That make you who are you

People, I have resisted reading "the classics" for years. 

Anything and everything that would appear on a "Senior Year Suggested Reading List"

Booorrrrrrrrrrrrrring.

 Or so I thought.

In attempting to complete my goal of

reading the 100 greatest books of all time

I have had to immerse myself in some of those "boring" classics.

Pride and Prejudice

Huckleberry Finn

Don Quixote

The Collected Poems of Emily Dickinson

I can't tell you how these books have changed me.

How these authors feel like old friends, who I had once known, but somehow forgotten.

I laughed my way through Huckleberry Finn.

 Twain is the FUNNIEST author I have ever read.

I cheered and cried my way through the ups and downs of the Bennet sisters in Pride and Prejudice.
 (and I still want to smack Lydia in the face!) 

Austen made me fall in love with love stories again.

Most of Emily Dickinson's poems are about nature.

 Or death. 

It was a months focused effort to read every one of her 1700 some poems. 

Amongst those I found this one- poem 156- my favorite poem of all time

You love me—you are sure— I shall not fear mistake— I shall not cheated wake— Some grinning morn— To find the Sunrise left— And Orchards—unbereft— And Dollie—gone! I need not start—you're sure— That night will never be— When frightened—home to Thee I run— To find the windows dark— And no more Dollie—mark— Quite none? Be sure you're sure—you know— I'll bear it better now— If you'll just tell me so— Than when—a little dull Balm grown— Over this pain of mine— You sting—again! And Don Quixote.  Who knew that a book written over 400 years ago could make me laugh like a crazy person, dream like I was young again, and be brave enough to publish my manifesto? I realize now that these books are called classics for a reason.  Not all of them have been a delight (I'm looking at you, Farewell to Arms!) but I'm a better person for having read each one. I still have over 80 books to go.  Amongst them: the Collected Works of Shakespeare, War and Peace, and Great Expectations. Having gained so much from these few that I have read, I can only imagined how enriched my life will be after reading the rest. I think I've failed miserably in my quest to make this blog post NOT sound like some sort of high school lecture on the importance of reading.  Sorry. Lori Ann p.s. Today is my Dad's 60th birthday.  I would write him a blog tribute, but he doesn't read my blog. Happy Birthday anyway, Dad! You are the best.