10 *actually good* classic literature books for *actual* beginners

[@ell4736]

a tip from a once homeschooled, college student, who read a lot of classics: read the annotated versions! read the ones with context! talk to people that are nerds about the historical context of the book! it makes it so much more fun to know WHY certain weird things happen in old books :)

[@rchhtt5210]

That's fantastic advice! It always helps me get more into the story when I research the author of a classic I am reading.

[@naturally_roisin]

Yes! The only reason I ever got into literature was because of my Hamlet textbook in high school. I actually understood it! If you think you'll really struggle with Shakespeare, or if you just want to make it extra easy, definitely try the textbook versions! King Lear, Othello, The Merchant of Venice etc. are all also available in textbook form.

[@mariahkatianatan8982]

I hope you don’t mind me asking but how did you get homeschooled in college? How does it work? 😂

[@estellehuang1475]

Hi! Great tip! What annotated versions/editions do you recommend? Penguin? Enriched Classics? Vintage? :)

[@bump0005]

@@estellehuang1475 I personally really love the penguin classics editions! The notes really help but don’t over explain anything really, so there’s still room for your own interpretations. Plus they include any extra things that might be important - for example in their editions of Dickens they include the notes he made while writing them :) theyre also the most accessible editions, and you can find them second hand for really cheap (try Abebooks). if you REALLY want an in depth look in to a classic, the Norton critical editions are good! They don’t contain notes in the text (afaik) but include critical essays and notes about context / possible interpretations. They’re definitely more geared towards an English student, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get anything out of them! For me it really helps me feel connected to a classic to study them in depth, and the Norton eds. can help for that outside of the classroom!

[@Sarah-qs3on]

as a beginner to classics myself, i would absolutely recommend the picture of dorian gray to just about anyone. it’s short, quotable, but also uses such accessible language.

[@naturally_roisin]

Thank you!!

[@daniellappvp]

My favourite, also Rebecca from daphne du mourier

[@breadstickavenger]

i’m currently reading it right now and im having some difficulty with it, but compared to other classics it is much better and easier to understand

[@Sarah-qs3on]

@@breadstickavenger i find the second half of the book to be much more engaging than the first, so keep reading and see what you think :)

[@mimikiwinize1994]

Yes, although I promptly had the handy google vocabulary by me at all times, it was easy to comprehend the lines overall. It was the first piece of classic literature after The Great Gatsby that I read as a non native English speaker and I loved it.

[@runnerup15]

The metamorphosis by Kafka is super short, easily digestible and laugh out loud funny in an absurdist sense. 10/10 would recommend

[@jaysemitchells497]

I remember listening to this on a train ride to school and filling up 5 pages of my notebook in notes while I listened! Such a good book

[@marshalinehamismother]

Oh god lol I hated that book so so much. I think part of it was the teacher I had for it was bad but also I it was just so goddamn depressing

[@runnerup15]

@@marshalinehamismother every book sucks when u have to read it in school haha. It's best as just a funny story, I can't imagine having to analyze the "deeper meaning" of "lol Gregor bug"

[@demetriatorowus9735]

I was only able to get through this one with the help of an audiobook read by Benedict Cumberbatch on youtube... Not my cup of tea but it's still recommended for a reason so.

[@feanorian21maglor38]

I agree, it's an absolute gem. Saw the ballet too, and it was weirdly entertaining,

[@Hrl_943]

I feel like pride and prejudice by Jane Austen was the perfect introduction to classics for me because I was so familiar with the plot that the language wasn’t insanely difficult!

[@manasvi4404]

i loved the language but a lot of my friends said they found it difficult to read

[@lpchambers3681]

@@manasvi4404 I find if it hard to read, try the audiobook version, sometimes that’s helps people

[@manasvi4404]

@L/U nope, indian

[@erilovegrove1622]

It's very beautiful but i've been stuck reading it for about a year now, quite difficult for me.

[@anapaulachavez4921]

I found that book absolutely boring

[@atlroxmysox98]

Oh my god finally, a booktuber who talks about the kinds of books that I like. Nothing wrong with YA or fantasy, i just don't like it but it feels like it's the vast majority of the online book community. Can anyone recommend me more booktube accounts like this one?

[@saathvika4036]

Emmie!

[@jarltrippin]

Better Than Food is a great channel.

[@iconsonscreen7291]

You should see sarcastic fish aka emma angeline. She is really great

[@chrysoula5226]

@@RO-vr9qx I really like emmie she is great!

[@chrysoula5226]

@@iconsonscreen7291 YESS

[@marydarko3380]

the first classic I read was Picture of Dorian Gray a while ago, since then I have fallen in love with so many classics such as 1984, Wuthering Heights, Pride & Prejudice, Great Gatsby etc. Cant wait to read some of these recs edit: after some recommendations in my reply, I read crime and punishment by Dostoyevsky and LOVED it, it’s soo good, it’s a lot to take in but regardless, amazing book!

