I really needed to see this today Coral! I was just thinking about some research I'd like to do and how easily I get distracted so this essay was really encouraging. I like your list of classics. All really readable and worth reading. Well done!
This might be what finally gets me to add Metamorphosis to my reading list! I think classic plays/scripts can also be a good introduction to reading classics as well.
Oh my gosh!! Yes!! Metamorphosis is truly amazing!! Personally, though, my favorite Kafka story is The Hunger Artist. But Metamorphosis is a classic for a damn good reason!! Also, I agree!! Plays are another great entry point <3
Heavens! I'm so delighted to find you. This is a substantial and helpful piece. A few comments:
I'm reminded of the book "Hamlet's Blackberry," which addresses the current struggle with digital consumption and its effects on our ability to read deeply. I've found that when I sit down to read something of substance, it helps to read the first few pages out loud to ground my mind and focus my senses. The list you provided is outstanding. I read several of those titles years ago, and a couple are now on my list. I read a recent note by @Nicolewrites about the drop in readership when she posts long-form content.
Thank you for this. I apologise for the rambling comment. :)
Iāve never heard of that book before!! But seeing that it was written in 2010 (according to Google) I can only imagine how much worse those same issues have become in 2026. I love the idea of reading out loud first, I will have to try that!!Also, Iām not surprised that readership drops when there is more longform content. And no need to apologize, I love long, engaging comments like yours!! Thank you so much for reading!! :)
So, so good--I'm so glad you're talking about this!!! And what a great list. 1984 is one of the best, most haunting books I've ever read (and it's extremely relevant to what's going on in current times today...) Great job!!!!! I can't wait to read more of your essays :) I hope uni is treating you well so far!!
Thank you so much!! Itās been on my mind a lot. With attention already being so low, why in the world should elitists be making classics seem inaccessible when reading is a great equalizer? I hate when those books gets mislabeled as pretentious when itās actually the attitudes of the higher class trying to gatekeep knowledge!!š¤
And yes, 1984 is one the best books Iāve ever read!! Itās insane how relevant it continues to be despite how long ago it was written!!
I look forward to writing more essays like this alongside my creative work!! Uni is very exhausting, but also incredibly rewarding!! Iām sure Iāll be posting some work I end up doing here as well!! :)
Thank you!! Iām glad you enjoyed it!! Animal Farm is an absolutely classic!! I loved the background about how it kept getting labeled as childrenās fictionš
Absolutely agree ā choosing to slow down and read deeply in an age of distraction is a quiet form of rebellion. Thereās something profoundly human about resisting the instant gratification of algorithms in favor of engaging with enduring works. Itās not just about reading; itās about preserving independent thought in a time when most of the world seems to run on autopilot.
I still struggle with it and I thought bringing that honesty into the conversation was necessary!! These algorithms are literally designed to be as addicting as possible. And yes!! Independent thought in such an era is so crucial!!!šš¤
My eyes roll so hard when I see War and Peace and The Count Of Monte Cristo recommended to people wanting to get into the classics. It's the same 5 books all the time.
I compiled a list recently for Tiktok and 1984 was also on it ā I put two by Robert L Stevenson and HG Wells because I think their works are quite accessible and fun! It's crazy to think Gullivers Travels, Robinson Crusoe and Treasure Island were primarily read by Children once. Now we have kids books by David Walliams (in the UK) and they're gross š The story should be the thing that matters, I agree. We need to focus on how it makes us feel.
War and Peace and The Count of Monte Cristo on a beginner list is CRAAAAAZY!! Both pretty old and dense texts. I absolutely hate how much it implicitly signal superiority. āOh, you donāt think this easy? Well, then I guess youāre just not smart enoughā¦Like, fuck you lmao
Also yes, 1984 is an AMAZING book for beginners!! I havenāt read the others, but Iāll have to look into them!! And yeah, it is wild to think about how childrenās literature has been insanely dumbed downā¦š
Preach to the choir, great points and insights. You should def do a list of classic sci-fi as well!! Looking foward to reading more of your intricate perspectives.
Thank you so much!! And Iām sure I am parching to the choir so to speak, but I do hope that this might reach those who are intimated and help them see it doesnāt have to be!! I honestly need to read more sci-fi classics, but once I do, Iām sure I could make a list for that too!! :)
You chose the best of the best. 1984 is the ultimate political/dystopian story. Classics donāt have to be boring at all. I was kind of forced to read classics since they were the cheapest books I could get when I was a kid, but I ended up loving classic literature. Excellent piece!
