classic books that don't require a lit degree to enjoy *not-intimidating*

[@josephcossey1811]

What makes "Frankenstein" even more remarkable is that Mary Shelley was still a teenager when she when she wrote it!

[@selina9260]

No way! I didn’t knew this

[@lq.bleach1230]

Her writing it in the first place was actually suggested by lord Byron. He suggested, both her and her husband Percy should each write a horror story. Frankenstein was inspired by a nightmare Shelley had when she was 18 and was published when she was 21 :)

[@josephcossey1811]

@@lq.bleach1230 Greetings and seasonal salutations! Mary Shelley wrote the bulk of Frankenstein in the summer of 1816 when she was 19 years old although the book wasn't published until 1818. An amazing achievement for one so young!

[@LovelyDay11]

Yes, a teenager and it shows. Boring book.

[@antifantastisch4467]

And she was stoned as f'ck on opium :D

[@just_ella17]

Just a few additions in case you've already read the books from the video: Little women by Louisa May Alcott Momo by Michael Ende Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy (a pretty long book but because it's very obvious in it's ideas it doesn't require a lot of work to understand in my opinion) Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren The original Grimm fairy tales by the brothers Grimm Also a short list of tips on how to get through classics: You don't need to understand all the references, literary devices and historical context of a text to enjoy it. Trying to learn all that information while reading overwhelms most people, myself included and therefore can really harm the overall reading experience. If you're not a native speaker in English it is okay to pick up translations because a good translation goes a lot further than only understanding half the story because of the language. Don't pick up classics that you wouldn't pick up if they were contemporary. If you dislike romance and think romcoms are annoying, chances are that you simply would not enjoy any Jane Austen book. Find genre defining classics in the genres you like, most likely you'll enjoy them just because you will recognize their influence in stories you already like.

[@user-qu8zs7vs1x]

Agree with all of these except Anna Karenina. I read it when I was 18 and it made me swear off classics for years

[@just_ella17]

@@user-qu8zs7vs1x oh nooo I read it when I was 17 and really enjoyed it Although it's definitely not something I would recommend if you struggle with long books in general

[@moodyfloral6234]

I love Momo! A lot of books by Michael Ende are really great.

[@user-qu8zs7vs1x]

@@just_ella17 I liked parts of it, but then my man really went on for 30 pages at a time about farmers and how they organized their fields. It was just too much for me.

[@lilac.mascara]

Also want to add if you want to understand references you can get editions (like Alma Classics) that will explain references mentioned if you want. Alma Classics will even have translations for foreign words and phrases you may not understand.

[@stephaniecrossman2864]

A list because I love making them :) ~A Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry ~1984 by George Orwell ~Brave New World by Aldous Huxley ~A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess ~The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gillan ~Frankenstein by Mary Shelly ~The Outsider by Albert Camus ~Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Caroll ~Fairy Tales by Hans Christian Andersen

[@nightowl334]

Tysm!🥺

[@lucasschnatz1070]

1984 was such a tough read for me 😂

[@petermccavington8232]

"THE LITTLE PRINCE" not a little prince 😂😂😂

[@mizoompaloompa170]

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is a short, fast paced classic I really enjoyed. 📚📚📚

[@selina9260]

Same!

[@matthewbaker1300]

I haven’t read treasure island but same author have you read it

[@kusuosaiki8966]

I loved it so much

[@Noa-cc9ur]

I would highly recommend: Jane Austen novels Jane Eyre Little women To kill a mockingbird All are easy to read classics, and far less morbid.

[@Tolstoy111]

Jane Erye is great but it's pretty morbid.

[@amarjotsingh8455]

its so boring lmao i cant get through it@@Tolstoy111

[@ShivangiBhasin]

And FINALLY, Roald Dahl is always great place to start with children’s classics. His stories are so imaginative, I spent many hours with his characters when I was younger

[@mollywalker5790]

I used to read his books religiously as a kid. I think I read all of them bar one (my school library didn't have Danny Champion of the World)

[@erina2600]

@@mollywalker5790ohh I remember my year…4? I think (8 yrs old) class, read Danny champion of the world together

[@SerendibiteStudios]

Yesssss! One of the first full novels I ever read as a kid was The Witches by Roald Dahl, and I still love it very much. I also love The Big Foot Giant and Fantastic Mr. Fox

[@moodyfloral6234]

A super accessible classic is the Anne of Green Gables series by Lucy Maud Montgomery. The books are so beautifully written yet easy to understand, the characters are very unique and relatable and likable and there are a lot of books in the series so if you fall in love with the story/characters/settings (Avonlea, the town Anne lives in, is the original Star’s Hollow to me) there is a LOT of content to enjoy. :) The Anne series is super cozy and heartwarming so a perfect read for autumn and winter!

