My Favorite Classics
The Odyssey
Andrew Lang
TeachersFirst Lifetime Reading List: I can recommend these!
For College Prep, I recommend the following fantastic stories, full of adventure, romance, and humor:
During the Reign of Terror, aristocrats condemned to die are mysteriously disappearing. Rumor has it that this is the work of an elusive band of Englishmen; their leader, the Scarlet Pimpernel. Marguerite Blakeney, a beautiful French actress lately married to an English baronet, finds herself in a difficult situation. A ruthless agent of the Committee of Public Safety, Citizen Chauvelin, has black-mailed her to help him discover the identity of the Scarlet Pimpernel. Can she save her only brother from death? Will she betray a brave but mysterious hero to his death? Is this the end of the Scarlet Pimpernel?
(Summary from http://www.blakeneymanor.com)
This book is the first in a fantastic series; the others are available free at http://www.blakeneymanor.com/series.html
The epitome of the chivalric novel, Ivanhoe sweeps readers into Medieval England and the lives of a memorable cast of characters. Ivanhoe, a trusted ally of Richard-the-Lion-Hearted, returns from the Crusades to reclaim the inheritance his father denied him. Rebecca, a vibrant, beautiful Jewish woman is defended by Ivanhoe against a charge of witchcraft--but it is Lady Rowena who is Ivanhoe's true love. The wicked Prince John plots to usurp England's throne, but two of the most popular heroes in all of English literature, Richard-the-Lion-Hearted and the well-loved famous outlaw, Robin Hood, team up to defeat the Normans and regain the castle. The success of this novel lies with Scott's skillful blend of historic reality, chivalric romance, and high adventure.
(Summary from http://www.literature-web.net/walter_scott/ivanhoe)
A dashing officer of the guard and romantic poet, Cyrano de Bergerac falls in love with his cousin Roxane without her knowing. His one fault in his life, he feels, is his large nose and although it may have been a forming influence in his rapier-sharp wit, he believes that Roxane will reject him. He resorts to writing letters to her on behalf of one of his cadets, Christian, who is also in love with Roxane but just doesn't know how to tell her. She falls for the poetic charm of the letters but believes that they were written by Christian.
"The Phantom of the Opera" is a hideously deformed
musical genius who hides in shadow, living beneath the Paris Opera house (which
he himself designed some years earlier). Forced to live this way due to the fact
that he has become a killer, his motives in life are changed when he falls in
love with a young prima donna named Christine, a girl he has secretly been
giving singing lessons.
But when a young man named Raoul DeChagny vies for the love of Christine,
a deadly rivalry ensues- which will determine the fate of not only Christine,
but of the entire Paris Opera House.
Brenna Saunders,
Resident Gaston Leroux Scholar
For Emma, raised to think well of herself, has such a high opinion of her own worth that it blinds her to the opinions of others. The story revolves around a comedy of errors: Emma befriends Harriet Smith, a young woman of unknown parentage, and attempts to remake her in her own image. Ignoring the gaping difference in their respective fortunes and stations in life, Emma convinces herself and her friend that Harriet should look as high as Emma herself might for a husband--and she zeroes in on an ambitious vicar as the perfect match. At the same time, she reads too much into a flirtation with Frank Churchill, the newly arrived son of family friends, and thoughtlessly starts a rumor about poor but beautiful Jane Fairfax, the beloved niece of two genteelly impoverished elderly ladies in the village. As Emma's fantastically misguided schemes threaten to surge out of control, the voice of reason is provided by Mr. Knightly, the Woodhouse's longtime friend and neighbor. Though Austen herself described Emma as "a heroine whom no one but myself will much like," she endowed her creation with enough charm to see her through her most egregious behavior, and the saving grace of being able to learn from her mistakes. By the end of the novel Harriet, Frank, and Jane are all properly accounted for, Emma is wiser (though certainly not sadder), and the reader has had the satisfaction of enjoying Jane Austen at the height of her powers. --Alix Wilber
When they first meet, Elizabeth Bennet thinks Mr. Darcy the proudest man she’s ever met and promises her mother she will never dance with such a proud, disagreeable gentleman. Mr. Darcy, after a quick glance, pronounces Elizabeth “not pretty enough to tempt me.” From these first impressions springs one of the most beloved romances of all time.
A charming wittiness and light humor pervade the story, as the characters gleefully tease each other at every opportunity. Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy spar cleverly through the entire novel, punctuating each encounter with their barely-hidden attraction for each other. Yet, how can Mr. Darcy redeem himself after persuading his best friend to give up “such an imprudent match” as Elizabeth’s sister? And will Elizabeth’s preoccupation with the fascinating Mr. Wickham interfere? Before the hero and heroine can face their feelings, one of Elizabeth’s sisters does the unthinkable while chasing the man of her dreams, plunging the entire family into ruin. The surprises, catastrophes, and real romance blend into a masterpiece not to be missed. --Valerie Frankel
Catch 22
Gone With the Wind (1936)
The Odyssey -- Homer
The Illiad --Homer
Read Henry Potty and the Pet Rock: The Unauthorized Harry Potter Parody
Read From Girl to Goddess: The Heroine's Journey in Myth and Legend
