Classics for Beginners discussion

Me and Inga are comprising a list of classics and I want your contributions.

YOU HAVE TO HAVE READ THE BOOK OR HOW ELSE WOULD YOU BE ABLE TO RECOMMEND IT?
The book has to be a classic (to get an idea what a classic is see our 'Defining a Classic' thread), say why you think it is a classic but also why it is good enough to go on our list.

I think we will make our list in sections for the genre. We will also rate them on the level they are for readers e.g. 'beginner', 'intermediate' and 'advanced'.

All books declared won't necessarily go on the list so fight for your choices! Debate is encouraged, so if you think a classic isn't a classic or isn't worthy to be on the list then tell us!

We should get some sort of list started soon.

Can we submit more than one title?

I have a list of around 20 classics that I plan to read this year (and it keeps growing). Are you looking for just a collection of books which are classics for reference, or looking for books we'd like to see as group reads, or.. something else maybe?

I love lists! :D

I have a site dedicated to defining what I think a classic is. It has a list of classics I've already read and reveiwed, and a long list of books (many classics) that I plan on reading. I have a list of ten characteristics that the book has to have at least 2 of to define it as a classic and am in the process of creating a chart of sorts to list all the "classics" and which characteristics they have.
Here's my site in case anyone is interested:

ClassicsDefined.com


Also, I welcome any and all feedback and even disagreements of my labeling a particular book.

For this discussion, I'd have to say if I could pick one, it would be Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand. It has several of my list of 10 characteristics:

Charactaristics of a Classic

Where is the list? Is it here, or on the website?

Awesome, Janine! I just pinned you. :)

Nicolle - can we get a list of books which already have threads? Re-reading and realizing the title, I'm sure you want suggestions for group reads. Maybe a list of what's already been read would be a good place to start narrowing down what the rest of us might want to post.

I'd like help narrowing down also so that I know which books have threads already. That way I can name others. So we are to name classics and why they are and put them in a list where they're accessible for group reads?

What I mean to say is that I would be dividing your list into genres and have classics for each.

Horror, short story, play, fantasy, romance, historical, non-fiction, sci-fi, action-adventure, spy-fi, crime, mystery. I'm sure there's others but they're all I an think of now.

Jonathan, that's a great idea.

Hugh, I don't have one comprehensive list, yet, but yes, everything is on the site. If you click on "classics" on the main page of my site you'll see the list I've read and reviewed already. If you click on the "list" option at the top of the page, you'll get a list of what I'm currently reading (which is also on goodreads) and also a list of want to reads, which has a ton of classics listed, along with lots of recommendations I've received when asking ppl, if you could only recommend one book, what would it be? in fact, i should make that a thread...


Classics to read

Just a list of any books that you think should be on the list, so that anyone looking to read classics and not sure what to read can use the list as a reference. I don't want you to submit books ust because they are classics, but because they are a good read and you think others will enjoy them as much as you did.

You can submit as many books as you like.

Once I have a few books I will comprise the list and post it somewhere...will let you know where when I make it :)

Jonathan wrote: "What I mean to say is that I would be dividing your list into genres and have classics for each.

Horror, short story, play, fantasy, romance, historical, non-fiction, sci-fi, action-adventure, sp..."

Yep that is the plan which it says in the first post, along with the difficulty of reading.

I'll compile a list of my views/classics later and put them up here.

ok :)

otherwise ...what? snail mail? (P-{D>

Just a few ideas I had based on what I've read explanations in brackets as to why they should be read.

Horror/Gothic –
•Frankenstein (Has underlying themes, has stood the test of time and an incredible style of writing to go with it and is a cornerstone of the horror genre)
•Dracula (again like with Frankenstein is well written, stood the test of time and is the cornerstone of the vampire style of novels)

Short Story –
•Edgar Allan Poe: The Tell Tale Heart, The Pit and the Pendulum, The Masque of Red Death, The Murders in the Rue Morgue (A master of the short story form who wrote gothic tales with such an elegant writing style that was in a way unique. Came before Doyle and wrote 'first' detective stories in a way. His stories contain classic themes and have had a far reaching impact.)
•Anton Chekhov: The Lady With the Little Dog, Man in a Case, About Love, Gooseberries. (A Russian classic short story writer whose work contains humour, wit, is enjoyable and in some ways philosophic. Regarded as the king of the short story formula because his stories are incredibly well written and great reading)

Fantasy –
•The Chronicles of Narnia (are cornerstones of the modern genre but have survived the test of time as distinct from more modern yet equally well written fantasy)
•The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit (have survived the test of time, have influenced popular culture, are two of the greatest books in my opinion and have so much going for them in terms of being classic)
•The Sword in the Stone and The Once and Future King (epic and brilliantly written, have survived the test of time again and have underlying themes)
•Alice in Wonderland (again survived time is great read for kids and adults)



