Monday 6 August 2012

Classics Club August Meme: Favourite Classic


This is a meme held by The Classics Club, an awesome club dedicated to classic literature. As you may see from my blog, I love detective stories, adventure, and poetic works. “To love only one would be cruel to others,” for me, as Don Giovanni says in Mozart's opera. Difference is, he talks about women, I about authors. So let's see what I can do.

Favourite Adventure:

Look at my authors list, and you will see Dumas triumphs over others. Why? Simply because I love The Count of Monte Cristo so much. I read the simplified version first, when I was in Senior High, but because I love Faria so much I dashed to my computer and downloaded the ebook. I read it during my holiday and cried. I re-read it and re-read it again, just because I love how Monte Cristo speaks. Definitely my favourite this far.

Favourite Detective Story:

My favourite is the one and only Sherlock Holmes. As I have stated somewhere, he's my first contact with the past, I mean, with classics. His personality is so unique, or perhaps, annoying, that I can't help laughing everytime he mocks other people's stupidity. Among SH's novels, my favourite is perhaps The Valley of Fear, not only because it's thrilling, but perhaps because Sherlock finds himself a worthy collegue, Mr Douglas.

Favourite Children Story:

Does Christmas Carol counts as children story? If it is, then it is my favourite. It moves me to tears. I like to travel with Scrooge and observe as he remembers his past, reflects upon his present, and thinks about his future. The change that comes into his personality reminds us that somewhere inside everybody, there's good, that sometimes slumbers. We only need to shake the soul to wake it up.

Favourite Fantasy Story:

Lord of the Rings, of course. I can't find the right word to express how I feel about it. The details, the legends inside legends, the complexity of the story, the appendix, the languages, each with its own characteristics and alphabeth. I am almost convinced that the Middle-Earth really does exist somewhere here on earth. Once I even studied Sindarin just because I want to appreciate the effort Tolkien exerted to make it.

Favourite Romance:

Gaston Leroux's Phantom of the Opera. It's a beautiful story that makes me cry. I watched the movie first, and lately read the novel for the Classics Club Challenge. I forget whether I cried or not the first time I watched the movie, but I cried the first time I read the novel, and then cried like a baby when I watched the musical. I know it doesn't end happily, but I love it.

Favourite Poem:

I am torn between Shakespeare's Sonnets, Venus and Adonis, Milton's Paradise Lost, and Neruda's 20 Love Poems and a Song of Despair. But I think I will take Shakespeare. His sonnets inspire the Muse in my heart, and only after reading his I was able to write my own sonnets. His vocabulary is unmatched. Perhaps his motto in writing is, “If you can't find the word, make it.”

Favourite non-Fiction Prose:

Milton's Areopagitica. You can find me babbling passionately about this work in the related review. Beautiful and strong language that expresses his thoughts precisely. I always envy those who can write in charming way, because I can't, naturally.

So, instead of choosing one, I have seven favourites here. Haha. Can't wait to read yours. 

7 comments:

  1. Great list!

    The Count of Monte Cristo is definitely in my top favorites. I love the plotting and scheming..and, of course, the revenge!

    Sherlock Holmes is definitely one of my favorite characters of all time. He's kind of a funny fellow, isn't he? :)

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    1. Ah, fellow Monte Cristo lover. Yes, he is a wonderful character.

      Sherlock Holmes is I think more annoying than funny if you live within his circle. But he's so smart that people choose to endure his personality to get advantage of his brain. He always makes me smile. (Does it count as funny?) :p

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  2. I am really looking forward to The Count of Monte Cristo; it was one of the first I thought of when making my list for the Club. The Phantom of the Opera is also on my list! I love A Christmas Carol... and almost considered that for my favorite classic. My post will go up in a couple days, but I ultimately chose To Kill a Mockingbird.

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    1. I like to kill a mockingbird as well. I like how the writer wraps such a serious topic in the mind of a little child. Looking forward to your post.

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  3. I love the way you share your favorites by genre--so many more to share! Dumas' novels are among my favorite adventures novels as well, and Tolkien--well, I just adore his novels. I don't think I've reread any books more than The Lord of the Rings.

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    1. Thank you. Choosing between favourites is a difficult job. That's why I cheated. Haha.

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  4. Oh, I just loved your thoughts on each book, and I think you write very charming, indeed!

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