Literature: where to start?

Hello! I just joined this forum, with the hope that some of you long-time readers can give me some much needed direction. I have a strong thirst to immerse myself in great literature - the only problem is, I don't know where to start. I've read some of the classics (Shakespeare, Hardy, Flaubert, Bronte, Dumas, Faulkner) but not nearly enough to develop a strong base. Do I start chronologically and make my way from Greek classics to modern lit? Do I read English first, then Russian and American? I feel like I should persue some coherent theme when reading....

What do YOU suggest?

Thanks in advance for the input.

I'm in the same position as you; I've read some of the classics, but need to read more. I've read Ann Bronte, Tolstoi, DH Lawrence, Jane Austen, Charlotte Bronte, Dostojewski, Orwell, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Emily Bronte, Dumas, Ivan Turgenev. I select books on a basis of whether or not they look good or if they're more popular. You might want to alternate between 'hard' and 'easy'.
There are some contemporary authors which are becoming classics, too.
Good luck!

great literature, although there are some standards, is the literature that touches YOU, no matter if the writer is well-known, awarded or not. i think that you should give a lot of importance on classics. as for greek literaturre, well, i am greek but yet have not studied it too much because our literature- our 'great' contemporary literature, is related to the wars and sufferings of our nation, and there are a lot of well-known novels as such, but that kind of writing depresses me. so, i would stronly recommend you to start with ancient greek literature like aristophanes- i think satire is great to begin with, and his, is diachronic. then i would also suggest plato, if you like philosophy, because his way of writing is lyrical- he was a writer and a poet before deciding to devote completely on philosophy. then perhaps some homer if you want- if you find a good copy of odyssea and i thinkyou will be done with ancient greek literature. then, the english classics. shakespeare to begin with, wilde- his wit is great, austen... you should also read dostoyevsky and chekov- do not underestimate plays. about american fiction, i do not know much as to inform you, but i think miller is also good. then, paulo coelho, pablo neruda and lorka are excellent as well- try lorka's sonnets, they are melancholic, a bit dark, but so lyrical. charles dickens has strong social meaning in his novels....i think that helped you a bit, it's all that comes to my mind when thinking of 'great' literature.

great literature, although there are some standards, is the literature that touches YOU, no matter if the writer is well-known, awarded or not. i think that you should give a lot of importance on classics. as for greek literaturre, well, i am greek but yet have not studied it too much because our literature- our 'great' contemporary literature, is related to the wars and sufferings of our nation, and there are a lot of well-known novels as such, but that kind of writing depresses me. so, i would stronly recommend you to start with ancient greek literature like aristophanes- i think satire is great to begin with, and his, is diachronic. then i would also suggest plato, if you like philosophy, because his way of writing is lyrical- he was a writer and a poet before deciding to devote completely on philosophy. then perhaps some homer if you want- if you find a good copy of odyssea and i thinkyou will be done with ancient greek literature. then, the english classics. shakespeare to begin with, wilde- his wit is great, austen... you should also read dostoyevsky and chekov- do not underestimate plays. about american fiction, i do not know much as to inform you, but i think miller is also good. then, paulo coelho, pablo neruda and lorka are excellent as well- try lorka's sonnets, they are melancholic, a bit dark, but so lyrical. charles dickens has strong social meaning in his novels....i think that helped you a bit, it's all that comes to my mind when thinking of 'great' literature.

It would be extremely helpful if you could do some modules with a college or university or some sort of evening class. That way you not only have a coherent structure to what you are reading, but have people to discuss it with and direction from a tutor allowing you to get the most from your reading - much more than you ever could individually.

If this is not possible I would recommend following some sort of structure or “module” of reading on your own based on what you would find on a course. You do not necessarily have to read from Greek to contemporary but you could loosely study areas in chunks, say you could “do” Victorian literature, read several novels/plays/poetry in this area, and importantly criticism, before moving on to another area that takes your fancy.

If you are really interested in developing understanding and knowledge in literature however then there is no better way of doing so then by undertaking a course of study as I said earlier. Why not undertake something part-time? Check out the courses available in your area.

I'd recommend reading some Plato first. I believe understanding particular philosophies in actual 'philosophical literature' can help pin-point the philosophies in mere novels and such, which is a great skill to have.

Hi sarahan,
Welcome to the forum! Like some have already said, I think the best way to feed your interest in literature is to take a class. If you're in HS, you'll have to read for your English classes anyways. If you're college age or past, it couldn't hurt to enroll in a JC introductory literature class. Lots of colleges now have some really interesting literature classes (mostly seminars), based more on themes than time periods. For example, some of my lit classes were entitled "women and mobility", "East meets West: comparing Greco-Roman and Chinese classical poetry", "filth and the Other", and "the origins of the Holy Grail in Arthurian literature." So if you have the time and patience, you can really customize your courses to your interests.

Another way to get into lit is to simply dig deeper into the stuff you already like. Find out what the public reception was to your favorite books when they first debuted, what critics said, and you'll probably be able to find books that were written as responses, satires, or critiques. You'll find similar stuff in the same time period. And if you're not willing to do the legwork by yourself, you can always ask a librarian.

I try and find a niche then work my way along those, then come back out. So you could try Russian Lit, 17th century...