Science Fiction –

•The War of the Worlds
The Invisible Man
The Island of Doctor Morieau
The Time Machine (All are classic, they introduced ideas ahead of H.G.Wells' time and are worth reading by anyone who enjoys a book)
•20,000 Leagues under the sea
Journey to the Center of the Earth (same as the above, ahead of time and great story)

Historical –
•Great Expectations (wasn't sure how you'd class this one but is a great story again with humour, incredibly memorable characters and survived through time)

Romance –
•Pride and Prejudice (a social drama full of wit and survived through time with memorable characters who dares call this not classic or worth reading?)
•Jane Eyre
•Little Women

Mystery/crime –
•The Hound of the Baskervilles, A study in scarlet, The Sign of the Four, The Valley of Fear (All Holmes novels are classic in wit, influence, surviving time etc.)
•Agatha Christie: Murder on the Orient Express (one of the best mysteries and is worth reading by any reader as a classic with interesting plot, characters and has survived time)

Plays –
•Oscar Wilde: The Importance of Being Earnest, Lady Windermere’s Fan
•A Streetcar Named Desire
•The plays of Shakespeare: Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, Macbeth, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Tempest, The Merchant of Venice
•Anton Chekhov Plays: The Three Sisters, The Cherry Orchard
•Twelve Angry Men
•The Crucible (all of these highlight social issues and are worth reading or viewing and each has survived through time and remains relevant to modern cultures whether it be the flowery writing of Shakespeare or the humour of Oscar Wilde)

Tragedy –
•Wuthering Heights (it is not a classic romance for me but a tragedy with a sordid plot but I call it a classic because it is well written)

Action/Adventure –
•Around the World in Eighty Days (fun on the whole and an interesting premise. Well written too like most Jules Verne and has survived for ages)
•The Scarlet Pimpernel (classic because of the underlying disguises and deceptions and the hidden wit and humour in the writing. A book you have to read beyond the lines but very well written and survived time)
Treasure Island (Memorable book, memorable characters, classic for all the right reasons in my eyes)

Poetry –
•William Blake: The Tiger, The Lamb, Jerusalem (most of the rest of his works are equally classic and his work deserves the title for being accessible while poetic and also modern yet old.If you like poetry and classics but are daunted by the archaic language of say Paradise Lost these are your go)
•Edgar Allan Poe: The Raven, A Dream Within A Dream and a fair few other poems (Brilliant and like his short stories survived time. I rate A Dream Within A Dream almost higher than The Raven brilliant as it is.)
•Samuel Taylor Coleridge: The Rhyme of the Ancient Mariner (Long and very good referenced in other classics and classic in its own right for its underlying themes)
•Banjo Patterson: Waltzing Matilda, The Man from Snowy River, Clancy of the Overflow (Australian classic for a change. One of a handful of Australian writers worth reading as a classic writer. Has lyricism, strong stories and has survived time while still part of my cultural heritage)
•Sylvia Plath: I forget specifics but most of her poetry is very good. She had a book of poems called Ariel. (Classic because I still hear a lot of her poetry today even after the years and because it is quality)
And finally Paradise Lost (epic, sweeping, brilliant poetry with an incredible story and as powerful today as it was years ago)

Wow, I see you brought out a little "light reading" for the list, eh, Johnathan? (8-{D>)

that's a great list. I love seeing some William Blake on there, but any list of the classics, for me, has to have some E.E. Cummings"...by gosh, by gum, by golly..."

I'll have to get into E.E.Cummings then shall I. Just a little light reading. Well most of it was for me anyway and there are heaps more I could list. I own several of them too.

Thanks for that Jonathan. I have to say I agree that all of them are classics and good ones at that!

LIST UPDATED

Of course those were only ones I've read. I'm sure many others could improve on the Romance side of things with many more Jane Austen, Thomas Hardy, George Elliot and other Bronte works for instance.

Janine wrote: "I have a site dedicated to defining what I think a classic is. It has a list of classics I've already read and reveiwed, and a long list of books (many classics) that I plan on reading. I have a ..."

Janine, I believe that some of the books on your classics list have not stood the test of time.
The Kite Runner and the Lovely Bones are only two that I will mention here. I do think they are oustanding and loved reading them.

I just LOVE A Tree Grows in Brooklyn - I found it equal to (if not superior to) To Kill a Mockingbird and wish to share it with as many people as possible - it may be well known in the USA but I feel it is much less talked about across the pond in the UK.

Excellent List from Jonathan as well. Could I add Rebecca to the Mystery/Crime genre please? Brilliant book in my opinion!

Gaylinn, I believe the kite runner will withstand the test of time, in time. But I understand where you're coming from. As for Lovely Bones, I wrote that review before I came up with my list defining a classic, and I think I'd take that one off. Not sure, will have to revisit it.

