Classics Club

Books Read in June 2025

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I made it through my 6-hour exam (hooray!), so I now turn my attention back to books I have read somewhat recently.

Unnatural Death, by Dorothy Sayers

Published 1927

At dinner one evening, Lord Peter Wimsey chats with a doctor who suspects that one of his patients was murdered, though he cannot prove it. She was an elderly woman with terminal cancer, so it is not unusual that she died, but in the doctor’s opinion it is unusual that she died so soon and suddenly near the end of the previous year. 

His speaking up caused a lot of fuss and led to his needing to move out of the area due to bad feeling against him in the village. Lord Peter decides to investigate, despite the doctor’s protests (wanting to leave well enough alone). 

More suspicious deaths assure Lord Peter that he is on the track of an unscrupulous killer, but with the murder method being extremely difficult to trace, it is a challenge for him to prove the connection. 

Another good mystery from Dorothy Sayers and an opportunity to spend time with the erudite Lord Peter and his friends. 

The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club, by Dorothy Sayers

Published 1928

On Armistice Day, 90-year-old General Fentiman is found dead in the titular gentlemen’s club. He has been in poor health, so this is not unexpected, but there is something slightly strange about his body that Lord Peter notices. 

It is also reported that the General’s sister, Lady Dormer, died at almost the exact same time. Lady Dormer’s will leaves everything either to her brother, or, if her brother predeceases her, she leaves everything to her companion. 

It becomes important to establish who actually died first, and Lord Peter takes the case to establish if both deaths were natural and who predeceased whom. 

Another interesting mystery from Dorothy Sayers, and I also appreciated that it also addresses the internal psychological wounds that soldiers brought back from war. Lord Peter himself has what might be mild PTSD, and one of the General’s grandsons has major physical and psychological wounds from being exposed to chemical weapons. This makes his behavior seem more “suspicious,” and whether that means he is guilty of a crime or just suffering from the effects is unclear. These wounds affect all his relationships, from his relationship with his wife to his difficulty in holding a steady job, and I appreciated having this acknowledged though with a fairly light touch as part of the story. 

Strong Poison, by Dorothy Sayers

Published 1930

A young woman, Harriet Vane, is on trial for the murder (by poisoning, as the title suggests) of her ex-boyfriend. Lord Peter, attending the trial, is immediately struck by her and cannot believe that she is guilty. 

The jury cannot come to a verdict, so there is a delay while a new jury is selected and a new trial can begin. Lord Peter takes this chance to re-investigate the case in hopes that he can discover Miss Vane’s innocence…and possibly marry her after her acquittal. 

Unfortunately for Lord Peter, the case and Miss Vane both prove tricky. Discovering new evidence and even another motive for the crime is difficult, and Miss Vane, while not repulsed by Lord Peter, is not in a marrying frame of mind (being in prison and on trial). 

The introduction of Harriet Vane to the Lord Peter mysteries is a bright spot and a turning point for the detective’s character development. While the story does not end with them together (which I appreciate), it does end with her being freed from false accusation and the audience is interested to see what happens next.

Service Model, by Adrian Tchaikovsky

Published 2024

In a post-apocalyptic setting, a robot valet named Charles serves his elderly master faithfully day after day…until one day he murders him. 

Charles leaves his manor house and sets out toward the central robot Diagnostics facility so they can figure out what made him slit his master’s throat and solve the problem so Charles (now un-Charles, as he had to leave his name behind at the manor) can find other employment. 

As we follow un-Charles on his adventures, it becomes clear that civilization has completely collapsed and it is unclear if there are any humans left for un-Charles to serve, or if robots are all that remain as relics of time gone by. The robots un-Charles encounters are all trying to complete their programmed missions as efficiently as possible. Of course they don’t have feelings about the futility of trying to do all their human-centric jobs when there are no humans to benefit from these jobs, but if they did, they might be depressed.

Un-Charles, despite his one murderous episode, is a gentle narrator, which helps to lighten a pretty bleak landscape. He does make a friend, the Wonk, who accompanies him on many of his adventures, and who pushes un-Charles to be more than the sum of his programmed parts. 

