"I was born with a reading list I will never finish." —Maud Casey
We've had our eyes on Melville's Benito Cereno ever since a favorite friend declared it a must-read classic. Then we found out it's a novella. For two girls knee deep in reading material and fresh outta time, that's a deal maker. So while we try to catch up on our other book club reading (165 pages into Beartown and officially hooked* but haven't even cracked open A Word for Love—should I be admitting that?) all of you organized readers can dive into Mr. Melville. We pinky promise to be up to speed by the end of the month (really).
Still need convincing to brush those cobwebs off the part of your brain needed to tackle Melville's ornate language? This review from the folks over at Shmoop (Spark Notes with a sense of humor) should do it:
Long before the crew of the Black Pearl cried mutiny, Jack Sparrow's predecessors ruled the Seven Seas in Herman Melville's Benito Cereno. Old Hermie's version is no Disney theme park ride, though, so buckle up for a tale of dastardly double-crossers and struggles against the forces of evil. We're talking psychological drama and an ending that could rival The Usual Suspects or The Sixth Sense.
Sold.
*Beartown took me a while to get into but now I'm finding it hard to put down. And be forewarned: language is super salty at times.