Why You Must Read Classics (and how to start).

Modern literature is a hot mess, and we need a return to the classics. I mean,

half of what women read is basically porn, and men are stuck with the same old self-help slot. You even see it in bookshops. Publishers recycle the same old [ __ ] just for the sake of trends or sales. And they're all award-winning, too. Whatever that means. Okay, it's hyperbole. Don't get mad. And I'm not a

too. Whatever that means. Okay, it's hyperbole. Don't get mad. And I'm not a [ __ ] I believe every book has its time and place. But is this it? Is this the state of modern reading? I don't blame you if you feel a bit lost and sick of

it. Maybe you seek something more, more depth, more substance, more quality,

it. Maybe you seek something more, more depth, more substance, more quality, because there's just too many mid books out there. And that's where we turn to the classics. Some people see them as dated or boring. I mean, I did when I

the classics. Some people see them as dated or boring. I mean, I did when I was in school. But they are some of the richest sources of wisdom and joy. The

problem is the classics are intimidating. It's a massive world out there and some of these are genuinely difficult. for ages that kept me away and I was too scared to even approach them and I didn't know where to begin and I didn't feel like I had a reason to read them in the first place. And that's

where this video comes in. We'll look at what the term classic even means, why they're so damn important, and in the second half of the video, some practical advice on how you can get started for yourself. Well, first up, what actually

is a classic? Well, the things that make a classic a classic also happen to be the things that make them worth reading in the first place, if that makes sense.

No one can really agree on a strict definition, but we're going to look at some of those features. First up, a classic has earned a certain status above the rest. They are thematically rich, and they express ideas and truths

which are deeply connected to the human condition, what it means to live, and they express these truths with a certain beauty and refinement. Classics are the most relevant books. And by relevant, I mean their ideas transcend time and

sometimes even space. You can have one that resonates with an ancient Sumerian, a Japanese samurai, a Mormon from the suburbs. And that's because ideas like love and mortality and suffering, these speak to humans, no matter where they're

from, no matter where they lived. Well, now for the big question. Do classics

have to be old? Because that's what you think of. You think, "Oh, these are old, dusty books that we read hundreds of years ago." And the answer is no. Not really, but kind of. Yes. Classics are not classics because they are old. They are classics

kind of. Yes. Classics are not classics because they are old. They are classics because they've remained relevant despite being old. You could say that time doesn't create classics. It reveals them. We only talk about classics today

because they remain interesting, relevant, and insightful even hundreds, maybe thousands of years after they were written. In his essay, what is a classic? Sant Berv said that ancient works are classical not because they are

classic? Sant Berv said that ancient works are classical not because they are old but because they are powerful, fresh and healthy. And more bluntly, Mark Van Doran said, "A classic is any book that stays in print." I mean, yeah, pretty

much. Among the modern books we read now, there are many classics hidden

much. Among the modern books we read now, there are many classics hidden within. As time goes on, many will fade into relevancy, but a small handful will

within. As time goes on, many will fade into relevancy, but a small handful will stick around and they will continue to be read and enjoyed and they will over time earn that legendary status of a classic. Even a decade or two after

publishing, a book can start to gain that status, a modern classic. So, after

all that waffle, you can define a classic as a good old book. There we go.

Simple. But why bother? What makes them so good? I mean, just the definition itself is self-explanatory, but there are so many more underrated reasons to read the classics. Let's have a look. The classics reveal the past. They give

you an intimate view into history and not just what happened, but how these people thought and what their society looked like. We know that Rome became Christian, for example. But to read the confessions of St. Augustine, well,

that's different. Now, we are sitting next to this man and experiencing the human side of that struggle. And that is much more vivid and personal than any history book could capture. Charles Dickens not only described Victorian

society, but he shared that through an intimate human lens. And that just puts you closer to the people of the time. That's cool by itself, but the classics are literally the books which steered the course of humanity and brought us to where we are today. And there is something amazing about seeing how we've

changed over time. The classics are those books which come to us bearing the aura of previous interpretations and trailing behind them the traces they have left in the culture or cultures or just in the languages and customs to

which they have passed. The stuff we do, the way we act, our nations, our cultures, these we take for granted but they come from somewhere and we have to remember that. How many of our laws and morals have been shaped by Christian

remember that. How many of our laws and morals have been shaped by Christian theology or through philosophers like Kant and Aristotle? I mean, just look at what Adam Smith and Marx have done to the past 200 years. It's no small thing,

you know? I mean, hell, even our conception of a hero arguably comes from

you know? I mean, hell, even our conception of a hero arguably comes from Homer. When a boogie wrapped DTB, no, I don't trust no [ __ ] he was actually

