To roll my eyes when someone says their favourite book is a classic

[Eyeroller100]

I'm an avid reader and I'm always looking for new books to read so I often ask people what their favourite books are. AIBU to roll my eyes every time someone mentions one of the classics.

I know people do love them and they may well be their faves, but I am quite skeptical as if they are saying it to make themselves sound better.

I've tried reading a lot of classics and I just can't get into them at all! They are pure effort

I hated Hardy for over thirty years after reading him for both O and A level. (Yeah, I know, O level. I'm old) Decided to give him another go last year and oh my days, I loved him! I read constantly. I've already read four books so far this year, Conclave by Robert Harris, had to read it for book club, thought I'd dislike it, was surprised. Then The Good Man Jesus and the scoundrel Christ by Philip Pullman, which was okay, then, I think the title was A very Hygge Christmas, total chic lit candy flavoured pleasure, and now ... that's only three? oh yes, The Absent One, Scandi noir. I'm now on a "high brow" 4321 by Paul Auster which I am bloody loving.

I love a lot of classics, some of them are definitely my favourites, but I'm not snobby about books . I have equal numbers of romance, crime, thriller and classics on show in my living room, but there are classics and books that should be, but sort of aren't (The America trilogy by John Dos Passos, is bloody amazing).

Yes, some people lie, but the majority of people who name classics as favourites are telling the truth. And it has to be favourites, which change as you read more and a new one joins the list.

Endehors I love North and South!

I would expect an "Avid reader" to be able to spell - Sceptical not sceptical.

I think people can be pretentious with what they read. But I can get through a book a day and forget what I've read, still good, mostly thrillers. If asked for a good book I would probably go for the least forgettable plus am lucky in that I have the time to read. Least forgettable; A Thousand Splendid Suns, An Innocent Man, Notes on a Scandal Basically books which are more real life than than escapism stick; otherwise just enjoy the ride.

I hate Jane Austen. I'm convinced that there are many Jane Austen fans who base their strong views on TV adaptations.

That's the same viewpoint as the OP - 'because I don't like something, it's not possible anyone else can'.

I don't think anyone who actually likes Jane Austen would be basing their opinion on a TV series or movie only. I mean, sure, it's possible, but again, these people would be in the small minority.

Her writing is just perfect - for those of us who like her (never read another author quite like her) - so why wouldn't she be a favourite author?

This is odd! I have a few, very favourite classics that I devour, I love them! Always a copy handy and in some cases, several copies. I love the words, I love being transported to a different era. I do declare, it is most absurd, the way in which you imply the lover of a classic novel may well be a charlatan! 😁

I read a classic for every few modern fictions. I find the writing of Colm Tobín, Niall Williams, Sebastian Barry, Alice Munroe strike my heart...modern classics?

I read Carol Sheilds' 'unless' a few months ago. It has really stayed with me. I'm afraid I think every woman...and man should read it. I'm sure that'll make OP's eyes roll.

🤣🤣

Yes, the world is full of people who say they like the classics rather than the

I know what you mean op.

Chic lit (posted too early)

Just to keep it real ...

Treasure Island is ok, but hard to read the pirate English.

Tess of the D’Urbervilles has a crap ending.

Love HG Wells.

Love EL James.

Love Sue Townsend

Love factual books and list books.

And love my own books too.

I love Jane Austen books. They are easy to read, funny and far more accessible than some of the more recently published literary fiction I’ve read. I think the same is true of a lot of Dickens. I also love Harry Potter, the Chaos Walking trilogy, Phillip Pullman and Agatha Christie and I never pretend that I only read classics.
My favourite ever books are classics though. I had a copy of A Little Princess as a child that I read until the covers fell off. Pride and Prejudice, Wuthering Heights and Great Expectations are all close to my heart.

I find this a bit sad (genuinely sad, not pathetic sad!) and I am in the YABU camp. My favourite book is what I think everyone would consider ‘a classic’ - not surprisingly, considering my screen name, it’s To Kill a Mockingbird. But - as one previous poster has suggested - it’s not the case that I haven’t read a book since school - it’s the case that this is the book (which, yes, I first read at school) that inspired something in me that no other words had ever done before. It genuinely made an enormous impact on me and I absolutely credit that book with setting me on a particular path in life (publishing). I have read and re-read TKAM more times than I can count and it will forever be - for me - unbeatable. But I also have a bookshelf stuffed with the works of E L James and J K Rowling for example. Reading in any genre should be encouraged and bloody embraced. It seems pretty pretentious for any ‘avid reader’ to think otherwise.

I find this a bit sad (genuinely sad, not pathetic sad!) and I am in the YABU camp. My favourite book is what I think everyone would consider ‘a classic’ - not surprisingly, considering my screen name, it’s To Kill a Mockingbird. But - as one previous poster has suggested - it’s not the case that I haven’t read a book since school - it’s the case that this is the book (which, yes, I first read at school) that inspired something in me that no other words had ever done before. It genuinely made an enormous impact on me and I absolutely credit that book with setting me on a particular path in life (publishing). I have read and re-read TKAM more times than I can count and it will forever be - for me - unbeatable. But I also have a bookshelf stuffed with the works of E L James and J K Rowling for example. Reading in any genre should be encouraged and bloody embraced. It seems pretty pretentious for any ‘avid reader’ to think otherwise.

TheDowagerCuntess Totally agree! Every couple of years or so I read all of her books again because I love them so much.

As for adaptations, some are better than others and I tend not to be too fond of some of them. I've yet to see an adaptation that I've enjoyed more than reading the book itself.

I adore Austen.

mairead I have just reread Unless. I read it years ago and enjoyed it but now that I’m of similar age to the main character I really got it now.

And I think that’s the whole thing with well written novels, including the older classics. Their messages will shift as you age. I’ve read my fair share of light chick-lit books and enjoyed them but they usually don’t merit a re read.

Some can be difficult to get into, seem old fashioned or the language is tedious to read but the themes are the same as today's books. I suggest trying dramatised versions on BBC iplayer and Youtube. As a school girl things like Of Mice and Men and Lorna Doone were boring and I could never get into them but really love them since listening, they come alive with different actors and voice rather than just reading or listening to a boring narrator

To add to the comments about to kill a mockingbird, I'd also list that amongst my favourites. Luckily we didn't do it at school, I wouldn't have forgiven the teacher if she'd butchered that as she did mice & men. I'd read it before her hatchet job but took a 5yr gap before I could enjoy it again.

I did ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ for O level, and it completely ruined it for me.

Me too, STDG, though 40 years later, maybe I should revisit...

Thehogfather

...Luckily we didn't do it at school, I wouldn't have forgiven the teacher if she'd butchered that as she did mice & men. I'd read it before her hatchet job but took a 5yr gap before I could enjoy it again

Oh poor you. English teachers have to teach analysis of literature, you know.

English teachers have to teach analysis of literature, you know

And a good teacher does that to the enhancement of the book, not the detriment IMO.

Eyeroller - what is the point of your post? Seriously. What is the point? R u just bored ?

JacquesHammer

English teachers have to teach analysis of literature, you know

And a good teacher does that to the enhancement of the book, not the detriment IMO.

I know that.

Maybe you're not very good at analysing your post structure then.