This book gives a sharp critique of late-stage capitalism and joins many other works of art warning about over-reliance upon technology and its dehumanizing effects (as usual, it leads to the collapse of civilization). It is interesting and Tchaikovsky is an engaging writer, but it is certainly a cautionary tale and not just interesting science fiction. 

(Sorry for the dark cover image–the painting was very light so I needed to adjust it, but the results were not completely satisfactory.)

The Five Red Herrings, by Dorothy Sayers

Published 1931

Lord Peter, on holiday in Scotland in an artistic community, consults with the local police on the case of an artist found dead among the rocks. While initially thought to have fallen to his death while painting, Lord Peter finds evidence that all is not as it seems, and murder is indicated. 

This painter seemed to have provoked quarrels with basically every other artist in the area, so there is no shortage of suspects. 

I have slightly mixed feelings about this installment of Lord Peter’s adventures in detection because while the story is interesting, there is a lot (and I mean a lot) of discussion about railway timetables, and all the Scottish characters’ dialogue is written out phonetically, so we get the idea of what the Scottish brogue sounds like. 

This is charming for a few paragraphs, and then becomes difficult when it is clear that this will persist throughout the entire book. 

Between struggling through some of the dialogue and also not having personal familiarity with the British obsession with railway timetables, this one was a bit more difficult. I also could not stop thinking about the Monty Python railway timetable sketch, which I will link here in case you have not watched it. 

Not a bad mystery, but I would not put it in my top-tier list of Lord Peter’s adventures. 

Books Read in May 2025

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Sorry this is so late! I have been studying hard for the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® exam, which I am sitting for in July, so other efforts have fallen by the wayside. However, here are two books I finished in May:

Our Mutual Friend, by Charles Dickens

Published 1865

I have been making my meandering way through the works of Dickens over the past few years, and I found a copy of this one at our local library book sale (which is amazing and not to be missed!) last year. This was one of Dickens’ last novels, and he does seem to start with a bit more confidence than some of his earlier works. 

As with some other Dickens novels, the central story involves money: a will and a large inheritance (I haven’t read Bleak House yet, but look forward to it!). The only son of the late Mr. Harmon is set to inherit a large fortune if he returns to England and marries the girl his father chose for him, Bella Wilfur. Miss Wilfur captured the old gentleman’s attention as a child, and he wanted his son to marry her when they both grew up (this is bananas, but was it maybe less bananas in the 19th century? Unclear). 

The son, John Harmon, was abroad and is apparently murdered immediately upon returning to England, alas. So instead, the Boffins, faithful servants of old Mr. Harmon inherit the goods. 

Separately, we also follow the story of Lizzie Hexam, whose father pulled Harmon’s body out of the Thames, and we also check in on some Members of Society who are around I presume to be a contrast to the lower class characters. 

Class and money are two defining themes of the novel, with various characters exemplifying different attitudes toward both. Their moral character is not defined by their rising or falling in status or class, which is interesting, though we do have the satisfaction of seeing some bad characters come to bad ends. 

As with all Dickens novels, you have to settle in and go at his pace. You can’t rush forward, and you have to bear with all the side-plots and cast of many characters who appear and weave in and out of the story. Eventually most of the threads come together in some way, but it is sometimes a long road to get there. 

While there were sub-plots and characters I enjoyed, this is not going on my list as a “top shelf” Dickens. It wasn’t bad, but I was bored in the sections where the fancy society people came together and tried to all trick each other into thinking they were richer than they were, and I also did not care for the way the main male character “tested the character” of the main female character. Lying to a woman you profess to love to see if she will pass your test and demanding she be loyal to you no matter what is not great. Either you think she has good moral character or you don’t. Do not lie to her and get other people to also lie to her to trick her into being “good.” 