[@lesbiangoddess290]

these are great works.

[@lordlopikong6940]

Try dostoevsky works next.

[@marydarko3380]

@@lordlopikong6940 ooh I really want to read dostoevsky, which book should I start with? I've heard crime and punishment is a good one to start with

[@lordlopikong6940]

@@marydarko3380 yes crime and punishment is amazing. One of the big 4(crime and punishment,the idiot,demons, and the brothers karamazov) Crime and punishment is a great start for dostoevsky but I also heard that notes from the underground is perfect introduction for him. Because notes from the underground is very short (only 200pages) and is made of short stories which is a great introduction on what kind of themes dostoevsky likes to tackle. So my recommendation is you can start with either crime punishment or notes from the underground.

[@marydarko3380]

@@lordlopikong6940 okay, thank you for the recommendations, I’ll add them to my tbr cause I’ve been wanting to read his books for a while now

[@rchhtt5210]

I started reading again this year. I was probably only reading 2-3 books a year for several years straight. For a literature course, I had to read Persuasion by Jane Austen. I fell in love with it and finished it in a day. It's also very short compared to her other novels. It kick-started my reading again and I've read 20 books so far this year! Not a crazy number compared to other's, however that's a huge leap from only 2 books a year.

[@britachii8359]

I love this for you!! I just started reading again this year too and ive read 19 books this year (go us!!!🥳🥳)

[@britachii8359]

also I really want to read persuasion :o

[@justme9985]

Persuasion is sooo underrated!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@rottworks]

That's my favorite Jane Austen novel. Northanger Abbey is also accessible and I think it's pretty fun.

[@jonesjermaine4387]

Cool, I've been reading Tropic of Cancer except I like to pretend the character Van Norden is like a Bailey Jay, mite write my own book think I'll call it "Beyond the Valley of Penises"

[@camilla3731]

Really needed this because I have a weird relationship with classics. I haven’t even started Frankenstein for the book club because I’m genuinely scared lol.

[@kktt725]

Frankenstein is really good! Don’t be too hard on yourself the most important thing is to enjoy yourself when reading and it’s pretty short too

[@emmadominioni2088]

I just finished it and I very much enjoyed it. Its alright if you dont understand absolutely everything, just try to enjoy it!

[@kaitlyng7850]

Yeah I had to read Frankenstein for my Lit class. I was going to sparknotes the whole thing (because I didn't like the first 4 letters) but then I ended up actually reading it because I actually didn't hate it. We had to do annotations too and I actually found that fun because I found myself ranting on how much I hate Victor Frankenstein and I also thought I was such a genius for finding a lot of cool symbolism that, it turns out, everyone else found too haha

[@siushi630]

Frankenstein's actually a really good and really easy read! I was at my Aunt's home when I was 11, I think, that I stumbled upon it and decided to read it because I had nothing else to do. I kinda rushed through the whole thing, because I was, you know, 11, and therefore didn't really take enough time to appreciate the symbolism and all that. Anyway, the book terrified me lol. However, I re-read it over and over again because the fear that it inspired within me was just so delicious - I don't know how else to put it. Re-reading it as a teenager, now, made me appreciate the deeper meaning behind it. Still kinda scary, but not so much. Bottom line is, READ IT! You won't regret it :))))

[@emmadominioni2088]

@@kaitlyng7850 yes!!! I was so intimidated by the few letters at the beginning I was like oh lord this bout to be boring as hell but turns out it might be one of my favourite books!

[@notamy5432]

Anne of Green Gables. It was my first classic and it’s such an easy read. I first read it when I was like 11 and I still re read it today. I’d say it’s very good for beginners

[@ThunderStruck15]

If you’re okay with the tons of racism, yeah

[@doriannamjesnik3007]

@@ThunderStruck15 if you can't comprehend it in a historical context, yeah

[@ThunderStruck15]

@@doriannamjesnik3007 you can comprehend things in a historical context and still not want to consume something.

[@doriannamjesnik3007]

@@ThunderStruck15 but that's another story. If you're not okay with racism at all, you'd at least understand where, when, why and how the book was written.

[@yourfavoritepessimisticexi8041]

@@ThunderStruck15 what racism?

[@mermaidmorgana9505]

For people who want to try Shakespeare but are intimidated by the language, I always recommend the No Fear Shakespeare publications that have the original language on one page opposite a "translation" in more modern language. We used them in high school when we did theatre productions to look at different interpretations of the phrases

[@kadyhart2580]

MyShakespeare is also really good! used it a lot in AP LIT!

[@erina2600]

They’re super good!

