| Author |
Reading Room:  Reading the Classics  |
|
traildancer
True Blue Farmgirl
485 Posts
Loyce
Glide
OR
USA
485 Posts |
 Posted - Sep 16 2011 : 09:52:21 AM
|
Because I am a voracious reader I have decided to read the 100 best novels. Has anyone done this?
The trail is the thing.... Louis L'Amour |
|
|
FebruaryViolet
True Blue Farmgirl
4810 Posts
Jonni
Elsmere
Kentucky
USA
4810 Posts |
Posted - Sep 16 2011 : 10:05:11 AM
|
Who's list? Because I've taken English Literature, Russian Literature, Wilderness Lit (including a Thoreau study) and wrote my thesis on Southern Women writers, I've read quite a few, but I think it depends on what list says "what" is the best :)
"Hey, I've got nothing to do today but smile..."
The Only Living Boy in New York, Paul Simon |
 |
|
|
melody
True Blue Farmgirl
3322 Posts
Melody
The Great North Woods in the Land of Hiawatha
USA
3322 Posts |
Posted - Sep 16 2011 : 9:44:55 PM
|
Jonni-My favorite Southern woman writer is Birmingham native Sena Jeter Naslund-Have you read Ahabs wife??
Her writing is breath-taking...
Melody
Farmgirl #525
Would love to see the list of 100 best novels! It would be a great to start a Winter reading project for me stuck in the house up here in the Great North Woods. |
|
|
|
FebruaryViolet
True Blue Farmgirl
4810 Posts
Jonni
Elsmere
Kentucky
USA
4810 Posts |
Posted - Sep 19 2011 : 05:56:43 AM
|
I love Sena Jeter Naslund! I've only read Abundance (Marie Antionette) and loved it. I will have to add Ahabs Wife to my Half Price Books list! Thanks for the recommendation!
"Hey, I've got nothing to do today but smile..."
The Only Living Boy in New York, Paul Simon |
|
|
|
melody
True Blue Farmgirl
3322 Posts
Melody
The Great North Woods in the Land of Hiawatha
USA
3322 Posts |
Posted - Sep 19 2011 : 05:59:28 AM
|
Jonni....You will want to read Ahab's Wife again and again. I have never read Marie Antionette. Looks like I will be heading to the library today!
Melody |
|
|
|
Acelady02
True Blue Farmgirl
1266 Posts
Penny
Washington
GA
USA
1266 Posts |
Posted - Sep 19 2011 : 06:37:40 AM
|
Jonni, I went to Amazon to see if they had Ahab's Wife and they have some new copies for $2.95...shipping $3.99
http://www.amazon.com/Ahabs-Wife-Sena-Jeter-Naslund/dp/0688177859
(((((Hugs All)))))Penny
Farmgirl Sister #3343
God gives Miracles to those who Believe, Courage to those with Faith, Hope to those who Dream, Love to those who Accept, & Forgiveness to those who Ask... |
Edited by - Acelady02 on Sep 19 2011 06:38:56 AM |
|
|
|
traildancer
True Blue Farmgirl
485 Posts
Loyce
Glide
OR
USA
485 Posts |
Posted - Sep 20 2011 : 09:42:55 AM
|
I typed in "100 best Novels" and got quite a few responses. The list I started with was "44 Must-read Novels" or something like that. Then I looked at other lists because I felt that some novels were not included in the first list (What, no Shakespeare?).
So far I have read "The Great Gatsby" and am not sure what is so classic about it. Oh, well, one off the list. Now I am reading "Jane Eyre" and thoroughly enjoying it.
Several books on the list I have read but I have decided to read them again. Plus I have read several in French or in Spanish. I took Lit classes in those languages for my degree, which I don't use except to order in a Mexican restaurant or to read the Bible.
