Ask for Recommendations!

[Rosa]

R.C wrote: "Hello,
I have recently found an interest in reading mature classics. I am looking forward to reading calssics which are targeted at an audience of around 21+ ages and deal with themes of independen..."
Victor Hugo: Les misérables (1862)
Henrik Ibsen: A Doll's House (1879)
Mary Wollstonecraft, the Brontës, George Eliot, Elizabeth Gaskell, Jane Austen

[Una]

I recently read the age of innocence by Edith Wharton and found it fantastic. It’s not so much about revolution politically but very much a sexual revolution in the 1890s and empowerment of women. Madame Bovary is very good too and as previous poster mentioned - Middlemarch by George Eliot. That one is super long though so may impact your reading goal of 15 classics for the remainder of the year!!

[Noelia]

Hello, I am currently preparing for #victober2020 and I almost have a book chosen for each category, the only challenge I still can't decide upon is the one about reading a journal, diary or collection of letters. I would appreciate it if I could get some recommendations. Thank you in advance!

[Zinkdrinker]

hello can you guys please tell me what's victober2020

[Gillian]

Dibibliophile wrote: "hello can you guys please tell me what's victober2020"

Victober 2020 is a read-a-thon hosted by Lucy and two others with the aim of reading Victorian classics during the month of October

You can find the group here: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...

[Zinkdrinker]

thank you so much Gillian

[Timár_Krisztina]

Tiffany wrote: "I am looking for a classic that is largely character driven or a character study. I am not picky on the genre of the classic, but for some reason, I have been longing for a book that focuses more on the character than the plot."

Do you still need recommendations? I realise that your question is several months old, so you may have found something in the meantime...

[Berry]

Hello everyone! I love books that are about slice of life, growing up, stories that gives warm feelings. Some of my favourite books include Secret Garden, A Little Princess, Anne of Green Gables, Little Women, Heidi, Little House on the Prairie! I also love books in journal or letter format. If I could get some recommendations based on my favourites that would be wonderful! Thank you so much!

[Rosa]

Berry wrote: "Hello everyone! I love books that are about slice of life, growing up, stories that gives warm feelings. Some of my favourite books include Secret Garden, A Little Princess, Anne of Green Gables, L..."
You might enjoy Lucy Montgomery's other books. I especially love her Emily trilogy.

[Berry]

Rosa wrote: "Berry wrote: "Hello everyone! I love books that are about slice of life, growing up, stories that gives warm feelings. Some of my favourite books include Secret Garden, A Little Princess, Anne of G..."

Thank you so much for the recommendation! I'll definitely check out the Emily trilogy! :D

[Zoë]

I am a young teenager and starting to read classics. I recently enjoyed North And South by Elizabeth Gaskell but I am not sure where to go next, nothing to challenging! Does anyone have any recommendations for me? Thanks

[Ruth]

Zoë wrote: "I am a young teenager and starting to read classics. I recently enjoyed North And South by Elizabeth Gaskell but I am not sure where to go next, nothing to challenging! Does anyone have any recomme..."

Hi Zoë!
I would recommend any book by Daphne du Maurier. Her writing is a bit more "up-to-date" and so quite easy to read. Rebecca is a good place to start, and I personally also love her family sagas (The Loving Spirit and Hungry Hill for example). There's also Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë. I read this when I was about 16. English is a foreign language for me, and it was perfectly readable for me at the time, so I think that would be a good choice as well. Also, The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath is quite short and not too difficult.
Hope this helps!
Enjoy your reading,
Ruth

[Zoë]

Thanks, I will definately check them out! Thanks again

[Lizzy]

Rosario wrote: "Hi! I want to read a classic in english but it isn't my first language, would you recommend some classics with simple/common language? like in opposition to sheaksperean english."

I'm not too sure if Tuck everlasting by Natalie Babbitt is a classic, it was written in 1975. I could Also recommend The Outsiders By S.E. Hinton it was written in 1967, the language in both of those books is a lot simpler than Shakespear's but also a little different compared to today's writing from being written over a long time ago.

[A.]

