table of contents: what is literature? 3 chapter 2: why ... of contents: chapter# heading page#...

Table of Contents:

Chapter# Heading Page#

Chapter 1: What is literature? 3

Chapter 2: Why read literature? 5

Chapter 3: Common difficulties in reading literature 7

Chapter 4: How to read literature 8

Plot

Structure

Character

Archetype

Point of View

Style

Methodology

Use of Language

Symbolism

Setting

Theme

Personal Evaluation Chapter 5: Literature for beginners 18

Chapter 6: What to read: Classics vs. Bestsellers 19

Chapter 7: An Indicative reading list 21

About the Author: Ashmita Saha 22

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Chapter 1: What is literature?

There is a lot of debate and confusion on what exactly is ‘literature’. In the broad sense, it could mean any significant body of writing. In the narrow sense it could exclude many works by prominent authors like the letters by Matthew Arnold and Jane Austen. Let scholars and critics decide on the ‘technically correct, universally acceptable’ definition of literature. For most common readers it will do to go with a workable definition of ‘literature’.

Noted scholar William Henry Hudson, in his book ‘An Introduction to the study of literature’, says that literature is any written text that ‘imparts knowledge’ and yields ‘aesthetic satisfaction’ at the same time. He of course goes on to further classify this broad definition by describing ‘knowledge’ and ‘aesthetics’.

Cuing in from his discussion, we may safely take literature to contain the following attributes:

• Literature is born out of our desire for self-expression

• Literature deals with man, society and its doings

• Literature is the result of our imagination and records our flights of fancy

• Literature is a work of art- hence it is aesthetically pleasing to us

• Literature has a sustainable quality- it holds true for multiple ages, societies and cultures. Its appeal is multi-faceted.

From this, it is now easy for us to say that those written texts which do not conform to the above mentioned characteristics are ‘non-literary’. Thus a treatise, an exposition or speech is not literature. A lecture by J.F Kennedy, for example, may be very interesting to read but it cannot be termed as ‘literature’ because it is factual in nature. Similarly the autobiography of Mahatma Gandhi is very inspiring and educational, but it is not literature because it is only factual.

A romance from the popular publishing house ‘Mills and Boon’ is also not literature because though the story is imaginary, the work contains type cast characters who do not resemble real life people and because the work does not hold truisms across ages, cultures and societies.

On the other hand, Leo Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina is a literary piece of the highest quality because it talks about the essential nature of man and society even as its



main characters are imaginary. While the work was published in 1877, readers find it equally relevant in 2010. The writing technique of Tolstoy is a form of art- its elegance, style and skill bear evidence of deep thought, intelligence and beauty.

This consciousness of the true nature of ‘literature’ is a comparatively recent development in history. It can be said to have begun only after the 18th century. Before the 18th century any significant body of writing was considered literature. That could include fiction as well as non-fiction. During the Renaissance any writing worth some permanence was considered literary. However, around the 18th century critics started becoming aware of the ‘art’ of literature. Thus only ‘imaginative fiction’ started being termed as literature, thereby excluding non-fiction. This was also the time of the rise in the prestige of the novel.

Now that we have created a broad demarcation between ‘literature’ and ‘non-literature’, we shall realise that on the face of it, most of ‘literature’ seems less entertaining than the other forms of entertainment available to us. For example, a popular show on television, a famous movie, a chart busting rock number, or a thrilling video game are all accessible to us at the touch of a button. It seems ridiculous then, that we must sit with a ‘boring’ book in order to get entertained. And even if we do decide to sit with a book, reading a nail biting murder mystery thriller ought to make more sense.

Wrong! The rest of this e-book will talk about how reading ‘literature’ is more beneficial for us than meets the eye. Also, I shall tell you ways and means of making literature enjoyable, thrilling and fun. You shall find out how literature can be more fun than a television show, just like playing a game of football can be more fun than watching it on television. You shall also realize that reading ‘literature’ is actually making you a better, wiser human being with each additional read.



Chapter 2: Why read literature?

The best reasons to encourage reading of literature can be directly inferred from the attributes of literature mentioned in the previous chapter:

• Literature is born out of our desire for self-expression

By creatively expressing our innate desires, dreams, fancies and nightmares literature helps us develop our individuality. If we were unable to express ourselves, we would be reduced to machines, morons or slaves.

