In which Mip explores the Classics
Feb. 15th, 2007 04:02 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
transemacabreOf course, no one can pretend to sophistication unless they are educated in the Classics. Just what the Classics are no one is quite sure, except that Homer and Virgil are certainly included, and probably Shakespeare. Here are my thoughts on various Classic Works of Literature which I have attempted to read, with varying degrees of success, and my own blunt opinion on them.
War and Peace, Tolstoy. I tried gamely to read this one last summer. Now I am of the opinion that no one has ever actually read War and Peace, you may think you did, but you actually nodded off in chapter 24 and woke up to the find the book flipped ahead to the last chapter, and didn't notice anything amiss.
Scarlet Pimpernel, Orczy. It was going okay, if surprisingly boring for a novel with such a swashbuckling premise, until I came across a character who is every negative Jewish stereotype wrapped up into one appalling package. This has the distinction of being the only novel besides Gor that disgusted me so that I flung it across the room. Fuck you, Baroness Orczy.
Catcher in the Rye, Salinger. I read this one when I was 16, surely the perfect age to read it. I enjoyed it immensely and reread it. Very good book.
Gilgamesh, some dead guy. A very good, very interesting read, not too long. One of the saddest scenes in all of literature is Gilgamesh mourning for Enkidu, saying, "You are lost in the darkness and cannot hear me."
The Bible, various authors. I actually read through most of this when I was twelve or so, the Book of Ruth was my favorite. Then I discovered that almost no one I knew, including most devout Christians, had actually read all or most of it. I also read most of the Qu'ran when I was 21.
Aeneid, Virgil. Another one I attempted around age 15, gave up. I found the language impenetrable.
Tale of Genji, Murasaki. Was written about a thousand years ago. Would take approximately that same length of time to finish. Didn't give a shit about Genji either, or any of his baby mamas.
Metamorphosis, Kafka. A good short story, probably was a lot more shocking to the sensibilities of Kafka's time than to mine.
Animal Farm and 1984, Orwell. Fantastic books! Well worth a read. 1984 may rightly qualify for the most terrifying novel ever written.
Alice in Wonderland, Carroll. Unfortunately stereotyped as a children's book, this is a twisted and cutting book that has plenty for kids and adults to sink their teeth into.
Peter Pan, Barrie. Another "kid's book" that's very intelligent, insightful, and astonishingly dark. The hero isn't perfectly heroic, there's plenty to like about the villain, and the heroine doesn't get a Happy Ending.
Three Musketeers, Dumas. Fabulously entertaining, if you've only seen the many mediocre film versions you're missing out! My favorite is Milady de Winter, the villainess who is ice-cold to the bitter end. Count of Monte Cristo is also pretty decent, although Dumas gets his Christ on pretty fierce in that one.
War and Peace, Tolstoy. I tried gamely to read this one last summer. Now I am of the opinion that no one has ever actually read War and Peace, you may think you did, but you actually nodded off in chapter 24 and woke up to the find the book flipped ahead to the last chapter, and didn't notice anything amiss.
Scarlet Pimpernel, Orczy. It was going okay, if surprisingly boring for a novel with such a swashbuckling premise, until I came across a character who is every negative Jewish stereotype wrapped up into one appalling package. This has the distinction of being the only novel besides Gor that disgusted me so that I flung it across the room. Fuck you, Baroness Orczy.
Catcher in the Rye, Salinger. I read this one when I was 16, surely the perfect age to read it. I enjoyed it immensely and reread it. Very good book.
Gilgamesh, some dead guy. A very good, very interesting read, not too long. One of the saddest scenes in all of literature is Gilgamesh mourning for Enkidu, saying, "You are lost in the darkness and cannot hear me."
The Bible, various authors. I actually read through most of this when I was twelve or so, the Book of Ruth was my favorite. Then I discovered that almost no one I knew, including most devout Christians, had actually read all or most of it. I also read most of the Qu'ran when I was 21.
Aeneid, Virgil. Another one I attempted around age 15, gave up. I found the language impenetrable.
Tale of Genji, Murasaki. Was written about a thousand years ago. Would take approximately that same length of time to finish. Didn't give a shit about Genji either, or any of his baby mamas.
Metamorphosis, Kafka. A good short story, probably was a lot more shocking to the sensibilities of Kafka's time than to mine.
Animal Farm and 1984, Orwell. Fantastic books! Well worth a read. 1984 may rightly qualify for the most terrifying novel ever written.
Alice in Wonderland, Carroll. Unfortunately stereotyped as a children's book, this is a twisted and cutting book that has plenty for kids and adults to sink their teeth into.
Peter Pan, Barrie. Another "kid's book" that's very intelligent, insightful, and astonishingly dark. The hero isn't perfectly heroic, there's plenty to like about the villain, and the heroine doesn't get a Happy Ending.
Three Musketeers, Dumas. Fabulously entertaining, if you've only seen the many mediocre film versions you're missing out! My favorite is Milady de Winter, the villainess who is ice-cold to the bitter end. Count of Monte Cristo is also pretty decent, although Dumas gets his Christ on pretty fierce in that one.
