Personally, I’m not that knowledgeable about literature, nor do I claim to be. But classic books and poetry don’t have to be limited to English majors. These books were thoroughly enjoyable, even as someone casually interested in literature.
The Sound and the Fury by William Faulkner
This classic novel is a difficult read. Without a linear timeline, the story follows the characters’ streams of consciousness. For each of the book’s four sections, there is a different narrator.
Infact, Faulkner originally wanted to publish the book with multicolored fonts to indicate changes in time period and narrator. Due to costs, it wasn’t possible at the time, but it sure would have helped readers.
The story, set in Jefferson, Miss. follows the Compson family in the early 1900s. It critiques Southern culture, conservatism and social class. The family of former aristocrats lives out the demise of their legacy over the three decades the book covers.
If you want a more challenging read and are interested in timepieces, this book’s for you.
Electric Koolaid Acid Test by Tom Wolfe
Patenting the writing style as New Journalism, Wolfe’s book follows the era of the Beat Generation in the 1960’s. It narrates the summer of 1964 where Ken Kesey took a road trip.
Kesey was an author himself and a part of the generation’s counterculture. The book follows him and his group dubbed the Merry Pranksters driving across the nation. Traveling in their multicolored bus, they organized parties where they handed out LSD, parties called Acid Tests. Along the way, they brush shoulders with many big writers of the era.
In the book, Wolfe’s use of the stream of consciousness can feel rambly at times, but as if the reader is directly being addressed. He plays with a variety of literary devices, formatting and word choice. The drug fueled and philosophical movement is detailed in the book in a way that will make the reader feel like they’re experiencing the drugs as well.
Howl by Allen Ginsberg
Not a traditional poet, but one of the greats. Ginsberg was also a Beat poet, part of the counterculture movement of the time. His poems had critical takes on capitalism and buracracy, while promoting more open views of sex and drugs. Rather than romanticizing life, Ginsberg is raw.
Howl represented the queer community for the mainstream. The book was small enough to take on a bus or train; it was made to be easily shared and was non-exclusive.
Ginsberg’s Howl resulted in a landmark court case due to its mass of obscenities and descriptions of homosexuality. The case was won, setting a precedent protecting such writings from being censored by authorities.
Howl embraces the mundane and vulgar, while exploring the plight of Ginsberg’s generation in the 1950’s. It questioned the social norms of its time, though it is still relatable to the newer generation. It addresses the issues of growing materialism, the push to conform and the illusion of a “holy,” untouched society.
I Wrote This Book for You by Iain S. Thomas
A much more modern book compared to the rest, I Wrote This Book for You was published in 2007 by Thomas after years of writing.
The book is a compilation of poems all addressed directly to the reader. This use of second person adds to the intimacy of the reader’s connection to the topics being discussed. It tackles emotions and situations most people can relate to, leaving a melancholic feeling.
Throughout the pages, the black and white photos by Jon Ellis accompany each poem, matching the mood.
Thomas and Ellis actually never met in person over the course of the project. Living oceans apart, Ellis would send his photos to Thomas, who then used them as inspiration to center the poems around. This process continued over the span of 10 years.
Whether a fan of all the poems, or just a few, it’s likely at least one will resonate strongly with you.
1984 by George Orwell
A classic that many may have read in high school, but a necessary read. Orwell’s 1949 dystopian novel follows a repressive regime, mirroring that of Nazi Germany.
The story follows Winston Smith, a civilian who begins questioning authority, but has to hide his doubt in secret. The society is depicted as a totalitarian regime with cult-like thinking. Freedom of thought and expression is a crime, with the Thought Police limiting individuality.
The book’s concept has reached further out into popular culture, with the concept of Big Brother as an all seeing surveilling figure. It takes on the idea of erasing history and replacing it with propaganda.
Haadiya Tariq can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @haadiyatariq