Book Reviews
Volpone- Ben Jonson
From the very first moment of reading this masterpiece, I found myself immersed in the world of the bemusing con-artist, Volpone. The story revolves around Volpone and one of his many deceitful ventures in order to add to his wealth. He has an opulent estate, one which attracts many who wish to inherit it. In order to exploit them, Volpone poses as if he has caught a potentially fatal illness. Therefore, the individuals who wish to inherit it approach him with many gifts, hoping that prior to his death he will allow them to do so. Volpone, of course, has no such illness. Rather than spoiling it for you, I will tell you one thing, Volpone is certainly satiric comedy at its best. If you find yourself in need of a great laugh and some intriguing drama, Volpone is certainly for you!
The Prince- Niccolo Machiavelli
There are no other words to describe this novel apart from phenomenal. In fact, I would not even describe this as a novel. Rather it is a revolutionary piece of work, in the sense that it has not only given us a wonderful story to follow, however one that we can deduct from the novel and apply it in reality. Upon reading this book, you will find that your perspective on Italian politics will be forever changed. It is a critical humanist piece of work for all who have in interest in politics or history, for it is a landmark in both of these disciplines.
Don Quixote- Miguel de Cervantes
I have never come before such an interesting story. It follows Don Quixote, an individual replete with all desirable values, one who is ardent to revive chivalry in a world that is bare of it. He sees only what he wishes to see in the world, and if it not there, he puts it there himself. Throughout this story, you will accompany Don Quixote on his epic journey to complete this very task. The journey is rife with many minute occurrences of significance, some that will make you think about the world in a way that you have never before. If you seek adventure, thrill or just a great story that will engross you from the very first moments of reading it, this is certainly the novel for you.
Paradise Lost- John Milton
This is not simply a novel, however has set a distinctive milestone in social thought. It follows perhaps the most well-known characters of life, god and satan. As expected, satan wishes to destroy god’s creation, humankind, by establishing a bridge between their habitat, Earth, and his habitat, Hell. It is really not the conventional novel, however it delivers for those who have an interest in such theological matters. However, I would argue, for those readers who are not so adept in these theological matters, it may be heavy and somewhat overwhelming at times. That’s not to say that it isn’t a piece of work that deserves recognition– just that those who may recognize it
will come from a specific group of individuals. If you are in that group, do not hesitate to read this novel.