Books mentioned - 1) the secret garden - Frances Burnett 2) the little prince - Antoine de saint exupéry 3) pinocchio - carlo collodi 4) A Christmas carol - Charles Dickens 5) the great gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald 6) slaughterhouse five - Kurt Vonneghut 7) mary poppins - P. L. travers 8) flush - Virginia Woolf 9) A room with a view - E.M. forster 10) Jiovanni’s Room - James Baldwin 11) We have always lived in the Castle - Shirley Jackson 12) Ethan frome - Edith Wharton 13) Passing - Nella Larson 14) The Heart of the Dog - Mikhail Bulgakov 15) the night is darkening round me - Emily Brontë * white nights - Fyodor Dostoevsky
I used to work as security guard in a manufacturing plant to get me through college, and these kinds of books were the only ones small enough for me to smuggle in my cargo pant's side pocket. If they were any bigger, I'd have to press the book up against my shin under my pant-leg, and tuck it into my sock, which was rash-city. Suffice to say, this video brought back fun memories. :)
Great list. Now books that took me forever to read: 😩 Ulysses - The Man without qualities - The Red and the Black - But the feeling after finish all of them was amazing. I feel like I can read whatever I want.😋
Loved this video!! Can you make more specific recommendations based on literature era or the country? Like favorite American/….. female authors you’ve read for ? Also make recommendations based on seasons? Like cozy/ winter reads .. Would love to see your recs!
🌙 I so needed this Carolyn! This will help me with my Goodreads goal! Your videos are always so warm, inviting, and EASY to digest! You are definitely one of my go to “how to” book tubers! 🥰🧡
Italian books I think you’d enjoy🇮🇹: Heart by E. De Amicis The late Mattia Pascal by L. Pirandello The Lüneburg Variation by P. Maurensig If this is a man by P. Levi The baron in the trees - The cloven viscount - The nonexistent knight by I. Calvino Love from Rome❤️
I was going to recommend ‘if this is a man’. I think it’s great, but my favourite chapter (ever!! not just in this book. It’s my favourite piece of writing) is the one where there’s a parallelism with Odysseus in Dante’s inferno which would be lost on someone who hasn’t read the divine comedy. Anyway it’s a very good book in spite of the heavy topic
Great selection! I have read all of these except for the Brontë and the Woolf bio. I agree that Little Prince is timeless and for any age. I also consider Passing and Giovanni’s Room to be essential reading, and I revisit A Christmas Carol every holiday season. Enjoying your content, thank you!
Fantastic video, I haven't read some of these books yet. I'd also recommend "Of Mice and Men" by J. Steinbeck, only around 100 pages, one of my favourite novels.
The Secret Garden (and A Little Princess) were the first books that taught me "the book is always better than the movie" though i loved the movies too growing up.
Italian studies minor popping in to give Italian lit recommendations (authors)! Umberto Eco Natalia Ginzburg Primo Levi Giovanni Boccaccio Elsa Morante And, of course, Dante Alighieri! Have fun reading Italian literature-it's such a joy!!
Oh, I can't wait to read Flush! Speaking of "fake biographies, have you read Orlando? :) I think I'm the weird one here, but for me, the best time to read The Secret Garden is actually early autumn. ;) It was our required reading at school when I was 11, we read it in September back then and I also re-read it in September 3 years ago as an adult. ;) I think I'll always associate Slaughterhouse-Five with Jess Mariano, I haven't read it yet, though! I l love your video and all the book picks! You're always such a ray of sunshine! :)
So happy you recommended Vonnegut! I always feel that for being such a brilliant author, he doesn't get recommended enough. More people need to read Vonnegut. Also try Breakfast of Champions and Cat's Cradle!
Not a classic but you should read The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein. It was so good! I loved White Nights and Bobok. White Nights is what got me into Dostoevsky and he is now one of my favorite authors!
Once I considered treating Elizabeth's fate in Frankenstein as allegorical, where a man is so wrapped up in his work he is oblivious to the affair his wife/fiancé enters into with his friend/son/brother. And consistent with 19th century mores, he then enacts obsessive revenge upon them (freezing up inside as a consequence). In the end he tells his twisted story, metamorphosizing her lover into a monster of his creation, painting himself as a hero to us in what is a difficult-to-believe, if not wholly unreliable narrative.
Late but the Haunting of Hill House is not as scary as the show. It's gothic horror and there are some jarring scenes but it's way more atmospheric and gothic-y.
So glad to hear Heart of the Dog being recommended! Such a wild ride and I feel like it's a great intro to that slightly unhinged side of Russian lit. Another great short classic book that's somewhat similar is The Island of Dr. Moreau (130 pages)
I've been a silent subscriber for so long but I'm gonna brush off the shyness this time just so I could finally say hi. Greetings from the Philippines, Carolyn! Am always looking forward to your uploads :)
My list of favourite short classics would have to include Le Grand Meaulnes by Alain Fournier. He was killed in action during WW1 at the age of 27, so left us very little, but this atmospheric little book is enough to show what a great writer he might have become.
I would add Heart of Darkness. It's short, but incredibly jam packed with so much thought-provoking content. Even though it's only 90-ish pages, it took me several hours to read because it had so much layered into a small amount of pages. I can't believe Joseph Conrad didn't learn English until his twenties, and yet he commands the English language so exquisitely.
Heart of Darkness? OMG. Memories of high school and university. This book was prescribed reading at least 4 times in my life. I can’t imagine who has not been forced to read this book.
I just read Heart of Darkness last weekend. I don't think it could be published with today's cancel culture. Although it feels like a period piece (because it was written in the period), it doesn't feel particularly dated or stilted. I was amazed to discover that Conrad didn't learn English until he was in his twenties. I was also intrigued by how a book with so much 'showing' versus 'telling' would read so fast. I'd put the writing quality of this up there with Nabokov's Lolita. Although Nabokov was Russian, it's said that he learned English before Russian.
@@teresaboyer5707 I actually didn't read it until my late 20's! I am glad though... I don't think I would have appreciated it in high school. My friends who read it young hated it, and those who read it when they were older have liked it.
