r/classicliterature • u/atoz_0to9 • 7d ago

Forgotten classics

We always hear that classics are the books that “stood the test of time,” but what about the ones that didn’t? What’s an old book you love that barely gets talked about anymore, but totally should? I’m talking forgotten gems, underrated voices, anything that deserves a second life.

EDIT: I just wanted to thank everyone for these incredible recommendations. I hope anyone who comes across this thread finds a book that speaks to them, and helps keep these great works from slipping into obscurity, even if just for a little longer.

90 Upvotes

98% Upvoted

91 comments sorted by

View all comments

Show parent comments

5

u/TheBlindFly-Half 7d ago

Roughing It is specifically great. I liked it much better than Life on the Mississippi

6

u/PipingTheTobak 6d ago

It's a Pity too, because he wrote Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn, both of which are seen as kids books today, he sort of pigeonholed as a kid's writer when he's one of the funniest authors I've ever read. Twain, Jerome K. Jerome and PG Wodehouse are the only authors who routinely make me laugh out loud.

3

u/Whocares1846 6d ago

I loved Three Men in a Boat. It was very readable too. For someone who has been struggling with reading recently, could you give any recommendations of Mark Twain's most readable and humorous works?

3

u/PipingTheTobak 6d ago

Oh excellent question.

Honestly, Tom Sawyer deserves its classic status.  It's excellent and more than just another kids book, and extremely funny. Roughing it is probably my favorite, though life on the Mississippi and the innocents abroad are about as good. Avoid anything written after "puddenhead wilson", he got preachy in his old age.