For a Literature major, this is NOT a fair question. What type of classic? Among American classics, I LOVE Mark Twain, John Steinbeck, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and Harriet Beecher Stowe. But then there are the Brits: Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, and C.S. Lewis to name a few! One must not overlook the ancient Greeks, as the Odyssey and the Iliad are practically the backbone of literature. And who can forget the Russians (Tolstoy and Dostoyevsky) the French (Hugo, Dumas and Verne!) and the Germans (Kafka and Goethe)?
Choose ONE classic? I don't think it's possible! One? That's like asking a mother to choose her favorite child! It simply cannot be done.
Okay, okay, okay! I'll pick something that I think everyone should read at least once. But if you have not ventured into the world of classic literature, RUN, don't walk to amazon.com and download some of those freebies toute de suite ! You are missing out on some serious greatness. While I have highlighted some fun books in this 30 Day Book Challenge, few can compare to classics like Emma, Of Mice and Men, The Scarlet Letter, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Around the World in 80 Days, Anna Karenina, or Uncle Tom's Cabin.
One of my favorite classics is Great Expectations, by Charles Dickens. Dickens is one of those authors who can create scenes and characters that absolutely come to life. You become intensely interested in the story, and you are sad when it is over.
Great Expectations is the story of Pip, a lovable young orphan who has been apprenticed to a blacksmith, but who longs for so much more. As he tries to figure out life, Pip is befriended by Joe, who is mentally slow (but emotionally wise); he becomes enamored with Estella (who wouldn't!); and, he struggles to figure out the mysterious Magwitch (an enigma of a character, if there ever was one!).
Great Expectations is rich with themes of love, forgiveness, and redemption. Dickens doesn't waste a word, and his works are thick with meaning. If you are new to Dickens, have patience. His writing style is somewhat dense and takes a while to appreciate. But I encourage you to persevere, before you know it, you will fall in love with his mastery of the English language and you will be amazed by the brilliance of his tales.
Choose ONE classic? I don't think it's possible! One? That's like asking a mother to choose her favorite child! It simply cannot be done.
Okay, okay, okay! I'll pick something that I think everyone should read at least once. But if you have not ventured into the world of classic literature, RUN, don't walk to amazon.com and download some of those freebies toute de suite ! You are missing out on some serious greatness. While I have highlighted some fun books in this 30 Day Book Challenge, few can compare to classics like Emma, Of Mice and Men, The Scarlet Letter, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Around the World in 80 Days, Anna Karenina, or Uncle Tom's Cabin.
Great Expectations is the story of Pip, a lovable young orphan who has been apprenticed to a blacksmith, but who longs for so much more. As he tries to figure out life, Pip is befriended by Joe, who is mentally slow (but emotionally wise); he becomes enamored with Estella (who wouldn't!); and, he struggles to figure out the mysterious Magwitch (an enigma of a character, if there ever was one!).
Great Expectations is rich with themes of love, forgiveness, and redemption. Dickens doesn't waste a word, and his works are thick with meaning. If you are new to Dickens, have patience. His writing style is somewhat dense and takes a while to appreciate. But I encourage you to persevere, before you know it, you will fall in love with his mastery of the English language and you will be amazed by the brilliance of his tales.
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