[@thelibraryladder]

I adore the Green Gables stories, but IMO they aren't the best ones L.M. Montgomery wrote. I think her Emily of New Moon trilogy is even better.

[@maybeyesss2848]

♡♡

[@byz88]

I'm currently making my way through her short story collections between other books and they're just nice and easy and wholesome. All her works are free on the kindle for anyone interested :)

[@diana15410]

ayy another gilmore girls fann!!! ilyy!!

[@MarcelaR-L]

I’ve read that the author of A Clockwork Orange, Anthony Burgess, took some words in Russian to create the slang. They’re almost the same words but written phonetically in English. He did that so by the end, the reader has learned some Russian without realizing it. Like a brainwash. Exactly like what happened to Alex the main character. When I read that and realized that I learned some russian words by brainwashing, my mind was blown. The author is brilliant.

[@val.teacup]

Speaking a slavic language (Bulgarian) I already recognized all the words and I was wondering if it wasn't too confusing for people who just spoke english. Guess not lol

[@aimeea8404]

Wow I did not know that! How cool!

[@annettestevens9082]

I loved the movie. Does that make me sick? lmao I really want to read the book.

[@soundspace7467]

Yes. Lots of Russian and Cockney rhyming slang. The use of the language over time and context is so deftly handled by burgess that by the time you’re midway through you completely understand. By the end you know lots and lots of Russian words.

[@adinamusrepova1447]

Fan fact, in the russian adaptation they had to write those words using Roman alphabet so it at least looks different. I remember reading the book in russian as a teen and being confused about that because they were normal to me 😅

[@NovaVanBuren]

Leonie : I'm gonna be really bad at pronouncing his name... Me, a french native : Oof yeah, that's not an easy one, good luck. Leonie : **pronouces Antoine de Saint-Exupéry perfectly** Me : **shocked pikachu**

[@bell5a_xox]

East of Eden by John Steinbeck had me floored! It wasn't hard to understand and actually quite fast paced. The first chapter is slow so just press on! I have never been so excited to read a book,I'm a English Lit student but I promise it's totally accessible to anyone

[@ShivangiBhasin]

I completely agree! It’s a beautiful book

[@Joyce-ff7ms]

I love East of Eden, i have like 100 pages left and i dont wanna read on cuz i dont wanna finish it hahhash

[@peachl2290]

I’m halfway through this book and I can’t put it down! I love it so much.

[@sarasr18]

This is my favorite book, and it's still surprising to me because I hated The Pearl and Of Mice and Men when I had to read it at high school lol. But East of Eden is absolutely wonderful and I remember being depressed when I finished because I knew I would never read a book that beautiful again.

[@JoRN1222]

Love that book!

[@zofiabochenska1240]

The Little Prince was the very first book I read in English. The fact that I knew it by heart kinda helped :) Picture of Dorian Grey is quite quick and easy read (aside of one chapter in the middle, which just lists Dorian's hobbies). Or Oscar Wild's short stories, they are SO good.

[@sonyaj66]

I JUST finished reading A Picture of Dorian Grey two days ago. Agree with you about the easy, fast read...and also about the chapter where he goes into great detail about the bouncing around from one preoccupation/hobby to the next. Also, while it might be a short read, it's definitely not a light read...oy! It's good from just the standpoint of an interesting and unique story with a horror/supernatural edge to it, but the allegorical and metaphorical references in it about the ugly side of human desires, materialism, and self-absorption are what I'm assuming put it into the category of a "classic", and very much relevant . If Dorian were alive today, he'd be a trust fund baby ruining people's lives through social media, and obsessing about his "likes" on Facebook. Probably a harsh comparison, but he reminds me of Kim Kardashian (what little I know of her, anyway). I'll give a pass to the fact that the male characters in general portrayed women very negatively in the book as either the sentiment of the time in which it was written, or, more likely, that it was a reflection of his personal animus and resentment towards being forced by society to live a lie as closeted gay man 🤷🏻‍♀️.

