Where to Start with Classics | Book Recommendations

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  • เผยแพร่เมื่อ 25 มิ.ย. 2024
  • These are my recommendations on where to start with the English speaking world's classic literary canon. In this video, I'm roughly calling classics books that were published pre-World War I, with a few exceptions like Agatha Christie
    If you're looking for Penguin Clothbound Classics, here's my affiliated Penguin Clothbound Classics shop: bookshop.org/lists/penguin-cl...
    Or if you want to go through Amazon, my affiliated link is here: amzn.to/32hC969
    Lipstick: "Wonderland" by Urban Decay
    ~*~*~
    Books Mentioned (all links are affiliated) :
    PRIDE AND PREJUDICE by Jane Austen - bookshop.org/a/8761/978014104...
    (Collected Jane Austen collection in this edition - bookshop.org/a/8761/978014139...)
    JANE EYRE by Charlotte Bronte - bookshop.org/a/8761/978014104...
    WUTHERING HEIGHTS by Emily Bronte - bookshop.org/a/8761/978014104...
    ROMEO AND JULIET by William Shakespeare - bookshop.org/a/8761/978074347...
    GREAT EXPECTATIONS by Charles Dickens - bookshop.org/a/8761/978014104...
    THE ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle - bookshop.org/a/8761/978024134...
    THE MURDER OF ROGER ACKROYD by Agatha Christie - bookshop.org/a/8761/978006298...
    FRANKENSTEIN by Mary Shelley - bookshop.org/a/8761/978014139...
    DRACULA by Bram Stoker - bookshop.org/a/8761/978014119...
    THE LORD OF THE RINGS by JRR Tolkein - bookshop.org/a/8761/978061864...
    THE PICTURE OF DORIAN GRAY by Oscar Wilde - bookshop.org/a/8761/978014144...
    THE WOMAN IN WHITE by Wilkie Collins - amzn.to/3bWoeGc
    TIS PITY SHE'S A WHORE by John Ford - bookshop.org/a/8761/978071904...
    THE MERCHANT OF VENICE by William Shakespeare - bookshop.org/a/8761/978074347...
    EMMA by Jane Austen - amzn.to/3hs8FHh
    GULLIVER'S TRAVELS by Jonathan Swift - bookshop.org/a/8761/978014119...
    CRANFORD by Elizabeth Gaskell - bookshop.org/a/8761/978014144...
    HOWARDS END by EM Forester - bookshop.org/a/8761/978014118...
    MIDDLEMARCH by George Eliot - bookshop.org/a/8761/978014119...
    WAR AND PEACE by Leo Tolstoy - bookshop.org/a/8761/978024126...
    THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO by Alexandre Dumas - bookshop.org/a/8761/978014139...
    ~*~*~
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ความคิดเห็น • 746

  • @estrid8616
    @estrid8616 4 ปีที่แล้ว +613

    where do you find all those beautiful copies?

    • @bookslikewhoa
      @bookslikewhoa  4 ปีที่แล้ว +151

      Mostly Book Depository, Bookshop.org, & Amazon ☺️If folks are interested in finding the Penguin Clothbound Classics, I have some affiliated links with most of them: Here's my affiliated Penguin Clothbound Classics shop at Bookshop.org: bookshop.org/lists/penguin-clothbound-classics-7ecf8706-5180-477b-9005-660667869a8e
      Or if you want to go through Amazon, my affiliated link is here: amzn.to/32hC969

    • @von20808
      @von20808 4 ปีที่แล้ว +53

      Barnes and Noble have a lot of beautiful classics also. That's where I got mine.

    • @estrid8616
      @estrid8616 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      bookslikewhoa thank yoy❤️🌸

    • @estrid8616
      @estrid8616 4 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      Von White thank you so much💕🦋

    • @endermasa9451
      @endermasa9451 4 ปีที่แล้ว +13

      waterstones in the uk produced the copies like that :)

  • @HettieGrace
    @HettieGrace 4 ปีที่แล้ว +571

    The Picture of Dorian Gray is one of my favourite books. I challenged myself to read more classics this year and its rekindled my love for books!

    • @colleencupido5125
      @colleencupido5125 3 ปีที่แล้ว +41

      Author Oscar Wilde's last words on his deathbed in a cheap rented room: "Either this wallpaper goes, or I do."

    • @supershmueli
      @supershmueli 3 ปีที่แล้ว +6

      I love Dorian Gray, and when I get into the classroom to teach high school ELAR, I want to teach it

    • @Justme-rw3ws
      @Justme-rw3ws 3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      Oh I have a book report on the picture of Dorian Gray

    • @archelbar7800
      @archelbar7800 3 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      Had a long hiatus on reading and tried reading a classic. It was Dorian Gray. I was amazed at Oscar Wilde's style of prose. It's not to complicated and not too simple. It just sits in between making it a good page turner. I loved the premise and the story in general. Too sad that his work was not generally accepted by the society during his time (victorian era) because it's too gay and too unvictorian for them. :(

    • @donikaj7805
      @donikaj7805 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      its sexist but interesting for sure.

