Its time for 3 Picks! This week with author and podcaster Somer Canon. Somer is the author of uniquely twisted books like Vicki Beautiful and The Hag Witch of Tripp Creek. Her most recent release from Silver Shamrock Press, Slaves to Gravity, co-written with Wesley Southard has been getting a lot of great buzz.
In addition to writing, Somer also enjoys podcasting. She is part of the round-table writing discussion podcast, The Ghost Writers Podcast (also featuring Mary SanGiovani, Matt Wildasen and Dave Thomas.) And Somer also hosts her own podcast called A Case for Classics in which she spotlights classic literature and tries to convince the listeners that the books aren't boring drivel to waste time in lit class but bona fide, accessible stories worth reading.
It is with that in mind that Somer shares her 3 Picks for must read Classic Fiction. They are all worth checking out. Somer should know, here's her case for the classics.
My picks for must-read Classics: Since "classics" can be a very broad term including works published in the last decade, I'm going to make my list consist of "antique" classics, a.k.a. old books written by people who are now dead!
Pick 1: Dante's Inferno. The Inferno is part one of a three part piece called The Divine Comedy and while I certainly wouldn't chase someone away from reading the entire work, The Inferno is my personal favorite part. This story contains absolutely breathtaking imagery of Hell as well as a healthy dose of fourteenth century Italian pettiness. Also be on the lookout for one of classical literature's best fart jokes.
Pick 2. Beowulf--particularly the Seamus Heaney translation. This is an important work in Western Literature but it is important to know that it is a foundational work in modern Fantasy. J.R.R. Tolkien was OBSESSED with Beowulf. It has all the hallmarks of a great Adventure/Fantasy book including monsters and excessive bragging. If you don't personally think Beowulf is great, don't worry. His high opinion of himself surpasses any criticism from us low-lives.
Pick 3. The Odyssey. I had a Latin teacher in college who said that if she were stranded on a deserted island, as long as she had a copy of The Odyssey and a fresh water source, she'd be perfectly happy. I might need a McDonald's on top of that, but I sort of agree. This is a book that blesses its audience with new details and surprises on subsequent reads. It has a relatable, but flawed hero as the main character and I've always loved the underlying plot of the Greek gods being passive aggressive with each other by both helping and sabotaging Odysseus on his journey home.
Great picks from Somer Canon! I'm sure many of us were subjected to several, if not all, of these titles in our school years. They are all classics for a reason and that reason is they are great stories that appeal to humans of any age and any time. Check them out if you haven't already.
What 3 picks do you have for The Classics? Let us know in the comments!
You can check out all things Somer Canon by visiting https://www.somercanon.com/
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