Finding the right literature for me

[BubGoverned]

Hi people

I am a bit new to all this and I am hoping that someone here might be able to help, maybe with a few pointers.

Quite recently I decided that I would take a step up and try some "challenging" literature. My friend, who studied English Literature, highly recommended two books to me.

So, I went on Amazon, found them and got them ordered in. The problem is, that to be honest, I found both books very difficult to follow and unfortunately, I was unable to complete either of them.

As I am now too embarrassed to go back to my friend, I wondered if anyone might be able to help me find a happy medium between some Literature that is challenging, yet readable for someone such as myself?

[Pompey Bum]

Hey Bub! Welcome to the site. :)

I'm guessing most people here are going to tell you the same thing: you should read what you love and not worry about it. And that is the best advice, although no doubt you'll get some recommendations, too. I'd be happy make suggestions, but I'd like to ask two somewhat nosy questions first. Please feel free not to answer if you're not comfortable with them, although the information would help. First, what were the two books you had difficulty finishing? And what is your approximate age? (You don't have to be too specific--early 20s, mid-30s, a teenager, whatever).

Oh and I guess one less nosy question would help, too. Are you interested in current literature, past "classics," or both?

[BubGoverned]

Hey Bub! Welcome to the site. :)

I'm guessing most people here are going to tell you the same thing: you should read what you love and not worry about it. And that is the best advice, although no doubt you'll get some recommendations, too. I'd be happy make suggestions, but I'd like to ask two somewhat nosy questions first. Please feel free not to answer if you're not comfortable with them, although the information would help. First, what were the two books you had difficulty finishing? And what is your approximate age? (You don't have to be too specific--early 20s, mid-30s, a teenager, whatever).

Hi Pompey!

The two books I tried were called the Soft Machine by William Burroughs, I'll be honest, I managed about two chapters. The other book was Finnegans Wake by James Joyce, again, I made it about a quarter of the way through before giving up. Very frustrating as my friend is really enthusiastic about them, but I literally could not get the plot at all.

I am in my mid 20's and I do try to read quite a lot and I will try anything. I suppose as much as anything I would like to stretch myself intellectually rather than just reading for the story, as in most cases I could just sit and watch a film instead!

Regards

Bub

[Jancarlo]

Bub don't worry about not getting into those books, just figure out what kind of movies or shows you like and try to look for a similar genre in literature. For example I like crime solving shows and since most are influenced by Sherlock Holmes I decided to read the source material, ended up reading all SH books. Eventually I kept reading more and more, looking up the classics, and found myself reading more "complex" stuff but only because I enjoy it now.

Try to not make reading feel like a school assignment, find something you enjoy and get into it... About those suggestions well you could try:

The Stranger by Albert Camus
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Arthur Shopenhauer: Essays and Aphorisms by Penguins Classics (some of his ideas may be outdated but still an interesting read.)

[BubGoverned]

Bub don't worry about not getting into those books, just figure out what kind of movies or shows you like and try to look for a similar genre in literature. For example I like crime solving shows and since most are influenced by Sherlock Holmes I decided to read the source material, ended up reading all SH books. Eventually I kept reading more and more, looking up the classics, and found myself reading more "complex" stuff but only because I enjoy it now.

Try to not make reading feel like a school assignment, find something you enjoy and get into it... About those suggestions well you could try:

The Stranger by Albert Camus
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Arthur Shopenhauer: Essays and Aphorisms by Penguins Classics (some of his ideas may be outdated but still an interesting read.)

Cool, thanks for your suggestions! Actually I have read To Kill a Mockingbird and I have also seen the film with Gregory Peck. It was a good read.

I'll certainly fish out the other books you have suggested.

Thanks

Bub

[Clopin]

Your friend tricked you bro, Joyce scholars can't even agree on the central plot in Finnegans Wake and some people go so far as to say the entire work was an elaborate practical joke on his readers by Joyce.

[Clopin]

Anyway I would recommend Dostoyevsky to anyone pretty new to reading, specifically Crime and Punishment, Notes From Underground, The Gambler and Short Stories.

