8 underrated classic novels worth discovering

Past the same dozen titles assigned in every classroom, the canon is full of overlooked gems. Here are eight underrated classics that deserve a much bigger audience.

1. Stoner — John Williams

A quiet novel about an ordinary academic’s life — and one of the most moving books you’ll read.

2. The Death of Ivan Ilyich — Leo Tolstoy

Short, piercing, and profound. Tolstoy’s most accessible masterpiece.

3. Passing — Nella Larsen

A slim, electric Harlem Renaissance novel about identity and risk. Startlingly modern.

4. The Enchanted April — Elizabeth von Arnim

Four women, an Italian castle, and pure restorative joy. A delight.

5. So Long, See You Tomorrow — William Maxwell

An aching, perfect short novel about memory and regret. Under 150 pages.

6. The Pursuit of Love — Nancy Mitford

Witty, warm, and gossipy — comfort reading with real bite.

7. Giovanni’s Room — James Baldwin

Spare and devastating. Baldwin at his most intimate and essential.

8. Cold Comfort Farm — Stella Gibbons

A hilarious send-up of gloomy rural novels. Sharp, silly, and endlessly quotable.

Discover something new-old

The joy of a used bookstore is stumbling on a classic you’ve never heard of. Browse our shelves, ask the Matchmaker for a hidden gem, and trade your finished reads for the next. Want the short ones? See our short classics guide.