Recs if you like Cane...

Based on the list/book published in 2006, general editor Peter Boxall.

Classic books by U.S. BIPOC/fem/LGBTQIA Authors. Inspired by my post in US classic lit quest, I wanted a place to share all the wonderful recommendations by the PB community from the forum! 'Classic' refers to enduring, high-quality works that have stood the test of time, featuring universal themes, memorable characters, and artistic merit that remain relevant and insightful about the human condition across generations, often studied for their cultural significance and literary excellence.

Books for those who want to be well-read without the debt (created by someone with said debt)

Note: I will be deleting my PB account within the next two weeks, and I believe this list will be erased. Feel free to screenshot it if you see anything that interests you! ☺️ 3/17/2026

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.

novels, poetry, literary criticism, and history books by Black authors referenced in Farah Jasmine Griffin’s Read Until You Understand; The Profound Wisdom of Black Life and Literature — forming a type of Black literary canon

Books and poetry collections from the Harlem Renaissance, the most significant Black Arts movement in modern history.

For when reading a classic feels too daunting. Classics under 200 pages!

As seen on Lithub

Essential literature by African American authors that changed the world, but somehow none of us were expected to read in school. Note: Most of these are available for free from Project Gutenberg.

Just a collection of classics written by women, this is a diverse reading experience with voices of women from across time and boarders.

I tried to find the latest version (2026).

Originating in the late 1800s and continuing until the end of World War II, works of the modernism movement feature new and innovative styles, a break from traditional writing, and attempts to recontextualize literature in response to both the devastation of the series of global conflicts between 1900-1950 and the emergence of new technology, ideas, and world order. Subgenres of modernism include absurdism, surrealism, dadaism, and stream of consciousness.

Stories that have (imo) gone under the radar

Note: I will be deleting my PB account within the next two weeks, and I believe this list will be erased. Feel free to screenshot it if you see anything that interests you! ☺️ 3/17/2026

African American literature (novels, poetry, short stories, and essay collections)

Short story collections

(but inside public domain)