  • @booluther
    @booluther 4 ปีที่แล้ว +555

    I think Frankenstein is a good beginners classic. It’s relatively short and the language isn’t too difficult. Also for doorstoppers, I always recommend Les Mis to people who love the musical. It adds so much depth to the story and the characters.

    • @jolienvandamme2909
      @jolienvandamme2909 4 ปีที่แล้ว +7

      booluther yes but les mis is a very big book so that’s putting me off but you are right about Frankenstein that was the first classic I read.

    • @kelviannaepperson3677
      @kelviannaepperson3677 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      Yeah I read it in high school

    • @henryanderson6752
      @henryanderson6752 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Couldn't agree more!

    • @jade728
      @jade728 4 ปีที่แล้ว +6

      Woah frankenstein has been my first classic! I loved it, moved on to pride and prejudice and now onto little women. I was always intimidated by the thought of the wordiness but so far so good😊

    • @gemmmmeerr
      @gemmmmeerr 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      I tried reading Frankenstein recently and I really couldn't get into it. Might give it another go!

  • @nightmarishcompositions4536
    @nightmarishcompositions4536 4 ปีที่แล้ว +234

    Dracula, Frankenstein, Carmilla, Dorian Grey, the short horror stories of H.P. Lovecraft and Edgar Allan Poe, or the heroic fantasy tales of Robert E. Howard and Clark Ashton Smith are usually my recommendations when it comes to the classics!

    • @stephaniedunham4104
      @stephaniedunham4104 3 ปีที่แล้ว +11

      I just finished Carmilla today and that is one I wish people talked about more. It’s really excellent.

    • @nursemain3174
      @nursemain3174 3 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      If u like Carmilla, have u read the vampyre. It’s weird that even though they’re the first vampire novels Dracula is more famous

    • @rickytrockclimbing2935
      @rickytrockclimbing2935 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      SAME!

    • @caseygomes8623
      @caseygomes8623 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      I agree. I got copies of most of those sitting in my shelf

    • @elizabethclark-feinstein3216
      @elizabethclark-feinstein3216 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Dorian gray is one of my favorite books rn

  • @hannahfaires3989
    @hannahfaires3989 4 ปีที่แล้ว +238

    I watched Pride and Prejudice before I read the story. The language was easy to follow along with because I already knew the story.

    • @annajo6576
      @annajo6576 4 ปีที่แล้ว +13

      Hannah Faires yes, I agree. I’ve done this with a few classics.

    • @kelviannaepperson3677
      @kelviannaepperson3677 4 ปีที่แล้ว +8

      I did too and it made it easier while reading because I could visualize it and know where I was. The same with Emma

    • @Anna-ou7or
      @Anna-ou7or 4 ปีที่แล้ว +6

      I watched Jane Eyre before reading it and I regret it because it ruined the mystery. Still really enjoyed it though. Masterpiece.

    • @TaylorGee
      @TaylorGee 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Yes, if you don't mind spoilers, I *highly* recommend watching the movie versions before reading them, but I am a dyslexic scholar and have a tendency to get swept up in the story when I mean to study XD Following the story is definitely much easier if you've seen the movie before reading it (not to mention how much easier it is to know the characters)

    • @JLar-bb5hl
      @JLar-bb5hl 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Recommended! While there's loads of humour in the book, and top class writing, there's also a lot of ... words.: )

  • @prfctlolitas952
    @prfctlolitas952 3 ปีที่แล้ว +66

    A tip for reading classics: if there is a movie about the book watch it first and then read it that way you know what’s going on if you get confused with the language and it has helped me so much

  • @annajo6576
    @annajo6576 4 ปีที่แล้ว +457

    The way I got through Shakespeare: they sell editions that have little footnotes or side notes about confusing parts. Made it so much easier and helped me get used to reading his works. By the end, I didn’t even read the notes. I felt MUCH smarter haha.

    • @valpaz5802
      @valpaz5802 4 ปีที่แล้ว +11

      Anna Jo I need that because I struggle with fully understanding Shakespeare 😅 if you don’t mind me asking, what books did you purchase to help? 😊

    • @jenw7283
      @jenw7283 4 ปีที่แล้ว +13

      @@valpaz5802 Personally, I like the Folger editions of Shakespeare, they tend to have a lot of notes and Folger is really well known for their scholarship. Also good are the Norton editions and sometimes the Signet Classic editions.

    • @bookslikewhoa
      @bookslikewhoa  4 ปีที่แล้ว +17

      I agree! I like the Norton editions

    • @theresac9099
      @theresac9099 4 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      I read your comment last night and was going to ask you where you purchased yours. Then when I went to the thrift store today, I found a copy of Merchant of Venice exactly as you described! Meant to be!

    • @kalacs32
      @kalacs32 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Critical editions are always more expensive, but I just ADORE the Arden Shakespeare Editions.

  • @tinytoadstoolcottage8794
    @tinytoadstoolcottage8794 4 ปีที่แล้ว +254

    If someone is TOTALLY intimidated by classics, I always recommend some childrens' classics first. Such as Lewis Carroll - everyone knows the story of Alice and it just eases them into the language gently. Also E. Nesbit is good. I also think Henry James is a great introduction. The themes in What Maisie Knew could have been written today. The Turn of the Screw is a great horror read. And I agree with you on Wilkie Collins - love him!