Not just that, literature also tells us how to express ourselves in the correct manner. A society that does not have a literary tradition is boorish, savage and rough. Literature polishes and refines our language by moulding words to express numerous subtleties in meaning. Therefore, while an uneducated man would only be able to express his anger by bad mouthing or fighting his opponent, a literary man would know how to use irony or sarcasm to disarm his adversary.

• Literature deals with man, society and its doings

Reading literature enables a person to appreciate different perspectives and viewpoints. It helps the reader understand the essence and quirks of the social order he lives in.

For example, when we read J M Coetzee’s Disgrace, we realize how the nature of ‘disgrace’ changes with society. While in a civilised country, a professor is shamed and penalised for having a mutually consensual affair with his student, in the uncivilised hinterland of Africa, a woman is shamed for ‘daring’ to take up the manly profession of agriculture.

Literature thus helps us appreciate differences in customs and values in different individuals, societies, ages and cultures. We become sensitized to these differences and end up being more rational, tolerant human beings.

• Literature is the result of our imagination and records our flights of fancy

Literature provides a creative platform to a person’s imagination. By allowing his imagination to flourish, literature helps encourage dreams, aspirations and ambitions.

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Much before the actual submarine was invented by science, Jules Verne had recorded his imaginary voyage under the sea in his popular science fiction ‘Twenty Thousand Leagues under the Sea’.

• Literature is a work of art- hence it is aesthetically pleasing to us

Art is therapeutic. Art heals the roughened soul of man. It gives pleasure. Literature has a sustainable quality- it holds true for multiple ages, societies and cultures. Its appeal is multi-faceted. When we see a reflection of our doubts, fears and dreams in the artistic creations of others, we are soothed, comforted and inspired. Not only that, by understanding the artistic visions of an intellectually superior writer, we are motivated and enlightened. For example, in As You Like It, when Shakespeare says:

‘All the world’s a stage,

And all the men and women merely players:

They have their exits and their entrances;

And one man in his time plays many parts,’

- Not only do we learn about the predictable pattern of our lives but are also delighted by this artistic rendition of wisdom. Art makes us remember this piece and quote it later.

The benefits of literature may not be readily quantifiable or tangible, but they are there for sure. Just like you should walk more often than drive, you should read good books more often than you watch television. It may be a more strenuous task but it will be more beneficial for you.



Chapter 3: Common difficulties in reading literature

We are living in an age of instant gratification. We don’t have to make any effort to

get entertained anymore….switch the television set on and you have over 100

channels vying for your attention with the jazziest shows, you have thrilling video

games inside your mobile handset which you can access at the touch of a button,

you can hear your choice of music in the most unlikely of places-inside a crammed

public commute for example- through your ipod….the list could go on.

In a world where we don’t have to make any additional effort to get entertained, it

becomes difficult to justify the necessity of

1. Making an effort in order to get pleasure

2. Opting for a hobby that does not give us the same adrenaline rush as a video

game, suspense movie or rock music.

But the reasons why literature is still relevant to us-and will continue to be so- are

explained in the previous chapter. We should read good books for the same reasons

that we should go for a walk in the morning, or eat healthy food- to improve our

(emotional/moral/spiritual) health- even if that involves a little effort on our part.

The common difficulties faced by the reader when he picks up a literary piece are

these:

• Difficulty in understanding the tone, language and figures of speech

• The unconventional narrative structure

• Lack of thrill/drama which leads to lack of motivation to finish the novel

• Unconventional subject matter

The above concerns can easily be overcome by a little learning and effort. While,

you will provide the effort, my e-book will help you with the learning bit.

Over time you will realize that intelligently interpreting a literary text has become an

easy and routine task for you. This is also the time when reading literature will

become an addictive pleasurable activity for you. You just have to make the initial

effort to get started.



Chapter 4: How to read literature

A good book has to be reread at least once in order for the reader to understand most of what the author is trying to communicate. In the first read, the reader gets an overall view of the subject matter and is able to give his personal emotional response to the novel. The second read, however, is more objective. Now that the reader knows the general sequence of events, he is able to concentrate on the cleverness of writing technique.

