In which we offer up better books than those we were forced to read in school.
I will begin by substituting “In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash,” by Jean Shepard, for “A Christmas Carol.”
Good call!
I have some suggestions, but I’d like to know what books I have to find alternatives for, if you’re talking about one-to-one matching.
Oh, it doesn’t have to be one-to-one. I can’t think of an equivalent for Ethan Frome or Silas Marner, for example. Personally, I’d like replacements for Moby Dick and Jane Eyre, to name two of my least favorite classics.
Well, if we think of Moby Dick as embodying the “man’s struggle against nature” theme, I’ll nominate The Poisonwood Bible, instead. Lots of struggle against nature (it never, ever occurred to me that you could bring all the seeds to a new land you want, and they’ll grow leaves, but without native pollinators, ya ain’t getting fruit from it!), as well as man’s struggle against self and man’s struggle against others, as well.
Kon-Tiki for Moby Dick.
The Nanny Diaries for Jane Eyre.
The Forever War, The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress, Wyrd Sisters for anything by Dickens.