1. The Count of Monte Cristo, Alexandre Dumas (1844)--When first I glanced upon the 600+ page classic from nearly 170 years ago, I winced. "No way will I make it through that," I said. But, I'm a sucker for revenge stories, so I picked it up at Barnes & Noble for the ride back home from Fayetteville. Three and a half hours and a hundred pages later, I stand corrected. Monte Cristo not only has an ungodly amount of historical references (which, as a history buff, is always a plus) and understandable language, but also a very compelling story, one which I readily await finishing.
2. The Prince, Niccolo Machiavelli (1532)--Regarded by many as the end-all, be-all text on obtaining and utilizing authority and power, political as well as military. Even though it might be nearly 500 years old, it is a classic piece of Renaissance-era literature, therefore making it a natural choice for someone who loves history, and power*, as much as myself.
*said while rubbing palms together in an evil and plotting fashion
3. Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Douglas Adams (1979)--Recommended by my father, my former Spanish teacher, and Nic, I began the first book in the series, and only thirty pages into it, I have found that this book is quite hilarious. While I'm still not entirely sure what the main plot is about, I still look forward to reading and finding out. The humor is a nice departure from some of the other novels I often read, and the fact that I can read it without a dictionary on hand also comes as a plus.
4. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain (1885)--I know, I know. I claimed to have finished this book last year. Well, I didn't. Shame on me. But give me a chance to explain myself! I did not abandon Huck because the book failed to compel me or because it offended me with its gratuitous use of the dreaded "n" word. Nor did I abandon him because of the length of the book. No, I abandoned Huck and Jim because I got tired of reading last year. Of the amount I read, it ranks as one of the best novels by an American writer I have ever read. The wording of the novel is incredibly easy to follow, as Twain uses Huck to narrate the book, forsaking all the complex and convoluted sentence structure so many writers of the time pursued.
5. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Mark Twain (1876)--I know, I know. I've never read Tom Sawyer. Shame on me. While taking on a somewhat more lighthearted plot than its much-celebrated sequal, Huck Finn, from what I've seen and heard, there is virtually no difference between the writing styles, and nearly half the size of its 400+ page successor.. I look forward to finally being able to say I read about Tom tricking that boy into painting the fence.
6. The Picture of Dorian Grey, Oscar Wilde (1891)--A must-have for anyone who wants to understand the perils of debauchery and decadence, or for anyone who wants to understand the glories of debauchery and decadence. Wilde, in his dry tone, relates the story of Dorian Grey, a handsome young man who becomes the model of painter Basil Hallward. After realizing his beauty will not last forever, he wishes to sell his soul so that he would never age, and that the effect of time and his sins would become apperent on his portrait, rather than on himself. Upon being granted his wish, Dorian embarks on a dark life of self-indulgence and debauchery. Fun stuff.
7. The Divine Comedy, Dante Alighieri (1308-1321)--Considered by many to be one of the greatest staples of world literature ever written, Dante painted a vivid picture of the afterlife while being lead through heaven, hell, and purgatory by the Greek poet Virgil. Inferno, arguably the most famous of the collection, formed the world's common view of hell more than any other text, perhaps even more than the Bible. Spanning three volumes of poems (Paradiso, Purgatorio, and Inferno), Dante's scenic tour of life after death should prove an interesting read, and perhaps inspire more than a few trips to the confessional booth.
8. All Quiet on the Western Front, Erich Maria Remarque (1929)--I began this novel back in eighth grade, though as you might have gathered by now, I never finished it. Surprise, surprise. Western Front is often cited as one of the greatest war novels of all time, depicting the horrors of World War I from the perspective of a German soldier. The writing style was a little dry, if I remember right, but it didn't stop me from enjoying the very small portion I read from the roughly 200-page novel.
9. Paradise Lost, John Milton (1667)--Another timeless piece of world literature that deals with religion and the afterlife, Milton's blank verse epic tells two tales. The first is the story of Satan's failed rebellion against God and his banishment from heaven. The second is the story of the tragic fall of Adam and Eve and their expulsion from the Garden of Eden. Divided into twelve books of poems in 1674, Paradise Lost contains over 10,000 lines of verse. Now I'm no poetry expert, but I think that's a lot. The sheer volume of poetry, coupled with the archaic language of the late 17th century, might make it a challenging read, but a fufilling one nonetheless.
10. The Lord of the Rings, J.R.R. Tolkien (1954-1955)--This is a series I have always wanted to read. I read The Hobbit in seventh grade, though I must say I hardly remember any of it. I know there are some rabid LOTR fans in my class, so I will refrain from saying anything of the plot, lest I get something wrong and incur their wrath. If the movies and the praise I've heard from said fans in class are any indication, this series could rival my love for Star Wars. Rival, but not top.
No comments:
Post a Comment