Been wanting to spread some Dutch literature around so here i go, giving some of my favorite short Dutch book recs: The Black Lake by Hella S. Haasse (just an amazing and very short novel and very impactful writing to understand my country's colonial history) Sunken Red by Jeroen Brouwers (chills, very graphic description of the treatment of Indo-Dutch families in the 'Jappenkampen' or japanese camps in Indonesia) Falling is like Flying by Manon Uphoff (very very graphic and def a tw for SA but such a beautiful and unique book and a tear-jerker especially considering it is at least partially auto-biographical) Happy reading!!!
Hi, I’m currently trying to complete a read around the world challenge where I read a written from every country - I haven’t got one for Holland or Belgium so would love if you could give me some recommendations for them (I think that by speaking Dutch you’re from one of these?) I find the whole Netherlands Dutch Belgium thing very confusing sorry. Classics are what I normally read but I tend to lean more towards happy/romance/epic adventure/mystery than the violent/sad side of things as I haven’t got the mental headspace currently to read things like that so if anything comes to mind I’d really appreciate it! (sorry if this is rather random just thought I’d ask :)
@@anavidreader7233 omg i LOVE that you asked this!! Sadly not that many books get translated and Dutch literature is a little bit sad over all.... but I tried! First of all: I am Dutch, which means I'm from the Netherlands, and books from Belgium would either be Belgian or Flemish. So here my recs are, I hope you like them: Dutch ones: - the Song of Seven - Tonke Dragt, it's one of my favorite childrens lits, it has a mystery vibe, but it's not sad and it is one of mt favorite books ever, but def childrens lit (Tonke Dragt over all writes beautiful childrens lit) - the Dinner by Herman Koch, it's one of the most well known Dutch books, havent personally read it but i dont believe its sad, i would look uo the synopsis! - two books by the most well known Dutch author Harry Mulisch: the Discovery of Heaven (looooong book but a masterpiece) and Two Women (it's sad in some places, but it has an Orpheus theme so the partial predictability of it might make it less sad) Belgian (I've not read a lot from Belgium, but these are ones I know are popular): - the Angel Maker by Stefan Brijs - Captain Vampire by Marie Nizet - Pietr the Latvian by Georges Latvian Hope it helps!!!
@@eugeniekruijt2853 gosh thank you so much for getting back to me and with such a wonderful response! Having just consulted Google maps I realised I meant Holland is the one I get confused with not Belgium as that’s a whole separate country that I’ve actually visited so I do apologise for my stupidity in getting them mixed up! Secondly thank you so much for such a wonderful list of recommendations! I’ve just gone through all of them and unfortunately The Song of Seven isn’t available as an audiobook (or ebook from what I could see) but I did fine both The Letter for the King plus it’s sequel which sounds like something I would absolutely love (I’m a huge fan of children’s books as well as adult) and The Goldsmith and the Master Thief which also sounded really interesting, I honestly think I might read both but wondered if you had an opinion on which to start with? I also managed to find the dinner but I think I might leave that one as it’s not really my thing for now. Regarding your Belgium recommendations I only managed to find Pietr the Latvian available but it looks like something I would probably like to read! I love crime/mystery but tend not to read thrillers so I’ll have to do a little more research but it’s an excellent place to start! It’s been so interesting learning about other cultures when I’m researching books but my absolute favourite way to find one is by recommendation of someone native to that particular country so thank you very very much for helping me out! (I believe I’m rambling a bit now so I’ll stop but you’ve absolutely made my day :)
@@anavidreader277 sorry for responding so late! Im glad you found some that you'd like to try! I would start with the letter for the king :) but either way theyre great books so have fun📖
9:07 this for sure i have no idea about. i have only read few of her books -- mrs dalloway, orlando, and to the lighthouse. this can be a great addition to my readings too 💕💕
Also, that Catherine Zeta Jones version of The Haunting is a POS, to put it politely, with no relationship to the novel. The TV series is also barely related. Watch the 1963 Robert Wise version, but best not alone.
i loveeee Christmas Carol too. it's not the first book of Charles Dickens -- i have read David Copperfield first, actually. i like his books esp Christmas Carol
Children's books are indeed a fundamental source for understanding how storytelling works. I sometimes disagree with Burnett's style but one of hers in particular ("A Little Princess", which in the mid-90s was given a terrific adaptation by Alfonso Cuaron at Warner Bros.) shows how many of the simplest ways to explore character are the most effective. "Pinocchio" is also a tricky one: it's darker than fairy tales are known for, to the point where even the Grimm stories sound cheery in comparison. But the one I think flies under the radar too often is a book called "Bunnicula" ... at least for the level of psychological study going on in a simple story of a dog and cat disagreeing over a rabbit. The fact that it can be fed to kids in digestible quantities says a lot.
The Old Man and the Sea can easily be read in one or two sittings. I really enjoyed it. White Nights was great. Notes from the Underground is another short favorite.
Also, I'm just starting this one but Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradbury. Like everything Bradbury wrote, it is absolutely beautiful. The version I'm reading is 260 pages.
I love your reviews! My top classics in literature (I've read and loved many you mentioned in this video) that I've read more than once: Moby Dick, Herman Melville; Notre-Dame de Paris - also titled, Hunchback of Notre Dame, Victor Hugo; Crime and Punishment, Fyodor Dostoyevsky; The Painted Veil, W. Somerset Maugham. These are all absolute enduring, unforgetable classic masterpieces!
Some great short books Personally I can add some books The haunting of Hill house, I know you’re afraid to read it, it’s scarier than the show (Also OMG I love this show so much, this together with the other two seasons makes my favorite show ever) With This “the turn of the screw” also great short book The picture of Dorian Grey, one of the best books ever Wuthering Heights, also one of the best books ever. Notes from underground, also great book Tender is the night, my first Fitzgerald. The catcher in the rye, at first I thought it’s not a good book but after reading what the author wanted to say it was amazing. The phantom of the opera. And……….The ocean at the end of the lane…modern classic. And that’s what I have😂😊
Greetings from Ireland. As you are part Italian you should check out Visconti's The Leopard (1963) and the fabulous book upon which it's based. As regards classic Irish literature I recommend Dubliners by James Joyce (and Bram Stoker's Dracula). PS Maybe watch The Haunting 1963 with Claire Bloom if you want mild scares á la Shirley Jackson?
Just so you're aware, The Haunting of Hill House is nothing like the Netflix adaptation-some of the character names are the same, and there's a haunted house, but everything else is completely different. The book has a few spooky moments but is nowhere near as terrifying as the show. Highly recommend the book!
