About Books & Literature: Why We Don't Read Classics

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Books & Literature From Megan Romer, your About Books & Literature Editor It's fairly easy to motivate yourself to read whatever's new and hot, but motivation to read classics can be harder to come by. Why not make a mid-year resolution to read a couple of great pieces of classic literature before the year ends? Why We Don't Read Far too many of us are guilty of wanting to read more, but never quite accomplishing that task. Learn about some common reading roadblocks and how to overcome them! Great Classic Novels That You Should Be Reading Okay! We're motivated! Here we go! It's time to read some classics! But which ones? There are only about eleventy kajillion to choose from. Don't worry, we've got you covered. Here's a short list of great novels -- pick one of these and make it easy on yourself! See More About:  novels  books  Shakespeare's Sonnet #1 No time to read great novels? Okey dokey. Surely you can squeeze 14 little ol' lines into your day, though, right? And if you're going to read sonnets, you might as well get right to the good stuff -- Shakespeare's Fair Youth series, right from the beginning. See More About:  shakespeare's sonnets  fair youth sonnets  sonnet study guides Classic Quotes from Books If you still can't find time (or motivation), why not print out a list of great short quotations from famous books? You can tuck it into your wallet and pull it out as you wait in line at the bank, and get just a little bit of lit into your busy day. It can't hurt, right? See More About:  book quotes  charles dickens  mark twain Books & Literature Ads Books 100 Best Books Children Story Books Kids Picture Books Literature Featured Articles 'The Rich and the Dead' - Ed. by Nelson DeMille What's the Best New Book of 2011? Want to Own Your Own Comic Book Business? Manga Fan Faces Criminal Charges in Canada Our Bastard Tongue: Loanwords in English The Boys Next Door   More from About.com Living with Depression From the little things (managing household chores), to the more challenging (learning to forgive) these eight tips can help you manage depression. More> Symptoms of Depression Concerned that you or someone you love may be depressed? Learn more about the symptoms of this condition, including some you might not expect. More>   Sign up for more free newsletters on your favorite topics You are receiving this newsletter because you subscribed to the About Books & Literature newsletter. If you wish to change your email address or unsubscribe, please click here. About respects your privacy: Our Privacy Policy Contact Information: 249 West 17th Street New York, NY, 10011 © 2011 About.com   Classics of Children's Literature L. Frank Baum and The Wonderful Wizard of Oz Cinderella, Cinderella Robert McCloskey's Maine-Based Caldecott Winners Advertisement

About Books & Literature: More Harry Potter Coming?

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Books & Literature From Megan Romer, your About Books & Literature Editor This week, we've got memory-related nonfiction, the end of a fictional era, a Harry Potter mystery, and burning curiosity about your favorite memoirs. Read on, readers! Review: 'Moonwalking with Einstein' by Joshua Foer Here's a fun one for fans of pop science: journalist Joshua Foer tackles the science of memory with a new book that's sure to please fans of Freakonomics and anything that Malcolm Gladwell's written. Full of fun-to-repeat anecdotes and some brain training exercises that might just work for you, it's a great poolside read. See More About:  moonwalking with einstein  joshua foer  memory Review: 'The Land of Painted Caves' by Jean M. Auel This new book is the final segment of the 'Children of Earth' series that began with 'Clan of the Cave Bear,' which was written long enough ago that a good friend of mine from elementary school was named Ayla, after the main character. So it's taken awhile to write the whole series, is what I'm saying. See More About:  jean m auel  children of earth  historical fiction More Harry Potter Coming? J.K. Rowling is a big tease, it seems. She's got herself a new website called Pottermore.com, and a "big announcement" is apparently coming down the pipeline in just a couple of days. Could it be? Dare we dream? I guess we'll just have to wait and see... What's Your Favorite Memoir? And now, we want to hear from you! If you love a great memoir as much as we do, pop on over and share your favorite, and see what other readers had to say. Books & Literature Ads Books Harry Potter Authors Literature JK Rowling 'S Books Sci Fi Literature Featured Articles Toon Books: Comic Books for Early Readers "The Waste Land" Comes to the iPad What's Your Favorite Twist on Shakespeare? 'Alice in Wonderland' Quotations Globe Theatre Trivia Sneak Preview of New Clamp Manga Gate 7 Released   More from About.com Managing Chronic Fatigue These 10 important lifestyle changes can help you better manage fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue syndrome. More> When to Go on Safari Plan your safari around the seasons to ensure viewing conditions are good and the animals plentiful. More>   Sign up for more free newsletters on your favorite topics You are receiving this newsletter because you subscribed to the About Books & Literature newsletter. If you wish to change your email address or unsubscribe, please click here. About respects your privacy: Our Privacy Policy Contact Information: 249 West 17th Street New York, NY, 10011 © 2011 About.com   Classic Essays from Great American Women Susan Fenimore Cooper - "Rural Hours" Louisa May Alcott - "Death of a Soldier" Mary Austin - "The Land of Little Rain" Advertisement

About Books & Literature: The Orange Prize Winner, Books for Dad, and More!

