The Reality of Fiction with Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie [VIDEO]

Middlemarch, written by George Eliot, is a novel that delves into the complexities of provincial life in 19th-century England. The story revolves around the intersecting lives of its characters, particularly Dorothea Brooke and Dr. Tertius Lydgate, as they navigate marriage, vocation, and social class. Eliot critiques the conventional romance narratives of her time by portraying marriage as a complex and often problematic institution. The novel also explores themes of idealism, self-interest, hypocrisy, and the constraints on women's lives. Set in the fictional town of Middlemarch between 1829 and 1832, the novel incorporates historical events such as the Great Reform Act of 1832 and early developments in medicine. Eliot's realistic portrayal of ordinary human life, with its quiet tragedies and small triumphs, has made 'Middlemarch' a masterpiece of English literature.

The Beautiful Mrs. Seidenman is a powerful novel by Andrzej Szczypiorski, set in Nazi-occupied Warsaw in 1943. It follows the story of Irma Seidenman, a Jewish woman who passes as a Polish officer's widow, and her dramatic rescue after being betrayed. The novel delves into the interconnected lives of various characters, grappling with moral and philosophical questions amidst the backdrop of war and occupation.