#9 Greatest Book of All Time

#9 Greatest Book of All Time

In the History of Literature's list of the 25 Greatest Books of All Time, Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes comes in at #9. In Episode 746, Jacke makes the case for the enduring delight of Don Quixote, which Harold Bloom called the first modern novel. While there have been a number of works based on this novel, one of my personal favorites is the 1965 Broadway musical production Man of La Mancha, which features the memorable and endlessly catchy tune "The Impossible Dream." Here are the opening lyrics:

To dream the impossible dream / To fight the unbeatable foe / To bear with unbearable sorrow / To run where the brave dare not go / To right the unrightable wrong / To love pure and chaste from afar / To try when your arms are too weary / To reach the unreachable star / This is my quest to follow that star / No matter how hopeless, no matter how far

25 Greatest Books Of All Time (GBOAT)

#10 Greatest Book of All Time

At #10 on the History of Literature's Greatest Books of All Time is Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy. Among the most memorable opening lines of any novel is the one that opens Anna Karenina: Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhap…

The 25 Greatest Books of All Time: The List Continues

The History of Literature's countdown of the greatest books of all time continues! Here's Jacke's list of books 19 to 11, with opening lines that craftily establish the tone and wonder of what comes next. For more about why these works made Jacke's…