Does anyone read classical literature any more?

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JazmynElizabeth
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Re: Does anyone read classical literature any more?

Post by JazmynElizabeth »

I used to read and reread Anne of Green Gables, Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights...
Now though I prefer modern stories. Because they're more relatable, I suppose. I can relate to the characters more.
Nothing can beat a classic though.
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writerlady1904
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Post by writerlady1904 »

The Rime of the Ancient Mariner By Samuel Coleridge is my top favorite and I tend to read it at least once ever year or so. That is followed by Geoffrey Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales. I like a good bit of William Blake's poems and Walter Whitman's (aka Walt Whitman) writings. I admire John Milton and read Paradise Lost once in a while because he was blind when he wrote that, and that seems to give me great inspiration when I'm facing especially hard challenges.
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Mallory Porshnev
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Post by Mallory Porshnev »

I still read the classics on occasion. There are still so many that I haven't gotten around to. Not sure how old it has to be to be considered a classic, but I'm venturing out there and saying mine for now is Kurt Vonnegut Jr.
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Sharill Rasowo
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Post by Sharill Rasowo »

I used to read books like Charles Dickens, Wuthering Heights and so on but I have not read them for the past few years.
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Post by ObsessedBookNerd »

I’m a fan of Jane Austen but I come across a good classic occasionally & will read it. I enjoyed the Odyssey by Homer it’s one of my favorite reads.
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Post by KMSingh »

Zupanatural wrote: 09 Jul 2017, 14:33 For years I only read the classics (Dickens, Hardy, Conrad etc.) and I was wondering how many people do that nowadays. Also, who would go down as your favourite classical literature author?

Poe & Maupassant are two of mine and today I'm going to say Poe is the winner. Maupassant's turn tomorrow... :D
I'm slowly working my way through Dostoevsky. By which I mean, I've read The Brothers Karamazov and am planning on reading Crime and Punishment sometime before the end of the decade.
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Post by Ayodave »

Some changes on English might be suggesting that but classic literature still has a hold,I really enjoyed Thomas Hardy's ''Tess of the Duberville "
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Post by aufsteigen »

My favourite old author has got to be Herman Hesse. Although his works aren't considered popular classics, his books are one of the most inspiring I have ever seen. Especially Demian. I'm planning on reading Steppenwolf next.
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Post by Helga_ »

My case is the opposite to the threadstarter's: for about a decade, I've almost always read contemporary, "non-classical" literature. I don't know, I think I felt this urge to explore this society I live in through fiction. Of course, I check out news stories from various aspects---politics, technology, business, culture, etc., but there's something about kinda being in the audience for the very reality surrounding me. Also, as I get older, I become more intrigued by how this Korean society operates here&now :eusa-think:, so I began digging deeper into recent Korean literature.
Now, I think I wanna start reading foreign classical literature again. I went to my parents' house for the holiday a few weeks ago and found my copy of Dubliners by James Joyce. I remember struggling to follow the narrative and ended up giving it up. It's on my bookshelf now, I'll give it one more try in the coming weeks.

P.S. Oh, my all-time favorite author is Nella Larsen. "Helga" is the female protagonist of her novel Quicksand. Before reading her work, I'd never imagined I would relate to novels from the 1920s!
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Post by Zimall »

I do read classical books. I have read Jane austen, Dickens, marlowe and about to read conrad and my favourite is jane austen for her realistic characters and for providing their psychological insight.
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Post by rssllue »

Classical books should always have a place in our personal libraries. Without a doubt.
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Post by Harley-Panda »

I still read and enjoy the classics (although I have many more on my list to read!). I definitely think they should still hold a place in our libraries and younger people should be encouraged to pick them up.
I still read A Christmas Carol (Dickens) every December without fail - I absolutely love it!
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Post by flaming_quills »

This is a very good question, especially with the rise of certain genres like YA, high fantasy, urban fantasy, paranormal romance to name but a few. I think you would be hard pressed to find people who read just classic literature.
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Post by Vanriped »

Jane Austen and George Eliott are two of my favorites!
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Post by lisalynn »

Every once in a while I go the classic route. I choose from the top 100 list. Some I've liked, others not so much. To Kill A Mockingbird is one of my favorites.
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