For Italian recommendations: what about ‘The Divine Comedy’ by Dante Alighieri? It’s THE Italian classic! I think you’d find it fascinating - it’s really hard not to. You can also just read ‘Inferno’ (like Emma did). It can definitely be read on its own.
Dante is easy and hard at the same time. For my 3d or 4th reading I followed along a Yale course with a professor visiting from Italy, who treated it a long and highly-structured love poem. He made strong arguments based on close textual readings, but to be honest I think it works best as a dreamlike trip through hell.
I don’t know if it’s a great suggestion because in order to fully appreciate it you have to analyse it in depth. It’s not just a book you can read and understand: you have to know the characters and there’s a lot of symbolism you have to work through. After having studied it over the course of 3 years in high school (it’s in the mandatory programme of every Italian school) I don’t think you can actually just read it like that
@@jeanie6565 not 100% sure you're replaying to the main post, or to one of the responses, but I disagree. My first reading of it (The Inferno) was about 40+ years ago, during free time in my Sophomore Year. I understood enough to enjoy the vision of a journey through Hell. Since then I've read it at least three more times, each time understanding more of it. It's a marvelous conception and my only regret is I'll never be able to enjoy it in the original Italian.
@@jeanie6565 That goes for all classics. You can read them for entertainment purposes, or you can study them which of course will give you a deeper understanding of the text. But classics are not just for academics in my opinion - everyone should just give them a go without the fear of not being “smart” enough to “understand” them.
I totally understand reading The Secret Garden in the spring and summer. I do the same with Tuck Everlasting for the summer. Not only does it specifically take place throughout August but the descriptions are so abundant and vivid that the settings enrapture as much as the story itself (in my humble opinion).
I love the idea of short, relatively simple classics. The stereotypical classic is dense, complex, and I think that repels many people. The ones you recommend seem like sustainable reads for those with very busy lives and I appreciate that very much. I do hope people take your recommendations into consideration. 💕
Why is this and Emma’s the only booktube channels that talk about classics?😭 I wish that people were more used to reading them like if they were a contemporary book (you know…they were once contemporary🙄😂) But thanks Carolyn for such wonderful recs❤️
@@PaulinaReadsss the first that comes to mind is Mara from Bookslikewhoa, she has some older videos on classics besides her regular romance novels - new releases Merphy Napier also reads classics although she has been pivoting to manga the last 2 years. Uncarley also has a surprising number of "modern classics" in her videos in spite of what her girlboss aesthetic might tell you. Katie from Books and Things is 99.9% Victorian literature There's Dr. Octavia Cox with a lot of context for, mostly, women classics interpretation; and in a similar vein there's also Ellie Dashwood (although she recently announced she's pivoting to "Lifestyle" content). Those are the ones I watch in English. Then there are those that I don't really watch but sometimes pop on my recs and they're usually male. And finally some of the few I watch in Spanish like Cumbres Clásicas or No Solo Clásicos
I think Lord of the Flies is one of those great short stories that is easy to read but have a such in depth study of human nature. You can just be entertained by the story or, you can really sink your teeth and delve into its themes
giovanni’s room is incredible. blows my mind how much baldwin managed to pack in such a slim novel! would commit several crimes for a film adaptation of it
I’ve been meaning to read Italo Calvino for ages! I have If on a Winter’s Night a Traveler on my shelves! Hoping to read it soon! Thank you for the lovely recommendation ✨
If you are looking for Italian literature, I highly recommend reading If On a Winter's Night a Traveller by Italo Calvino! Its wild but so fun!! Love this video by the way:))
I don't know if you've done this before but I would be super interested in classics according to country. For example, delving into Italian classics since you're interested in that in particular. Personally, I want to learn more about my own country so I'm definitely considering reading American classics.
I love The Secret Garden, A Little Princess by Burnett is really good too and shorter than The Secret Garden. Thank you for the recommendations Carolyn!
One book I can recommend is "Meandering Sobriety". Although it's a philosophical book, it is a bit humorous and still thought-provoking. The book is a series of funny and thought-stimulating stories that will help you have a moment of escape from hustle reality to see and understand it deeper. Most importantly, it's short and can be completed in a day.
I want to reasure you in the need of reading the heart of the dog of bulgakov. But also: An unhappy girl by turguenev Gigi by Colette The imaginary mistress by Balzac The story of an unknown man by Chekov And as i am spanish i would like to recomend you the writer Emilia Pardo Bazán. I'm not quite sure if you havd the posibility of getting them translated but i highly recomend "insolation". Short lovely story regarding a high class widow who gets in love again in the xix century, despite of the society judging her on how long she should be mourning the lost husband. 👋👋👋
Hello! You can read the most amazing book in the world by the Soviet author Boris Polevoy "The Tale of a Real Man"! The book tells the real story of a Soviet pilot that happened to him during the Second World War. The book will not leave the reader indifferent!
Short books I recommend:Joseph Conrad, The Point of Honor; Marguerite Duras, The Lover; and for a slightly longer modern classic (but at just over 200 pages still pretty short) M.T. Anderson's Feed.
Do read The House of Mirth, I think the DRAMA of it might be more to your liking than the understated nature of The Age of Innocence. Plus THoM it's sooooooo delicious it must be fattening
Bet you would like The Human Stain by Phillip Roth, Murokami 1Q84, though it isn't short. I liked Savage Detectives, though it's choppy, Chronicle Of A Death Foretold
The Bears Famous Invasion of Sicily - An Italian Masterpiece - Technically a children's book, though the translator might assume you are a post doc - Lemony Snicket's favorite book
Since you have an interest in Italian lit. (I’m part Italian myself), have you read any Italo Calvino? Definitely check him out. He has a bunch of great books.
I recently started writing and finished two books which have been published. Third one is nearly finished You might consider reading them 1. Meditation and Spirituality a Philosophy 2. Spiritual Encounters
@@adamdavis6810 thanks a lot ! I guess so. It’s about understanding how our minds work and discovering higher consciousness. My third book is on the social issues or the social decay
this is literally what i was waiting for, i’m so glad you made this, it was so comforting and cute and useful, it made me find the perfect books for my readathon that i’m gonna do very soon so thank you so so much 🤍
Any recommendations for short books from Antiquity (or even Medieval/Renaissance)? I would love to read Homer (d'oh) but defiantly intimidated by his two master works. I'm thinking I might try AESOP and go from there. Any thoughts? From your list Pinocchio and A Christmas Carol sound like a good start for me. Grandma used to live in Manorville near Riverhead. Miss her and miss Long Island/NYC.
