Over the previous century, there have been numerous makes an attempt to assemble a definitive listing of important literature. In current a long time, nevertheless, the very concept of a literary canon has grow to be a supply of sustained debate, formed by its historic tendency to be racist, sexist and in any other case exclusionary. A look at many of those roundups nonetheless reveals a placing sameness: overwhelmingly white and male.
That’s not to recommend that Joyce, Homer and Dostoyevsky are usually not foundational reads for literary devotees. Somewhat, a very dedicated reader would do properly to acknowledge that many extraordinary books exist as missed friends to the best works humanity has produced. With that in thoughts, what follows is a choice of classics, previous and new, that deserve a spot in any trustworthy literary canon.
