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Books / Writing > Do you read more classics, or contemporary? (Sally wore pants in 1992, Cheri was in heels, Laurin was in Huggies)

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message 1: by Lobstergirl, el principe (new)

Lobstergirl | 24779 comments Mod
Classic fiction, or contemporary fiction? We'll say a classic has to be at least 45-50 years old. Why do you read that one, and not the other?


message 2: by Sally, la reina (new)

Sally (mrsnolte) | 17373 comments Mod
I try to strike a nice balance. I can't stomach too much of one or the other in excess.


message 3: by Lobstergirl, el principe (new)

Lobstergirl | 24779 comments Mod
You know that you don't have to eat the books, right?


message 4: by Sally, la reina (new)

Sally (mrsnolte) | 17373 comments Mod
Oh shit. I've been doing this "reading" thing all wrong.


message 5: by Riona (new)

Riona (rionafaith) | 488 comments Definitely more contemporary, but I want to start reading more classics.


message 6: by Jim (new)

Jim | 6484 comments I read a lot more contemporary a the moment, but that could change with the wind.


message 7: by Félix (new)

Félix (habitseven) The wind is called Mariah.


message 8: by Suefly (new)

Suefly | 620 comments Riona wrote: "Definitely more contemporary, but I want to start reading more classics."


Same here.


message 9: by Jennifer (new)

Jennifer | 67 comments I tend to read more contemporary but I enjoy a classic every now and then. I definitely have quite the stack of classics to catch up on - maybe that should be my next read.


message 10: by Sarah (last edited Aug 14, 2012 07:02AM) (new)

Sarah | 13814 comments This year it's been mostly contemporary reads, with a total of seven books older than 50. Around the same last year, I think. If you included books older than 25 instead of fifty, I'd have a more even ratio. As for why, I guess since I'm trying to write more I'm trying to read what my contemporaries are writing.


message 11: by Alias Reader (new)

Alias Reader (aliasreader) I read more contemporary. However, now that I have a Kindle I'll probably read more classics. That's because the old classic books are free on the Kindle.


message 12: by Carol (new)

Carol | 1678 comments I wish the dots for publication year would show the title of the book when you moused over them. I definitely read more contemporary and should branch out. I certainly thought I'd read more classics when I got my Kindle three years ago....


message 13: by Jammies (new)

Jammies More contemporary, because when I got my degrees in English Lit, I read many of the classics then. If re-reading counts, then it gets a bit more balanced.


message 14: by Laurin (new)

Laurin (llooloo) | 1867 comments I would say that my tastes are fairly balanced. I am reading all of the Sherlock Holmes, Poirot and Marple books in order. I also read a lot of contemporary books.


message 15: by Jim (new)

Jim | 6484 comments I may have to try that Laurin. Thw all in order thing I mean.


message 16: by Laurin (new)

Laurin (llooloo) | 1867 comments I'm to The Valley of Fear for sherlock, Murder on the Links for poirot, and 4:50 to.Paddington for marple.


message 17: by Sarah (new)

Sarah | 13814 comments It's funny. I would have said that I've been reading a lot of classics lately, but then I realized most of that has been my classic SF project, which skews a lot newer than traditional classic novels.


message 18: by Jim (new)

Jim | 6484 comments Keep up the good work Laurin.


message 19: by Laurin (new)

Laurin (llooloo) | 1867 comments Jim wrote: "Keep up the good work Laurin."

I haven't touched the Marple book in a while, I should pick it back up again. The copy I have is difficult to read. It is quite old and has small print. My copy of Murder on the Links is old too, and a small chunk of pages fell out, which makes reading that one difficult. I'm reading e-copies of Sherlock, so I tend to read more of that.


message 20: by ~Geektastic~ (new)

 ~Geektastic~ (atroskity) | 3205 comments I tend to prefer classics to contemporary, especially Victorian novels.


message 21: by Jane (new)

Jane (shoxford) | 39 comments Pretty much all contemporary although my boyfriend keeps trying to get me into obscure russian literature...


message 22: by Cheri (last edited Aug 17, 2012 11:46PM) (new)

Cheri | 795 comments If I start on a classic author, I'll read everything in the order it was published. For example, I'll read everything that Lawrence Durrell wrote. Then I'll read his brother, Gerald. Then I'll be done with them. If I start Tolstoy, I'd read all of them, even the early crappy stuff. Then his biography.

