The Alps by way of elephant
I guess I know that most people on this board are mostly scifi/fantasy fans, and thats great because I'm a huge fan too. But I'm wondering if anyone is interested in high-literature.
For me I've always kept a running list, I'll read two or three fun books then force myself to read something heavy. I think reading literature is important, these books are famous for a reason. If you get past the fact that many are over-written and dense, you can usually glean some really insightful thoughts and ideas. I'm reading Dostoyevsky's "The Idiot" right now, it's pretty boring for long stretches, but I sit back after reading a few chapters I realize that the ideas presented are amazing.
I can't deny, though, that a big part of it is being able to say that you've read this shit as well.
I dunno, what are your thoughts on 'the classics'
Last edited by enigmajelly; 10 Sep 2006 at 12:24 AM.
You should have acted
I've plowed my way through the three musketeers a couple of times, and then I tried man in the iron mask, but that was just too much for me. I do want to read some other classic books. I almost picked up some mark twain a while ago, but got distracted...probably by something shiny.
Could you please make the thread title more descriptive?
I read "The Idiot" years ago. As I recall, the book is divided into four parts and the middle two do go on for too long. This woman I knew urged me to read it because she identified strongly with the Prince, but his innocence didn't engage me much. Still, the last part of the book is decent and the setting is quite interesting.
You mention that many classics are overwritten, but my favorite famous author is definitely James Joyce. I've read his short story collection, Dubliners, several times and A Portrait of the Artist As a Young Man a couple of times. I haven't finished Ulysses just yet, I'm embarrassed to say, but I'll get there. You might possibly find him "overwritten," but his richness of language and the themes he addresses (religion, society, discovery, paralysis, escape) are like soul candy to me.
The Alps by way of elephant
Joyce's short stories caught my interest, but I've never even attempted Ulysses. Hemmingway is probably my favorite classical writer. I really dig his peared down, minimalist style.
Suggestions:
100 Years of Solitude-Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Satanic Verses-Salman Rushdie
Slaughterhouse 5-Vonnegut
arthur miller arthur miller arthur miller
one of the most important authors EVER.
Originally Posted by dechecho
If only because I got to know my wife after helping her with a report on The Crucible.
lamentations of their women
I never really read any literature outside of what was forced on me in high school, and to be honest I didn't even read a third of those (I can bullshit pretty well on paper). I figured I'd change that, so I got the Modern Library's list of 100 best modern novels (I can't slog though anything from the 19th century or earlier that I've seen with few excpetions). Figured it would be a good starting point even if the list is nowhere near perfect.
I started reading Faulkner's The Sound and the Fury last week. On the second chapter. I was having some trouble with it until I found that Yahoo has Cliffs Notes online. It has made the book alot easier to understand.
Don't feel bad. Anyone who tells you they've finished Ulysses is lying.
Last edited by Saint of Killers; 10 Sep 2006 at 12:06 PM.
You should have acted
Oh yes, I also read Hemmingway's A Farewell to Arms once. I didn't enjoy it, but I think that was the style more than the story.
The Alps by way of elephant
You're dead to me.
I'm reading the Stranger by Camus. It's sad when you can relate to it
"Chuy, you're going to have a magical life. Because no matter where you go, it's always going to be better than Tucson."
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