There are 5 elements of a novel:

A. Plot: what happens in the story

B. Character: who is involved in what happens in the story

C. Point of View: how the story is told

D. Setting: where and when the story takes place

E. Theme: what the point of the story is

An intelligent reader will be able to note the interplay of each of the above 5 elements in the novel. This is an essential part of the critical evaluation of the novel.

We shall now pick up each of the above 5 elements and create a skeleton around which our critical enjoyment of the novel can rest.

A. Plot:

The purpose of the novel is to tell a story in an intelligent manner. Plot is the technique by which the author places certain events in certain parts of the novel to kindle/maintain the interest level of the reader. Therefore some events may be given to us in a flashback. Some events may be dropped just before the climax. A climax can be presented just after a comic interlude. Such clever placement of events makes or breaks the interest element in the novel.

In relation to plot, it is also pertinent to study the structure of a novel.

Structure- Studying the structure of a novel means finding answers to questions like these: Is the novel chronologically consistent or does the author start in the middle of the story and use flashbacks to narrate the first half of the story? If so, why? Does the author want to maintain the element of thrill in doing so? Or does telling a story in flashback enable the author to give a particular character's perspective? Does the author use one voice, or multiple voices to tell the story?



B. Character

The next element of study in the novel is Character. This element focuses on the actors in the story. The actors could be humans or animals. A novel usually has a main character- the protagonist- or the hero. The hero tries to achieve something in the novel through the sequence of events (plot). The protagonist is usually opposed by an antagonist who obstructs the protagonist’s path to achievement of the goal.

Apart from these two main characters the novel may have various other small characters who interact with the main characters in the interest of the plot.

In a good novel, the characters act in a lifelike manner- there behaviour is similar to real life behavioural patterns of human beings.

Characters in a good novel are also rounded- which means that just like a real life person, the character in the novel will exhibit a whole range of emotions. So, even if the protagonist is a ‘hero’ he will have his set of weaknesses.

Strong characters from novels are memorable. It is possible to imagine characters acting in situations other than those mentioned in the novel. For example, we know how Sherlock Holmes would act in a modern day crime investigation situation.

In relation to the study of character the author often employs the technique of archetypal comparison.

An Archetype- Authors often use cultural archetypes to reveal more than meets the eye. An archetype is 'An original model or type after which other similar things are patterned.' See if the text contains parallels to archetypes such as

l Mother Goddess( e.g. Durga in Hindu mythology),

l Faithful companion(e.g. Sancho Panza in Cervantes' Don Quixote),

l Hero(e.g. Odysseus in Homer's The Odyssey),

l Innocent(e.g. Calvin from Calvin and Hobbes),

l Misfit(e.g. Huckleberry Finn in Mark Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn),

l Orphan(e.g. Snow White in the fairy tale Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs),

l Rebel/Outlaw (e.g. Robin Hood of English Folklore),



l Outcast(e.g. Jim in Conrad's Lord Jim),

l Trickster(e.g. Bugs Bunny in the popular cartoon series),

l Villain(e.g. Shylock in Shakespeare's Merchant of Venice)

C. Point of View

Another thing to note in a novel is who tells the story. The next question to be asked is- how does the narrator tell the story?

The following people may tell the story in a novel:

• a major character

• a minor character

• an omniscient narrator

Next, the narrator may tell the story in the following manners:

• first person

• third person subjective

• third person omniscient

• third person subjective/multiple viewpoints

• third person objective

In relation to point of view, we must also study the following elements in the novel:

• Style

• Methodology

• Use of Language

• Symbolism

Style

Is the author articulate enough? Does he attempt to answer the questions raised in the book? Are their passages of eloquence in the novel? Is the author indicative and succinct? Or does he provide meticulous details?



In the Booker Prize winning novel Paddy Clark Ha Ha Ha, the author’s writing style resembles the thought patterns of a 10 year old Irish boy. This technique is called ‘stream of consciousness’. The reader is challenged to look beyond the simple boyish statements of Paddy Clark to find out significant story developments.

Methodology

How has the author organized the novel? From what sources has he used information for the novel? Are the sources adequate? What kind of questions does the author raise in the book? Does the author give sufficient points to justify his questions?

For example in the Booker Prize winning novel Disgrace, J M Coetzee questions the nature of social disgrace and in order to illustrate his point, he narrates the story of various individuals in various forms of social disgrace.