I got this habit (compulsion) when I started on Marguerite Henry books when I was 8 years old. I had to read them all.

This works best for the classics because when I'm finished with an author, I don't have to be concerned about a new book coming out. There some contemporary authors that I'll never read another. But usually, if I like an author, I'll read whatever get published.


message 23: by Amy (new)

Amy Neftzger (neftzger) | 304 comments Jane wrote: "Pretty much all contemporary although my boyfriend keeps trying to get me into obscure russian literature..."

Jane - Id be interested to know what he's recommending. I may want to look into reading some of these obscure books.

On the whole, I have read far more classics. However, recently I've been reading more contemporary authors.


message 24: by Laurin (new)

Laurin (llooloo) | 1867 comments Two of my favorite books are the Diary of Anne Frank and 1984. Both I would consider classics.


message 25: by Lobstergirl, el principe (new)

Lobstergirl | 24779 comments Mod
I would consider those classics as well.


message 26: by Laurin (new)

Laurin (llooloo) | 1867 comments I was a bit hesitant about 1984 at first, since it was required school reading, but I ended up really enjoying it.


message 27: by Sally, la reina (new)

Sally (mrsnolte) | 17373 comments Mod
I just read Crime and Punishment. Now I'm reading Great Expectations.


message 28: by Lobstergirl, el principe (new)

Lobstergirl | 24779 comments Mod
I need to reread 1984. I really enjoyed it in high school. I liked Crime and Punishment too.


message 29: by Sally, la reina (new)

Sally (mrsnolte) | 17373 comments Mod
How do you feel about Brave New World or Faherenheit 451? Animal Farm? Lord of the Flies?


message 30: by Lobstergirl, el principe (new)

Lobstergirl | 24779 comments Mod
1. I don't remember much of it.
2. It was okay.
3. It was okay, don't remember a lot of it.
4. Meh.


message 31: by Laurin (new)

Laurin (llooloo) | 1867 comments I've only read animal farm. I didn't care for it as much as 1984.


message 32: by Félix (new)

Félix (habitseven) I was disappointed when 1984 (the year) actually came around.


message 33: by Lobstergirl, el principe (new)

Lobstergirl | 24779 comments Mod
As was I, but it had nothing to do with the book.


message 34: by Félix (new)

Félix (habitseven) Same here.


message 35: by Lobstergirl, el principe (new)

Lobstergirl | 24779 comments Mod
Where?


message 36: by Félix (new)

Félix (habitseven) Right here. Or there. Can't you see where I'm pointing?


message 37: by Lobstergirl, el principe (new)

Lobstergirl | 24779 comments Mod
No, I have my eyes closed.


message 38: by [deleted user] (new)

I'm really a reader that will pick up anything ans read it, I prefer historical fiction, but I read as much as possible.


message 39: by Félix (new)

Félix (habitseven) Well . . . duh. No wonder.


message 40: by Sally, la reina (new)

Sally (mrsnolte) | 17373 comments Mod
I didn't know about the book 1984 when the year came around.


message 41: by Félix (new)

Félix (habitseven) We waited with great anticipation. My reader friends and I did. But not really.


message 42: by Lobstergirl, el principe (new)

Lobstergirl | 24779 comments Mod
As we all wait in great anticipation now for the next arrival of Halley's Comet.


message 43: by Félix (new)

Félix (habitseven) Can't wait.


message 44: by Sally, la reina (new)

Sally (mrsnolte) | 17373 comments Mod
OH, IN 1984 MY WORLD WAS ABUZZ WITH THE COMET. aND AGAIN IN 1992 WHEN ALL THOSE PEOPLE IN L.A. COMMITTED SUICIDE BECAUSE OF IT.


message 45: by Félix (last edited Aug 25, 2012 06:20PM) (new)

Félix (habitseven) Abuzz. Did that happen in '92? I was working in Philadelphia in '92. Hale-Bopp was that comet, right?


message 46: by Sally, la reina (new)

Sally (mrsnolte) | 17373 comments Mod
i was in 8th grade in 1992.


message 47: by Félix (last edited Aug 25, 2012 06:24PM) (new)

Félix (habitseven)

Hale-Bopp


message 48: by Félix (new)

Félix (habitseven) I had to wear a suit to work every day in 1992.


message 49: by Sally, la reina (new)

Sally (mrsnolte) | 17373 comments Mod
I had to wear pants everyday to school.


message 50: by Félix (new)

Félix (habitseven) Really? No dresses or skirts?


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