Erudite Readers discussion

There are some classics that have been in school curriculums for so long that no one questions them when they should... There are classics that need to be re-evaluated. There are some great things in some of the classics and they should be read in college prep tracks to increase understanding of commonly used allusion in college literature.

Michelle wrote: "There are some classics that have been in school curriculums for so long that no one questions them when they should... There are classics that need to be re-evaluated. There are some great things ..."

I heard one of the worst classics is old man and the sea. Has anyone read it?

I heard one of the worst classics is old man and the sea. Has anyone read it?

It is a struggle for most readers to make it through it, because it is very dry and slow paced...I've read it, but it is not a text most people will read unless they are studying literary movements in college or are forced to read an excerpt in high school.

*Boring literary stuff hidden as a spoiler - (view spoiler)[It is an example of modernism, specifically The Lost Generation - and if you're into reading the early 1920s authors it will illustrate a lot of the disillusionment and separation from society that is embodied in that movement...If you like tone of texts written by T.S. Eliot, Exra Pound, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and other material by Hemingway, you might like it... (hide spoiler)]

Ooh...I might give it a try!

Michelle wrote: "I heard one of the worst classics is old man and the sea. Has anyone read it?

It is a struggle for most readers to make it through it, because it is very dry and slow paced...I've read it, but it ..."

My friend was forced to read it in school and she said it was very dull! Even her teacher didn't like it and admitted she only made them read it because she had to.

kevinjonaslover.♥ wrote: "Michelle wrote: "I heard one of the worst classics is old man and the sea. Has anyone read it?

It is a struggle for most readers to make it through it, because it is very dry and slow paced...I've..."

I heard that book was horrible!

Scott wrote: "kevinjonaslover.♥ wrote: "Michelle wrote: "I heard one of the worst classics is old man and the sea. Has anyone read it?

It is a struggle for most readers to make it through it, because it is very..."

LOL - that is the only reason I ever taught it (and Moby Dick, and A Tale of Two Cities...)

Michelle wrote: "Scott wrote: "kevinjonaslover.♥ wrote: "Michelle wrote: "I heard one of the worst classics is old man and the sea. Has anyone read it?

It is a struggle for most readers to make it through it, beca..."

I heard A Tale of Two Cities is good just very long. Moby Dick on the otherhand..heard it's not too good.

Yes, I like the Three Musketeers. Old man and the sea made me want to walk into a sea!!

One man's classic is another man's door stopper.

A Tale of Two Cities really isn't a bad story - I always tell students that A Tale of Two Cities is what happens to a good story when an author gets paid by the word...

I am reading 1984 and it's really interesting so far. I'm reading it for fun because I love dystopias! Michelle have you read 1984?

I tried reading 1984 a couple of years ago and I only got through halfway before I stopped. I remember thinking that it was so slow and draggy. Clearly, I didn't know how to appreciate good dystopians when I was 12 or something. I did love Fahrenheit 451 though, so I'll pick it up again.

Fahrenheit 451 was so good!

Scott wrote: "Fahrenheit 451 was so good!"

Yes sir, I have read both 1984 and Fahrenheit 451. They are 2 of my favorite books. Between those 2 and On the Beach by Neville Shute, that is where my love of dystopia started back when I was 13 or so years old...

Scott wrote: "Fahrenheit 451 was so good!"

I want to read that! I wanna see the Great Gatsby movie even though I disliked the book.

kevinjonaslover.♥ wrote: "Scott wrote: "Fahrenheit 451 was so good!"

I want to read that! I wanna see the Great Gatsby movie even though I disliked the book."

Oh...I LOVED the Great Gatsby, but I loved studying the roaring twenties and the lost generation writers. It is a regular study in figurative language. /sigh

The Great Gatsby new movie looks odd. The director of the recent Romeo and Juilet (the one with Leonardo DiCaprio) made it.

Oh, god, not the Great Gatsby! When the day comes that time travel is an option, Hitler can breath a sigh of relief - I'll be going after Fitzgerald :)

If I had a time machine Hitler would be dead faster than you can say molasses.

OK...I'll admit that my love of that particular book is probably purely academic - which is yet another reason my husband thinks I'm a nerd...

Michelle wrote: "kevinjonaslover.♥ wrote: "Scott wrote: "Fahrenheit 451 was so good!"

I want to read that! I wanna see the Great Gatsby movie even though I disliked the book."

Oh...I LOVED the Great Gatsby, but I..."

I just read a retelling of the Great Gatsby.. I personally did not like but you might since you love the classic! It's called
Jake, Reinvented.

I love that version of Romeo and Juliet! It was brillant in my opinion

R.M.F wrote: "Oh, god, not the Great Gatsby! When the day comes that time travel is an option, Hitler can breath a sigh of relief - I'll be going after Fitzgerald :)"

WHAT?!?! What do you have against The Great Gatsby? I loved it! My brother recommended it to me a few years ago and he never reads XD


By the way, the remaking of the movie looks very disappointed. In the previews it just looks like they are all in at a costume party.

kevinjonaslover - Thanks for the recommendation. I put it on my list :)

Karina - I know. Anyone other than Robert Redford as Jay just doesn't feel right.

