1
00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:02,429
Good morning, how are you!

2
00:00:02,429 --> 00:00:05,036
It's such a nice day today

3
00:00:05,036 --> 00:00:07,125
I wish I could...

4
00:00:07,125 --> 00:00:09,641
...be in it.

5
00:00:09,890 --> 00:00:13,191
Welcome back to my channel, I suppose.

6
00:00:13,191 --> 00:00:14,807
Uhm, I'm Dakota.

7
00:00:14,807 --> 00:00:16,067
I'm 22.

8
00:00:16,067 --> 00:00:17,487
I'm from Melbourne, Australia

9
00:00:17,487 --> 00:00:19,872
and I talk about books...

10
00:00:19,872 --> 00:00:21,067
that's all there is to it.

11
00:00:21,067 --> 00:00:22,233
I've had like no motivation

12
00:00:22,233 --> 00:00:23,893
to film anything recently because

13
00:00:23,893 --> 00:00:25,221
lockdown blues but then

14
00:00:25,221 --> 00:00:26,044
I suddenly went

15
00:00:26,044 --> 00:00:28,488
perhaps talking to a camera would be nice!

16
00:00:28,488 --> 00:00:31,708
Anyway, here are ten actually good

17
00:00:31,708 --> 00:00:33,583
classic literature recommendations

18
00:00:33,583 --> 00:00:34,934
for actual beginners.

19
00:00:34,934 --> 00:00:37,123
Because I'm so hyperaware

20
00:00:37,123 --> 00:00:38,742
of how beginners don't have those

21
00:00:38,742 --> 00:00:39,942
preconceived notions that

22
00:00:39,942 --> 00:00:41,608
everybody seems to think they do

23
00:00:41,608 --> 00:00:43,358
we've all been beginners.

24
00:00:43,358 --> 00:00:46,133
These are all varying degrees

25
00:00:46,133 --> 00:00:47,819
of genre.

26
00:00:47,819 --> 00:00:49,252
You will definitely see a theme

27
00:00:49,252 --> 00:00:50,547
amongst my favourites.

28
00:00:50,547 --> 00:00:52,002
I'm not going to recommend

29
00:00:52,008 --> 00:00:53,736
an absolute beginner

30
00:00:53,738 --> 00:00:56,548
Dostoevsky... or Shakespeare.

31
00:00:56,548 --> 00:00:57,873
I think when it comes down to

32
00:00:57,873 --> 00:00:59,517
classic literature for beginners,

33
00:00:59,517 --> 00:01:00,650
there's a few aspects that

34
00:01:00,650 --> 00:01:02,622
need to be considered like

35
00:01:02,622 --> 00:01:03,718
the length of the book

36
00:01:03,718 --> 00:01:05,690
because if it's quite wordy and

37
00:01:05,690 --> 00:01:08,542
in older English or more advanced English

38
00:01:08,542 --> 00:01:10,830
it's... a lot to deal with

39
00:01:10,830 --> 00:01:12,041
especially in big chunks.

40
00:01:12,041 --> 00:01:13,676
And captivating...

41
00:01:13,676 --> 00:01:14,974
I think that captivating is

42
00:01:14,974 --> 00:01:15,850
an imperative aspect.

43
00:01:15,850 --> 00:01:17,105
Nobody wants to read a classic

44
00:01:17,105 --> 00:01:19,081
that just draaags on.

45
00:01:19,081 --> 00:01:20,862
That's gonna turn you off on classics forever.

46
00:01:20,862 --> 00:01:22,265
First few classics that

47
00:01:22,265 --> 00:01:25,412
somebody reads in their classic journey...

48
00:01:25,412 --> 00:01:26,742
sets the mark for their

49
00:01:26,742 --> 00:01:28,225
classic taste in life.

50
00:01:28,225 --> 00:01:29,451
New drinking game:

51
00:01:29,451 --> 00:01:31,601
take a shot every time she says classic.

52
00:01:31,601 --> 00:01:32,808
You will also notice

53
00:01:32,808 --> 00:01:34,379
that I source secondhand

54
00:01:34,379 --> 00:01:35,956
whenever I can and

55
00:01:35,956 --> 00:01:37,682
that's very attainable for classics.

56
00:01:37,682 --> 00:01:39,065
So the covers for these books

57
00:01:39,065 --> 00:01:40,746
will be interesting.

