Looking to get into more classic books because I have been sticking to modern stuff for a while. Preferably books written in the 20th century but would be open to earlier. I find that a lot of classics have strong romantic elements which I don't really enjoy because they make me feel sad and lonely, so I would like reading something without that. I have already read most books by Dostoevsky and Steinbeck.
by ForbiddenNote
5 Comments
Don Quijote, earlier
To Kill a Mockingbird
Murder on the Orient Express
The Godfather by Mario Puzo
By “strong romantic elements,” I think you mean what scholars call the “marriage plot” in literature? Some 20th-century classic novels (pre-1990) where it’s absent or less prominent: *America Is in the Heart* by Carlos Bulosan. *No-No Boy* by John Okada. *Beloved* and *The Bluest Eye* by Toni Morrison. *The Woman Warrior* by Maxine Hong Kingston. *Obasan* by Joy Kogawa. *The Handmaid’s Tale* by Margaret Atwood.
As a start, see my [Classics (Literature)](https://www.reddit.com/r/Recommend_A_Book/comments/18bszl9/classics_literature/) list of Reddit recommendation threads (one post).