[@sarthakkk8628]

Or, tales from Shakespeare book by Charles and mary lamb. It summarizes almost all good tragedies and comedies of Shakespeare

[@aIphys]

this is really helpful since ive been wondering for a while on whether or not i should get a no fear shakespeare copy of much ado, thank you! ! !

[@IM-uh5tk]

2:00 alice in wonderland by lewis carroll 3:00 selected works of edgar allan poe 4:45 carmilla 5:45 the picture of dorian gray 6:30 the stranger/outsider 7:41 the death of ivan ilyich 8:53 john fowles the collector 10:02 1984 11:15 starlight and moonshine 13:02 frankenstein

[@moores3263]

thank you so much bae

[@joyscameraroll]

Thanks for this 🙌

[@emmaberger3748]

Love u

[@moores3263]

@Dorian Phoenix you sound like fun 😐

[@reinatheresia7636]

U are my savior thank you a looot ❤

[@AtlanticGiantPumpkin]

I would also recommend The Phantom of the Opera, A Separate Peace, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (the whole series if you want tbh), A Wrinkle in Time, the Chronicles of Narnia series, Peter Pan, and while a few of these are children’s books, it makes them more digestible. Honestly, I don’t trust anyone that knocks off children’s books. Just because it’s meant for a younger audience DOES NOT MEAN IT HAS TO BE BAD. The Oz series has tons of allegories about the facade that politicians fool their followers into believing, The Chronicles of Narnia has wonderful messages about integrity, Peter Pan is a whole discussion about the loss of innocence, etc.

[@rchhtt5210]

LOVE the Chronicles of Narnia series! I've probably read it 4-5 times since childhood. I even have a tattoo quote from it:)

[@demetriatorowus9735]

Phantom might be daunting to some but it is fun. I think it was my first classic besides Peter Pan (which I would definitely recommend to beginners). Also Little Women is a good one to begin with.

[@HeyyyitsBell]

Yes! I read A Wrinkle in Time for the first time when I was 17, and it destroyed me-although I can’t remember why, I only remember that I found something in it beautiful. The Goose Girl is another one I read around that time, which I would also recommend.

[@heneedsloveoooh]

YEAHHH PHANTOM

[@joea4936]

Wow. Separate Peace. I love Knowles. Quite a bit subversive I think.

[@sitka0516]

Poe really is a good place to start- his writing isn’t super difficult to understand and his stories are relatively fast paced!

[@coffeeours7673]

1984 is one of my favorite books ever, i could not stop reading!! i pictured everything so easily and it is just an amazing book people should read at least once in their life

[@inabeanaregina]

As an English teacher, I always suggest two things: Of Mice and Men, since it is so short but so impactful, and She's The Man. Yes, the movie. It is SUCH an easy way to get into a Shakespearean plot with the same names and only very little variance in story! Once people watch it, they might be able to move into the reading to see the differences!

[@lucierc6049]

Of mice and men is boring, the microcosm idea is over done. All the characters dont feel real as Steinbeck isn’t black, a woman, disabled, poor or even an itinerant worker. The characters feel out of touch and I don’t objectively understand why it is so famous. Yes it read like a contemporary novella but boring

[@RachelB.BookReferences]

I love She’s the Man! But I read The Twelfth Night after, and thought it was terrible, lol.

[@nedludd7622]

As an ex-English teacher, I would recommend Steinbeck's "Tortilla Flats" and "Cannery Row".

[@ssarahmooneyy]

I loveeeedddd Frankenstein, Mary Shelley really went off. But another classic that I would say is also accessible, at least for me when I started classics, would be Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. It’s so light hearted yet deep and soulful and you build such strong relationships with every single character. Obviously a lot of people have probably read it already or seen the movie, but to people who haven’t…. Read the book!

[@suprith3072]

I’m a new reader can you suggest me few books to read? Actually i was reading a lot of books during my school years but later fell off from that habit but i came back to reading novels after Silent patient. Can you suggest me novels which is like a thriller,Twists and turn or you can call it suspense or Adventure type books. These 3 are my favourite genres

[@mandarina_ra]

I would recommend Dostoyevski for sure. His short stories are a great start for reading Russian classics and his black and white worldview and angst are perfect for a younger reader.

[@Jay-od7if]

IMO dostoyevski is not as difficult as people say it is, i don't read much classics but i love him, so yeah... I think he should totally be read by young people and beginners when it comes to classics, he is no that heavy of a reading experience as people say he is :)

[@hwlsgrl]

why r yall spelling like that isn’t it dostoevsky 😭

[@mandarina_ra]

@@hwlsgrl I've been reading him as "Dostojevski" for my entire life because I'm serbian and that's how it's written in my language. In russian It's also spelled differently. In english it can be spelled as Dostoyevsky or Dostoevsky.

[@nealg3546]

In English I recommend the Larissa Volkonsky and Richard Pevear translations. Constance Garnett is enough to put you off for good.