58
00:01:40,746 --> 00:01:42,163
I get a lot of messages asking

59
00:01:42,163 --> 00:01:43,414
where I got that edition from

60
00:01:43,414 --> 00:01:44,767
and where the people can find it

61
00:01:44,767 --> 00:01:46,762
and that it was $600 on Amazon and

62
00:01:46,762 --> 00:01:50,753
that's because I got it from Savers for $1.50.

63
00:01:50,753 --> 00:01:53,265
I'm sorry but covers don't matter

64
00:01:53,265 --> 00:01:54,342
is what's on the inside that counts.

65
00:01:54,342 --> 00:01:55,722
And without further ado,

66
00:01:55,722 --> 00:01:57,222
onto the books.

67
00:01:57,222 --> 00:01:59,576
The first book is very dear to me

68
00:01:59,576 --> 00:02:02,520
and that is: Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland

69
00:02:02,520 --> 00:02:04,306
slash Through the Looking Glass slash

70
00:02:04,306 --> 00:02:04,974
whatever you will.

71
00:02:04,974 --> 00:02:06,468
We all know what this book is about and

72
00:02:06,468 --> 00:02:08,144
I don't need to detail it too much but

73
00:02:08,144 --> 00:02:10,880
a young girl falls down a rabbit hole and

74
00:02:10,880 --> 00:02:13,103
is exposed to the world of...

75
00:02:13,103 --> 00:02:15,011
marvel and wonder and awe and

76
00:02:15,011 --> 00:02:16,177
bizarre adventures.

77
00:02:16,177 --> 00:02:18,080
This is written eloquently,

78
00:02:18,080 --> 00:02:21,605
it's wise, it's humorous, it's captivating

79
00:02:21,605 --> 00:02:22,630
from the get-go.

80
00:02:22,630 --> 00:02:25,462
As a 22-year-old, I am still captivated

81
00:02:25,462 --> 00:02:26,501
by this book.

82
00:02:26,501 --> 00:02:28,243
It's also a very fast-paced read and

83
00:02:28,243 --> 00:02:29,257
you can get through it quickly.

84
00:02:29,257 --> 00:02:31,112
A.) because you're captivated and

85
00:02:31,112 --> 00:02:32,672
B.) because it's short.

86
00:02:32,672 --> 00:02:35,958
I also find that it helps reading classics

87
00:02:35,958 --> 00:02:38,926
when you're in an unfamiliar territory...

88
00:02:38,926 --> 00:02:41,413
that you already have an idea of the plot.

89
00:02:41,413 --> 00:02:42,750
Try and look past the fact that it's a

90
00:02:42,750 --> 00:02:44,155
"children's book" and consider it

91
00:02:44,155 --> 00:02:45,931
to be a fantasy book with some

92
00:02:45,931 --> 00:02:48,233
deeper meaning and some hidden themes.

93
00:02:48,233 --> 00:02:49,676
Try to ignore

94
00:02:49,676 --> 00:02:52,149
the constantly changing lighting

95
00:02:52,149 --> 00:02:54,546
the sun is tucking itself beneath a new cloud

96
00:02:54,546 --> 00:02:57,210
every minute. So it's going to be

97
00:02:57,210 --> 00:02:58,422
a journey.

98
00:02:58,422 --> 00:03:00,405
The next recommendation that I have

99
00:03:00,405 --> 00:03:02,664
is more so an author than a book itself

100
00:03:02,664 --> 00:03:05,720
and that is none other than Edgar Allan Poe

101
00:03:05,720 --> 00:03:08,583
one of the most influential writers for me...

102
00:03:08,583 --> 00:03:10,236
in my entire life.

103
00:03:10,236 --> 00:03:12,597
"Father of the Modern Detective Story"

104
00:03:12,597 --> 00:03:15,699
not so much the "Father of the Short Story"

105
00:03:15,699 --> 00:03:18,224
though it definitely helps that gain momentum.

106
00:03:18,224 --> 00:03:20,000
Not so much the "Father of Gothic Horror,"

107
00:03:20,000 --> 00:03:22,194
though it definitely helps that gain momentum.

108
00:03:22,194 --> 00:03:24,316
Just a very influential figure

109
00:03:24,316 --> 00:03:25,544
in literature itself.

110
00:03:25,544 --> 00:03:26,883
I'm in love with his mind.

111
00:03:26,883 --> 00:03:28,106
He's a genius.

112
00:03:28,106 --> 00:03:30,396
His writing is eery, it's creepy,

113
00:03:30,396 --> 00:03:34,768
it's spooky, it's gruesome, it's raw...

114
00:03:34,768 --> 00:03:36,758
but it's not terrifying.

