Reading Older Books

I’ve been reading a lot lately. Seeing as how the year is almost over, I checked my stats in Goodreads to see how they compared to last year. I’ve read more books this year than last, but the oldest book I read this year was published in 2013.

It’s funny because when I first got my kindle, I didn’t understand how people could only read modern books. How do you choose them? How do you know they are worth the read when there are SO MANY BOOKS in the world? Having a kindle certainly helped with all of that. There are tons of free downloads and borrows, a lot of them good. Plus there is the rating system and there are reviews to read so I can have an idea of what I’m getting myself into when I’ve never heard of the author before.

In 2015, the oldest books I read were published in 2012. In 2014, the first full year I owned my kindle, I read several books that were much older: The Man Who was Thursday: A Nightmare (1908), Oliver Twist (1838), Dracula (1897), The War of the Worlds (1898), and Heidi (1880). I’ve got loads of old books already downloaded in my kindle. I just never choose them because there are plenty of newer books to read instead, and they are displayed on the pages before the older books. I usually pick a new book before I make it all the way to the back pages of my kindle.

Since I’ve been writing, I’ve tried to read more from the genres that I write in. It is definitely a good thing, but I also don’t want to stop reading older stuff altogether. I hadn’t realized that I had!

I’m due to read The Hobbit next, which will help my stats somewhat (I’ve never read it). I’ve got a whole list of older books to read too, but seeing as how I’m really good at ignoring them, I’m looking for suggestions. Any ideas? What old books do you love and recommend?

If you want to check your Goodreads stats go to “My Books” then click “stats” on the left sidebar.

14 thoughts on “Reading Older Books”

  1. Enjoy the Hobbit! It’s a decent read, definitely easier to stomach than the Lord of the Rings. In terms of older books, the “The Good Earth” by Pearl S. Buck (1931) comes to mind. It was assigned in school but I really enjoyed it. Buck’s writing reads almost like the Bible in that it’s raw and simple. Anyways, good on you for reading more this year!

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    1. Yeah, I started the Lord of the Rings, but never finished it :/
      I’ve never read The Good Earth. I’ve seen parts of the awful movie that was made of it in 1937, but I didn’t realize it was based on a book. Thanks for the recommendation!

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      1. I forced myself through the second book and didn’t even consider picking up the third. I stuck with the movies though. Those are special in their own right.

        HAHAHA I’ve heard the Good Earth movie was unbearable. I promise the book is at least a step above the adaptation.

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      2. I’ve heard that book two is the longest and most tedious; that three is better. But seeing as how I couldn’t even get through one…lol
        I really like reading about foreign cultures so I most likely will love The Good Earth!

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  2. I’m just impressed that you actually manage to record the books you read in Goodreads. I almost never remember. 🙂 Sorry, I’m terrible at book recommendations. Um, have you read “Gone with the Wind”?

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    1. Well I read them on my kindle, and so it asks if I want to update Goodreads when I start and finish each book. I hardly ever read physical books anymore. I haven’t read Gone with the Wind! I’ve flipped through it and read passages before, but never the whole thing. Is it good? I’ve seen the movie of course. I don’t think I’d be able to separate the actors’ faces from the characters if I tried 😀

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      1. I didn’t expect to like Gone with the Wind, but I really enjoyed it. I haven’t seen the movie so I can’t compare them, but there’s something compulsive about the book, and it wasn’t at all a heavy read. It won’t be everyone’s kind of book, but I definitely recommend you give it a go and see if it’s yours.

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  4. Oh man, I’m an older book junkie. But you probably knew that already. 😉 If you want a quaint, short read, I read “Goodbye, Mr. Chips” earlier this year and it reads like an afternoon visit with an old friend over a warm cup of tea. “A Room with a View” was one that pleasantly surprised me a couple of years ago too; I wished I’d had it to read as a coming-of-age story. And “Far From the Madding Crowd” has arguably my favorite male hero-but-not-a-hero character of all time.

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    1. I don’t think I’ve heard of Goodbye, Mr. Chips. I’ll check it out! Yeah, I’m wondering if part of the reason I don’t want to read older books is because they are always loooooong. I read Anna Karinina and Tess of the D’urbevilles or whatever somewhat recently and hated them both. They are both flippin long. I also wasn’t a huge fan of North and South. I used to love every old book I read. Now I’m cautious hahah.

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