On reading out loud - read to those who cannot read for themselves. I used to read to my mother while she worked in the kitchen, since she would never take time off to read for herself. Now I read to her because her eyesght is dimming and she cannot manage the technology to listen to audiobooks.
I'd suggest starting with a classic that is funny and entertaining--like the Pickwick Papers. It will (almost) painlessly discipline you to survive more serious 19th century works
The Pickwick Papers is delightful and Dickens never repeats a joke. Its hard to believe he had such an understanding of human nature at 24 years old
Fabulous, Joel! It took me over 400 pages to get into War and Peace, and I am glad that I did not give up. English is my second language and I clearly recall starting into classics simply swimming along on the surface, not fully grasping the meaning, but just continuing. Over the years reading Victorian-era novels has turned into a true joy for me.
And a hearty YES to reading to someone you love! Reading to my kids as they were growing up is one of my favorite memories and the stories have grown deep into our bones. Our kids have already made plans for which stories they will read to their own children! (When they are older they can read to you: my youngest son was reading Treasure Island aloud to me yesterday as I was folding laundry:)
Thanks, Ruth! I love hearing about your son reading to you. See Holly’s comment about reading to her mother: “I used to read to my mother while she worked in the kitchen, since she would never take time off to read for herself. Now I read to her because her eyesight is dimming and she cannot manage the technology to listen to audiobooks.”
I just made it through "A Tale of Two Cities". I wanted to quit many times and am thankful I didn't. It was beautiful and heroic and taught me much about history without making it seem like a history book! Sometimes we just need to trust the author is building something epic. The Mona Lisa was not captivating until the last stroke.
Please read Mary Poppins to Naomi. I grew up with the movie, but didn't truly understand the movie until I entered the book.
Two other reasons why people may have trouble reading classic novels:
First plot lines are complex with multiple characters and plot intersections. For a brain trained on simple movies and shows, this can be overwhelming. The solution is to take a note or two or draw a diagram. As you point out, this can very much add to the enjoyment.
Second, it’s hard to step away from the computer and pick up a book. Sitting in front of a computer seems to align with a sense of work ethic, even if far from all of the activity sitting in front of a computer is productive. Leaving the computer and picking up a book is a clear break with perceived productivity.
The enjoyment of classic novels is greatly enhanced by the quality of the book as a physical object. Paper and print quality, binding and ribbon marker, all enhance the aesthetic experience. My favorite sources for classics are Everyman Publishing and The Library of America.
And, a bad book can ruin the experience. Most classic novels are out of copyright and it is easy to buy cheap books, but the printing is often fuzzy and bad to the point where it is a literal headache.
Your suggestions for books to read are excellent. I would also recommend reading “The Admiral’s Bookshelf” by James Staviridis in which he briefly reviews 25 important books and the impact that they had on his life. A few of his classics overlap with your recommendations, and a few are really surprising.
Your daughter is very lucky! Not many people read Alice to their children anymore. My father read us Alice in Wonderland and Coleridge's Rime of the Ancient Mariner when we were younger than five. Coleridge is a bit grim for most small children, but we thought it was fantastic. Many old favorites are largely forgotten by publishers and bookstores, but are still worth finding: John Masefield's Box of Delights and his Midnight Folk. E Nesbit's magic books, George MacDonald's The Princess and the Goblin, Mary Poppins. At least the Hobbit does stay in print. My nieces and nephews liked Diana Wynne Jones when they got a bit older. And Miyazaki's film adaptation of Howl's Moving Castle is different than her book but quite good.
Great article. I have read most of the above mentioned on your recommendation including The Brothers (and yes, i did finish it. I didn’t love it). Finishing Franny and Zooey today, loving it and now with a new appreciation for Salinger. I also became a REAL fan of Willa Cather due to your choices and even picked up some of her others. Loved them. I also picked up a pre read Hemingway which i was neutral about and now is on my Faves list. Reading is a passion for me and i am usually reading 2-4 books at a time depending on my mood. I have loved Geraldine Brooks since The Year of Wonder and Horse. I recently picked up her People of the Book. Absolutely loving it. I love learning about something i did not know and reading takes me to places even my imagination can’t take me sometimes. In the meantime, i always look forward to your recommendations. Thank you.
