Weekly Lists #61: Top 5 Classics

I love books – I’d say we’ve established that one by now. And I love talking about classics – I’ve got an entire series dedicated to it! So imagine my shock when I suddenly realised I’ve yet to dedicate a weekly list to my favourite classics!

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1. Persuasion

This was probably the one book I needed to have in this list. Not only is it probably my favourite classic – ever, it was also my first ever Reviewing the Classics-post!

Any Jane Austen book could be in this list, really, but I still feel like Persuasion is maybe a bit underrated when it comes to this author’s work 🙂

2. L’Etranger (Albert Camus)

Fun fact: I really did not expect to like this book at all. I read it mainly because I was going to start studying French about a month later.
Surprise, surprise – I actually did love it. Enough so, even, that I’m including it in this list!

Now here’s the odd thing: I generally would not recommend this one. After all – I actually found myself cursing while I was reading this one. Not just because it was complicated, but also just because what the main character does? It makes no sense at the best of times.
That being said, however, I loved the feeling of accomplishment I got when I could finally close this book.
And of course – it is a huge classic of the French literature!

3. The Catcher in the Rye (J.D. Salinger)

This is actually another one I didn’t start with high expectations. Somehow, though, I found myself completely lost in this story.

The writing’s excellent, the story is well-told and the narration is nicely balanced. Of course – all of that is only to be expected. After all, this is one of those books you have to have read. That I actually liked it in spite of its reputation, though? That is noteworthy!

4. The Odyssey (Homer)

This one really shouldn’t come as a surprise to anybody who’s known me for a while. After all, I studied Latin for 6 years in high school and Ancient Greek for a bit over a year. And that was always because of the magnificent texts we got to read.

Seriously – the Greeks and Romans had some of the most amazing texts, so reading any of them was usually pretty awesome.
The Odyssey and the Iliad especially though 🙂

5. De geruchten (Hugo Claus)

Now, I didn’t like reading this one. At all. It actually made me feel dirty.
Only, somehow, it did so in a good way.
Here’s the thing: Hugo Claus is probably one of the most favourite Belgian authors ever.
And he has this thing he does where he goes about 5 steps beyond just pressing your nose on the ugly side of society.

To be fair, Belgium seems to have quite some authors who revel in that (Louis Paul Boon comes to mind) but Hugo Claus was exceptionally good at it.
His major novel was “Het Verdriet van België”, but because this one was my first experience with his writing, I think I’ll always like it just that bit better.
Well – like is a relative term :p

Anyways, there you have it: 5 of my all-time favourite classics – what are some of yours? And have you read any of these? Or even heard of the French and Belgian ones? Be sure to let me know below!

-Saar