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Okay, so it was suggested by Chris that we have this kind of topic. I liked the idea and thought I'd make it. So, basically the idea was that for various texts we say what other novels or reading material go along with it.

For instance: For Ulysses it's strongly recommended that you read The Odyssey and The Iliad first for the references. Then there's also The New Bloomsday Book: A Guide Through Ulysses which has been recommended as a guide to the ideas in the book.

So Jonathan, can I say that the sequence to read Ulysses should be:

The Odyssey
The Iliad
The New Bloomsday Book: A Guide Through Ulysses
Ulysses

Is that correct?

That's what others have mentioned. The Iliad does not feature as much as the Odyssey but it's recommended that you try and understand Homer to get Joyce in Ulysses. I didn't read The New Bloomsday Book but I have been told you can read it beforehand, afterwards or while reading Ulysses (same as other guides to Ulysses).

If you are going to read/watch the play Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead, then you have to read Hamlet or else the whole play will be meaningless.

Now, this thread seems really interesting! :)
I want to know about the sequence of Foundation or the I-Robot books, by Isaac Asimov.

Not exactly what this thread is for, but after watching The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, I set a goal to read all the various sourcebooks for the characters in the movie. So far, I've read Dracula, Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde, and The Portrait of Dorian Gray. I have read Tom Sawyer, but not Huckleberry Finn. Still need to read The Invisible Man and 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.

Lady Danielle aka The Book Huntress wrote: "Not exactly what this thread is for, but after watching The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, I set a goal to read all the various sourcebooks for the characters in the movie. So far, I've read D..."

Speaking of which if you want to read The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn you should read The Adventures of Tom Sawyer first. I read Tom ages ago but want to read it again because I didn't get it when I read it as a kid.

Oh, then I'm good. I did read Tom Sawyer first. For some reason, I though Huck Finn came first.

Lady Danielle aka The Book Huntress wrote: "Oh, then I'm good. I did read Tom Sawyer first. For some reason, I though Huck Finn came first."

No Huck Finn travels on from Tom Sawyer. In Tom Sawyer you're introduced to Huck.

Komal wrote: "Now, this thread seems really interesting! :)
I want to know about the sequence of Foundation or the I-Robot books, by Isaac Asimov."

Komal, I have read I, Robot but not read any other Asimov. As far as I can see reading I-Robot is a great introduction since it brings up the 3 Laws of Robotics and is basically a short story collection. After that you have Foundation, Second Foundation and Foundation and Empire.

If anyone plans to read any Edith Wharton I suggest reading Ethan Frome first. It is a more depressing work but deals with some of the themes of her larger works. Then I would go onto The Age of Innocence and The House of Mirth.

Jonathan wrote: "Lady Danielle aka The Book Huntress wrote: "Oh, then I'm good. I did read Tom Sawyer first. For some reason, I though Huck Finn came first."

No Huck Finn travels on from Tom Sawyer. In Tom Sawyer..."

Thanks. Good to know.

Komal wrote: "Now, this thread seems really interesting! :)
I want to know about the sequence of Foundation or the I-Robot books, by Isaac Asimov."

It's been several years since I finished all of Asimov's Robot and Foundation books but here's what I suggest. Read I, Robot first. (Confession, that's the one Robot book I haven't read.) That should give you his basic Robot Law philosophy. Then I would read the original Foundation Trilogy. The reason is, as I recall they have a slightly different narrative structure, moving through many protagonists in each book. Like a series of short stories that tell the larger story of civilization's progress.


If you don't think the style change will be an issue then I would read then I would just read all of the Robot books first. The other Robot books, after I, Robot, all have the same protagonists. Whatever you do you really should finish the Robot books BEFORE you read Foundation and Earth. That's the book that ties them back together. As for the Foundation prequals I say the same thing as before. They have a more traditional structure so I'm not sure about reading them before Foundation itself. I didn't read them until after I finished the series because they weren't available to me. I don't remember for sure but the prequal book may spoil some of the twists in the main series. I would avoid those until later.

Joshua wrote: "Komal wrote: "Now, this thread seems really interesting! :)
I want to know about the sequence of Foundation or the I-Robot books, by Isaac Asimov."