Read the classic works that you've never read before. You can justify it on basis of the allusions you will run across, but you can better justify it on the grounds that a children's book that can be enjoyed only by children is a bad children's book.
Also, they are easier.
I once gave a small relative *The Phantom Tollbooth*. She took it on a trip to their grandfather and left it behind. He mailed it back to her but only after reading it himself.
I rarely read classic novels. The exception being Crime and Punishment which I have read 4 times. Most of what I read comes from the 20th century. I recently finished 2 novels by James Baldwin, 1 by Langston Hughes, and 1 by John Steinbeck.
I read the Hobbit to both my daughters at age 5. My oldest daughter loves to read literature prior to the 20th century. She reads Shakespeare and Beowulf.
Joel, I understand that some people probably consider anything written in the 20th century as ancient, but I was born in 1949 so Steinbeck and Hughes are from my grandparents generation and Baldwin is from my parents generation. 😊
Good one, Joel. Rang a number of bells for me. LIke the fact that I just finished Crime and Punishment. (I'm still reading Angels.) I'm also reading an unpublished novel in my writing group. Then we'll read one more, and then my novel, The Fake Memoir... will get its turn. I'm also reading The Almost Moon by Alice Sebold. (I wanted to see how she handled a particular issue.) LIke you, I read to my children. That really took with my daughter; she reads constantly. My son not so much; he is an IT worker and reads mostly for his job. I read them The Giant Peach, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, and others I've forgotten. Oh, my daughter and I laughed over Amelia Bedelia. My son and I loved Frog and Toad. In fact, in my old age I had a buddy like Toad (I was Frog). He has dementia now and is slowly fading away.
Well, the only person I know who loves books more than myself is you. Keep these posts coming. You should have thousands of subscribers for your thoughtful posts.
Read aloud......absolutely! I taught preschool for a number of years and would have people standing outside my door to listen as I read to the kids. Now I have a going into third grade neighbor girl who I take to the library every other week. On the weeks we don't go to the library she comes over and we take turns reading aloud---and her reading is improving greatly!
My friends are always asking me for book recommendations because they know how much I read and they trust my observations. Not every book is great or classic and non-fiction is more of a slog the older I get, but the things you can learn and the places you can go just sitting in your favorite reading chair----what joy!
I'm trying to come up with a summer reading program for my neighbor. The library has one, but they rely on movies and videos as well instead of letting the kids have real book journeys. And to me that just says the book isn't that important when we can entertain you these other ways.
My mom has been bed bound for most of the last year, and she was too exhausted for reading (this is a woman who probably read 100 books a year her whole life). We have pretty similar tastes, so I started reading to her over the phone every night, and it was been such a joy for us both. It’s made me enjoy the books more (because I get to talk about them with someone; because I don’t binge read them; because it’s my mom!) Anyway, highly recommended reading around even to other adults. It’s just the best!
Some wonderful lines here, this was definitely one of my favorites:
"There is no law in any state saying a book only counts if it’s difficult, you dislike it, or you dread picking it up. Just go ahead and punch yourself in the face instead. Or find something fun." 😅
I grew up in Cooperstown, NY, and our 9th grade English teacher made everyone read James Fenimore Cooper's The Deerslayer. It was my first experience with a killer classic. I survived, but it was a near thing... 😬💦😅
On reading out loud - read to those who cannot read for themselves. I used to read to my mother while she worked in the kitchen, since she would never take time off to read for herself. Now I read to her because her eyesght is dimming and she cannot manage the technology to listen to audiobooks.
Beautiful, Holly.
I'd suggest starting with a classic that is funny and entertaining--like the Pickwick Papers. It will (almost) painlessly discipline you to survive more serious 19th century works
The Pickwick Papers is delightful and Dickens never repeats a joke. Its hard to believe he had such an understanding of human nature at 24 years old
Brilliant suggestion.
