Introduction to Frankenstein by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley

I previously posted links to presentations introducing my students to Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close and The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes.  Today, I'm adding the next audiobook option: Shelley's Frankenstein.

Although most students have heard of Frankenstein, most think that Frankenstein is the lumbering, green monster, rather than the scientist.  Indeed, Frankenstein and his monster are both commonly misrepresented and misunderstood characters.  The actual novel  is beautiful, provocative, and insightful.  It tackles issues about human nature within the framework of an entertaining story.  Although told at the time as a ghost or horror story, Frankenstein is now recognized as one of the first true science fiction novels.  I love this novel, and I am excited to share it with some of my students this semester.

To view my Prezi presentation introducing Frankenstein to students, click here.

If you enjoy Frankenstein, you may also enjoy Out of the Silent Planet by C.S. Lewis.

(Image from Wikimedia)

"Dracula" by Bram Stoker

I read a lot of vampire books, so I decided to go back to the classic and read Bram Stoker's "Dracula". 

Although it wasn't the first piece of vampire fiction, "Dracula" is the classic vampire novel.  The funny thing is, when I read it, I wanted more of the vampire.  I felt like for a book called "Dracula", there simply wasn't enough of Dracula (who also uses the name De Ville...later borrowed by Cruella of "101 Dalmations").  That was a major way in which vampire fiction has evolved since then.  In Stoker's "Dracula", the vampire is an evil, "unholy" creature that the main characters hunt down and abhor.  In most modern vampire fiction, the vampire is one of the main characters that in some way you like.

Traditionally, there is something seductive and sexy about vampires (even in old succubus folklore).  There are moments of this in "Dracula", but only moments.  For example, the vampire tells the group of men hunting him, "Your girls that you all love are mine already; and through them you and others shall yet be mine..."  Most of the time, though, Dracula is more of an eccentric old man or generic shape shifting evil.

Yes, "Dracula" is a classic, and I'm glad that I read it.  It made me interested in how vampire fiction has evolved, and showed how different culture was then.  As far as simple entertainment goes, though, I have to say that I prefer modern vampire books.

The Mammoth Book of Wolfmen: The Ultimate Werewolf Anthology

Traditionally vampires have been more popular than werewolves.  This is probably because--if we're being honest--vampires (the beautiful undead) are sexier than werewolves (people who turn into over sized dogs).   There seems to be a lot more fiction about vampires than werewolves, or else werewolves show up as secondary characters in vampire books (like in the Twilight books).

It was a refreshing change, then, to read the Mammoth anthology of werewolf short stories.  Mammoth always does a good job with their short story anthologies, and this one is particularly good.  I really liked the wide range of short stories in "Wolfmen".  There were a lot of very different takes on werewolves, and stories ranged from classic horror to postmodern thoughtfulness.  Like in any anthology, some of the short stories are better than others.  On the whole, though, the standard is surprisingly high.  If you like werewolves, it's definitely something you should read.  And if you don't like werewolves, you might be surprised by how much you enjoy some of these stories.

To read my full review of The Mammoth Book of Wolfmen, click here.