Reading the Classics

So, I'm still in the middle of reading Anna Karenina, a humongous book that is taking me forever to finish. However, I think it's important to read, since this Tolstoy novel is such a classic. There are many books that are considered "classics," and I believe every person should try to read them, or at least most of them. While attending a private middle school, I read Romeo and Juliet, Treasure Island, Lord of the Flies, and others; in high school I read The Grapes of Wrath, Pride and Prejudice, The Tempest, Animal Farm, Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, etc. And in college I took a class on the Old Testament, the Bible being the greatest classic of all. Since graduation I have read others, like The Catcher in the Rye and The Jungle. These stories will never be forgotten, and it's amazing how often current society references them, whether in movies, other books, comedy shows, etc. So it's important for you to educate yourself and know these tales (at least the gist of them) so you can understand these other allusions.