Every summer I try to read a few classics.  This summer I read "Tale of two Cities" by Charles Dickens. Despite it's age this is still a great story. It follows several characters as they move between France and England during the beginning of the French Revolution.  There is the beautiful Lucie Manette, her father and two men who love her, Charles Darney and Sydney Carton. We also meet the revolutionaries Mr. and Mrs. Defarge who are very scary people. The story is very fast paced because it was written as a weekly serial. It is still a bit of a difficult book for todays readers. But it is well worth spending the time to read it. 

     I also became obsessed with "Kristin Lavransdatter" by Sigrid Undst. This book is a classic in Scandinavia and I see why. It is a beautifully written story about a young girl living in medieval Norway. She defies everyone to be with the man she loves. The reader truly cares about  and understands Kristen because the book is so well written. The descriptions of Norway and everyday life there are also wonderful. I highly recommend this one.