Books on the Wall blog posts covering classic literature, classical authors, and everything in between.
This quote comes from George Eliot’s Middlemarch. Did you know that George Eliot was a woman? “George Eliot” was the pen name of Mary Ann Evans, a British journalist and author. Published in volumes from 1871 to 1872, Middlemarch follows several characters living in the fictional town of Middlemarch. Often considered one of the best novels of all time, Middlemarch deals with many themes common to British literature of that period: societal roles, expectations of women, and the role of marriage. “Failure after long perseverance is much grander than never to have a striving good enough to be called a […]
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What is the definition of a “Gothic novel”? Gothic literature first came into existence in the late 18th century, as a loose collection of works that tended to take place in old castles, dilapidated houses, mysterious forests, and other creepy, haunted type of places. In general, a gothic novel is one that exemplifies certain gothic elements: dark, highly architectural settings themes of fear, horror, the macabre, uncanniness the presence of supernatural entities or powers certain pre-defined character tropes, such as the “wanderer” or the “two-faced” person Critics also note that this newfound gothic literature was known for providing a sort of “pleasurably […]
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“But I don’t want to go among mad people,” Alice remarked. “Oh, you can’t help that,” said the Cat: “We’re all mad here. I’m mad. You’re mad.” “How do you know I’m mad?” said Alice. “You must be,” said the Cat, “or you wouldn’t have come here.” – Lewis Carroll, The Adventures of Alice in Wonderland Original Alice in Wonderland Book Covers These illustrations from vintage editions of The Adventures of Alice in Wonderland are gorgeous. Did you know that Lewis Carroll was inspired by a real-life Alice? He first told Alice Liddell and her sisters the story of Alice […]
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This quote comes from Bronte’s only published novel, Wuthering Heights. Catherine Earnshaw speaks these words to Nelly, her caretaker, about her never-to-be-fulfilled love for Heathcliff. Catherine Earnshaw and Heathcliff remain among the most celebrated and infamous couples in all of Western literature. Need a refresher on the characters and plot of Wuthering Heights? Take a look at our Wuthering Heights character map and family tree. Already an expert on Wuthering Heights? Check out our Wuthering Heights book poster here or at the Books on the Wall Etsy shop. “Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same.” Emily Bronte, […]
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We were so excited about the reader response on our first Around the World book infographic. We received many great suggestions and a lot of well-considered feedback, and we would like to first say a big “THANKS!” to our readers. You’re teaching us about new books and authors every day. We incorporated reader feedback along with our personal author favorites for our next list of recommended books set around the world. Again, this is not a “best of” list; we just want to give some suggestions for books set in interesting places. So join us as we travel the globe […]
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Authors Behind Bars What do Fyodor Dostoevsky, Miguel de Cervantes, Oscar Wilde, and Jack London have in common? Besides being among most famous authors in Western literature, each of these writers also served time in prison. Dostoevsky was imprisoned for participating in outlawed political activity, de Cervantes for questionable tax practices, Wilde for “gross indecency” (a legal term interpreted as condemnation of his homosexuality), London for “vagrancy,” and Thoreau for refusal to pay a poll tax. In one way or another, it is clear that many imprisoned authors were able to gain inspiration in spite of, or perhaps because of, their […]
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Have you ever read a book by a famous author (or a not-yet-famous one) and been able to instantly identify another author’s influence? All artists, including writers, are influenced by their peers and forebears, knowingly or not. We love the literary “circle of life” that results; in creating his or her own work, every author expresses something that connects with and inspires someone one else to create something new. Literary influences among 29 famous authors To explore this idea of literary influence, we chose a random assortment of 29 of our favorite famous authors and did some research into how they are […]
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This quote is taken from Fyodor Dostoevsky’s epic classic, Crime and Punishment. Published in 1866, Crime and Punishment follows main character Raselnikov as he considers the nature of crime, judgment, morality, and the human condition. “To go wrong in one’s own way is better than to go right in someone else’s.” Fyodor Dostoevsky, Crime and Punishment
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This quote comes from Louisa May Alcott’s most popular novel, Little Women. Published in 1868 and 1869, Little Women follows the four March sisters—Amy, Beth, Jo and Meg—as they grow up in America during the Civil War. Little Women is also featured on our newest product, a 24″x18″ poster featuring text until Chapter 18 of Little Women. “Love is a great beautifier.” Louisa May Alcott, Little Women
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This 24″x18″ poster displays up to Chapter 28 of the The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, one of the most critically acclaimed American novels of all time. Here, Huck and Jim sail down the Mississippi River on their handmade raft. See full details on the Huckleberry Finn book poster product page.
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