As a reader, now you need to evaluate if the evidence given to you is adequate. Are you convinced? Do you think the story is improbable or obscure?

When I read The Black Prince by Iris Murdoch for the first time, my initial reaction was disbelief at the crude twist in the plot climax. So great was my dismay that I was unable to read through the last few pages of the book- I just thought that the author had pulled a meaningless stunt and that it was unnecessary to continue. But some months later, when I read the book a second time, I realized the author’s purpose in creating the plot as it was. Understanding the author’s intention was at once thrilling and addictive.

Use of language- is the language evocative, descriptive, rustic, or functional? Does the author use a lot of figurative expressions like similes, metaphors, personification, irony or sarcasm? If the author has used a particular writing style, why has he done so? What does he want to communicate by the use of such language?

Here is a list of possible figurative expressions that are likely to be used by an author:

1. Figures based on similarity

a. Simile- a definite expression of a likeness between 2 persons, objects or events. For e.g.: ‘Red as a rose is she’

b. Metaphor- A comparison between 2 objects, persons or events is implied and not stated explicitly. For e.g.: ‘A rose is she’

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c. Allegory- An elaborate description of a similitude. Jonathan Swift’s ‘Gulliver’s Travels’ and Ernest Hemmingway’s ‘The Old Man and the Sea’ are allegories.

d. Parable- An allegorical story intended to enforce some moral or religious lesson. For example the New Testament of the Bible is full of parables.

e. Fable- A short fictitious story with a moral. It need not be allegorical like a parable. For example, Aesop’s Fables

2. Figures based on association

a. Metonymy- It substitutes the name of one thing for that of another to which it has a certain relation. For example, ‘The press (journalists) wields enormous power.’

b. Synecdoche- A more comprehensive term is used for a less comprehensive term or vice versa. For e.g.: ‘Silver and gold(riches) have I none’.- Shakespeare

c. Hypallage- an adjective is shifted from the noun to which it belongs to another object to which it is associated. For e.g.: ‘A sleepless pillow was pressed by both; an anxious morning slowly dawned.’-Reynolds

d. Allusion- the use of some word or expression that calls to mind some well-known past incident. For e.g.: ‘ Now we clap

Our hands, and cry, ‘Eureka’, it is clear’- Byron.

The word Eureka reminds us of Archimedes’ famous expression of joy ’Eureka’ on discovering the principle of testing the purity of gold.

3. Figures based on difference

a. Antithesis- contrasted words/ideas are set against each other for the sake of emphasis. For e.g.:’ United we stand, divided we fall’-Morris

b. Epigram-an apparent contradiction in language that brings out an important inner meaning. For e.g.: Cowards die many times before their death.-Shakespeare



c. Climax- a series of words/sentiments is arranged in ascending order of importance. For e.g.: ‘That consolation, that joy, that triumph was afforded by him.’ -Southey

d. Anti-climax- a series of words/sentiments is arranged in descending order of importance For e.g.: ‘Who in the course of one revolving moon,

Was lawyer, stateman, fiddler, and buffoon.’-Dryden

e. The condensed sentence- bringing together of ideas that are so different that ordinarily, they deserve a separate sentence each. For e.g.,’ She dropped a tear and her pocket handkerchief.’-Dickens

4. Figures based on imagination

a. Personification- investing inanimate objects with attributes of a living being. For e.g.:’ The thirsty earth soaks up the rain,

And drinks and gapes for drink again.’-Cowley

b. Apostrophe- A short impassioned address to a dead/absent person, an object or even an abstraction. For e.g.:’ O Judgement! Thou art fied to brutish beasts.’- Shakespeare

c. Vision- a writer brings to mind some imaginary picture and represents it with such graphic reality as though it were actually present to the senses. For e.g.:’ Even now, methinks, as pondering here I stand, I see the rural virtues leave the land’- Goldsmith

d. Hyperbole- things are represented as much greater or lesser than they really are. For e.g.:’ I loved a love once, fairest among women.’- Lamb

