The Scarlet Letter (Annotated Keynote Classics) Paperback – March 5, 2020

I’ve read several Keynote Classics now, and this one didn’t fail to disappoint in its quality and its spot-on introduction. I enjoyed it much more now than when I read it back in school. Now I can appreciate the beautiful poetic language, and the footnotes in this version help when needed. Hawthorne’s descriptions are amazing! I would say definitely skip the “Custom House” chapter in the beginning because he’s mainly venting about outdated politics and it’s just a framing device for the real story. Once you get into it, it’s hard to put it down. Just read it!

Book is as promised

I had to read this in school but going back to it now I think it is so much better. The old style language that I didn't understand back then is so poetic and adds to the mysterious atmosphere. This introduction helps with a bit of explanation without giving away the story like so many other classic books do. Knowing about the puritans and their way of life helped me understand Hester Prynne and the secrecy better. This old book is really better than you thought.