The Princess Bride - William Goldman
How have I lived for twenty seven years without reading this book? This was a gift from a pal, and has sat, slightly neglected, in my library for over a year. How little I knew. I saw the film a few years ago, and because it's quite funny and lovely and very good, I didn't think I needed to rush and read the book. But, oh. Buttercup! Westley! The narration (which could come across as contrived and a bit ridiculous - but is actually perfect, and leaves you just on the verge (ahem) of googling Morgenstern to find the original text). It's a brilliant, funny, wonderful, sharp fairytale of true love and devestation and YOU SHOULD READ IT.
Illium - Dan Simmons
Imagine the Iliad (you know - Homer? Troy? That pesky Helen?). Now imagine setting it on MARS, throwing in some Shakespeare-obsessed robots from Jupiter, and an earth populated by the last of the humans. It's bonkers and it probably shouldn't work, but it really does! Dan Simmons is brilliant, I really love everything I've read by him. If sci-fi isn't your thing, and you want something scary, I would hugely recommend The Terror - ahhhhh!
The Great Gatsby - F. Scott Fitzgerald
I'm so late to the Gatsby party, and didn't read the book until after watching the film (bad English Literature graduate, bad). You all know what it's about, right? Wealth! Love! Mystery! Broken hearts! The roaring twenties! It's good, I flew through it, there's lovely turns of phrase every now and again, but I feel like I missed out a bit by not getting to experience the story properly through the book (as I had literally just seen the film - which was beautiful, but a bit flat). I should really make a list of classics I'm still to read, and get started on them before this happens again!
Love the pulp Gatsby cover :) I think every Literature graduate has a classic book (or 7) that they scold themselves for never reading. Myself included; I've got my own list I feel guilty for graduating without reading and really need to get on it. Any particular book up next on your classics list?
ReplyDeleteYes, the cover is amazing! It's a series of classics that all have amazing covers (take a look here - http://www.pulptheclassics.com).
DeleteDavid Copperfield is next on my list... I've heard very good things!