Classics Not Written by Straight Cis White Men
I've seen so many people say they don't read classics as they aren't diverse, and I wanted to give some suggestions that are.
This is a list of classics written by authors who are not Straight, Cis, White, and Men as the title suggests. I am also aiming to include a variety of cultures and regions in this list. If your looking for something more focused (e.g. diverse US classics) check out the lists I posted in the comments.
Suggestions are more than welcome!
created by ezrac
last updated June, 2026
Comments
The Count of Monte Christo and The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas also fit this list I think
ezracOP
The Count of Monte Christo is already on here somewhere I believe but I will be adding The Three Musketeers. Thank you for the suggestions!
I suggest checking out these lists Ive linked for further or more focused suggestions (If you have a list you would like to see added or want your list removed let me know)
• Reclaiming the Classics (U.S. edition) by @mariangello • Latin American Magical Realism Classics by @pachinko • African Classical Literature by @BooksPopsFairylights • Southeast Asian Classics by @pachinko • Classics Written by Women by @Wynnrie • diverse global classics by @aliyahmk • Black Classics by @gray.blog • classics of china // 書經 by @ruiconteur • Queer Classics by @ezrac • Classics by Women by @stephslibrary • Widening the Canon: Diverse Classics by @d_nicolas
Awesome collection of lists! Thank you 🙌
What a great and wonderful list!!!
A few that came to mind for me: +Federico García Lorca — gay playwright and poet who was active as part of the Generation of ‘27 in Spain, later assassinated by the nationalist forces at the beginning of the Spanish Civil War (debated on whether it’s because he was gay, a socialist, or some other unrelated motive). He’s famous for his poetry collection “Romancero gitano” as well as his plays! There’s an entry on here called “The House of Bernarda Alba and Other Plays” that could work for this list, maybe?
+Emilia Pardo Bazán — Spanish author whose work featured naturalist and feminist themes. One of her famous novels is “The House of Ulloa”
+Carmen Laforet — Known for her novel “Nada”, which is about the aftermath of the Spanish Civil War
+Ana María Matute — Spanish author who wrote as part of the “hijos de la guerra” (children of the war), a generation of authors who grew up under the Francoist regime after the culmination of the Spanish Civil War. Her novel “The Island” is one of her more famous works!
+Isabel Allende — Chilean author whose works like “The House of Spirits” are considered modern classics in magic realism!
+Manuel Puig — Queer author and activist from Argentina, famous for his novel “The Kiss of the Spider Woman” which covers themes of queer identities and political liberation under the backdrop of the military junta / dictatorial regime in Argentina
+Angela Carter — I’m not sure if her works are considered “classics” or not, who is to say what the arbiter of that would be, but she wrote a collection of gothic fairy tales with feminist undertones called “The Bloody Chamber and Other Stories” !!
ezracOP
Thank you these are amazing suggestions!
I might suggest something by Willa Cather! She was white but she was a queer woman and I think her depiction of women and the immigrant experience on the American frontier is super interesting in O Pioneers and My Antonia.
ezracOP
Thank you I added My Antonia!
If anyone want to do a buddy read for any of these (later this month or in may) let me know
if you are down for another read in May (or later), I am interested in Isabel Allende / Angela Carter / Audre Lorde 👀
ezracOP
Im down! I already planned to start The Bloody Chamber and Other Stories by Angela Carter sometime soon if you want to read that!
🙋 I would love to buddy read The Left Hand of Darkness or One Hundred Years of Solitude this month! and @vulpecula and I might be reading The Count of Monte Cristo in May :)
ezracOP
Yay! I just checked and my library has both of those so its up to you which (both have been on my tbr for forever) and if you both read The Count of Monte Cristo I would love to join that as well
yay let’s do The Left Hand of Darkness!! i have a couple books to finish first but could start next weekend (18th) or the one after :)
Hello! Sorry to insert myself into the conversation 🙈 I have The Left Hand of Darkness on my physical TBR and planned for this month. I could try to start it around the same time as you? Almost like an unofficial list TBR, kind of like creators sometimes do on quests
ezracOP
The 18th works for me!
This is such a fantastic list, thank you for putting it together!!!!
ezracOP
Thank you I hope you find some good reads from it!
Yess! A list I didn’t realize I was missing in my life
ezracOP
Yay I hope you find some good books from it!
A few suggestions! The Posthumous Memoirs of Brás Cubas, by Machado de Assis Don Casmurro, by Machado de Assis The Hour of the Star, by Clarice Lispector Água Viva, by Clarice Lispector Industrial Park, by Patricia Galvão Úrsula, by Maria Firmina dos Reis
I haven't read all of them but they're all on my list. Actually reading Industrial Park right now :)
ezracOP
Thank you I’ll look into adding these tomorrow!
Oh, you know what? Lélia by George Sand!
