I need a book reccomendation, between 1850-1950 and non-american

For my final English project this year I have to do a report on a book written between 1850 and 1950, and it has to be non-american.

Any suggestions? I don't really have any other information, so that's all the criteria.

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Originally Posted by Oorahguy

Any suggestions? I don't really have any other information, so that's all the criteria.

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The following are all European novelists as far as I can recall; you'll probably recognise the majority, since they're all big novels between that time period. It's unfortunate that the 1850-1950 thing refrains you from using some of the greater works that were published around this time, such as Wuthering Heights or Jane Eyre (only three years out, 1847!).

The War of the Worlds - H.G. Wells
Animal Farm - George Orwell
Nineteen Eighty-Four - George Orwell
Great Expectations - Charles Dickens
Treasure Island - Robert Louis Stevenson
Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde - Robert Louis Stevenson
Dracula - Bram Stoker
The Picture of Dorian Gray - Oscar Wilde
The Importance of Being Earnest - Oscar Wilde
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland - Lewis Carroll
Heart of Darkness - Joseph Conrad
Cranford - Elizabeth Gaskell
Twenty Thousand Leagues Under The Sea - Jules Verne
Murder on the Orient Express - Agatha Christie
Lady Chatterley's Lover - D.H. Lawrence

Try taking a look at those on Google, see how you like the idea of the plot... loan a few from the library that take your fancy, then pick one for your report. I've read all of them at some point or another, so feel free to hit me up for a little help if you need it.

Some excellent ideas from Secura. Crime and Punishment is another that springs to mind. The Hobbit fits the scale, though I think Lord of the Rings is just too late.

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Originally Posted by Secura

stuff about awesome books

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I love not being needed. : )

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Originally Posted by Secura

Twenty Thousand Leagues Under The Sea - Jules Verne

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+++++++++++++++++++++++111111111111

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Originally Posted by Secura

Heart of Darkness - Joseph Conrad

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+1, a fantastic book.

Alternatively you could try The Secret Agent by the same author - could be interesting to pull out some of the themes of international terrorism which are again relevant today.

A book I re-read recently and loved is the unfinished and under-rated The Castle by Franz Kafka. Again it has some interesting relevance to modern society. Have you ever called a customer service line with a complaint or non-standard request? It's just like being the lead character in this book. :clown:

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Originally Posted by johnhughthom

Some excellent ideas from Secura. Crime and Punishment is another that springs to mind. The Hobbit fits the scale, though I think Lord of the Rings is just too late.

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I asked about the Hobbit. According to him he said it would be acceptable "if we were in 6th grade".

So....yeah.

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Originally Posted by Secura

The following are all European novelists as far as I can recall; you'll probably recognise the majority, since they're all big novels between that time period. It's unfortunate that the 1850-1950 thing refrains you from using some of the greater works that were published around this time, such as Wuthering Heights or Jane Eyre (only three years out, 1847!).

The War of the Worlds - H.G. Wells
Animal Farm - George Orwell
Nineteen Eighty-Four - George Orwell
Great Expectations - Charles Dickens
Treasure Island - Robert Louis Stevenson
Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde - Robert Louis Stevenson
Dracula - Bram Stoker
The Picture of Dorian Gray - Oscar Wilde
The Importance of Being Earnest - Oscar Wilde
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland - Lewis Carroll
Heart of Darkness - Joseph Conrad
Cranford - Elizabeth Gaskell
Twenty Thousand Leagues Under The Sea - Jules Verne
Murder on the Orient Express - Agatha Christie
Lady Chatterley's Lover - D.H. Lawrence

Try taking a look at those on Google, see how you like the idea of the plot... loan a few from the library that take your fancy, then pick one for your report. I've read all of them at some point or another, so feel free to hit me up for a little help if you need it.

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Thanks Secura, a few of those I was actually thinking about.

BTW you're an moderator now? congrats!

The Picture of Dorian Gray-Oscar Wilde

Quite dark, yes, but worth it.

