Classics for Beginners discussion

General or romance?

I'd say that Birthday Letters is a must for Poetry to go alongside his wife's 'Ariel'

I'd like to suggest We Have Always Lived in the Castle to the Horror section. :D

Ok

Does anyone have suggestions for where we should place any of the books in the 'to be sorted' section?

I think we should definitely have a category for books like Persuasion and Jane Eyre as "Forbidden Romance".

I added David Copperfield as I think it is blooming marvelous!

Diana wrote: "I think we should definitely have a category for books like Persuasion and Jane Eyre as "Forbidden Romance"."

I don't mean to slash down your idea, but we had kind of specific genres like this before and we decided as a group to have more general categories to allow for easier categorizing. However I will put an italics of "forbidden romance" next to those two novels for you. :)

Nicolle wrote: "I added David Copperfield as I think it is blooming marvelous!"

A classic on my TBR--I picked up THE copy of the book I want to read late last year (which is important to me) so I'll be ready to go with that one!

Updated.

Nicolle wrote: "I added David Copperfield as I think it is blooming marvelous!"

Great! It is blooming marvelous that you are adding it to the list. I'd love to re-read it. I read when I was 10 and all I remember is bawling my eyes out. It would be interesting to see how I feel about it now.

Wow, I don't think I had the mental capabilities to read a book like that at 10!

Nicolle wrote: "Wow, I don't think I had the mental capabilities to read a book like that at 10!"

It must have been a watered down version for kids. I'm not that smart!!!!

I submit The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson for Horror/Gothic

Thank will add.

I'd like to comment on how Atlas Shrugged was sorted. I don't disagree that it is dystopian and has elements of science fiction; however, I think the philosophical aspects greatly outweigh the science fiction aspects. It is heavily saturated with Rand's own philosophy of objectivism which advocates for reason, capitalism, and individualism. Her characters often give lengthy speeches on various aspects of her philosophy. Personally, I think it fits better under the category of "philosophical".

Does anyone who has read Atlas Shrugged agree with Danielle?

I don't really think of Atlas Shrugged first and foremost as sci-fi... Even more surprising would be to consider Lord of the Flies as sci-fi... Does anyone remember any sci-fi elements in that? I wonder if we need a Dystopian category... Then you could also categorize Animal Farm...

A dystopian category wouldn't be a bad idea. There are a good number of them.

I think we used to have a dystopian category but decided against it. Will check...

If you look at comments 86-96 on page 2 it shows the discussion we had about categories. I am not against change, but thought you might like to read those.

Here is Wikipedia's definition of what a sci fi involves though I know it isn't the most reputable source:

A time setting in the future, in alternative timelines, or in a historical past that contradicts known facts of history or the archaeological record.
A spatial setting or scenes in outer space (e.g. spaceflight), on other worlds, or on subterranean earth.[3]
Characters that include aliens, mutants, androids, or humanoid robots and other types of characters arising from a future human evolution.
Futuristic or plausible technology such as ray guns, teleportation machines, and humanoid computers.[4]
Scientific principles that are new or that contradict accepted laws of nature, for example time travel, wormholes, faster-than-light travel, or communication (known to be possible but not yet feasible).
New and different political or social systems, e.g. dystopian, post-scarcity, or post-apocalyptic.[5]
Paranormal abilities such as mind control, telepathy, telekinesis, and teleportation.
Other universes or dimensions and travel between them.

Atlas Shrugged has plausible technology (being developed, and not things like time machines or teleportation machines. Also, it's not the technology that is even all that important, it's what that technology means about man) and it's dystopian. I suppose it might also have a time setting in the future but not all that far in the future. Maybe as much as 50 years but that's all. So it's not very sci-fi, it just has some elements of sci-fi. I don't think they're enough to justify it being classified as sci-fi.

I haven't read Atlas Shrugged, but I would not say that Lord of the Flies is a sci-fi, no more than I would call Robinson Cruiso a sci-fi. The setting is a group of boys from our world and our timeline is seperated and things go as they go. I have just read the discussion, and while I do agree that there shouldn't be too many categories, considering so many classical books deal with that as a subject, it would probably be easier a category like that (though having clear guidelines as what falls under that definition).

I'd categorize Atlas Shrugged as adventure before dystopian of science fiction. For me "Dystopian" has a YA connotation that I would save AS from. Science Fiction falls short of what this novel actually is.

I disagree about dystopian having a YA connotation. Brave New World and 1984 are also dystopian and definitely not YA.

I agree with Heather. Most dystopian novels I can think of, I would not classify as YA. Besides the two she referred to another would be Fahrenheit 451.

That's why I used "connotation" instead of "denotation;" but, of course, you're both correct (so I stand corrected on that count, since it was coined by Sir Thomas Moore, in Utopia.) The connotation for me comes from the modern glut of YA dystopian novels that I run across on GR. It seems to have lost its meaning in view of this. But, even so, the "Dystopian" label just doesn't do justice to the book.

I probably feel this way because AS is one of my favorite books. So I'm biased. I admit it.

But that doesn't make me wrong. ;)

lol how is war and peace for beginners..so my question becomes, what is your definition of 'beginners'

In the beginning of this group, easier books were voted on by the members. Gradually, readers got more adventuresome and began to spread their wings and become courageous. If you aren't ready to read War and Peace, you are not obligated to read it. (You don't have to read any selection!) I have never read War and Peace and I don't consider myself a beginner.

The discussion here are also less intense with less depth. Have you ever been in a discussion group where the topic is so esoteric and the words so big and unpronouncible, and the references so obscure that you felt stupid? You won't get that kind of discussion in this group.

Well said (written) Emily!!

I'd love a list of which books one should read as a young adult and which books are better to read after you've had children.

Snurre wrote: "I'd love a list of which books one should read as a young adult and which books are better to read after you've had children."

Hey, middle school reading teacher here. I'd say the following:

The Outsiders
To Kill a Mockingbird
Of Mice and Men
A Christmas Carol
Huckleberry Finn (more of a high school book)

All but Christmas Carol are very American, so if you're in another country, maybe they don't apply as much.

You think Oscar Wilde's the picture of dorian gray should be here too?