Appreciating The Classics

It's no secret that I'm a bit naff when it comes to reading books. I have 'The Book Thief' lying on my bedside table as I type, just gathering dust with the bookmark wedged between the pages. Despite the fact that I fail at reading, there are those classics that I love and can dip into at any time. 

New fiction is all well and good, but sometimes it's good to sit back and read some classic stories, fairy tales, myths and legends. These stories are classics for a reason and with so many books being churned out everyday, it is important we never forget how truly great they are. 

I've always been in love with fantasy stories, they are the ultimate form of escapism for me, so I didn't hesitate to borrow The Mammoth Book Of Celtic Myths and Legends from my sister. This book has various stories from various parts of the UK, ranging from Ireland to Cornwall. British history is full of these fantastical stories and I love that they are a part of our culture. As this book is filled with lots of short stories, you can whip it out at any point, pick a tale and read it in the space of 30 minutes, perfect for my very short attention span. 

The same goes for The Complete Fairy Tales of Brothers Grimm. There are some seriously weird and dark fairy tales that have been overlooked because they are not suitable for all ages and I love reading them. Again, these stories are quick to read and easy to fit into a busy day and if you love the TV show Once Upon a Time as much as I do, this is the essential book to have. 

Finally, we have the king of all literature, Mr Shakespeare. These plays and sonnets are nowhere near as easy to read, but they are classics, the basis for many popular screenplays, books and theatre productions. You can buy Shakespeares plays written in modern English these days, but let's be honest, where's the fun in that! Yes, the language is a little difficult to understand, but the beauty is you can get the gyst of what is happening and it is still an interesting story to read, now that's talent.

Which classic stories can you not get enough of? Do you read enough classic literature or do you stick with the modern stuff?