24 Classic Books to Read in 2024
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 27 ต.ค. 2024
- Here's a list of 24 or 25 classic books I want to read in 2024. (I'm not good at counting these days.) Thanks to @GinaStanyerBooks and @brittabohlerthesecondshelf for the inspiration for this one -- I definitely need to get away from the tyranny of the recent.
Also, big shout out to Clifford Lee Sargent @BetterThanFoodBookReviews for his recommendations on this list.
Get in touch with me anytime via any of the following methods:
My email: randyray at gmail.com
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Thank you... 🙏🏾🙏🏾
Another excellent video Randy, you must be the most positive and energetic person on chemotherapy! I bet all the staff love you down at the hospital :)
Thanks! This comment made my day. And actually, yes! The staff at the hospital generally really like me. ❤️
When I saw the title to this video I thought, “Doesn’t 24 sound like a little too much?” But after watching, I’m convinced you’ve got this covered.
I definitely tried to throw in several smaller books. But 24 IS a lot.
Surprised to see John Fowles mentioned. He is a top writer that no one talks about anymore. In the 80's The French Lieutenants Woman was part of the curriculum at university's. In the 90's at book conventions first editions of TFLW, The Collector (his first novel), and The Magus were pricey books. I think for those who enjoy Ian McEwan novels they'd be at home with Fowles.
I'm looking forward to reading Fowles. I've heard nothing but good stuff.
That's a very interesting and ambitious list. I hope that you enjoy them all. I've only read about half of those books, but I had to mention It Can't Happen Here. I could not believe how remarkably, startlingly prescient that book was when I was reading. The pages almost literally turned themselves.
Maybe I'll start with that one.
About It Can't Happen Here - this guy is so very right! It's worth reading even if you don't like Babbit. It's a little scary how today's politics look like what Lewis talks about in this book.
John Fowles has been my favorite (relatively) contemporary author since I discovered him in the mid 1980's. I have read almost everything he has written, some of his works are hard to find, and I have reread The French Lieutenant's Woman, The Magus, The Collector, A Maggot, The Ebony Tower and Daniel Martin every year since I discovered him. After you read The French Lieutenant's Woman, read The Magus and A Maggot. Two of my favorites, but everything he wrote is incredible. His books should be considered classics.....IMO.
Ooh. Thanks for your input on this. I hope he becomes one of my favorite authors, too. Now I want to move him higher on the priority list.
The Collector is a very gloomy book.
That is a wonderful edition of The Count of Monte Cristo! I haven't read the book yet but the movie is great! Speaking of movies, my family and I recently watched "The Equalizer" Movie Series, and Robert McCall (Denzel Washington) has a list of "The 100 Greatest Books" that he is reading through. It never elaborates which books are on the list in the movies but I found a list online that has the books he read within it!
Some of the books on your list correspond with "The 100 Greats", including The Count of Monte Cristo, and The Stranger! I hope to follow along with your 2 classics a month plan!
Great list and video!
Thank you so much. I loved The Equalizer movies, but I haven't seen the third one yet. A lot of these 100 greatest books lists overlap a lot with the books in them. I'm always a little embarrassed that I haven't read more of them.
Great list you got there. I'll also be reading All Quiet on the Western Front and For Whom the Bell Tolls.
By the way I just read Nobody's Fool on your recommendation and loved it. Can't wait to get to the others.
Oh, that's so cool! Nobody's Fool is definitely the best of the trilogy, but I enjoyed the others, too. Be sure to check out the fun version. It's wonderful.
This is a really great list. I found some of my favorites on it as well as several that are on my own TBR for this year. Glad I found your channel. Thanks for sharing your selections.
Thanks, it was a lot of fun putting this together. I'll probably make a new video this weekend.
22 year old watching your channel! Have a few of these on my TBR too and have read a few of those myself :)
That's awesome! I need more younger viewers. 😁
Great to see you back. I can certainly recommend All Quiet On The Western Front. Great book as is the original movie, which was made in 1930 (one of the first talkies) and has some stunning battle scenes. All the best from Kettering in the Midlands of England.
