Reading in Public No. 67: Eight tips for getting started with the classics
My best advice for a frequently asked question
I recently recorded an Ask Me Anything podcast episode to celebrate five years on Substack. That will drop next week, but there were a few questions submitted by readers that I saved for longer posts because I wanted to give them a little more thought. Today I’m answering a question that I get asked frequently. I hope it helps anyone whose trying to dip their toes into classic literature.
Question: I need help with getting into classics. I have tried reading a handful of classics already but I haven't found any that I loved. In general, I find the language inaccessible, the plot slow, and way more focus on characters than I actually want. Could you provide tips on appreciating the classics when they are such a different experience from contemporary reads, and maybe a couple of recommendations that have somewhat of a narrative drive?
Before I get into my tips, I just want to validate this dilemma. I have loved seeing classic literature take over Substack, but that can come with the feeling that everyone out there finds reading the classics joyful and fulfilling—and that’s certainly not the whole truth. It’s okay to read the classics and feel like you can’t fully appreciate them. It’s okay to struggle! While we certainly can read the classics like we read contemporary books—for the pleasure and the plot and the unforgettable characters—it admittedly takes more effort to read older language and forms. And we quite frankly we might not enjoy these experiences as much as we like reading books that speak to our modern sensibilities. But an effortful reading experience doesn’t mean you’re doing it wrong—and it’s not a reason to give up if you’re truly committed to reading more classics!
Here are my best tips for getting started and finding fulfillment in classic literature.
Tip #1 - Know your “why”
As a former English teacher and co-host of a classics podcast, I’m often asked for this kind of advice, and my first question is always: why do you want to read the classics? I think most people feel that initial desire to read classic literature because they think they should. I’m not going to make a value judgment on that, but I do know that for many readers, the feeling that one should read something is not enough of a reason to actually do it.
So if you really want to read more classics, it’s important to identify the reason(s) you think this endeavor is important for you. There are many many reasons to engage with classic literature, and none of them are better or worse than any other. The key is simply (thought it’s not always simple) to figure out what motivates you. Here is a non-exhaustive list of reasons you might be interested in reading classic literature:
To make connections between the contemporary literature you enjoy and the classic literature that came before it.
To experience another time period.
To read the exact same words as someone who lived centuries before you.
To explore the authors who influenced your favorite authors.
To deep dive into the history of a genre or style.
To develop your own taste1.
To indulge in masterful art2.
To feel connected to humanity across time.
To challenge yourself intellectually.
Maybe, if you’re lucky, to find a new lifetime favorite book.
While the last point stands, I think it’s actually helpful to only loosely hold onto the idea that you will love read classics—at least at first! I find if I approach classics with the expectation that I’m going to love them and be completely swept away, I can end up disappointed. Yes, this does happen! But I set myself up for a better reading experience if I think, “I’m going to read Bleak House because Donna Tartt has cited it as inspiration,” rather than “I’m going to read Bleak House and love it.”3
Tip #2 - Start in your lane
After you’ve determined why you want to read some classic lit, you can start thinking about which books you want to read. I’m always asked for starter classics, but the truth is this is highly individual. I would not recommend the same classic to avid mystery readers as I would to romance readers as I would to literary fiction readers. This is part of why thinking about your “why” and what you already like to read are both essential. If, for example, you want to read the classic authors who influenced your favorite contemporary authors, you’ll research that and start there. If you want to deep dive into a particular genre, you’ll start there. If you want to explore a particular place and time, that gives you different guidance on where to begin, etc.
Whatever your “why,” I also recommend considering what you like in your contemporary books and looking for classics in the same mold. If you read a lot of mysteries, try some Wilkie Collins. If you love rich people behaving badly books, give Edith Wharton a shot. If you are really into sci fi, pick up Mary Shelley or Octavia Butler. Reading Jane Austen can give you a foundation for the contemporary romance novels you love. If you are (or ever were) into dystopian fiction, maybe try 1984 or The Handmaid’s Tale. Starting in a lane you’re already comfortable with will help you feel somewhat acclimated as you adjust to the older language and style. It will also give you a reason to read. Even if you don’t enjoy the experience, you’ll have take away valuable information that you can apply to the contemporary books you do love.
Tip #3 - Work backwards
One option for exploring the canon is to start with the earliest texts and move forward in order to see how they build on each other. This is a great approach for many readers, especially linear thinkers, but you don’t have to read the canon “in order.” In fact, it can be helpful to work backwards in time. Pick up a few modern classics that appeal to you—think lauded books or curriculum staples published in the 1950s or later. The structures might be experimental in some of these, but the language, the themes, and the context is likely to be more familiar and accessible. Once you’ve gotten your bearings, you can extend your reach further back in time.
This advice isn’t foolproof because recent doesn’t always mean easier. To me, twentieth century writers like Woolf and Joyce and Faulkner can be much more challenging than Victorian writers like Dickens and Thackeray and the Brontës. But you will also find more familiar style and diction in these more recent texts, so it’s worth trying.