5. Figures based on indirectness

a. Innuendo- A thing is insinuated or hinted instead of being plainly stated. For e.g.:’ He is born of rich but honest parents’- a suggestion that rich people are generally dishonest

b. Irony- use of words to express something totally different from what they naturally mean. For e.g.:’ The brotherly love of our enlarging Christianity is proved by the multiplication of murder.’- Ruskin



c. Peri-phrasis- a thing is expressed in a roundabout way instead of saying it directly. For e.g.:’ The cup that cheers, but not inebriates( a cup of tea)’- Cowper

d. Euphemism- softening a harsh disagreeable expression. For e.g.,’ Lord, by this time he smelleth( stinketh), for he hath been dead four days.’- St. John

6. Figures based on sound

a. Paronomasis/Pun- A word is used that has a double meaning. For e.g.:’ I whip my child to make him smart’( smart meaning ‘active’ and ‘to feel a sharp pain’)

b. Onomatopoeia- The sounds of words are made to reflect their sense. For e.g.:’ Baa Baa Black Sheep’

c. Alliteration- The recurrence of the same letter at the beginning of several words in a series. For e.g.:’ Most Musical, Most Melancholy’- Milton

7. Figures based on construction

a. Interrogation- A strong affirmation (often of the contrary meaning) is implied under the form of an interrogation. For e.g.:’ For who can think of submission?’- Milton

b. Exclamation- The abrupt expression of emotion, wish or contemplation. For e.g.:’ Oh that those lips had language!’- Cowper

c. Chiasmus- An inversion of the order of words or phrases, when repeated in a sentence. For e.g.:’ Beauty is truth, truth is beauty’- Keats

d. Zuegma- One verb is attached to two nouns. For e.g.:’ The moment and the vessel passed.’ Tennyson

Symbolism- More often than not, writers employ symbols to connote more than what the literary text says. For example,

• the description of a winter morning may mean death or harshness

• the reference to a bath may mean a rebirth (from the Biblical Baptism), and

• a journey may be mean a quest



Here is a short list of some possible symbols:

Symbol Significance Number 3 light, spiritual awareness, unity (holy trinity), male principle Number 4

associated with the circle, life cycle, four seasons, female principle, earth, nature, elements

Number 7

the most potent of all symbolic numbers signifying the union of three and four, the completion of a cycle, perfect

Red blood, sacrifice, passion, disorder Green growth, hope, fertility Blue highly positive, security, tranquillity, spiritual purity Black darkness, chaos, mystery, the unknown, death, wisdom, evil, melancholy White light, purity, innocence, timelessness Yellow enlightenment, wisdom

D. Setting

Setting is the physical description of the location of the story in the novel. It consists of:

• time and date

• place, geography

• climate, weather

• the immediate surroundings of the characters like clothing, environment, objects in the vicinity etc.

• the historic significance of the period of the novel

The setting of a novel helps the author to

• Set the correct mood for the novel. For example, the setting of Conrad’s The Heart of Darkness-in the primitive jungles of the Congo River basin- serves to create an atmosphere of unpredictability and foreboding in the reader.

• Use symbols to illustrate themes and character. For example, the rough geographic setting of Wuthering Heights symbolically connotes the roughness of Heathcliff’s character

http://www.book-review-circle.com/The-Heart-Of-Darkness-Joseph-Conrad.html

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http://www.book-review-circle.com/Wuthering-Heights-Emily-Bronte.html



In relation to the setting of the novel, it is also worthwhile to study the social context of the novel and the influences that worked upon the author while writing the novel.

Social Context

No matter how fanciful the literary work is, it always draws from social patterns and has a message for it. The message may be didactic, or simply analytical. But the novel will always refer to social customs, behaviours and patterns. The reader may try to analyse these patterns in the novel.

For example, in the popular children’s classic the ‘Adventures of Huckleberry Finn’ the author juxtaposes social norms of propriety against the rebelling nature of the protagonist, Huckleberry Finn. Huck prefers to live in the wilderness, instead of townships. In spite of being a white boy, Huck befriends Jim who is a runaway slave. Huck’s values go against societal norms. And yet he is not evil. The author, Mark Twain forces us to examine the value and efficacy of such social norms through his novel.

Influence

The author is a human being who gets affected by what happens around him, by his socio-political circumstances and by what he reads. A full understanding of his works can only be achieved if we have knowledge of the influences that shape the author. To do this of course, a passionate reader needs to read a lot more about the author than just his works.

