In 1771, Thomas Jefferson's brother-in-law asked him what books every gentleman should own.
Jefferson responded with a list of hundreds.
I'll include the full list at the end of the thread, but here are a few gems I think you'll want to check out: 🧵👇
10. Jerusalem Delivered by Torquato Tasso (1581)
This Italian epic melds history with myth to tell the story of the First Crusade and its "deliverance" of Jerusalem from Muslim rule.
An inspiring chivalric tale, it is fundamentally about the clash between love and duty.
9. The Adventures of Roderick Random by Tobias Smollett (1748)
A picaresque novel about a young man who is disinherited and a series of misadventures that drag him across the globe, from one of the 18th-century's most popular (but now overlooked) authors.