Wonderful video! I am a former teacher and lover of books and reading. Nice to see young people reading classics. For Italian authors I suggest Italo Calvino. I grew up on Long Island and lived there for 67 years before moving to California. Glad to meet another Long Islander. If you liked Gatsby, read Beautiful Little Fools--it's the story told from the women's POV.
Two very unique Italian writers you might like: Primo Levi, whose memoir of his experiences as a prisoner at Auschwitz, "If This Is a Man," is one of the most remarkable Holocaust books ever written. (It contains the famous line uttered by a Nazi guard: "Here there is no why.") And Italo Svevo, whose masterpiece "La coscienza di Zeno" (usually translated "The Conscience of Zeno," "Zeno's Conscience," "Confessions of Zeno") is a wonderfully original and hilarious shaggy-dog story of a man who suffers many random misadventures, including marrying the wrong woman because he proposed to her in the dark. Svevo was a businessman and amateur writer who got coached by a young James Joyce, whom he hired to help him with his English.
Thanks Carolyn for your book list and comments. I have a question - do you like audiobooks? For example if you start "reading" you reach for audiobook first sometimes? Greetings from Norway, Tim
Has anyone else heard of "The Making of a Marchioness" which is a delightful book by Frances Hodgson Burnett who also wrote The Secret Garden and is about a hard working, kind girl who's treated like a slave because she has no money and whom a titled man falls in love with because he can see what a marvellous person she is.
You have to read an enemy of the people by ibsen. It's a short read but it was so ahead of its time when it was written. Very relatable to current events..
I recently joined rumble and was looking for book content. I came across one of your videos there and wondered if you uploaded your videos there also but as I browsed other videos on that channel, it looks like it’s just AI generated. And there are a few videos there from other creators. I reported that video as violating copyright. I wasn’t sure if it’s something you agreed to but it didn’t seem like it. Sorry if I may be mistaken. I don’t think I can link it here. But the channel is called Writing Short Stories, they only have one follower. And it was uploaded about 6 months ago, titled April 7, 2023. It has about 260 views.
Maybe try The Greengage Summer by Rumer Godden. A teenager girl and her siblings are visiting small town France just after WWI and are stranded when their mother is hospitalised. There was a movie version in the 1950s.
I hear Slaughterhouse 5 referred to as an anti-war novel. I didn't really get that. Yeah they show how war is unpleasant but every depiction of war does that.
I enjoyed Slaughter House 5 & Secret Garden (1993! Loved the movie! I grew up watching it). Did not like Great Gatsby, I just found it boring and DNF'd it. I need to give it another try. I loved the War of the Worlds and Time Machine by HG Wells and would highly recommend both. I also have to recommend Childhood's End, an amazing book by Arthur C Clarke. I want to read We've Always Lived in the Castle.
Thx Carolyn: Proust proved too much for me and I had to take a break from it around 90%. Since then I've been rereading Shakespeare at about 3 plays a week. It works for me but I've forgotten how tricky the language can seem. Good to hear from you, of course, but I'm especially curious to hear more about Vonnegut, who once was my favorite (I've read 10, more or less).
Albert Camus? P.s. what do you recommend if someone is still learning English and wants to get better through reading something classic without finding the book too hard to continue reading
Books mentioned -
1) the secret garden - Frances Burnett
2) the little prince - Antoine de saint exupéry
3) pinocchio - carlo collodi
4) A Christmas carol - Charles Dickens
5) the great gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
6) slaughterhouse five - Kurt Vonneghut
7) mary poppins - P. L. travers
8) flush - Virginia Woolf
9) A room with a view - E.M. forster
10) Jiovanni’s Room - James Baldwin
11) We have always lived in the Castle - Shirley Jackson
12) Ethan frome - Edith Wharton
13) Passing - Nella Larson
14) The Heart of the Dog - Mikhail Bulgakov
15) the night is darkening round me - Emily Brontë
* white nights - Fyodor Dostoevsky
thanks !!! i am always looking for this kind of comments :)
also white nights by Dostoyevsky!
@@doaadikrallah thank you, added it to the list for reference
Thank you so much :)
Thank you!
I used to work as security guard in a manufacturing plant to get me through college, and these kinds of books were the only ones small enough for me to smuggle in my cargo pant's side pocket. If they were any bigger, I'd have to press the book up against my shin under my pant-leg, and tuck it into my sock, which was rash-city. Suffice to say, this video brought back fun memories. :)
Great list.
Now books that took me forever to read:
😩
Ulysses -
The Man without qualities -
The Red and the Black -
But the feeling after finish all of them was amazing. I feel like I can read whatever I want.😋
Ulysses is such an achievement!
Loved this video!! Can you make more specific recommendations based on literature era or the country? Like favorite American/….. female authors you’ve read for ?
Also make recommendations based on seasons? Like cozy/ winter reads .. Would love to see your recs!
I would absolutely love to do that! Great idea :)
🌙 I so needed this Carolyn! This will help me with my Goodreads goal! Your videos are always so warm, inviting, and EASY to digest! You are definitely one of my go to “how to” book tubers! 🥰🧡
I’m so glad!! Aw thank you for your very kind words! 🤗💕 I’m honored!
Italian books I think you’d enjoy🇮🇹:
Heart by E. De Amicis
The late Mattia Pascal by L. Pirandello
The Lüneburg Variation by P. Maurensig
If this is a man by P. Levi
The baron in the trees - The cloven viscount - The nonexistent knight by I. Calvino
Love from Rome❤️
The Baron in the Tree's is such a fun exploration!
The late Maggie Pascal is my book for Italy in my reading the world challenge! Glad it’s an authentic choice :)
@@anavidreader2011 hope you can appreciate it as much as I did!
I loved the Baron in the Trees and Invisible Cities.
I was going to recommend ‘if this is a man’. I think it’s great, but my favourite chapter (ever!! not just in this book. It’s my favourite piece of writing) is the one where there’s a parallelism with Odysseus in Dante’s inferno which would be lost on someone who hasn’t read the divine comedy. Anyway it’s a very good book in spite of the heavy topic
Great selection! I have read all of these except for the Brontë and the Woolf bio. I agree that Little Prince is timeless and for any age. I also consider Passing and Giovanni’s Room to be essential reading, and I revisit A Christmas Carol every holiday season. Enjoying your content, thank you!
