Top 5 Classic Pieces of Literature to read (in my opinion)!

Tom Sawyer

Been having a dry week with my writing. Mostly getting into the groove with The Lake Country Player's Junior Players production of "Tom Sawyer" going up July 12th - 14th. I'm stage managing, something that I am very familiar with and really love doing. I really hit my stride at tonight's rehearsal. I am working strictly with children for this show, but there is something that is truly awesome watching children act.

These kids are learning lines in the 1850's southern dialect, I am very impressed. These are kids so sometimes the outdoor voice has to come out, I have to use the outdoor voice with adults that I stage manage too. I am also watching Mary (the director) and her daughter Maggie (junior director) grow in their roles, also a pleasure watching. I really do LOVE bolstering other talents, it's why I do theatre, not just being on stage myself. Although I love to do that too! Recently auditioned for a production of "Best Little Whorehouse in Texas," just waiting to hear back on the results of that audition.

Anyway, I thought that I would update everyone on what I had been doing later, but also do something different it this blog. I thought I would share with everyone my top 5 classic works of literature that I have enjoyed reading and would read again. Since I am involved in a production of "Tom Sawyer", it seemed fitting. I have never read "Tom Sawyer" nor "Huckleberry Finn" (I know, bad English Major, bad. I plan to rectify that this year), but there are a number of classics that I HAVE read. So, in honour of Samuel Clemens AKA Mark Twain, I present my top 5 classic works of literature:

Honourable Mention:"Purgatorio" by Dante

One of the more difficult epic poems to read, but it is very much worth it! If you get a chance to read the Divine Comedy, then do so. I favourite is "Purgatorio"! But there are 3 parts in all: "Inferno", "Purgatorio", and "Paradiso".

#5 Anything by Shakespeare

After all I am an English major. I even took a course in Early Shakespeare. I am a poet at heart and the bard of Stratford-upon-Avon had quite the way with the words. I even taught myself to write in iambic pentameter. My favourite works or "A Midsummer Night's Dream", "MacBeth", "Much Ado About Nothing", and of course the Sonnets.




#4 "Black Beauty" by Anna Sewell

The very first novel I ever read, all by myself. I was a horse lover, still am, but I was enamoured with horses. I wanted a pony, have horse posters everywhere, and drew horse in my notebooks AT THE FRIGGIN' TIME. I love this touching, albeit sad story about Black Beauty's travels and trials, written from the horses perspective, probably one of the first story really taken from the animal's view.

#3 Anything by Edgar Allen Poe

This is probably cheating, but Poe has a HUGE body of work, and I cannot choose just one. Poe had such a fascinating, if disturbing life and his work shows it. I remember reading "The Raven" in high school and then spending time trying to memorize the poem after school, not even sure. There is something about his use of alteration and rhyme in his poetry. Favourite works include "The Raven", "Annabel Lee", "The Cask of Amontillado", and "The Tell Tale Heart".



#2 "The Odyssey" by Homer

The poet in me doesn't quit, I love these epic poems. To be able to tell a short in less words than a standard novel, that amazes me. The story of Odysseus is a story that I can even relate to. Life is a journey, and sometimes you get  sidetracked by winds, witches, and monsters, but in the end you will find your way home.

#1 "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee

To be fair, I haven't read this is a REALLY long time! What I remember was really amazing. I plan on revisiting it is  the near future. It did leave a really good impression with me. For a difficult subject, Harper Lee wrote an amazing story.