[Pompey Bum]

Hi Pompey!

The two books I tried were called the Soft Machine by William Burroughs, I'll be honest, I managed about two chapters. The other book was Finnegans Wake by James Joyce, again, I made it about a quarter of the way through before giving up. Very frustrating as my friend is really enthusiastic about them, but I literally could not get the plot at all.

Ah, well there's your problem. First of all, don't feel bad about not finishing them. Your friend should have known better than to have recommended either one of those authors to someone in your position. Burroughs was a depressive, drugged-out beat who intentionally separated himself and his writing from anything approaching normal. Personally I think his stuff is trash, although some people respect it. At best, though, he's an acquired taste--like gorgonzola cheese.

And Joyce is notoriously inaccessible to readers. Even those who regard his work as genius (and many do) usually concede that it is kept alive by academics. I think we have some Joyce fans on the site, so maybe they can tell you more, but I wouldn't feel remotely bad or embarrassed about not being able to plough through it. I imagine your friend was just showing off by making the suggestion. (Personally I've never even tried to read Joyce).

So what to recommend for you? The best and most gripping author you could possibly read in English is Shakespeare. If you feel like you can handle the archaic language, I would recommend the trilogy of plays: Henry IV Part One, Henry IV Part Two, and Henry V. Read them in that order (they follow a steady sequence) but do not read Richard II before them. I am recommending these plays at first (as opposed to some of the more famous tragedies) because they are hilarious, deeply moving, and specifically treat issues that young men face in their 20s--especially the first two of them. (I'm assuming you are male from your name, but the plays would work for women, too). If you don't think you can handle the archaic language, then make sure you have an edition with footnotes, and use them (especially when Falstaff is talking--the funniest parts are the "slangy-est"). UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES USE A "MODERN ENGLISH" RENDITION Of SHAKESPEARE! Go back to Joyce before you waste your time with anything like that. If you have an Ipad, there is a Shakespeare app that gives you his complete works (with extras) for free.

For fiction, almost anything is going to be better than what your friend recommended. If you want "classics," I would recommend Dostoyevsky's works, which are available for free at the Project Gutenberg website. Your friend will probably tell you to start with Crime and Punishment and Notes from the Underground first, but I would recommend that you step right up to The Idiot and, when you feel like have time for a really long book, The Brothers Karamazov. Dostoyevsky's books are longer in general than most fiction today. My advice would be to just throw yourself into them. If you don't think you can handle long books at the moment, you should probably try something else. But you said you wanted to push yourself, right?

If you are interested in contemporary literature, I would recommend The Road by Cormac McCarthy (or anything by McCarthy, really). One of his earlier books, Blood Meridian, is considered a modern classic, but it is extremely violent, and some have been turned off by that (so I'd start with The Road). If you want popular fiction that has some literary pretensions ("tomorrow's classics," as it were), I would strongly suggest The Risk Pool by Richard Russo. You might also try The Secret History by Donna Tartt (which I got a kick out of when I was a 20-something). Tartt just won the Pulitzer Prize for The Goldfinch, which I also loved, but some have complained that it's too long.

I hope those suggestions are helpful. There is a thread on this site called "Nominations for New Classics." It's a good source for other recommendations.

Again, welcome to the site. :)

[BubGoverned]

Ah, well there's your problem. First of all, don't feel bad about not finishing them. Your friend should have known better than to have recommended either one of those authors to someone in your position. Burroughs was a depressive, drugged-out beat who intentionally separated himself his writing from anything approaching normal. Personally I think his stuff is trash, although some people respect it. But at best, it's an acquired taste--like gorgonzola cheese.

And Joyce is notoriously inaccessible to readers. Even those who regard his work as genius (and many do) usually concede that Joyce is kept alive by academics. I think we have some Joyce fans on the site, so maybe they can tell you more, but I wouldn't feel remotely bad or embarrassed about not being able to plough through it. In fact, I imagine your friend was just showing off by making the suggestion in the first place. (Personally I've never even tried to read Joyce).