Excerpts from classic short story titled, Finally, translated from Bengali to English, written by Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore listed below, inter alia:
"A romping non-conforming feminine nature bespeaks itself and pulsates unceasingly in the eyes and aspect of this girl like a swift free-roaming wild antelope and makes her vibrant face unforgettable."
"Her name had been associated with an amount of infamy. The menfolk called her moonstruck, but the wives of the village were worried sick by her feral disposition. She always played with the boys and looked down upon the lasses no end and she came across like a free-booting Maratha cavalry upon the village kids."

Kindle:
Haimanti: Of Autumn by Rabindranath Tagore
Clouds and Sunshine by Rabindranath Tagore
Finally by Rabindranath Tagore
Missing My Bejeweled by Rabindranath Tagore
One Night by Rabindranath Tagore
The Crown by Rabindranath Tagore
Letters from an Expatriate in Europe by Rabindranath Tagore

Kindle:
Handcuff Secrets by Harry Houdini

Kindle:
Revelations of a Spirit Medium: Spiritualistic Mysteries Exposed by Anonymous

Smashwords:
Revelations of a Spirit Medium: Spiritualistic Mysteries Exposed by Anonymous

[Ellan]

can you recommend a book with a similar world build as The Name Of the Wind ?

[mariam]

Rosario wrote: "Hi! I want to read a classic in english but it isn't my first language, would you recommend some classics with simple/common language? like in opposition to sheaksperean english."

I would reccomend Ernest Hemmingway's works such as "The Old Man and The Sea", his prose is rather simple. Or one good way is to read some short stories or novellas they are usually easier to read and get through. Oh! And Mark Twain's works are good to start with though reading the accents was exhausting for me at the beginning and if you are going to read his works then go for "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn." I hope I helped <3

[mariam]

slowssonne wrote: "Mary wrote: "slowssonne wrote: "What classics would you recommend from any country but Russia, the UK, US, France and Germany? Like maybe Spanish, Italian, Japanese, African, whatever you know!

In..." If you want to read Japanese-Lit then go for "No Longer Human" by Dazai Osamu or maybe "Rashomoun" by Akutagawa Ryuunoske

[mariam]

What are some good Urdu Classics to start with? I want to read more Urdu literature but I don't know where to start with.

[Lorri]

mariam wrote: "What are some good Urdu Classics to start with? I want to read more Urdu literature but I don't know where to start with."

Here's the link to Goodreads 50 Best Urdu Novels to Read Before you Die List: https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...

[mariam]

Lorri wrote: "mariam wrote: "What are some good Urdu Classics to start with? I want to read more Urdu literature but I don't know where to start with."

Here's the link to Goodreads 50 Best Urdu Novels to Read B..."

thank you!

[mariam]

Is the Symposium okay to start philosophy with. I read philosophical-fiction but I've never read a book solely for philosophy?

[claire]

Hello! I know where to start when it comes to reading English, and French classics, but I've come to realise I only know very very few classics in other languages. Does anyone have favourite classics that are either non-European or at the very least not english/french? Thank you :)

[Ruth]

c l a i r e wrote: "Hello! I know where to start when it comes to reading English, and French classics, but I've come to realise I only know very very few classics in other languages. Does anyone have favourite classi..."

Hi Claire,
I have really enjoyed reading Anna Karenina by Tolstoi (although the translation I have is not very good, but the novel itself is wonderful), and another Russian classic my dad tells me I should read because it is one of his favourites is Doctor Zjivago by Boris Pasternak.
Maybe these might be of interest to you?
Good luck! :)

[A.]

Hi Claire! Try Clouds and Sunshine above, translated by me. It was meant to be the best translated short story in the world. I hope you don't mind.

Ruthreadsabook wrote: "c l a i r e wrote: "Hello! I know where to start when it comes to reading English, and French classics, but I've come to realise I only know very very few classics in other languages. Does anyone h..."

[Timár_Krisztina]

mariam wrote: "Is the Symposium okay to start philosophy with. I read philosophical-fiction but I've never read a book solely for philosophy?"

I think so. I think it was the first piece of philosophy I'd ever read, and I liked it.