Homer. When a boogie wrapped DTB, no, I don't trust no [ __ ] he was actually referencing Enkidu's downfall in the Epic of Gilgamesh. So, yeah, the classics are everywhere. We can't escape them. And I think we need this appreciation more than ever, especially in the West, where we seem to be

committing this slow cultural suicide and letting it all slip away. connection

to the classics is a connection to your culture, your heritage, and your identity. And to me, that's the best way to preserve it, of course, but also to

identity. And to me, that's the best way to preserve it, of course, but also to improve it in a measured and prudent way. Number two, the intellectual wrestle. Italo Calvino, who I'll be quoting a lot, by the way, said that a

wrestle. Italo Calvino, who I'll be quoting a lot, by the way, said that a classic is a work which constantly generates a pviscular cloud of critical discourse around it, but which always shakes the particles off. and he

described your classic as the one that you cannot remain indifferent to. Some

books you read and you think, "Okay, cool. Moving on." But classics don't let you do that. They force you to stop and think and they challenge you. Their

depth means that the themes are not always obvious. They're sort of flirty and enigmatic. They hide and it's your job to dissect them, to explore, to

and enigmatic. They hide and it's your job to dissect them, to explore, to really get stuck in and to uncover them for yourself. A lot of non-fiction and self-help today, it kind of treats you like a [ __ ] and it doesn't give you

that room for interpretation. It has to spoon feed everything in these bullet points. Like here are the top five takeaways at the end of each chapter.

points. Like here are the top five takeaways at the end of each chapter.

And classics don't do that. They force you to have a look for yourself and to think for yourself. There's room for interpretation. And that means that everyone is going to read the book differently depending on their prejudices and their experiences and what they already know. And even beyond

that, classics are talked about. Classics are parodyied. They're

translated. They're studied. They're criticized. They're mocked. They're

analyzed. People throw abuses at them. People love them. They celebrate them.

They generate discourse. And that is why they are so celebrated in culture.

Number three, rereading. A classic is a book which has never exhausted all it has to say to its readers. When you read Atomic Habits or a cheap fiction or any of these mass markets books, you read what you read, you learn what you learn,

and then you never really pick it up again, except maybe for a reminder. And

if you do return to them, they're going to be roughly the same. Your

interpretation won't change too much. But with the classics, that's almost completely reversed because in your first read through, you're probably going to be confused and a bit lost. But as you revisit the book, and as you

reread, you start to see more. As you grow and mature as a person, the classics grow with you and they reveal something different to you each time.

And every time you finish the book, you know that you haven't given me everything you have. You are hiding something. There's more to what you are.

And I'm going to come back one day. I'm going to find it. And you know that there is more substance each time to uncover. I like how Barbara Kingolver put it. returning to it later, finding treasures the younger me missed feels

put it. returning to it later, finding treasures the younger me missed feels like contacting a revered teacher from school days and finding an adult friend.

Number four, arming you against the world. Classics arm you with vision. The

vision to navigate the world, yourself, and other people. Our problems aren't new. And the more classics I read, and I haven't read that many, but the more I

new. And the more classics I read, and I haven't read that many, but the more I read, the more I realize we are dealing with the same [ __ ] we did 2,000 years ago. the same problems, the same struggles, the same triumphs, and we're

years ago. the same problems, the same struggles, the same triumphs, and we're finding different ways to express them as we go along history. When we feel meaningless or without direction, we can turn to the classics to help us find out

what is good, what is worth pursuing, and where we should go next. Classics

arm us against the inevitable things like death, like family issues, like political tension, like heartbreak. All of these ugly truths of living. The

classics are both a refuge and a weapon against the world. Ted Joyer wrote, "I wanted to take the high road with the right values and pursue the best goals.

