Written by Christopher Morley in 1917, “Parnassus on Wheels” shows the perspective of 39-year-old spinster Helen McGill as she embarks on the adventure of a lifetime. Her life is transformed from living with her brother, who was a successful author and partook in constant adventure while she stayed at home tending to domestic matters, to riding in a bookshop on wheels with a man who was essentially a stranger. In an impulsive moment, Helen sets herself on the path of discovery; she discovers life, interests, passions, and ultimately herself. Despite Roger’s initial plans regarding his Parnassus, he discovers that the life he was aiming to achieve was not the life that he truly desired.  

Personally, I love that the setting of the story is located in Brooklyn/ the New England countryside approximately a century ago; there is an aspect of familiarity associated with the landscape yet historically remote parts to it that I find truly addicting. Furthermore, I loved the way her voice changed throughout the book in response to the changes she was undergoing. The way she viewed books at first was utterly pragmatic; unless the books could concretely contribute to her domestic tasks, she viewed them as a waste of time. Poetry would give her hiccups, for example. A genre considered to be the most venerable of all was brought down to earthly bodily functions to show how Helen viewed the world. Then, through the interaction with the passionate Roger, she allowed herself to dream, see her life above the mundane routines, and discover something new, a whole new world outside and inside the books. By taking this step and opening herself to the beauty of the written word and to the beauty of falling in love, she enriched her life and made it complete. 

This book is a safe haven for any avid reader or for any romantic: presenting a familiar circumstance in the difference of opinion regarding books. Especially in the modern world, where love for stories, poems, and narratives is scarce, it is lovely to see the change that admiration for books and a reverence for life and love can have on a person. I have a similar vision of books to that of Roger; every book I have on my shelf is a world that engulfs me and gives me another home, another life, another adventure, and enriches me, the same way as Parnassus enriches every person that it comes in contact with and allows himself to be influenced and enriched by it. Although it is relatively quite short, Parnassus on Wheels is an astounding book, and I highly recommend it.