Thanks so much. I'm really looking forward to that one. The man who recommended that one to me is one of the smartest men I've ever met.
That's a great list! Thank you for so many enjoyable videos in 2023. I hope you have a peaceful Christmas 🤠🌲
Thanks for the kind words. I'm looking forward to a big year of reading in 2024.
You should make a list of Books To Read While Waiting For An Origin Story. Chemo’s gotta give you superpowers sooner or later, right?
The Innocents Abroad has so much fall on the floor funny stuff. It’s a favorite of mine. The chapter on trolling guides is worth the price of admissions by itself.
A friend of mine finished up a Steinbeck reading this year and really enjoyed it. I should do a reading/rereading myself one of these days.
When you read Count of Monte Cristo, make time for Alfred Bester’s The Stars My Destination (also titled Tiger! Tiger!) He riffs on it as science fiction, and did a great job.
As for scheduling: announce that you plan to take a month off from videos. That will fill you right up with video-making urges.
These are all such great ideas! I have a copy of the Bester book, but I haven't read it, so I'm definitely going to do that.
Great selection. Some of those are on my list for 2024 too 😊
How fun! We'll have some overlapping videos then.
Great list Randy. I’ve read Conrad’s “Typhoon” and Hemingway’s “For Whom the Bell Tolls”. One book I hope you’ll get the chance to delve into is B. Traven’s “Treasure of the Sierra Madre”.
Great ideas to wiorkb no
Never read a bad Dickens book. You've reminded me to add one, perhaps that one, to my list for this year.
I've enjoyed every Dickens book I've read too
Glad to see you back!!
What a great list! A lot of these are on my list of books that I would love to read at some point as well. Some of them I have never heard of before. I read my first Hemmingway this year (A Farewell to Arms) and really loved it. Hope you enjoy your books and sending you positive vibes as you continue with your treatments ✨
I really love Hemingway, but mostly for his short stories.
Awesome Classics get better soon
Thank you! I'm working on it.
Good luck with your classics!!
Thanks! I didn't realize how few classics I've been reading until I started reviewing my reading from 2023.
Good to have you back! Happy Holidays. Wishing you all the best in the New Year. 🎉
It's so good to BE back. Thank you and happy New Year!
Good to see you back Randy. My tbr has a lot of overlap. Look forward to hearing your thoughts on Moby Dick especially.
That might be the book I'm most excited about!
Glad to see you posting
Thanks!
Great to see you, Randy! You've got so many great options on this list. Ah, I loved The French Lieutenant's Woman, definitely a modern classic. The Magus is also terrific. Someday I'll get to the full version of Les Miserables.
I started Les Mis and enjoyed it until I get distracted by some other nonsense I was reading. Great to see you too,!
Some fantastic book there. I do like Hemingway and Austen. Best wishes from wet and windy Lancashire, England.
Thanks! I'm looking forward to digging into these.
Sinclair Lewis also wrote Arrowsmith, which won the Pulitzer. You might swap it out for It Can’t Happen Here if it’s not for you. 💛
I need to make a video for my Pulitzer reading project too!
You've got some great selections for 2024! I had 'It Can't Happen Here' for my 2023. The first half wasn't easy for me, I think it will be better for an American who can get more of the historic references.
'Pride and Prejudice' is excellent; an intelligent headstrong woman butting heads with the British class/social system. But your edition looks a bit odd. I think you should have gone for a classic edition rather than one with recipes and flowers.
I found it very helpful to read 'In The Heart of the Sea' before reading 'Moby Dick.' The non-fiction, historic background made the whale-chapters a lot more interesting, and I think that's what kills most people's interest.
I'm releasing my '2023 TBR Recap' video tomorrow if you would like my thoughts on 'It Can't Happen Here.'
