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What's So Great About the Great Books?: Why You Should Read Classic Literature
A popular novelist and literary blogger answers those who claim the classics are too difficult, too problematic, and too white—and explains what we gain by reading them
When she was in her early twenties, then-aspiring writer Naomi Kanakia set out to read the Great Books—humankind’s most highly regarded literary classics, representing “the best that human beings have thought or said,” as determined by the two elderly intellectuals who’d written the guidebook she consulted. After twenty years, she has made her way through about two-thirds of these books, and she’s found reading them to be an immensely pleasurable and insightful activity. Plato, Milton, Tolstoy, Proust, all those dead guys—their books have stood the test of time.
But since beginning her journey, Kanakia has found that although reading the Great Books is part of a longstanding tradition of engaging with the thought of previous generations, it is also a highly contingent activity that arose out of a specific time and place, the brainchild of a small group of early twentieth-century popularizers associated with Columbia University and the University of Chicago. And people have always been skeptical about the idea of reading the Great Books, asking if this is truly a realistic or even desirable goal for the ordinary person. A more recent and growing group of Great Books skeptics asks if these works are too problematic, reactionary, and irrelevant to bother reading. Kanakia, a self-described “left-of-center person,” grapples with these objections, attempting to restore context for the Great Books even as she sticks up for them. Because books that expose us to fundamental truths about the nature of beauty and reality are worth fighting for.
When she was in her early twenties, then-aspiring writer Naomi Kanakia set out to read the Great Books—humankind’s most highly regarded literary classics, representing “the best that human beings have thought or said,” as determined by the two elderly intellectuals who’d written the guidebook she consulted. After twenty years, she has made her way through about two-thirds of these books, and she’s found reading them to be an immensely pleasurable and insightful activity. Plato, Milton, Tolstoy, Proust, all those dead guys—their books have stood the test of time.
But since beginning her journey, Kanakia has found that although reading the Great Books is part of a longstanding tradition of engaging with the thought of previous generations, it is also a highly contingent activity that arose out of a specific time and place, the brainchild of a small group of early twentieth-century popularizers associated with Columbia University and the University of Chicago. And people have always been skeptical about the idea of reading the Great Books, asking if this is truly a realistic or even desirable goal for the ordinary person. A more recent and growing group of Great Books skeptics asks if these works are too problematic, reactionary, and irrelevant to bother reading. Kanakia, a self-described “left-of-center person,” grapples with these objections, attempting to restore context for the Great Books even as she sticks up for them. Because books that expose us to fundamental truths about the nature of beauty and reality are worth fighting for.
272 pages, Hardcover
First published May 26, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
May 17, 2026
I follow Kanakia on Substack & really enjoy her writing, which I’d describe as non-pretentious light-academia. I was curious about this book, and lucky enough to receive an ARC from the publisher.
Whether you’re a casual reader of the “Great Books” (like me), have never read one, or are well acquainted with the whole list, there’s something here for everyone. The great power of this book is Kanakia’s assertion that you don’t need to be “educated” to read these books. Just read them! Experience them for yourself! This take was so refreshing. I also enjoyed the chapters discussing what it means to read & hold up these books that are primarily written by old, straight, white men, many of them with outdated ideas.
I found myself glazing over while reading the chapters about philosophy, but that’s not due to any fault of the book—I just, personally, am not interested in reading much philosophy so it didn’t capture my interest.
I’d definitely recommend this, especially to someone who wants to dip their toes into the Great Books but either has reservations or doesn’t know where to start.
Whether you’re a casual reader of the “Great Books” (like me), have never read one, or are well acquainted with the whole list, there’s something here for everyone. The great power of this book is Kanakia’s assertion that you don’t need to be “educated” to read these books. Just read them! Experience them for yourself! This take was so refreshing. I also enjoyed the chapters discussing what it means to read & hold up these books that are primarily written by old, straight, white men, many of them with outdated ideas.
I found myself glazing over while reading the chapters about philosophy, but that’s not due to any fault of the book—I just, personally, am not interested in reading much philosophy so it didn’t capture my interest.
I’d definitely recommend this, especially to someone who wants to dip their toes into the Great Books but either has reservations or doesn’t know where to start.
May 26, 2026
I read this book in two days which would not have been possible if it weren’t really enjoyable. It found a balance between the experience of hanging out with a cool fun friend and thinking about aesthetics and moral improvement.
May 27, 2026
Very good argument, clear and direct, on why the "Great Books" are worth your time. More thoughts here: https://compostedbooksreview.substack...
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews