s there any reason to read classic books besides to look smart or check a box?
Well, a lot of people probably do read them for that reason, but I think there are some other good ones
Three in particular.
One, often classics are the first publication of a set of ideas. Which means you get an incredible bang for your buck by reading them, they’re very efficient. Like instead of watching a million youtube videos and reading tons of blog posts on Stoicism, you could just go read Seneca, Aurelius, Epictetus, and maybe Montaigne for bonus credit, and you’re basically done.
Two, classics can give you a view into a period of history that you can’t get by reading histories of that period. Ancient greek plays like Aristophanes’ Clouds give you a very real sense of what life was like at that time.
Third, classics can show you something about how writing has changed over time. The Sun Also Rises was a very different type of novel from what was popular in the 1800s. The Iliad is a very different storytelling style from what we’re used to today. Sometimes it’s fun to read from that angle and see how the media itself has changed over time.
#nonfictionbooks #classicbooks #classics #readmorebooks #bookrecommendations
