As You Like It - William Shakespeare

Title:

As You Like It

Author:

William Shakespeare

Year:

1623

Country:

England

Themes:

The multiple identities that can exist within a single person

The turmoil that comes from usurpation and displacement

The virtue of life in the country versus life in the court

Synopsis:

The story of a young woman escaping from the court to a magical forest reprieve 

King Lear - William Shakespeare

Title:

King Lear

Author:

William Shakespeare

Year:

1608

Country:

England

Themes:

The complications that arise in passing down an estate

The danger of allowing flattery to influence you

The balance or relationship between reason and madness

Synopsis:

The story of a king falling into madness as his daughters battle over his estate

A Room with a View - EM Forster

Title:

A Room with a View

Author:

EM Forster

Year:

1908

Country:

England

Themes:

The process of escaping a relationship you don’t like

The difficulty establishing and maintaining a relationship between classes

The stress involved in keeping love secret

Synopsis:

The story of a young woman escaping her rigid world to spend her life with the man she loves 

The Pillars of the Earth - Ken Follett

Title:

The Pillars of the Earth

Author:

Ken Follett

Year:

1989

Country:

Wales

Themes:

The struggle and reward of seeing a major project through to completion

The battle between different sectors of the Catholic Church

The idea that love and relationships are not the same thing

Synopsis:

The story of a collection of villagers committed to constructing a cathedral despite various challenges and opposition

Les Misérables - Victor Hugo

Title:

Les Misérables

Author:

Victor Hugo

Year:

1862

Country:

France

Themes:

The goodness of forgiveness and the desire to become a better person

The revolutionary spirit of young men and their desire for a new world

The pain and sadness that humans can experience in this life

Synopsis:

The story of various people living in Post-Napoleonic Paris before, during, and after the 1832 June Rebellion