Subject
Tutors and tutoring -- Fiction Books
Best books
Booth Tarkington
The Beautiful Lady
"The Beautiful Lady" by Booth Tarkington is a novel written during the early 20th century. The book dives into themes of identity, social class, and the human condition through the lens of a young man who finds himself in a humiliating position as a living advertisement in Paris. The narrative unfolds in a city characterized by both beauty and cruelty, reflecting the contrasts that shape the experiences of its characters. The story revolves around the protagonist, Raffaele Ansolini, who, in desperation and poverty, takes a job at the Theatre Folie-Rouge as a sandwich-man, sporting a painted advertisement on his bald head. He is subjected to ridicule and mirthful observations from the Parisian crowds, which only serve to deepen his sense of shame. Amidst this ordeal, he encounters a kind-hearted American lady who shows him compassion, igniting his infatuation. As the plot progresses, Raffaele's life intersects with that of Lambert R. Poor Jr., a wealthy American youth, and the beautiful lady, setting off a series of events that explore love, loyalty, and the quest for dignity. Ultimately, the story culminates in themes of redemption and self-acceptance, transcending the superficial judgments imposed by society.
Charles Egbert Craddock
The fair Mississippian
"The fair Mississippian" by Charles Egbert Craddock is a novel written in the early 20th century. Set on an isolated Mississippi River plantation, it follows Edward Desmond, a brilliant but newly impoverished scholar who becomes tutor to the wealthy widow Honoria Faurie’s three sons. The story promises class friction, wounded pride, and a possible attraction between tutor and mistress, threaded through with a local “haunting” and the social theatrics of neighboring planters. The opening of the novel shows Desmond’s fall from promise after his father’s death and his reluctant arrival at Great Oaks, where Mr. Stanlett’s tactless chatter about Honoria’s fortune (tied to widowhood) and a parrot’s mocking song sharpen Desmond’s sense of humiliation. He meets the unexpectedly young and commanding Honoria, then lies awake to hear furtive footsteps on the stairs; Reginald explains the household’s ghostly legend. At breakfast Honoria’s birthday and Chub’s earnest “trading‑boat” gift reveal the family’s dynamics. Desmond asserts discipline, vetoing a holiday, choosing the library as a schoolroom, and quelling globe‑spinning and sulks; he spars with Reginald over the value of Greek and begins to win a measure of order while spending his nights reading and writing in solitude. As winter wears on, neighbors Colonel and Mrs. Kentopp arrive; Desmond even resists being summoned mid‑lessons, signaling the boundaries he intends to keep.
Arthur Porges
The Unwilling Professor
"The Unwilling Professor" by Arthur Porges is a science fiction novella written during the early 1950s. The narrative focuses on the amusing and bizarre encounter between two struggling college students and a Venusian rabbit professor, who is unexpectedly thrust into the role of their math tutor. The book blends elements of humor and absurdity as it explores themes of academic struggle and unexpected mentorship. In the story, college students Fatty Schultz and Irv Lece, both infamous for their poor academic performance, stumble upon a crashed spacecraft and its pilot, Professor Iglowt P. Slakmak, a rabbit-like creature from Venus. After capturing the professor and forcing him to tutor them in calculus, the duo unexpectedly improves their grades and popularity among their fraternity brothers. However, the professor's displeasure grows as he struggles with being held captive and forced to teach. Eventually, a friendly Martian dog named Hotspur rescues the professor, leading to a humorous yet satisfying ending where the professor finally escapes and wishes ill upon his captors, hoping they face academic consequences for their misdeeds.
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