Maybe it was the mood I was in when I tried to read Dumas, but I just couldn't get into it. Still, lots of people I know love his work. I'll have to try again sometime. :-)

::Trying to imagine a musical of House of Seven Gables and failing::

I really enjoy Hawthorne's short fiction. Think my favorite is Rapacinin's Daughter. The man did some wonderfully creepy stuff.