The trail is the thing.... Louis L'Amour |
|
|
|
JThomp
True Blue Farmgirl
135 Posts
Justine
Raymore
Missouri
USA
135 Posts |
Posted - Sep 20 2011 : 9:09:39 PM
|
| I'd like to do something like this too. I've thought about it, just never done it. I'll have to take a look at the "44 Must-Read Novels" and give that a go. |
|
|
|
FebruaryViolet
True Blue Farmgirl
4810 Posts
Jonni
Elsmere
Kentucky
USA
4810 Posts |
Posted - Sep 21 2011 : 05:59:09 AM
|
I think it's subjective, obviously, depending on "who" is promoting their list. I have both read and own the Great Gatsby and while it did take a few readings, I get it. What I never got was how any other Hemingway novel made it unless it was Farewell to Arms.
Glad you're enjoying Jane Eyre--it really is a wonderful book. I wonder, did Return of the Native by Thos. Hardy make it on any of the lists?
It never hurts to reread books again, especially if you read them for classes. The perspective is totally different, I've found--being forced to read something for a grade isn't nearly as enjoyable as reading it for pleasure. I once tried to take Ulysses (James Joyce) to the beach and just about keeled over from boredom but I had to read it for a class. Years later, I can actually say it was an enjoyable book but only because I read it on the porch swing over a period of a month or so...
"Hey, I've got nothing to do today but smile..."
The Only Living Boy in New York, Paul Simon |
|
|
|
traildancer
True Blue Farmgirl
485 Posts
Loyce
Glide
OR
USA
485 Posts |
Posted - Sep 21 2011 : 09:48:39 AM
|
Yes, "Return of the Native" was on several lists. And "Ulysses" was also. But nowhere was the Bible listed. I know that more copies of it have been sold than any book ever. I would think that would make the Bible a true classic.
So how do you underline text here? I thought book titles were supposed to be underlined while song and movie titles were in quotes. Loooooooooong time since I had to write a term paper.
The trail is the thing.... Louis L'Amour |
|
|
|
FebruaryViolet
True Blue Farmgirl
4810 Posts
Jonni
Elsmere
Kentucky
USA
4810 Posts |
Posted - Sep 21 2011 : 11:56:14 AM
|
Interesting. I'm not sure how you underline text. But yes, that is the accurate way to denote book titles. I'm sure it can be done, but you must ask yourself, do you have the inclination? :)
"Hey, I've got nothing to do today but smile..."
The Only Living Boy in New York, Paul Simon |
|
|
|
FarmDream
True Blue Farmgirl
1085 Posts
Julie
TX
USA
1085 Posts |
Posted - Sep 25 2011 : 8:01:59 PM
|
In the fancy reply box you can underline and do strikethroughs. Use it instead of the quick reply box. If you're inclined 
~FarmDream is Farmgirl Sister #3069
Live Today, Cherish Yesterday, Dream Tomorrow
http://naturaljulie.etsy.com
http://julie-rants.blogspot.com |
|
|
|
traildancer
True Blue Farmgirl
485 Posts
Loyce
Glide
OR
USA
485 Posts |
Posted - Sep 28 2011 : 10:21:32 AM
|
I tried the other Reply option and when I clicked on Underline some bracketed "u's" appeared. I tried highlighting the text I wanted underlined and nothing happened. I guess I will just use quotes and be incorrect!
So I read "Pride and Prejudice" and enjoyed it. The writing style was similar to "Jane Eyre". Who knew that a single sentence could be an entire paragraph? And not a short paragraph either. Whew.
Then I read "El poema de mio Cid" in archaic Spanish. Ugh. Then when I went to cross it off the list, it wasn't even on there!!!!! Double, triple UGH! However, it was interesting to see the similarities with modern Spanish.
The trail is the thing.... Louis L'Amour |
|
|
|
Aunt Jenny
True Blue Farmgirl
11381 Posts
Jenny
middle of
Utah
USA
11381 Posts |
Posted - Oct 03 2011 : 09:50:00 AM
|
I love most all of John Steinbeck's novels. Alot. Especially Grapes of Wrath, Cannery Row and Tortilla Flat, Of Mice and Men and the Pearl. I love to read classics but always come back to Steinbeck. He is such a descriptive writer you can just imagine the whole thing and SEE the characters.
