I haven’t read in a while because I’ve genuinely forgotten. I want to get back into it but last time I read books I got recommendations from BookTok and most of them were the normal spicy romance YA novels, I want books that will teach me something or just more classical books. If you have any recommendations of more classic literature, LGBTQ+ books, books that will teach you something good, poetry, history, feminism, psychology, or just books that have less modern slang. I don’t hate on anyone who reads these popular booktok books but I feel like reading to me is a break from internet and all the slang they use in books nowadays, I want to read actual literature with proper grammar.
by Significant-Date2117
10 Comments
idk if this counts as classic literature but “The Left Hand of Darkness” by Ursula K. Le Guin is one of my favourite books, it is a bit dry but if you are looking for an interesting book that isn’t just an instant dopamine hit I highly recommend.
Pride and Prejudice by Jane austen is a good place to start, in part because the movie/mini series popularity means people are familiar with the story. anything by Jane Austen would be great.
I am reading A Month in the Country by J.L. Carr right now – it’s short, and was published in 1980, but it feels like classic literature. it’s absolutely lovely, and beautifully written.
Books by :
Octavia Butler, Louise Erdrich, Toni Morisson
One that I have not read yet but it was a christmas gift from my brother so I know it’s great :
The Price of Salt: Or, Carol by Claire Morgan (Patricia Highsmith)
Reading Glasses might interest you—I like their book recommendations and anticipates books.
The Collected Regrets of Clover by Mikki Brammer
Six of crows – leigh bardugo: fantasy, a bit of romance (not smutty) lgbt and straight, variety of POVs
Everything is Tuberculosis – John green: non fiction about the historical and systemic problems with the tuberculosis disease. Audiobook is read by John himself. Very good
Wolfsong – TJ Klune. Heavy LGBT (most of them are gay) werewolves, has but I would not call it smutty or booktok like. Prepare to be emotionally devastated
House on the Cerulean Sea – TJ Klune. LBGTQ, super wholesome and heartwarming
Kristin hannah’s historical fiction. the Four winds, the nightingale, the great alone, the women. All fantastic historical fiction centered around female MCs. But if romance, maybe a little cheesey but not booktok smutty
Red White and Royal Blue (it’s an Amazon movie). Cheesey lgbtq romance with sex scenes but definitely not booktok smutty
Good move! A useful place to find quality writing is to look at book award winners. Check out The Nobel Prize in Literature, Booker Prize, National Book Award winners and books that made the long and short lists too.
It’s great to develop your reading tastes beyond BookTok selections. (They have their place, but there is so much more to read.)
A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man by James Joyce. A great introduction to early 20th century Modernist literature, written with an innovative, developmental style that directly conveys the protagonist’s growth from an infant into early adulthood. One of my favorite novels by one of my favorite authors.
Currently rereading East of Eden. Almost forgot how good this book is.
One that is great and I love to recommend is “A Gentleman in Moscow.”
I also personally love “The Man Who Could Move Clouds” (memoir) and “Fruit of the Drunken Tree” (novel) by Ingrid Rojas Contreras. They are great if you want to learn about the Colombian conflict and want just good modern writing.
A fun but poignant LGBT book that isn’t smutty is “Less” any Andrew Sean Greer.
A book I believe everyone should read is “Your Face Belongs to Us” by Kashmir Hill. It is a gripping nonfiction book about face ID and it will not let you sleep until you finish it… And then some more.
Finally, if you are into science and history I couldn’t recommend “Crypt” by Alice Roberts more. I wish I could sit down and talk to her about everything and anything related to the series of books she has written.