Many a times, authors write from their own experiences. So the reader is able to gauge the author’s purpose and motif behind the novel if he has an inkling of the influences that worked upon the author. Jane Austen, for example, led a very domestic life and had very limited knowledge of the world outside England. So all her stories are based out of England and revolve around the English social life in the 18th century.

Similarly, Joseph’s Conrad’s views on the colonising effects of Europeans on the natives of Africa are reflected in his novels Lord Jim and Heart of Darkness. Conrad’s experiences as a seaman help him create the realistic settings of his novels.

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E. Theme

Theme is the general motif behind the work. All good literature enables the reader to understand some aspect of humanity better. Literature should entertain as well as enlighten. So, the author has to have a purpose behind telling his story. The four points mentioned above, namely, plot, character, point of view and setting should help the author to illustrate his central theme through his novel. Therefore the plot, character, point of view and setting must be consistent with the theme of the novel.

Theme is also the pithy ‘take-home’ for the reader. The reader should be able to determine the central message of the story after analysing its theme.

For example, the theme of most crime thrillers would be ‘good triumphs over evil’. The theme of William Golding’s Lord of the Flies is ‘children are also capable of evil and corruption like adults’

Do note that theme is different from subject matter. While the subject of Harry Potter novels is a quasi-magical world, its theme is that of ‘good triumphing over evil’.

Personal Evaluation

Lastly, after analysing the novel according to the points mentioned above, it is important to ask yourself the truly personal question- how did it make you feel?

Reading is not a passive process. The reader interacts constantly with words written by the author. These words conjure up images, thoughts and emotions in the reader. After finishing a novel, therefore, the reader’s very personal response to the novel is an important component of the pleasure of reading- and also a very important determinant of the commercial success of the literary work.

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Chapter 5: Literature for beginners

If you are being initiated into literature, the simple task of picking up the right book for reading may seem stupendous. This is because the range of books that are available to an interested reader is endless. It may seem difficult to pick a starting point without any guidance. This section of my e-book will help you with this selection. Your choice of book should depend on the following two factors:

• Your age

• Your interest

I have drawn a chart below based on the above two classifications. You can refer to it as a quick guide to your next read. Irrespective of your age and your taste in literature, you should be able to find a book that suits you from the table below. All the books mentioned in the table are famous novels in their own genres. They are either classics or literary award winners in their own category. Since the table is only indicative, these books should serve as a reference to the kind of books that one may pick based on his tastes in literature.

Interest Age Romance Thriller Historic Comic Satirical Teenage Gone with

the wind-Margaret Mitchell

Sherlock Holmes series-Arthur Conan Doyle

Robinson Crusoe-Daniel Defoe

Three men in a boat-Jerome K. Jerome

Animal Farm- George Orwell

Youth Pride and Prejudice-Jane Austen

In Cold Blood-Truman Capote

A Tale of Two Cities-Charles Dickens

Don Quixote-Cervantes

Lord of the Flies-William Golding

Middle Age

Lady Chatterley's Lover-D H Lawrence

Life of Pi-Yann Martel

War and Peace-Leo Tolstoy

Catch 22-Joseph Heller

Brave New World-Aldous Huxley

Old Age Pamela-Samuel Richardson

The Great Escape-Paul Brickhill

Kristin Lavransdatter: The Wreath, Wife, the Cross-Sigrid Undset

Finnegans Wake-James Joyce

Utopia-Thomas Moore



Chapter 6: What to read: Classics vs. Bestsellers

Another common question faced by many readers is whether to read literary classics

or best sellers? Best sellers do seem to be more popular and attractive.

Many people read best sellers because:

• It is thrilling

• It is easy to read

• It has been referred to him by a friend

• It enables the reader to keep a tab of literary fads

But reading such best sellers takes away the benefits of reading literature mentioned

in chapters 1 and 2. When someone picks up a murder mystery thriller or a Mills and

Boon romance, he may be deluding himself that he is reading literature….but he

gains little from such a past time. His reading is almost as beneficial to him as

watching a popular soap on television. It is only an act of momentary satisfaction.

The reader does not gain any lasting value out of his reading.