[@Jay-od7if]

@@hwlsgrl i`m latino and in my country every Edition says Dostoyevsky or dostoievski xd

[@frroossst4267]

1. Alice in Wonderland : 1:57 2. Edgar Allen Poe (author) : 3:00 3. Carmilla - 4:44 4. Picture of Dorian Gray - 5:49 5. The stranger/ The outsider - 6:30 6. The death of Ivan Illych - 7:49 7. John Fowler's the collector - 8:50 8. 1984 - 10:07 9. Starlight and moonshine (poetry for kids) - 11:10 10. Frankenstein - 13:00

[@sxphie2156]

Thank you sm! :)

[@YoursTrulyMcGouly]

*Carmilla

[@frroossst4267]

@@YoursTrulyMcGouly corrected it

[@alexasunshine83]

your background is everything!!

[@Ronaldo-jh2xw]

Just be constant. You’re smashing it already. We (at least some of us) appreciate the work!

[@LandelRey]

To go along "The Picture of Dorian Gray", I would also recommend "The Importance of Being Earnest". It's a really good way to get into plays. The language is a bit posh, but still easy to grasp onto. Some of the lines had me ☠️☠️ for days, and I still quote them from time to time.

[@aisling8308]

100% I read a lot of Oscar Wilde when I was first getting into the classics and it was easy and enjoyable.

[@vallynlobo1107]

Same! I actually discovered Oscar Wilde by going to see The Importance of Being Earnest in a local theatre in my town. He became one of my favorite poets since then.

[@lee_rayyy58]

Yes I read this last month and I thought it was very Clever and actually really funny!

[@gatosandwichera]

I had so much fun reading that play!!

[@OmnipotentO]

Jane Eyre is an amazing beginner book also. Loved that book.

[@austincross3001]

Read Frankenstein earlier this year and was blown away. Easily one of my favorite books I've read this year.

[@M95-t7c]

the taste, the aesthetic, the voice...and also, you give me strong gwen stacy vibes

[@gianellarubio8869]

Yes! I thought I was the only one thinking that she looks like Gwen Stacy

[@sincerelytheo]

I recently read Slaughterhouse 5 for a class and it was fantastic. It’s a bit newer (1960s) and the language is very understandable but well-utilized. The tone is so fantastically sarcastic and it really gets you into the head of the main character, a WWII vet dealing with the mental fallout of war. Highly recommend it to anyone.

[@georgewilliamson5667]

slaughterhouse 5 is easily one of my favorites books of all time, and does a great job of capturing the horror of war, the perils of getting older, the weirdness of alien abduction and just general awkwardness. Its amazing.

[@alioc3298]

I hated that book sooooo much 😂

[@Oscar-ue5yc]

@@alioc3298 why lol

[@alioc3298]

@@Oscar-ue5yc the main character was so unlikeable, the plot was all over the place, and I dunno man. You ever read a book so bad that it actually makes you angry? Cos that was slaughterhouse 5 for me

[@katebanazek1031]

This is such a good and realistic list... I was watching a different classics for beginners video and they recommended crime and punishment lol

[@nemutai3596]

to be fair that was the first classic i read :/ but only bc i wanted to read the actual thing after reading the graphic novel lmao ^^;

[@vallynlobo1107]

Honestly I don't find crime and punishment to be that advanced. It is just really long but the language is on high school level.

[@agatamazur9810]

Dostoyevski loooved descriptions. It's a really good and interesting book but could've been an email

[@laurio9892]

Solidly agree with Frankenstein! It was the first piece of adult classic literature I read when I was thirteen. I devoured it in a couple of hours and I attribute much of my love of classic novels to this book!

[@pocketofpoetry99]

"covers don't matter it's what's on the inside that counts" ok I officially adore you 💕

[@plantangel1703]

Some classics I've read that are pretty interesting and simple: The Invisible Man, The Great Gatsby, The Tempest (shakespeare play tho), Twelfth Night (shakespeare play again), anythingggg by Edgar Allan Poe. There are more but I can't think of anything lel

[@Mariamox]

Yeahhh the tempest is on my list

[@sydneyd2144]

i love your whole look. the background is actually perfect omg

[@KNellyy]

Great expectations is one of my favorites. I also think catch 22, wuthering heights, and Fahrenheit 451 are good ones.

[@brbosen]

You have GREAT taste and GREAT suggestions! I have read all of those except Carmilla and The Collector and I agree with ALL of your suggestions for classics to start with.

[@blueberrycony]

i love how you talk about books! you are so passionate about them, but not in a loud way, more like in a captivating and really moved by them way. looking forward to reading some of your recommendations 🌟💕

[@lexiegreenbriar]

ive been trying to get more into classic literature and its definitely difficult to navigate as a beginner, so i will be making a point to read every one of these books :) thank u

[@223raulh]

I actually read The Stranger on my own and I found it to be interesting to say the least. I'm having thoughts about reading Dostoevsky but haven't pulled the trigger on that yet. Just wanted to say thank you for the upload. And you look great by the way.

