I often read literary classics, but since I’m not in school anymore and since I wasn’t a lit major, I’m always worried that I’ll miss out on significant passages, symbolism, etc. in the books I read. Therefore, I started using the Classic Notes portion of the GradeSaver.com website. [I am in NO WAY endorsing the practice of purchasing essays; I am writing this review specifically about the notes section of that site.]
Classic Notes provides free, comprehensive summaries and analyses of numerous classic novels from authors such as Dickens, Faulkner, Austen, Shakespeare, and more. What I do is read a few chapters out of whatever book I’m trying to get through, then go to the Classic Notes website to read the corresponding summaries just to make sure that I’m clear about what’s going on in the book. This practice allows me to get so much more out of what I’m reading!
I really like the way the Classic Notes website is set out. It’s easy to search for novels by either title or author, and you can quickly navigate through the different sections of the summaries. In addition, there are usually a couple of multiple choice quizzes for each novel, so you can check your understanding and retention of the material after you’ve finished reading the book.
Classic Notes is a wonderful resource for anyone who wants to get more enjoyment out of the classics when they don’t have a literature professor to guide them. Excellent site!
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