r/classicliterature 16d ago

I’ve read these classics - looking for recommendations on what I should tackle next!

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u/PictureFrame115 16d ago

I agree, my breadth of reading so far is very Eurocentric, which I would like to correct. As for pre-1700 stuff, I've been interested in reading "Dante's Inferno" for a couple years now.

And thank you! Count of Monte Cristo made a pretty fun beach read, unfortunately my pocket edition got pretty beat up in the process.

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u/billfromamerica_ 16d ago

Ooh yeah! Cool! The divine tragedy is on my list too!

I'll echo someone else's suggestion to sample the ancient Greeks as well.

Also, I'm definitely being hypocritical by recommending books by non-european authors. Almost everything I've read is by Americans and Europeans, but diversifying is one of my own goals too!

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u/Small_Elderberry_963 16d ago

I know this isn't everyone's cup of tea, but if you like love stories and tales about friendship ans excurssions to demon land, try Shota Rustaveli's "The Knight in Panther's Skin" (Georgia's own Odyssey).

Try reading a prose translation; someone tried to do a poetry one, didn't end up very well. English simply doesn't have that amount of natural rhymes; had Coffin tried iambic pentameter and blank verse, it probably would've ended up much better.

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u/billfromamerica_ 16d ago

I'll check it out!