Tip #4 - Find the right resources
I know some readers are resistant to the classics because it feels like homework and suggesting you bring outside resources into you’re reading may only add to that feeling. But if you want to explore classic literature and get more out of it, it really does help to do a little extra. I suggest choosing an edition with some footnotes, endnotes, and/or supplemental material. Oxford World Classics and Penguin Classics tend to have enough contextual information to help me through, but not too much to overwhelm my reading. Norton editions are wonderful if you really want to study a text. Keep in mind that many of the introductions in new editions of classic literature will contain plot spoilers so you might choose to read them after the fact, but I do recommend going back as they often provide thoughtful, accessible, and relevant literary criticism.
Sometimes when I’m reading a classic, I’ll Google plot summaries as I go to make sure I’m keeping up with what’s happening. I’m currently reading a classic4 where a dinner table disagreement over finances left me quite confused. A quick glance at Wikipedia helped me reorient myself in the text so I could keep reading. As for more analytical pieces, you can access 100 free articles per month on JSTOR, a truly incredible resource for exploring the books, styles, and themes that grab your attention as you read.
Tip #5 - Bring in reinforcements
You don’t have to read these difficult texts in isolation. Take a class, join a read along, or listen to some podcasts. I’m currently taking an online seminar on Paradise Lost—a book I’ve never read in its entirety. Despite my background and skillset, I knew I would get much more out of this poem with support. And guess what? There are other students in the class with PhDs, including people who’ve read and taught this text dozens of times! Whether you’re a classic lit novice or professional, there’s always more to learn and always a benefit to reading in community. There is absolutely no shame in turning to experts and other outside resources to help with your reading.
Currently, we’re recapping Jane Austen’s Emma on the Novel Pairings podcast feed and it’s never too late to join in and read at your own pace. We’ve also covered countless other classics—just search our feed in your podcast player to see if there’s something you’re interested in! There are also tons of read alongs happening all the time on Substack.
hosts his own and updates a directory with many others. NYRB, Center for Fiction, and McNally Jackson all offer regular online seminars. And EdX and Coursera are decent (often free) options for self-paced study.
Tip #6 - Make meaning for yourself
For me, the best classic lit reading experiences are a delicate balance of referencing experts and developing my own interpretations. I like to engage with literary criticism and scholarship when I approach a classic, especially if it’s the first time I’ve read a particular text. But I don’t let what I read or hear in outside resources force me into a certain way of interpreting the text. I think part of why we lose our interest in classic literature is teachers making us feel dumb if we don’t interpret it “correctly,” and this can carry over into adulthood. If we labor over a book only to listen to a podcast host offer a totally different interpretation, we might feel like we just don’t get it. But you can have your own interpretation of a book—even the ones that have been interpreted to death. Here’s what I would tell my students: there is no single correct interpretation for any book, but there are wrong ones. Bring in those resources and reinforcements to keep from getting way off base, but also allow room for play and critical thinking. You’ll feel much more invested in the classics if you make meaning out of them for yourself.
Tip #7 - Read with your ears
It might be counterintuitive, but a lot of classics are easier to follow in audio than they are on the page. I wrote about this at length for Libro.fm a few years ago, but the abridged version is that audio can help you identify tone (often a challenge with older language) and make long meandering sentences less intimidating. I also find that audiobooks emphasize the character and story, allowing me to lose myself in the book more easily than when I sit down with the print text. While I do read most of my classics in print so I can make notes and think critically about the language, I often supplement with audio so I can hear the story come to life.
Tip #8 - Practice perseverance
It’s okay if you want your reading life to be a life of ease—I’m not going to suggest that every reader must read the classics. But if you want to, it’s important to accept that it may be challenging at times and that’s okay! Keep reading even when you feel like you’re not understanding. Reread passages until you feel like you grasp them. Bring in outside resources. And remember that persevering through one text will help with the next and the more you exercise this particular reading muscle, the easier and more enjoyable reading the classics will become.
This post got long so I’m going to save my starter classic recommendations for another day. For now, I’m curious what you think! What are your best tips for getting started with classic literature? What classic books would you recommend to someone looking to feel excited about and invested in classic lit?
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Happy reading!
Sara
When you read something that is generally accepted as great you can start to find where the gaps between what you love and what is lauded as excellent craft. You can also begin to appreciate that excellent craft.
I don’t know anything about visual art. Like, truly nothing. But I still enjoy going to museums and seeing masterpieces from history. I might not understand what I’m looking at or even fully recognize why it’s considered good, but part of the joy of life is reveling in the beauty other human’s have created. We can think of reading classic literature in the same way.
I have not read Bleak House, but I’m considering it this year.
Sorry, I can’t tell you what it is yet!
Thank you for answering my question so thoroughly! This was a great article! I particularly resonated with tip #6 - this was my experience in high school and college, and it sadly turned me away from reading altogether for many years! Will definitely save this article and come back to it regularly. I'm also taking tip #2 and trying Murder on the Orient Express next.
Another tip I thought I could try is reading shorter books. I realized the last couple ones that I read were 400+ pages and I was losing my endurance for focused, challenging reading. Maybe reading books that are under 300 pages will help, at least to start.
Thanks for mentioning the book group directory, Sara! And for making the classics more approachable for readers.