Rediscovering the Classics 2011-2012 List of Books

(For my Rediscovering the Classics reading group.)

I recently read something by Thomas Foster who wrote about literature as a conversation; how older classics influence all the writers who come after--whether they inspire other authors to write a story as a tribute, or write a contrasting novel as a response, or sometimes influence newer authors in ways they don't even realize.  So this year we are reading books in pairs (or in once case in a triumvirate) and part of what we will be discussing is how one novel influences another, and how together they can make a conversation, and make us see the topic differently.

And so, without further ado, here is the reading list:

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Sept. 9th and 23rd: The Odyssey, A Dramatic Retelling of Homer’s Epic by Simon Armitage
Oct. 7th and 21st: The Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood
Nov. 4th and 18th: Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier

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Dec. 2nd and 16th: Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad
Jan. 6th and 20th: State of Wonder by Ann Patchett
    (“Orpheus & Eurydice”, a Greek Myth)

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Feb. 10th and 24th: Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
    (“Prometheus brings the gift of fire”, a Greek Myth)
March 9th and 23rd: Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro
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April 13th and 27th: Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare
    (“King Thrushbeard”, a fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm)
May 11th and 25th: Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
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As mentioned at the top of this post, this is the reading list for my Rediscovering the Classics reading group. If any readers not in RtC happen upon this list and would like to read along with us you are more than welcome to join us. It may be a few months after the fact, but that is no matter; just jump on into whichever month we are in and start reading, and please join in the discussion of the books in the comment section here, or on our Rediscovering the Classics Facebook page.

Happy Reading!