Read With MLC: A Classic You've Been Meaning to Read

2023 is inexplicably and inevitably drawing to a close. As the days grow shorter and the temperature (hopefully) grows cooler, it's the perfect time of year to dig into great reads that entertain and enlighten, but hey, it's also a great time to focus on finishing this year's reading goals. Our Read With MLC challenge prompt for September is to check out a classic you've been meaning to read. Sure, you can turn to Dickens, Plato, or Voltaire, and you're welcome to do so if you want to give them a try, but there are a lot of amazing books out there hovering right under your radar. Just what qualifies as a classic? And what should you read this September? Settle in while we explore!

The concept of a classic encompasses many different things for people, but rest assured, a classic doesn't need to be a trudge. (I'm looking at you, Ethan Frome.) Some people think that a classic needs to be old to be worthy of such a title, but Italian author Italo Calvino had many ideas about both the worth of reading the classics and of what that meant. For example, he thought that "The classics are books which exercise a particular influence, both when they imprint themselves on our imagination as unforgettable, and when they hide in the layers of memory disguised as the individual's or the collective unconscious." A mini-survey of not-so-well-known classics available in your favorite genres should help kickstart your dive into this month's prompt, so without further ado, here are some of our suggestions:

• Do you like science fiction? The groundbreaking dystopian novel by Octavia Butler, Parable of the Sower, will scratch your itch, particularly in regards to the decay of civilization. Frankenstein by Mary Shelley and the Astro Boy series by Osamu Tezuka are equally incredible.
  
• Is horror your jam? Check out The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson for the ultimate in haunted houses. Other solid choices are Stephen King's It and Toni Morrison's Beloved.
  
• Does literary fiction rock your boat? Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders is unique and compelling writing. Jesmyn Ward's Sing, Unburied Sing is inventive and devastating, as is Ian McEwan's Atonement.
  
• Is nonfiction what rules your roost? Hiroshima by John Hersey is compelling narrative nonfiction at its best. Notes of a Native Son by James Baldwin and Awakenings by Oliver Sacks are both stunning.
  
• Do you love a good western? Annie Proulx's Close Range: Western Stories contains the legendary story Brokeback Mountain. Louise Erdrich's The Plague of Doves and Larry McMurtry's Lonesome Dove are both good bets. 
• Are you a fantasy fiend? The Crystal Cave by Mary Stewart is a revelation. The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin and Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke are also well-worth a classic stamp of approval.
• Do you yearn for perfect love? If romance is your thing, you need to read Waiting to Exhale by Terri McMillan. Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Márquez and A Room with a View by E.M. Forster are revolutionary love stories, too.
• Are you a fan of thrills and mysteries? Devil in a Blue Dress by Walter Mosley will keep you guessing until the end. Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None and Edogawa Ranpo's Beast in the Shadows are also worthy of your attention.
  

If none of these 24 suggestions hit your specific niche, if you've already read them all, or if you just plain don't like them, don't worry! We can still help you find the perfect classic, traditional or new. Bookmatch is a book suggestion service provided by MLC Reference staff. Fill out the quick questionnaire and we'll send you back a curated list of books we think you'll enjoy based on your responses.

Let us know what you think of our suggestions or drop us your favorite classics in the comments. Until next time, happy reading!