Limited Literary Knowledge

[dbowen73]

Hi, i am new to this site and lack much major literary knowledge and was wondering about suggestions people have or info they could share or just if anyone else on here was in the same boat as i am. :thumbs_up

[Video Drone]

I think I feel the same way, so many books, and I do not know what should I pick. My reading ability is also limiting: sometimes, the text is just hard to read and understand.

[NickAdams]

Hi, i am new to this site and lack much major literary knowledge and was wondering about suggestions people have or info they could share or just if anyone else on here was in the same boat as i am. :thumbs_up

I'm with you, but I hope no one has noticed.;)
You'll pick up things if you browse the threads.
What exactly are looking for?

[SleepyWitch]

hi dbowen.
what 'literary' books have you read so far? which of them did you like best?

[bookworm57]

Hi, I'm also in this boat. I just started reading too.
The first book I read was George Orwell's 1984. I had watched the film first which helped me a little.
Regards.

[dbowen73]

I have read many books like the 3 muskateers, the book of three,treasure island, robinson crusoe, all Harry potter, The house of the scorpion, Lord of the rings books, Most of the Davinci Code, the call of the wild, etc

[NickAdams]

Hi, I'm also in this boat. I just started reading too.
The first book I read was George Orwell's 1984. I had watched the film first.
That was good as I kind of knew the story before reading the book.
Also I think it is good to just enjoy the reading, Just take one page at a time. Don't try too hard to understand everything that's going on. It can be a bit like meditation and very relaxing. I have enjoyed reading books that I didn't like.
Regards.

That was my first too. I love the constant tension. I learned that having a journal could be a thrilling as a car chase depending on the circumstances.


I have read many books like the 3 muskateers, the book of three,treasure island, robinson crusoe, all Harry potter, The house of the scorpion, Lord of the rings books, Most of the Davinci Code, the call of the wild, etc

Try 'Becoming a Novelist' by John Gardner

[dbowen73]

What is becoming a novelist about??

[NickAdams]

What is becoming a novelist about??

It's an entertaining guide for writers, but I learned a lot about reading by understanding how it's done.

I've been looking into purchasing another book about reading:
How to Read Literature Like a Professor: A Lively and Entertaining Guide to Reading Between the Lines
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?z=y&EAN=9780060009427&itm=1

[dbowen73]

ok where could i purchase or find this book in just any old library or is it rarer than that??

[NickAdams]

ok where could i purchase or find this book in just any old library or is it rarer than that??

The Gardner? You might find it in a library- a good chance. I found my copy along with six others in a used bookstore.

Reading literature like a Prof might be a challenge. I've only seen it once on a bookshelf.

[grace86]

I don't really care for reading a novel if it isn't for pleasure. I find that when I do read for pleasure, I often end up understanding the concepts a lot better than if I'd been told to look for them--because I read them in context of the book.

A professor told me once that every word that is in a novel is there by deliberate action. No word was not necessarily unintended...they all help to get the author's point across.

I don't know how old you are, but if you want some literary knowledge...like learning about prose or epics or what have you, you might be interested in taking an introduction to literature, or just a literature course. Sometimes in those courses you can learn about which authors influenced an author's writing without it being declared anywhere. Be careful though, some professors like to over analyze literature...don't do that. I think we are supposed to enjoy literature first.

[NickAdams]

I don't really care for reading a novel if it isn't for pleasure. I find that when I do read for pleasure, I often end up understanding the concepts a lot better than if I'd been told to look for them--because I read them in context of the book.

A professor told me once that every word that is in a novel is there by deliberate action. No word was not necessarily unintended...they all help to get the author's point across.

I don't know how old you are, but if you want some literary knowledge...like learning about prose or epics or what have you, you might be interested in taking an introduction to literature, or just a literature course. Sometimes in those courses you can learn about which authors influenced an author's writing without it being declared anywhere. Be careful though, some professors like to over analyze literature...don't do that. I think we are supposed to enjoy literature first.


I agree: I don't even look at the dictionary on a first read. If I like a book I'll analyze it on the second read, although you can't help but pick up patterns and plot on first read.

[dbowen73]

I am only 15 so those courses are out of the question although i think i agree with the point that it would be nice to learn about such things and still being able to enjoy what i am reading

[samson]

When I was 15 I didn't even know there was a distinction between the newspaper and a novel. And maybe I was right.

[jedi]

When I was 15, I thought I read enough so I stopped, not unless they are necessary reads. Now that I'm older, I know I shouldn't have stopped that pursuit of knowledge so I'm starting again.

Don't stop yourself from opportunities that couldn't have sprung from nowhere, just cause you're like this or that. Just go with the flow and I'm sure you'll learn a lot. :D

[sstaplet]

It's an entertaining guide for writers, but I learned a lot about reading by understanding how it's done.

I've been looking into purchasing another book about reading:
How to Read Literature Like a Professor: A Lively and Entertaining Guide to Reading Between the Lines
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?z=y&EAN=9780060009427&itm=1

This is an EXCELLENT resource. I have a copy and I use mine all the time. Also, it is not difficult to understand and the author makes everything clear and uses wit to keep the book flowing. I love it.

[jedi]

-oops. wrong thread-

[Fen]

Dbowen I am in the same boat as you being both new and lacking in literary knowledge;) My suggestion would be to browse your local library for classics and see if the descriptions on the back interest you or not. As well as being a classic therefore hopefully good another benefit is most come with an analysis and good background detail provided helping you to learn more about it. Though don't read it till after you have finished the book because it will give a ton of stuff away.