[@teghzz]

U should definitely read Dostoevsky!!!

[@223raulh]

@@teghzz Thanks I will definitely look into it. He seems very interesting to read.

[@solomon_doors]

Check out camus's the Plague

[@HeyyyitsBell]

The Stranger was my introduction to literature, and Dostoevsky is now my favorite author. I also found The Stranger to be extremely interesting, and when I read it I had never experienced anything quite like it. My first Dostoevsky novel, The Idiot, was also this way but was much more enjoyable than Camus. Maybe start with The Idiot, lots of people love that one.

[@chewie221b]

This is actually a great list 👍. Also, YOUR BEDROOM WALL... * chef's kiss * Again this whole vibe is very alluring I love it 😍

[@urmafassinger6562]

When you said, "we all love vampire fiction", pulled out Dracula, laughed, and then immediately pulled out Carmilla - I smiled so big! I have read both Dracula and Carmilla and I honestly think that Carmilla was leagues better.

[@tayloranderson8922]

I had to study dracula for my extension class and i read carmilla as a related text too. I fully agree with you there, I personally don't think Dracula is a particularly great novel imo (even tho I love Gothic lit) especially when compared to carmilla

[@britneyspears5727]

Dracula is my fav! But a v lengthy book. I like the themes of friendship and trauma in the novel. I have such love for Carmilla too though. Sapphic and quick read. Anyone here read The Vampyre?

[@noralie3295]

@@britneyspears5727 do u rec that one?

[@megspydervenom9928]

@@britneyspears5727 I’ve read it! I’ve read all three and liked the Vampyre the best.

[@plugshirt1762]

​@@tayloranderson8922 I enjoyed both but what puts Dracula above Carmilla for me is that I thought the ending to Carmilla was really poorly done and felt oddly impersonal compared to the rest of the story

[@averywren4576]

I’m usually not one to reach for classics but after watching this video I’ve literally put all these books in my Amazon cart. You make these books sounds so wondrous

[@maxmustermann-hx3fx]

First of all thanks for the recommendations. I am from Germany and therefore I mostly read german classics in school which I (other than most of my colleagues) enjoyed. In English class we only read "To Kill a Mockingbird" and "The Importance of being earnest", both of which I really like. Normally I just read fiction non-classic like whatever is popular on booktube, but I already thought a while ago I should get into English classics, so your video was the perfect motivation. After I read all the books on my to read pile (which aren't that many actually I think 5 or so) I think I read a few classics. Especially The Picture of Dorian Grey sounds very interesting to me. In return for your recommendation I want to recommend you some german classics that we read in german class and which (when I am recalling it right) I found very enjoyable: 1. Faust I - Goethe (Every german high school student has or has to read this, but I really loved it. Idk if it is internationally popular, probably so chances are high you already heard of it. Also speaking of Faust I have yet to read the second book) 2. Fontane - Unterm Birnbaum (We read this in nineth grade so I don't remember the whole story but somehow I really liked it) 3. Büchner - Woyzeck (It is about a man who is on the very bottom of society and more or less gets rejected by society) 4. Hauptmann - Bahnwärter Thiel (Has same vibes as Woyzeck, but way more tragic. It is about the anti hero Thiel. Thiel's wife died and he (had to) remarried. Hauptmann called this book a Novellistische Studie ("novellist study")) 5. E.T.A Hoffmann - Der Sandmann (This fucks with your head I am surprised that this is even allowed to read in class. But I was also fascinated by the story and the characters). I personally also want to read Das Parfum by Patrick Suesskind and some other german classics that we did not read in german class. You look like a really nice person, but I am a little bit afraid of you lol kind regards PS: I am too lazy to correct this comment so I am very sorry if some language mistakes or so slipped in

[@alleseasy8003]

I fully agree with all of this. I am also German and I can really recommend Dürrenmatt - Die Physiker. We had to read it in school, but it's so wild, i love it. Also I don't know if it counts as a classic since it is more a children book but I really liked Momo by Michael Ende.

[@Kiki-oo3bw]

Your aesthetic is STUNNING

[@nxvaks]

your books look so good you need to do a bookshelf tour!! and also something that helped me to understand classics' vocabulary more is reading the most modern first then start going back to the older ones

[@koustabborah4959]

At 9:17 I love the fact that the lights faded when you said the line

[@jennaluckey2893]

i read "the stranger" in french (it's original language) and really liked it!. And its not too hard to understand as a non-fluent reader

[@gioscott2363]

The sun tucks behinds the changing clouds, how very elegant. Your a gem and I appreciate your selections.

