Do you read 'literature'?

[clueless]

It's really amusing to see people's faces when I pull my my book to read, they look at me and say, "You read that by choice?" It's classic.

And do they say "Rather you than me" when you answer?

 

[stormspirit]

Oh how I adore thee "literature" let me count thee ways... or something like that. I love classical literature, maybe because I've only now at 23 discovered the joys and knowledge thats hidden inside them. I love fantasy, historical figures, biographies about all types of ppl, mostly weird and excentric ppl, philosophy, the odd dean koontz & anne rice book and then ofcourse the classics. But romanse novels? nah! I'll skip, the predictable plot, and the monotonous characters. Every one is the same just with a different scenario. (fyi: spellling not my thing If I want romanse novel..I'll just think one up...I have a vivid enough imagination. *grin*

But...

To each their own! that's what makes life so interesting!

PS..Dostoevsky...I started with Devils...bad idea...very boring book...too many names for one character. Will have to read Crime and Punishment to see if Dostoevsky is all that everybody says he is...

PPS...Does Nietzsche count as a classic? Currently reading Thus spake Zarathustra..interesting book..

 

[clueless]

It depends. If you place it on the same shelf as Dostoievsky and Leibniz, then yes. According to Penguin, yes.
If you have literature, philosophy and maths in different shelves, no.

 

[Metaphor]

There is no doubt in my mind of how much I love literature! I was exposed, very fortunately, to the classics at a very young age, and my admiration for this genre has never once wavered.

 

[Flowerdk4]

I do read both literature and classics!

I find that they feed my soul and often gives me something to think about and learn from. I can also enjoy their skills in writing. I also enjoy discovering the many layers there usually are in good literature.

Other books may be good books and entertaining but they somehow dont feed my soul. They are more like a good film which can occupy your mind for a while but not more. Thats how I feel most of the times.

Flower

 

[ions]

I like to read. I like to read all the more when the story is well written. Funny thing about 'Literature' is that most of it was really well written.

 

[Libre]

Literature, as a rule, is well written, but often crushingly boring. Almost anything they made me read in school, bored me to tears. I do like Steinbeck - he's an exception. But in his day he had trouble getting The Grapes of Wrath accepted, not because of the anti-establishment sentiment, but of the ending, which embarrased them.
Just about any book there is a Cliff Notes for, bores me. There is just not enough gratuitous sex and violence in the classics.

 

[Irene Wilde]

When I was young and had lots of free time and could read until my eyes bled, I was a reading omnivore. I read anything within my reach. I read cereal boxes, junk mail, Tolstoy, MM Kaye, Jackie Collins, Gone with the Wind, Hemingway, Fitzgerald, Judy Blume, the menus of Chinese take-out restuarants that had been out of business for three years, and TV Guide.

Now, I have very little time to devote to reading, wonderful friends who supply me with helpful recommendations, and membership on four different reading-related forums. Because of these, despite these things, or maybe it's just because I'm still just a geek-girl at heart, I read literature, some classic, some post-modern, usually early 20th Century, but I stray from time to time, and I'm very happy with my reading choices. I don't choose to read Book X because it's considered "literature," I choose Book X because it looks interesting, has been praised by people whose opinions I respect, because there is something in the story-telling that appeals to me (I'm known for loving stories told in unconventional ways), or because it's been sitting on my TBR list for so long I've forgotten why I put it there, but there it is, so I guess I better read it.

 

[Kenny Shovel]

Well, judging by the posting dates I may be a little late with this, but here goes anyway...

... I just by-god-know, you will like:
-'Brave New World' and '1984' (both somewhat similar, though 1984 'goes into it' a lot more.

If you like 1984, then you may also like two books often credited as having been its inspiration:
Darkness at Noon by Arthur Koestler
and
We by Yevgeny Zamyatin
'We' is also very similar to 'Brave New World', and although written in 1920 I believe Huxley claimed to have never read it.