Jenny in Utah
Proud Farmgirl sister #24
Inside me there is a skinny woman crying to get out...but I can usually shut her up with cookies
http://www.auntjennysworld.blogspot.com/ visit my little online shop at www.auntjenny.etsy.com |
|
|
|
JThomp
True Blue Farmgirl
135 Posts
Justine
Raymore
Missouri
USA
135 Posts |
Posted - Oct 06 2011 : 8:56:32 PM
|
Jenny, Steinbeck is one of my favorite writers too! The Grapes of Wrath and Cannery Row are two of my favorite books. I just feel like he pulls you right into the story. I'll have to read Tortilla Flat, I've not read it yet.
"Stories have to be told or they die, and when they die, we can't remember who we are or why we're here." The Secret Life of Bees - Sue Monk Kidd |
|
|
|
Tapestry
True Blue Farmgirl
1223 Posts
Cheryl
Wisconsin
USA
1223 Posts |
Posted - Oct 09 2011 : 7:36:53 PM
|
I've read all of Jane Austin's novels and loved them. I've also read Jane Eyre, Little Women, Gone With The Wind, Wuthering Heights to name a few. I couldn't get into The Grapes of Wrath for some reason. I've been using sites like igoogle.com to get free online books. You don't need a Kindle or other reading device. You can still get lots of the classics online for free. Just google free online classic books and you should get lots of sites to pop up. I love to read just don't always seem to find time to settle down with a "real" book so have started using the computer more to sneak a few minutes here and there.
Happy farmgirl sister #353
Look for rainbows instead of mud puddles
http://www.Tapestry2u.Etsy.com
http://tapestrysimaginings.blogspot.com/ |
|
|
|
prariehawk
True Blue Farmgirl
2914 Posts
Cindy
2914 Posts |
Posted - Oct 12 2011 : 7:11:54 PM
|
I just started reading The Canterbury Tales, it's a series of poems that are all connected. Very interesting. I also loved Wuthering Heights and I remember reading The Three Musketeers when I was in jr. high and I enjoyed it. A modern classic is Life of Pi and I absolutely loved it. There's nothing like a good book to remind us of who we are.
Cindy
"Vast floods can't quench love, no matter what love did/ Rivers can't drown love, no matter where love's hid"--Sinead O'Connor
"In many ways, you don't just live in the country, it lives inside you"--Ellen Eilers
Visit my blog at http://www.farmerinthebelle.blogspot.com/ |
|
|
|
Amie C.
True Blue Farmgirl
2099 Posts
Finger Lakes Region
NY
2099 Posts |
Posted - Oct 14 2011 : 8:32:50 PM
|
Loyce, if you're working from lists of "greatest novels" they probably won't include any Shakespeare, the Canterbury Tales, El Cid, Beowulf, or many others. They'd be classified as drama or poetry. Although I just looked at a few of these lists, and they seem to include short story collections...hmmm.
Sherlock Holmes is a lot of fun, and so is Huckleberry Finn. |
|
|
|
knittinchick
True Blue Farmgirl
1854 Posts
Megan
Wisconsin
1854 Posts |
Posted - Nov 08 2011 : 10:52:05 AM
|
I've always wanted to something like this! This year for English it's American Literature, so I'm reading stuff like The Catcher in the Rye, Huckleberry Finn, and Death of a Salesman. But I really want to get through a list of classics!
God's and Farmgirl's Blessings,
Megan
At heart, I am both a sassy city girl and a down-home country gal.
The dictionary is the only place where success comes before work. |
|
|
|
TeresaJ25
True Blue Farmgirl
975 Posts
Teresa
Medford
NY
USA
975 Posts |
Posted - Nov 13 2011 : 06:39:02 AM
|
I recently decided for every "new" book I read, I would then read a classic.
I started reading books that I HAD to read for school, thinking that I could appreciate them now as an adult. Some, yes. Others.. no way! Could not get through the dialect of Tom Sawyer.
