If you want to tackle a classic novel this season-particularly an older classic with tricky, outdated language to navigate-these are my tried-and-true tips to get more out of your reading experience: My favorite reading practices for classic books From Jane Austen to James Baldwin, classic books have staying power because of timeless themes, great writing, or an important place in pop culture. The definition of a “classic book” is up to you here, but I tend to think of classics as books that were published over 50 years ago-though you’ll often hear me use the phrase “modern classic” about more recent releases-and remain in our literary consciousness. That’s why classic books make up just one item on this reading challenge list.

Picking up a classic can be a rewarding, enjoyable endeavor, but they’re not the only route to being an avid reader. I’ve sometimes felt pressure to read classic literature in order to prove myself a serious reader or to check off my list of “books to read before you die.” But the truth is, you don’t have to read classic literature to call yourself a bookworm. That’s why one of the prompts for the 2020 Reading Challenge is to “read a classic you didn’t read in high school.” Or, which books I missed out on because they weren’t included in the curriculum. Because I was a conscientious student, I read the assigned books anyway-but too often they seemed opaque, and I wonder how much went over my head when I read those books back then. Bookworm confession: as a teen reader, I was less-than-enthusiastic about the books my English teacher put in front of me.

Laura vera caspary sparknotes