I wanted to appreciate the world around me more deeply, more richly, and not just the world today, but also the world in different times and places as seen by the best and the brightest." Fifth, and finally, classics are just good. When I

go to a bookstore and I want to read some fiction, I go to the modern fiction and I don't know what to read. I've never heard of anything. It's all

confusing. So, what you could do then is wait 80 years and then see what's still left on the shelf, what survived. But no, in all seriousness, it's true though, time is like a filter. It separates what maybe isn't as good from

what really stood out, what was written the most beautifully, what was the most relevant and exciting and interesting, the masterpieces of our time, basically.

And so, classics, if you don't know what to read, they're a good safe choice because they were deemed as the best books of our time. and I'll be showing some of my personal favorites on screen, some of the bangers, so stick around for those. But how do you start reading the classics? It's a big world, so where do

those. But how do you start reading the classics? It's a big world, so where do you even dare to begin? Now, I'm not a professor. I'm not a scholar either, and I haven't actually read that many classics myself because, you know, I'm young, and I'm a pretty slow reader, but I've read a few, and I've grappled with

them, and I've struggled, and I've learned a lot. So, I just hope my words aren't completely empty here. These are some tips that I picked up, things that helped me, and I do hope you can consider them. First up, let your interests guide you. You will die before you can read everything. So, there's no

time to waste on books that don't truly resonate with you. And this happens a lot because people feel like they have to read certain classics which are hyped online. And even though some of them might be good, doesn't mean you should

online. And even though some of them might be good, doesn't mean you should start with them. So, yeah, I haven't read Doski, for example. And of course, I want to I will eventually, but I don't want my reading to be defined by some

top 10 best classics list on online. I will unfold it as I see fit. Some of

these hyped classics may be way too dense or abstract for a beginner, and that's going to be counterproductive. Like, bro, you really have to check out Ulyses. Uh, no, actually, you don't. Like, that's the stupidest

Ulyses. Uh, no, actually, you don't. Like, that's the stupidest recommendation you could give to someone trying to begin and trying to get started.

The internet hype just doesn't work. Cuz think about it. How many times have we had our view of classics ruined by one bad experience, maybe in school? That

one book may have made them struggle or feel bored. And we're not trying to recreate a bad first impression here. Like when you start reading, you should actually enjoy it. Instead, you should follow your curiosity. You should start

with what genuinely interests you. So I would think about genres or time periods or subjects which you think are cool and then based on those I would look for recommendations. For example, if you're interested in modern workingclass life

recommendations. For example, if you're interested in modern workingclass life and their struggles, you might go to George Orwell or Steinbeck or Zola or Sinclair. And maybe these books not the most hyped of the hyped, but that

Sinclair. And maybe these books not the most hyped of the hyped, but that doesn't matter because you're interested in their discussion and that is what is going to bring you along the ride. The more you read, the more you will understand yourself and you'll kind of know what your tastes are. But before

that can happen, you need to make the initial jump. You need to stick somewhere. You need an anchor point. And that only happens if you follow your

somewhere. You need an anchor point. And that only happens if you follow your curiosity to begin with. So ignore the expectations. Don't beat yourself up because you didn't like what everyone else liked. And don't feel like you have

to read what the internet tells you to read because ultimately it's your life.

Number two, immersion. Immersion is your best friend with the classics, especially with fiction. And it sounds weird because you might think, well, isn't that just up to chance? Well, it's not. You actually can control your

immersion. I'm kind of [ __ ] And I found that with fiction, I sometimes

immersion. I'm kind of [ __ ] And I found that with fiction, I sometimes struggle early on to stay focused, like I'm I'm agitated, I'm fidgety. But if I press on through that, I reach this sort of tipping point, like a critical mass.

And from there, it just becomes way easier to carry on reading, almost like you've entered the flow state. And what I think happens here is you reach this level of immersion that naturally just snowballs and it carries you forward.