[@febevr2546]

Yes it´s very easy to read and not boring at all except for that one chapter

[@lisak8492]

Chapter 11… lmao

[@Z_pixel]

Omg I’m reading a picture of Dorian Grey rn and just finished that chapter, god all that flew over my head

[@injy9226]

Chapter 11 killed something inside me im not even joking

[@aliceinwanderlust]

The Handmaid's Tale is a very accessible but still though-provoking classic dystopian, and The Picture of Dorian Gray is another great classic novel

[@ShivangiBhasin]

Oooh, and Perfume by Patrick Suskind is another great classic. It’s the story of a murderer who becomes a perfumer even though he himself doesn’t possess a scent himself. The book follows his journey of finding the perfect scent which demands the death of a virgin 😳 its a surprisingly well-paced and super intriguing read, HIGHLY recommend

[@eini1422]

Oooh yes I agree! Super disturbing, but also so so good!

[@margauxb3591]

it's an excellent book but actually isn't a classic, it was written in 1985! it's still entirely worth the read :)

[@ShivangiBhasin]

@@margauxb3591 haha, yes indeed! I actually consider anything before the 21st century a classic because I don’t really know how else to classify them. After all, what is a classic anyway?

[@user-es7ui5mc1m]

@@margauxb3591 "classic" isn't a defined term, and The Perfume definitely is a classic - albeit a modern classic but a classic all the same

[@erwingpastrana9183]

I really want to read it because kurt cobain read and loved this novel

[@howloudcansilenceget8884]

I really love how you make reading classics accessible for everyone! Classics resemble our societies, their issues and worries from a certain period of time yet those stories apply to our modern, digital world just as well and let us reflect our human lives and thoughts from different times and situations. Very excited to add some more to my list☺

[@andshereadstoo7809]

I loved The Yellow Wallpaper, and I kind of disagree, I read and watch a lot of horror and still, the scenes where she was losing it were absolutely terrifying, the book was brilliant 🖤🖤

[@LaurennM360]

I’ve really wanted to read the yellow wallpaper. I think I will soon. :D

[@fouzya8310]

@@LaurennM360 yes you should 🤍

[@LaJessChelle]

I agree! This story is seared in my mind from high school.

[@someoneelse361]

My recommendations for beginner classics: 1. Lord of the Flies - doesn't require much effort to realise the message behind the story, isn't difficult in terms of the words used, quite an enjoyable plot 2. To Kill a Mockingbird - same reasons as the first one. 3. Of Mice and Men - short and to the point. Despite the shortness, you still feel sorrow towards certain characters as it ends in tragedy 4. The Old Man and the Sea - also short and to the point, sort of ends in tragedy but not really. You come to really like the old man.

[@BemuzedBookworm]

Frankenstein was indeed created based on a holiday with her husband Percy Shelley and their friend Lord Byron and some Italian doctor. It was a super dark time in Europe at the time because Europe was hit with an ash cloud from a volcano eruption in Indonesia. So like to imagine that gloomy atmosphere when reading it. I believe she came up with the idea because they had been discussing new scientific research from Italy in which they electrocuted frogs and their limbs would move.

[@marafortune3713]

Yes! My history professor actually covered this in his lecture on 19th century European history :)

[@waffledoodle]

One thing about A Clockwork Orange is that the slang isn't made up, it's mostly just Russian. For example: droog (друг) - friend, moloko (молоко) - milk, bog (бог) - god, horroshow (хорошо) - good. If you don't know Russian then it's essentially the same as being made up, but I think that's an interesting tidbit that gives you more of an idea of what the world is like.

