Do you want to read classic literature in English but feel intimidated by it?
You may worry that the vocabulary will be too difficult, the books will be too long, or you won’t understand what the author is trying to say.
Today, Aubrey talks with Rebecca Shinsky from the Zero to Well-Read podcast about how English learners can approach classic literature with more confidence.
Don’t be intimidated by classic literature
Aubrey shares that she has recently rediscovered her love for literature, with Toni Morrison becoming her gateway back into reading more challenging books.
However, reading literature in another language can feel intimidating.
When Aubrey first tried reading books in Spanish, she started with “Don Quixote.”
She quickly realized that it was far too ambitious for her level at the time.
Later, she tried “A Man Called Ove”, which was much more accessible and helped her enjoy the experience of reading in Spanish.
Rebecca shares that this feeling of intimidation is common, even among native speakers.
Through the Zero to Well-Read podcast, Rebecca and her co-host help readers understand classic and influential books by discussing what they’re about, why they matter, who wrote them, what they feel like to read, and some of the history behind them.
The goal is to make great literature feel accessible without needing to take a formal class.
Three tips for reading challenging books
Rebecca shares three tips that can make challenging books feel more accessible, plus some recommendations to help you get started.
Here are Rebecca’s three tips.
#1: Learn about the book before you start reading
When approaching an older or more difficult book, look for an edition that includes an introduction.
Read the introduction before starting the book.
It can give you useful context about the author, the time period, important themes, and what you should pay attention to as you read.
If your copy doesn’t have an introduction, you can look up some background information about the book before you begin.
Rebecca emphasizes that there are no bonus points for going into a difficult book completely unprepared.
Give yourself the information you need to understand what you’re about to read.
You also don’t necessarily need to worry about spoilers. With many classic books, knowing an important plot point ahead of time won’t take away from experiencing the language, themes, and world of the story.
Aubrey agrees that having some background knowledge can make it easier to keep going.
Without that context, you may get a chapter or two into a difficult book, feel like you’re missing something, and decide to give up.
Rebecca recommends “The Old Man and the Sea” by Ernest Hemingway as a great place to start.
It’s short, uses direct language and relatively simple sentence structures, and doesn’t require a lot of background knowledge.
Despite being accessible, it remains an important work of American literature.
#2: Don’t stop every time you see an unfamiliar word
What should you do when you encounter a word you don’t know?
Rebecca recommends marking it and continuing to read.
This happens to everyone, even when reading in their native language.
Instead of immediately picking up your phone or stopping to look up the definition, give yourself a chance to understand the word through context.
If you still don’t understand it, you can always go back and look it up later.
Stopping for every unfamiliar word can interrupt your flow and pull you out of the reading experience.
Aubrey shares that she uses this strategy when reading Toni Morrison.
Even with a strong English vocabulary, she still encounters unfamiliar words.
Instead of stopping, she keeps reading because she wants to stay invested in the characters and find out what happens next.
Once you’ve finished reading, you can return to the words you marked and see whether the context helped you understand them.
#3: It’s okay if you don’t understand everything
Have you ever read a book and wondered if you’re simply not getting it?
That doesn’t necessarily mean you’re doing anything wrong.
Rebecca explains that sometimes authors intentionally create feelings of confusion, uncertainty, or discomfort.
Instead of assuming you’ve failed to understand the book, pay attention to how the writing makes you feel.
The confusion itself may be part of the author’s message.
This can be especially important with complex writers and books.
Even scholars who have studied certain authors for decades may disagree about the meaning of particular passages.
Rather than immediately asking, “Why don’t I understand this?”consider asking yourself, “Why might the author want me to feel this way?”
Rebecca mentions writers like Gabriel García Márquez and Salman Rushdie, whose books can create large, strange, and unpredictable worlds on purpose.
Allow yourself to experience that uncertainty before trying to find the “correct” interpretation.
You can always discuss the book with someone or research it afterward.
Bonus tip: Try the audiobook
Rebecca shares one more tip for listeners who enjoy learning through audio.
Try listening to the audiobook while reading the physical or digital book at the same time.
Hearing someone read the text aloud can help you notice rhythm, intonation, and emotion that might be harder to recognize on the page.
Rebecca uses this strategy with Shakespeare because hearing the dialogue performed makes the meaning and emotion easier to understand.
This can also be helpful for English learners who already spend a lot of time listening to podcasts and other English audio.
Where should you start?
If you’re ready to challenge yourself, Rebecca shares several books that may be good starting points.
The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway is short, direct, and accessible while still giving you the experience of reading an important classic.
The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson is a longer nonfiction book about the Great Migration in the United States.
Despite its length, Rebecca describes the writing as accessible and engaging, with a story that reads almost like a novel.
Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri is a collection of short stories exploring themes including the immigrant experience.
Short stories can be especially approachable because you can read them in smaller sections.
Rebecca also recommends exploring different translations of older works.
When she and her co-host covered The Odyssey, they each read a different translation.
Rebecca was surprised by how accessible the book was and recommends Emily Wilson’s translation, which she describes as rhythmic and cinematic.
Takeaway
Reading challenging literature in English doesn’t have to be a test of how many words you know.
Give yourself permission to use the tools that make the experience more enjoyable.
Learn about the book before you begin, keep reading when you encounter an unfamiliar word, and don’t assume that feeling confused means your English isn’t good enough.
Most importantly, choose a book that makes you curious enough to keep turning the pages.
You don’t have to understand every sentence perfectly to connect with a story.
Start with something accessible, build your confidence one book at a time, and let yourself become a stronger reader through the experience.
What classic English book have you always wanted to read but felt intimidated to start?
Share it in the comments below!
