Classic Indulgence

I only read a few classic novels a year, but their beauty lingers long after I’ve finished the book. What stays with me is usually something subtle, like a beautiful turn of phrase, an earnest reflection or the airiness of a gracefully crafted scene.

A classic book doesn’t read the same as a contemporary one. The plots and characters take time to develop. Hardly can these books be devoured in a single sitting. Classics need to be savoured slowly, with many pauses, ideally in a beautiful place, such as in a delightful garden where the long-winded descriptions in the book can feel close and real. They’re the kind of books you might need to put down, then pick up again after a few days.

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Classics transport us to another time and place through their characters. We learn about their customs and feel their emotions, hopes and dreams. The beautiful sentences, written when time moved less quickly, and the impeccable manners and dainty references to clothing and decorum lead to a fuller yet gentler reading experience.

Classic literature is very broad, spanning centuries and covering many regions of the globe. But if we consider some classic female authors of the English-speaking world, we can certainly view their work as a precursor to the contemporary romantic fiction many of us relish. Books from Jane Austen, Louisa May Alcott, Charlotte Brontë or Edith Wharton all focus on the sentimental growth of strong female characters as do today’s romance bestsellers.

I love the language used in classic books and enjoy needing to look up the occasional word in the dictionary. These novels also prompt travel ideas. Literary tours, including visits to author childhood homes and the scenery that influenced their stories appeal to many readers.

Most of all, it’s the courage, poise and elegance of these authors, and their writing, that I appreciate above all.

TEXT BY FATIMA RIZZO