And that's important because if your reading sessions are short and broken up, then you don't really have time to get immersed in the narrative. You're

sort of catching up, remembering things. You've forgotten who the characters are, and you don't give yourself that opportunity. So, when you do read, just understand that immersion is something you have to work on. And if that means reading for longer than you feel comfortable with, try it. If that means

making more time to read, try it. But when you reach that immersion, that critical mass, it feels so good. Trust me, it's that same feeling when you were a kid and you could just read for ages because you were properly sucked into

the story and absorbed and it was amazing. Number three, commentaries and aids. These are secondary sources to the book which walk you through it and

aids. These are secondary sources to the book which walk you through it and explain things. Some people [ __ ] on commentaries because they see them as a

explain things. Some people [ __ ] on commentaries because they see them as a form of cheating. And I must confess, I wasn't far from that view. But why

though? Well, the risk is that when you use commentaries, you start to use them as a crutch rather than a supplement. This might mean you miss things that you would have otherwise seen with a fresh pair of eyes. Or when you do read,

there's a sort of bias working in the back of your head, and that is given to you by the commentary. Classics aren't always accessible, and I don't want to see them rewritten or dumbed down just for the sake of inclusion. So in this case, commentaries are fantastic because they give you that necessary context and

background and they actually give you a fighting chance when you read the classics. Certain editions like these Penguin Classics have long introductions

classics. Certain editions like these Penguin Classics have long introductions and I know can't be asked, you skip it. Sometimes you want to get to the actual story, but trust me, these are so good. There's so much information and context

in these and sometimes without them, I'd be completely lost. So next time give them a try. They also tend to spoil the story, but I don't mind because, you know, these have been out for a while. We know that McBth dies. It's worth it for what you learn. If you want to compromise, you can skip the

commentaries and the introduction, read the story for yourself and, you know, interpret it as you want. And then after you finished, you come back to the commentary and read it. So, it can point you in the right direction, clear up

some confusions, and in a sense, that is a compromise, the best of both worlds.

That way you're forced to do the heavy lifting at first, but then you also can understand the context and all the themes within. Other sources like traditional AI and summaries are less helpful because they do become crutches

instead of aids. You outsource your thinking for convenience. And I mean, guess what? No real learning happens. I was recently introduced to Cognify,

guess what? No real learning happens. I was recently introduced to Cognify, which is a kind of counterculture. It's a program that uses AI to help you learn without removing the friction and the effort that is so essential to the

process. And I'm glad to say they are sponsoring the video. Normally, you ask

process. And I'm glad to say they are sponsoring the video. Normally, you ask AI something, you skim the reply, you copy paste, god forbid, and then an hour later you forget about it. Cognify pushes you to annotate, to think, and

eventually even tests your knowledge with assessments. And because you are forced to think and to recall things, you retain way more information. I did

this recently to help me learn about ancient Mesopotamia and it was super smooth. AI will change how we work in ways we can't predict. It's inevitable.

smooth. AI will change how we work in ways we can't predict. It's inevitable.

So instead of blindly rejecting it like a lite, I think we should find measured and prudent ways to improve how we learn. Cognify is still early in its life, but it looks promising and I'm excited to see where it goes and it's

rare to see this happen. So I'm all in for it. to try out Cognify for yourself for free. You can click the link in description and sign up using code

for free. You can click the link in description and sign up using code Cognify Odysius. And there's also a community Slack you can join, which is

Cognify Odysius. And there's also a community Slack you can join, which is where you can discuss things like productivity, potential new features, your general experience, and I love that sense of uh togetherness it's created, where you can really make your voice heard. So, thank you to Cognify, and I

hope you enjoy using it just as much as I do. But with all that said, where do you actually find these books? A good place to start is with university reading lists because if you go on their website sometimes courses will have a

list of books or articles compiled by the professor and they know their stuff and if you like the sound of the course then the reading list is going to reflect that. For a lot of my choices I like to look at the great works of

reflect that. For a lot of my choices I like to look at the great works of western traditional list because I love to have that structure and it just makes me happy. YouTube also has many great recommendations, especially when you

me happy. YouTube also has many great recommendations, especially when you sort of know the YouTuber's taste and you know that it kind of overlaps with yours. Bookstores are underrated, too, because obviously you can physically

yours. Bookstores are underrated, too, because obviously you can physically browse the books, but it also gets you in a mood. Just gets you in a mood to go home and read, and there's nothing stronger than that. Sometimes you don't even have to look for the classics. You might just pick a book, start reading,