[@angrypersoninthecomments3050]

May I also suggest the bell jar by Silvia Plath. There are a bunch of trigger warnings so I suggest you look those up, but the wording is fairly accessible and the books is pretty short, but hits you like a truck. Also, the joy luck club. Also, literally every trigger warning, but it was written in the 80s so it’s very easy to understand the language and it’s so dam poetic. Those are some of my all time favourites, definitely worth a try.

[@reriuqne0-ny1er]

A great selection, have read (not the anthology but certainly the extracts) and would recommend them all.

[@somerotter]

This almost exactly matches my early goth kid reading list a few decades back. These books make me want to throw on Joy Division and The Cure and read with some candles. Which is a good thing, to be clear.

[@julietbrook9810]

Obsessed with this, your beginner recs are so spot on! 1984, the picture of Dorian gray and Frankenstein were the first classic books I ever read as a teen and I never looked back, Frankenstein is still my favourite till this day. The only one I’d possibly add that’s worthwhile for beginners is Gatsby - it’s short, most people are familiar with the plot already and there’s some really pretty prose 😊

[@CynicalDuchess]

omg, love your analyses, love your aesthetic, and love your hair!! overall so refreshing!! and you put out some classics id never even heard of! I'm so excited to tuck into Carmilla!

[@evanmiaanderson4666]

omg your so cute! when you quoted Shakespeare and then were so satisficed and laughed. i love when people get so excited about words and novels or stanzas

[@emilymackin7568]

wow, such a good set of recommendations! poe was also my introduction to classic, gothic literature. i love your enthusiasm around literature; it's so refreshing!!

[@iterumm]

we have always lived in the castle is a great one for beginners: short, easier prose style with a lot to dig into if you want to go deeper, and very atmospheric

[@sydneyparker7150]

I wouldn’t recommend Dorian Gray for absolute beginners, but obviously every reader is different. Personally it put me off all non required reading for a year and a half when I was in high school because it took me so long to process. Meanwhile, I was devouring Shakespeare both in and out of class like nobody’s business.

[@MissMoontree]

Probably intermediate. Not too hard or daunting, but might be harder with pacing for some.

[@playerjumps9095]

@@MissMoontree I can read, what would be considered, difficult and dense books; but I can never understand why people consider ‘The Picture of Dorian Gray’ to be an easy accessible book. To me the language used by Wilde was beautiful, but also hard to digest. The first half of the book also put me off.

[@curiouslykristina]

Interesting! It’s one of the first classics I read, and it made me fall in love with classics because I found it so whimsical and accessible. Everyone is different :).

[@chimbirela]

I'm not a beginner, but I was curious to see what you would recommend. I really enjoyed listening to the details you picked from each book, you really have a way of making people want to read them! Thank you for your video.

[@georgiagrkyl]

Ι would love to see a bookself tour if you would like !

[@itszoway22]

For future reference, Albert Camus is pronounced Cam-mou. A lot of people pronounce it Came-mis if they are not familiar with French pronunciation. Love your channel though and thank you for some of these recs! Some of them I have read and others I have not read. Looking forward to reading some of these :)

[@palyddon]

Actually, as a francophone I would say that the pronunciation is more like Ca-mew, but the ‘s’ is definitely silent in any case:-)

[@multiverser9585]

Kah-moo is how I've always pronounced it, with just a bit of stress on the second syllable.

[@mariaclarasanches6383]

I also have to add “dom casmurro” by machado de assis (a brazilian author) wich was the first classic I ever read and it’s just brilliant! Machado de Assis is a national treasure here in Brazil and I reccomend his work to anyone who likes classics. Other really good books that he wrote are “quincas borba”, “memórias póstumas de brás cubas” (one of my personal favorits), “o alienista” (“the alienist” in english, a short story) and all of his chronicles.

[@bushidoh8316]

I would recommend David Copperfield. The finest coming of age story and like many classics touches on the social issues of the Victorian era. It's also apparently Dickens's favourite novel.

[@Angela-kc5ui]

Semi-autobiographical too.

[@booklanerecommendations]

I think Rebecca would be a great introduction into classics and specifically Gothic fiction. Spooky vibes, flawed characters, a mystery element, and where some other classics have more challenging language or pacing, this one is a bit easier to read while at the same time having beautiful writing that will make you want to write.

[@BEVERLYRANDOLPH-lx4qu]

Rebecca is a good choice-as is DuMaurier in general.