    • @bookslikewhoa
      @bookslikewhoa  4 ปีที่แล้ว +7

      Great advice!

    • @stephaniedunham4104
      @stephaniedunham4104 3 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      Oh I just read The Turn of the Screw and I couldn’t agree more. It was excellent!

    • @meggy8868
      @meggy8868 2 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      Henry James is extremely demanding. Points of view, crawl behind the narrator’s eyes and don’t trust the narrator. I recommend Turn of the Screw!! Talk about in our DNA.

  • @user-fk2md9lk5d
    @user-fk2md9lk5d 3 ปีที่แล้ว +135

    I'm reading "murder on the orient express" in search of improving my English skill.🙂
    I'm enjoying myself watching your video with English subtitle!
    thank you from Japan.

    • @bookslikewhoa
      @bookslikewhoa  3 ปีที่แล้ว +12

      That's awesome- welcome!!

    • @anahitamirzarazi4424
      @anahitamirzarazi4424 3 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      Hey i did that too with murder on the orient express!
      -supporting you from germany

    • @harikrishnan2713
      @harikrishnan2713 3 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      Hi,🤗 I really love Japan because I grew up watching animes like Pokemon and all.
      How are things going on in Japan, like How is the pandemic situation there?

    • @user-fk2md9lk5d
      @user-fk2md9lk5d 3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      @@harikrishnan2713 Viruses have running rampant in Japan I want to go abroad as soon as possible:(

    • @harikrishnan2713
      @harikrishnan2713 3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      @@user-fk2md9lk5d Oh🙁. Here in India, the situation is dreadful as hell. Anyways good luck with your ambitions pal.👍

  • @MrRajeshkalia
    @MrRajeshkalia 4 ปีที่แล้ว +93

    My favourite classic is The Great Gatsby. I could read that book for the rest of my life♥︎

    • @parmida4723
      @parmida4723 3 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      Yes!!! It's a really great book

  • @yawigriffini
    @yawigriffini 10 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

    “Middlemarch” my favorite book! Yes! Yes! Sooo worth your time! It will also open the door to so many other works.

  • @poiseblemiramoon6992
    @poiseblemiramoon6992 4 ปีที่แล้ว +107

    I dont know if you classify this as a classic, but John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men will forever hold a special place in my heart. If you haven’t read it, please do!

    • @settembrini3301
      @settembrini3301 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      Oh yes, its incredible sad, but still one of the best books, I've ever read.

    • @paul5324
      @paul5324 3 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      It’s a modern classic

    • @chloeedmund4350
      @chloeedmund4350 3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      I definitely enjoyed reading it in school.

    • @siberiangirl1941
      @siberiangirl1941 3 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      Steinbeck is my absolute favorite. I love all his books

    • @afreyno1
      @afreyno1 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      I used to hate reading, but this book changed my mind! I love it so much.

  • @DramaLlama2310
    @DramaLlama2310 4 ปีที่แล้ว +131

    Looking forward to a 'Where to start with modern classics' video!

  • @debralavoie9095
    @debralavoie9095 4 ปีที่แล้ว +56

    Frankenstein and Dracula were my favorite classics in school. I love a lot of Paranormal themes. Excellent video!

  • @jwsjourney
    @jwsjourney 2 ปีที่แล้ว +14

    I just retired and am reading classics with my daughter. First:was The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Second: The Scarlett Pimpernel and now we are reading David Copperfield

    • @AshleyZieman
      @AshleyZieman 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      This sounds like such a cozy and fun thing to do with your family. I wish my mother would do this with me. 🥰

  • @mookiebluff
    @mookiebluff 3 ปีที่แล้ว +14

    You absolutely won my heart when you mentioned The Count of Monte Cristo ♥️

    • @meggy8868
      @meggy8868 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      After reading Huckleberry Finn, hard to take it seriously because of Twain’s biting satire. I still love the plot but terribly overwritten.

  • @rickastley885
    @rickastley885 3 ปีที่แล้ว +17

    Jekyll and Hyde is such an approachable book! It's a novella and the language isn't too hard, it's what I always recommend!

  • @elizabethadejumo712
    @elizabethadejumo712 4 ปีที่แล้ว +49

    There's me think she meant classics as in The Odyssey, The Illiad, Dante's Inferno (which I think I see at the top right of your bookshelf) or any classical plays like Medea or Oedipus.
    STILL A GOOD VIDEO ❤️❤️

    • @tillyp2666
      @tillyp2666 4 ปีที่แล้ว

      Elizabeth Adejumo yep same lol, waiting to see what she would say about my bbys

  • @matthewc9624
    @matthewc9624 4 ปีที่แล้ว +67

    For those wanting to get into Russian literature, I recommend starting with something light that sets the tone for Russian culture. A collection of short stories by Pushkin is good

    • @hunkydory3521
      @hunkydory3521 3 ปีที่แล้ว +8

      I would reccomend Fathers and Sons, it's very short and easy to read, even if Turgenev is a Westernizer as compared to the much more famous slavophiles Dostoevsky and Tolstoy.
      Also, if someone were into satire I would reccomend Dead Souls by Gogol.