Fantastic video, I haven't read some of these books yet. I'd also recommend "Of Mice and Men" by J. Steinbeck, only around 100 pages, one of my favourite novels.
The Secret Garden (and A Little Princess) were the first books that taught me "the book is always better than the movie" though i loved the movies too growing up.
I have Slaughter House 5 on my tbr, hoping to get to it soon! I love the Little Black Classics, such a great way to try an authors work
Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde is a great short classic story :) so is The Canterville Ghost and Carmilla.
Italian studies minor popping in to give Italian lit recommendations (authors)!
Umberto Eco
Natalia Ginzburg
Primo Levi
Giovanni Boccaccio
Elsa Morante
And, of course, Dante Alighieri!
Have fun reading Italian literature-it's such a joy!!
I've read several of those, and liked them very much, Dante in particular.
Oh, I can't wait to read Flush! Speaking of "fake biographies, have you read Orlando? :) I think I'm the weird one here, but for me, the best time to read The Secret Garden is actually early autumn. ;) It was our required reading at school when I was 11, we read it in September back then and I also re-read it in September 3 years ago as an adult. ;) I think I'll always associate Slaughterhouse-Five with Jess Mariano, I haven't read it yet, though! I l love your video and all the book picks! You're always such a ray of sunshine! :)
Slaughterhouse-5 is a very serious book masquerading as a sci-fi.
The book "The Haunting of Hill House" is quite different from the show. I don't think it's scary haha. Feel free to give it a shot!
I've recently finished reading The House of Mirth and I'm currently reading Summer by the same author. I'm also reading A Room with a View.
So happy you recommended Vonnegut! I always feel that for being such a brilliant author, he doesn't get recommended enough. More people need to read Vonnegut. Also try Breakfast of Champions and Cat's Cradle!
Not a classic but you should read The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein. It was so good!
I loved White Nights and Bobok. White Nights is what got me into Dostoevsky and he is now one of my favorite authors!
Once I considered treating Elizabeth's fate in Frankenstein as allegorical, where a man is so wrapped up in his work he is oblivious to the affair his wife/fiancé enters into with his friend/son/brother. And consistent with 19th century mores, he then enacts obsessive revenge upon them (freezing up inside as a consequence). In the end he tells his twisted story, metamorphosizing her lover into a monster of his creation, painting himself as a hero to us in what is a difficult-to-believe, if not wholly unreliable narrative.
@@jamesduggan7200 love the interpretation! Have you read Lapvona? Curious to know what your take would be.
Late but the Haunting of Hill House is not as scary as the show. It's gothic horror and there are some jarring scenes but it's way more atmospheric and gothic-y.
So glad to hear Heart of the Dog being recommended! Such a wild ride and I feel like it's a great intro to that slightly unhinged side of Russian lit. Another great short classic book that's somewhat similar is The Island of Dr. Moreau (130 pages)
I've been a silent subscriber for so long but I'm gonna brush off the shyness this time just so I could finally say hi. Greetings from the Philippines, Carolyn! Am always looking forward to your uploads :)
I’m so glad you decided to brush off your shyness and say hello! It means the world that you’re here! 💕 Sending my love to you from New York :)
as someone who has migraines, this video is so helpful
I’m so glad this could help! I hope you’re feeling and doing very well!
My favorite short classics are Carmilla (vampire novel) and To Kill a Mockingbird (under 300 pages). :)
My list of favourite short classics would have to include Le Grand Meaulnes by Alain Fournier. He was killed in action during WW1 at the age of 27, so left us very little, but this atmospheric little book is enough to show what a great writer he might have become.
first, your hair!!!! 💓💓💓 second, let me watch the video. thank you. thank you very much. 💗
I would add Heart of Darkness. It's short, but incredibly jam packed with so much thought-provoking content. Even though it's only 90-ish pages, it took me several hours to read because it had so much layered into a small amount of pages. I can't believe Joseph Conrad didn't learn English until his twenties, and yet he commands the English language so exquisitely.
Heart of Darkness? OMG. Memories of high school and university. This book was prescribed reading at least 4 times in my life. I can’t imagine who has not been forced to read this book.
This is so strange - it's a short book but I've tried three times and just couldn't get through it. It's just so oppressive
I just read Heart of Darkness last weekend. I don't think it could be published with today's cancel culture. Although it feels like a period piece (because it was written in the period), it doesn't feel particularly dated or stilted. I was amazed to discover that Conrad didn't learn English until he was in his twenties. I was also intrigued by how a book with so much 'showing' versus 'telling' would read so fast. I'd put the writing quality of this up there with Nabokov's Lolita. Although Nabokov was Russian, it's said that he learned English before Russian.
@@davecannon1523 It's definitely a critique of the oppression, but still tough to read for sure.
@@teresaboyer5707 I actually didn't read it until my late 20's! I am glad though... I don't think I would have appreciated it in high school. My friends who read it young hated it, and those who read it when they were older have liked it.
You’ve been killin’ it with the content lately! Great video!! ✨
Aw thank you so much! Very glad you think so 🤩✨
Agree - since graduation it's been a cool breeze, and I'm lovin' it.
Been wanting to spread some Dutch literature around so here i go, giving some of my favorite short Dutch book recs:
The Black Lake by Hella S. Haasse (just an amazing and very short novel and very impactful writing to understand my country's colonial history)
Sunken Red by Jeroen Brouwers (chills, very graphic description of the treatment of Indo-Dutch families in the 'Jappenkampen' or japanese camps in Indonesia)
Falling is like Flying by Manon Uphoff (very very graphic and def a tw for SA but such a beautiful and unique book and a tear-jerker especially considering it is at least partially auto-biographical)
Happy reading!!!
Hi, I’m currently trying to complete a read around the world challenge where I read a written from every country - I haven’t got one for Holland or Belgium so would love if you could give me some recommendations for them (I think that by speaking Dutch you’re from one of these?) I find the whole Netherlands Dutch Belgium thing very confusing sorry. Classics are what I normally read but I tend to lean more towards happy/romance/epic adventure/mystery than the violent/sad side of things as I haven’t got the mental headspace currently to read things like that so if anything comes to mind I’d really appreciate it! (sorry if this is rather random just thought I’d ask :)
@@anavidreader7233 omg i LOVE that you asked this!! Sadly not that many books get translated and Dutch literature is a little bit sad over all.... but I tried! First of all: I am Dutch, which means I'm from the Netherlands, and books from Belgium would either be Belgian or Flemish.
