As the air turns crisper and finding a seat in Bobst Library becomes increasingly challenging, curling up with a comfort book might be just what you need. College syllabi tend to stick to the same familiar names — William Shakespeare, Jane Austen, F. Scott Fitzgerald — the literature every student reads and every professor references. For each book that makes it onto the required reading, there are dozens more that deserve the same attention. As you work your way through studying for exams and turning in assignments, pick up a timeless story for your own enjoyment. Here are some classics you’ll actually want to read — no essay required.
“The Waves” by Virginia Woolf
Feminist pioneer Virginia Woolf explores grief and loss from unexpected angles in “The Waves.” The novel traces six friends from childhood to adulthood through shifting inner monologues that expose their anxieties and insecurities. After a close friend’s death, these voices grow fragmented and intense, reflecting both chaos and unity in grief. Lyrical interludes anchor the flow of time and traditional narration is replaced with the pure inner thoughts of the six characters. Together, their voices form a collective identity that captures the complexity of human thought and emotion. “The Waves” is so rich and inventive, it deserves a place on your own personal reading list.
— Maya Santiago, Fine Arts Editor
“The Portrait of a Lady” by Henry James
Henry James’ harrowing tale of a young woman’s fight for her education and independence offers a refreshing contrast to the many male-driven tales in the classics canon. Eager to embrace a new lifestyle, protagonist Isabel Archer moves from America to Western Europe. Despite pressures to get married, Archer is steadfastly set on marrying for love rather than obligation, turning down two eligible suitors. In the end she meets a man and falls deeply in love with him, yet the reality of their relationship leads readers to question whether Archer’s decision was worth it. With gorgeous prose and a gripping plot, the novel beautifully captures how suffocating it was to be a woman in the Victorian era.
— Skylar Boilard, Performing Arts Editor
“It Can’t Happen Here” by Sinclair Lewis
Among the most prescient novels of all time, Sinclair Lewis’ “It Can’t Happen Here” depicts the democratic rise of a fascist strongman in the United States. Released in 1935, Lewis showed that a dictator similar to Adolf Hitler — one who swiftly comes to power through populist appeal and manipulation of the press — could very well be homegrown. His point lands loud and clear in the form of sprawling dystopian satire, anchored from the perspective of dissident newspaper editor Doremus Jessup. As President Donald Trump consolidates executive power today, “It Can’t Happen Here” grows frighteningly relevant and becomes a necessary read.
— Leo Field, Film & TV Editor
“Season of Migration to the North” by Tayeb Salih
Sudanese author Tayeb Salih’s 1966 novel “Season of Migration to the North” is a classic of modern Arabic literature, but like many non-Western, non-Anglophone novels, it is often sidelined when defining the literary canon. The novel follows a young man who returns to his village in Sudan after completing his studies in England. He meets the mysterious Mustafa Sa’eed, who like him, was once a brilliant scholar in London. As Mustafa shares the truth behind the years he spent in Europe, he unravels a haunting story of violence, sex and colonial trauma. In just under 200 pages, Salih crafts a lyrical and unflinching examination of the lasting legacies of Orientalism and imperialism.
— Ella Sabrina Malabanan, Copy Chief
“The White Album” by Joan Didion
I will always dote on Joan Didion. Her iconic essay collection, “The White Album,” is not required reading, but it should be. It’s probably one of the greatest pieces of American literature from the 20th century. The book focuses on the culture and politics of post-1960s America and is both a relic of a pivotal time in the country’s past and a masterclass in writing, and more specifically, literary journalism. I latched onto Didion as a late teenager, and I think all bookish students could benefit from reading her sharp, honest prose.
— Alexa Donovan, Editor-at-Large
Contact the Arts desk at [email protected].