A Book you wish more people had read:

Sarah:

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight - translation by Simon Armitage.

this is an epic poem so it counts as a book alright?! i really cannot rave enough about Simon Armitage’s translation of the manuscript for this poem. the original author is unknown, but this is one of the narrative poems from the age of Chaucer, amongst many for whom the author is unaccounted for. the poem in its original form, the middle english, is beautiful enough in itself. however, Armitage’s translation is absolutely exquisite. he captures the essence of the original, the assonance and the alliterative techniques, the atmosphere and the meaning, the feel and sound of the verses as they are spoken (for this poem was originally told in the oral fashion), and even manages to retain some of the original words and terms. it tells the story of Sir Gawain in a gorgeous, swirling fashion which is buoyant and compelling and magical and absolutely absorbing. and i really really wish more people would think to pick this up and read it. Armitage has made one of the most beautiful Middle English poems accessible to everybody, and i feel that not enough people take advantage of that.

Andy:

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

So the rough outline of this novel is known to most people, especially thanks to the terrible film recently made of it, the man who sold his soul in order for his portrait to age and gained eternal youth. But the novel that Oscar Wilde writes is so much more than that, Dorian’s falter that leads him into this path creates a much more realistic sense to this book than most people would believe. I loved this book and really wish people would read it.