So here my recs are, I hope you like them:
Dutch ones:
- the Song of Seven - Tonke Dragt, it's one of my favorite childrens lits, it has a mystery vibe, but it's not sad and it is one of mt favorite books ever, but def childrens lit (Tonke Dragt over all writes beautiful childrens lit)
- the Dinner by Herman Koch, it's one of the most well known Dutch books, havent personally read it but i dont believe its sad, i would look uo the synopsis!
- two books by the most well known Dutch author Harry Mulisch: the Discovery of Heaven (looooong book but a masterpiece) and Two Women (it's sad in some places, but it has an Orpheus theme so the partial predictability of it might make it less sad)
Belgian (I've not read a lot from Belgium, but these are ones I know are popular):
- the Angel Maker by Stefan Brijs
- Captain Vampire by Marie Nizet
- Pietr the Latvian by Georges Latvian
Hope it helps!!!
@@eugeniekruijt2853 gosh thank you so much for getting back to me and with such a wonderful response! Having just consulted Google maps I realised I meant Holland is the one I get confused with not Belgium as that’s a whole separate country that I’ve actually visited so I do apologise for my stupidity in getting them mixed up! Secondly thank you so much for such a wonderful list of recommendations! I’ve just gone through all of them and unfortunately The Song of Seven isn’t available as an audiobook (or ebook from what I could see) but I did fine both The Letter for the King plus it’s sequel which sounds like something I would absolutely love (I’m a huge fan of children’s books as well as adult) and The Goldsmith and the Master Thief which also sounded really interesting, I honestly think I might read both but wondered if you had an opinion on which to start with? I also managed to find the dinner but I think I might leave that one as it’s not really my thing for now. Regarding your Belgium recommendations I only managed to find Pietr the Latvian available but it looks like something I would probably like to read! I love crime/mystery but tend not to read thrillers so I’ll have to do a little more research but it’s an excellent place to start! It’s been so interesting learning about other cultures when I’m researching books but my absolute favourite way to find one is by recommendation of someone native to that particular country so thank you very very much for helping me out! (I believe I’m rambling a bit now so I’ll stop but you’ve absolutely made my day :)
@@anavidreader277 sorry for responding so late! Im glad you found some that you'd like to try! I would start with the letter for the king :) but either way theyre great books so have fun📖
Another great Dutch book that is also very short is The Rider (De Renner) by Tim Krabbé.
9:07 this for sure i have no idea about. i have only read few of her books -- mrs dalloway, orlando, and to the lighthouse. this can be a great addition to my readings too 💕💕
Also, that Catherine Zeta Jones version of The Haunting is a POS, to put it politely, with no relationship to the novel. The TV series is also barely related. Watch the 1963 Robert Wise version, but best not alone.
Great list.
Would add
1984 by Orwell
The old man and the sea by Hemmingway (so short but so beautifully written)
What else?
Hurray! I think you will love Vonnegut. :)
Have you read Charlotte's Web? It's such an amazing book!
Italian lit recommendations? I Malavoglia by Giovanni Verga, Il Piacere by Gabriele D'Annunzio, Cuore by Edmondo De Amicis
Italian classics I would suggest are the ones by Italo Calvino. I have read three books by him and loved them all, especially Invisible cities.
i loveeee Christmas Carol too. it's not the first book of Charles Dickens -- i have read David Copperfield first, actually. i like his books esp Christmas Carol
Children's books are indeed a fundamental source for understanding how storytelling works. I sometimes disagree with Burnett's style but one of hers in particular ("A Little Princess", which in the mid-90s was given a terrific adaptation by Alfonso Cuaron at Warner Bros.) shows how many of the simplest ways to explore character are the most effective. "Pinocchio" is also a tricky one: it's darker than fairy tales are known for, to the point where even the Grimm stories sound cheery in comparison. But the one I think flies under the radar too often is a book called "Bunnicula" ... at least for the level of psychological study going on in a simple story of a dog and cat disagreeing over a rabbit. The fact that it can be fed to kids in digestible quantities says a lot.
The Old Man and the Sea can easily be read in one or two sittings. I really enjoyed it.
White Nights was great. Notes from the Underground is another short favorite.
Also, I'm just starting this one but Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradbury. Like everything Bradbury wrote, it is absolutely beautiful. The version I'm reading is 260 pages.
《The Little Prince》is my absolute favourite book of all time!😭🤴🏼🌹🦊🌠
I love your reviews! My top classics in literature (I've read and loved many you mentioned in this video) that I've read more than once: Moby Dick, Herman Melville; Notre-Dame de Paris - also titled, Hunchback of Notre Dame, Victor Hugo; Crime and Punishment, Fyodor Dostoyevsky; The Painted Veil, W. Somerset Maugham. These are all absolute enduring, unforgetable classic masterpieces!
Elena Ferrante for Italian recs!! Not classics but they read as modern classics
Some great short books
Personally I can add some books
The haunting of Hill house, I know you’re afraid to read it, it’s scarier than the show (Also OMG I love this show so much, this together with the other two seasons makes my favorite show ever)
With This “the turn of the screw” also great short book
The picture of Dorian Grey, one of the best books ever
Wuthering Heights, also one of the best books ever.
Notes from underground, also great book
Tender is the night, my first Fitzgerald.
The catcher in the rye, at first I thought it’s not a good book but after reading what the author wanted to say it was amazing.
The phantom of the opera. And……….The ocean at the end of the lane…modern classic. And that’s what I have😂😊
The catcher in the rye and The ocean at the end of the lane are criminally underrated
another cozy video inspiring me for my classics tbr thank youuu ❤️
Greetings from Ireland. As you are part Italian you should check out Visconti's The Leopard (1963) and the fabulous book upon which it's based. As regards classic Irish literature I recommend Dubliners by James Joyce (and Bram Stoker's Dracula). PS Maybe watch The Haunting 1963 with Claire Bloom if you want mild scares á la Shirley Jackson?
Just so you're aware, The Haunting of Hill House is nothing like the Netflix adaptation-some of the character names are the same, and there's a haunted house, but everything else is completely different. The book has a few spooky moments but is nowhere near as terrifying as the show. Highly recommend the book!
