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Category Archives: 20th Century
The Horse and His Boy by C.S. Lewis
The Horse and His Boy by C.S. Lewis is my favourite Narnia story. It tends to be the one people forget as none of the main characters are “from our world” and very little of the action actually happens in … Continue reading
The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster
The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster is the story of a bored boy named Milo who comes home to find a box. It contains a a tollbooth that allows him to drive his toy car into the Kingdom of Wisdom, … Continue reading
Henrietta’s War and Henrietta Sees It Through by Joyce Dennys
Henrietta’s War by Joyce Dennys and its sequel, Henrietta Sees it Through, are a series of letters to a childhood friend during WWII. They document the small and amusing indignities and challenges of life in a “safe part of England” … Continue reading
Posted in 20th Century Light Fiction, British, Comedy, Episodic Novel, Epistolary Novel, General adult audience, Light Fiction, Novel, Social Novel, War Story
Tagged 20th Century, British, epistolary, fiction, good out loud, home front, humour, illustrated, overcoming adversity, semi-autobiographical, war novel, wartime, WWII
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Ballet Shoes by Noel Streatfeild
Ballet Shoes by Noel Streatfeild is a book that I loved growing up and still enjoy. It is the story of Pauline, Petrova and Posy Fossil, orphans adopted and sent to England by a travelling collector of fossils and raised … Continue reading
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is a book that my parents read to each other while I was in utero and which has been a regular feature of my life ever since. I have enjoyed it in primary … Continue reading
Posted in 20th Century Children's, 7 years and up, Children's Classics, Fantasy
Tagged 20th Century, 7 and up, action, allegory, animals, better than the movie, British, C.S. Lewis, children's classic, Christianity, fantasy, fiction, food and fighting, good out loud, home front, humour, Narnia, The Inklings, wartime, WWII
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The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis
The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis is one of my favourite books. It’s a book about the Christian life written in the form of letters from a senior to a junior devil, who is tasked with sabotaging the spiritual life … Continue reading
Posted in 20th Century Classics, British, Christian, Christian Living, Christian Non-fiction, Classic, Comedy, Epistolary Novel, Fantasy, Fiction, General adult audience, Novel, Speculative Fiction, Young Adult
Tagged 20th Century, British, C.S. Lewis, Christian living, Christianity, classic, discipleship, epistolary, fiction, good for spiritual health, good out loud, home front, The Inklings, wartime, WWII
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Five Children and It by E. Nesbit
Five Children and It, written by E. Nesbit and first published in 1902, is about a strange-looking Psammead (also known as a sand fairy) who grumpily grants one wish a day. But somehow the wishes always seem to go wrong … Continue reading
Posted in 20th Century Children's, 7 years and up, British, Children's Classic, Children's Classics, Fantasy, Fiction, Novel
Tagged 20th Century, 7 and up, British, children's classic, fairies, fantasy, fiction, humour
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Where is the Green Sheep? by Mem Fox
Where is the Green Sheep? written by Australian author Mem Fox and illustrated by Judy Horacek is a board book full of contrasting concepts, rhymes and, most of all, sheep. There are blue sheep and bath sheep and clown sheep … Continue reading
Hornblower by C. S. Forester
The Hornblower novels by C.S. Forester are a terrific blend of plot and characterisation. Set during the Napoleonic wars, they are action packed and fast moving but this action also serves to develop the complex character of Horatio Hornblower. Even … Continue reading
Posted in 20th Century Classics, British, Episodic Novel, Fiction, General adult audience, Historical Fiction, Novel, War Story, Young Adult
Tagged 20th Century, action, adventure, boats, British, classic, drama, fiction, historical, humour, Napoleonic Wars, navy, travel, war novel, wartime
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A Void by Georges Perec (trans. Gilbert Adair)
What to say about this book? A lipogram writ by a Parisian of Oulipo’s school, using all but our fifth, most significant sign. Now (amazing!) put in words for a Briton or Australian too. A cast looks for a missing … Continue reading
Posted in 20th Century Classics, Classic, Fiction, French, General adult audience, Mystery, Novel, Parody
Tagged 20th Century, classic, fiction, French, humour, Lipogram, Murder, noir, Wordplay
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