115
00:03:36,758 --> 00:03:38,032
Like it's not the stuff of nightmares

116
00:03:38,032 --> 00:03:39,551
that's going to keep you up awake.

117
00:03:39,551 --> 00:03:41,217
I recommend this book to anyone that

118
00:03:41,217 --> 00:03:43,926
asks me for... recommendations

119
00:03:43,926 --> 00:03:46,583
whether it be classics, gothic lit,

120
00:03:46,583 --> 00:03:49,963
gothic horror, detective stories,

121
00:03:49,963 --> 00:03:51,742
mysteries, anything!

122
00:03:51,742 --> 00:03:53,205
Everyone I've ever recommended

123
00:03:53,205 --> 00:03:56,489
Poe has thanked me with their life

124
00:03:56,489 --> 00:03:57,686
and so I will recommend Poe

125
00:03:57,686 --> 00:03:59,982
to everyone until the day I die.

126
00:03:59,982 --> 00:04:02,965
It's very easy to find his works and collections.

127
00:04:02,965 --> 00:04:04,376
I got this one at a bookstore

128
00:04:04,376 --> 00:04:06,152
and I got this one secondhand.

129
00:04:06,152 --> 00:04:09,151
They have a collection of his short stories

130
00:04:09,151 --> 00:04:10,254
and his poetry

131
00:04:10,254 --> 00:04:11,820
and I think that it's great

132
00:04:11,820 --> 00:04:13,181
because you can power through them,

133
00:04:13,181 --> 00:04:14,764
and you have that sense of accomplishment

134
00:04:14,764 --> 00:04:16,946
and achievement and you're powering through

135
00:04:16,946 --> 00:04:18,324
and you're finishing stories and

136
00:04:18,324 --> 00:04:19,737
so you can tuck all of these books

137
00:04:19,737 --> 00:04:21,816
under your arm at the same time.

138
00:04:21,816 --> 00:04:24,175
My favourite short story of Poe's is

139
00:04:24,175 --> 00:04:25,425
called the "Tell-Tale Heart."

140
00:04:25,425 --> 00:04:27,393
and it is essentially the story of

141
00:04:27,393 --> 00:04:29,002
an unnamed narrator who

142
00:04:29,002 --> 00:04:31,906
is trying to convince you, the reader,

143
00:04:31,906 --> 00:04:33,524
of his sanity.

144
00:04:33,524 --> 00:04:37,072
Whilst he is describing to you, the reader,

145
00:04:37,072 --> 00:04:39,223
of the crimes he committed.

146
00:04:39,223 --> 00:04:42,172
The poetry and prose is magical.

147
00:04:42,172 --> 00:04:43,714
The man is a genius.

148
00:04:43,714 --> 00:04:46,884
The next book, we love some vampire fiction,

149
00:04:47,444 --> 00:04:48,665
haha, just joking!

150
00:04:48,665 --> 00:04:49,754
It's Carmilla.

151
00:04:50,434 --> 00:04:53,955
Sheridan Le Fanu. Carmilla.

152
00:04:53,955 --> 00:04:56,447
Bram Stroke's predecessor and inspiration

153
00:04:56,447 --> 00:04:58,392
when it came to vampire fiction.

154
00:04:58,392 --> 00:05:01,325
I think it came out 26 years before Dracula

155
00:05:01,325 --> 00:05:03,275
We love some gothic romanticism

156
00:05:03,275 --> 00:05:06,319
this is a classic Victorian vampire novela

157
00:05:06,319 --> 00:05:07,829
and I think that is...

158
00:05:07,829 --> 00:05:10,499
such an amazing starting point for classics.

159
00:05:10,499 --> 00:05:12,598
Perhaps my affinity for gothic literature

160
00:05:12,598 --> 00:05:13,626
is showing through,

161
00:05:13,626 --> 00:05:15,285
in these recommendations.

162
00:05:15,285 --> 00:05:16,783
This is a very important book,

163
00:05:16,783 --> 00:05:18,438
in a historic sense.

164
00:05:18,438 --> 00:05:20,382
It's also written very easily.

165
00:05:20,382 --> 00:05:21,492
It's written beautifully

166
00:05:21,492 --> 00:05:22,836
but very easily to follow and

167
00:05:22,836 --> 00:05:24,768
it's a very quick read.

168
00:05:25,048 --> 00:05:26,040
And a great one to say

169
00:05:26,040 --> 00:05:27,098
you've actually read.

170
00:05:27,098 --> 00:05:29,710
Also an absolute... moment

171
00:05:29,710 --> 00:05:31,417
in homoerotecism.