For Italian recommendations: what about ‘The Divine Comedy’ by Dante Alighieri? It’s THE Italian classic! I think you’d find it fascinating - it’s really hard not to. You can also just read ‘Inferno’ (like Emma did). It can definitely be read on its own.
Dante is easy and hard at the same time. For my 3d or 4th reading I followed along a Yale course with a professor visiting from Italy, who treated it a long and highly-structured love poem. He made strong arguments based on close textual readings, but to be honest I think it works best as a dreamlike trip through hell.
I don’t know if it’s a great suggestion because in order to fully appreciate it you have to analyse it in depth. It’s not just a book you can read and understand: you have to know the characters and there’s a lot of symbolism you have to work through. After having studied it over the course of 3 years in high school (it’s in the mandatory programme of every Italian school) I don’t think you can actually just read it like that
@@jeanie6565 not 100% sure you're replaying to the main post, or to one of the responses, but I disagree. My first reading of it (The Inferno) was about 40+ years ago, during free time in my Sophomore Year. I understood enough to enjoy the vision of a journey through Hell. Since then I've read it at least three more times, each time understanding more of it. It's a marvelous conception and my only regret is I'll never be able to enjoy it in the original Italian.
@@jeanie6565 That goes for all classics. You can read them for entertainment purposes, or you can study them which of course will give you a deeper understanding of the text. But classics are not just for academics in my opinion - everyone should just give them a go without the fear of not being “smart” enough to “understand” them.
Plays by Oscar Wilde and short stories by James Joyce are great to read 👍
Love this topic. Classics aren't just these big, long monsters!
The secret Garden is one of my favourite books growing up.
I totally understand reading The Secret Garden in the spring and summer. I do the same with Tuck Everlasting for the summer.
Not only does it specifically take place throughout August but the descriptions are so abundant and vivid that the settings enrapture as much as the story itself (in my humble opinion).
edith wharton book seems interesting and something i look forward to reading soon 🤩🤩🤩
I love the idea of short, relatively simple classics. The stereotypical classic is dense, complex, and I think that repels many people. The ones you recommend seem like sustainable reads for those with very busy lives and I appreciate that very much.
I do hope people take your recommendations into consideration. 💕
if you want to read italian classic i recommend one, none and thousands and the late Mattia Pascal by Pirandello, anything by Calvino
Why is this and Emma’s the only booktube channels that talk about classics?😭 I wish that people were more used to reading them like if they were a contemporary book (you know…they were once contemporary🙄😂)
But thanks Carolyn for such wonderful recs❤️
They're not, they're just the only ones your algorithm favours
@@hectorrobertocontrerasmiranda if you have recommendations I’d be happy to read them :)
@@PaulinaReadsss the first that comes to mind is Mara from Bookslikewhoa, she has some older videos on classics besides her regular romance novels - new releases
Merphy Napier also reads classics although she has been pivoting to manga the last 2 years.
Uncarley also has a surprising number of "modern classics" in her videos in spite of what her girlboss aesthetic might tell you.
Katie from Books and Things is 99.9% Victorian literature
There's Dr. Octavia Cox with a lot of context for, mostly, women classics interpretation; and in a similar vein there's also Ellie Dashwood (although she recently announced she's pivoting to "Lifestyle" content).
Those are the ones I watch in English. Then there are those that I don't really watch but sometimes pop on my recs and they're usually male.
And finally some of the few I watch in Spanish like Cumbres Clásicas or No Solo Clásicos
Hi, you can check out Colorless Wonderland for book content that revolve around classics. :)
@@PaulinaReadsss Tristan and the classics
Vonnegut is my fave!! Definitely go for Cat's Cradle or Sirens of Titan next!
I think Lord of the Flies is one of those great short stories that is easy to read but have a such in depth study of human nature. You can just be entertained by the story or, you can really sink your teeth and delve into its themes
I was just about to suggest it! I am rereading it and keep it in my purse for when I’m on the go!♥️☕️🔥
Italian literature: The Bethrothed by Alessandro Manzoni, Bread and Wine by Ignazio Silone
ohhh wait i can see Charlotte's Web omgggg -- definitely one of my favourite books growing up 💕💕💕
giovanni’s room is incredible. blows my mind how much baldwin managed to pack in such a slim novel! would commit several crimes for a film adaptation of it
you should read Italo Calvino if you haven't. Invisible Cities is tiny and dreamy, If on a Winter's Night Traveler is just brilliant
I’ve been meaning to read Italo Calvino for ages! I have If on a Winter’s Night a Traveler on my shelves! Hoping to read it soon! Thank you for the lovely recommendation ✨
@@CarolynMarieReads you should definitely read it. After i finished it, i was amazed. I dont know how those People get those ideas.
If you are looking for Italian literature, I highly recommend reading If On a Winter's Night a Traveller by Italo Calvino! Its wild but so fun!! Love this video by the way:))
I don't know if you've done this before but I would be super interested in classics according to country. For example, delving into Italian classics since you're interested in that in particular.
Personally, I want to learn more about my own country so I'm definitely considering reading American classics.
i have not read Slaughter Five of Kurt Vonnegut but i think i have to go to the library to borrow a copy hahah thank you, Carolyn!
I love The Secret Garden, A Little Princess by Burnett is really good too and shorter than The Secret Garden. Thank you for the recommendations Carolyn!
One book I can recommend is "Meandering Sobriety". Although it's a philosophical book, it is a bit humorous and still thought-provoking. The book is a series of funny and thought-stimulating stories that will help you have a moment of escape from hustle reality to see and understand it deeper. Most importantly, it's short and can be completed in a day.
I want to reasure you in the need of reading the heart of the dog of bulgakov.
But also:
An unhappy girl by turguenev
Gigi by Colette
The imaginary mistress by Balzac
The story of an unknown man by Chekov
And as i am spanish i would like to recomend you the writer Emilia Pardo Bazán. I'm not quite sure if you havd the posibility of getting them translated but i highly recomend "insolation". Short lovely story regarding a high class widow who gets in love again in the xix century, despite of the society judging her on how long she should be mourning the lost husband.
👋👋👋
I'm thinking about creating a video analyzing an Indian film inspired by "White Nights." It will be a little while but it's coming!