[@underhypedandoverrated]

I can’t agree more about Frankenstein. Definitely in my top five favorite “classics”

[@yangwenli9808]

You should read The Count of Monte Cristo. It’s an easy read but the only problem with it some might think is the length due to how it’s 1200 pages. There is a abridged version but I’ve never read it so I’m not sure if they cut out any important details from the original

[@manisa.b2276]

My main advice when reading a classic is to ignore the fact that you are reading a classic. That takes the weight off your shoulders and you start to enjoy the process. If you want to read a book, read it. Don't hesitate bc you heard is a classic. That's what I did and I regret it. I only read War and Peace at 22 when in reality I would've enjoyed that book at 15. I know that for sure because I like history and the type of writing is amazing. If you don't like a classic it doesn't mean that the author was a genius and you are dumb and that's why you don't like his work. I read The Stranger in French to test myself and see if I can understand. I did understand but it was so boring. I graduated with English degree but oh boy the books were boring. I read War and Peace and I enjoyed every page. It is amazing. I knew nothing about the historical context but I watched a full documentary on Napoleonean Wars. That's how much I like it. This idea that classics should be read just by a certain type of audience is complete nonsense. We didn't study Shakespeare in uni cus they said that it's too complicated for us to understand.... hmmm....you just said that I am stupid but with other words. I knew about Shakespeare since I was little cus I heard on the radio a theatre performance on King Lear and I liked it a lot. Haha I just hit post it and youtube got offended and told me to write a respectful comment. Idk if I should laugh or cry....this AI...

[@thevoiceofdarkness7655]

"To the Lighthouse" was one of the first books written in the "stream of consciousness" style; that's one of the main reasons why it's a classic.

[@idkvalen]

loved this video! for classic that "need an explanation" i would suggest searching interpretation online, that can really help. i especially like sparknotes ✨

[@TheBookLeo]

yess! sparknotes and tedex animations are my saviours

[@samantha2254]

I'm currently reading Little women and I'm really enjoying, It's so easy to read, cozy and make you feel like you're home.

[@jamesduggan7200]

You could read the Little Prince as a story about a pilot who must fix his plane before exposure to the desert environment kills him. In the panic of that race, he hallucinates a visit from his inner child. At the end he lets go of his childhood to fly out and live life.

[@johannalehto9154]

Classics that are good and easy to get into; 1) Ronja the Robber's Daughter 2) The Animal Farm 3) Alice in Wonderland 4) Rebecca 5) Jane Eyre 6) All Jane Austen novels 7) The Picture of Dorian Gray 8) Around the World in 80 Days 9) A Christmas Carol 10) Moominland Midwinter 11) A Study in Scarlet 12) Mio My Son 13) The Brothers Lionheart 14) Narnia 15) Hobbit

[@allesaufanfang-sarah]

uhh yes Ronja is incredible

[@JolienReads]

I'm actually going to read more classics next years (one of my goals) and I normally only read fantasy and sci-fi, sooo I definitely need a list for beginners haha, this is perfect! I have read 1984 years ago and I loved it so I think I'll pick up Brave New World next.

[@titojdavis8374]

Mary Shelly wrote Frankenstein as a teen but rewrote it in her twenties when Lord Byron, her husband, and her mother who were the three closest people to her died. The version we read now is the rewritten version and it's much better; carrying the themes of loneliness and abandonment that of course comes from everyone close to her die all within a year or two. She also basically originated the post-apocalypse genre in this same time in her life with a story called The Last Man, which has all the same themes

[@finaleclipse2110]

The Picture of Dorian Grey by Oscar Wilde is absolutely one of my favourite classics and it’s pretty short so not too hard to get through!

[@safe-keeper1042]

It's Of Mice and Men for me. Such a beautiful, well-written book.

[@marnmalue9135]

Sense & Sensibility is definitely one of my favorites... maybe that's the nostalgia of having to read it in middle school, but I really liked it and I remember I used to get so invested in my analysis assignments for it. Then there was a play for it and I think that kind of made my love for the book stronger haha I haven't read it in a while so I think I should revisit it

[@plasticbag7390]

the clockwork orange was so fun to read as a native russian speaker, no confusion with the slang at all as it’s mostly just derived from russian/slavic languages

[@ShivangiBhasin]

I have a book of short stories called The Periodic Table by Primo Levi who was a Holocaust survivor and has written many great books about his experience. This particular book has been named the best science book ever written and Levi discusses his career as a chemist under the fascist regime. Cannot wait to read it and would highly recommend y’all to check it out as well🙌🏼

[@emilyletoski2106]

I agree with your choice for Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein. I read it when I was in middle school for school, and then I read it again for fun when I graduated college. The second time reading it I noticed that I sympathized with Frankenstein’s monster more this time around. Also. This monster was very smart and insightful. I didn’t remember that when I read it in middle school.

