More People Should Struggle to Read Classics

In the past couple of years, I have read six books that can be considered classics. Three of them are classics in the sense that they are or could be studied in school, while the other three are classics in the sense that they are early works that shifted a genre. Classic literature can be a changing target. The most interesting definition I found came from "What Makes A Book A Classic?" from Keeping Up With The Penguins. They define classics as books that, "we hold up as being exemplary or noteworthy in some fashion." Classics can be hard to get through, but the right one can be beneficial. I am looking forward to reading more classics from a diverse list of authors and struggling to grasp the themes.

My Experience Reading Classics

I've had a wide range of enjoyment of the six classics I have read, but they all took a lot to get through. Not only did I have to fight the uninterest born from the bitter taste that school leaves behind, but they are fiction books with multiple layers. So while I liked the books, I realized I must carve out scheduled time to read classics. They aren't like modern books that are fast-paced or written for a binge-read (or watch) generation. As a result, I had to concentrate even if I knew the basics of the story and the outcome.

My enjoyment level depended on my prior interaction with the book. I enjoyed the classics more because I knew the basics of the story and what to expect, but not how it ended because the ending was never discussed. (Or I didn't see the movie). I still expected a surprise ending. With books like 1984, I know what to expect, and the end. I think that distinction made a difference. 1984 has been discussed and discussed in school. And I remember those long and often time boring discussions.

Why You Should Read Classics

Even with the varying enjoyment of classics, I still think people should enjoy the struggle of reading them sometimes. Go into the book knowing it will be hard, and will take longer to get through. Expect to reread passages. However, I say stay away from classics that you overanalyzed in school. It tended to put me back in the mindset of being forced to read uninteresting books and being tested on them.

I read an article a couple of years ago, and the author Spencer Baum wrote that:

To read a work of classic literature is to engage with the best work of the best minds, and do it in a way that challenges you to be better, to seek out and appreciate beauty, to ponder the big questions, to follow a line of thought, to concentrate, to transform symbols of language into an image in your imagination, to weigh assertions, to analyze, to exercise your faculties of reason.

Basically, reading classic literature has benefits in a world that is impatient and fighting for our attention. Some benefits include thinking deeply, developing critical thinking, concentrating, struggling with questions, and forcing you not to stew in the rage that the media can induce. In reading classics, we engage with minds we collectively believe are the brightest minds of prior generations. We are challenged to be better and seek out answers to big questions. Also, remember to read from diverse people because of the variety of experiences in the world.

Recommendations

Out of the six classics I have read, here are my top 3 and an honorable mention if you skipped it in school but want to try it out. All these books tackle topics or themes that are relevant to the world we currently live in.

Go Tell It on the Mountain by James Baldwin

Baldwin is a prolific writer and explores many ideas in his writing. In this book, we follow John, who is trying to figure out himself and where he fits in the world. This was a hard book for me because the writing style reminded me of reading someone's diary with no dates. It is written like a stream of inner thoughts with minimal character interaction. However, this book touched on generational trauma, passion, and the relationship with the church. It had a lot of interesting themes but got me interested in exploring more of Baldwin's writing, specifically his essays.

Foundation by Isaac Asimov

Asimov is said to be one of the writers who developed and ushered in space opera and galactic empires in science fiction. This book is comprised of five short stories that span over 150 years. It follows the political maneuvers and the Seldon Crises while a new empire takes shape while another deteriorates. It is not an action-packed story, but I enjoyed the political moves and commentary the book offered. Two of the most compelling ideas explored in this book are religion, its use to control and manipulate people, and the habits that humanity develops over time. Unfortunately, the writing style makes it hard to get through because the descriptions are lacking, and the character development is almost nonexistent. However, I have continued in the series. I also wrote about this book a couple of times, here and here.

Out of the Silent Planet by C.S. Lewis

Lewis is known more so for his other works, such as The Chronicles of Narnia series. However, I saw this book and was intrigued. It follows the adventures of Dr. Ransom, who a former classmate and a wealthy man kidnap. They go to Mars, and we follow Ransom as he navigates this new world and comes to realizations about himself. While it is slow, it has some great quotes packed with wisdom. The themes explored in the book that I found interesting were human nature and morality. While this book has Christian undertones, it doesn't explicitly say that the God from the Christian faith is the way to go, but allows the reader to explore faith in a way removed from reality. It does not come off preachy or hit the reader over the head. Out of all the books, this is probably the most accessible book to get through. If you want to read more, read my wrap-up here.

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

I think most people have interacted with this book in some way over the years in American schooling. While I had some issues with some of my book's bonus content about the author's views, the idea of self-censorship was interesting to read. Today we are very much in silos and tribes because most people read what affirms their beliefs without attempting to ask questions. This book and its themes are important to grapple with in light of the increase of state-sponsored book bans.

Conclusion

If you need recommendations or want to see my full reviews on these books, check out my Goodreads or StoryGraph. And then follow me on Instagram and Twitter. So what classics would you recommend?