    • @Ariana-vc3df
      @Ariana-vc3df 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      I personally started with Anna Karenina, best decision I've ever made 😍

    • @NKanchevful
      @NKanchevful 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      hmm notes from the underground might be good to start with

    • @luiza7453
      @luiza7453 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@Ariana-vc3df it’s too long but is it really worth it ?

    • @michaelargenta3856
      @michaelargenta3856 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      Russia sucks !!!

  • @PODMTHC
    @PODMTHC 4 ปีที่แล้ว +13

    Phantom of the opera, little women, Oliver twist, good earth are must read for beginners

  • @Heather-hv7me
    @Heather-hv7me 3 ปีที่แล้ว +15

    I asked my favorite English teacher a while back. What are some great ways to improve my grammar/sentence structure. He told me reading. At first I was thrown back because I already read books. But I realize I probably wasn’t reading the right books and thought....
    Reading classics seems to be a good place to start.
    🤞🤞🤞

  • @johnbattles1002
    @johnbattles1002 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Since even before I learned to read, I've loved books! After learning to read, there was no stopping me! I owned several of the little "Golden Books" from the time I was about five. But I began a serious collecting quest about age eight, and now have about 5,000 books (age 67) in my personal library. I won't say they've all been read cover to cover; perhaps 70-75% of them -- many of them are reference & textual type books.
    When our first child finished first grade, we decided to home educate her and our other children. She delighted in our reading to her, even into her mid-teens, but did not have the same "passion" I had for reading on her own, though she didn't mind doing so. One day, she pulled a classic from my bookshelves in the den and began reading it on a whim. And it changed her life and perspective on books / reading forever! From then to now, she has been an insatiable reader of not only fiction but science and history as well. The book she chose that day was Baroness Emma Orczy's classic novel of the French Revolution, "The Scarlet Pimpernel." Wherever you are, thank you, Baroness Orczy!

  • @sweetdreamer5921
    @sweetdreamer5921 4 ปีที่แล้ว +6

    I admire that you have so many beautifully covered editions. They're so aesthetically pleasing yet practical to carry with you. Many of my classics are well traveled paperbacks with a couple giant ostentatious b&n classics that barely leave the shelf.

  • @bricelynmaes9515
    @bricelynmaes9515 3 ปีที่แล้ว +21

    I honestly think that little women is great to it’s an easy read, and it just has a great plot. And altogether I loved the book, and when I say I loved the book I mean I lovvved the book

  • @justCan94
    @justCan94 3 ปีที่แล้ว +5

    As a book translator and as a language and literature student this was the third time I come around your channel. Your videos are great. Thanks. :)

  • @clarenja16
    @clarenja16 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    There are a lot of videos here about book recommendations and they're all good, but there's something about you that convinces me to read all of yours immediately.
    I am really grateful for all these. Keep it up!

  • @victoireranger9998
    @victoireranger9998 3 ปีที่แล้ว +18

    In 2020, I learned that Alexandre Dumas was a French black man. It blew my mind. I was a French literature major and I never once hear anyone talk about it in the late 2000s.

    • @AyaAndTheOddities
      @AyaAndTheOddities 3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      he was part black, AND there are many theories that suggest Pushkin is Alexander Dumas. They were both part black. Both spoke fluent Russian and French, AND this is creepily exciting, the person who killed Pushkin in a duel is Georges D'Anthes. Now, the Count of Monte Cristo is called DANTES, and its all about assuming a different character... lol just a super cool theory.

    • @victoireranger9998
      @victoireranger9998 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@AyaAndTheOddities mindblown! Haha! Thanks for sharing this!!

  • @godslittlestidiot2984
    @godslittlestidiot2984 4 ปีที่แล้ว +34

    my favorite classic of all time and one of my favorite books is the count of monte Cristo. it's easy to read and understand it's just long
    edit- oh hey you mentioned it! I'd love to re re re read it.

  • @h.plovecraftscat2354
    @h.plovecraftscat2354 3 ปีที่แล้ว +82

    I would recommend 1984 by George Orwell it’s a great classic if you’re into dystopian settings

    • @rickytrockclimbing2935
      @rickytrockclimbing2935 3 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      Handmaidens tale isn’t classic buts it’s good dystopian

    • @rickytrockclimbing2935
      @rickytrockclimbing2935 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      @@marksuckinbgber yes well let's just chalk it up that we both have different definitions of "classic" lol

    • @luiza7453
      @luiza7453 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      What is it about

    • @juli3836
      @juli3836 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      @@luiza7453 It is about a dystopian futurist (even though 1984 was long algo) society in which people are constantly controled. It mainly follows the life of Winston Smith, a man who works for the goverment until he starts realizing that something bad is going on, and that obviously produces loads of problems on his life.
      I highly recommend it, it's a great book.

