Classic books: An introduction to popular novels and my opinions

  

            Do you ever get tired of the books you read? Maybe you’ve been stuck in the same genre for a while or are looking for something different to try. Whether your go-to genres are sci-fi, fantasy, mystery, or anything else, I think everyone should try classic books! Classic books offer insight into the culture of the time they were written and can provide valuable lessons for people of any age or background. In this post, I’ll share a list of popular books for you to try out and what I think about them.

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury dives into the dangers of censorship through the eyes of a fireman whose job is to burn books. This book is thought-provoking and will show you the value of free speech. It’s especially fun for Dystopian readers because it’s interesting to see the connections between older Dystopian books and more modern ones, as this was written in 1953. My only criticisms of the book are how the ominous predictions for technology feel outdated and also how some characters are a bit underdeveloped.

Fahrenheit 451 Quick summary: Good readability, okay emotional impact, good historical insight, good pacing, and overall, thought-provoking.

Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck is about the struggles in a world of isolation and hardship. The plot follows two best friends and ranch workers in post-Depression California as they try to live out their dreams. This book may be a bit boring for people who like fast-paced, action-filled plots, as it’s fairly slow and reflective, but the emotional depth makes up for it. This was honestly very depressing, so keep that in mind if you read it. The character development was excellent, as well as Steinbeck’s style of writing and storytelling.

Of Mice and Men Quick summary: Good readability, excellent emotional impact, good historical insight, pretty bad pacing, and overall, beautifully written and devastating.

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott questions the validity of gender stereotypes as well as the balance of family duties and personal growth. The book follows four sisters as they grow up, learn lessons, and pursue their dreams and identities in their family, individuality, and growth. This book was fun to read while still providing lots of insights and lessons, as well as history on the Civil War. However, there were a lot of details, and the book was rather lengthy.

Little Women Quick summary: Okay readability, good emotional impact, good historical insight, bad pacing, and overall, the kind of book that feels comforting and familiar as it’s relatable.

The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne criticizes 17^th-century Puritan society. The story is about a woman who is shamed for adultery and focuses a lot on sin, guilt, and the mixing of religion and law. This book wasn’t my favorite because it’s rather hard to understand and you really have to focus to read it, but I did learn a lot about the culture and history of 17th-century Massachusetts and the impacts of Puritan beliefs. If you’re looking for a more difficult but rewarding book, you should check it out.

The Scarlet Letter Quick summary: Bad readability, okay emotional impact, excellent historical insight, bad pacing, and overall, pretty dense, morally complex, and symbolic.

Les Misérables by Victor Hugo is a long and winding novel on social injustices in 19th-century France and the importance of compassion. The book is the story of an ex-convict who has a change of heart and learns to lead a better life. There’s a lot in the story, and it was pretty hard to follow, but it was still very interesting. If you’re looking to learn more about the French Revolution and the lasting impacts it had on France, you should try this out.

Les Misérables Quick summary: Bad readability, excellent emotional impact, excellent historical insight, pretty bad pacing, and overall, politically significant and emotional.

The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank is a personal account of a young Jewish girl and the two years she and her family spent in hiding. The book is very personal as it is a true account of the holocaust. Historic dates are mentioned throughout the book, so you’re seeing them unfold from a young girl's perspective and learning about them as you go. One of the only downsides of this book is that Anne Frank’s father, Otto Frank, published her book, and he may have altered the original content. Anyone interested in learning about the Holocaust will love reading this. Anne Frank was a great writer and was able to convey what she was thinking in beautiful ways.

“At such moments I don’t think about all the misery, but about the beauty that still remains” – Anne Frank

The Diary of a Young Girl Quick summary: Excellent readability, excellent emotional impact, excellent historical insight, okay pacing, and overall, intimate, historically significant, and heartbreaking.

One great part of classic books is that most have some sort of film rendition, which allows you to visualize the people and events more clearly and almost experience the plot over again. If you’re not feeling Les Misérables as a book, you could watch the movie first as an intro and decide from there. The main benefit of reading classic books is that you often learn about history. All of these books have some historic event or time period incorporated, so you’re learning about history from an account. Whether the accounts are fictional or not, it can be easier to learn from them than from a textbook or a lecture, as long as they’re factual. So, if you’re feeling stuck in your same old reading routines, it might be time to try out a classic! You may even find a new favorite, or at least a new way of seeing history and the world.

"History is important. More than any other topic, it is about us. Whether one deems our present society wondrous or awful or both, history reveals how we got to this point." -James W. Loewen

-Ana