Fabulous, Joel! It took me over 400 pages to get into War and Peace, and I am glad that I did not give up. English is my second language and I clearly recall starting into classics simply swimming along on the surface, not fully grasping the meaning, but just continuing. Over the years reading Victorian-era novels has turned into a true joy for me.
And a hearty YES to reading to someone you love! Reading to my kids as they were growing up is one of my favorite memories and the stories have grown deep into our bones. Our kids have already made plans for which stories they will read to their own children! (When they are older they can read to you: my youngest son was reading Treasure Island aloud to me yesterday as I was folding laundry:)
Enjoy your reading time with Naomi!
Thanks, Ruth! I love hearing about your son reading to you. See Holly’s comment about reading to her mother: “I used to read to my mother while she worked in the kitchen, since she would never take time off to read for herself. Now I read to her because her eyesight is dimming and she cannot manage the technology to listen to audiobooks.”
I just made it through "A Tale of Two Cities". I wanted to quit many times and am thankful I didn't. It was beautiful and heroic and taught me much about history without making it seem like a history book! Sometimes we just need to trust the author is building something epic. The Mona Lisa was not captivating until the last stroke.
Please read Mary Poppins to Naomi. I grew up with the movie, but didn't truly understand the movie until I entered the book.
That’s a great lesson.
And, yes, re Mary Poppins. It’s on the TBR shelf!
I usually reread The Sun Also Rises the 2nd week of July and catch the Running of the Bulls every morning on the YouTube.
Ah, perfect! Great illustration of how to sync literature and the calendar.
Two other reasons why people may have trouble reading classic novels:
First plot lines are complex with multiple characters and plot intersections. For a brain trained on simple movies and shows, this can be overwhelming. The solution is to take a note or two or draw a diagram. As you point out, this can very much add to the enjoyment.
Second, it’s hard to step away from the computer and pick up a book. Sitting in front of a computer seems to align with a sense of work ethic, even if far from all of the activity sitting in front of a computer is productive. Leaving the computer and picking up a book is a clear break with perceived productivity.
The enjoyment of classic novels is greatly enhanced by the quality of the book as a physical object. Paper and print quality, binding and ribbon marker, all enhance the aesthetic experience. My favorite sources for classics are Everyman Publishing and The Library of America.
And, a bad book can ruin the experience. Most classic novels are out of copyright and it is easy to buy cheap books, but the printing is often fuzzy and bad to the point where it is a literal headache.
Your suggestions for books to read are excellent. I would also recommend reading “The Admiral’s Bookshelf” by James Staviridis in which he briefly reviews 25 important books and the impact that they had on his life. A few of his classics overlap with your recommendations, and a few are really surprising.
Your daughter is very lucky! Not many people read Alice to their children anymore. My father read us Alice in Wonderland and Coleridge's Rime of the Ancient Mariner when we were younger than five. Coleridge is a bit grim for most small children, but we thought it was fantastic. Many old favorites are largely forgotten by publishers and bookstores, but are still worth finding: John Masefield's Box of Delights and his Midnight Folk. E Nesbit's magic books, George MacDonald's The Princess and the Goblin, Mary Poppins. At least the Hobbit does stay in print. My nieces and nephews liked Diana Wynne Jones when they got a bit older. And Miyazaki's film adaptation of Howl's Moving Castle is different than her book but quite good.
Great article. I have read most of the above mentioned on your recommendation including The Brothers (and yes, i did finish it. I didn’t love it). Finishing Franny and Zooey today, loving it and now with a new appreciation for Salinger. I also became a REAL fan of Willa Cather due to your choices and even picked up some of her others. Loved them. I also picked up a pre read Hemingway which i was neutral about and now is on my Faves list. Reading is a passion for me and i am usually reading 2-4 books at a time depending on my mood. I have loved Geraldine Brooks since The Year of Wonder and Horse. I recently picked up her People of the Book. Absolutely loving it. I love learning about something i did not know and reading takes me to places even my imagination can’t take me sometimes. In the meantime, i always look forward to your recommendations. Thank you.