[@i-7029]

I'm a beginner in books and really interested in classic literature thanks for ur recommendations 💕💕

[@tristanandtheclassics6538]

Good luck on your journey and I envy you the wonders you are going to encounter for the first time which I would love to discover again! ❤😃

[@ann29light]

i love your recommendations! might've just found my favourite booktube channel. also, your bedroom and style aesthetic is so pretty 💕

[@duckysu14]

I’m so awe-struck by you omg Please keep doing what you love doing

[@alexandra_symphony]

I love how the sun really just sets the mood on literally everything you said. Very situationally going away, and then suddenly popping up, brightening the room

[@maddie5065]

finally I see The Collector mentioned somewhere!! I read this book when I was 15ish and I'm still haunted (?) by it. I don't know if haunted is the right word - it was super creepy but at the same time so fascinating because it was so psychologically immersive. I lent it to a friend and they never returned it :(( But I'm constantly shocked by how few people have heard of it! Definitely needs more recognition!!

[@annataran3567]

I've finished it recently and even though I already knew the basic plot before starting to read the book impressed me very much. Towards the end I felt scared as hell.

[@georgepolasky9809]

I’m very impressed and moved by your emotions and passions for these classics. I could sense strongly your love for them. Great job !!!

[@sew_gal7340]

you remind me so much of myself when i was younger ....i think it is so nice to see someone so excited about books!

[@nealasch3410]

you're literally 2021 version of Gwen Stacy

[@traciumbreit3762]

Never thought much about reading classics but how you talked and the passion you exuded made me want to pick most of these up!

[@whatkindofnameisella682]

honestly i think a lot of people are daunted by shakespeare because they think that you are supposed to understand it the first time you read it like most modern fiction. as a shakespeare nerd myself i have to read everything twice before im able to start getting the meaning, and then admire the poetry! i also think that the experience of watching a great shakespeare production that does stuff visually and acting-wise that you can't get from reading the script really adds to the enjoyment of it. some of my favorite scenes are the ones where characters are exchanging single lines with each other, usually in an argument -- the things they're saying are often so modern it's staggering!

[@happymaskedguy1943]

I would add The Wind in The Willows. It’s one of the very few books that I would call perfect. It’s also extremely accessible, beautifully written. Possibly my favourite ever book. A true classic.

[@andrea-4402]

the first classic I read was Bram Stoker’s Dracula when I was 14 and I became obsessed with reading this brought back so many memories

[@fawniedarling]

finding your channel has been the nicest way this awful year could have ended

[@inanimatecarbongod]

A really interesting list. I'm 46 going on 47 and I only read the Alice books for the first time a year or two ago. Astounding things, I should've read them decades ago. I wish I liked Poe more than I do, cos I'm a big fan of HP Lovecraft for whom Poe was one of his gods of literature, but I've never really connected with him. Carmilla's good, though I don't think it's the best thing in the book (Through a Glass Darkly) it first appeared in. Dorian Gray's great. The later Victorian era produced some fascinating stuff in that vein (RL Stevenson, Arthur Machen, Richard Marsh, etc). Couldn't connect with that Camus book either. Then again, I've never really vibed with existentialism in general I probably need to reread Ivan Ilyich, I'm pretty uncertain how I feel about Tolstoy in general. Not my favourite of the Russians. Haven't read The Collector. Did Orwell at high school and I've seen him invoked so many times by political pundits (usually somewhere on the right) trying to score some point that I'm sick of hearing his name. I will commend the 1950s BBC TV version if you haven't seen it. Frankenstein = awesome. Lots of the misconceptions about it actually seem to stem from the 1930s films (and maybe some of the theatrical adaptations from the 19th century). Re-reading it, it's always kind of stunning to be reminded just how articulate the creature is. As for reading Shakespeare, I love him but I know he poses difficulties for people (though I think I may struggle more with prose than verse from that era). Mind you, at least now we usually get him with modernised spelling and punctuation; years ago I saw one of his plays in the original spelling and YEEEEEEEEEEE. I don't know how much of that I could've read... And I'm in Sydney, so I know what you mean about lockdown blues. We can't exactly look down on how Melbourne went last year any more given how things are going here now...

[@jennagordon4556]

This was such a wonderful video. I ordered carmilla before the video ended :D Thanks for your wonderful insight.

[@keisha_222]

have you read rebecca by daphne du maurier? it’s one of my favourite classics! 🕯xx

[@martinhawrylkiewicz2025]

You are so magical! I am now hooked on reading the classics!

[@sherlockian7305]

Jules Verne is also an amazing author to look out for and in my opinion a bit underrated. Around the World in Eighty Days for example is so cool *.* And I feel like its easy to grasp because the main plot is basically to travel around the World in 80 days. I love that book especially because you can literally feel the excitement about new technology which was a big factor at that time and that combined with traveling around the world is just 👌. Also I feel like Sherlock Holmes could also be something considerable for beginners. There are short stories, so you dont need to read too much at once. Or you can read the novels of course.

