Classics are classics for two reasons, they are well-written pieces of literature and because their stories still resonate with us today. And while they can often be a bit more work for our brains than more modern works they are still worth the time and energy to read because they have insight to offer us. And with nothing better to do, this is a great time to enjoy a few of them.
- Sense and Sensibility- My favorite Jane Austen novel. You might have noticed it popping up from time to time on the blog. It’s like Pride and Prejudice except with fewer characters to keep track of and everyone is a tad less insufferable.
- Brave New World– Huxley’s horrifying masterpiece about societal engineering often flies under the radar compared to other, more famous works of dystopian fiction, *cough* 1984 *cough*. But it has just as many parallels to our current predicament as that other novel and it is just as good of a read.
- War and Peace- Now is your chance to be one of those rare people who have actually read this tome. Join us. I promise you, it’s actually pretty good.
- Anna Karenina- I know, two books by Tolstoy, but I couldn’t help myself. This is the better of the two if you feel the need to pick. It’s got a little bit of everything and the stakes feel more personal. Don’t you want to see what the fuss is about?
- The Three Musketeers- Proving that action books are every bit as good as action movies. It’s fun and it reads fast. Perfect for killing an afternoon or two.
- A Study in Scarlet- The first appearance of Sherlock Holmes. If you get hooked on the writing style, there are many more stories to be found. And with all the TV and movie adaptations out there shouldn’t you know a little about the original story?
- Watership Down- Do you want to cry, ‘cause this is the book that will make you cry. ‘Oh, good bunnies’ you thought, cripplingly unaware as to how dark your world was about to become.
- Lady Chatterley’s Lover- Let your sexual liberation begin. Okay, maybe it already as and this book won’t be some sort of epiphany for you. But everyone, and especially the ladies reading this, needs to read this novel. Not just because its a well-written character study, but because of its historical importance in the ongoing feminist and sexual revolutions.
- Invisible Man– No not the H. G. Wells book, though that too is worthy of a read. I’m talking about Ralph Ellison’s powerful story about the trials and tribulations of an African American man. It is one of the seminal pieces of literature of the 20th century. A masterwork on par with any other novel in the American canon.
- Ivanhoe- If you need to believe in chivalry again, here is what you need to read.