It's ok if you don't love reading the classics
I have a hard time reading them too; plus what I read in January
I am a mood reader. The fleeting liminal space between finishing a book and picking up a new one is one of the most exciting times in my life. And the extremely good news about that is that it happens once or twice per week. I almost never know which book I’ll read next until I finish the book(s) I’m reading.
One kind of book you’ll almost never find me reaching for?
A classic.
I can hear the whispers of a thousand gasps. It’s not something to brag about, and it’s definitely something I’m not proud of. But it’s the truth for me and my guess is that it’s the truth for some others, too — even if it seems as though everyone is opting for the classics right now.
People love Jane Austen. Love. I am currently doing a slow-read of Pride & Prejudice guided by haley larsen, phd, and I feel like without her in-depth explanations of everything I’m reading, I wouldn’t understand some of the implications of what is going on in the book. With Haley’s help, I have a decent comprehension, but I still feel lost at times; confused why there are so many different characters, many of whom are called at least two different names. Given the choice between P&P and the other books I’m reading, I often choose the others.
I read Anna Karenina in 2022 and — I struggled. It took most of the year, and whenever I thought of the book I felt this weird lurch in my stomach, like it was a thing I needed to finish, not a book I wanted to be immersed in. The difference between a classic like Anna Karenina and a contemporary book I’m not in love with reading is that I’ll typically finish a classic. It’s got to be beloved for a reason, right? Reading a book like that, for me, is more about seeking comprehension about why it’s become a part of the canon than it is for enjoyment. Which is why I don’t choose to read these kinds of books often.
There’s a lot of chatter about Middlemarch right now, like the entirety of Substack has collectively decided now, 154 years post-publication, is the time to read it.
Petya K. Grady, in her essay titled, appropriately, Why is Everybody Reading Middlemarch Right now? says the classics are becoming our contemporary cultural moment. I deeply love the sentiment behind this, that we (readers, writers, book discussers) are creating the cultural conversation that’s so commonplace around contemporary books, but applying it to classics.
The concept of that is really lovely to me. But let’s be clear: I’m not one of those people who’s going to be reading War and Peace this year.
I appreciate what Petya says, too, about the message Middlemarch readers are communicating:
There's something almost rebellious about choosing to read Middlemarch in an era of endless scrolling. George Eliot's careful examination of provincial life, with its intricate web of human relationships and moral choices, couldn't be further from the quick-hit content that dominates most of our media diet.
I think this is an opportunity to think in terms of and, not or.
Deep analyses should not be relegated only to the classic novels. We can read contemporary works and annotate them, think about them extensively, and rebel against the fast-paced video culture while doing so — this is not a designation for old books that are a part of the literary canon.
In December I did a reflective analysis on a holiday romcom, approaching the contemporary novel the way I’d learned to approach classic titles like The Remains of the Day. It was an eye-opening exercise resulting in a profound appreciation for this type of book.
I don’t think we need to reserve this kind of thinking for old books like Middlemarch or Anna Karenina. What I think is equally as impressive as Leo Tolstoy typing up an almost 900-page manuscript on a typewriter is a modern author having something to say and saying it in a way that stands out from all the other noise. And these more contemporary titles can be just as great for cultural criticism as something written in the 19th century.
Consider Miranda July’s All Fours. Consider James by Percival Everett.
For a while I wondered what it was; why I was apathetic toward the vast majority of classics. I met a woman several months ago who had a tattoo on her arm that said Prose. I asked her about it and her response was exactly what I’d hoped: Oh, I’m a writer! Then she mentioned it was from a Shakespeare piece and the excitement of the conversation began to wither for me, not because I was worried I couldn’t contribute, but I was worried I wouldn’t understand.
Like Jane Austen, like Tolstoy, Shakespeare is not an author I gravitate toward.
Maybe I am alone in this, but I like to think some of you can relate. Even if it’s just one of you. Like me, you’re probably seeing readers salivating over these literary masterpieces and wondering why you’re not doing the same. I’m here to tell you it’s okay. Whatever it is you feel like reading — and however you want to read it (whether it’s a slow-read with a group or a two-day binge) — is okay. You’re the only person who gets to decide.
Reading is deeply personal; it’s just that it is so often made public. So while the reading trends can be seductive, they may not always be in your best interest. I’m glad I’m reading Pride & Prejudice right now because I’m learning why people love Austen so much. Her intellectual prowess is remarkable. It’s just not my favorite style, and I’m learning that that’s okay.
What I read in January
I started 2025 off with some heavy hitters!
Lies & Weddings by Kevin Kwan | Who’s read Crazy Rich Asians? Those books are a TRIP. The characters are all billionaires and they have concerns I could never conceive of. Lies & Weddings is about the same echelon of people and it is delicious. I felt like I was at these extravagant weddings that cost many, many, many millions of dollars. (For reference, one guy in the book casually okays giving someone a $100 million lifeline.) The books are bonkers and I need Kevin Kwan to keep writing. I will keep reading.
Cleopatra + Frankenstein by Coco Mellors | My GOD I love this author. Blue Sisters was one of my top three books from last year. Probably #1 if I’m being honest. I put off reading Cleopatra + Frankenstein because I wanted to space out reading Coco’s work. Well, I finally picked it up and I loved it as much as I loved Blue Sisters. MAYBE even more, it’s hard to say. Her writing is so luscious. Coco has famously said she couldn’t pay editors to take this book, nobody wanted it. I am so glad she didn’t give up. She’s brilliant. See why I loved Blue Sisters so much here.
Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art by James Nestor | I listened to this one and it was narrated by the author, plus had a bonus at the end with some breath exercises led by a character who showed up frequently in the book. It was a perfect listening experience for me, and I learned a lot about something I almost never think about: breathing.
Tell Me Everything by Elizabeth Strout | Elizabeth Strout is masterful. Her characters are so well drawn that when you see them pop up in other books (she’s got a fictional town with characters who show up throughout many of her novels) it’s like seeing an old friend. I’m talking about Lucy Barton, Olive Kitteridge, and Bob Burgess — my old friends in Crosby, Maine. I loved visiting with them in Strout’s newest novel.
Madwoman by Chelsea Bieker | This was my first book by Chelsea and I read it hungrily and obsessively. It’s a page-turner about new motherhood, mother-loss, and breaking free from domestic violence. I’m really interested in reading more by her now.
All the Colors of the Dark by Chris Whitaker | The prose in this book is spectacular. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever read. The descriptions are rich and the plot is propulsive. That said, I thought it could have been a couple hundred pages shorter. There’s just so much. Beautiful writing, but so much to keep track of. It wasn’t quite the escape I was hoping for when I picked it up.
What are you reading? What did you read last month?
What I’m reading: James by Percival Everett
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Thank you for writing this, Kolina! I happen to enjoy some classics, but for a long time I avoided most of them, and I still need to push myself to read some of the books (I am, like you, also not reading War and Peace this year, though I might read Middlemarch). I fully agree that contemporary literature is extremely valuable and we need to give them just as much respect. Today's classics were also once contemporary!
Great post! I think it's important to understand that read a classic doesn't just stop with reading. It's understanding the historical context that brings it to life. I love Austen, but my understanding of her novels has been enhanced by learning more and more about the Regency era.