I might get a different edition of Pride and z Prejudice based on your recommendation. I definitely don't want to turn that into a novelty act. I'll look for your TBR video!
@@LiterateTexan I'll keep an eye on your channel and see how you get along with those hefty selections in 2024!
“I love the great gatsby”.......hit subscribe😊 that is probably my all time favorite book. I am also on a John Steinbeck journey. I try to read at least one of his books every summer. You have some great books here, some I haven’t read yet and some I don’t like either (Lord of the flies, ugh). Good luck with your health issues.
Thanks so much. Gatsby gets better every time I read it.
Hello! Just came across your channel and what a great line up of classics! (BTW - my mom was from El Paso so I obviously had to stop and check out your channel. lol) I have a small tbr of classic reads for this year which include Rebecca and The Beautiful and Damned (never read) and Dracula (a re-read). I enjoy Jane Austen now but hated her in high school. I'm 55 now. Read Persuasion last year and loved it. Take care and looking forward to your reviews!
I'm 53, so we're peers! I realized that I hardly read any classics last year, so I'm aiming to rectify that this year. I have Rebecca, but I don't remember if I included it in this video. I know I didn't include War and Peace, though, because it just arrived in the mail today.
@@LiterateTexan - You included Rebecca which made me remember that I have it here somewhere. :) And I just subscribed. I've never read War and Peace so interested on your thoughts when you get to it. Happy reading!
@@bluemaiden5 I'm going the slow route with War and Peace. If you read a chapter a day, it'll take you a year to finish it.
Really interesting video Ray. So sorry to hear you're going through chemotherapy. I hope that all becomes a chapter of your past as soon as possible mate. Good luck with the reading. Looking forward to seeing what you say about them.
Thanks, that's very kind. Honestly, things could be so much worse that I'm grateful to be able to get the chemo. I had a hard time finding a surgeon who would install my port, so it's taken longer to get to this point than would have been optimal.
These all seem very worthy choices. The NICK ADAMS stories may be my favorite Hemingway creation & they made me think of F. Scott Fitzgerald's very underrated PAT HOBBY stories, which focus on the failures of a Hollywood hack screenwriter & are hilarious. Not many people bring them up but they are a hoot. (Speaking of stories, G. K. Chesterton's FATHER BROWN stories are exciting & smart-& among the most literary, & engaging, in the detective realm....)
I wanna check out this Fitzgerald stories you mentioned!
I’m not always a planner, but I did have fun pulling out some classics to read next year!
I love to make plans, but I usually deviate pretty far from the plan
Wonderful reading list. Thanks for the video.
I'm so glad you liked it!
Great to see you back, Randy. I’m also thinking of giving Lord of the Flies another try this year.
Buddy read!
That's a remarkable edition of Pride and Prejudice you have there, Mr Ray. I hope you hit it off with Jane Austen; those six novels have turned out to be a deep well of entertainment and amusement over many years for me.
Fantastic TBR, Randy! I'm going to take my copy of "All Quiet in the Western Front" down off my shelf and finally read it. I've had it for quite a while and just haven't gotten around to it.
Lol, I've been meaning to read it for years now!
Me too! From all accounts, a must-read classic of literature.
good rundown.
_Elmer Gantry_ is another worthwhile novel by Sinclair Lewis. It was written in 1926
I'll need to check that one out. I've heard of it.
I read Lord of the Flies year before last and I quite liked it- the story of the boys on the island is supposed to be a mirror of the war happening in the world they are cut off from. It’s an interesting storytelling device. I think the book is quite brutal considering it’s focused a group of young kids and kind of goes to show how as soon as you take the person out of civilization they reduce to their animal selves. Anyway- I hope you enjoy it this time around!
I was recommended Lonesome Dove this year and it’s definitely outside of what I’d normally read but I also heard it’s Stephen King’s favorite book so I’m gonna read it and see what I think!