All in all, I would say this is a Dickens novel you could skip unless you’re really a completionist. There are, as always, entertaining side characters, and I thought the various characters and their attitudes toward money (or the lack thereof) were helpful in some ways, but Dickens explored those themes in other books to greater success I think. 

Clouds of Witness, by Dorothy Sayers

Published 1926

I am an unabashed Dorothy Sayers fan. This is the second book in her Lord Peter Wimsey detective series. In it, Lord Peter’s brother, Gerald, is on trial for murdering his sister’s fiancé, and Lord Peter (with his faithful valet, Bunter, and police friend, Inspector Parker) must unravel the mystery. 

As usual in a good mystery, witnesses are lying about their movements the night of the murder, there are various clues to be followed up, and in this case there is also a vivid scene of blundering about near a bog in the foggy moors. 

The mystery is good, the characters are entertaining, and I appreciate the literary quotations and references. 

Lord Peter is an interesting sleuth because while he is methodical in following clues, personable in questioning witnesses, and can come across as the idiotic upper class rich gentleman to lull suspects into a false sense of security, we also see glimpses of his sensitive emotions and hints of the ways that a generation of men who went off to WWI did not escape unscathed. This blend humanizes him. Bunter’s obvious faithfulness to his master, without being slavish, is also a point in his favor. 

This was perfect to read in the evenings to wind down while I am studying for the CFP® exam—I can’t handle putting other facts in my brain with nonfiction right now (my brain is full of facts about financial planning!), but I didn’t want something completely mindless, so a good story well told was exactly what I needed.

Books Read in February 2025

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I’ve been putting off publishing this because I started painting the upstairs walls (and ceilings and doors and trim) and did not have an office space to paint my little book covers. However, it is now mid-April, and really it’s best to just move forward and return to cute little book covers later. Sorry, February! But here is what I read:

The Two Towers, by J.R.R. Tolkien

Tolkien’s story of an epic quest to rid Middle Earth of an evil via a magic ring continues in The Two Towers. 

The fellowship of nine companions who set out to destroy the ring of power have been scattered, and the first half of the book follows most of our heroes as they cover new ground and the second half follows the other two as they continue the journey to the land of Mordor and the volcano where the ring can be destroyed. 

The second installment of a series often expands the world, introduces new characters, and splits up the party to follow various side quests.

Tolkien split his story into 6 sub-books, and I had forgotten that the entirety of “book three” (the first half of The Two Towers) is about the rest of the fellowship and the entirety of “book four” is about Frodo and Sam. I wish Tolkien had organized the book to interweave the two stories a bit more, as there’s a lot of excitement (and a battle!) in the first half, and then the action nearly grinds to a halt as we follow the two hobbits’ slow journey in the second half. One almost forgets all the activity as the journey to Mordor creeps onward. 

I do think the slowness of the journey to Mordor highlights its difficulty; the brutal terrain, the enemies all around, and the burden of the ring growing. It is effective in communicating that doing what is right is often difficult, tedious, and part of Frodo’s heroism is continuing even when he thinks the chance of success grows smaller every day. 

While I would have suggested interweaving the stories a bit more so we didn’t forget about one half of the adventure while following the other, Tolkien is still a good storyteller and the world he created becomes more incredible as the view of it expands. I love meeting new characters (one of whom is female—hooray). 

As with The Fellowship of the Ring, I listened to Andy Serkis’s narration of the audiobook, and I have no idea how he kept all the different character voices straight, but his commitment to the book was impressive and entertaining. 

System Collapse, by Martha Wells

Murderbot returns for more adventures! 

It is difficult to write reviews for subsequent books in a series due to spoilers for previous books, and also just the difficulty in dropping someone in when an adventure is seven books deep. 

The Murderbot Diaries series follows a cyborg Security Unit that has hacked its governor module (which compelled it to follow orders) and has gone rogue. The SecUnit has christened itself “Murderbot” and is trying to figure itself out over the course of the series. 

This installment picks up immediately following the last adventure, so it is helpful to refresh one’s memory about recent events via a Wikipedia entry of plot summaries if one has forgotten exactly what happened last. 

