“Sometimes the right words at the right time can change everything.” Chapter 1: Rekindling the Connection After the abrupt end to their email correspondence in Love Virtually, Emmi […]
German literature
Love Virtually
“Sometimes the most real conversations happen in the most unreal spaces.” Chapter 1: First Contact Emmi Rothner, a married woman, accidentally sends an email to Leo Leike, a […]
Russian literature
Poor Folk
“I am a poor man… my life has been a series of misfortunes.” Chapter 1 The novel opens with a letter from Makar Devushkin, a low-ranking government clerk, […]
French literature
Dangerous Liaisons
“I resolved to write a book which would create some stir in the world and continue to do so after I had left it.” Letters 1–10: The Game […]
American literature
The Perks of Being a Wallflower
“So, this is my life. And I want you to know that I am both happy and sad and I’m still trying to figure out how that could […]
American literature
The Color Purple
“You better not never tell nobody but God. It’d kill your mammy.” The novel opens with Celie, a poor Black girl in early 20th-century rural Georgia, writing letters […]
English literature
Dracula
“Listen to them—the children of the night. What music they make!” Chapters 1–4: Jonathan Harker’s Journal Jonathan Harker, an English solicitor, travels to Transylvania to assist Count Dracula […]