[@ulengrau6357]

Greatest lines from "The Little Prince" which have stuck to me to this day: - "Straight ahead you can't go very far." - "It is the time you have wasted for your rose that makes your rose so important." (This can be about anything in life, not just a "rose") - "What makes the desert beautiful... is that somewhere it hides a well." And my personal favorite, which unfortunately cannot be truly translated from the French, is the whole explanation the Fox gives the Little Prince on the meaning of "apprivoiser", and the question of responsibility toward what we have "apprivoisé." Sadly, this word becomes bland when translated as "tamed" in English, or as "domar/domare" in Spanish/Portuguese and Italian, respectively (languages onto which "The Little Prince" is otherwise easily adaptable). But since this is a main theme in "Le Petit Prince", it matters to understand that entire moment in its original, and so this is actually a great book for someone who is serious about studying French, and who wishes to read a classic (You know... barring some of the misogyny of the times and so on, which is present even here). Sorry for getting all technical on a post about classics which don't need explanations. :facepalm:

[@amolove24]

I read Frankenstein for the first time this summer and it automatically became my favorite book I love it so much

[@alive4ever865]

You saying you’re going to pronounce Antoine de Saint-Exupéry terribly and then doing it so well XD Looking forward to the rest of the list since I’m not the biggest classics reader either!

[@bookswithlau]

I'm always so intimidating of classics but I want to read some. Thank you, Leonie! This is perfect! Also, I was so sure The Picture of Dorian Gray was going to be one of them....and it wasn't 😂

[@TheBookLeo]

i felt like that book is full of subtext and symbolism so wasnt sure to put it on this list!

[@leslettresdereine]

I have a class about The Little Prince in uni ! I love the way you talked about it. The messages that this book conveys are meant to reach adult readers. It’s a whole criticism of our materialistic world and the author explains how much it’s important to reconnect with our inner child, to be able to capture the beauty of the world. It’s a tale for children and kind of a philosophical fiction for adults ❤️

[@mattkean1128]

Yes! Not all classics or literary books are the super dense type. In fact I think most aren't. Sometimes getting used to a different time's language takes time to get used to.

[@booksinbed]

A classic I read this year that I think might be almost easier to read for a modern reader than the original audience is Carmilla! It’s a super short, surprisingly sapphic vampire novella that was written even before Dracula. Because the vampire idea is so well-known to most of us, it’s pretty easy to follow what’s happening and know what to expect, and my friend and I still found the plot and characters and spooky bits really fascinating and fun. Excellent atmosphere, and if you have the time or attention, you can read it in one or two sittings. Great video! I’m going to grab The Yellow Wallpaper from gutenberg right away. You made it sound great.

[@hale311]

The yellow wallpaper is one of my favorites!! Read it in so many classes and have so many thoughts on it!

[@marth5272]

1984 is definitely NOT fun! It is actually really scary and quite depressing!

[@sarahsperusals]

i really recommend jane eyre and a room with a view to start out!!

[@josefa125]

Hi Leo!! From this list I’ve read A Clockwork Orange and The Little Prince and enjoyed both of them😍 I think Virginia Woolf’s book are more enjoyable if you do some research about her life and themes that she usually talks about in her novels (and the reason behind it); last year I took a class that was just about her and it was really interesting; I ended up enjoying and was able to appreciate her books much more. I would recommend you Orlando by Virginia Woolf, it is super fun, interesting and I feel like it’s a book that anyone can enjoy. I would also add to this list Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse, The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger, Little Women by Louisa May Alcott (it may seem intimidating because of its length, but I think it’s easy to read) and Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (read it last month I think, and I didn’t expect to enjoy it as much as I did)💗

[@ShivangiBhasin]

Passing by Nella Larsen is another short classic that is quite accessible. The context is similar to The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennet so reading them in tandem would be an interesting experience

[@booksinbed]

I read Passing after The Vanishing Half this year, and it was fabulous! I think I liked Passing even more than Brit Bennet’s lovely book. It really is super short and packs a huge punch for its length. I think I’d also consider recommending it for The Great Gatsby fans?

[@KingaZajacNNR]

For me, 1984 was too boring - I would recommend Animal Farm tho!