... -'Lord of the flies' is good

As is:
Nip the Buds, Shoot the Kids by Kenzaburo Oe. 'Nip the buds' as similar in theme and quality of writing, and forms a good introduction to a giant of 20th century Japanesse literature

 

[DorianGray]

Read classics! They're not boring, I swear! Ok, here are some popular classics that are flashy and unboring, that, I just by-god-know, you will like:
-'Brave New World' and '1984' (both somewhat similar, though 1984 'goes into it' a lot more.
-'Lolita' - come on...it's all controversial and stuff...most romance people I know of love weird stuff like this....
-'Lord of the flies' is good
-READ ANYTHING BY DOESTOYEVSKY!!! The Brother Karamazov is probably my favorite book of all time. But you might want to read some others before attempting this one. 'Crime and Punishment', though, is a hooker AND has an attractive male character for the main guy!!! (omg!)

I agree with most of those, but I wouldn't recommend Dostoyevsky or any other Russian writer to someone who might think 'classic' literature boring. I really enjoy his work but it could be kind of like recommending the London marathon to someone who wasn't overly keen on exercise! I think he's great but can need some easing into.

To go back to the origional post:

....I simply cannot push myself to read books that require that much energy which I feel miserable whilst reading (literature hardly ever has nice, happy stories. they're always miserable, and therefore make me miserable). I'd just much rather read something happy with attractive male characters. I'm a total sucker.

Who actually likes and would prefer to read 'literature' rather than popular fiction?

I read all sorts of different genres and authors. I have expressed on the boards numerous times my regard for Richard Laymon My real passion though is for 19th Century English Literature. I do know that feeling of reading becoming a hassle. I get that everytime I pick up Jame's Joyce and it can be really disheartening. I think a book should be a joy to read, never a chore. Saying that, I think the 'classics' in some genre's especially can be less action packed than modern books, but I always find that if the pace slows somewhat, the beautifully written prose more than adequately makes up for it. This is is especially true with authors such as Austen, Dickens and the Brontes.

I think with some books you have to be ready to expect certain things, and read them when your in the mood for what they will give you. I wouldn't read a Laymon novel and be upset that every paragraph didn't flow poetically and was void of interesting and challenging writing. In the same way, I wouldn't read an Austen novel if I wanted to get through a thoroughly entertaining book without having to put too much thought into it.

Anyway, I think the origional question was, "Do you read literature". Yes, I read it avidly and really enjoy it. I love the way the majority of it is written and it can also be very exciting reading something that you know has interested and even influenced some of the great people of our time. Do I read other stuff? Yes I read it avidly and really enjoy it. I think there is nothing better than sitting down with a really good book, no matter what it is and just taking some time out for yourself to relax. I don't think it matters what you read, as long as you enjoy it.

 

[Shade]

I don't choose to read Book X because it's considered "literature," I choose Book X because it looks interesting, has been praised by people whose opinions I respect, because there is something in the story-telling that appeals to me (I'm known for loving stories told in unconventional ways), or because it's been sitting on my TBR list for so long I've forgotten why I put it there, but there it is, so I guess I better read it.

I agree wholeheartedly.

 

[Pixi1021]

I started reading at a very young age, after i had read everything in the house and everything at the school library was to my liking, my mother let me start reading some of her books. Among those books of hers were catcher in the rye, jonathan livingston seagull (sorry about the spelling) and V.C. Andrews. So i was in the 5th grade reading advanced stuff. From there my dad introduced me to Ray Bradbury and all kinda of sciencefiction authors. From there I went to general fiction, read some historical fiction, back to sci-fi, to art and religion. In my opinon it is good to read different genre's you find what you love to read, i never thought that i would like mystery novels but thats what i'm into at the moment.

I'll read just about anything, and there are few that I hate. Just keep reading and who cares what other people think.

 

[Stewart]

I'll read just about anything, and there are few that I hate.

That's just one step up from Harriet Klausner.

 

[Flowerdk4]

I agree with most of those, but I wouldn't recommend Dostoyevsky or any other Russian writer to someone who might think 'classic' literature boring. I really enjoy his work but it could be kind of like recommending the London marathon to someone who wasn't overly keen on exercise! I think he's great but can need some easing into.

