7/10/13

Timeless stories - The Hindu

Today's Paper FEATURES METRO PLUS

Published: July 9, 2013 00:00 IST | Updated: July 10, 2013 03:50 IST

Timeless stories
RADHIKA SANGAM
BOOKS All the great works of literature dont survive the test of time. RADHIKA SANGAM recalls some that continue to be widely read

Classics are remarkable for crossing genres Finding a page-turner among literary classics is not easyPhoto: P.V. Siva Kumar

So youve read Jane Austen, sighed over Mr. Darcy, followed Oliver Twists exploits and read Wordsworths Daffodils What next? Not all classic works have made it to the sacred annals of literary greatness for their narrative excellence. Which is why finding a page-turner among literary classics can be quite the challenge. For those of you whod like to read a book and enjoy it too, heres the lowdown on some good reads in the classical genre. Joseph Conrads Heart of Darkness is a hard-hitting expos of colonial exploitation in Africa at the turn of the century with a clipped, surprisingly modern tone. A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens is another gem in the thriller genre. Also, worth reading is that great original, Bram Stokers Dracula , an underrated work which is as much a romance and a coming-of-age novel as it is a forerunner of the vampire craze. Some of the classics are remarkable for crossing genres, such as Oscar Wildes novella The Canterville Ghost , a rollicking ghostly caper with characters from both sides of the Atlantic. And if you like a good laugh, youll also like Charles Dickens The Pickwick Papers a huge volume thats hugely entertaining, and can easily be enjoyed in little chunks. Poetry may not usually figure on your reading list, you dont want to miss Lord Byrons wickedly funny poetic epic, Don Juan . In much the same vein is The History of Tom Jones , A Foundling by Henry Fielding, another satirical work that spoofs the coming-of-age novel. A Midsummer Nights Dream is a sparkling romance by the bard himself dont be put off by Shakespeares formidable reputation, this ones got some of the prettiest poetry you ever read! Speaking of romances, no girl could resist the lure of The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Orczy, a thrilling, deliciously melodramatic romance set against the backdrop of the French Revolution. Classic American literature, though not so
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Timeless stories - The Hindu

well-known as its British counterpart, offers some surprisingly readable tomes, too. The all-American romance Daddy Long-Legs by Jean Webster is a fabulous fore-runner of modern chick-lit. Anne of Green Gables by Canadian author L.M. Montgomery and its many sequels are wonderful reads for teens and pre-teens, as also for chicas whod like to look back on their early teens with nostalgic giggles. In a slightly more solemn vein, the strategists classic The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli makes office politics look like walk in the park! A master of the short story, Russian author Anton Chekovs hard-hitting nuggets of wisdom and compassion are great for when youre in the mood for something a little more serious. American writer Mark Twains The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn paints a compelling, sometimes grim, but very human portrait of the Southern states of America in the times of slavery. Another must-read is The Railway Children , author E. Nesbits fun tale of adventure for children, with touches of pathos that are only evident to the grown-up mind. Among the slightly lesser-known, yet superb books for children are novels like Frances Hodgson Burnetts The Secret Garden and A Little Princess , which teach valuable lessons in right and wrong without apparently doing so. In yesterdays writings lie the seeds of tomorrows wisdom. And great works of literature that have survived for centuries invite us to share in those broad human sympathies which cut across time, space and prejudice alike.
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