Weekly Geeks 2009-3

This week’s Weekly Geeks assignment is to choose two or more of the following questions:

1. How do you feel about classic literature? Are you intimidated by it? Love it? Not sure because you never actually tried it? Don’t get why anyone reads anything else? Which classics, if any, have you truly loved? Which would you recommend for someone who has very little experience reading older books? Go all out, sell us on it!
   
2. A challenge, should you choose to accept it: Read at least one chapter of a classic novel, preferably by an author you’re not familiar with. Did you know you can find lots of classics in the public domain on the web? Check out The Popular Classics Book Corner, for example. Write a mini review based on this chapter: what are your first impressions? Would you read further? (For a larger selection of authors, try The Complete Classic Literature Library.
3. Let’s say you’re vacationing with your dear cousin Myrtle, and she forgot to bring a book. The two of you venture into a hip independent bookstore around the corner, where she primly announces that she only reads classic literature. If you don’t find a book, you’ll never get any reading done! What contemporary book/s with classic appeal would you pull of the shelf for her?
4. As you explore the other Weekly Geeks post: Did any inspire you to want to read a book you’ve never read before- or reread one to give it another chance? Tell us all about it, including a link to the post or posts that sparked your interest. If you end up reading the book, be sure to include a link to your post about it in a future Weekly Geeks posts!

I’ve decided to do question 1 and 3:

Answer to question 1:

I’ve always had a fascination with classic literature but to be honest am very intimidated by them. I honestly can’t see myself reading a classic although I’ve bought many with the intention to read them. Recently I started reading the simpler classics just to get me ‘in the mood’ and prepare myself for the bigger classics such as works from Tolstoy for example. Anyway, people who dig classic literature and understand them are in my ‘wow’ list.

This year I’ve made a list of classics that I should read and they include The Count of Monte Cristo, The Great Gatsby and some of Jane Austen’s work. I haven’t read a lot of classic literature so obviously I won’t be able to provide a recommendation although I did read Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde and the book blew my mind away. Definitely better than any movie version that I’ve seen.

Answer to question 3 (thought I’d have a little fun with my answers):

If Myrtle wasn’t my cousin and the fact that I love her to pieces, I’d have wrung her neck a long time ago. On the way to the airport we had to turn back to the house twice, first because she forgot her passport and the second time because she forgot her toothbrush! Anyway, while waiting for our flight she tells me she forgot her book as well and proceeds to yap non-stop throughout the journey, taking my time away from my latest Mills and Boons novel... sigh (I’m at the part where he looks longingly in her eyes and suddenly pulls her violently closer to him and... well I can’t read the rest cause Myrtle’s still yapping).

Thank God we found a bookstore almost immediately after we landed and I insisted that we check out the store to see if we can get a book or two for her to read so that I can continue reading in peace on this trip. This is when Myrtle confesses that she only reads classic lit. Really? I’ve known Myrtle almost all my life and often wondered if she could even read at all... (FYI, she is known as Myrtle the Turtle in the family for a reason you know).

Anyway, we scouted around and found a few books that had some classic feel to it like The Story of Edgar Sawtelle, The Road, The Book Thief and The Color Purple. Books which I had read and gave high recommendations to Myrtle on how this book made me cry and that book made me think, ooo and this book is the best... yada yada yada...

After all that trouble I thought you should know that Myrtle ended up with a Mills and Boons novel that she found in the romance section because according to her “you’ll never know if I’ll meet Mr. Right at the beach and when that happens I want to be in the ‘mood’ for romance”... yup that’s cousin Myrtle for you.

Unfortunately, we didn’t meet Mr. Right nor did we meet Mr. Wrong but we managed to enjoy our vacation tremendously; basking in the sun, both of us holding on to our respective Mills and Boons throughout our tanning session by the beach. Definitely a holiday to remember.