172
00:05:31,417 --> 00:05:34,301
We love some lesbian literature...

173
00:05:34,301 --> 00:05:36,543
Sappho would be both proud

174
00:05:36,543 --> 00:05:38,685
and terrified with this novel.

175
00:05:38,685 --> 00:05:40,495
The next one is

176
00:05:40,495 --> 00:05:41,977
very commonly on the lists

177
00:05:41,977 --> 00:05:43,885
of classics for beginners.

178
00:05:43,885 --> 00:05:46,064
Which is the first book I've seen

179
00:05:46,064 --> 00:05:48,040
that rightfully so earned it's place

180
00:05:48,040 --> 00:05:49,172
on our board.

181
00:05:50,102 --> 00:05:53,665
The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

182
00:05:53,665 --> 00:05:55,846
Oscar Wilde is also a genius

183
00:05:55,846 --> 00:05:56,899
for your information.

184
00:05:56,899 --> 00:05:57,525
This is about

185
00:05:57,525 --> 00:06:00,027
a seemingly good-natured young man,

186
00:06:00,027 --> 00:06:02,858
who discovers the power behind...

187
00:06:03,492 --> 00:06:04,873
his exceptional beauty.

188
00:06:04,873 --> 00:06:06,514
It really explores the relationship

189
00:06:06,514 --> 00:06:08,187
between beauty and morality.

190
00:06:08,503 --> 00:06:11,078
Oscar Wilde plays a lot with

191
00:06:11,078 --> 00:06:12,462
the presumption that...

192
00:06:12,462 --> 00:06:16,543
gorgeous people are inherently morally good

193
00:06:16,543 --> 00:06:18,935
and that "ugly" people are,

194
00:06:18,935 --> 00:06:21,068
therefore, bad.

195
00:06:21,068 --> 00:06:22,225
But it's a fascinating book.

196
00:06:22,225 --> 00:06:23,395
It's considerably short

197
00:06:23,395 --> 00:06:25,698
and it's written in a very nice

198
00:06:25,698 --> 00:06:26,964
easy-to-understand way

199
00:06:26,964 --> 00:06:27,926
for a beginner.

200
00:06:27,926 --> 00:06:30,100
The next genre is exciting

201
00:06:30,100 --> 00:06:32,077
because it's a philosophical classic

202
00:06:32,077 --> 00:06:33,112
and that is

203
00:06:33,112 --> 00:06:35,567
Albert Camus' The Stranger slash

204
00:06:35,575 --> 00:06:36,455
The Outsider.

205
00:06:36,455 --> 00:06:37,697
It's the exact same book.

206
00:06:37,697 --> 00:06:38,629
It has two titles.

207
00:06:38,629 --> 00:06:40,755
This was published in '82.

208
00:06:40,755 --> 00:06:42,503
This was published in 2021.

209
00:06:42,503 --> 00:06:44,481
I'm not sure if it depends on translation

210
00:06:44,481 --> 00:06:45,862
or just the year of publication

211
00:06:45,862 --> 00:06:46,681
but it's the same book.

212
00:06:46,681 --> 00:06:49,756
Ahhh... ah books smell so good.

213
00:06:49,756 --> 00:06:52,036
It's about alienation of an individual

214
00:06:52,036 --> 00:06:54,366
from society, entirely self-inlicted

215
00:06:54,366 --> 00:06:57,705
because he refuses to conform to social norms.

216
00:06:57,705 --> 00:07:00,018
The first opening line of this book,

217
00:07:00,018 --> 00:07:01,745
his mother dies

218
00:07:01,745 --> 00:07:03,465
and he refuses to acknowledge his feelings,

219
00:07:03,465 --> 00:07:04,740
let alone show them,

220
00:07:04,740 --> 00:07:06,129
to uphold the expectations

221
00:07:06,129 --> 00:07:07,342
of those around him.

222
00:07:07,342 --> 00:07:09,448
And that sets up the novel...

223
00:07:09,448 --> 00:07:11,201
in a perfect way.

224
00:07:11,201 --> 00:07:12,993
It's written simply enough to grasp

225
00:07:12,993 --> 00:07:14,258
a good understanding of.

226
00:07:14,258 --> 00:07:15,604
But it's very fast-paced too.

227
00:07:15,604 --> 00:07:17,305
And it will leave you feeling,

228
00:07:17,305 --> 00:07:19,264
dare I say, enlightened.