I absolutely LOVE 1984!! It is one of the most important pieces of fiction in my opinion. And yes, they donāt have to be boring at all!! I honestly think just some framing and context can do a lot to make something more interesting!! Many of the classics I chose for this list are what began my love for them!! Thanks so much for reading!!ā¤ļø
Oh yeah, it can feel very intimidating!! I still struggle to read certain works, especially older works, and Iām a passionate student of it!! So I can only imagine how someone else might feel. Hopefully the accessibility I tried to offer helps someone out there!! Thanks again for readingā¤ļø
It's important to dismantle that in my opinion. It's more of a cultural problem rather than inherent to the classics themself. It does make sense how it has been historically tied to status, but at the same time that ignores the very real ways literature works against those very systems. Deep reading is an acquired and it not something that always comes easy! It's an active pushback to keep ourselves from passive scrolling.
And yes, I am so so glad you understand my logic behind choosing modernist fiction for this purpose!! I remember returning to reading a few years back with Jane Austen and struggling for a little while with it. I know how to steamroll through it because my schooling requires me to, but for someone who doesn't have that same attachment to it as I do, why would they want to start somewhere that's already challenging?
Thank you so much for reading!! And I hope the books on my list serve you wellā¤ļø
Thank you so much!! Also, Iām honored that you feel this is worth showing your students. Those are the exact kind of people I want to reach!! I hope it can help to ease the mind of even one reluctant person who wants to read more classicsšš»
Of course!! I truly believe every word I said about literature being the greatest equalizer. I came from a struggling background myself, and it gave me so much. So if I can share that with others, then Iām happy!!ā¤ļø
I really needed to see this today Coral! I was just thinking about some research I'd like to do and how easily I get distracted so this essay was really encouraging. I like your list of classics. All really readable and worth reading. Well done!
Thank you so much!! :ā)
Iām so so glad this essay was encouraging, because that was exactly my goal!! Iām also happy to hear you like the list I made!!š¤
This might be what finally gets me to add Metamorphosis to my reading list! I think classic plays/scripts can also be a good introduction to reading classics as well.
Oh my gosh!! Yes!! Metamorphosis is truly amazing!! Personally, though, my favorite Kafka story is The Hunger Artist. But Metamorphosis is a classic for a damn good reason!! Also, I agree!! Plays are another great entry point <3
This was a great read love it
Thank you!! Hoping to get the video version of this done soon!!š¤
So excited to see the video
Brilliant, read this the other day and it made me get Metamorphosis from the bookstore while in town. Forgot I love that one so much š¤š„š„
Thank you so much!! Metamorphosis is an amazing read!!š¤š¤š¤
Heavens! I'm so delighted to find you. This is a substantial and helpful piece. A few comments:
I'm reminded of the book "Hamlet's Blackberry," which addresses the current struggle with digital consumption and its effects on our ability to read deeply. I've found that when I sit down to read something of substance, it helps to read the first few pages out loud to ground my mind and focus my senses. The list you provided is outstanding. I read several of those titles years ago, and a couple are now on my list. I read a recent note by @Nicolewrites about the drop in readership when she posts long-form content.
Thank you for this. I apologise for the rambling comment. :)
Iāve never heard of that book before!! But seeing that it was written in 2010 (according to Google) I can only imagine how much worse those same issues have become in 2026. I love the idea of reading out loud first, I will have to try that!!Also, Iām not surprised that readership drops when there is more longform content. And no need to apologize, I love long, engaging comments like yours!! Thank you so much for reading!! :)
Reading is so valuable, I wish I learned this earlier.
It really is!! But itās never too late to start!! :)
I started but I always regret not starting earlier
I wouldnāt be so hard on yourself!! A lot of people never start at all
This is very true.
So, so good--I'm so glad you're talking about this!!! And what a great list. 1984 is one of the best, most haunting books I've ever read (and it's extremely relevant to what's going on in current times today...) Great job!!!!! I can't wait to read more of your essays :) I hope uni is treating you well so far!!
Thank you so much!! Itās been on my mind a lot. With attention already being so low, why in the world should elitists be making classics seem inaccessible when reading is a great equalizer? I hate when those books gets mislabeled as pretentious when itās actually the attitudes of the higher class trying to gatekeep knowledge!!š¤
And yes, 1984 is one the best books Iāve ever read!! Itās insane how relevant it continues to be despite how long ago it was written!!