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Books & Literature From Megan Romer, your About Books & Literature Editor This week, we're celebrating two of my favorite things: fiction and dads. And fictional dads. So that's three of my favorite things, come to think of it. Anyhow, Happy Father's Day to all of the dads out there! Orange Prize Winner: 'The Tiger's Wife' Tea Obreht picked up the prestigious Orange Prize for Fiction this week, and at 25 years old, is the youngest author ever to do so. I'm just going to read the book (and perhaps offer it up as a book club selection, even) and blithely pretend that the age of the author doesn't make me feel really old. Nope, not old at all. Tra la la. See More About:  20 under 40  tea obreht  literary fiction Review: 'The Great Night' by Chris Adrian Most Shakespeare re-interpretations seem to happen on film, as opposed to on paper, but 'The Great Night' is, indeed, a modern literary retelling of A Midsummer Night's Dream, and it's a good one. Perfect midsummer reading, in fact. Hint, hint. See More About:  the great night  chris adrian  How to Pick a Book for Dad I would totally get my Dad a great book for Father's Day, but he has made it quite clear that he is terribly behind on his reading and would prefer fishing tackle instead, and far be it from me to argue with that. See More About:  how to  how to pick  literature sources Poems for Father's Day Whether it's fishing tackle or a fine piece of literature that you're giving your Pops for Father's Day, you'll be wanting to include a card. Sure, you can totally cheat and get something from the store, but you could also do it up and make a handmade card and write a classic poem or a snappy little quote inside, a gesture which will certainly impress your Mom, if not the Dad-man himself. See More About:  poems for fathers  father's day  william blake Books & Literature Ads Books Book Club Books Dad Day Sci Fi Literature Poems About Dad Featured Articles DC Comics Reboot Classic Novels for Teens Shakespeare Auditions Writers on Writing: Robert Louis Stevenson What is a Scenographer? Review: iPhoto 11 - The Missing Manual   More from About.com Best Places to Live in America One of the nicest aspects of living in the U.S. is the ability to choose from a huge variety of climates and lifestyles. More> Birth Control Myths & Facts How much do you know about birth control types, sex myths and pregnancy? Can you identify the myths verses the facts? More>   Sign up for more free newsletters on your favorite topics You are receiving this newsletter because you subscribed to the About Books & Literature newsletter. If you wish to change your email address or unsubscribe, please click here. About respects your privacy: Our Privacy Policy Contact Information: 249 West 17th Street New York, NY, 10011 © 2011 About.com   Photos from FanimeCon 2011 Legend of Zelda Cosplay FanimeCon Banners Durarara!! Celty Cosplay Advertisement

About Books & Literature: Beach Reading and Other Worthy Adventures

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Books & Literature From Megan Romer, your About Books & Literature Editor This week, I'm heading out to the beach with a stack of books and about four gallons of sunscreen. Books are always better when you read them on vacation, aren't they? Books to Read at the Beach Not heading to the beach anytime soon? Sitting in a lawn chair in the backyard with your feet in a kiddie pool and one of these great books in your hands is a decent second-best. Pour a cup or two of sand down your pants, and your "day at the beach" staycation (such as it is) will be practically authentic. See More About:  beach reading  romance novels  mystery novels Book Review: 'The Tao of Travel' by Paul Theroux I read a lot and I travel a lot, and I can tell you with certainty that reading books about traveling while you're traveling is actually quite marvelous. Good travel writers can teach you the art of discovering a place and enjoying a journey, and it seems that this new book is a good addition to the travel writing arsenal. See More About:  travel writing  paul theroux  A Literary Guide to Renaissance Faires One of my must-do activities every summer is a visit to the Renaissance Faire. Mostly, I'm a fiend for smoked turkey legs, but I also like the marauders and the musicians and the general merriment of the events. Practice up on your Shakespearean language and get thee to a faire! Readers Share Tips: Encouraging Summer Reading Teenagers enjoy doing many things in the summer. Reading is not always one of them. Also not high on the list? Dishes, mowing the lawn, and changing out of their pajamas before 1:00 in the afternoon. Here are some tips from our readers that will hopefully help you get your teens (and younger kids) adding a little bit of literature to their life of luxury. Share yours! See More About:  reading lists  reading aloud  libraries Books & Literature Ads Books The Beach Diet Beach Vacation Literature Beach Pool Towels Featured Articles Shakespeare in Context: The Globe Theatre Literal and Figurative Escapes Stan Lee Interview on Hulu Martha Graham Quotes Best Memoir Cookbooks Where to Win Free Books   More from About.com Summertime in New England Whether you're into biking or ziplining, dining in style or discovering works of art, you'll find it in New England. More> London for Free Who says a visit to London has to break the bank? Discover more than 100 free things to do, see and discover. More>   Sign up for more free newsletters on your favorite topics You are receiving this newsletter because you subscribed to the About Books & Literature newsletter. If you wish to change your email address or unsubscribe, please click here. About respects your privacy: Our Privacy Policy Contact Information: 249 West 17th Street New York, NY, 10011 © 2011 About.com   Modern Poetry for Summer "Cottonwood Summer" by Jack Peachum "Idle Seesaw" by Robert Savino "Cicadas" by Christine Klocek-Lim Advertisement