It's been several years since I finished all of ..."

Thanks for the word of advice, Joshua! I will follow it! :)

The prequel to Jane Eyre is Wide Sargasso Sea but the prequel was written after the main novel and by a different order, and though you don't have to have read Jane Eyre to understand WSS, for me it helped me understand some things a bit more and gave the story more meaning, particularly at the end.

Nicolle wrote: "The prequel to Jane Eyre is Wide Sargasso Sea but the prequel was written after the main novel and by a different order, and though you don't have to have read Jane Eyre to understand WSS, for me i..."

That is interesting and something to take into consideration

It's really good. It makes you absolutely loath Mr Rochester though!

I have a quick question for you all. I know they may not be considered classic outside of sci-fi, but I want to read all the books that are set in Ender's world. I've read Ender's game, and I'm not sure if I should move on to the books that concern Ender or if I should read the ones that are set in his world like Ender's Shadow and the sequel to that next. I've read that the sequels to Ender's game are very different from the rest of the books. Any suggestions?

I think Jonathan could probably answer this one. I'll tell him to take a look.

Jennifer wrote: "I have a quick question for you all. I know they may not be considered classic outside of sci-fi, but I want to read all the books that are set in Ender's world. I've read Ender's game, and I'm no..."

Unfortunately I've not read the sequels as I barely scraped through Ender's Game and have been told the first is the only one really worth it. But I've been told Speaker for the Dead is the best book to try next and take it from there.

Of course if you're after science fiction with similar ideas to Ender's Game there are several YA science fiction novels you could try...

I loved Ender's Game. The series that follows Ender's Game continues with the character of Ender as he leaves Earth and goes elsewhere and actually takes place into the future due to hyper sleep. Ender's Shadow is actually viewed as a companion book rather than a sequel because it takes place during the same time and overlaps story content. Shadow is the same story but from the point of view of Bean. The series that follows ES continues with Bean and the rest of the characters that stay behind on Earth after Ender leaves. The there are the other books in Ender's universe of books that are mostly all prequels to EG. There are lists available online with suggestions on what order to read them all in. The main two being chronological order based on publication or chronological order based on the timeline of The Ender Universe.

Komal wrote: "Now, this thread seems really interesting! :)
I want to know about the sequence of Foundation or the I-Robot books, by Isaac Asimov."

I know I'm kind of late with this, but I just read this post. I just recently read Prelude to Foundation by Asimov, and in his forward, Asimov himself suggests reading I-Robot, then the other robot stories, then Prelude to Foundation, and then the Foundation series in its traditional order.

Maria wrote: "I just bought the Penguin edition of Ovid's Metamorphoses. This version seems like it will be pretty accessible for someone who is not particularly well versed in Greek/Roman mythology. Am I corr..."

This is another one of those books that the translator can make a HUGE difference in translating it in such a way that refines the meaning and keeps the poetry poetry. I really don't have a suggested translator for this one, though I have read much of it I don't own the book. However, I do suggest a copy that uses footnotes to better explain concepts of the early Romans and Greeks. Surprisingly (because they are low-budget), Penguin's published classics of the early ages (Odyssey, The Divine Comedy, etc.), I have been well satisfied with.

Going back to the original posts on this thread, if you enjoy The Odyssey and The Illiad, then you should also read The Aeneid by Virgil.

Maria wrote: "I just bought the Penguin edition of Ovid's Metamorphoses. This version seems like it will be pretty accessible for someone who is not particularly well versed in Greek/Roman mythology. Am I corr..."

Generally penguin are easier reading, but they may not be the most accurate in terms of tone or feeling. They do, however, make for the easiest reading. I can also recommend Vintage Classics for their translations or Everyman's Library editions.

There's a really good YA trilogy out there that is inspired by classics

The Madman's Daughter inspired by The Island of Dr. Moreau
Her Dark Curiosity by The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
A Cold Legacy by Frankenstein

Jonathan wrote: "Maria wrote: "I just bought the Penguin edition of Ovid's Metamorphoses. This version seems like it will be pretty accessible for someone who is not particularly well versed in Greek/Roman mytholo..."

I like Everyman's Library. They are such lovely books. Beautiful editions.