Is there anything I should read before tackling this?
no.
harry potter
>>7708583
Helps if you know some of the history of that era.
>>7708583
No.
If you know absolutely nothing about European history, maybe read the wikipedia articles on the Napoleonic wars and Napoleons invasion of Russia for some historical context.
>>7708583
the whole western canon, as it is with every other book
>>7708790
What should I read before the western canon?
the bible
>>7708797
the western canon
>>7708803
Which part do I start with? Should I read them from oldest to newest? Can I skip around?
>>7708810
start with the greeks
>>7708816
Does it matter which ones? Bloom has a ton. Would it be best to get a base in the Socratic Dialogues or do I need to go back further to the Pre-Socratics?
>>7708797
>>7708803
>>7708810
Read everything.
Then you can read everything again and actually understand it.
>>7708881
That didn't answer my question. Do I need to read them from oldest to newest because they build on each other?
>>7708888
It's ideal to, but just make connections and who cares.
>dem quads
>>7708888
You're being trolled.
Just read the damn book.
>>7708909
This.
Read the first two "books" (sections) of War and Peace, then figure out if you want to finish the whole thing.
You really only need a background in Napoleonic campaigns, and some context on how French aristocracy influenced Russian court life. Maybe some grounding in King Lear and Hamlet. But War and Peace is a straightforward, if long, story, and you do not need previous readings to appreciate it on a narrative level.
>>7708583
just finished it, m8 you don't need anything going in on it. Just know a bit of history. It is so amazing my friend, enjoy it.
>>7708915
And for the record, I would not have posted this response if those idiots hadn't trolled you so hard.
>>7708857
HILARIOUS UPBOATED
>>7708583
Almost 2000 pages, brother. Are you ready for that ride?
>>7708909
>>7708915
>>7708940
I am aware of the Western Canon meme but that doesn't discount the importance of being well versed in classics and being able to understand references. I do not plan on ever reading the whole thing (just as people on /mu/ don't actually listen to the whole essentials chart) but hitting some of the really big ones is crucial to understanding literature. It's definitely not the "holy grail' per se but it's still a good guideline and I was looking for a good jumping off point.
My oh my. And I thought my home board, /mu/ was full of people with their heads up their asses: this place takes the fucking cake. I'm going to assume the role of an older person, probably mid-40s, at the parental point in their life: you should all be ashamed of yourselves for discouraging intellectual curiosity in the bright, inquiring minds of those younger than you -- those who possess the most curiosity about the world out of all the ages. I can't believe how pretentious and up your own asses you lot are. Telling the younger generation they could never read this or that, assuming they're too immature and naive to understand ENGLISH words written by ENGLISH authors, diverting them from what they want to do out of the assumption that their mind can't comprehend certain meaning. The absolute fucking temerity (that's To Kill a Mockingbird for you, which I understand quite well thank you very much). I thought this, of all places, would be the place for acceptance, tolerance, and an openness to curiosity and inquiry. I guessed wrong. I guess I'm only a stupid fucking kid who listens to meme music and who will never rise to the heights of your self-absorbed, vapid drollery. Fucking snobs. Fucking English majors. This might've even dissuaded me from going into English in college, my favorite subject. You're the reason why I hate fucking English now. I can write brilliant analytical essays, but after writing so many of them, I realized how pretentious, formulaic, and droll they really were: just like your respective attitudes. So you know what, I'm done with the conformity and the fucking listening to what pseudo-intellectuals have to say: I'm going to read War and Peace on my free time (fuck the assigned books I have for English) and do whatever the hell I want. And you're not going to fucking stop me.
>>7709024
englih language literature is shit tho
>>7708583
Nah, it's straight forward. Just read it, and in the future, after you read more, you might find a few more things. He's wonderful in that way. You never feel lost reading, but you always notice new things in every re-reading.
>>7709024
Plz post your brilliant analytical essays, kid.