and you see other authors or titles being mentioned, and that kind of points you in the right direction. And finally, God forgive me, Reddit's pretty good for this. It has lots of good recommendations, and if you have a very

this. It has lots of good recommendations, and if you have a very specific appeal or taste, chances are someone's asked that same question, and people have given recommendations. So, have a look. Number five, consider

additions and translations. Many classics are translations, and there can be a bunch of them, and they can be very different from the next. And so,

depending on your choice here, it could make or break the entire experience. So,

you have to pick wisely. And don't worry here cuz I'm not a translation nerd and it's simpler than it sounds. For example, let's say you wanted to read my biography, The Odyssey. So, you went to the bookshop and picked the first one off the shelf and there you go. You might start reading and think, is it

supposed to sound this poetic and lyrical like in Pope or Fagel's translation? If you happen to pick Latimore's translation, you might be frustrated that it comes off as a bit blunt, dry, maybe too prosaic. Or maybe if you picked Wilson's, you might feel

like it's almost dumbed down or maybe too modern and accessible for your taste. Now, I'm not arguing what's right and wrong. I'm not arguing that one

taste. Now, I'm not arguing what's right and wrong. I'm not arguing that one translation is worse than the other. What I am saying is that they are real and they change the reading experience and they might cater to different

audiences or different skill levels or different time periods even. And you as the reader must understand that and you must pick the translation that is right for you. Now, look, I'm sure there are some translations that are objectively

for you. Now, look, I'm sure there are some translations that are objectively better than others, and it's a whole scholarly debate, but for the new reader who just wants to actually finish the Odyssey or the Iliad or whatever, it makes more sense to pick the translation that feels more readable to them so that

they can actually finish and enjoy and digest the book properly. Personally, I

value faithfulness to the original, the original spirit of the text. And so even if it is a bit more difficult or a bit more clunky to read or a bit less flared up with poetry, I don't mind. And so there are these compromises that you

have to be aware of and that you have to decide for yourself. And you know, in that case, I might lean to Latimore or something. And finally, some additions of books are better than others. You know, you have Penguin Classics, you have the Wdsworth ones, which are [ __ ] then you have Oxford World Classics,

that sort of thing. Now, I think the main difference here is purely the aesthetics. Some are just uglier than others, and that's the truth. And it's

aesthetics. Some are just uglier than others, and that's the truth. And it's

nice to hold a book that feels nice and has nice artwork and looks good on the shelf. It matters, but there's also the consideration of uh the introductions.

shelf. It matters, but there's also the consideration of uh the introductions.

Some editions have better introductions at the start. Some have footnotes throughout the book. Some do more commentary analysis, and these are things that matter and change the reading experience. So, you should be aware of them. Lastly, and very importantly, lower your standards.

Classics are hard and they're often unfamiliar. And if you expect too much from your first reading, you might be left disappointed because you didn't reach that expectation. But you must remember classics are meant to be reread. It's okay to not understand things and to get to the end of the book

reread. It's okay to not understand things and to get to the end of the book thinking, "What the [ __ ] did I just read?" And you know, sometimes I'm jealous of these uh more experienced, older readers. They know their stuff.

They know the books inside out. And I think why why not me? Like why can't I do that? But I Remember that these people have reread the books probably

do that? But I Remember that these people have reread the books probably across their entire life and they've had a chance to really reflect and to think and to take notes for many decades more than I have. And so you have to yeah

temper your expectations and realize that your journey is different to the next person's and comparing what they're doing doesn't make any sense. Sometimes

you have to start reading and it feels weird at first, trust me, but you have to start reading knowing that you're not going to understand it. You might only understand 10% by the end of the book, but at least in that case, you've sort

of built the scaffolding for future rereadings. You may know roughly what's going on. Some big ideas maybe, and you know that 90% is missing, but you know

going on. Some big ideas maybe, and you know that 90% is missing, but you know that when you come back, you have a foundation. You have the groundwork for the rest of the ideas to fit in their right place. Thank you for watching. I'm

grateful for your time. And if you want to learn how to analyze and annotate your books, I'll link a video here for you to watch. And as always, I love to hear what your thoughts, your comments, your experiences. You can email me, too.

And yeah, thanks so much for watching.