The Pathological Readers: Top Ten Books Everyone Should Read

This Top Ten Tuesday is a freebie, so I (Jenny) decided to try (notice the emphasis there) to put together a list of 10 Books Everyone Should Read. This list is a more literary based list. These are 10 works of literature that everyone who loves literature should have at least some familiarity with, in my opinion, even if that means you just read Sparknotes (that was super painful to type). I have included pictures of popular things that have been influenced by the particular works when possible. I have had a terrible time trying to stay to just 10, as you can imagine. I have tried to choose the most influential works and writers on our world today, though I know I have fallen short. I confess to a slight aversion to American authors, though I have no idea why. I will try to remedy that after I am done with my MA, if I do not perish in the process. What books would be in your Top Ten? I would love to know!

1. A Greek Tragedy. I highly recommend Medea by Euripides. I know Oedipus Rex is on many high school readings lists, but I think Medea is better. Her character is much more dynamic than Oedipus, poor guy, and she is much more entertaining. Even though she is the "bad guy", she is a very sympathetic character, unlike her husband Jason (well, at least until the very end).

2. Ovid's Metamorphoses. This work contains some of the most beautiful renditions of myth- Greek and Roman- in existence. Much of what people know of Greek mythology comes from Ovid. These are worth reading for the beauty of the prose alone, though they are also wonderful in helping one to see just how prevalent Greek myth is in our own culture today.

(A sculpture by Bernini depicting Apollo and Daphne from Metamorphoses)

3. The Book of John. This one is a bit subjective. I know the Bible as a whole is daunting for most- it is 66 books after all- and so I have tried to narrow it down. John just happens to be my favorite gospel, but you can't go wrong with Matthew, Mark, or Luke either. No matter how you feel about Christianity, so much of our Western paradigm is built upon the foundation of Christianity. It is good to know where a world view, religion, or philosophy comes from, not just what other people say about it. Find out for yourself!

(A page from the Book of Kells, one of the most beautiful extant medieval manuscripts. It is a depiction of St. John)

4. Beowulf. Okay, I admit that this one is self-indulgent. That does not mean, however, that you should not take it seriously. Beowulf is a wonderful epic that is sometimes ignored because it can be a bit difficult to understand in places. It has a dragon in it, for crying out loud. That alone is worth the read.

(Movie poster from the 2007 Robert Zemeckis film)

5. The Divine Comedy. This is a work in three parts- Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. It is about one man's journey through Hell, Purgatory, and Heaven. If you are going to only read one, you should definitely read Inferno. The connections between the sin and its punishment are fascinating, as well as how Dante organizes Hell. Think the last circle of Hell is hot? Think again! You will get more out of it if you read the commentary, but I understand that it can be tedious.

(Arguably the most famous quote from the Comedy)

6. One of Shakespeare's Plays. There is no way I could pick just one of these. My favorite play out of the ones I have read is Much Ado About Nothing, which involves lots of witty repartee between two characters that go from sparring to loving. I highly recommend Barnes and Noble Shakespeare books. They contain commentary from Shakespeare scholars and have the original text on the right with the commentary on the left so you don't have to flip to the back to find it. You will get a lot more out of the work if you read one with commentary, as many of the puns and idioms are lost to a modern reader due to changes in the language.

(This is the Globe Theater in England. It is a reproduction of the original theater where Shakespeare staged his plays. Some of the plays that are staged here are done in the original language and with as much adherence to the original costumes, stage settings, etc.)

7. Les Miserables. This one is very intimidating, but SO WORTH IT. If you have a hard time reading long books, try reading 5 chapters a day. You have to be disciplined because in places it is soooo slow. All of the stories do eventually converge into one, I promise.

(Movie poster from 2012's Les Mis)

8. One of the Great Russian Novelists. What do I mean by this? Tolstoy or Dostoyevsky. These are the books that only show up on AP syllabi in high school (for the most part). I had to read Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoyevsky and did not love it but I have lived more life since then and have a greater appreciation for it. I am hoping to be able to read The Brothers Karamazov this summer

9. Jane Austen or the Bronte Sisters. I have not found a Jane Austen book I like but I cannot deny the popularity her works enjoy nor the importance of her influence. I do, however, love Jane Eyre
by Charlotte Bronte. I am not sure exactly what it is that appeals to me, but I love Mr. Rochester.

(BBC's adaptions of Jane Austen's novels, 2005 movie poster from P&P film starring Keira Knightley, and 2011 movie poster from Jane Eyre film starring Michael Fassbender)

10. To Kill a Mockingbird. I don't think I really need to say anything about this one. Atticus Finch will always be one of my literary heroes.