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Oedipus by Seneca
I just finished reading Oedipus by Seneca (1st century AD), translated by E. F. Watling. This play deals with familiar Greek myth, specifically the story of Oedipus, more well-known from the earlier Theban plays of Sophocles. Seneca’s writing is darker and more violent than his Greek predecessor and, while the basic structure of the plot…
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The Lower Depths by Maxim Gorky
I just finished reading The Lower Depths (translated by David Magarshack), a play written by Maxim Gorky in 1902. It brutally depicts the lives of several poor Russians who are living in the cramped basement of a boarding house. The characters are superbly drawn. Through the dialogue, Gorky is able to ask profound questions regarding…
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The Pathfinder by James Fenimore Cooper
I just finished reading The Pathfinder (1840) by James Fenimore Cooper. Although it’s the fourth novel Cooper wrote in the Leatherstocking Tales, it is the third in the chronology of the series. The novel is set around the year 1758, in the midst of the French and Indian War. Pathfinder (known at various times throughout…
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The Power of Darkness by Leo Tolstoy
I finished reading The Power of Darkness (1886) by Leo Tolstoy. It’s a five act tragedy set in a peasant village in 19th century Russia. Several of the characters commit increasingly depraved acts, culminating in a particularly vile crime. As these actions and their outcomes are contrasted with another, sympathetic character, I was left with…
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Indiana Jones and the Peril at Delphi by Rob MacGregor
I just finished reading Indiana Jones and the Peril at Delphi (1991) by Rob MacGregor. It’s the first in a series of novels written after the third Indiana Jones movie. The book begins with Indy graduating from college and his first experiences in archaeology, which, of course, are full of danger and excitement! I was…