I had cancer in 2020 and wasn’t able to read anything during my chemo and radiation treatments and I normally read anywhere between 130-175 books a year but I wish I had so if you can settle your mind enough to lose yourself in a book that’s great! Good luck on your cancer journey and I hope you come out the other side even stronger!
Great list, several are on mine too.
Good luck Randy
Thanks, Big Al. Great minds, right? Great minds.
I’m a big fan of Sinclair Lewis. You’re the second person on Booktube I’ve seen mention Lewis in the last few days so that makes me happy because normally I never hear anyone talk about him. I will echo what other comments have already said about Lewis’ writing in It Can’t Happen Here being prescient and being worth a read even if you don’t like Babbitt. I have read 4 Sinclair Lewis novels so far and Babbitt has been my least favorite so I wouldn’t judge Lewis on Babbitt alone. My favorites of his so far have been Main Street and Cass Timberlane. But It Can’t Happen Here has been compared to 1984 by George Orwell. I personally liked It Can’t Happen Here better than 1984.
I'm pretty sure I have a copy of Main Street around here too.
A lot of very good books to read, so many wonderful hours to just enjoy books!
Wishing you all the best for your treatment and health!! With books you should be Set..
Thank you so much, Annette!
Good evening! I read The Count of Monte Cristo, The Great Gatsby, The Stranger, The Moviegoer, Emma, Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, A Tale of Two Cities, Great Expectations, A Christmas Carol, and I'm currently reading Bleak House. Fyodor Dostoyevsky wrote The Adolescent (1875) which I just finished this month; and his masterpiece, The Brothers Karamazov, which with The Count of Monte Cristo are two of the best I've ever read. This New Jerseyan likes your TBR. Have a blast but leave the dynamite at home!
That's an awesome list. I'm glad enjoying my videos.
Hello from Tennessee
Hello from Texas -- good to see you here!
I'm going to read The Count of Monte Cristo and Les Miserables in 2024. I'm nervous about Les Mis but I'll dive in and see what it's about. You have a great list!
I started Les Mis earlier this year and then saw something shiny. What I read was really great.
Ok, that makes me feel better. I also get distracted by shiny things 🤣
I’ve had a copy of Count of Monte Cristo for years and never gotten around to it. Classics seem not to go well for me, but maybe it’s time I finally give it a try. Hope you hit your goal and get through all those!
Maybe it's time for a buddy read?!
@@LiterateTexan maybe. I did love the movie a while back. Usually the books are better. We’ll have to find out if that’s true this time too 😊
@@gingerbibliophile heck yes!
You should read " The Gadfly" by E. L. Voinich- an absolutely brilliant victorian novel which very few people have read.
I'll look into it. I know nothing about it.
@@LiterateTexan You' ll never regret the time spent.
@@LiterateTexan 👍👍👍🥰❤️😍
Great list!! I might tackle some of those in 2024, as well. Can't wait to hear what you think. On a personal note, do you mind sharing what kind of cancer you have? I hope the chemo treatment goes well and that 2024 is filled with great books and happy news from the doctor. Merry Christmas! 🎄🎅
I don't mind at all. I have multiple myeloma. It's a blood cancer that weakens your bones. If you decide our reading is going to overlap and you want to do a buddy read, let me know!
I hope the chemo works its magic on your cancer and that 2024 is the start of a new chapter for you. And yes! I will definitely let you know if there's any overlap - I would love to do a buddy read with you.@@LiterateTexan
@@christinaalvarez332 I hope so too. Looks like I might be in remission in February or March.
Sinclair Lewis won the Nobel Prize for Literature. I have read most of his novels and liked them. Probably his most well known is Elmer Gantry.
I didn't know that. I'm looking forward to those books even more
Main Street by Sinclair Lewis is wonderful and Arrowsmith too …Elmer gantry is powerful I went through a phase reading Lewis and I’m thinking it might be time to re read some - I have never read Babbit , I think it’ll go on my 2024 list .
@@NYLeafy.V I got on a Sinclair Lewis kick, too. It was a long time ago. I should do a reread.