Sir Scott - How are you doing in 1984?

The great gatsby is like cod liver oil - good for you, but you'll always be reluctant to take it. Then again, you can say that about a lot of books!

Karina wrote: "R.M.F wrote: "Oh, god, not the Great Gatsby! When the day comes that time travel is an option, Hitler can breath a sigh of relief - I'll be going after Fitzgerald :)"

WHAT?!?! What do you have aga..."

I hated The Great Gatsby. I know your probably thinking what is wrong with this girl.

Michelle wrote: Sir Scott - How are you doing in 1984?"
I finished it and I loved it. The whole execution of 1984 was purely genius but I really felt conflicted with Julia and Winston's relationship. I kinda felt like Julia was a bit too much. I really want to read Animal Farm!

Scott wrote: "I really want to read Animal Farm!"

That is my husband's favorite classic :) It is a really easy read, but he just loves the political implications in it..."absolute power corrupts absolutely." Have fun with that one!

Michelle wrote: "Scott wrote: "I really want to read Animal Farm!"

That is my husband's favorite classic :) It is a really easy read, but he just loves the political implications in it..."absolute power corrupts a..."
I am excited for it! Also I want to read Brave New World but I am little skeptical about it.

I am excited for it! Also I want to read Brave New World but I am little skeptical about it."

That is one I haven't read, actually...

Also, if you're a fan of post-apocolyptic lit I'd recommend On the Beach, too. It is an interesting perspective on the end of the world, because it was written in the 50s with WWII as a backdrop, and rise of all the "-isms" of the late 40s and early 50s.

It was my first ever dip into distopian lit at age 13, so maybe I should pick it up and read it again, myself.

Michelle wrote: "I am excited for it! Also I want to read Brave New World but I am little skeptical about it."

That is one I haven't read, actually...

Also, if you're a fan of post-apocolyptic lit I'd recommend O..."
I have not heard of this one. Sounds interesting, I think I might read this one.

Brave new world is the cod liver oil of sci-fi - good for you, but bad aftertaste!

Thomas wrote: "Karina wrote: "The one book I can think of that I had a hard time reading was The Odyssey!

I really enjoyed The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn :D"

dont like it much tom sawyer was gud"


I've been told Tom Sawyer is better than Huck Finn but I haven't read Tom Sawyer yet. I do plan to though!

Karina wrote: "Thomas wrote: "Karina wrote: "The one book I can think of that I had a hard time reading was The Odyssey!

I really enjoyed The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn :D"

dont like it much tom sawyer was..."

Tom Sawyer>Huck! I love Tom way more :)

Haha I do need to read Tom Sawyer soon and find out who I prefer XD

Huck Finn has far better lessons in it and is meant for a higher reading level and maturity. It is a deeper book, a little more difficult to read and by far my favorite. ***just my 2 cents

Does anybody feel that classics is too often bandied around these days?

If something gets to a certain age, it seems it automatically becomes a classic regardless of quality!

Michelle wrote: "Huck Finn has far better lessons in it and is meant for a higher reading level and maturity. It is a deeper book, a little more difficult to read and by far my favorite. ***just my 2 cents"

Hmm.. maybe I wasn't ready to read Huck but it was very difficult for me to read and understand. The ending really threw me off target.

R.M.F wrote: "Does anybody feel that classics is too often bandied around these days?

If something gets to a certain age, it seems it automatically becomes a classic regardless of quality!"

I certainly agree with you that just because a book is old, does not mean it is good, and just because it might be of interest to those who have studied the literary movements and said, "Ah yes, this book is a very clear illustration of how modernism grew from...blah blah blah," (in our most deep and serious academic voices) does not mean a book has any lasting public appeal or relevance...

Catch-22 is a classic that I love I have 2 copies both of which are falling apart from use; however, my husband hasn't managed to finish the book once.

Never really enjoyed Catch 22 either. The film version is ok.

Catch-22 has been on my to-read shelf for a while. I need to read it soon. What about the sequel? Has anyone read it?

Karina wrote: "Catch-22 has been on my to-read shelf for a while. I need to read it soon. What about the sequel? Has anyone read it?"

There is a sequel?

I didn't know about it either until recently! Closing Time: The Sequel to Catch-22

As soon as you mentioned it, I found it! It has a horrible rating compared to Catch-22.

I noticed that as well!

If I read Catch-22 and like it, I doubt I'll be reading the sequel. I don't read books with such ratings under normal circumstances!!!

I've never read the second one and really have no interest...

It was written so much later and it makes me think of the author as a cash cow.

Does anyone like reading plays for fun or seeing them?

Seeing them.. Actually, just the other week, I saw the play, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Becca wrote: "Seeing them.. Actually, just the other week, I saw the play, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory"

How was it?