I majored in English, therefore I have read some books. I didn't used to love reading, but as I've gotten older, like oh my god, books are pretty nifty. I don't consider myself
well read, there are people who read circles around me who didn't major in English. However, I think the term is subjective. What does it really mean to be well read? Does it mean reading all the classics? It's good to know your classics, certainly. Do you love Victorian Literature so you read a lot of Victorians? Or if you enjoy vampires, do you read a lot about their folklore, and books about them? It's a complicated phrase. Personally, I don't like the idea of being well read because books are always being written and there's always something you haven't read no matter where your interests lie.
Anywho, here's a book. Those who know me know I love Oscar Wilde, and I did a study on him my last semester in undergrad. I think you simply MUST read
The Picture of Dorian Gray. It's complicated, dark, and it makes you ask questions about
everything. The fun and frustration with Wilde is that he often speaks in paradox, his paradoxes are paradox, and he'll say something and leave it to you to decide if he's serious (and what you think about it says more about you/society than him). He's brilliant.
I think my strong understanding of the novel came from reading Wilde's theory. I know, you're thinking, "literary theory is so tedious." It isn't always. His are actually entertaining and his ideas are tangible. If you want to read something that will help you understand and think more, try
The Critic As Artist at least. Also,
The Decay of Lying will give you some nifty insights about Wilde's ideas about Art which will come in handy while trying to understand
Dorian Gray.
My best advice about reading Wilde is to take your time and think about it. He's a tough nut to crack. If it's easy to read his work, or write about it, you're doing it wrong.
Dashing, isn't he?