  • @derekdavis5310
    @derekdavis5310 4 ปีที่แล้ว +29

    My intro to classics was A Christmas Carol in third grade and I recall loving it. Skip to Freshman year when we read A Tale of Two Cities and started to really explore more classics. My school taught them fairly well to the point where I ended up asking what "new" classic we were going to read in English hahaha

    • @colleencupido5125
      @colleencupido5125 3 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      A Tale of Two Cities has apparently sold 200 million copies, which makes it the best selling novel, ever. All I know is I'm in tears while reading the last 4 pages!

    • @derekdavis5310
      @derekdavis5310 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      @Cheesy Helmet if I could, I would totally do a trip there!

  • @benparrish6157
    @benparrish6157 4 ปีที่แล้ว +10

    My favorite door stopper is gone with the wind. ABSOLUTELY AMAZING BOOK.

    • @theresac9099
      @theresac9099 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Ben Parrish I agree wholeheartedly! One of my absolute favorites!

  • @ShawdiR
    @ShawdiR 4 ปีที่แล้ว +22

    I’m 3 minutes in and already love you haha. I love hearing the way that you frame reassign and these books and also you are stunningly beautiful.

  • @karynkerndl2716
    @karynkerndl2716 3 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    The Count of Monte Cristo is a favorite along with The Three Musketeers and The Man in the Iron Mask. Loved Anna Karenina, Moby Dick, and The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Happiest when I see a young person put down their phone and read.😄

    • @Kiki-reads
      @Kiki-reads 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      Karyn Kerndl young person here, I mostly read by using my phone 😂

  • @mpsensha
    @mpsensha 4 ปีที่แล้ว +7

    This December needs to be a re-reading of the classics, watching this made me nostalgic for most of these titles.

  • @roguebookwomansara9792
    @roguebookwomansara9792 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    I recently started wanting to get back to reading some classics-I own so many that I haven’t read yet! This was so helpful and really kind at helping people get into reading classics. Thank you! 💖

  • @ifihadfriends437
    @ifihadfriends437 4 ปีที่แล้ว +78

    Oh I started with The Picture of Dorian Gray literally last week and I loved it (and tbh the first couple of chapters especially I was just sitting there going this is so gay this is totally appropriate for pride month)

    • @angelawossname
      @angelawossname 3 ปีที่แล้ว +9

      E. M. Forsters stuff is also really gay. One of his books wasn't published until after his death in the 1970's, but he has a lot of gay characters that are disguised with thinly veiled subtext, just like in Dorian Gray. Maurice, of course, gets rid of all the subtext.

  • @dinah8345
    @dinah8345 4 ปีที่แล้ว +6

    Pride and Prejudice was one of the first classics I read (I’m a big classic reader) and its my favorite book of all time.

  • @nurjahanblaskar6105
    @nurjahanblaskar6105 3 ปีที่แล้ว +8

    People will pay you just to visit your home library just to see those covers they are absolutely stunning

    • @marthacanady9441
      @marthacanady9441 2 หลายเดือนก่อน

      Unfortunately those penguin cloth covers designs(which are gorgeous) rub off as you read them. So sad to see the designs disappear as you read.

  • @carolbenson6524
    @carolbenson6524 4 ปีที่แล้ว

    Thanks for sorting these all out...helps a lot! Will try some of these this year.

  • @dreaminginpastels
    @dreaminginpastels 4 ปีที่แล้ว +6

    This is my first time watching one of your videos and I had to stop 3 minutes in to write this comment because I immediately subscribed! You have such an engaging and beautiful way of speaking, and your passion for reading and classics really comes through. Thank you for being amazing 😊

  • @genresandjournals
    @genresandjournals 4 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    This is a great list! You named all of my favorites!

  • @mvsfunhouse
    @mvsfunhouse 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Great content and Channel! I will definitely share this will my daughters who are currently 8 and 10 years old. We started a book reading channel to improve their English reading and comprehension skills. Plus, I wasn't much of a book reader growing up and now having the opportunity to read with them and share it with the world. Thank You and looking forward to your future videos!

  • @gaildoughty6799
    @gaildoughty6799 4 ปีที่แล้ว +6

    This is a fantastic video! Some spot-on recommendations here. Way back when I was a child/young teen I had the great good fortune to accidentally stumble upon some of the more accessible classics: Oliver Twist, all of Holmes, Dracula, Jane Eyre, and Wuthering Heights among others. First Shakespeare was Macbeth, right up my alley with the fantasy witchy elements and spooky dream scenes.
    And yes, Emma! She doesn’t get enough love.
    These Where to Start videos are both useful and entertaining. Please keep up the good work.

    • @colleencupido5125
      @colleencupido5125 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      Very, very good books to start with! :) When my nephew was a teenager, these are the books I sent him: To Kill a Mockingbird, Catcher in the Rye, Lord of the Flies, Animal Farm, The Outsiders, That Was Then, This is now.

  • @SimplyBeautiful516
    @SimplyBeautiful516 3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    I’m so happy that you mentioned Middlemarch because I’m actually on Chapter 4 as I’m watching this. So far, very readable and has kept my attention well!