[@cmargherita99]

Loved the video :)) And also: I always thought that in A Clockwork Orange, you "learn the language" of the book as you get further along, because the author wants you to sympathize with the main character. If you understood all the horrible things he did from the beginning, you would be completely repelled by him, but instead you get to know the protagonist better while you learn the slang and actually kind of root for him in the end.

[@kaladinstormblessed8470]

that princess mononoke wallpaper is super chill

[@emmaopaline]

Chess Player, 24 hours in the life of a woman by Stefan Zweig are easy short classics. Une vie, Bel-Ami, Pierre et Jean by Guy de Maupassant arr also short easy classics

[@hehehehe6934]

I read and did my english assignment on The Yellow Wallpaper after I saw Leonie's recommendation. I hadn't enjoyed doing an assignment in a really long time! So thank you for these wonderful recommendations

[@doriorinori]

Hey i’ve got a book project to do, but i get to choose the book and it having a hard time deciding. would you recommend this one?

[@hehehehe6934]

@@doriorinori yes! It's pretty short so you'll be able to read it quickly and there is plenty of stuff to analyse for a project!

[@doriorinori]

@@hehehehe6934 Thanks!! I’ll keep it in mind :).

[@briemartin01]

When you said 1984 it kinda made me feel better, I think it’s a little slow in the beginning and I’ve been struggling to push through it but now I’ll try a bit harder! Especially now that I know it’s one of the easier ones :)

[@201vijayaranigarapati6]

You have no idea how I've been waiting for this one. You're great.ily❤️

[@TheBookLeo]

i hope you enjoy!

[@RachelB.BookReferences]

I prefer to read classic books with as little background information as possible, then sometimes I’ll go back and read analyses on them. I used to read introductions first, but I hate it when an "introduction" contains spoilers and that happened far too often! So now I skip them.

[@kageyukiaru]

yayy thank you for the recommendations! i've been wanting to read something short and interesting cozying up in bed and these sound great! also agree alice in wonderland has always been my fave children's book/classic that i still enjoy reading bc it's so magical and whimsical, but mostly bc of the puns lol

[@Amnooe]

One thing I learned about classics: they are slow, they like talking about the weather, leaves, colors to make u picture a setting and Dialogues may be long

[@Sfulabhai]

The background music is sooo calming💞

[@TheBookLeo]

ah im so happy to hear that because that's the effect i hoped it would have!

[@itsdivyag]

lord of the flies bangs too 💃 also I feel like Shakespeare’s twelfth night although I get why the language can be difficult

[@Lokster71]

I hated Lord of the Flies but as a fat, glasses wearing boy at an English all-boys school it hit a bit close to home.

[@WilliamsReptiles]

While I agree that "The Stranger" by Albert Camus is a fine introductory Existentialist classic, I think the more you learn about the movement, Camus himself, and maybe some of his contemporaries like Satre, it becomes a book very rewarding on a second re-read.

[@purvichaurasia3962]

I read the yellow wallpaper, and I love it soo much! Thank you for the amazing recommendation.

[@ulengrau6357]

The second part of "To the Lighthouse" is one of the greatest moments in 20th century English literature.

[@ottoismy1dog]

Winston Churchill travels through time to 1984, where he finds a Brave New World. The new Utopian paradise is ruled by Alex and his droogies who introduce Winston Churchill to a little of the bazoomny ultraviolence. Maybe try Ethan Fromm by Edith Wharton circa 1911

[@heyitsgabs21]

I really loved Frankenstein, and i would also recommend The Vampyre by John Polidori, which is really quick to read, and is also a result of Mary Shelley's Lake Geneva trip.

[@Mewkityy]

Ive never heard the Camus book titled that before, I've always heard it as "The Stranger"

[@marindahey]

I love this! I've been wanting to dabble in classics, but some of them are not approachable at all. This is so helpful, thank you!!!

[@karlareadstheclassics217]

Hi marindahey, if you're interested I have a podcast where I read classic lit. It's called KarlaReadstheClassics and you might find something there to enjoy.

[@mildredmartinez8843]

Franenstein is one of my favorites. Loved every more I read it. More than a dystopian novel the book is imbued with a great philosophical questions. It's easy reading yet it explores deep questions. Wonderful.

