Which Classical book (Austen,Bronte,Fielding..and the likes) would you recommend for a first-time reader?

Question

Which book of the Classics would you reccommend as a "must"? The most enjoyable,readable and of course culturating book of your choice.

Answer 1

Austen is delightful, especially if you are a girl. Who doesn't like Pride and Prejudice? Till the canons are drastically changed, it will remain an all time favorite. Remember not to expect too much from her other books though. Similar plots and characters, but with the signature irony. 'Wuthering Heights' is good as far as the technicalities are concerned, you know, like, great narrative style and all that but can be frustrating. And if you don't like a circumlocuting, rambling style, skip Fielding altogether!

Answer 2

You seem to be leaning British. The Bronte reads are sometimes rather hard to get through and don't usually have the happiest storylines. I'm an Austen nut, & I'm probably biased, but I always recommend Pride and Prejudice. It's easy to follow and doesn't have that "written in the 19th century" feel to it. The vocabulary is uncomplicated & doesn't require a dictionary for 21st century translations.

Answer 3

If you like romance, Pride and Prejudice or Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen. Or, if you like your romance with some tragedy, Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte is a great book. I also recommend East of Eden by John Steinbeck for a tale of treachery and jealousy. Finally, although I don't know if it's considered a "classic" (although it should be), I can't recommend Patrick O'Brian's Master and Commander and the subsequent sequels highly enough. O'Brian's writing style is like reading the male equivalent of Jane Austen, but with naval battles.

Answer 4

To give you a helpful answer, I would have to know your age! Anyway, here's a list of classic literature masterpieces that I think people of all ages would enjoy:

Fyondor Dostoyevsky - A fool's dream
Victor Hugo - The man who smiles
John Steinbeck - East of Eden
Ernest Hemingway - For whom the bell tolls
Herman Hesse - Steppenwolf
Albert Camus - The Stranger
Franz Kafka - The Tower

I'm not quite sure that the titles are correst, since I'm Greek and I've translated the titles from greek to english myself! :))

Answer 5

Well, there are many classics out there, but I particularly like Jane Austen's books. Pride and Prejudice is my fav. But Emma might be a good first book.

Answer 6

Definitly Jane Austen, either Pride and Predjudice, Sense and Sensiblity or Emma

Answer 7

I love 19th century literature, but a first-time reader, I recommend The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck. I just read it a few years ago and was sorry I didn't read it before. My 20 something son read it and thought it was very good and interesting. It is a wonderful account of cycles and rebirth to me.

Answer 8

I would, without a doubt, recommend Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. Complex yet simple, deep yet humorous, and who doesn't like a little bit of old-fashioned, decent romance? But it also teaches a lesson about judgment, forgiveness, and discovering who you are and what your priorities are. Read it and enjoy!

Answer 9

John Steinbeck's "Of Mice and Men" because it's a nice short read yet as full and bold as Victor Hugo's Les Miserable which is 10 times longer. It's a GREAT book as well. Of Mice and Men is one of best literary portrayals of the human experiece I have read.

Answer 10

I just finished Jane Eyre myself (can you tell by my name?) and really fell in love with it. It was the first of those Victorian, classical type books I have ever read, and it has truly introduced me to a genre that I normally would have ignored. Jane and Rochester have a great chemistry. Happy reading!