On the other hand if the reader is wise about his selection of books, he can, with the

investment of the same effort and time, gain a lot more knowledge, insight and

pleasure. Classics, simply by virtue of having been popular across ages and

cultures, offer a lot more knowledge, insight, refinement and aesthetics.

Many of the books that are classics today were bestsellers when they were first

published. Books like Gulliver’s Travel, Pride and Prejudice, and Sherlock Holmes

are cases in point. But in addition to being merely bestsellers they have an additional

quality- their appeal to readers has not diminished over the ages or across cultures.

Their popularity and fame extends across geographic boundaries.

So, obviously, these classics have been able to give the reader a lot more than

bestsellers are able to offer.

For example, a bestselling crime fiction provides a lot of thrill to the reader while he

is reading the book but the reader has very little to learn from it at the end. This is

because the characters in the novel are likely to be flat, unlike real life; the plot is

likely to be stilted, employing populist thrills; and cultural elements are likely to be

unreal.



On the other hand a classical crime fiction like the Sherlock Holmes series has a lot

more to offer- it gives the reader a good view of London life in the late 1800s. The

character of Sherlock Holmes draws from a real life Dr. Joseph Bell who had the

talent to infer grand but logical conclusions from the smallest of scientific

observations. Sherlock Holmes is a great influence and inspiration for forensic

scientists. So great is the influence of Sherlock Holmes in the detective/crime fiction

genre that the works have been adapted on stage and screen several times, there

are museums dedicated to Holmes, and readers continue to derive pleasure out of

the series even today.

From the simple comparison above, readers can gauge for themselves the kind of

work that they should invest their time in. Life is short. Time, once spent, never

comes back. Therefore, it is prudent to invest this precious resource- time- on

something that is guaranteed to give you pleasure and learning at the same time.

So while making your reading list, you should choose books that already have

gained critical acclaim- instead of relying on the opinion of your friends only.

Does that mean that you cannot read contemporary literature? Of course you can-

but it is prudent to base your decisions on the recommendations of acclaimed literary

critics and established award panels, rather than follow the fan club book

recommendations.

For example, you can safely say that Peter Carey’s ‘Parrot and Olivier in America’

will offer more literary value than the season’s best seller simply because it has been

long listed for The Booker, 2010. So you must read it before you read the bestselling

romantic thriller that your friends are reading at present.

Do you wish to buy any of the books listed above? If so, then you can support

www.book-review-circle.com by buying it from here: Click Here

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http://www.amazon.com/gp/search?ie=UTF8&keywords=Literature&tag=wwwbookreview-20&index=books&linkCode=ur2&camp=1789&creative=9325



Chapter 7: An Indicative reading list

I will not exactly give you a ‘list’ as such- simply because such a list would be too

long. Also, such a general list may not suit your specific taste in literature. You may

prefer historic novels or bildungsroman-s. My list, if I were to give you one, would

only have a few such titles. So it would not be much use to you.

What I have decided to give you instead is a list of places that make reliable literary

recommendations. You can safely pick up novels of your liking from any of the

following lists.

1. New York Review Of Books

2. New York Times Book Review

3. Times Literary Supplement

4. London Review of Books

5. Awardees of Pulitzer Prize for Fiction

6. Awardees of Nobel Prize for Literature

7. Awardees of Man Booker Prize

The above list, needless to say, is only indicative. Qualified references to good

literature are numerous- this is only the starting point.

So,

Happy Reading ☺



About the Author: Ashmita Saha

Literature has been Ashmita’s first love since childhood.

Even after a post graduate degree in business administration and several years of

managerial experience in the corporate world, love of literature has drawn her back

to the realm of books. She has created www.book-review-circle.com for book lovers

and written several e-books in order to help encourage the habit of reading literature

amongst youngsters.

Www.book-review-circle.com is a place for book lovers. Book lovers come here to

review books, to find suggestions for their next read and to indulge in hot literary

debates. Book-review-circle.com has its own club- The Book Lovers Club and its

own monthly e-zine- The Book Lovers Club News

Some e-books written by Ashmita Saha are:

• 101 Book Gifting Ideas: How to make gifts that are cherished forever

and,

• How to enjoy literature: Make novels fun and exciting

http://www.book-review-circle.com/

http://www.book-review-circle.com/the-book-lovers-club.html

http://www.book-review-circle.com/subscribe-to-book-review-circle.html

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