Classic...or OLD?

A lot of times, the word "Classic" is used to fancy up something that's just flat out old.

"Classic Car" - uh, no, it's old, has no AC or floor mats, has stains on the ceiling and something slimy in the glove compartment. OLD.

"Classic movies" - a.k.a. out of style and boring. OLD.

"Classic novels" - otherwise known as hard to read and confusing. OLD.

But here's where I challenge you to back up a minute ;) 

Driving a car without AC (especially in the south, in the summer) is pretty much unacceptable no matter how truly clasic the vehicle. ;) And sometimes, classic movies just make you squint in black and white despite the gems out there that really are worth watching (Casablanca, Gone with the Wind, anything with John Wayne, etc.)

But I beg you to give some classic books a try before you blow them off as OLD. Charles Dickens. Jane Austen. Charlotte Bronte.

For example - I had NO idea how downright hilarious Pride and Prejudice was as a novel. I'd seen the movies, both versions, growing up and loved them but when I actually sat down to read the novel...I was totally caught off guard. The girls' father is so stinkin' funny, he has the best one-liners and dry wit/sarcasm that makes me think back to Jane's time and how unique her story was to her day and age. She's a true literary heroine!

This summer, as you're combing through the best seller lists on Amazon or Barnes & Noble and trying to figure out which story to purchase or download for your Kindle or Nook, consider a classic. Sure, they have big words sometimes and are written in a different style that's not always a page-turner, but they've lingered through the ages for a reason. They're quality novels, and I think everyone should read Pride and Prejudice or Emma or Great Expectations or Jane Eyre at some point in their life.

And don't forget to spend some time this summer in the Ultimate Classic Novel - the Bible :)