229
00:07:19,763 --> 00:07:20,910
After I read this,

230
00:07:20,910 --> 00:07:22,293
after I read anything by Camus,

231
00:07:22,293 --> 00:07:23,755
I feel more mature,

232
00:07:23,755 --> 00:07:26,233
more intelligent, more philosophical,

233
00:07:26,233 --> 00:07:28,600
more spiritual, more cynical.

234
00:07:28,600 --> 00:07:29,981
I think that it's an amazing way

235
00:07:29,981 --> 00:07:32,363
to cross off philosophy and a classic

236
00:07:32,363 --> 00:07:33,433
in the same book.

237
00:07:33,433 --> 00:07:36,247
It's raw and it's real and it's honest.

238
00:07:36,247 --> 00:07:38,192
And I think it's a super book.

239
00:07:38,192 --> 00:07:40,594
Russian literature is my favorite.

240
00:07:40,594 --> 00:07:45,730
My absolute favorite due to its darkness, really.

241
00:07:45,730 --> 00:07:47,994
But much of it is not for beginners...

242
00:07:47,994 --> 00:07:54,281
except for The Death of Ivan Ilyich by Leo Tolstoy.

243
00:07:54,281 --> 00:07:56,334
You can see how small and short this is

244
00:07:56,334 --> 00:07:58,295
which is another great fast-paced read.

245
00:07:58,295 --> 00:08:00,245
This book is one of the most

246
00:08:00,245 --> 00:08:02,247
profound books I've ever read...

247
00:08:02,247 --> 00:08:04,047
because of its nature.

248
00:08:04,047 --> 00:08:05,343
As the title suggests,

249
00:08:05,343 --> 00:08:07,257
the book is about death.

250
00:08:07,257 --> 00:08:09,345
A man learns he's dying

251
00:08:09,345 --> 00:08:11,011
and the entire novel is about him

252
00:08:11,011 --> 00:08:12,135
coming to deal with that,

253
00:08:12,135 --> 00:08:13,497
and face the reality of that,

254
00:08:13,497 --> 00:08:15,368
and whatever that means...

255
00:08:15,368 --> 00:08:17,767
to him and the world around him.

256
00:08:17,767 --> 00:08:19,770
It is perhaps one of the greatest tales

257
00:08:19,770 --> 00:08:21,291
of redemption and forgiveness

258
00:08:21,291 --> 00:08:22,351
I've ever read.

259
00:08:22,351 --> 00:08:23,637
I can't give much away,

260
00:08:23,637 --> 00:08:27,888
but the last ten pages of this novella...

261
00:08:27,888 --> 00:08:29,341
you have to read it.

262
00:08:29,341 --> 00:08:31,067
It leaves you feeling sad,

263
00:08:31,067 --> 00:08:33,756
and scared, and pensive.

264
00:08:33,756 --> 00:08:36,567
It's just an all-around great book to read

265
00:08:36,567 --> 00:08:38,389
due to the writing style,

266
00:08:38,389 --> 00:08:40,554
the fast-paced nature,

267
00:08:40,554 --> 00:08:42,204
the context, the substance,

268
00:08:42,204 --> 00:08:44,089
and also the fact that it's from Tolstoy,

269
00:08:44,089 --> 00:08:46,917
who is an incredible writer.

270
00:08:46,917 --> 00:08:48,053
But much of his literature

271
00:08:48,053 --> 00:08:49,998
is really really long.

272
00:08:50,698 --> 00:08:51,777
The next book we have

273
00:08:51,777 --> 00:08:53,709
is a psychological thriller

274
00:08:53,709 --> 00:08:55,960
and that is, John Fowles' The Collector.

275
00:08:56,610 --> 00:08:59,477
This... is a genius book.

276
00:08:59,477 --> 00:09:01,293
It's so unsettling.

277
00:09:01,293 --> 00:09:03,329
It makes your skin crawl.

278
00:09:03,539 --> 00:09:05,023
It's basically about

279
00:09:05,023 --> 00:09:08,349
to, grossly condense,

280
00:09:08,349 --> 00:09:10,279
this man who is considered to be

281
00:09:10,279 --> 00:09:11,900
a reject of society.

282
00:09:12,707 --> 00:09:14,099
He collects butterflies,

283
00:09:14,099 --> 00:09:15,515
he is obsessed with butterflies,

284
00:09:15,515 --> 00:09:17,429
he dedicates everything to butterflies

285
00:09:17,819 --> 00:09:19,298
until he comes across

286
00:09:19,298 --> 00:09:20,760
a beautiful woman,

287
00:09:20,760 --> 00:09:22,484
an art student, and he decides

288
00:09:22,484 --> 00:09:23,968
he's going to collect her

289
00:09:23,968 --> 00:09:25,513
like one of his butterflies,

290
00:09:25,513 --> 00:09:27,162
by any means necessary.

