Saturday, July 14, 2012

Classics

last rays by paul bica, on Flickr
Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic License  by  paul bica 

"A classic is something that everybody wants to have to read and nobody wants to read" - Mark Twain. 


For now, this will be the final post on classics as I bought two new books yesterday and am hoping to share them with you in my next post! But if you haven't read the books below yet, please add them to your TBR (the book to read) pile. I first heard this term from http://annsreadingcorner.blogspot.com/.  Happy reading :]


  • Gentleman Prefer Blondes: the Illuminating Diary of a Professional Lady by Anita Loos - I read this book in my 1920s class last year. This novel is great if you're looking for an easy read and a good laugh. The entire story is told in diary style by a young blonde who travels through Europe as she shops, goes to parties, etc. Basically, Lorelei is a gold digger and her comments are so funny. I never got to read the sequel, But Gentleman Marry Brunettes, though on principle, I'd like to! A quote from the novel: "A kiss on the hand may feel very very good, but a diamond and sapphire bracelet lasts forever." 
  • How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie - At first I was reluctant to buy this one because of its stigma as a self help book, but I had been hearing from so many people that it's a great book to look into. Last summer, I noticed it was on the summer reading pile at Barnes & Noble so I finally decided to purchase it. I'm so glad I did because although Mr. Carnegie does advice, his observations on people are right on and because of this I really enjoyed his book. A quote from the book: "The unvarnished truth is that almost all the people you meet feel themselves superior to you in some way, and a sure way to their hearts is to let them realize in some subtle way that you recognize their importance, and recognize it sincerely."
  • Passing by Nella Larsen - This book is by a Harlem Renaissance author, but is intriguing because it focuses on a beautiful black woman whose skin is light enough to pass as white. When she meets an old friend, she tells her about her struggles trying to "pass" as white, but jealousy overtakes this friend who worries that this woman is trying to take her husband from her. A quote from the novel: “I think being a mother is the cruelest thing in the world." 
  • The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer - I know that this one can also go either way — people love it or hate it. I was introduced to this book my senior year of high school by a teacher who was so enthusiastic about Chaucer and then again two semesters ago by a wonderful professor who even has a Chaucer tie. So maybe these experiences helped, but personally, I think Chaucer is hilarious and the fact that his characters are still easy to relate to after seven centuries says something. All of the characters go on a pilgrimage and each decide to share a tale along the way. A quote from The Canterbury Tales: "People can die of mere imagination." 
  • The Mayor of Casterbridge by Thomas Hardy - I read this novel my junior year of high school and it was my first introduction to Hardy. It's considered a tragic novel, but I think any novel by Hardy is worth a look! A quote from the novel: “…happiness [is] but the occasional episode in a general drama of pain.”
What are some of your favorite classics? I'd love to hear from my readers :]! 

I'd like to introduce some guest bloggers and contests once we reach enough followers so if you enjoy reading these posts please subscribe to the blog by following it at the bottom of the page and tell your friends! Hope you're all having a wonderful weekend!
waipio by paul bica, on Flickr
Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic License  by  paul bica 

6 comments:

  1. Have you ever seen the Marilyn Monroe movie "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes?" I had no idea the movie was based on a book (although maybe loosely). Thanks - I'll have to keep my eye out for this one.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Haha yeah we actually watched the movie in class after reading the book! But I feel like the movie is definitely more well known than the book! Even when I looked up the book to make sure I got the author's name right, a ton of links for the movie came up lol.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Great post! I actually just had to reread The Canterbury Tales for my British Lit. class last Fall and enjoyed it much more now than I did a couple of years ago in high school. I'm a big fan of the classics though. Just a few of my favorites are Wuthering Heights, The Great Gatsby, and really just anything by Poe.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Traci :) and haha yeah I think I enjoyed it more the second time around too! But ahh all great books and yes, Poe is awesome! I especially like his short story, The Black Cat lol

      Delete
  4. Oooh great list! Haven't read any of these, actually! Really need to read more classics. Passing sounds SO interesting, thanks for the rec! Will add it to my Goodreads asap.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yeah, Passing was definitely a great read; I'd never heard of it before taking that class! Thanks so much for stopping by :)

      Delete

Thank you for your comment! I love hearing from my readers :]