Murderbot is snarky, and swings between being extremely concerned about the safety of its adopted humans and wanting to be left online to watch tv. Relatable. In each adventure Murderbot is also learning more about itself and also reluctantly forming relationships with some kind humans and another snarky bot, ART (who is a transport ship—don’t think too hard about how that works). 

There’s a lot of plot and action, and most of the books are novellas, but the threads of self-discovery and growth that run throughout are really charming. I enjoy plot-heavy books, so I enjoy the action in these, but I also want characters to learn and grow over time, and Murderbot does grow through its experiences and is changed by interactions with others. Wanting to just sit around and watch tv but instead going out and forming relationships, caring for others in the best way it knows how (calculating the probability of everything falling apart and its humans reaching untimely ends unless Murderbot intervenes) is actually quite lovely. 

While there is one full-length novel in the series, I really think these stories work better as novellas, and was pleased to see this return to form. 

The Return of the King, by J.R.R. Tolkien

Tolkien’s epic fantasy trilogy comes to a conclusion at last! 

Once again, the first part of the book is devoted to Aragorn & co. and the second part follows Frodo and Sam on the final stage of their journey through Mordor to rid the world of Sauron’s evil ring which holds his power and keeps his malice alive.

Eventually the two stories converge, but the two journeys are mostly separate once again. 

Tolkien’s descriptions of the natural world are beautiful (or depressing, when he describes what evil characters do to nature when they have power over it; you know a character is evil if he cuts down trees for no reason). The descriptions at the end of rebuilding, with planting trees, an abundant harvest and the births of many children as signs of renewal and restoration, peace and plenty, are so lovely. 

Some people have complained that the denouement goes on too long, but I love that the members of the fellowship take their time disbanding after their time together, and I enjoyed the chapter The Scouring of the Shire about how evil can spread even to places we once thought “safe.” Also, it’s one final adventure for our hobbits on their own, and it shows how much they have learned and grown from their adventures in the wider world. 

The ending is bittersweet and hopeful—a reminder that journeys and wars leave scars, but also that there is healing and leaving a place better than you found it is a worthy goal, whether or not you personally get to enjoy the peace and prosperity. 

It has been such a delight revisiting Middle Earth! There are so many great characters, a beautiful world, and resonant themes that it is no wonder this trilogy is a fantasy classic and has inspired so many people to follow in Tolkien’s footsteps.

“There, peeping among the cloud-wrack above a dark tor high up in the mountains, Sam saw a white star twinkle for a while. The beauty of it smote his heart, as he looked up out of the forsaken land, and hope returned to him. For like a shaft, clear and cold, the thought pierced him that in the end the Shadow was only a small and passing thing: there was light and high beauty for ever beyond its reach.” 

The Fellowship of the Ring Review

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J. R. R. Tolkien published this book in 1954, and his imagination has fascinated several generations of readers.

“‘I am not made for perilous quests. I wish I had never seen the Ring! Why did it come to me? Why was I chosen?’ [cried Frodo].” 

“‘Such questions cannot be answered,’ said Gandalf. ‘You may be sure that it was not for any merit that others do not possess: not for power or wisdom, at any rate. But you have been chosen, and you must therefore use such strength and heart and wits as you have.’”

Tolkien’s epic adventure is a classic for a reason. 

Frodo Baggins is a peace-loving hobbit who is bequeathed a magic ring of enormous power, which brings danger to him and his closest friends. He must embark on a quest to rid the world of the evil the powerful ring and its master are wreaking on Middle Earth. 

Tolkien’s Middle Earth is the gold standard by which future high fantasy is measured. His imagination was incredible, and his attention to the detail of the world makes it feel so real. The pace is slower and the journey meanders in a way that does not feel quite modern, but the characters are interesting, the world fascinating, and Tolkien’s descriptive language is beautiful. He obviously cares about trees and growing things, and his best characters blend love of earth and love of people, while the villains despoil landscape and culture.