Also I highly recommend anything from Dickens, "Great Expectations" being the first.

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Originally Posted by Secura

Nineteen Eighty-Four - George Orwell

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Excellent choice!

A great book. A great read. Not too long. Lots of opportunity for relevant interpretation.

I've read the book dozens of times over the years. Top five of my favorite books to be sure.

In addition to the very fine recommendations already made by our fellow orgers:

Count Belisarius, Robert Graves (A fictionalization of the life of the great Byzantine general. Good historical fiction is quite rare, IMO. This is better than good.)

Jacob's Room, Virginia Woolf. (The saddest book I've read about the First World War––without ever portraying an actual engagement, etc. It's all about the absences that war leaves.)

The Duel, Joseph Conrad (You can't go wrong with this, or the other books by Conrad that have already been recommended. This has a Napoleonic setting, which is nice. Plus, it was turned into a great film.)

The Turn of the Screw, Henry James. (Your teacher might try to tell you that James is American. Don't listen. He spent most of his life in Britain and was far more influential on British writers than their American counterparts. This little book is a masterpiece of psychological horror.)

Last, but not least:

Wind, Sand, and Stars, Antoine de Saint Exupéry (particularly the section called "Prisoner of the Sand." It's about flying a plane. And crashing. In the desert. Also, Exupéry later died in a crash very similar to the one described here.)

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Originally Posted by Secura

The War of the Worlds - H.G. Wells

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War of the Worlds is cool.

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Originally Posted by Megas Methuselah

War of the Worlds is cool.

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:yes:
The Three Musketeers (Dumas). It could be a considerably good one to read and very movie-like

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Originally Posted by Thefluffyone93

Also I highly recommend anything from Dickens, "Great Expectations" being the first.

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The only problem with Dickens is that some of his finer work falls before 1850, unfortunately; Great Expectations is definitely the road to go for his work in the required period of time, though. :P

Anything narrated by Dr Watson

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Originally Posted by Gaius Septimus Severus

:yes:
The Three Musketeers (Dumas). It could be a considerably good one to read and very movie-like

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Too early.

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Originally Posted by johnhughthom

Some excellent ideas from Secura. Crime and Punishment is another that springs to mind.

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I wouldnt recommend Crime and Punishment, especially for a book report. Yes, its a good book, but its very long (almost 500 pages), very hard to read and very complicated, though when you finish it its quite rewarding.

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Originally Posted by Beirut

(1984)
Excellent choice!

A great book. A great read. Not too long. Lots of opportunity for relevant interpretation.

I've read the book dozens of times over the years. Top five of my favorite books to be sure.

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I second this. 1984 is an excellent read, and very engaging.

"Les Jeux Sont Faits" by Jean-Paul Sartre, but that one's out of print in English, so you'd have to read it in French.

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Originally Posted by The Mad Arab

"Les Jeux Sont Faits" by Jean-Paul Sartre, but that one's out of print in English, so you'd have to read it in French.

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I am never, ever, ever, ever reading a book in French again. Ever.

Just... No.

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Originally Posted by Hooahguy

I wouldnt recommend Crime and Punishment, especially for a book report.

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Seconded. I once tried to write a report on The Brothers Karamazov and had to change the question subtly so that it related only to the first couple of chapters.

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Originally Posted by phonicsmonkey

Seconded. I once tried to write a report on The Brothers Karamazov and had to change the question subtly so that it related only to the first couple of chapters.

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I had to read C&P over winter break for my Advanced Placement English class, but about 100 pages in I couldnt read it any more since it was so complicated and it made my head hurt. So I just read the cliffs notes.
Incidentally I was able to get a 100 on the initial reading quiz and then an 89 on the final test on the book.
Yes, I consider myself very lucky.

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Originally Posted by Hooahguy

So I just read the cliffs notes.
Incidentally I was able to get a 100 on the initial reading quiz and then an 89 on the final test on the book.

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This is what is wrong with modern educational methods! :clown:

I like books.