In the above chart, you only see a smattering of the titles that we’ll enjoy together in the Looking at Lit Online Book Club. I hate to start any project with a disclaimer, but this book club is not just about books. It is about literature, music, art and philosophy, too. Books, stories, poems, and songs will be the vehicles for the discsssions, and I’l be looking at a wide range of books, too.

Tuck Everlasting is the first novel-length book that I’ll discuss, but it is not classified as an adult book. Technically speaking, Tuck Everlasting is a middle-grade novel, but I am not often influenced by classifications. Regardless of its targeted audience, Tuck is BIG on writing. It is an excellent book for any writer to study, and if I must offer one reason for manning this lit club, it is that I want to help all of us to become better writers. As Babbitt has said, reading is the best way to become a better writer.

Just in case anyone has disregarded Tuck because of its genre classification, I’m offering this title, hoping that everyone will give it a good, hard “look.”

Nature is an important theme in Tuck Everlasting, and to better understand that theme, we’ll also read The Secret Garden.

You Can Read The Secret Garden Free Here https://www.gutenberg.org/files/17396/17396-h/17396-h.htm

Babbitt used a lot of symbolism in Tuck. Among other things, this is a good way to study a writer’s use of symbols. She alludes o the sumbols of night versus day or dark versus light.

Darkness Slipped In is a great picture book based on the same theme. For every book choice, I’ll share picture book titles that share the same symbols and themes. I’ll tell you how Burfoot’s picture book employed that universal literary theme. Unfortunately, that book is out of print, but I’ll share my copy with you.

Babbitt also references a Journey during the first pages of Tuck, and we’ll also begin to read about a couple of other adventures or journeys:

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
Read the Book Free Here https://www.gutenberg.org/files/55/55-h/55-h.htm

Wind in the Willows
Read the Book Free Here https://www.gutenberg.org/files/289/289-h/289-h.htm

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone – You can get that book at any library

Rip Van Winkle
Read the Book Free Here https://www.gutenberg.org/files/60976/60976-h/60976-h.htm

During October, We’ll also read The Legend of Sleepy Hollow
Read the Book Free https://www.gutenberg.org/files/41/41-h/41-h.htm

In addition, we’ll read Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury. You’ll probably need to buy that book, but I promise you that it is a masterpiece of writing. I’ll spend a great deal of time sharing about that book.

In November, we’ll read the story The Outcasts of Poker Flat by Bret Harte.
Read the Story Free Here: https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/10135/pg10135.html

 

During the month of November, we’ll look at a couple of Truman Capote’s stories. You can buy these stories together in one volume on Amazon. You’ll love this side of Capote.

Thanksgiving Visitor – Truman Capote
Christmas Memory – Truman Capote

During the month of December, we’ll read:

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe – you can get that at any library

The Christmas Carol
Read the Book Free https://www.gutenberg.org/files/46/46-h/46-h.htm

A  Child Christmas in Wales
Read the Story Free http://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks07/0701261h.html

Most of the fall’s reading selections that I have shared are youth literature. To be honest, that is my field of interest. I am a true Romanticist, and I can’t read enough youth literature. Plus, I write for children.

But in my honest opinion, the selections that I have shared are quick, easy, and delightful ways to get a grasp on the themes and symbols in every literary field. Any writer will be enriched by re-visiting these titles.

During the spring, we’ll look at some truly adult literature:

The Poisonwood Bible, Where the Crawdads Sing, Prince of Tides, The Great Gatsby, This Side of Paradise, The Movable Feast, etc.

We’ll also look at some important books about the craft of writing: Stephen King’s On Writing, The Art of Fiction, Zinsser’s On Writing Well, Studying the Short Story, etc.