Thursday, August 16, 2012

A Favorite Classic

Over at The Classics Club blog (which is an outgrowth of Jillian's Classics Club idea and project), there is a monthly discussion question related, of course, to classic literature. This month the participants are asked:

What is your favorite classic book? Why?

I may have mentioned before that I hate choosing favorites. And a favorite classic? That's made even more difficult because I tend to further subdivide "classics" into other, more manageable categories - English, American, modern, ancient, world lit - how to choose?

So my choice is more like "a" favorite classic. And I'm going with Joseph Heller's Catch-22.

It was one of four books I had to read the summer before 11th grade AP English. It was the first book that I remember really struggling with - what was all this nonsense going on? I don't get it! Them, at some point, it just clicked, and I was in love. I felt like I was let in on a little secret, one that you had to work for. That was the first time that happened with a book, but not the last. Others since then have been Faulkner's As I Lay Dying and One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez.

What books have made you feel that way? 

6 comments:

Melissa (Avid Reader) said...

I love this book! It was the first book I ever read that really captured and explained the absurdity of war in a completely accesible way. Wonderful choice!

MJ said...

@Melissa: Yes! I felt the same way. At first, I was all like - Ugh! This book is ridiculous! It makes no sense! And then...well duh, now I get it.

Anonymous said...

I love the way Melissa described what makes this book so magnificent. It's been so long since I read it, I don't really remember it. I need to re-read it soon.

Anonymous said...

I love that feeling when everything just clicks! -Sarah

Lit. Hitchhiker said...

I abandoned this book before it clicked into place for me. I should give it another try.

Brona said...

I've half read this book several times now. I love the beginning. I laugh out loud at the preposterous names and situations.
But about half way through, each time, I just get tired of it.
I skimmed all the way through one time just to see how it finished, but by then I was well and truly over the joke. For me it's like a drunk at a party who doesn't know when to stop with the silly gag he's playing on everyone!!
But so many of my friends tell me different...and so many of you obviously agree.
It must be me!