“A hat is not just a hat. It is a story waiting to be told.” Chapter 1: The Loss François Mitterrand, the President of France, dines at a […]
American literature
The House of the Spirits
“Barrabás came to us by sea…” — Isabel Allende, The House of the Spirits Part One: The Early Years The novel begins with the eccentric Trueba family in […]
English literature
The Night Circus
“The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it, no paper notices on downtown posts and billboards, no mentions or advertisements in local newspapers. It is simply there, […]
American literature
Song of Solomon
“You wanna fly, you got to give up the shit that weighs you down.” — Toni Morrison, Song of Solomon Chapter 1 The novel opens in 1931 with […]
English literature
Behind the Scenes at the Museum
“I exist!” – Ruby Lennox Chapter 1: Conception The novel opens with Ruby Lennox narrating her own conception in 1951, blending dark humor with a sharp observation of […]
English literature
Skellig
“I thought he was dead. He was sitting with his legs stretched out and his head tipped back against the wall. He was covered in dust and webs […]