Loved Franny and Zooey!! Loved Salinger’s writing. A new fave!!
Try children's books.
Not just for your children, for yourself.
Read the classic works that you've never read before. You can justify it on basis of the allusions you will run across, but you can better justify it on the grounds that a children's book that can be enjoyed only by children is a bad children's book.
Also, they are easier.
I once gave a small relative *The Phantom Tollbooth*. She took it on a trip to their grandfather and left it behind. He mailed it back to her but only after reading it himself.
I rarely read classic novels. The exception being Crime and Punishment which I have read 4 times. Most of what I read comes from the 20th century. I recently finished 2 novels by James Baldwin, 1 by Langston Hughes, and 1 by John Steinbeck.
I read the Hobbit to both my daughters at age 5. My oldest daughter loves to read literature prior to the 20th century. She reads Shakespeare and Beowulf.
I think you can count those mid-20th century novels as classics. Baldwin, Hughes, and Steinbeck will be remembered for ages to come.
Joel, I understand that some people probably consider anything written in the 20th century as ancient, but I was born in 1949 so Steinbeck and Hughes are from my grandparents generation and Baldwin is from my parents generation. 😊
Fair point, Harley!
Good one, Joel. Rang a number of bells for me. LIke the fact that I just finished Crime and Punishment. (I'm still reading Angels.) I'm also reading an unpublished novel in my writing group. Then we'll read one more, and then my novel, The Fake Memoir... will get its turn. I'm also reading The Almost Moon by Alice Sebold. (I wanted to see how she handled a particular issue.) LIke you, I read to my children. That really took with my daughter; she reads constantly. My son not so much; he is an IT worker and reads mostly for his job. I read them The Giant Peach, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, and others I've forgotten. Oh, my daughter and I laughed over Amelia Bedelia. My son and I loved Frog and Toad. In fact, in my old age I had a buddy like Toad (I was Frog). He has dementia now and is slowly fading away.
Well, the only person I know who loves books more than myself is you. Keep these posts coming. You should have thousands of subscribers for your thoughtful posts.
Best!
Read aloud......absolutely! I taught preschool for a number of years and would have people standing outside my door to listen as I read to the kids. Now I have a going into third grade neighbor girl who I take to the library every other week. On the weeks we don't go to the library she comes over and we take turns reading aloud---and her reading is improving greatly!
My friends are always asking me for book recommendations because they know how much I read and they trust my observations. Not every book is great or classic and non-fiction is more of a slog the older I get, but the things you can learn and the places you can go just sitting in your favorite reading chair----what joy!
I'm trying to come up with a summer reading program for my neighbor. The library has one, but they rely on movies and videos as well instead of letting the kids have real book journeys. And to me that just says the book isn't that important when we can entertain you these other ways.
I love hearing these stories. Thanks for sharing!
I find that audiobooks in particular help enliven classics for me, even ones I have read before. Nothing beats Emma Thompson reading Emma.
Same for me!
My mom has been bed bound for most of the last year, and she was too exhausted for reading (this is a woman who probably read 100 books a year her whole life). We have pretty similar tastes, so I started reading to her over the phone every night, and it was been such a joy for us both. It’s made me enjoy the books more (because I get to talk about them with someone; because I don’t binge read them; because it’s my mom!) Anyway, highly recommended reading around even to other adults. It’s just the best!
Yes to reading Shakespeare aloud! That's the only way I can get through his plays.
Some wonderful lines here, this was definitely one of my favorites:
"There is no law in any state saying a book only counts if it’s difficult, you dislike it, or you dread picking it up. Just go ahead and punch yourself in the face instead. Or find something fun." 😅
I grew up in Cooperstown, NY, and our 9th grade English teacher made everyone read James Fenimore Cooper's The Deerslayer. It was my first experience with a killer classic. I survived, but it was a near thing... 😬💦😅