[@wormdoodles]

I tend to steer towards 20th century classics, so I'm happy you touched on The Collector, 1984, and The Stranger! As far as Russian literature goes, I find The Master and Margarita, while long, very engaging, especially for those who are unused to Russian literature and/or interested in the early Soviet Union. Other classics I recommend- the plays of Tennessee Williams, in particular Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, the Glass Menagerie, and A Streetcar Named Desire; Brideshead Revisited, Scoop, and A Handful of Dust by Evelyn Waugh; The End of the Affair and Brighton Rock by Graham Greene; We Have Always Lived in the Castle and the Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson; Memento Mori by Muriel Spark; Miss Lonelyhearts by Nathanael West; and A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole.

[@каменныйлабиринт]

all these covers are so pretty and neat. we have very few good editions of classics in Russia

[@HealthDictionary.]

YOUR VOICE IS FAB. ONE OF THE BEST ACCENT I EVER LISTENED. YOU GOT THE POTENTIAL TO BE A SUCCESSFUL SINGER. RISE N SHINE, DAKOTA.

[@myronemmaturner]

"Most people love it, if you hate it you only have to read it once to say you have" my entire aesthetic tbh 🥰

[@grey29825]

I used to read tons of classics with my family as a child and I loved them. Have gotten out of regularly reading in high school and I’m getting back into it in college again. I think I’m going to use this list to get back into it! Thank you for this video!

[@vinnie1180]

a tip : the book that got me into reading was the picture of dorian gray by oscar wilde, and i read it at age 14 so i think that says a lot about how easy it is to read but it’s so incredible i cannot put into words how much i love this book i recommend it to everyone and anyone i meet

[@fllicksick]

I’m definitely in the camp of “this was such a great I to go classics” when it comes to Frankenstein. I read it for a history class my junior year of college, when I didn’t read unless I had to, and it completely blew my mind. It still stands as my favorite novel. So many layers and so many ways to interpret the book. It is my belief that if there is only one novel that will always be relevant it’s Frankenstein.

[@nataliereads.mp4]

great recs! i love gothic horror, frankenstein and edgar allen poe are some of my favorite classics

[@aidenbrown7299]

I have an MA in English had hadn't read like half of these! Thank u for the recommendations, they sound awesome! :)

[@syl2169]

Wooo The Collector! I have watched the movie adaptation, and the casting of the male protagonist is perfect, truly mesmerising aesthetics.

[@Lakota828]

Very good list. I love your taste in books. While I've already read/own all of the books you mentioned, I would agree that they are a great way to get into the classics.

[@petriniemi6792]

My first ever classic was Anna Karerina by Leo Tolstoy. I mean... It was long, but I loved it

[@beautifulheart3849]

My favourite classic of all time, just loved it.

[@successmaker9258]

For reading Shakespeare, I recommend the Cambridge School Shakespeare editions. They offer insight into context, provide translations, and useful a analysis. The Oxford School Shakespeare editions are also good if you prefer an edition with less pictures.

[@jasminehewitt793]

the goddess has posted time to procrastinate schoolwork

[@robertzeurunkl8401]

The opening sentence of "House of Usher" was just pure mastery.

[@StrawberryMilk-sd1tm]

Thank you so much! I was an English major but haven’t read in a while, this will be perfect to get back into it. I have to know, how did you get your hair so white? I tried to do that and just failed terribly lol! It looks so good. Also I’m loving your room, I have the same aesthetic, room tour?

[@treeoccupier]

They answered this on tiktok! their hair is already naturally light so they don't have to do much but they do lighten it with bleach I think :). Tho coming from someone with bleached hair I just bleached it and then toned it and it came out white, it'll depend what developer you use and the darkness of your natural hair

[@arushichauhan8777]

I am a literature student myself. Loved your picks and your insights of each of them.

[@kristinclark8843]

I definitely read that 2021 edition of The Stranger in 2011 when I was in high school, but I am willing to bet that it was only available in certain countries at the time

[@darrenhoughton1515]

Or certain planets that may or may not have access to time machines.

[@bloemvantilburg5227]

the picture of Dorian gray is a great book! I had to read it for school and absolutely fell in love with it. Dorian's character is very interesting. The movie with Ben Barnes is also great to watch after reading the book

[@dianne9757]

Thank you for this! I've always been intimidated by classics so I haven't picked one up yet. But same goes for fantasy but then I read one and now I'm all for it. so I'm gonna go pick one of these as my first one 😊

[@boombangtramp]

i'm going to cry, your choices are so good

[@bdstudios6088]

Note to self: talk to cousin DJY about maybe starting her career in literature. She has a lot of thoughts like Dakota

[@mariaochenas3634]

I began reading classics last year. I am a big fan of history, so I knew some historical context. In the past year, I’ve read the Phantom of the Opera, Shakespeare’s Richard III, Frankenstein, Dracula, Jekyll and Hyde, and I’m reading Dorian Gray now. I love them all. For school this year, I am going to read A Tell Tale Heart and The Raven as required reading. I am _very_ excited