I am reading Dostojevsky right now, and I have to dissagree.

Dostojevsky is anything but boring!

He does have several shorter novels which you can enjoy and it would give you a good taste of what a great writer he is. I have been told that other russian writers can be very hard to read as they tend to dwell on many small things (loooong descriptions of the nature etc.), but thats not my experience with Dostojevsky. He is VERY good at making trustworthy characters, he is deep without getting heavy and he can be quite funny. The setting may be from a time which does not exist anymore but the characters become so much a live and the themes of his books is very classical, so the setting becomes a minor thing.
So by all means, dont be scared off by whatever you have heard of russian literature. Start of with one of his smaller works and you will soon see that he is not that hard to read.

Flower

 

[Peder]

Do I read literature? Yes, I certainly do, along with all sorts of other books.
Just at the moment I'm trying to look at/read selected graphic novels to see what all the fuss is about and whether I can warm up to them in any sense. Sin City, for example, was fabulous as a movie; it remains to be seen whether I would get a similar amount of enjoyment out of the graphic novel format.

But back to the topic of literature, I often browse the shelves at the local (large chain) bookstore and, when I am in the mood to settle in for some serious reading, will look for authors or titles that I have been hearing about for a long time and have become curious about. Usually that means classic literature. I have never been disappointed in a famous classic that I have read. Some of it is slow going, but that has taught me to appreciate long slow novels, which incidentally make me wish they would never end. In that category I have read all of Proust's Rememberance of Times Past, which is something of an accomplishment in itself. But it turns out that it is an absolute feast! Even if it is the world's ultimate long, s-l-o-w novel. (And when you are done, you will have become one of the small crowd of whom I think are called 'completers.')

Elsewhere you may notice that I just finished Lawrence Block's The Burglar who Could Paint Like Mondrian, so I read the genres from A to Z, fiction and non-fiction, provided I have come across some reason to pick up the book in the first place and browse through it to see if it will appeal. That appraoch leads me to a lot of good reading, including unforgettable "literature."

Peder

 

[Kenny Shovel]

Just at the moment I'm trying to look at/read selected graphic novels to see what all the fuss is about and whether I can warm up to them in any sense. Sin City, for example, was fabulous as a movie; it remains to be seen whether I would get a similar amount of enjoyment out of the graphic novel format.

I'm sure you've got plently of suggestions from the Comic/Graphic Novel area of the forum but I'd suggest the following as good introductions as to what can be achieved in that particular medium:
Maus - Amazon Reviews
V for Vendetta - Amazon Reviews
300 - Amazon Reviews

Regards,

KS

 

[Peder]

Kenny S,
Thanks!
Maus I have heard of, but haven't yet looked at. The other two are new to my ears. Will definitely look them all up on my next frequent trip to the bookstore.
Very best,
Thanks again,
Peder

 

[WoundedThorns]

got into it b/c of school

i actually got into "literature" b/c of school.. 10th grade english was a good year since american literature in the 20th century is just easy compared to the typical, stereotyped literature. (ie: the jungle, great gatsby, a farewell to arms) etc etc etc. right now i'm reading The Stranger, that's technically literature.. it's such an easy read.. it makes me wonder if these writers actually did take the time to ponder over these hidden messeges though

 

[MonkeyCatcher]

I read a bit of literature, mainly classics because otherwise I feel left out when people discuss them To be honest, I find mordern literature (as in past 1950) a lot more enjoyable as a general rule, but there have been a few classics that I have enjoyed. I just find literature to be a bit boring - no unnecessary violence or out-of-place sex scenes

 

[WoundedThorns]

haha yeh.. i remember thinking that in a farewell to arms. it basically evolved around sex. my boyfriend at the time asked me if they describe it after i told him that its basically about a couple who screws each other alot.. and im like.. "no, its just implyed"

"modern" literature is awesome. i do feel intellegent after reading them though