Beach Reads: Classic Reads That Are Bound to Be Treasured
The holidays are upon us once again, and it seems every year goes by faster and faster! The hustle and bustle of everyday life, mixed in with the latest technology and the idea of living in a “connected” world, make it more difficult each year to think of gifts that actually mean something. I love the idea that a gift I give to someone will be something they treasure and even pass along as the years go by. I have often said that there is nothing like a good book. Many of the classics now come in leather-bound, collectible editions that were designed to be treasured forever. Each one of these would make an amazing gift!
“The Complete Works of William Shakespeare” by William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare is responsible for many of the classic stories that we still read and learn from today, hundreds of years after they were first written. From “Romeo and Juliet,” the greatest love story of all time, to “Hamlet” and “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” Shakespeare will always rank among the greatest playwrights of all time. “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare” includes all 37 of his plays, along with poetry he had written over the years. Each piece is included in this leather-bound book, which will look perfect on any coffee table.
“Jane Eyre” by Charlotte Bronte
This classic of 19th-century literature proves that some story lines never go out of style. Jane Eyre works as a governess for the love of her life, Edward Rochester. When a secret from his past comes out, she must choose to stand by him or leave and start over. Sometimes the past truly can come back to haunt us.
“The Complete Tales and Poems of Edgar Allan Poe” by Edgar Allan Poe
In a world of long, historic or romantic novels, Edgar Allan Poe was the first of his time to write the short story and perfect tales of psychological horror. From science fiction to detective tales, Poe got readers to think far beyond what they ever had before. The leather-bound version of his stories includes: “The Fall of the House of Usher,” “The Tell-Tale Heart,” “The Pit and the Pendulum,” “The Raven,” “Annabel Lee,” “The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket” and much more.
“Jane Austen: Seven Novels” by Jane Austen
Jane Austen was before her time, writing tales that included gender politics and class consciousness. But she was a romantic at heart and is remembered for revolutionizing the literary romance. While her career didn’t last more than a decade, her novels have withstood the test of time. This collection includes “Sense and Sensibility,” “Pride and Prejudice,” “Mansfield Park,” “Emma,” “Northanger Abbey,” “Persuasion” and “Lady Susan,” stories you will want to read again and again.
“The Complete Sherlock Holmes” by Arthur Conan Doyle
Detective novels have become all the rage recently. Most especially, psychological thrillers that keep the reader up until the wee hours of the morning. Sherlock Holmes was the hero of 60 stories written from 1887 to 1927. A mastermind ahead of his time, he used deductive reasoning to solve even the most tricky cases because he saw things that others missed. He and his partner, Dr. Watson, brought countless criminals to justice. Some of his stories will forever hold a spot among the most famous in detective fiction, among them “A Study in Scarlet,” “A Scandal in Bohemia,” “The Speckled Band” and “The Hound of the Baskervilles.” “The Complete Sherlock Holmes” includes these four stories, along with 56 short stories, all in one spot.
“Dracula and Other Horror Classics” by Bram Stoker
If you are someone who loves to read vampire stories, then hopefully “Dracula” was your very first one. Setting the trend for thousands of novels to follow, “Dracula” was published in 1897 and people came to love tales of horror. This collection includes “Dracula” and other horror classics written by Stoker, including “The Jewel of Seven Stars” and “The Lair of the White Worm.” Also included are a dozen of Stoker’s short tales such as “Dracula’s Guest,” a sidebar to his famous novel.
