A little off topic... Many of you who read this have literary backgrounds. I need your help. For years I've avoided reading any literature with the word "classic" associated. I shunned most classics as a child and that trend has continued. I often wondered how the University of Michigan gave me a Language Arts degree without first checking my reading list.
I find the language in most classic novels hard to deal with. Sure I can do two years of French in one, but I can't seem to grap the basics of English written in the 1800s.
My husband and in-laws, on the other hand, are VERY well-versed in all forms of literature. Often during a conversation, Mark will mention the name of an author I've never heard of. When I say "Who is that?" he looks a little surprised. Inevitably it's some famous American author I should've read in high school or, at the very least, college. Also of note, Mark reads the Russian classics for pleasure. *shudder*
I'm embarking on a campaign of self-improvement. I would like to begin reading some American Classics and I'm looking for recommendations. On the list already is Walden by Thoreau. Please leave your suggestion in the comments or email me directly. I'll post a reading list here when all the nominations are in.
5 comments:
RE: American Classics
One can hardly go wrong with the following American authors-
Mark Twain(Samuel Clemens)- The Adv. of Huckleberry Finn, The Adv. of Tom Sawyer
John Steinbeck - Grapes of Wrath, Of Mice and Men
Ernest Hemingway - A Farewell to Arms, For Whom the Bell Tolls
And my personal favorites:
Edgar Allen Poe - Various short stories and poems.
H.P. Lovecraft - Various short stories
-Marty
PS - Marks feat would be much more impressive if he were reading in the original Russian. =P
i highly suggest the blogblond route to intellectual pretentiousness- cliff notes... you're a new mommy after all, who has time for boring old literature?
RE: Cliff Notes
Yeah who has time. On the other hand, classics like "At the Montains of Madness" , "The Shadow Over Innsmouth", and "The Lurking Fear" kinda lose their effect when Cliff-Noted.
Also, Hemingway wrote in an easy to digest prose.
I also agree with the original post. The Old Classics are practically written in a different language. I can't read them without getting a headache.
-Marty
Actually, I think learning Russian would be far more rewarding. After that, you can try and read the classics.
Failing that a couple ameerican classics:
1. Batman Returns - Frank Miler
2. G.I. Joe #26 and #27 - Origin of Snake-eyes
3. Fantastic Four #1
=P
Hemingway? Easy to digest? Ehhh, I'll buy it.
Kelly, keep in mind that youre getting advice from two schmucks who squandered 4-ish years of their lives to get engineering degrees. We pretty much stopped reading at 18 sad to say. :(
But if you need some references for classical liturature on heat and mass transfer I can help you out!
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