Recs if you like The Faerie Queene...

Overlooked, lesser known classics from all over the world and of many genres.

This list also exists as a book club on Fable under the same name.

Non-exhaustive list of foundational reading for the fantasy genre; either foundational texts or classics that influenced the development of the genre and its conventions. Also some key modern texts + criticism.

This isn't MY list. These are the foundational texts of the Western Canon. Up until the early 1900s, these were unquestionably part of any educated person's background. Austen, Lewis, Twain, James, Sayers, Tolkien....what do you think they grew up reading that informed the genius works they created? Their masterpieces didn't materialize out of thin air. This list is by no means comprehensive, but you'll be off to a solid start.

What a woman does is open doors, it is not a question of locking or unlocking.

The Primary Works section of the Reading List of Thomas C. Foster's How to Read Literature Like a Professor

A personal study in gothic lit, fantasy, mythology, and the writing of it.

Books with more than 800 pages.

Have you ever wanted a PhD in English Lit? Do you think fantasy is a legitimate field of literary criticism? Would you like a glimpse into the psyche of someone who does?

These are the books included (or excerpted from) on my comprehensive exams list for a dissertation on fantasy. It is not even a remotely comprehensive list of fantasy texts and criticism (yes, I see the irony).

A list of all the classics currently a part of my physical collection! I love collecting penguin classics, Oxford classics, NYRB, pelican, penguin deluxe, and Penguin clothbound editions especially! I will update this as I go through my physical collection (I am cataloging it and decluttering at the moment)

Very niche category but if there are any English Literature students wondering what they will be studying for a little bit this might be useful.

added as i read the book