  • @jenniferbrooks
    @jenniferbrooks 4 ปีที่แล้ว +7

    I loved this, Mara! I agree with you on Wilkie Collins. He’s completely underrated. The Woman in White might be my favorite classic. I also appreciate your love for Merchant of Venice! It truly has aged well.

  • @lottiepea5597
    @lottiepea5597 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Thank you so much for this brilliant video. I am just about to start my journey into the Classics and after a few minutes of watching, I paused, went on-line and reserved a copy of Pride and Prejudice from my local library. Looking forward to getting it and making a start. Have subscribed to your channel.

  • @emmagray6271
    @emmagray6271 3 ปีที่แล้ว +17

    I love Arthur Conan Doyle’s writing. I’m a slow reader so the short stories are great, and also there aren’t huge sections of the books that just drag on which I find in some other classics (the one exception is a study in scarlet where there is a large section about Mormons? Still a good story though). Also the character of Sherlock Holmes (and Watson too actually) is so much more interesting and enjoyable in the original stories than in many adaptations so don’t be put off by whatever your current understanding of him is

  • @ABookFiendNamedMel
    @ABookFiendNamedMel 4 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    Thank you for this video, I really enjoyed your recommendations. Also, I am super jealous of your classics bookshelf!

  • @mandymagnolia1966
    @mandymagnolia1966 4 ปีที่แล้ว +10

    While I liked some of the other classics I had read in school, I fell in love with The Count of Monte Cristo 😊 I still adore it to this day

  • @stellabella3337
    @stellabella3337 3 ปีที่แล้ว +5

    I am SO happy to see the copy of Don Quixote. It is so often neglected amongst the classics despite being the father of the modern novel. I love this video!!!!

  • @kevinbourdeau1543
    @kevinbourdeau1543 3 ปีที่แล้ว

    What a great video. I’ve been looking to expand my reading repertoire, this has definitely given me sine great ideas. Looking forward to seeing more of your videos.

  • @eire02
    @eire02 3 ปีที่แล้ว +14

    For those who want cheap versions of classics, I totally recommend the Wordsworth Classic editions. Here in England you can find them on Amazon UK for £2.25 -£2.50 for almost all of the novels they sell in that version. I recommend them for people who aren’t too sure if they’ll enjoy a classic as you can always go and buy a pretty copy (such as the clothbounds) when you know you’re in love with it!

  • @ricardad8682
    @ricardad8682 4 ปีที่แล้ว +51

    The Great Gatsby is my ultimate favourite of all the times 🎶🎶🎶

  • @storytimewithsam.9048
    @storytimewithsam.9048 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    I have been wanting to get into classics for a while so this video is just perfect. Thank you for making this and these recommendations. ❤

    • @bookslikewhoa
      @bookslikewhoa  4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      You're so welcome! Glad it was helpful :)

  • @amyvivas9001
    @amyvivas9001 3 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    omg your books are so aesthetically pleasing to look at

  • @mariebullington4196
    @mariebullington4196 3 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    Wuthering Heights is my fave and I love to read it around Christmas time. I also love Thomas Hardy.

  • @ahmeat5494
    @ahmeat5494 3 ปีที่แล้ว +25

    THE PICTURE OF DORIAN GRAY is literally my far favorite book I've ever read...

  • @cat.733
    @cat.733 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    I don’t read very often anymore but I recently read the Count of Monte Cristo and loved it! I really like how the Count is this very intelligent, mysterious figure who’s one step ahead; but he is also flawed, has emotions and makes mistakes. There are characters that are hateful but also ones to root for. The ending was also very satisfying and showed growth.

  • @gabriellegarcia4095
    @gabriellegarcia4095 3 ปีที่แล้ว +40

    I remembered after reading Frankenstein (it was good tho) I used to get little annoyed that some people think Frankenstein is a monster but actually that's a Doctor

    • @july3817
      @july3817 3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      Although I would definitely say doctor Frankenstein was a monster considering how he treated his "child"

    • @gabriellegarcia4095
      @gabriellegarcia4095 3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      @@july3817 You know what? I agree.

    • @zhr171
      @zhr171 2 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      I thought the monsters name was Frankenstein I was surprised while reading that it was the doctors name 😭

    • @juli3836
      @juli3836 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      Same! And sadly, I related A LOT to the monster the moment I read it. Now I don't.

  • @mw5218
    @mw5218 3 ปีที่แล้ว

    This video is so helpful, thank you so much. I'm trying to get into classics but didn't know where to start so this video is perfect.

  • @lesliebrophy2810
    @lesliebrophy2810 3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Thank you for recommending Cranford as I had not heard of it before. Such a delightful little book!

  • @sunshinebear999
    @sunshinebear999 3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Was surprised by no mention of a huge reading project which I loved, Les Misérables. Talk about a door stop!! Fantastic

  • @loudotmac
    @loudotmac 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    I have recently discovered your channel and I’m loving your content.
    What an incredibly helpful video. I was making notes throughout the whole thing, and can’t wait to make a new bookshelf on Goodreads with your recommendations. Off to binge watch a few more of your videos before bed.

