Vestitor: When learning a language (or just reading) folks tend to seek out original literature. I can't imagine wanting to read Oliver Twist in Spanish when I can read it in the original English. Books written originally in the target language seem more valuable because they offer thoughts and ideas developed in the language and thus a more direct experience. Maybe it's different for Esperanto because the culture is shared?

I myself did not try to seek original literature when I was a beginner. The first book I read in Esperanto was a childrens book originally written in my mother tongue Swedish (La fratoj Leonkoro by Astrid Lindgren). And my first book in Chinese also was a translation from Swedish (Xiao Feiren by the same author). I chose such books because I felt that there were so many difficulties anyway with a new language, so I wanted to start with a book which I already was familiar with. I knew the content and how the thougts were expressed. I hoped that later on, when I had achieved the basic understanding, I could improve "thougts and ideas developed in the language". I think I have achieved part of it now in Esperanto, but so far very little in Chinese. But if I had started with a book originally written in Chinese, I might not even have come through the first chapter.

It's wise to start off by looking to see what has and hasn't already been translated, at katalogo.uea.org

Vestitor:I'm sceptical of the value of translations of old books, or even newer ones come to that. When learning a language (or just reading) folks tend to seek out original literature. I can't imagine wanting to read Oliver Twist in Spanish when I can read it in the original English. Books written originally in the target language seem more valuable because they offer thoughts and ideas developed in the language and thus a more direct experience. Maybe it's different for Esperanto because the culture is shared?

Well, I could imagine reading in English or Esperanto or Italian a book originally written, let's say, in Mongolian. If it isn't available in German or French.
The difference is not between Esperanto and other languages, but more between books you have in your language and those you don't have.