57. Barricades: The Journey of Javert, by C. A. Shilton
This self-published novel tells the story of Les Miserables' Javert from childhood on, showing how he became so strict and letter-of-the-law. The fact that it is self-published occasionally becomes evident (the book could have used a good editor), but overall it's a good read.
58. Brooklyn Rose, by Ann Rinaldi
This young adult novel tells the story of the author's grandmother, who left her childhood home at age 15 to marry a man of 30. Some reviewers have been offended by the fact that the protagonist marries a man so much older than her, but the story is based on fact, and such marriages were far more acceptable in 1900 than they are now. (At the same time, the author shows the protagonist's essential immaturity -- she spends much of the story wanting to go around with people her own age and play rather than act like an adult; according to the author's note, her grandmother was so immature that she had to be called in from skipping rope in order to feed the baby she had at age 16.) It's an engaging story, one I read through in a very short time.
"Oh, you can’t help that," said the Cat: "we’re all mad here. I’m mad. You’re mad." "How do you know I’m mad?" said Alice. "You must be," said the Cat, "or you wouldn’t have come here.”
