Tuesday, August 5, 2014

Top Ten Tuesday: Read the Classics

Top 10 Tuesdays is a weekly meme hosted over at The Broke and The Bookish


Oldies but Goodies
Being an English major/teacher, I've read my fair share of classic novels. I always see people stray from them for various reasons. Since we're all friends here and all share a love of books, I thought I would share my favorite classic novels for those who only consider them to be dull and boring.

For this list, I stayed away from the "popular" classics - Pride and Prejudice, To Kill a Mockingbird, The Great Gatsby, etc. I absolutely think you should read those books, but they are always on lists of favorite classics. I'm picking books that are more obscure and maybe not talked about as much.

The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton - I read this for a woman's literature course and just devoured it. Lily is such a frustrating character and you can't help but want to put her in a protective bubble. This is definitely a book I'm going to have to revisit in the years to come.

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead by Tom Stoppard - Technically a play, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead tells the story of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern two very minor characters from Hamlet.

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith - I read this book a few years ago for the first time and it is absolutely beautiful. Definitely one of those books I was sorry I waited so long to read.

Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell - While possibly considered a popular classic, I think the novel gets overlooked in favor of the movie, which is a shame. I've only read this book once, I think in high school or college, and I loved it. I was shocked by some of the differences between the novel and the movie - right? - and they each truly stand on their own. If you are a fan of the movie, you definitely need to read the book.

Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie - Another fabulous novel that gets overlooked - at least I think so. The novel version is incredibly dark and definitely adds a new layer to Peter and the well known story.

The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux - My mom bought this for me years ago. I was already a fan of the musical, but I was interested in reading the novel to get the whole experience. While I didn't love it as much as I love the musical production, it's definitely worth the read.

What are some of your favorite classic novels? Or what books would you give to non classic readers to get them started?
Be sure to leave me a link to your list!
  
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