Books That Influenced You

submitted by Edvin from self.books

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[–]Cass 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (3 children)

There are so many. The little prince, SK's short story book The night shift, I liked Beowulf so much that I am seriously considering learning old english, SK's short story The jaunt, Adam Nevill's Lost girl, King Lear, The Old Testament. Now I am reading The Iliad and even though I am only 4 chapters in, I can already tell it will make the list.

[–]Edvin[S] 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (2 children)

Thanks for the comment! Beowulf has always been super intriguing to me but also very intimidating haha. I know they have editions of other great poems like the Odyssey and Dante's inferno that offer a bit of explanation to the old English as you read, do you know if there is anything like that for Beowulf? I do want to try reading it someday but I think I might need a version like that haha.

[–]Cass 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

Someone on reddit commented that Beowulf has a video game plot and I can tell you it's 100% true. I recommend Seamus Heaney's translation, you can listen to it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AaB0trCztM0

I first tried Tolkien's translation and found it unreadable, but listen to his Beowulf inspired song, the Lay of Beowulf: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHeOOj3nB6c

[–]Edvin[S] 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Thanks for the links, definitely will have to give them a listen when I get some time.