291
00:09:27,162 --> 00:09:28,241
It's been dubbed

292
00:09:28,241 --> 00:09:29,679
as one of the most disturbing books

293
00:09:29,679 --> 00:09:30,562
ever written.

294
00:09:30,562 --> 00:09:31,440
And that's not because

295
00:09:31,440 --> 00:09:32,245
of the way it was written

296
00:09:32,245 --> 00:09:33,323
in a graphic sense.

297
00:09:33,672 --> 00:09:35,785
It's the way that it gets under your skin,

298
00:09:36,522 --> 00:09:39,785
and the way that... it creeps into your mind

299
00:09:39,785 --> 00:09:40,945
and you think about it for a long time

300
00:09:40,945 --> 00:09:41,955
after you finish the book.

301
00:09:41,955 --> 00:09:42,817
And I think that's the make up

302
00:09:42,817 --> 00:09:44,450
of an amazing book.

303
00:09:44,450 --> 00:09:45,815
It's not too long

304
00:09:45,815 --> 00:09:47,469
but it's not short either

305
00:09:47,469 --> 00:09:48,881
but it's so captivating

306
00:09:48,881 --> 00:09:50,479
that you're not going to want to put it down

307
00:09:50,769 --> 00:09:52,745
regardless of the length of the book.

308
00:09:52,745 --> 00:09:53,692
I think if you're looking

309
00:09:53,692 --> 00:09:55,087
into psychological thriller

310
00:09:55,087 --> 00:09:58,432
or just... books that get under your skin

311
00:09:58,432 --> 00:10:00,794
this is an amazing recommendation for classics.

312
00:10:00,794 --> 00:10:02,481
The next novel also pops up

313
00:10:02,481 --> 00:10:04,905
on a lot of the classics for beginners lists

314
00:10:04,905 --> 00:10:06,615
and this one's actually warranted.

315
00:10:07,394 --> 00:10:09,572
George Orwell's 1984.

316
00:10:09,572 --> 00:10:10,894
You would've heard of this

317
00:10:10,894 --> 00:10:11,612
you might not have,

318
00:10:11,612 --> 00:10:12,592
I shouldn't assume.

319
00:10:12,592 --> 00:10:14,490
How to condense this plot,

320
00:10:14,490 --> 00:10:15,802
a lot happens.

321
00:10:15,802 --> 00:10:20,053
Ah, residents of this super state oceana,

322
00:10:20,053 --> 00:10:22,715
are under this constant government surveillance,

323
00:10:22,715 --> 00:10:24,930
this omnipresent, dooming,

324
00:10:24,930 --> 00:10:26,244
government surveillance

325
00:10:26,244 --> 00:10:27,215
called Big Brother.

326
00:10:27,215 --> 00:10:29,440
There's war, manipulation,

327
00:10:29,440 --> 00:10:30,742
and a lot of truth.

328
00:10:30,742 --> 00:10:34,273
Truth to the year it was written– 1949?

329
00:10:34,273 --> 00:10:38,410
Truth to the year it was intended to be written about– 1984.

330
00:10:38,410 --> 00:10:41,355
In truth to the year of now– 2021.

331
00:10:41,355 --> 00:10:42,982
It's a dystopian novel

332
00:10:42,982 --> 00:10:44,529
and it's terrifying

333
00:10:44,849 --> 00:10:46,582
but it's not frightening in the way of it

334
00:10:46,582 --> 00:10:48,914
being gothic horror, psychological horror,

335
00:10:48,914 --> 00:10:49,723
or thriller.

336
00:10:49,723 --> 00:10:52,216
This also discussed a lot amongst literature

337
00:10:52,216 --> 00:10:52,988
it's referenced a lot,

338
00:10:52,988 --> 00:10:53,736
discussed a lot,

339
00:10:53,736 --> 00:10:54,650
studied a lot,

340
00:10:55,020 --> 00:10:56,614
it's in a lot of set texts,

341
00:10:56,614 --> 00:10:57,252
it's really helpful

342
00:10:57,252 --> 00:10:59,216
to just have a grasp on this book.

343
00:10:59,416 --> 00:11:01,489
When I tell you the next recommendation

344
00:11:01,489 --> 00:11:02,153
is Shakespeare,

345
00:11:02,153 --> 00:11:03,333
I don't want you panicking

346
00:11:03,333 --> 00:11:04,474
thinking I'm recommending you

347
00:11:04,474 --> 00:11:05,680
Hamlet or Macbeth

348
00:11:05,680 --> 00:11:07,619
or Antony and Cleopatra.

