My Top 10 Penguin Classics of All Time

Never read any of Vladimir Nabokov yet, inspired to do now!

A wonderful video. You've helped me realize I haven't read Aristotle's Poetics yet, and it seems obvious that I should: his terms and arguments percolate through my thinking. What a shame to have not read the source. "Where do you get your catharsis from?"—That is a wise question. We seem rather often in a perpetual state of teasing, stacks of temptations none of them culminating. Our eager torment of ongoing desire.

It’s pronounced Giovanni not Gïovanni

David Copperfield and A tale of two cities are my favorites. Must reread one of these days.

I love how quickly my black-spine Penguin classics get tattered and beat up, they all inevitably look worn and well-loved. My favorite designs are probably the white-spine Penguin Modern Classics, I love the minimalistic typeface and artwork on the covers.

I had no idea Bulgakov was included in the Russian short stories collection! The Master and Margarita is one of my favorite hilarious, satirical, and deeply strange reads — will definitely have to check out that short story collection, great recs!

Penguins have just been such a gift for me; finishing the ones that have allured me since I was in college are a lifetime goal that I am slowly accomplishing. It is staggering all the things you almost missed.. the great characters/plots/ideas/styles/history that are just sitting there, quietly waiting for the right person. I loved Mrs Dalloway, and only read it within the last year. I'm reading Livy now. Aristotle is on my list.

The only one I have read is Giovanni's Room. I remember being quite disappointed in one central aspect of the book. The Giovanni character seemed manipulated to support the needs of the narrative in ways the felt false to me. He was an independent, self-confident character who suddenly became a clinging, needy burden when the plot needed him to be, and not in a way that any real person might transition. I'll admit I read it when I was younger and am a little lacking in detail here, but that was my enduring memory. I still have it, maybe I'll give it another look to see if the older me sees it any differently.

Thanks for some reminders of things I have not read. I loved Giovanni's Room and Mrs Dalloway. Really liked Nabokov's PNIN, Cormac McCarthy's BORDER TRILOGY, especially the first two novels in it.

Your accent is transatlantic.

To bad that Charles dickens theme park is defunct that was a thing in England. If you’re a big fan of his books I have feeling you would have enjoyed that .

Love a lot of these, but haven't read/heard a lot of these too! David Copperfield, Mrs. Dalloway, Giovani's Room are my favorites I will read again and again in the future. The way you describe these books are just masterful. Shall get that copy of Nabokov memoir soon! Wonderful video/list!

the way you discuss these pearls is so eloquent and captivating, great video!

Omg I’ve been waiting for this video 🙏 love to see your favourites ☺️

Who else is just here for the hot dude?

Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War and Livy The War with Hannibal are my two potential favorites. I have a large collection of Penguin Classics I mainly like all the old Greek and Roman stuff.

Do you have a goodreads account?

What about Joyce? Proust?

Nice compliment to my reading, this video. Thank you very much. My Penguin classic choice would be “Titus Groan” by M. Peake.

I need that Nabokov book! Thanks for this video 😊 just subscribed

Nice man, love Nabokov, Russian Lit, Mrs Dalloway, and The Poetics. You can never get to everything, but I gotta knock off David Copperfield one of these days!

The name is pronounced Na-boak-off. Stress on the “boak.” I met an old lady who had him as a professor at Cornell. She said that is how he told the class his last name is pronounced. She gave me the book they used in class. She also hung with Thomas Pynchon and played tennis with Ruth Bader Ginsberg. She said, “That’s why you go to an Ivy League college.” And there I was, a high school dropout. You got the pronunciation of Nabokov’s first name wrong, too, but I’ll let you work on that on your own.

Giovanni's room was my introduction to a wonderful experience with James Baldwin! I truly recommend anything that he wrote!

Honestly one of the most beautiful reviews I’ve ever watched. Especially when introducing (me at least) to Tranströmer. Wow. I thank you for this. Your lovely calm voice, your insights, your critiques are resonating whether I’ve read the books or not. Now I have Ben McEvoy,Tristan & the Classics and Ben Booth-Jones to follow along with and keep gaining insights into my favorite passion- reading. Thank you so much! Bravo!! 👏🏼

I read David Copperfield for the first time this year, ahead of Demon Copperhead. I was transported!

Hint - you’re looking at the wrong part of the camera - with those - I must add - stunning green eyes. It feels as if you are speaking to someone beside us. Look into the lens, so that you are looking at us. 😉

Damn man, you included the Writer (acc. to me, don't bite!) in your list of life changing books- Nabokov! I sincerely thank you 😂❤

Hey! I think I just became your 4,000th subscriber. Milestone.

What are your favourite Penguin Classics?