In May 1827, the Pickwick Club of London, headed by Samuel Pickwick, decides to establish a traveling society in which four members journey about England and make reports on their travels. The four members are Mr. Pickwick, a kindly retired businessman and philosopher whose thoughts never rise above the commonplace; Tracy Tupman, a ladies' man who never makes a conquest; Augustus Snodgrass, a poet who never writes a poem; and Nathaniel Winkle, a sportsman of tremendous ineptitude.
The Pickwickians meet to begin their first journey and get knocked about by an angry cabman, who thinks they are informers, while an angry crowd gathers. They are rescued by Alfred Jingle, who travels with them to Rochester. Jingle is an adventurer interested in wealthy women, and on this first trip he involves the innocent Winkle in a duel with Dr. Slammer, a hot-tempered army man.
At Chatham, the Pickwickians watch army maneuvers, get buffeted about, and meet Mr. Wardle, a country squire who invites them to his estate at Dingley Dell. After some mishaps with horses, Mr. Pickwick and his friends arrive at Mr. Wardle's Manor Farm, where they enjoy card games, flirting, storytelling, hunting, and a cricket match. Mr. Tupman falls in love with Mr. Wardle's spinster sister, Rachael; and Mr. Snodgrass falls in love with his daughter, Emily. However, Tupman is outsmarted by the vivacious, unscrupulous Jingle, who elopes with Rachael. Mr. Pickwick and Mr. Wardle pursue Jingle and Rachael to London, where, with the help of a lawyer, Mr. Perker, they buy off Jingle and save Rachael Wardle from an unhappy marriage.
Multilevel sounds neutral. Suspenseful could have a good and bad meaning. Engaging is pretty positive and so is Elaborate. Hope this helps <3
Answer:
CROCODILE BURNING
BOOKSHELF
CROCODILE BURNING
BY MICHAEL WILLIAMS
RELEASE DATE: AUG. 1, 1992
Seraki's Soweto life takes a new direction when, almost by accident, he lands a part in a musical drama. The angry play is called iSezela, after a powerful, menacing crocodile in African myth, symbol of many kinds of oppression. The crocodile haunts Seraki: His brother Phakane is a political prisoner; the Naughty Boys, a gang of urban terrorists, is extorting money from his family; and the play, initially a liberating experience, becomes a nightmarish trap after its wild success in South Africa leads to a Broadway run and the director, Mosake, changes from inspirational leader to violent, exploitative tyrant. The author's theatrical experience stands him in good stead; readers will get a good sense of the work involved in a stage production and the heady feeling when it all comes together. While his lurid, harshly ironic portrait of N.Y.C. is unconvincing, Williams's insider's view of South Africa will open some eyes. The book ends on several hopeful notes: Seraki and the rest of the cast confront Masake, negotiate fairer contracts, and celebrate Nelson Mandela's release and also Phakane's—the crocodile's grip is slipping. ``So many things are happening in this country, Seraki, so many good things!
