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Television and computers may be America's chief source of entertainment in today's fast-paced society, but classic literature will never die. These are the works that have withstood the test of time, captivating us and giving us insight into the true nature of the human condition.
So turn off that TV, shut down that computer, and curl up with a good book. To help you, here's a list of my favorite literary masterpieces:
10. The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas
This is the quintessential adventure book, and it's got a little something for everyone: danger, sword fights, treachery, and love. Join D'Artagnon as he journeys to Paris to join the musketeers and, along the way, gets caught up in a plot of national proportions. Dumas's characters are wonderfully complex and believable and his writing style is superb. Although this book is one of the older classics, its language and humor make it an easy, can't-put-it-down read.
9. Cry, the Beloved Country by Alan Paton
This is the tale of the South African priest Stephen Kumalo and his quest to find his wayward son who has gone to the city of Johannesburg seeking to find a better life. Kumalo discovers, however, the heinous crimes his son has committed amidst the harsh reality of a changing South Africa. Moreover, this is a novel that challenges the apartheid system and shows us the uglier nature of mankind, while still offering the reader a faint dawn of hope. The plot is slow in some places and Paton uses a strange system of dashes instead of quotation marks during dialogues, but the beauty of the writing and the deep message behind the simple words will shake you to your core.
8. 1984 by George Orwell
A bleak future presents itself in this, the most famous satirical novel of its time. In this dismal future, history is being erased even as it is being made and Big Brother is watching every move you make. Orwell, famous for his satire, forcefully reminds the post-WWII world of the dangerous path it is heading down. This distopia of the future is morbidly fascinating and the last thirty pages are a nightmarish look into the torture and brainwashing that is at the heart of this new world order.
7. Lord of the Flies by William Golding
This is the story that takes a hard look at man's darker nature, disguising itself as a book merely about the survival of a group of British schoolboys on a small island. When their plane crashes, these little lads are left with the tantalizing, yet frightful prospect of a world without grown-ups. Needless to say, it does not go well. Soon factions have formed and the boys turn to savagery, warfare, and even murder. Ironically, this little island war occurs against the much larger and gruesome backdrop of WWII. Just like 1984, this novel serves as a caveat to a society so caught up in tanks and bombs that it was beginning to spin out of control.
6. Ethan Frome by Edith wharton
Never has a book been filled with such despair and tragedy. This is the story of Ethan Frome, an unhappy husband in love with his wife's cousin but unwillingly to leave his shrewish wife. When a suicide attempt does not go as planned, things take a turn for the worse as all three characters are left to pick up the pieces of their shattered lives. This book is a masterpiece of complexity and realism; its honesty is shocking. It is in no way light or happy, but its beauty lies in its inherent truth.
5. The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
The Joads are a typical Oklahoma farm family, economically destroyed by the great Dust Bowl of the 1920s. Forced to move west to California, they discover the hard way that the land of milk and honey is not all its chalked up to be. Death and desertion follow them on their trek, as they encounter both great hardship and small triumphs. As many classics seem to be, The Grapes of Wrath tells a story many readers would rather not hear, the story of human misery and cruelty. But it also tells of love and the enduring, indomitable strength of the human spirit.
4. The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams
This is a play about the differences between the life we lead and the life we create for ourselves in our minds. It is the story of a single mother and her two children, one whose dreams were cut short by responsibility and one whose slight deformity has left her nothing but her dreams. The characters and dialogue are realistic and believable and help to contribute to an excellent piece of drama.
3. The Sound and the Fury by William Faulkner
This one may take several readings to fully understand, but it's well worth it. Faulkner uses a non-chronological, stream-of-consciousness approach to his book, which details the lives of the members of the ill-fated Compson family. The greatest aspect of this novel is the impression it leaves upon the reader. Although it is relatively short (under 350 pages) it achieves its goal of conveying a lifetime of experiences. The beginning is, however, extremely hard to understand and may discourage many prospective readers. Patience does pay off and by the end of the story the true genus of the work becomes very apparent.
2. Clan of the Cave Bear by Jean Auel
While this may not be considered a classic in the strictest sense, it is a novel of great literary merit and is often assigned in college-level English courses. It is the story of the dawn of mankind, of world that truly might have been. It is also the tale of Ayla, a young Cro-Magnum orphan learning to survive with a group of Neanderthals. Auel's attention to detail and her historic accuracy are absolutely incredible. It's an unforgettable story that will stay with you long after you've finished it.
1. The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exuprey Never judge a book by its cover. This may appear like a very simple child's book, but it is, in fact, a book deep-rooted in philosophy and the truths of life. I was first introduced to the story when I was very young; they had made it into a cartoon series and I watched with fascination every morning before school. It was only much later that I realized it was a book and that it was not the simple fairy tale I first took it to be. While you can read this novel for the first time on an adult level, nothing compares with rereading it for the first time (if that makes sense). Whatever your age, this is a book I'm sure you will enjoy.
And, remember, if none of these books spark your interest, there are hundreds of thousands of others waiting for you to pick them up and give them a try.
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