Just to succinctly introduce myself, I am sixteen and in my last year of secondary school in Britain.
Around about two years ago I began avidly devouring non-fiction political tomes, such as Liberal Fascism by Jonah Goldburg and My Life by Sir Oswald Molsey etc, and I also started reading the news routinely, taking note of the journalistic language used to maximise propaganda effect.
It was roughly 8 months ago that I came across an article in the Telegraph about George Orwell, which sparked enough interest in me to research him and thereafter read Animal Farm. Afrer Animal Farm I proceeded to 1984, which thus consolidated in my mind a deep yearning to unlock the world of literature.
I have now read and re-read almost the entire of Orwell's published works, though I have yet to read A Clergyman's Daughter and obviously many letters and essays. I moved onto Wells, reading Kipps and the History of Mr Polly, finding the prose a little flowery but nonetheless acceptable and wholesome.
I then read much of Kurt Vonnegut's work and dabbled in Jack London, reading non-fiction along the side, and dipping my nose into some contemporary fiction, such as Tom Wolfe. I winded up reading essays by Oscar Wilde and G.K. Chesterton, and am now deciding that I should finish a plethora of literary classics.
The only problem is I don't know what authors to read and what books to choose. I fear I may end up reading incomprehensible tripe. I've contemplated reading James Joyce and Tolstoy, alongside whom I would read Brave New World etc.
Could anyone suggest anything that would change my perspective of life slightly, something that is fundamentally enjoyable and epiphany inducing?
Thanks, Joel.