349
00:11:08,799 --> 00:11:10,098
I want you to panic because

350
00:11:10,098 --> 00:11:11,718
I'm recommending you poetry for kids.

351
00:11:11,988 --> 00:11:15,619
This is Starlight and Moonshine Poetry of the Supernatural

352
00:11:15,619 --> 00:11:18,298
and it is esentially just a compilation

353
00:11:18,298 --> 00:11:20,150
of extracts from plays

354
00:11:20,150 --> 00:11:21,732
that can be gorgeous poetry

355
00:11:21,732 --> 00:11:22,637
and prose.

356
00:11:22,637 --> 00:11:24,182
Maybe I'll read you one.

357
00:11:24,182 --> 00:11:26,225
I'm going to read you Love Song

358
00:11:26,225 --> 00:11:29,222
from a Midsummer Night's Dream Act 4 Scene 1.

359
00:11:29,542 --> 00:11:33,076
"Come, sit thee down upon this flowery bed,

360
00:11:33,076 --> 00:11:35,858
While I thy amiable cheeks do coy,

361
00:11:35,858 --> 00:11:39,408
And stick muskroses in thy sleek smooth head,

362
00:11:39,408 --> 00:11:43,520
And kiss thy fair large ears, my gentle joy."

363
00:11:44,357 --> 00:11:46,208
I just think it's so pretty.

364
00:11:46,208 --> 00:11:47,263
Reading Shakespeare

365
00:11:47,263 --> 00:11:49,009
in Shakespearean language,

366
00:11:49,009 --> 00:11:51,333
in the very particular way that his plays

367
00:11:51,333 --> 00:11:53,306
are constructed, is a lot.

368
00:11:53,306 --> 00:11:54,924
Especially for a beginner.

369
00:11:54,924 --> 00:11:56,321
But when you take extracts,

370
00:11:56,321 --> 00:11:59,632
and put it into nice, neat poetry stanzas,

371
00:11:59,632 --> 00:12:02,785
that have one main focus,

372
00:12:02,785 --> 00:12:04,396
it becomes really easy to grasp.

373
00:12:04,396 --> 00:12:05,721
And it's an amazing gateway

374
00:12:05,721 --> 00:12:06,661
into Shakespeare

375
00:12:06,661 --> 00:12:08,439
and Shakespearian type,

376
00:12:08,439 --> 00:12:09,620
plays, and language.

377
00:12:09,620 --> 00:12:12,553
Hamlet's soliloquy... chef's kiss!

378
00:12:12,553 --> 00:12:14,862
"To be, or not to be, that is the question,"

379
00:12:14,862 --> 00:12:16,832
Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer,

380
00:12:16,832 --> 00:12:19,623
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,

381
00:12:20,073 --> 00:12:21,916
Or to take arms against a sea of troubles

382
00:12:21,916 --> 00:12:23,791
And by opposing end them.

383
00:12:24,011 --> 00:12:28,346
To die—to sleep, No more;"

384
00:12:28,346 --> 00:12:29,614
I did thrift this book

385
00:12:29,614 --> 00:12:30,407
and I am unsure

386
00:12:30,407 --> 00:12:32,104
how easy it would be to find

387
00:12:32,104 --> 00:12:33,359
a duplicate copy.

388
00:12:33,359 --> 00:12:34,949
But I did take the liberty of looking up

389
00:12:34,949 --> 00:12:36,200
Shakespeare poetry

390
00:12:36,200 --> 00:12:37,985
and there is an abundance

391
00:12:38,675 --> 00:12:40,958
of various forms of Shakespeare poetry

392
00:12:40,958 --> 00:12:43,105
for "kids."

393
00:12:43,105 --> 00:12:44,390
It doesn't even need to be "for kids"

394
00:12:44,390 --> 00:12:45,635
but I just like "for kids,"

395
00:12:45,635 --> 00:12:46,715
it feels safe and nice.

396
00:12:46,715 --> 00:12:48,557
I must say, whosever idea it was to

397
00:12:48,557 --> 00:12:51,559
create plastic slips...

398
00:12:51,559 --> 00:12:53,249
should not have had that idea.

399
00:12:53,849 --> 00:12:55,631
If anybody ever recommends me

400
00:12:55,631 --> 00:12:59,382
a plastic slip book, they will ruin the day.

