I remember my first real encounter with classic literature. I was in 8th grade, and we had a reading list to make it through. I picked up a copy of Wuthering Heights and attempted to wade through the thick prose, and confusing plot-line. As an 8th grader, I struggled. I gave up and have yet to really get through that book.
Since, literature has always seemed like some lofty goal. The gold level for readers. In school I read a LOT of literature (being an English major does that to you.) Some I enjoyed and others, not so much. Here I've compiled a list of 5 classic authors everyone should read at least once.
1. Jane Austen.
I get it. She's popular for chick-lit. Some people detest her writing, and have plenty of ground to state their claim there. She's (unfairly) cast as the icon for Victorian lit. In terms of her contemporaries, she's a small window into that time period. She is however, classic and I boldly claim: No one should disregard her without making it through at least one of her books. (In all reality I made it all the way through college without reading an entire book by her.) Since then, I have read three of her novels, and while they are all strikingly similar, they make for good reads.
2. Roald Dahl
As a book lover, Matilda speaks to my soul. I remember my dad reading this book to me when I went to visit him in the summer. There is something wonderful about a little girl getting power from books. It's a classic piece of children's lit. I also love The BFG, Danny the Champion of the World, and of course, Charlie and The Chocolate Factory.
3. Shakespeare, all the Shakespeare
I took as many Shakespeare classes as I possibly could while at BYU. He is one of the biggest contributing authors in English Lit and his work is as diverse as his readers. To be honest, I hated Shakespeare in High School, mostly because all we read was Romeo and Juliet. That is probably one of his worst pieces. I personally love Taming of the Shrew, and The Tempest. I like his sonnets too. He's a literary foundation and an important contributor to the English language.
4. Leo Tolstoy
Anna Karenina is my choice from him, though I get that it might not be for everyone. I read it for the first time in my senior year, and it changed the way I look at world lit. War and Peace is also another great choice. Tolstoy is one of my favorite international authors, though I'm sure my old roommate Julie could find others to whet your appetite more. Really anything by an author who was neither American nor English would suffice. Opening up a piece of literature from another cultures changes you. It helps you learn and grow in ways you can't with literature from your own ancestors.
5. John Steinbeck
I read my first book by him (Of Mice and Men) in high school, freshman year I think. I remember the book being sad, and heartwarming. I remember not being able to put it down. This book helped open me up to American Literature (I prefer English lit.) Since that book, I've read both East of Eden and Grapes of Wrath. All of these books are great, and considered classics for a reason.
Of course there will always be more authors to add to this list, but this should be enough to get you started.
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