So what to recommend for you? The best and most gripping author you could possibly read in English is Shakespeare. If you feel like you can handle the archaic language, I would recommend that you read the trilogy of plays: Henry IV Part One, Henry IV Part Two, and Henry V. Read them in that order (they follow a steady sequence) but do not read Richard II before them. I am recommending these plays at first (as opposed to some of the more famous tragedies) because they are hilarious, deeply moving, and specifically treat issues that young men face in their 20s--especially the first two. (I'm assuming you are male from your name, but the plays would work for women, too). If you don't think you can handle the archaic language, then make sure you have an edition with footnotes, and use them (especially when Falstaff is talking--the funniest parts are the "slangy-est"). UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES USE A "MODERN ENGLISH" RENDITION Of SHAKESPEARE! Go back to Joyce before you waste your time with anything like that. If you have an Ipad, there is a Shakespeare app that gives you his complete works (with extras) for free.

For fiction, almost anything is going to be better than what your friend recommended. If you want "classics," I would recommend Dostoyevsky's works, which are available for free at the Project Gutenberg website. Your friend will probably tell you to start with Crime and Punishment and Tales from the Underground first, but I would recommend that you step right up to The Idiot and, when you feel like have time for a really long book, The Brothers Karamazov. Dostoyevsky's books are longer in general than most fiction today. My advice would be to just throw yourself into them. But if you don't think you can handle long books for the moment, you should probably try something else. But you said you wanted to push yourself, right?

If you are interested in contemporary literature, I would recommend The Road by Cormac McCarthy (or anything by McCarthy, really). One of his earlier books, Blood Meridian, is considered a modern classic, but it is extremely violent and some people have been turned off by that. I'd start with The Road. If you want popular fiction that has some literary pretensions ("tomorrow's classics," as it were), I would strongly suggest The Risk Pool by Richard Russo. You might also try The Secret History by Donna Tartt (which I got a kick out of when I was a 20-something). Tartt just won the Pulitzer Prize for The Goldfinch, which I loved, but some have complained that it's too long.

I hope those suggestions are helpful. There is a thread on this site called "Nominations for New Classics." It's a good source for other recommendations.

Again, welcome to the site. :)

Wow! Thanks for such a thorough response. Yes I am male called Bub!

Looks like I am going to be busy. Bit cross with my mate who suggested those books, looks as though I have had my leg pulled there. Actually I have studied some Shakespeare when I was at school. I studied (in order of preference) Julius Caesar, Macbeth, Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet and the Merchant of Venice, also I studied Faustus by Marlowe which is of a similar sort of style. I have also been fortunate enough to have seen the Royal Shakespeare Company perform Trolius and Cresseda and the Merchant of Venice. I think I prefer the tragedies.

Maybe I am more intellectual than I realised after all!

Again, thanks for your suggestions.

Regards

Bub

[Marbles]

I can't think of a more unsuitable novel than Finnegans Wake to recommend to a person who is just, I mean only just, starting on literature.

OP, for classics probably start with Dickens; for contemporary literature, check out Booker shortlists and Nobel winners. You won't go wrong.

[Clopin]

No need to dismiss Joyce entirely, Dubliners is very simple writing and contains some of the best short stories I've come across and Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man is a good introduction to the writing style he adopted later.

[Clopin]

Also I can't remember enjoying a book more than literally any story collection by Alice Munro, but Who Do You Think You Are, Carried Away and Open Secrets were especially good.

[Jackson Richardson]

I would suggest that as Shakespeare is poetry, it is best read out loud, of at least enunciated under your breath. Maybe I'm lazy, but I never read him at home but see him on the stage here in London.

You will have to look around to see what tempts you. I like nineteenth century novels but they are on the long side.

Good luck. And you may like to look round some of the threads here.

Shakespeare's comedies have the difficulty that parts of them were hilarious at the time, but will never be again. As a result productions tend to camp it up to get the laughs, which gets a bit dreary.

[Pompey Bum]

I would suggest that as Shakespeare is poetry, it is best read out loud, of at least enunciated under your breath. Maybe I'm lazy, but I never read him at home but see him on the stage here in London.