401
00:12:59,912 --> 00:13:01,505
The last book, you guessed it,

402
00:13:01,505 --> 00:13:02,752
you were probably wondering

403
00:13:02,752 --> 00:13:03,566
where it was.

404
00:13:05,694 --> 00:13:07,676
Mary Shelley's Frankenstein.

405
00:13:07,676 --> 00:13:10,230
I set this as a text for my book club for August

406
00:13:10,230 --> 00:13:11,524
and it got some mixed reviews.

407
00:13:11,524 --> 00:13:13,185
A lot of people are dappling into classics

408
00:13:13,185 --> 00:13:13,870
for the first time,

409
00:13:13,870 --> 00:13:15,830
and said it was drawn out and lengthy,

410
00:13:16,150 --> 00:13:17,083
and a lot of people said

411
00:13:17,083 --> 00:13:19,429
"This was such an amazing introduction to classics!"

412
00:13:19,429 --> 00:13:20,637
And I think that very much depends

413
00:13:20,637 --> 00:13:21,345
on your patience

414
00:13:21,345 --> 00:13:24,368
because it is a mid-length book,

415
00:13:24,368 --> 00:13:26,174
and there are multiple chapters,

416
00:13:26,174 --> 00:13:29,171
that it's just him rambling on about his journys

417
00:13:29,171 --> 00:13:30,906
and his melancholy.

418
00:13:31,146 --> 00:13:32,712
I talk about this more in-depth

419
00:13:32,712 --> 00:13:34,994
in my first video, I believe,

420
00:13:34,994 --> 00:13:36,482
about books that I'd sell my soul

421
00:13:36,482 --> 00:13:37,512
for to read again.

422
00:13:37,512 --> 00:13:38,799
So that very much says enough

423
00:13:38,799 --> 00:13:39,678
about this book!

424
00:13:39,678 --> 00:13:41,760
But it's such an essential

425
00:13:41,760 --> 00:13:43,915
imperative read in the world of classics.

426
00:13:44,135 --> 00:13:46,040
It's such a common misconception that

427
00:13:46,040 --> 00:13:47,742
Frankenstein is the monster.

428
00:13:47,742 --> 00:13:49,410
Frankenstein is a scientist!

429
00:13:49,410 --> 00:13:51,155
It's also such a common misconception

430
00:13:51,155 --> 00:13:54,253
that Frankenstein kills the monster

431
00:13:54,253 --> 00:13:57,320
or Frankenstein builds the monster a wife!

432
00:13:57,320 --> 00:13:59,723
This really clarifies the plot for you

433
00:13:59,723 --> 00:14:01,469
and most people love it,

434
00:14:01,469 --> 00:14:02,724
if you hate it,

435
00:14:02,724 --> 00:14:05,213
you only have to read it once to say you have

436
00:14:05,213 --> 00:14:06,293
And to recap,

437
00:14:06,293 --> 00:14:09,399
here are the 10 classic literature books

438
00:14:09,399 --> 00:14:10,896
that are actually good

439
00:14:10,896 --> 00:14:13,661
for actual beginners.

440
00:14:13,661 --> 00:14:15,721
And these are for me,

441
00:14:15,721 --> 00:14:17,258
I know I say this a lot,

442
00:14:17,258 --> 00:14:19,873
and dare I say it again,

443
00:14:19,873 --> 00:14:21,191
God-tier.

444
00:14:21,191 --> 00:14:23,555
I suppose now it's time to conclude the video.

445
00:14:23,555 --> 00:14:24,525
Which is kind of sad

446
00:14:24,525 --> 00:14:26,319
because this has been the most social interaction

447
00:14:26,319 --> 00:14:27,686
I've had in two weeks.

448
00:14:27,686 --> 00:14:29,301
Follow my social media,

449
00:14:29,301 --> 00:14:30,686
I'll have all that linked down below.

450
00:14:30,686 --> 00:14:33,684
I talk about books a lot more frequently on them

451
00:14:33,684 --> 00:14:35,305
because YouTube is a drag

452
00:14:35,305 --> 00:14:36,678
in a very lovable way.

453
00:14:36,678 --> 00:14:38,315
Thank you so much to the unmatched

454
00:14:38,315 --> 00:14:39,198
love and support.

455
00:14:39,198 --> 00:14:40,719
It's incredible, it's so gorgeous,

456
00:14:40,719 --> 00:14:42,451
I love every single one of you.

457
00:14:42,451 --> 00:14:44,201
I don't want to be one of those people

458
00:14:44,201 --> 00:14:47,000
that says like and subscribe but-