I look forward to writing more essays like this alongside my creative work!! Uni is very exhausting, but also incredibly rewarding!! Iām sure Iāll be posting some work I end up doing here as well!! :)
Fun read and great list. I bought the same copy of Animal Farm about a month ago at a used bookstore in York. :)
Thank you!! Iām glad you enjoyed it!! Animal Farm is an absolutely classic!! I loved the background about how it kept getting labeled as childrenās fictionš
LOL
Thatās funny but also good. That way kids can read it early on.
Absolutely agree ā choosing to slow down and read deeply in an age of distraction is a quiet form of rebellion. Thereās something profoundly human about resisting the instant gratification of algorithms in favor of engaging with enduring works. Itās not just about reading; itās about preserving independent thought in a time when most of the world seems to run on autopilot.
I still struggle with it and I thought bringing that honesty into the conversation was necessary!! These algorithms are literally designed to be as addicting as possible. And yes!! Independent thought in such an era is so crucial!!!šš¤
My eyes roll so hard when I see War and Peace and The Count Of Monte Cristo recommended to people wanting to get into the classics. It's the same 5 books all the time.
I compiled a list recently for Tiktok and 1984 was also on it ā I put two by Robert L Stevenson and HG Wells because I think their works are quite accessible and fun! It's crazy to think Gullivers Travels, Robinson Crusoe and Treasure Island were primarily read by Children once. Now we have kids books by David Walliams (in the UK) and they're gross š The story should be the thing that matters, I agree. We need to focus on how it makes us feel.
War and Peace and The Count of Monte Cristo on a beginner list is CRAAAAAZY!! Both pretty old and dense texts. I absolutely hate how much it implicitly signal superiority. āOh, you donāt think this easy? Well, then I guess youāre just not smart enoughā¦Like, fuck you lmao
Also yes, 1984 is an AMAZING book for beginners!! I havenāt read the others, but Iāll have to look into them!! And yeah, it is wild to think about how childrenās literature has been insanely dumbed downā¦š
Preach to the choir, great points and insights. You should def do a list of classic sci-fi as well!! Looking foward to reading more of your intricate perspectives.
Thank you so much!! And Iām sure I am parching to the choir so to speak, but I do hope that this might reach those who are intimated and help them see it doesnāt have to be!! I honestly need to read more sci-fi classics, but once I do, Iām sure I could make a list for that too!! :)
I meant it in a good way! That way the choir sings and attracts new listeners!!
You chose the best of the best. 1984 is the ultimate political/dystopian story. Classics donāt have to be boring at all. I was kind of forced to read classics since they were the cheapest books I could get when I was a kid, but I ended up loving classic literature. Excellent piece!
I absolutely LOVE 1984!! It is one of the most important pieces of fiction in my opinion. And yes, they donāt have to be boring at all!! I honestly think just some framing and context can do a lot to make something more interesting!! Many of the classics I chose for this list are what began my love for them!! Thanks so much for reading!!ā¤ļø
I love this idea!! Brilliant Coral!
Thank you so much Caroline!! Iāve been really wanting to talk about this because I donāt think itās done with enough honesty and consideration.
Iām really hoping it can reach someone and make them feel more confident in delving into these books!!ššš»
yes it can feel so intimidating, so I love how you make it more accessible!
Oh yeah, it can feel very intimidating!! I still struggle to read certain works, especially older works, and Iām a passionate student of it!! So I can only imagine how someone else might feel. Hopefully the accessibility I tried to offer helps someone out there!! Thanks again for readingā¤ļø
It's important to dismantle that in my opinion. It's more of a cultural problem rather than inherent to the classics themself. It does make sense how it has been historically tied to status, but at the same time that ignores the very real ways literature works against those very systems. Deep reading is an acquired and it not something that always comes easy! It's an active pushback to keep ourselves from passive scrolling.
And yes, I am so so glad you understand my logic behind choosing modernist fiction for this purpose!! I remember returning to reading a few years back with Jane Austen and struggling for a little while with it. I know how to steamroll through it because my schooling requires me to, but for someone who doesn't have that same attachment to it as I do, why would they want to start somewhere that's already challenging?
Thank you so much for reading!! And I hope the books on my list serve you wellā¤ļø
Thank you so much!! Also, Iām honored that you feel this is worth showing your students. Those are the exact kind of people I want to reach!! I hope it can help to ease the mind of even one reluctant person who wants to read more classicsšš»
Of course!! I truly believe every word I said about literature being the greatest equalizer. I came from a struggling background myself, and it gave me so much. So if I can share that with others, then Iām happy!!ā¤ļø