[Timár_Krisztina]

claire ♡ wrote: "Hello! I know where to start when it comes to reading English, and French classics, but I've come to realise I only know very very few classics in other languages. Does anyone have favourite classi..."

I do have a lot, but I'll only start recommending them to you if you're also interested in the literatures of Eastern Europe. :)
If not, I recommend German classics, starting with The Sandman by E. T. A. Hoffmann if you like classical horror stories. Or Don Quixote by Cervantes if you can cope with its length (and lengthiness).

[Amanda]

Can anyone recommend a classic in which the female characters actually think for themselves and aren't just perfect little angels?

I recently read Agnes Grey, and while I liked other parts of the book, Agnes herself was insufferably dull. And, as much as I love Charles Dickens, sometimes it feels like you could exchange the female heroines in any of his novels and never notice the difference.

I want something more like Vanity Fair or Emma, where the main characters actually have distinctive personalities and sometimes (or a lot of the time) make mistakes.

[Lorri]

Amanda wrote: "Can anyone recommend a classic in which the female characters actually think for themselves and aren't just perfect little angels?

I recently read Agnes Grey, and while I liked other parts of the ..."

Try Elizabeth Gaskell. I highly recommend North and South and Wives and Daughters. Wives and Daughters is unfinished but only missing the final wrap-up chapter and is most like Vanity Fair and Emma.

[Ashley]

Tolstoy really understands human nature and writes as if he is in the mind if his characters, even when those characters are nothing like him. Anna Karenina is a great start.

[Judith]

I really want to read a book by Edith Wharton this year but I don´t know where to start. Can anyone recommend a book to start with?

[millie]

@judith .... i read the age of innocence at the end of 2020 and i am now simply obsessed with edith wharton !!!! so wonderfully written!!! the characters r really something else. i was hollering throughout and arguing w them in my head lol !! nothing like late 19th century new york rich ppl drama to get you pumped to read, in my opinion

[Taya]

Does anyone have any Russian-lit recommendations before I read Anna Karenina and Brothers Karamazov? Like a stepping-stone book to prepare myself? I’ve never read any Russian-lit before.

[Rosa]

Taya wrote: "Does anyone have any Russian-lit recommendations before I read Anna Karenina and Brothers Karamazov? Like a stepping-stone book to prepare myself? I’ve never read any Russian-lit before."
Maybe you could try out some shorter novels or short stories? Or even plays? Some recs:

A Hero of Our Time
The Collected Stories
Plays: The Seagull/Uncle Vanya/Three Sisters/The Cherry Orchard

[Karen]

Taya wrote: "Does anyone have any Russian-lit recommendations before I read Anna Karenina and Brothers Karamazov? Like a stepping-stone book to prepare myself? I’ve never read any Russian-lit before."

I agree with Rosa, Pushkin's stories are a great place to start with Russian Literature. White Nights by Fyodor Dostoyevsky is a short story that I loved. The Death of Ivan Ilyich and Other Stories, is a story collection by Tolstoy, is a great place to start with him.

My advice, read Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoyevsky before The Brothers Karamazov. personally I think Crime is the easier read.

[Mona]

Does anybody know of any 19th or 20th century classic with Muslims characters?

[Tiffany]

Hello all!

I am currently reading War and Peace by Tolstoy. He's been a bit of difficulty as his story arc is very dense and there's a lot to keep track of. I am wondering if anybody has any recommendations of Russian classics which are lighter to read and doesn't have the complexity of War and Peace?

I need a break from Tolstoy for a bit so anything light will be great, even if it isn't a Russian work.

[Cedricsmom]

I enjoyed the Master and Margarita a lot. I read it on a surface level. There’s a giant black cat that walks upright and talks, a flying witch, some beautiful writing, and all kinds of hi jinx. It’s a modern Russian classic.

[Tiffany]

Mona wrote: "Does anybody know of any 19th or 20th century classic with Muslims characters?"

Are you looking for European authors or authors from the Muslim world? I'll have a look around and see if I can find anything. Have you looked into Russian authors from Dagestan or or Chechnya, these are just two of many areas in Russia that have a Muslim majority population, but I am fairly new to Russian classic literature (my only exposure is to Dostoevsky and Tolstoy), none of which to my recollection are part of those ethnic/religious groups.