[@christineansorge5519]

Try some ancient lit. I think you’d like The Epic of Gilgamesh. It’s a fantasy, and deeply heart-warming.

[@annettestevens9082]

To Kill a Mockingbird!! My favorite book ever!!

[@KrisMF]

these are such good recs!! I've been wanting to read more out of my comfort zone lately so this feels very well-timed lol. I actually read The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath recently and found the prose so captivating without feeling convoluted! it's definitely one of my new fav classics and I think pretty accessible too :D

[@ttoharr]

I adore the light piano background music, makes it cozy

[@bookworm4174]

Frances Hodgson Burnette is a great place to start. Do the kids books like "A Little Princess," "Little Lord Fauntleroy," and "A Secret Garden," then her short story "A Fair Barbarian."

[@merissamakesstuff]

I just started diving into classics and that tip at the end of KZbin videos is helpful. I did not know about those. Thank you!

[@karengreenfield5268]

I find listening to audio books helpful because then I don’t worry about pronunciation. Also, I find listening helps me to understand tone that I wouldn’t otherwise. Jane Austen is very funny but I didn’t get the satire when I first tries reading it, but listening helped me grasp the humor.

[@AnUncreativePerson]

Truman Capote's work is easy to read, my favorites are A Christmas Memory and Breakfast at Tiffany's

[@romalibra_books]

Like you I started Frankenstein in October and just finished it 😅 I really liked it, she is great at writing an unlikable main character, I wanted to slap him many times. The sense of doom hit differently than in others books though. I feel like from the beginning she writes in such a way that makes us feel like there was no way to avoid the characters' fate, but actually when reading further there was chances after chances to change the course of the story. Reading from Victor's point of view felt so personal, the kind of dialogue you give your friends to relieve yourself from responsibility when you make bad decisions that are against your principles.

[@miraclewhip5672]

I really enjoy using Sparknotes. I think school puts a really bad rep on it. But I could not have understood The Catcher in the Rye without it

[@eneabooks]

finally someone that recommends a clockwork orange, i love that book and it's so underappreciated

[@aimeebrooks4303]

That edition of Frankenstein is STUNNING. Which edition is it?

[@beanbagbooks]

I get that your point is that these books can still be difficult and that you just don't need a lit degree to enjoy them, but I can't say I would call Frankenstein non-intimidating. I read it in my last year of high school for English class and basically all of us HATED it. Granted, that may have had something to do with the teacher, but still, the fact that we needed a teacher to help us with it says something. The language in it is some of the most difficult to read from that period that I've encountered, and I was an English major and love Dickens and Austen. (I read all 3 of these authors in high school and Shelley's writing gave me the most trouble by far.) If someone moves on to it after other classics and enjoys it I'm glad, but I don't think I'd tell anyone to start with it. But you do you and I'm glad you liked it!

[@olliewhite5285]

And then they were None by agatha Christie is also super easy to read, and a really good mystery

[@ellie7200]

I wrote my BA thesis about The Yellow Wallpaper! Such a brilliant story with a fascinating historical context

[@ruthalaina4837]

Your videos truly leave me smiling~ and I find magic in every single one of your videos ✨🦋🙌🏻💖🍥

[@TheBookLeo]

ahh that really made me so happy to read!

[@mqtvrl]

Animal farm is also another great dystopian classic, it represents the Russian revolution in 1917. each of the animals represent either people of factors of the revolution, however it can also be read as just about animals which is what makes it so easy to read. I highly recommend!

[@ShivangiBhasin]

Slaughterhouse-5 by Kurt Vonnegut is another great sci-fi rec. its a great commentary on the fruitlessness of war written in this dark and ironic style

[@staygoldponyboy8881]

So it goes

[@ShivangiBhasin]

@@staygoldponyboy8881 Poo-tee-weet!

[@potatoes4lifersxd813]

a great classic every adventure-loving-bookworm should read is Treasure Island. Everyone go read it it is amazing, and then you get the reward of an actual good movie adaptation with charlton heston.

[@penultimateh766]

"The Once and Future King" is good and pretty accessible.

[@soundspace7467]

A clockwork orange is my favorite. I’ve read it many many times and usually keep a copy bedside. Its just about perfect.