Hello! You can read the most amazing book in the world by the Soviet author Boris Polevoy "The Tale of a Real Man"! The book tells the real story of a Soviet pilot that happened to him during the Second World War. The book will not leave the reader indifferent!
Carolyn, i've already read some of the books of your fantastic list, and you gave me other great suggestions. Thank you very much. 💖
Short books I recommend:Joseph Conrad, The Point of Honor; Marguerite Duras, The Lover; and for a slightly longer modern classic (but at just over 200 pages still pretty short) M.T. Anderson's Feed.
In terms of Italian literature, check out Dante's Divine Comedy 😉 and Alessandro Manzoni's The Betrothed
Do read The House of Mirth, I think the DRAMA of it might be more to your liking than the understated nature of The Age of Innocence.
Plus THoM it's sooooooo delicious it must be fattening
Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren it is a Swedish children's classic
Bet you would like The Human Stain by Phillip Roth, Murokami 1Q84, though it isn't short. I liked Savage Detectives, though it's choppy, Chronicle Of A Death Foretold
I was astonished to lean how few English people read and know their own great English literature!
A short classic that also is a part of the Little Black Classics library is Flaubert's A Simple Heart. I think you'd really really like it, Carolyn.
Suggestion: Fup by Jim Dodge, 94 pages, it's a romp.
The Bears Famous Invasion of Sicily
- An Italian Masterpiece
- Technically a children's book, though the translator might assume you are a post doc
- Lemony Snicket's favorite book
Have you read She Stoops to Conquer by Oliver Goldsmith? A joyous laugh riot.
Since you have an interest in Italian lit. (I’m part Italian myself), have you read any Italo Calvino? Definitely check him out. He has a bunch of great books.
You might not have read the 1818 version of Frankenstein. Later editions were expurgated.
By the way, since you like Italian literature, the best classical novel is The Betrothed, by Alessandro Manzoni.
I recently started writing and finished two books which have been published. Third one is nearly finished
You might consider reading them
1. Meditation and Spirituality a Philosophy
2. Spiritual Encounters
Congratulations on finishing your books, Shiv! Those sound like really interesting subjects.
@@adamdavis6810 thanks a lot ! I guess so. It’s about understanding how our minds work and discovering higher consciousness. My third book is on the social issues or the social decay
this is literally what i was waiting for, i’m so glad you made this, it was so comforting and cute and useful, it made me find the perfect books for my readathon that i’m gonna do very soon so thank you so so much 🤍
Any recommendations for short books from Antiquity (or even Medieval/Renaissance)? I would love to read Homer (d'oh) but defiantly intimidated by his two master works. I'm thinking I might try AESOP and go from there. Any thoughts?
From your list Pinocchio and A Christmas Carol sound like a good start for me.
Grandma used to live in Manorville near Riverhead. Miss her and miss Long Island/NYC.
Wonderful video! I am a former teacher and lover of books and reading. Nice to see young people reading classics. For Italian authors I suggest Italo Calvino. I grew up on Long Island and lived there for 67 years before moving to California. Glad to meet another Long Islander. If you liked Gatsby, read Beautiful Little Fools--it's the story told from the women's POV.
Two very unique Italian writers you might like:
Primo Levi, whose memoir of his experiences as a prisoner at Auschwitz, "If This Is a Man," is one of the most remarkable Holocaust books ever written. (It contains the famous line uttered by a Nazi guard: "Here there is no why.")
And Italo Svevo, whose masterpiece "La coscienza di Zeno" (usually translated "The Conscience of Zeno," "Zeno's Conscience," "Confessions of Zeno") is a wonderfully original and hilarious shaggy-dog story of a man who suffers many random misadventures, including marrying the wrong woman because he proposed to her in the dark. Svevo was a businessman and amateur writer who got coached by a young James Joyce, whom he hired to help him with his English.
Thanks Carolyn for your book list and comments. I have a question - do you like audiobooks? For example if you start "reading" you reach for audiobook first sometimes? Greetings from Norway, Tim
Has anyone else heard of "The Making of a Marchioness" which is a delightful book by Frances Hodgson Burnett who also wrote The Secret Garden and is about a hard working, kind girl who's treated like a slave because she has no money and whom a titled man falls in love with because he can see what a marvellous person she is.
If you like Kurt Vonnegut then read Harrison Bergeron.
I read The Secret Garden today and it was such a delight! Thanks for the recommendation. I got similar delight from “Anne of Green Gables”!
What an excellent reviewer you are! I am a retired English teacher and really enjoy listening to your views.
Thank you so much! I’m very glad :)
You have to read an enemy of the people by ibsen. It's a short read but it was so ahead of its time when it was written. Very relatable to current events..
I recently joined rumble and was looking for book content. I came across one of your videos there and wondered if you uploaded your videos there also but as I browsed other videos on that channel, it looks like it’s just AI generated. And there are a few videos there from other creators. I reported that video as violating copyright. I wasn’t sure if it’s something you agreed to but it didn’t seem like it. Sorry if I may be mistaken.
I don’t think I can link it here. But the channel is called Writing Short Stories, they only have one follower. And it was uploaded about 6 months ago, titled April 7, 2023. It has about 260 views.
Maybe try The Greengage Summer by Rumer Godden. A teenager girl and her siblings are visiting small town France just after WWI and are stranded when their mother is hospitalised. There was a movie version in the 1950s.
I hear Slaughterhouse 5 referred to as an anti-war novel. I didn't really get that. Yeah they show how war is unpleasant but every depiction of war does that.
I enjoyed Slaughter House 5 & Secret Garden (1993! Loved the movie! I grew up watching it). Did not like Great Gatsby, I just found it boring and DNF'd it. I need to give it another try. I loved the War of the Worlds and Time Machine by HG Wells and would highly recommend both. I also have to recommend Childhood's End, an amazing book by Arthur C Clarke. I want to read We've Always Lived in the Castle.
Thx Carolyn: Proust proved too much for me and I had to take a break from it around 90%. Since then I've been rereading Shakespeare at about 3 plays a week. It works for me but I've forgotten how tricky the language can seem. Good to hear from you, of course, but I'm especially curious to hear more about Vonnegut, who once was my favorite (I've read 10, more or less).
Albert Camus? P.s. what do you recommend if someone is still learning English and wants to get better through reading something classic without finding the book too hard to continue reading
18:53 interesting ohhh
On your question about Italian literature, have you read Elena Ferrante?