Book #30 - Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson

I'm going to be honest - the main reason I decided to read Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde was because it was short, I needed more classics and I'm behind on my book count. However, I'm glad that I did.

Growing up, we've all heard someone referred to as acting like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. The major misconception though, is that it's a trait that can't be helped. But in reality and in the novel, Dr. Jekyll was curious what it would feel like to live without consequence and made himself transform into Mr. Hyde. The uncontrollable and nasty personality that emerges is not some curse that Dr. Jekyll has to bear - instead it was desired by him.

The novel follows Mr. Utterson, a lawyer and a friend of Jekyll's, as he tries to uncover who Mr. Hyde is and where he is hiding out. Lo and behold, he discovers that Jekyll and Hyde are one in the same, and tries to do everything in his power to prevent the change from happening. Eventually Jekyll realizes that having his alternate personality isn't all he thought it'd be and tries to take an elixir that stop Hyde from emerging. But it's too late, and the evil personality ends up taking over and erasing Jekyll forever.

This novel touches upon some very real desires of the human condition; to be able to act freely and not have to worry about repercussions. And it also provides a very real lesson as to what happens when you feel above the law - sometimes you're not able to transform back into your better, former self and live within societal norms again. Perhaps it's worth keeping in mind; that sometimes it's better to just be yourself and be happy with the life you have, instead of wishing for something entirely different.

Book #29 - Emma by Jane Austen

I know it's probably hard to believe, but I have never read Emma by Jane Austen. As an English literature major, the only Austen I was ever required to read was Northanger Abbey.

This novel follows Emma, a young, single woman in a small English village who imagines herself to be a gifted matchmaker. She successfully pairs her governess with a local widower, and attempts to make love matches for other young women around town. However, things start to go awry and she convinces her friend Harriett to turn down a proposal from a kind man in order to try and win the affection of a wealthier suitor instead. He ends up being interested in Emma, not Harriett and she is left humiliated.

Emma then begins to fancy Frank Churchill, the son of her governess' husband. But it's uncovered that he is secretly engaged to Jane Fairfax, a newcomer to the village. All's well that end's well, and Emma eventually discovers her feelings for Mr. Knightley, her brother-in-law and they end up happily ever after, as does Harriett to Mr. Martin, when he proposes to her a second time.

Austen is a master at weaving tales of love and intrigue. She suggests that trying to marry too far above your station causes strife and struggle. Thankfully, the class system is something that we don't have to worry about anymore. But every new relationship still carries its own amount of excitement, which is something that hasn't changed from Austen's time.

Book #11 - The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

I decided to read The Great Gatsby because a number of people told me that it was a quick read. When you're trying to read 100 books in a year, and the phrase "quick read" is combined with "classic," you need to jump at the opportunity.

The story follows Nick Carroway, a young Midwestern man who's moved to New York City after college. He then meets Jay Gatsby, his neighbor who is fabulously wealthy and is famous for throwing lavish parties on his sprawling estate. As the novel progresses, we learn that Jay loves Nick's cousin Daisy, whom he met and courted before going off to fight in the war. Daisy is now married to Tom Buchanan, another wealthy man, who cheats on his wife and thinks he is better than those around him.

After an initially awkward reunion, Gatsby and Daisy reestablish their connection and begin an affair. Tom soon becomes suspicious of his wife's relationship with Gatsby and confronts them on a trip to New York City. As they rush back to Long Island when things go awry, the car Daisy is driving accidentally strikes and kills Tom's lover, Myrtle, but Gatsby takes the blame. Myrtle's husband seeks out revenge, and when Tom tells him that Gatsby allegedly killed his wife, he finds and shoots Gatsby in his pool, ending his mysterious and tragic life.

The American lifestyle of the 1920s that The Great Gatsby portrays is eerily similar to the years preceding the recent economy crash of 2008; living in excess, spending beyond our means, wrapped up in questionable morals and a quest for pleasure above all else. Just like Gatsby, Americans no longer value the dreams of discovery, individualism and the pursuit of happiness. Instead, it is about having more money than the next guy, and having better stuff than him, too.

Perhaps we should take Fitzgerald's observations about the changing American Dream to heart. Because look what happened to Gatsby - his desire for money and personal pleasure overtook his more noble goals, and eventually, led to his demise.

Book #7 - The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger

This was my first stab at a "classic." I use quotation marks because I'm not sure why this novel has been dubbed a classic in the first place. Perhaps when it was first published it was a groundbreaking literary accomplishment. But reading it now, I felt it was confused writing, with no clear story line. I kept waiting for something to happen within the plot, and I feel like it never really did.

The main character, Holden Caulfield, is a confused teen who just got kicked out of another boarding school. Before facing his parents' wrath, he gallivants throughout New York City for a few days to blow off some steam. But I didn't find Holden's exploits interesting - I was bored to sleep most nights while I was trying to read this book.

There was one insight that Holden offered that I did find very poignant, especially since it was written by Salinger in the early 1950s: "If you had a million years to do it in, you couldn't rub out even half the f*&% you signs in the world." In both a literal and figurative sense, Holden is correct. There's always going to be another person who wants to flip the bird at the world, but you can't let that consume you or you'll spend your life fighting a losing battle. Instead, just make sure you're not the one sending out the F yous .