Classic Literature in Today’s Publishing Industry: A Reader’s Perspective

As an avid reader, I deeply appreciate and enjoy reading works from the classic literary canon. I love their timeless quality and universal themes, and when I’m reading them I feel understood and find a kinship with writers who are long gone. My favorite author is Jane Austen and I find myself rereading and rereading her six classic novels, which have become comfort-reads for me. As a result, I have acquired multiple editions of each of her books: Emma, Pride and Prejudice, Northanger Abbey, Persuasion, Sense and Sensibility, and Mansfield Park. This is true beyond just books written by Jane Austen; I also go out of my way to purchase aesthetically pleasing editions of classic novels by other authors, from the Brontё sisters to Lucy Maud Montgomery to Louisa May Alcott. I like seeing a republished edition of an old favorite with a beautiful new cover displayed on my bookshelf. Whenever I see a republication of one of these books with a pretty and unique cover I am tempted to buy it.

When reading non-classics, I often draw parallels to classic novels and notice what may either be intentional references or conventions ingrained into the fabric of our culture. As someone who reads over one hundred books a year, I have definitely noticed the ways in which many modern books call back to beloved classics. Beyond this, I find the multitude of books being published in the modern era that are either retellings of classics or simply inspired by classic literature to be intriguing. I include many such novels on my ever-growing “To Be Read” (or TBR) list of books. My TBR list includes books such as Ladies of the House by Lauren Edmondson and The Wife Upstairs by Rachel Hawkins, which are modern retellings of Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility and Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre, respectively. I recently read Sally Thorne’s new book, Angelika Frankenstein Makes Her Match, a romantic comedy inspired by Mary Shelley’s classic novel Frankenstein; This novel centers around the new character of Angelika, the sister of Victor Frankenstein, the original novel’s protagonist.

I love reading classic literature and classic literature-adjacent books. I love collecting new editions of my favorite novels with beautiful covers and I love finding new retellings and books inspired by classics. I want to encourage publishers to continue to publish these books because they will be well-received by me and by many other readers who appreciate the classic literary canon. These retellings and books that take inspiration from classic literature bring fresh life to beloved stories, appealing to modern audiences and inspiring many people to read the original texts. The republication of classics is so important and it is the way that I discovered my love for classic literature. I hope this continues so that future generations of readers can be similarly affected.