Study guides: popular books, letter c

Candide by Voltaire

Despite the fact that “Candide” title has many translation variations, it is still a one of the most famous and studied works of French Literature. Be it “All For The Best” or “The Optimist” – this satirical text was originally banned due to harsh criticism towards religion, politics, and morals of the time. Voltaire wrote a parody that is also based on...

Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoyevsky

“Crime and Punishment” is one of the most difficult literary works not only in the Fyodor Dostoyevsky portfolio but of the whole world literary heritage. In our times, when the majority of population learn about the books by the movies, quick read anything that is longer than ten pages and get an idea about the plot from the reviews, it’s not easy to take up a challenge of a...

Catch-22 by Joseph Heller

Joseph Heller wrote his satirical “Catch-22” novel in 1961 under a very loyal and democratic President Kennedy leadership. Other ways it’s hard to imagine such a critical piece being published under the governance of Truman or Eisenhower.  The plot is centered around the protagonist Captain John Yossarian during the Second World War. Location is at one of the American Air...

Childhood's End by Arthur C. Clarke

If you are into aliens and extraterrestrial life, then the “Childhood End” by Arthur Clarke is a must read for you. Unlike what the Hollywood tries to portray in its action movie production, the book talks about a peaceful invasion by the race called Overlords. The book is a relatively short story that comprises almost half the century of Earth history under the rule of Overlords. It...

Cyrano de Bergerac by Edmond Rostand

Edmond Rostand created “Cyrano de Bergerac”, that actually is not centered around the real life of this historic character. It is written in verse style, reminding the classical rhyme composition. The play drastically changed the landscape of realistic and dull theatrical production of the 19th century and was an immediate success. Cyrano is a poet who lived in France during the 17th...

Cry, the Beloved Country by Alan Paton

“Cry, the Beloved Country” is written in 1948 by a South African author Alan Paton. The author has spent many years working in the reformatory institutions and it was on one of the trips abroad that he wrote this book. The novel deals with the racial inequality and segregation. It's important to understand that the novel was published before the segregation issue intensified in...

Cat's Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut Jr.

Cat’s Cradle is a novel by Kurt Vonnegut that is science fiction by style and the bitter satire by nature. The main theme of it is the huge impact of technical progress on humanity and the possible hazards that it can bring. The author uses as characters the children of the (fictional) scientist who worked on the nuclear bomb that was used in Hiroshima. This is deeply symbolic, because the...

Cannery Row by John Steinbeck

Cannery Row is still one of the most beloved and readable pieces of the classical literature, because of its overly sweet and somehow even naive atmosphere. Many critics call “Cannery Row” nostalgic, but the tone of their reviews is mostly positive. The town with clumsy but lovely Mack and his boys - who are former prisoners and generally homeless people from the one hand and behave...

Comedy of Errors by William Shakespeare

One of the earliest comedies of William Shakespeare, “The Comedy of Errors” lacks the depth of the plotline that defines his later works, but it is still incredibly funny. The author makes use of the slapstick humour and mistaken identities, but also adds his trademark wordplay and the comedy of puns, generously provided by the servants and other people of low origin that serve as...

Common Sense by Thomas Paine

Common Sense is a pamphlet written by Thomas Paine that advocates the fight of the people of the Thirteen Colonies against the British egalitarian government. Short and plain, it had a great influence on the society. Thomas Paine, following the ideas of Enlightenment, made his statement based on pure logic, so that his pamphlet indeed looks like a product of simple common sense, not the...

Chronicle of a Death Foretold by Gabriel García Márquez

The legendary Gabriel Garcia Marquez wrote “Chronicle of a Death Foretold” in 1981. It is a story about a murder told from a perspective of those who committed and observed it. The way the events are reconstructed creates a bit of literary chaos in the text and reminds absurd theatre genre. Imagine a small provincial town. A big and lavish wedding has just been celebrated and it...