Milly Reviews- Vintage Books at Books On The Hill
1) David Copperfield, Charles Dickens
Published in 1849-50, this classic remains one of Dickens’ most popular novels with its themes of ambition, loss, family, and gender roles making it relevant in today’s society. The tale is narrated by a middle-aged David Copperfield as he looks back on his life experiences, from a young boy with a difficult childhood to an adult experiencing loss and acceptance. Dickens’ exploration of poverty and debtors’ prisons is largely based on the author’s own experiences of these hardships as a child. The novel has been made into several television and film adaptations and includes some of Dickens’ most famous characters. Dickens himself referred to David Copperfield as his “favourite child”. A must-read classic!
2) Pepys’ Diary, Samuel Pepys
This beautiful vintage copy details the most famous diary in the English language, spanning almost a decade from January 1660 to May 1669, when the account comes to an abrupt end due to the poor state of Pepys’ eyesight. The most notable of the events it covers include the coronation of King Charles II, the Great Plague, and the Great Fire of London. This first-hand account explores what life in Stuart London was like for a man from a working-class family who rose the ranks to become one of the most important men of his day. What makes this such an engaging account is the combination of domestic and political affairs which affected men like Pepys in this period. If you are a history nerd, this is the vintage book for you!
3) Twelve Wonderful Women, E.H. Farrance
Explore the lives and work of twelve influential women of the late 18th and 19th centuries in this non-fiction vintage book. Find out why Florence Nightingale (“The Lady with the Lamp”) decided to go and help in the Crimean War and how Elizabeth Fry fulfilled her prophecy as “a light to the blind, speech to the dumb, and feet to the lame”. Decide for yourself if these “twelve wonderful women” deserve this title and consider which contemporary female role models you would add to this list?
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