It is a good rule, after reading a new book, never to allow yourself another new one till you have read an old one in between. If that is too much for you, you should at least read one old one to every three new ones.
Every age has its own outlook. It is specially good at seeing certain truths and specially liable to make certain mistakes. We all, therefore, need the books that will correct the characteristic mistakes of our own period. And that means the old books. ~C.S. Lewis, Introduction to Athanasius’ On the Incarnation
Let’s play Book Tag again. In today’s edition of Book Tag, please suggest your favorite book or work of literature, fiction or nonfiction, written or published BEFORE 1800.
Remember the rules: In this game, readers suggest ONE good book in the category given, then let somebody else be “it” before they offer another suggestion. There is no limit to the number of books a person may suggest, but they need to politely wait their turn with only one book suggestion per comment.
I’m going to start off the game with Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes or El ingenioso hidalgo don Quijote de la Mancha as it was originally titled. Published in two separate volumes in 1605 and 1615, Don Quixote was one of the earliest examples of a “novel” and has been influential in literature from the picaresque novel to modernist school of magical realism. At first people considered Don Quixote to be a comedy; the bumbling hidalgo, or gentleman, muddles his way across the Spanish countryside making a fool of himself and his faithful servant Sancho Panza. Then, later, critics sawa the book as a tragedy in which a cruel world destroys the idealism and gallantry of a good man and eventually drives him to insanity. Take your pick, but I think it’s a little of both.
En un lugar de la Mancha, de cuyo nombre no quiero acordarme, no hace mucho tiempo que vivÃa un hidalgo de los de lanza en astillero, adarga antigua, rocÃn flaco y galgo corredor.
In some village in La Mancha, whose name I do not care to recall, there dwelt not so long ago a gentleman of the type wont to keep an unused lance, an old shield, a skinny old horse, and a greyhound for racing.
Now it’s your turn. What Old Book can you recommend?
I especially enjoyed Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe, published in 1719 and considered to be the first English novel. Examining whether a man’s breeding and training in high society would guide him through isolation and a hard scrabble existence or whether he would abandon his principles and become an unculture brute. His learning to build shelter, grow food, even to pass the days in some positive ways for twenty years was remarkable to me.
It is often listed as juvenile adventure literature but I don’t agree. There’s so much more here about the nature of a man. I recommend it highly and will probably read it again soon.
Tartuffe by Moliere ~
I had to think about this one a bit. The first two I thought of and checked on were published in the 1800s.
I suppose probably Pilgrim’s Progress would be a favorite before 1800 (1678). It is kind of hard to read and the style is not my favorite, but there are many scenes that flesh out Biblical principles and stay in memory. One of my favorites is when Christian is imprisoned in Doubting Castle and after a time realizes he had the key of faith all along.
I’ve been reading Alexandre Dumas which is before 1850 so it doesn’t count, but takes place in the 1600’s. Funny, he references Don Quixote in comparison to D’Artagnan. Yes, I know. Doesn’t count…
The Practice of the Presence of God! Having thought of it, I need to re-read the book soon.
Rebecca by Daphne de Maurier