But so far I have really enjoyed "Of Mice and Men", "Lord of the Flies", "To Kill a Mockingbird", and I am currently reading Jane Austen's "Emma".
Next on the list: "A Tale of Two Cities".
~Teresa
Farmgirl Sister #1348
Little Henhouse on the Island
Children...
Love them
Nurture them
Teach them well
and Believe in them...
For they are our future |
|
|
|
emtfarmer
True Blue Farmgirl
222 Posts
Darlene
North Carolina
USA
222 Posts |
Posted - Nov 13 2011 : 6:15:32 PM
|
To Kill a Mockingbird. . .supposed to be one of the best books ever written. I'm curious. Has anyone besides me had a hard time getting into it? I think I read the first 70 pages and was just not getting it; I was bored with it. Did I just need to keep going?
Darlene
"Support your local fire departments and rescue squads...volunteers making a difference" |
|
|
|
traildancer
True Blue Farmgirl
485 Posts
Loyce
Glide
OR
USA
485 Posts |
Posted - Nov 16 2011 : 10:01:01 AM
|
I just finished "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn". Interesting boy. I find it hard to believe that he could swim across the Mississippi River or canoe back and forth. I realize that it is fiction, but fiction is based on fact somewhat. Do you suppose that in that era, the river was smaller? Any experiences?
The trail is the thing.... Louis L'Amour |
|
|
|
Prairie Gypsy
True Blue Farmgirl
823 Posts
Tammy
Wolford
North Dakota
USA
823 Posts |
Posted - Nov 16 2011 : 10:37:09 AM
|
I'm a huge fan of Jane Austin and have read most of her books. Bronte's Jane Eyre is another favorite. Obviously it depends on each person and if you're crossing into children's classical literature or not. Old Yeller, Anne of Green Gables, Treasure Island etc are typically considered children's classics but I love to still reread them because they are classics. Three Muskiteers, Count of Monte Cristo, and Captain Courageous are also favorites of mine.
Farmgirl Sister # 2363
http://twilightburrough.blogspot.com/
Warren, MI
|
|
|
|
traildancer
True Blue Farmgirl
485 Posts
Loyce
Glide
OR
USA
485 Posts |
Posted - Nov 22 2011 : 10:08:04 AM
|
I have fallen off reading the classics. Maybe I intimidated my self.
However, something that has nagged at me for a while is improving my grammar. I think I generally use correct grammar when I speak. But after reading the requirements for the Farmgirl Grammar badge, I wondered.
So I just finished "The American Heritage Guide to Contemporary Usage and Style". Quite interesting. I was particularly interested in the correct usage of "lie" and "lay" and their tenses.
It was amazing how many words that sound similar yet have very different meanings and spellings are used interchangeably. Some can be quite amusing.
The book is organized like a dictionary so one can look up the desired word or phrase without having to study the entire volume.
The trail is the thing.... Louis L'Amour |
|
|
|
traildancer
True Blue Farmgirl
485 Posts
Loyce
Glide
OR
USA
485 Posts |
Posted - Nov 22 2011 : 10:10:12 AM
|
And in reading my post after having hit the reply button, I realize that the second sentence should end "myself". Guess I absorbed too much grammar!
The trail is the thing.... Louis L'Amour |
|
|
|
mountain mama
True Blue Farmgirl
168 Posts
Marilyn
Divide
Co
168 Posts |
Posted - Nov 22 2011 : 10:21:56 AM
|
At our book club this month the required book was "A Christmas Carol". Since Dickens is one of my favorite authors I was delighted. When it came time for the discussion many of the ladies in our group had never read it. They had seen movies or heard the story but no one had read it. The consensus of opinion was that it was a great story. I really think the classics cannot be beat. Once you start a list it seems that it is endless. Thanks for this discussion most of my friends think I am nuts for liking these "old stories".
Marilyn
Farmgirl #408
Stress relief: go fishing, play in the dirt. go on a road trip, talk to a farmgirl. |
|
|
|
Reading Room: Reading the Classics |
|
Reading the Classics