    • @bookslikewhoa
      @bookslikewhoa  4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Oh yay, well, welcome!! Thanks for joining the journey

  • @gauravsinha6060
    @gauravsinha6060 4 ปีที่แล้ว +16

    I started with Mary Shelley's Frankenstein and Dickens's Great Expectations. 😊😊
    Thank you for the great video. 😊😊

  • @nataliadelmoral
    @nataliadelmoral 4 ปีที่แล้ว +68

    Tried out on the first attempt to read the classics “War and Peace”, couldn’t finished. Trying Dickens and Dostoyevsky now, later go back and try Tolstoy with Ana Karenina.
    It was like I tried running a marathon on my first outing.

    • @nabilaelvanya9451
      @nabilaelvanya9451 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      Wow i literally just wanted to start reading classics by War and Peace first, now this makes me afraid haha, let alone when english isn't my first language and i cant find the book version in my language :(

    • @Bookingnirvana
      @Bookingnirvana 4 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      Hi if you didn't have appreciate war dnd peace i would strongly discourage Dostoevsky's nooks...they are more eccentric...would suggest Anna Karenina as its a tragic love story....check out my videos on Russian classics if u want more details elee let me know...oug of Dostoevsky's books if you want to pick take crime and punishment

    • @leezirkle7840
      @leezirkle7840 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      I am currently reading Anna Karenina. Was blown away on the story line.

    • @tarnim2595
      @tarnim2595 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Just with Tolstoy. The books are actually translated anyway. So if you are starting to read them and English isn't your first language, it's actually quite likely that a translated might be available in your native language.

    • @nataliadelmoral
      @nataliadelmoral 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      Tarni M thanks! English is not my first language but I do have the books in Spanish and English 😁

  • @stephanierobb4486
    @stephanierobb4486 4 ปีที่แล้ว

    You mentioned so many that are on my tbr and keep meaning to pick up

  • @RandMontauk
    @RandMontauk 3 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    We studied great expectations in school but I only read the first part. Finally, 15 years later, I read it fully over the summer and now I can't get it out of my head now.

  • @carlyy.22
    @carlyy.22 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    I'm literally thirteen years old, but I absolutely love classics. I love Jane Austen and the Bronte sisters. I always think that the teens my age don't usually read these types of books, and people don't know how to tell me where to start, so you really helped me in these. Thank you so much❣

  • @justonemorechapter74
    @justonemorechapter74 3 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    A great video! If people like Jane austen or the bronte sisters, I would also suggest elizabeth gaskell. Cranford, and north and south are accessible reads with great characters.

  • @violamanges2966
    @violamanges2966 3 ปีที่แล้ว

    Awesome list of classics - I have read 4 books on this list and have a few others on my to be read list. This list is a great guide.

  • @defundhollywood3259
    @defundhollywood3259 4 ปีที่แล้ว +9

    I'm so glad you recommended Middlemarch. I'm more a fan of The Mill on the Floss but close enough. 😉👍

  • @christinebihasa6863
    @christinebihasa6863 3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    those books are gorgeous and so are you. love the recs

  • @atis9061
    @atis9061 4 ปีที่แล้ว

    Thank you! These were expected but I fully appreciate the presentation :)

  • @niles9542
    @niles9542 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Oh man, you did such a great job on this! I've just finished The Canterbury Tales (Thanks a lot Steve Donaghue for plunging me into the Western Canon!) and in prep for that I found Dolores Cullen's, Chaucer's Pilgrims. Wow, now I've got to read Chaucer again! I love the classics! Did Shakespeare last year, but am looking forward to the 19th century.

  • @macareuxmoine
    @macareuxmoine 3 ปีที่แล้ว

    You matching your eyeshadow to the Pride&Prejudice cover is just awwwwweeeesome 😀

  • @annerobinson2288
    @annerobinson2288 4 ปีที่แล้ว

    Nice selection. Very exciting to get back to the classics.

  • @tododia1ciclonovo.215
    @tododia1ciclonovo.215 4 ปีที่แล้ว +11

    🇧🇷 I love books, I love literature, and I'm learning to speak English on my own. So I've already subscribed to your channel, success!

  • @magnusbane2177
    @magnusbane2177 4 ปีที่แล้ว

    I only just discovered your channel and I am amazed by your charisma and passion for classics! So happy to have found you! 😆

  • @Ms13Alla
    @Ms13Alla 4 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    Thank you! Especially for Leo Tolstoy.

  • @dangaines405
    @dangaines405 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    Great suggestions! Very articulate notes, thanks! I subscribed!

  • @isidorag.k.8022
    @isidorag.k.8022 3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    this is the first video I've watched from your channel, and like.... I love you already

  • @annoldham3018
    @annoldham3018 4 ปีที่แล้ว +19

    Doorstoppers. Love it.😂

  • @alishbaali7223
    @alishbaali7223 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    You have such a beautiful collection of books, makes me sooo jealous. Also, girlll, your make up is so so good

  • @marajade7217
    @marajade7217 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    All the introduction book she mentioned I have read 😂 This for sure makes me want to continue to expand my classical collection!

