Why don’t we read more classics? Do we consider them boring? Do they remind us of the novels that we were forced to read in high school? Why do most of us dread the idea of reading a classic novel?
I must admit that I am guilty of irrationally dreading the thought of reading a classic novel. I have no idea why, especially considering I I have read a few in the past, and for the most part, I enjoyed reading them all. I think the problem is that we automatically associate them with being boring and bland.
Well guess what?! There are so many wonderful classics out there and it’s about time we start reading them more often! I have found that I enjoy reading classics a lot more when they aren’t shoved down my throat. Once I finished school and I had the opportunity to pick and choose the classics I wanted to read based off of my own preferences, I started to enjoy reading them a lot more.
As I have grown older, a lot of my favourite novels have become classics, including: A Clockwork Orange, The Rules of Attraction and On The Road.
Although I have read a few classics, there are so many more that I would love to read as soon as possible, such as: The Picture of Dorian Grey, Fahrenheit 451 and Catch 22.
iClassics is a Kickstarter hoping to fund the creation of interactive apps to promote the reading of literary classics for all ages. In order to help promote this wonderful initiative, iClassics has started a #SaveTheClassics themed tag that I will be taking part in and you should too!
Tag Rules:
- Answer a few of the questions below.
- Link to the iClassics project
- Tag three bloggers/friends that might like this challenge and continue it.
- Use the hashtag #SaveTheClassics
Questions + my answers:
What is your favorite classic book?
A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess
If your life was a classic what would it be?
Dr. Jeckyll & Mr. Hyde? I haven’t read it yet, although I really want to, but I definitely get some pretty good mood swings once in a while!
With which writer from the past would you like to have dinner?
Probably Jack Kerouac or William S. Burroughs…although, it may not end well.
Which classic literary character best describes you?
That’s a tough one. I’d like to be able to compare myself to someone like Jack Kerouac who travelled across America and wrote about his adventures, but alas, I am not yet well travelled. My goal is to be able to compare myself to Jack Kerouac in the near future!
What’s the first classic that you read?
I read a bit of Shakespear for school and I’m sure I read other classics throughout high school as well, but I think the first memorable classic that I ever read was A Clockwork Orange. It really set me up to read many more classics in the future.
Which classic book could be the best gift?
Oh man, there are so many correct answers to this question. I think I might have to say On The Road or, you guessed it, A Clockwork Orange, because they are both at the top of my list of favourite classics.
I would like to tag:
Alicia @ HashtagLoveBooks
Jorelene @ Page Chronicles
Michelle @ Book Adventures
I hope you enjoyed this tag + this wonderful initiative! Here’s to reading more classics!!
Big City Bookworm 
I love classic literature, especially English Lit. I think a lot of people don’t because they have trouble connecting with it due to the differences in modern times. But that’s why I love it. It’s like going back in time to read about how people were 100 or 200 or 300 years ago.
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Exactly! I think many struggle with it, but I also think not enough of us give it a chance! I agree with you! It’s definitely like going back in time to read about how people were in the past!
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I always fear Classics mainly because I normally really struggle to get into them, I study English Literature so I do read them for University but like you mentioned its sort of forced. Personally I never used to pick one up to read for fun but I am trying to experiment and try new things so I have been beginning to pick up new classic texts and plays to try for fun such as A Streetcar called Desire by Tennessee Williams which I was pleasantly surprised by.
My personal favourite classic so far though has to be The Great Gatsby 🙂
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It’s always great to experiment and try new things! I haven’t read A Streetcar Called Desire yet, but I have heard of it! I also loved The Great Gatsby! 😀
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This is such a good idea!! I absolutely love classics but it encompasses such a wide range of books that it can be quite intimidating! One of my reading resolutions this year is a read 12 classics – so one each month. So far I am on track and really enjoying reading more classics! 🙂
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That app sounds SO COOL! I may just have to back them. Do you know if they already have an app out? I couldn’t quite figure that out from the kickstarter video.
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it’s pretty awesome right?! They have a few out already (for example, here’s iWilde: http://iclassicscollection.com/en/iwilde/) and they are working on releasing more as we speak! 🙂
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I think I’d like to do a blog post about this as well- would you mind? I would credit you for the idea of course! I just want to spread the word about this awesome Kickstarter campaign.
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Of course! You should totally go for it!!
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Awesome, I wrote about this today also. 💖
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I am starting to get back into classics. It wasn’t really something I had an appreciation for until college. Mostly because I think high school likes to dumb the books down. Although they are enjoyable if you start thinking about dissenting opinions you get set to the guidance office. I do remember writing a paper once comparing Medea to Andrea Yates in 10th Grade.
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Right? I feel like high school ruined classics for the most of us haha!
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I know! High school is so much about mainstreaming standardized tests that original thought seems to take a backseat.
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I read The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde last year and it’s now on of my favourites! I’m currently reading Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte. :]
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I really really want to read The Picture of Dorian Gray! It’s been sitting on my shelf for so long!
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