Often it feels like to consider yourself a true reader, you have to know the classics. But the most classic of classics can feel impossible to read. I’ve read my fair share of incredibly boring classics, but have also managed to find some entertaining and important stories among them. Here is my list of five classics that are absolutely worth the read.
1. The MArtian chronicles (Ray Bradbury)
Ray Bradbury’s 1950 novel The Martian Chronicles is a collection of vignettes detailing the colonization of the planet Mars from the late 90s to the 2020s. The book is incredibly imaginative — instead of glorifying space colonization, it shows the more likely alternative that humans on Mars would drain the planet of resources, kill off the Native species, and destroy the planet just as they destroy Earth. Each chapter is a different narrative, many of which parallel real issues in our culture. Notably, the chapter “There Will Come Soft Rains” follows the routine of an automated house making meals and cleaning for its inhabitants long after a nuclear war on Earth killed all humans, making the house’s routine completely useless. Though this book was written in 1950, with the fear of nuclear war still prevalent and the rise of AI in recent times, the narrative in this chapter feels eerily relevant.
My favorite story in this book has to be “The Third Expedition” which was later turned into an episode on the radio show X-Minus One in 1955. This chapter follows a crew of astronauts who land on Mars only to realize it looks identical to an American suburb. They discover that the inhabitants of this suburb are their relatives who have passed away. It has a crazy twist ending and is a testament to how entertaining this book is. In my opinion, The Martian Chronicles is Ray Bradbury’s best work and a very worthwhile read. It is undoubtedly in my top five favorite books of all time.
2. song of solomon (toni morrison)
Published in 1977, Song of Solomon is Toni Morrison’s third novel. It follows Macon “Milkman” Dead III, the son of a wealthy African American landlord in a mostly white, poor town in Michigan. Milkman comes from a dysfunctional family and suffers because of it. Throughout the course of the novel, he embarks on a journey to discover his self-worth and understand his ancestry. This is Morrison’s first novel written from the perspective of a man, but her male protagonist, Milkman, is surrounded by women who love, nurture, and protect him, including his mother, aunt, sisters, and cousin. His dependency on women comments on unequal power dynamics between genders. In the end, it’s a novel about mistreated women as much as it’s a novel about men breaking free from generational trauma.
Song of Solomon‘s characters are incredibly well developed and the storytelling is honest, deep, and thought-provoking. This is a very heavy book and I wouldn’t consider it to be an easy read — it handles topics like racism, abuse, suicide, generational trauma, and more in detail. It doesn’t have a happy ending per se, but the story it tells is perspective-changing and immensely powerful. It is perhaps my favorite book of all time and I cannot recommend it enough.
3. the color purple (alice walker)
Published in 1982, The Color Purple is one of the most celebrated novels of all time, yet one of the most widely banned. This novel discusses topics like domestic abuse, racism, queer relationships, gender roles, and more, leading it to be banned in many schools. This novel is a prime example of why it’s incredibly important to read banned books — they expose readers to different perspectives and stories even if they are difficult to digest.
The Color Purple follows Celie, a poor, uneducated black girl living in early 1900s rural Georgia, who writes letters to God and her beloved sister, Nettie after she is separated from her sister by means of marriage. The letters span many years as Celie grows to be an accomplished woman after enduring abuse and mistreatment from many of the people in her life. This novel is about finding power — power in creating a voice for yourself, power in female relationships, and power in disrupting traditional gender roles. Some of the scenes are difficult to read because of their subject matter but the story is engrossing, heart-warming, and important. This is one of the classics that every person should read.
4. The picture of dorian gray (oscar wilde)
Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray was initially published in Lippincott’s Magazine in 1890 before its release as a full-length novel in 1891. The novel follows young British socialite Dorian Gray when painter Basil Hallward paints his portrait. Dorian meets Lord Henry Wotton, a friend of Basil, who preaches to Dorian that his portrait exemplifies his pure youth and beauty. This causes Dorian to become vainly obsessed with his looks and curses the painting to show signs of aging rather than Dorian himself. The novel progresses over 18 years as Dorian slowly succumbs to a life of heinous, selfish, and violent acts in the name of beauty.
The Picture of Dorian Gray‘s message is “art for art’s sake.” Wilde encourages readers to find the beauty in everything. He argues that what gives something meaning is if there is someone to admire it. In sum, art is useless, but admired nonetheless and therefore important. The purpose of art is to have no purpose — it will always be well-loved. In addition to commenting on art, the novel discusses the superficiality of society, the dangers of vanity, and how influence can have negative consequences. The 1890s language is at times difficult to follow, but the storytelling is incredible and the book is entertaining. It serves as a reminder that beauty is not the most important thing and being happy with who you are inside is vital.
“Those that find beautiful meanings in beautiful things are the cultivated. For these there is hope.”
—Oscar Wilde- Preface to “The Picture of Dorian Gray”
5. lord of the rings (j.r.r. tolkien)
J.R.R Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings features three novels that function together as one story: The Fellowship of the Rings (1954), The Two Towers (1955), and The Return of the King (1956). The Return of the King features an appendix revealing more lore behind the fictional world of Middle-Earth. The Lord of the Rings follows young Hobbit Frodo Baggins after he is entrusted by the wizard Gandalf to destroy The One Ring which enables the Lord Sauron to rule over and inevitably destroy Middle-Earth. Though I may be a nerd for including it, I think this is one of the best books of all time.
Undoubtedly, Middle-Earth is one of the most well-made fantasy universes and Tolkien’s writing makes you feel like you’re a part of the story. The characters are well-developed and you will absolutely feel emotionally attached to some of them and despise others. Its astounding 1,261 page count is daunting and certain sections of the book can be boring, but all in all, it’s absolutely worth the read. It’s an amazing escape to a magical land and the overall story is very entertaining and captivating. Coming up on 70 years since its release, The Lord of the Rings will never not be an incredibly influential and well-loved story.
COnclusion
Reading classics can feel daunting and many of them don’t seem to be worth the time. Each of the five above, though, have something very different to offer. There’s something to be found in them for every person of varying tastes in books. But undoubtedly, each is absolutely worth the read.