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Because what you read matters.

Roxane Gay, editor of the New York Times bestseller The Portable Feminist Reader, is our Penguin Classics newsletter guest this month. Read on to learn her thoughts about What Makes a Classic?

What is one of the first classics you ever read?

It depends on your definition of classic, but the first classics I read were the Little House on the Prairie books. Our cultural understanding of those books has certainly deepened, and when I read these books as an adult, I recognized just how racist they were toward Indigenous people. At the time, though, I adored the story of an ordinary Midwestern girl living what seemed like an extraordinary life full of charm and adventure.

Which classic novel do you think everyone should read at least once in their lifetime?

Beloved by Toni Morrison is a must read. Morrison is, of course, a brilliant writer on the sentence level, but the intellectual ambition of Beloved, and the way she tells a story about enslavement in a haunting, utterly original way, has stayed with me since my first reading of the novel when I was in high school. I found the book dense and impenetrable that first time, but each time I read the novel, subsequently, the deeper my understanding of the story grew. It is a masterpiece.

What classic novel do you reread?

My favorite novel of all time is The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton, and I would guess I reread it at least once a year. It is an elegant, viciously delightful novel and it tells a story about a love that can never be told, from the perspective of a man who thinks he knows everything but, in fact, knows very little at all.

Which classic author has influenced you the most?

Toni Morrison has probably influenced me the most, followed closely by James Baldwin. Both writers taught me that it can be so creatively fruitful to write ambitious stories and take narrative risks and tell difficult truths and make readers productively uncomfortable.

If you could meet any character from a classic novel, who would it be?

I’d love to sit down for coffee with Mrs. Mingott from The Age of Innocence. She seems like she’d be a real kick and she’d know all the good gossip.

Who is the most memorable classic character?

Memorable can mean so many things, but I’ve always found Stephen Dedalus to be quite interesting.

What makes a book a “classic” or, what does “classic” mean to you?

“Classic” has, historically, been a pretty narrow category that reflects the work of a pretty narrow demographic. That said, classic literature is, generally, writing that stands the test of time, that tells an interesting and important story, that defies convention in some way.

Do you have a favorite Penguin Classics edition or favorite Penguin Classics series? If so, why is it your favorite?

I’m a fan of the Penguin Classics edition of The Count of Monte Cristo because I so love the story.

What’s one classic you would love to see taught in schools?

Aren’t all classics already taught in schools by their very nature? That said, a new classic I’d like to see taught is NW by Zadie Smith or The Brutal Language of Love by Alicia Erian.

Have you ever drawn inspiration from a classic for your own work? If so, can you share some details?

I always draw inspiration from Edith Wharton, my favorite author. In particular, I love the sharp wit of The Age of Innocence, and how she is at once critiquing the wealthy community in turn-of-the-century NYC while also telling an engrossing love story. It’s a reminder, as all good novels are, that you can have political ambitions and tell an excellent story.

What’s one contemporary work you see becoming a classic?

I see The Prophets by Robert Jones, Jr. really standing the test of time. It’s a really original, haunting novel.

What classic do you hope to read in the future?

I suppose I should get around to Moby-Dick at some point. Will I? Who knows? I’d also like to get into some Hemingway. I only really know his alleged six-word story.

What is your favorite classic adaptation?

I love a good adaptation and I think Clueless is a wonderful adaptation of Emma.

What are a few classics in your personal canon?

NW by Zadie Smith, The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton, The Prophets by Robert Jones, Jr., Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde, My Ántonia by Willa Cather, and Beloved by Toni Morrison just to name a few.

Let us know on social media what classic books you are reading. Need inspiration? Check out highlights from the 2000+ titles in our catalog. Find us anywhere @PenguinClassics.

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Thanks for reading. Come visit us again.

Because what you read matters. —Elda Rotor

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