Some readers will be annoyed by digressions into Shire life and the strangeness of Tom Bombadil, wanting to get on with the quest, while other readers are inspired to write fan fiction about them. 

The themes of this story, of good vs. evil, of fascinating creatures and a complex and beautiful world, make it enduring. 

“‘But the only measure that [Sauron] knows is desire, desire for power; and so he judges all hearts. Into his heart the thought will not enter that any will refuse it, that having the Ring we may seek to destroy it.’” 

We all bring our own perspectives to any reading, and the (long) chapter “The Council of Elrond” is a great example of arguments about what to do with something that could give you great power. There is wisdom here for our current time. 

There isn’t really anything new I can say about this book, but it was so fun to revisit Middle Earth after a few years. There were many delightful details I had forgotten. For example, after Bilbo’s party where he disappears and leaves the ring to Frodo, seventeen years pass before Frodo leaves the Shire at Gandalf’s urging, to take the ring away to a safer location. Also, if you have never read the bit about Bilbo leaving pointed gifts to his various neighbors and relations, that section is hilarious (he leaves stationery to someone who never writes back; he leaves an umbrella to someone who always borrows from others, etc.). It is a great little portrait of the joys and trials of ordinary life. 

I listed to the audio version read by Andy Serkis, and his commitment to the story and the characters is impressive and immersive. He sings all the songs and his character voices are distinct. What a joy to hear.

I look forward to continuing the adventure in The Two Towers.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Books, books, books!

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boy-reading-surpriseOnce again, I’m embarking on a book reading challenge that I may (or may not–but let’s stay optimistic here!) complete. I’ve read some interesting books this year, but I also want to sprinkle in some more classics, and I want a moderate degree of accountability to read some books on my “I really should get around to reading this–it’s a classic!” list.

So I’ve joined the Classics Club and their 50 books in 5 years challenge. Here’s my big list.

I’m not sure exactly where to start, so I’m going to create this list of 20 of the books, wait for the Classics Club August Book Spin, where they will pick a number, and that’s the book I’ll start with. To give myself a good chance of not quitting immediately, I’m only picking books with less than 450 pages for this first month. I looked up the books on Goodreads and grabbed page numbers from there. My actual page count may vary depending on what edition I read, but I thought at least that would give me a general idea.

If you’re curious, the longest tome on my list is War & Peace, with 1275 pages. Yeah, I’m not going to start there.

Here are my options (I have more books under 450 pages, but I grabbed 20 at random):

  1. Forster, E.M.: Room With a View (119 p)
  2. Woolf, Virginia: To the Lighthouse (209 p)
  3. Gaskell, Elizabeth: Cranford (257 p)
  4. Wharton, Edith: The Age of Innocence (332 p)
  5. Waugh, Evelyn: Brideshead Revisited (351 p)
  6. Burns, Olive: Cold Sassy Tree (405 p)
  7. Sayers, Dorothy: Have His Carcase (440 p)
  8. Hemingway, Ernest: A Moveable Feast (192 p)
  9. Shakespeare, William: Othello (314 p)
  10. Christie, Agatha: A Murder is Announced (288 p)
  11. L’Engle, Madeleine: Many Waters (352 p)
  12. Wilde, Oscar: The Picture of Dorian Gray (367 p)
  13. Cather, Willa: My Antonia (232 p)
  14. Marquez, Gabriel Garcia: Love in the Time of Cholera (348 p)
  15. Du Maurier, Daphne: The House on the Strand (352 p)
  16. le Carre, John: Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy (381 p)
  17. Austen, Jane: Persuasion (249 p)
  18. Camus, Albert: The Stranger (123 p)
  19. Gaskell, Elizabeth: Mary Barton (437 p)
  20. Alcott, Louisa May: Little Women/ Good Wives (449 p)

I’ll be back to let you know what I’m reading first!

UPDATE: The Classics Club spin chose #9, so I’m starting with Othello. An interesting place to start! I’ll let you know how it goes.

https://youtu.be/MIqFgimdJ6o

Photo by Ben White on Unsplash