An excellent framing for these books. If the comments stay within the framing, they should be very interesting. My suggestion for a 13th book is Huckleberry Finn, which teaches that true morality comes from personal conscience and empathy, not from the rules or “civilization” of society—and that doing what is right may require defying social norms, even at great personal cost. (This is a dangerous truth.)
Imagine combining all these books together on the stage of the mind, Don Quixote debating Hamlet, Prince Andrew warring with Hector, the marriage scene of Austen combining with the Orestia. What a dazzling show.
Great choice of texts and also well grounded. The only one I would disagree with it Pride and Prejudice, not because it's not a great text but because I think there are more solid choices: for example Moby Dick or Faust. Don Quixote was a huge impact on all future writers by the way, it inspired everyone who wrote later. I wrote an article about the magic behind this text. It's called teh courage to be redicolous. In case you are interested here is the link: https://empyreonacademy.substack.com/p/the-courage-to-be-ridiculous?r=74zk9q&utm_medium=ios
Read most of these in Italian high school decades ago, Iliad, Odyssey, Hamlet, Pride and Prejudice, Crime and Punishment, War and Peace. Coming back to this list at forty-two, as someone who now writes novels himself, hits differently than it did as an assigned reading list. Actually been meaning to reread War and Peace and go back to Shakespeare properly this year.
An excellent framing for these books. If the comments stay within the framing, they should be very interesting. My suggestion for a 13th book is Huckleberry Finn, which teaches that true morality comes from personal conscience and empathy, not from the rules or “civilization” of society—and that doing what is right may require defying social norms, even at great personal cost. (This is a dangerous truth.)
You are right I love that book too.
And The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy obviouly 👍
That’s on number 42.
Good one. I had forgotten about it. Will need to do a review on it.
Imagine combining all these books together on the stage of the mind, Don Quixote debating Hamlet, Prince Andrew warring with Hector, the marriage scene of Austen combining with the Orestia. What a dazzling show.
I was expecting Paradise Lost to be on the list.
Definitely a great one.
Great choice of texts and also well grounded. The only one I would disagree with it Pride and Prejudice, not because it's not a great text but because I think there are more solid choices: for example Moby Dick or Faust. Don Quixote was a huge impact on all future writers by the way, it inspired everyone who wrote later. I wrote an article about the magic behind this text. It's called teh courage to be redicolous. In case you are interested here is the link: https://empyreonacademy.substack.com/p/the-courage-to-be-ridiculous?r=74zk9q&utm_medium=ios
Fair critique. It is really hard to choose at some point because there are many great literature books.
Was Babel tower inspired in Djoser pyramid? 😧
Inspired by most likely Mesopotamian ziggurats, especially Etemenanki
Read most of these in Italian high school decades ago, Iliad, Odyssey, Hamlet, Pride and Prejudice, Crime and Punishment, War and Peace. Coming back to this list at forty-two, as someone who now writes novels himself, hits differently than it did as an assigned reading list. Actually been meaning to reread War and Peace and go back to Shakespeare properly this year.
I don’t normally jump on the train of a random author, but this list was legitimate from top to bottom and earned you a follow.