[@gusmonster59]

I read 'A Modern Prometheus' (Frankenstein) years ago. I have never a book to be intimidating, classic or not. I'd never read something that 'required' a class to read. But then my mother was librarian so I guess I always figured any book was fair game to just pick up and read. ;-)

[@sekispeaks9327]

I love A Clockwork Orange and the futuristic slang. I always end it feeling rather drunk on the language, which is such a unique experience! The only other book that has allowed me to experience that is Random Acts of Senseless Violence by Jack Womack, which is SO much better than the title would lead you to believe.

[@scoobydoo_forever]

Fahrenheit 451 is a great classic by Ray Bradbury, also Dracula and The phantom of the Opera and one who flew over the cuckoo's nest

[@xena4792]

I just finished Frankenstein and MARY SHELLEY DID NOT HAVE TO GO THAT HARD.

[@josephcossey1811]

Anthony Burgess always claimed that he overheard the phrase "as much use as a clockwork orange" in a London pub sometime in the 1950's and that it was in common usage at the time. I once asked my father - a Londoner born and bred for over 80 years - whether he was familiar with the expression and he assured me that he wasn't! It now seems probable that what Burgess mis-heard was someone referring to a "chocolate orange", a seasonal treat especially popular during the festive season. Either way, a great novel by a still much under-appreciated writer.

[@eliciaroper]

All That You Are - Elicia Roper Synopsis: This novel tells the story of Athena and Caiden. Caiden is strong willed and self-less, he puts the needs of his family and friends above his own. Athena is a firecracker with a kind-hearted soul. As they go through the journey of life you will see how Athena and Caiden bring comfort to each other, as they learn to cope and mend with the pain of loss and heartbreak.,

[@MsBluheart]

Have you read Madame Bovary? It's my favorite classic tragic romance and I found it very easy to read compared to something like Austin or Bronte

[@bdwon]

Camus said the Stanger was inspired by his reading "_The Postman Always Rings Twice_

[@thelibraryladder]

Part of the challenge of approaching "classic literature" is defining the terms. What is "literature" and what makes a particular book a "classic?" I think "literature" gets an unfair reputation as being challenging because certain subsets of authors and readers (literary snobs?) want it that way to set themselves apart from others. Granted, some literary books are difficult reads, but there are a great many authors and books I consider literary that are also very accessible and enjoyable. A brief list of highly readable literary authors spanning multiple genres would IMO include: Jane Austen, Anthony Trollope, William Thackeray, Mark Twain, Robert Louis Stevenson, Alexandre Dumas, Rudyard Kipling, Jack London, Oscar Wilde, James Hilton, Sinclair Lewis, Daphne du Maurier, Kurt Vonnegut, Shirley Jackson, Isak Dinesen, Frank Stockton, Lord Dunsany, G. K. Chesterton, Rafael Sabatini, P. C. Wren, C. S. Forester, Ray Bradbury, Wilkie Collins, Nicholas Blake, Dorothy Sayers, Patricia Highsmith, Damon Runyon, P. G. Wodehouse and E. F. Benson. I'd suggest steering clear of authors such as Dickens, the Bronte sisters, Henry James, Thomas Hardy, and Herman Melville, at least initially. They're worth reading, but the ratio of reading effort to enjoyment is higher.

[@jemstar33]

Question. I'm interested in reading The Count of Monte Cristo the only thing intimidating me is its length. But I'm curious, for those who have read it, is it a difficult read? Since it was published in the mid-19th century are the dialogue, description, and explanation difficult? and are there a lot of difficult words that I would have to look up?

[@lostwanderingprince]

The classics are the reason why we have modern literature.

[@Elle_Riley]

after never being a person for classics but then weirdly being on a huge classics kick the last 2 years, i would also throw in The Phantom of the Opera, The Picture of Dorian Gray, and Jules Verne in general!

[@Elle_Riley]

Update to this: my Verne rec was after reading Journey to the Centre of the Earth and assumed his other stories would be the same in adventure and scifi fun. Then i read Around the World in 80 Days last month and uhhh it’s very very racist, colonialist, and not even really scifi, so. I take back my “in general” comment 💀 😬 😬

[@humyrahfatima]

Leonie, I loved your study vlog. Studying for my finals and already watched that vlog over 30 times for inspo😅 Please, consider making more of them ❣️