  • @tayashokkerwrites
    @tayashokkerwrites 4 ปีที่แล้ว

    This video was extremely helpful. Thank you so much!!! 😊

  • @chihabreda6681
    @chihabreda6681 4 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    Wonderful classics collection

  • @pyromania2280
    @pyromania2280 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Your bookshelf is so elegant😍

  • @KristinMomentsOfSanctuary
    @KristinMomentsOfSanctuary 4 ปีที่แล้ว +7

    Reading Willkie Collins “the Frozen Deep” right now- love him! Recommend Women in White often!

  • @Lobxx1
    @Lobxx1 3 ปีที่แล้ว

    I'm so glad you mentioned A Modest Proposal 💚

  • @jenw7283
    @jenw7283 4 ปีที่แล้ว +28

    Your list was great, particularly for European/Western culture classics. I would usually start with Frankenstein as the classic I would recommend because it is not too long, the language isn't too difficult, it has some themes that have aged very well, particularly with the sciences and questions on the ethics of certain branches of science, nature vs nurture, etc. Also, so many of the movies are only VERY loosely based on the novel, so it is fun to read the original and see the differences.
    I did like Dracula, but I think it is harder to get into for most people because a lot of it is written as an epistolary, or journal entries, which can be hard to get into and stay absorbed in the story. For short horror classics, I like Edgar Allen Poe, particularly The Cask of Amontillado or The Black Cat, among the other more well-known stories.
    If you are looking for more obscure Western classics that are decent to start with, I really liked Moll Flanders by Danel Defoe and Tom Jones by Henry Fielding, both are some of the very first English novels, and I found them very entertaining.
    If you are looking to get into some more general World Literature, some of the easiest to start with are probably Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe or The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende. Somewhat harder to get into, I would also recommend Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoyevsky and The Tale of Genji by Murasaki Shikibu, which was written in 11th century Japan and may be the first recorded novel in the world. For short horror stories from Japan, I would recommend the works of Rynosuke Akutagawa, particularly Hell Screen or Rashomon.
    Gah, there are too many great classics to recommend! It is hard to know where to start without knowing someone's tastes! And this doesn't even really touch on the more modern classics (though House of the Spirits is fairly modern)...

    • @bookslikewhoa
      @bookslikewhoa  4 ปีที่แล้ว

      Great recs here!

    • @colleencupido5125
      @colleencupido5125 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      Two years after marriage, I was reading John Dracula (he's got Dyslexia). I said, "It's1:00 am. Can we stop and get to bed? He said, "You can't stop now!! It's the most exciting part!"

  • @cpagoals
    @cpagoals 3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    So pleased that Pride and Prejudice was your top choice as it was the first classic I read at 11 years old and to this day, after 5 re-reads, it has not been replaced as my favorite, although Jane Eyre really did come in as a close second

  • @addibaker1209
    @addibaker1209 3 ปีที่แล้ว

    Really great recommendations. Thank you

  • @shimone5198
    @shimone5198 4 ปีที่แล้ว

    this channel is so refreshing

  • @francinegodhelp-hazeveld2159
    @francinegodhelp-hazeveld2159 3 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    The first time I read war and peace , I was around 18 years; I left out all the parts about the war: I reread it a few years ago ; now with the war scenes. Another book I really enjoyed was Gone with the wind, great read about American history and nothing like the movie.

  • @EnigmaticPsyche
    @EnigmaticPsyche 4 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    Wow... The knowingness of this video... How could you know how relevant this would be in 2020? Thank you for this.

  • @POlivares23
    @POlivares23 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    You read Count of Monte Cristo as a kid? I'm impressed! I picked up an abridged version as a middle schooler and put it down because it was a bit tedious. I picked up the unabridge version earlier this year, as an adult, and finally read through it-I quite enjoyed it. P & P is something I tried reading multiple times but I just can't follow through and read it. I might try Persuasion soon, though as I'm trying to get more into classics. Great video!

  • @Jimbodisfan
    @Jimbodisfan 4 ปีที่แล้ว +6

    Hi Maura! I think many of the books on your bookshelves have gorgeous bindings. I am currently reading a movie-tie-in paperback edition of Great Expectations by Charles Dickens that I bought from the Barnes and Noble bargain bin for $2.00 USD; and yes: his plots are male ice cream sundae without the ice cream bonkers. I've read Wuthering Heights; while I loved the atmosphere and sense of place, I believe that the characters all deserved to undergo live autopsies.

    • @colleencupido5125
      @colleencupido5125 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      The poet Gabriel Rossetti said the action of Wuthering Heights takes place in Hell, where all the characters mysteriously have English names... As for Charles Dickens, I agree with John Updike in that the reason academia looks down on him is that Dickens tries to move readers primarily through their emotions rather than intellect.

  • @MyLifeWithKai
    @MyLifeWithKai 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    This was a wonderful video! Thank you!!!

  • @ellie5447
    @ellie5447 3 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    Yes, Emma is my favourite book! I recommend it to everyone 💕

  • @mw5218
    @mw5218 3 ปีที่แล้ว

    Your make up matching with the pride and prejudice book was so cool