What you call lazy, Jonathan, might strike a non-Londoner as fortunate in the extreme. :)

But I know what you mean about hearing Shakespeare's poetry, and with your apparent support, I can now admit to my longtime habit of reading Shakespeare out loud --doing my own characterizations, no less! And all this time I thought I was just crazy. Now if you could just help me to convince my wife otherwise...

[BubGoverned]

What you call lazy, Jonathan, might strike a non-Londoner as fortunate in the extreme. :)

But I know what you mean about hearing Shakespeare's poetry, and with your apparent support, I can now admit to my longtime habit of reading Shakespeare out loud --doing my own characterizations, no less! And all this time I thought I was just crazy. Now if you could just help me to convince my wife otherwise...

I do a lot of my reading on the bus, that could elicit some funny looks.

[Pompey Bum]

I do a lot of my reading on the bus, that could elicit some funny looks.

Oh yes. Now is the winter of our discontent once got me thrown right off. :)

[Lykren]

Good god man, there's no need to start with Finnegans Wake! That's one of the most difficult books ever written. You were definitely tricked.

Better things to start with:

The Death of Ivan Ilyich - Tolstoy
The Great Gatsby - Fitzgerald
Sense and Sensibility - Austen
Lolita - Nabokov
Tess of the D'Urbervilles - Hardy
Brideshead Revisited - Waugh

Those are all compact, well-told stories that are also very powerfully written. The suggestion of Shakespeare is great too, of course. Don't forget poetry, by the way! Here are some ideas:

Song of Myself; When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom'd - Whitman
The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock - T.S. Eliot
The Six Odes - Keats
Songs of Innocence and of Experience - Blake
Lyrical Ballads - Wordsworth & Coleridge
Selected Poems of Robert Frost

Happy reading! Let us know how it goes.

[Bill 42]

Someone mentioned starting with Charles Dickens. Given the time of year, I'd recommend Dickens' Christmas Books:

A Christmas Carol
The Chimes
The Cricket on the Hearth
The Battle of Life
The Haunted Man


They are available in one volume from Oxford World Classics (ISBN 978-0-19-953630-6) and Vintage Classics (978-0-307-94721-5). There may be other options as well.

And recommending Finnegans Wake to anyone, let alone someone new to classics, is a pretty evil thing to do.

[BubGoverned]

Thanks very much everyone, certainly given me plenty to go on there! I have nearly a fortnight off at Christmas and look forward to gettin my head down.

I'll certainly let you know how I get on.

Regards
Bub

[Jackson Richardson]

A Christmas Carol is wonderful. I wouldn't recommend the other four Christmas Books myself. (See my thread on The Chimes.) It is considerably shorter than Dickens' other novels and the melodrama and sentimentality (Dickens' abiding drawbacks) are integrated in the story.

I've found in the past that reading an author's supposed masterpiece can be disappointing. I think it is best to get used to the author's imaginative world first. That includes prose style, although I tend to be unconscious of it, which means that there's something missing in reading translations. Dickens' prose style (which may seem long winded now, but was populist when written - he was not writing high brow literature) is what really makes the difference between the book and any film or cartoon versions.

Pompey - I really appreciate poetry not only read out loud, but read out loud BY HEART.

[Jackson Richardson]

Dickens if often contrasted with George Eliot (the pseudonym of Mary Ann Evans). Her long novel Middlemarch is nowadays often reckoned the Greatest Victorian Novel -she was an intellectual with a broad liberal sympathy with most of humanity, whereas Dickens was not that bright at analytic thought and wildly melodramatic. However her short novel Sillas Marner is something I found deeply moving in the past and an interesting contrast to A Christmas Carol - an unattractive outsider finds redemption and social acceptance, albeit without supernatural machinery. I might re-read it myself.

I don't think anyone has mentioned Tolstoy's Anna Karenina which William Faulkner and others thought the greatest novel ever.

[Jackson Richardson]

PS George Eliot's prose style is lumpy.

[Pompey Bum]

I don't think anyone has mentioned Tolstoy's Anna Karenina which William Faulkner and others thought the greatest novel ever.

Including Tolstoy! (On the other hand, he may have been right).