Tuesday, 28 May 2013

If you only read the books that everyone else is reading, you can only think what everyone else is thinking - Haruki Murakami

The Armchair BEA topic for today: CLASSICS

The word classics will always be problematic methinks. It's just not warm and friendly. It's stuffy. Distant. Cold, even.

It can make the works it refers to seem distant and cold. Too intellectual. Over our heads.  And that's sooooo wrong. It just means too many miss out on some brilliant, witty and entertainingly touching writing.

Do you remember when we used the word classic in every day chat to describe something cool? Something more than acceptable? Something really, really good. Like Hugh Grant in Notting Hill?

I wrote about "Classics" fairly early on in my life as a blogger. And my initial musings have become convictions. A Classic is what rocks your world. Moves you and stays with you. Shapes who you are and what you become. Whatever that may be.

My favourites, off the top of my head, are: Edith Wharton (The House of Mirth, The Old Maid); Marilyn French (The Women's Room, In the Name of Friendship); Ivan Turgenev (Fathers & Sons, First Love); Elizabeth Gaskell (Wives & Daughters, Cranford); Jane Austen (Emma).  I could go on. But I won't...
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26 comments:

  1. Anonymous28 May 2013 at 22:25

    You're right, something about the word classic implies old, dusty and inaccessible. When I think classic I think english that is antiquated. Maybe because so many bloggers are so young more and more books and authors like Salinger and Hemingway are being put into this category. And yes, they are classic in that they've stood the test of time, but they are not old and dusty!

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    1. a barmy bookworm28 May 2013 at 23:07

      So many aren't. We just have to push ourselves past the label...

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  2. Diamond28 May 2013 at 22:52

    I love classics too! And cats! Lol. Thanks for stopping by my blog earlier...looks like we have a lot in common! I've been wanting to read Edith Wharton for a long time..The Age of Innocence is sitting on my bookshelf. I'm thinking to read it this year!

    Here is my classics post
    I'm following you now too :) Dee's Reads Classics Post

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    1. a barmy bookworm28 May 2013 at 23:08

      The Age of Innocence is fab. You won't regret starting it. And I'm following you back :0)

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  3. Meg @ A Bookish Affair29 May 2013 at 03:32

    Ooo, Murakami is awesome!

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  4. Becky LeJeune29 May 2013 at 16:11

    I have definitely become more open to classics since college but I rarely have a chance to fit them into my reading schedule. I've amassed a collection of Austen's work and one of these days I'll finally dive in!

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    1. a barmy bookworm29 May 2013 at 18:13

      Just do it, my friend! You'll never regret taking Austen into your life

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  5. Julie Goucher29 May 2013 at 18:09

    Hello, thanks for stopping by Anglers Rest. Yes, it is nice to meet a fellow Brit! Waves from a rather sunny Devon!

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    1. a barmy bookworm29 May 2013 at 18:14

      Sunny? Really??! I'm in Strasbourg and it hasn't stopped raining for the past 3 days. Constant, heavy rain. Unheard of before now... :0)

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  6. Anonymous29 May 2013 at 19:56

    You are so articulate. The word classic does come with those cold connotations. Sad, but true. I have The House of Mirth right on my bedhead! Only read a few pages until I got distracted by my review copies. Definitely will rejoin it tonight!

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    1. a barmy bookworm29 May 2013 at 20:22

      Dearest Christine! The House of Mirth is excellent. Loved it. Launched me into the greatest admiration for EW. Please let me know what you think of it once you've finished it!

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  7. Unknown29 May 2013 at 22:00

    Thanks for sharing your thoughts and recommendations.Such a great quote by Haruki I recently finished my first ever book I've read by him called After Dark I like how he describe and narrate things.I tried to challenge myself reading more classics this year or so but anyway I hope you have a lovely day!

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    1. a barmy bookworm30 May 2013 at 20:41

      Good luck with the challenge. It's not the worst thing you'll ever do...

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  8. Kimberly @ Midnight Book Girl30 May 2013 at 03:02

    I'm not a fan of the classics either. To me they just scream "Boring!"

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    1. a barmy bookworm30 May 2013 at 20:42

      Oh I love what's classed as a classic. Just not keen on the label. Which does scream, amongst other things, "boring". But isn't in reality... ;0)

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  9. Ashley G.30 May 2013 at 05:00

    Thanks for the classics recs! I haven't read near as many classics as I would like so it's great to have some suggestions. I would like to read Emma one day!

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    1. a barmy bookworm30 May 2013 at 20:43

      Ooooh Emma. First did that one for my A level. And never looked back. Love it. Luuuuurve Mr Knightley...

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  10. Michelle @ In Libris Veritas30 May 2013 at 06:12

    I agree the word 'classic' is a bit stuffy and dated...it makes the books sound like boring and all lumped in to the same style. I love that quote by Haruki!

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    1. a barmy bookworm30 May 2013 at 20:45

      Can't think of an alternative though. Can you? Once you get past the label, read and love the books, you know that somehow it may be the only right one...

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  11. Unknown30 May 2013 at 11:21

    I love that Murakami quote, it's so true!

    And I love your convictions = classics point, in the end that's what really matters isn't it?!

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  12. Sara @ Forever 17 Books30 May 2013 at 15:47

    I LOVE that quote you used! And I love how you describe what a classic really is. :)

    Thanks for stopping by my post!

    ~Sara @ Forever 17 Books

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    1. a barmy bookworm30 May 2013 at 20:46

      Thanks for stopping by here! Lovely to share :0)

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  13. Anonymous31 May 2013 at 17:26

    Ooh, I'm a big fan of Mr. Knightley too. Even though I've been reading nothing but classics for the last 6 months, I haven't looked too closely at the word itself. Now that you mention it I like the old use of it for something cool (yes! - like Hugh Grant in Notting Hill) and I think I need to start using it again. Instead of always saying "nice!" maybe I'll go back to "classic!".

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