Caleb Foster
Bio
Hi! My name is Caleb Foster, I’m 29, and I live in Ashland, Oregon. I studied English at Southern Oregon University and now work as a freelance editor, reviewing books and editing texts for publishers.
Stories (46)
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Book review: The Invisible Man by H. G. Wells
Some books make you marvel at the wonders of imagination, while others make you quietly shiver at what that imagination might reveal about human nature. The Invisible Man by H. G. Wells manages to do both. From the very beginning, I was captivated by its premise—not just because of the scientific impossibility it offers, but because of the very human consequences that unfold from it. Though published in 1897, the novel retains a startling relevance today, not only in its scientific curiosity but in its deep moral and psychological exploration of isolation, power, and identity.
By Caleb Foster7 months ago in BookClub
Book review: The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
There are books that you read and forget, and then there are those that linger, haunting the edges of your memory with their beauty, melancholy, and truth. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald is firmly in the second category for me. Every time I return to it, I find something new—not because the story has changed, but because I have. It is a novel that matures with the reader, a mirror reflecting different aspects of our dreams and disappointments, our illusions and our realities.
By Caleb Foster7 months ago in BookClub
Book review: The Door in the Wall by H. G. Wells
There are stories that remain with you not because of what they resolve, but because of what they leave unresolved. The Door in the Wall by H. G. Wells is precisely such a story. From the first page, it beckoned to me in the same mysterious way the titular door beckons to its protagonist—quietly, insistently, with a suggestion that something perfect lies just out of reach. This short yet profound tale transcends the boundaries of genre fiction and philosophical reflection, crafting a narrative that resonates deeply with anyone who has ever felt the pang of lost possibility or the weight of choices made in life’s unfolding years.
By Caleb Foster7 months ago in BookClub
Book review: The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas
There are books that entertain, books that inspire, and then there are books that utterly consume you. The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas belongs to the last category for me. From the moment I began reading, I was swept into a whirlwind of betrayal, vengeance, love, and transformation—an epic that felt as inexhaustible as it was immersive. Though it spans hundreds of pages, I never once felt weary; instead, I was continually surprised by the novel’s depth, scope, and emotional complexity.
By Caleb Foster7 months ago in BookClub
Book review: The Call of the Wild by Jack London
There are books that entertain, and then there are books that awaken something primal inside you—something ancient, silent, and powerful. The Call of the Wild by Jack London belongs to the latter. When I first read it, I wasn’t expecting the sheer force of instinct, survival, and transformation that runs through every line of this deceptively simple tale. Though it is a relatively short novel, it packs the emotional and philosophical punch of something much grander. It doesn't just tell a story—it reminds us of something we've forgotten, something buried deep beneath the surface of civilization.
By Caleb Foster7 months ago in BookClub
Brief overview: All short stories about Sherlock Holmes
The stories of Sherlock Holmes are true classics of detective fiction, captivating readers for over a century with their clever plots and unforgettable characters. Created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Holmes remains one of the most iconic figures in literary history — a brilliant, eccentric detective with unmatched powers of observation and deduction. Alongside his loyal companion Dr. Watson, Holmes investigates baffling mysteries, from stolen treasures and cryptic codes to political scandals and bizarre murders. Set mostly in Victorian and Edwardian England, the tales not only deliver intellectual thrill but also reflect the social atmosphere of their time. With each story, readers are drawn into a world of foggy London streets, secret societies, and chilling suspense. Over the years, the Holmes canon has grown to include four novels and 56 short stories, each contributing to the detective’s enduring legacy. The charm of the series lies in its mix of logic, atmosphere, and character depth. This article offers a brief overview of these famous stories, exploring their plots, themes, and evolution.
By Caleb Foster7 months ago in BookClub
Book review: The Call of Cthulhu by H. P. Lovecraft
There are stories that chill with ghosts, that unsettle with monsters, and then there are stories like The Call of Cthulhu by H. P. Lovecraft—stories that evoke dread not from what we see, but from what we realize we can never understand. Reading this novella for the first time felt less like consuming fiction and more like brushing against the edge of something vast and unknowable, as though I were peering into a crack in the world and glimpsing the dark, incomprehensible abyss beneath.
By Caleb Foster7 months ago in Horror
Book review: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
Some books find their way into your hands when you most need them, and The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho was that kind of book for me. There is something quietly magnetic about it—something that draws the reader in not with noise or complexity but with simplicity, sincerity, and a sense of spiritual invitation. It is not a novel in the traditional sense, and it does not try to be. Rather, it is a fable—a tale with the clarity of folklore and the emotional resonance of parable.
By Caleb Foster7 months ago in BookClub
Book review: The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton
There are novels that enchant with the sweep of their romance, and others that unsettle with the quiet truths they whisper beneath the surface. The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton does both, luring the reader into a world of gilded drawing rooms and whispered judgments while subtly dismantling the illusions that sustain that world. When I first opened its pages, I expected a tale of manners, perhaps something akin to Austen’s comedies of society. What I found instead was a story of heartbreak, restraint, and the powerful weight of choices unmade.
By Caleb Foster7 months ago in BookClub
Book review: Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
There are books we read for plot, and there are books we read to inhabit a world more closely observed than our own. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen belongs unequivocally to the latter. From the very first sentence, I found myself immersed not only in the drawing rooms and countryside estates of early 19th-century England, but in the emotional and intellectual undercurrents that run quietly yet insistently through every conversation and every glance.
By Caleb Foster7 months ago in BookClub
Book review: Old Bugs by H. P. Lovecraft
There are some literary works that we approach with curiosity rather than expectation, intrigued not so much by what they promise but by what they reveal about their author. Old Bugs by H. P. Lovecraft is one such piece—a brief, obscure, and strikingly different story in the vast body of Lovecraft’s writing. It is not a masterpiece in the traditional sense, nor is it emblematic of the cosmic horror for which he is widely known, but reading it gave me a glimpse into an unexpected side of the author: playful, moralistic, and, above all, self-referential in a way that borders on parody.
By Caleb Foster7 months ago in BookClub
Book review: Notes from Underground by Fyodor Dostoyevsky
Some books don’t ask to be read—they dare you. Notes from Underground by Fyodor Dostoyevsky is one of those books. From the first few pages, I felt as though I had been drawn into the mind of someone unraveling before me, and I couldn’t look away. It’s not an easy read, but it’s an unforgettable one.
By Caleb Foster7 months ago in BookClub