Esta, A Tree grows in Brooklyn was an amazing book. I agree!

I AGREE. I THINK THE KITE RUNNER WILL STAND THE TEST OF TIME AND BEOME A CLASSIC.

Jonathan wrote: "Of course those were only ones I've read. I'm sure many others could improve on the Romance side of things with many more Jane Austen, Thomas Hardy, George Elliot and other Bronte works for instance."

Could you elaborate on the titles of the authors. I haven't read any George Elliot or other (non Jane Eyre) bronte novels so can't reall comment.

UPDATED

I didn't see any Edith Wharton on your list ....
I'd recommend House of Mirth and Age of Innocence .

George Elliot from what I've heard also wrote Silas Marner and Middlemarch. Then there's The Proffessor, Villette, Agnes Grey and Wuthering Heights in terms of the Brontes. I haven't read most of them though...

I also have to nominate Franz Kafka's work in Metamorphosis and The Trial. Dark and disturbing but very good reading. Metamorphosis is a short story and the Trial would best fit into crime/mystery I believe...

Updated.

I must recommend also for the whole sci-fi/fantasy classics The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series and The Barsoom books by Edgar Rice Burroughs.
And also for a dystopian genre - Fahrenheit 451, Lord of the Flies and 1984. Because I'm about to read them.

I really want to read the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series. Problem is that I have the third book and cannot find the first two! (Without paying to order them on Amazon or something, which I can't do right now. Free is my friend! LOL)

Have you tried a library or reserving it? The first book is generally hard to find I've noticed. I do have to say though that while it's quite funny there are some slightly irreligious tones. It's not mocking exactly but just more posing his idea it seems of there being no God because the universe appears so ridiculous. Of course I disagree with a few of his ideas but the series is - from what I've read very funny.

I'm way out in the middle of the country and there are two tiny libraries within my range; neither has them, of course. But, then, they don't even have Pilgrim's Progress or Mere Christianity, which I don't know how you can claim to have a library and not carry C.S. Lewis. ;)

*sigh* One of these days I'll get my driver's license renewed and the big city library will let me have my own precious card-of-gold there! And in the meantime, I need to ask about getting them ILL style! But the bigger library is closing for all of April soon so it will have to wait a bit.

Updated.

Short Stories: Dubliners by James Joyce
Early 20th Cent. Novels: A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man (semi-autobiographical) and Ulysses by James Joyce, On the Road, To the Lighthouse by Virginia Wolff
Children's Classics: Winnie the Pooh, Anne of Green Gables, Wizard of Oz, Mary Poppins

Could you put categories please?

Done.

Thanks will sort through them :)

Les Misérables under historical?

Chris wrote: "Les Misérables under historical?"

Seconded!

ok done.

The Wizard of Oz

Not sure what you're calling historical, but I assume those that might have been contemporary for their times, but are now over 100 years ago. Now looking at your list, I would classify these as "general":

Charles Dickens: Our Mutual Friend, Bleak House

Anthony Trollope: The Way We Live Now and his Barsetshire Chronicles. These 6 novels are stand alone, so that you could read one and be done with it if that is your choosing; however, some characters do repeat and if you wanted to read them all would be best appreciated reading in order.

Herman Wouk: Marjorie Morningstar

Erich Maria Remarque: All Quiet on the Western Front. The prose is not difficult at all, the subject matter not for the faint of heart; one of the best WWI memoirs, if not the best (best categorized as non-fiction)

Honore de Balzac: Eugénie Grandet

Joseph Conrad: The Secret Agent (could be classified in your psychological/philosophical grouping)

William Faulkner: The Sound and the Fury; this is difficult reading due to writing style; stream of consciousness in addition to changing narrators. You might want to try his Light in August first.

Thanks will add these

The electronic books with an instant dictionary do for reading what the calculator has done for mathematics.

Erich Maria Remarque: All Quiet on the Western Front. The prose is not difficult at all, the subject matter not for the faint of heart; one of the best WWI memoirs, if not the best (best categorized as non-fiction)

I'd say that is the prime example of historical fiction actually. A made up story based in real historical events.

Jonathan wrote: "I'd say that is the prime example of historical fiction actually. A made up story based in real historical events. "

Your correction that it is fiction rather than a memoir is correct. It reads more like a memoir, so I thought of it as such. I would not classify it as historical fiction because the events it describes are too recent to its publication (10 years, and written more closely to the events than that). I think of historical fiction as being something 25-50 years in the past at least.

It's still history, since we cover the wars in history classes... *shrug*

Jonathan wrote: "It's still history, since we cover the wars in history classes... *shrug*"

The difference is that most of Dickens, for instance, isn't historical fiction because he was writing about contemporary times. I think he has only 2 books - his Tale of Two Cities is historical fiction, and another I can't quite recall at the moment.