Written by If you love to read or know someone who does, you’ve probably heard of The Odyssey by Homer or Hamlet by Shakespeare.
They’re just two of the many treasures of world literature that can enrich your life and the lives of those around you.
No matter what your favorite genre, there are stories out there that will connect with you on a deep level, if you know where to look. The following guide helps you find stories that appeal to your interests, even if they were written hundreds of years ago.
Also Read; Citizenship: How to Become a Citizen of a Foreign Country
Introduction
The world we live in is a fascinating one. It’s also huge, complex, and stuffed with valuable information on every conceivable topic you can imagine.
But as vast as it is, you could easily spend your entire life focused on just one corner of that world. Fortunately for us, however, there are people who seek out knowledge from all over—even if it means hopping into a time machine or a spaceship to do so.
That’s what these people did—and they managed to preserve our history for us in books. If you’re interested in learning more about history and literature—without doing much digging yourself—these books are a great place to start!
They’ll help you discover some truly amazing stories from around the globe. And best of all? They won’t take up too much of your time. So if you want to know more about past civilizations but don’t have a lot of free time, give these books a try!
There are plenty of nonfiction works that can help expand your historical horizons, but few reach quite as far back in time as Empire: How Spain Became a World Power (1492-1763) by Stanley G. Payne (Amazon).
With nearly 700 pages to work with, Payne covers everything from Ferdinand and Isabella’s conquests to Cortes’ exploits against Montezuma’s Aztecs.
Early Greek Myths
Homer’s The Iliad and The Odyssey are must-reads for any true literature buff. If you think The Iliad is just a story about ancient warfare, prepare to be surprised by its twists and turns.
These myths do an incredible job of evoking emotions like pity, anger, sympathy, amazement, contempt…you name it! It’s also interesting to see how these tales have been adapted in modern times (e.g., Troy starring Brad Pitt).
For anyone who wants to read something that is at once exciting and thought provoking, look no further than these literary classics. As your personal tutor would say: Read them—or die!
While studying art history, most students spend a lot of time learning about Renaissance artists such as Michelangelo or Leonardo da Vinci.
While their paintings can still be found hanging in museums today, many people don’t realize that there were plenty of other great artists who painted during that period too—and not all were Italian either! Flemish painter Peter Paul Rubens created masterpieces depicting everything from religious scenes to animals to even still life objects like fruits and vegetables.
One particularly notable piece was The Judgment of Paris, which was commissioned by King Louis XIII around 1635 AD.
The Epic of Gilgamesh
It’s often said that The Epic of Gilgamesh (an epic poem from ancient Mesopotamia) is one of mankind’s earliest surviving works of literature.
While that may be true, you’d probably have to put it in context: The epic was written around 2500 BCE. In terms of world history, that makes Gilgamesh older than most every other piece we have in our collective canon.
To get your hands on a copy today, you’re going to need a time machine. But what if I told you there were other ways? What if I told you there were copies out there just waiting for us to discover them?
The Odyssey
In The Odyssey, written by Homer in 800 BC, Odysseus spends ten years fighting in a war before sailing back home to Ithaca to reunite with his wife Penelope.
Yet she has not been faithful to him during his absence and he must decide if he will punish her for her indiscretions or forgive her.
Throughout The Odyssey, we are treated to Odysseus’ witty insults as well as Shakespearean-level wordplay that has helped generations of English students learn about literature and language.
This is perhaps one of the most famous works on literacy available; it teaches us how complex language can be while also proving that intelligence isn’t just taught in school but can be acquired through reading great books such as these.
And it’s certainly no wonder why: as you read through The Odyssey, you might notice that there is something familiar about its characters—the way they speak, their personalities, even their problems—which makes it seem almost like a modern day soap opera set against an ancient backdrop.
Although you may have heard of The Odyssey before now, did you know that most schools only teach small excerpts from it? There are many more parts of this story which remain undiscovered unless you pick up your own copy today! Reading fiction from various eras allows us to learn more about history than any textbook could ever teach us.
A Thousand and One Nights
There are many stories about Scheherazade, but one is most prominent: Her father decided to marry her off against her will. Scheherazade wouldn’t have it.
Instead, she spent years telling him one mesmerizing story after another until he let her live as a spinster. The idea that motivated her was simple: A day may come when an especial tale will be needed to break a special strain.
It turned out that she was right. She used storytelling to keep herself alive for 1,001 nights! Today we use storytelling in different ways—for example, you might use stories to help someone overcome a difficult decision or challenge in their own life. Stories can certainly change lives.
What’s your story?
The Kalevala
Known for its deeply traditional nature, The Kalevala is a Finnish epic poem that was created in 1835 by Elias Lönnrot.
The text documents Finnish folklore, mythology, values, beliefs and other bits of information regarding Finland’s history. It also showcases several songs written by such notable Finnish musicians as Jean Sibelius.
Some people who enjoy reading The Kalevala like to take notes or listen to it while they follow along in their own copy of it.
Others like to read ahead a little bit before they begin reading; they might want to read one line out loud each day before bed or only spend an hour per day reading it over a period of months.
Romeo & Juliet vs. West Side Story
The most famous love story in history is just a few years older than Disney’s hit musical, West Side Story. If you’re looking for a more modern take on Romeo & Juliet, West Side Story is a great way to learn about how our culture has evolved since then.
Not only is it a popular show, but it’s based on Shakespeare’s play, so you can appreciate two stories at once! Start by reading both plays side-by-side. Pay special attention to each playwright’s choices when writing their character descriptions.
20 Things Every Man Should Know About Women
When we ask men what they wish they knew about women when they were younger, one answer comes up again and again: How much time women spend thinking about their appearance.
From getting ready in the morning to walking out of a bathroom stall, putting on makeup, doing hair, brushing their teeth—women spend a lot of time thinking about how they look. And while some ladies like to pretend that vanity isn’t a big deal (they really want you to compliment them on more than just their appearance), most are willing to admit that it matters.
So don’t be afraid to mention it—the more you know about what interests her, after all, the better able you’ll be to understand her. (Click here for 25 Things Every Woman Should Know About Men.)
This is lovely
Very interesting