I'll see what I can find with European writers, but it depends on what you're looking for as well. Are you looking for books written from the Muslim perspective or are you looking for books that has Muslims in minor roles?

[Tiffany]

Cedricsmom wrote: "I enjoyed the Master and Margarita a lot. I read it on a surface level. There’s a giant black cat that walks upright and talks, a flying witch, some beautiful writing, and all kinds of hi jinx. It’..."

I will look into that book. It sounds like a fun and beautiful book!

[Cedricsmom]

Getting through the first 2-3 chapters is a chore but it’s better after that.

[Tiffany]

Cedricsmom wrote: "Getting through the first 2-3 chapters is a chore but it’s better after that."

I'm up for the challenge if it means that there's going to be a fun book ahead. As much as I love Tolstoy and his writing, I feel that I need a break from War and Peace before my brain breaks. :)

I just looked up The Master and Margarita, and I think it will be great fun to read. Thank you for the recommendation!

[Mona]

@tiffany

Any will do, honestly - regardless of who’s written it and what role the Muslim character is playing. Because I’m looking for any sort of Muslim representation during that time :)

[Judith]

Tiffany wrote: "Cedricsmom wrote: "Getting through the first 2-3 chapters is a chore but it’s better after that."

I'm up for the challenge if it means that there's going to be a fun book ahead. As much as I love ..."

I´m currently reading The Master and Margarita as part of a readalong by a Discord group called "The Reader Ship". I love the book so far. Very strange and a lot of fun.

[Rosa]

Mona wrote: "@tiffany

Any will do, honestly - regardless of who’s written it and what role the Muslim character is playing. Because I’m looking for any sort of Muslim representation during that time :)"

Western lit of this time might not offer the best Muslim rep, because the 1800s and 1900s were a time of imperialism and orientalism in Europe. The Greek War of Independence (from the Ottoman Empire) also happened during the 1800s. However, here are some books that might contain Muslim characters/topics (usually of a very handwave-y, orientalist variety):

19th cent: The Giaour by Lord Byron, Al Aaraaf by Edgar Allan Poe, Les Orientales by Victor Hugo, The Shaving of Shagpat by George Meredith, Aziyadé and Au Maroc by Pierre Loti, Salomé by Oscar Wilde

20th cent: Naguib Mahfouz, The Sheik by E.M. Hull, Hadji Murat by Leo Tolstoy, The Stranger by Albert Camus

More recent 20th century lit: The Buddha of Suburbia by Hanif Kureishi, Salman Rushdie, Orhan Pamuk

[Mona]

Rosa wrote: "Mona wrote: "@tiffany

Any will do, honestly - regardless of who’s written it and what role the Muslim character is playing. Because I’m looking for any sort of Muslim representation during that ti..."

Thank you so much, I'll look into these!

[Catelynne]

Hi, does anyone know any classics that are wholesome or heartwarming reads? I don't particularly mind the genre. Thanks!

[Ashley]

Tons of classics are heartwarming. What hav should read that doesn’t fit? Or is there something more specific you want? Little Women and the others are great. Also children’s classics- Heidi, Pollyanna, Little Princess, Secret Garden….

[Catelynne]

Ashley wrote: "Tons of classics are heartwarming. What hav should read that doesn’t fit? Or is there something more specific you want? Little Women and the others are great. Also children’s classics- Heidi, Polly..."

I mean I'd prefer they not be children's classics, just because I've already read most of them. And things like The Picture of Dorian Gray, Frankenstein, Stoner (by John Williams), even Pride and Prejudice that I've read aren't really heartwarming.

It's obvious why for most of them, but for lots of romances, the societal roles of women and men often get in the way of their scenes/interactions feeling all that wholesome. So I guess a better path of wholesome would be non-romtantic relationship? Unless there is an author who wrote a romantic relationship you especially thought was wholesome and heartwarming

[Dan]

Anne of Green Gables is the most heartwarming book I think I have ever read--but, then again, it is a "children's classic" (though I didn't read it until in my 50s).

Until your request, I never realized I just don't read heartwarming books. Damn. Learn something new every day...