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I did not read Of Mice and Men until I was an adult - much better than I expected, although I love John Steinbeck's work and had read his other novels.
What is a classic famous book you have never read until now much later into your adulthood? What do you think of it?
Not sure others consider them "classics," but I have been reading a lot of Rosemary Sutcliff lately. Absolutely loving it. Great, well-researched historical fiction, and the prose is just about perfect in every way. Reading THE EAGLE OF THE NINTH, I found one word I would have edited out, and I think that's a first. Usually, even when I am reading a lot of modern fiction that I enjoy, I am cringing at least once a chapter on the poor prose choices.
In fact, I have found that books published in the 1940s and 1950s seemed to have hit the "sweet spot" in terms of good prose. It's evocative, often moving, but never pretentious. Too many modern authors seem to have either given up on good prose ("Keep it simple, stupid!") or are just showing off and trying to impress the critics at the New York Times Review of Books. Of the two approaches, I much prefer the former. I hate prose where I can tell the author is free-basing the thesaurus as they gaze into their own navel.
I remember my older brother loving The Count of Monte Cristo as a teen, and I finally read it last year. What a great book!
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Originally Posted by Mayvenne
Ok another classic that I had not heard of (but the rest of the world was well aware)- Three Men In a Boat
Don't miss the sequel, Three Men on the Bummel. And if you happen to like the time-travel genre, I recommend Connie Willis's To Say Nothing of the Dog, which is a hilarious spinoff of Three Men in a Boat. (It's even better if you have also read Dorothy Sayers.)
I didn't read Gatsby until well into adulthood and was pretty much underwhelmed, I may have to read it again to see if my opinion changes.
OTOH, I also read Moby Dick for the first time well into adulthood and loved it, and completely understood why it's considered a classic.
Same here.
I have NEVER understood the literati's fascination with The Great Gatsby. I actually kinda hate it. It's a pretentious soap opera.
Is Moby Dick over-written in places, at least by modern standards? Yeah. But it's still a great book. The first time I read it, the thing that surprised me the most was how funny it was in places. It's definitely not a comedy, but the brief moments of humor were all quite well done.
Location: By the sea, by the sea, by the beautiful sea
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mark S.
Same here.
I have NEVER understood the literati's fascination with The Great Gatsby. I actually kinda hate it. It's a pretentious soap opera.
Is Moby Dick over-written in places, at least by modern standards? Yeah. But it's still a great book. The first time I read it, the thing that surprised me the most was how funny it was in places. It's definitely not a comedy, but the brief moments of humor were all quite well done.
I think that adds to the book's realism. I'd guess given the conditions those men faced on those long ocean voyages and the dangers of whaling, that humor, even gallows humor would've been necessary to keep them from going over the edge. I believe there's much truth in the old adage: Laughter is the best medicine.
I think maybe I need to go back and read some of them again. I just heard a discussion on Gatsby and I thought "wait a minute. What book did I read? Not the same one they are talking about"
I've been reading and occassionally, it's re-reading, classics since finding something 'new' that's worthwhile has been difficult.
Been through many of those mentioned already.
A "just finished' re-read is THE HEART IS A LONELY HUNTER by Carson Mc Cullers.
First time through, it didn't sink in that this author was only 23 years old when she wrote it!!!
Amazing!
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