GQ's 21 Overrated Classics to Skip
Source: gq.com
TL;DR
- GQ Editors' List: GQ editors compile 21 overrated classics readers can skip, citing racism, sexism, or boredom, and suggest alternatives.[[1]](https://www.gq.com/story/21-books-you-dont-have-to-read)
- Bible Included: The Bible ranks 12th for being repetitive, self-contradictory, and foolish, with The Notebook by Agota Kristof as replacement.[[1]](https://www.gq.com/story/21-books-you-dont-have-to-read)
- Canon Challenge: Article frees readers from must-read Great Books pressure by highlighting flaws and better options.[[1]](https://www.gq.com/story/21-books-you-dont-have-to-read)
The story at a glance
GQ editors asked writers to identify 21 canonical books that are overrated due to outdated views or dullness, pairing each with a superior alternative. Titles range from Lonesome Dove to Gulliver’s Travels, including controversial picks like the Bible and The Lord of the Rings. Published online April 19, 2018, from the May print issue, it sparked backlash especially over religious texts.[[1]](https://www.gq.com/story/21-books-you-dont-have-to-read)
Key points
- Lists 21 books like Lonesome Dove (toxic cowboy myths), The Catcher in the Rye (silly), and Hemingway's The Old Man and the Sea (unmoving).[[1]](https://www.gq.com/story/21-books-you-dont-have-to-read)
- Calls Blood Meridian impenetrable for bragging rights only, The Lord of the Rings barely readable novels focused on details over story.[[1]](https://www.gq.com/story/21-books-you-dont-have-to-read)
- Ranks Bible 12th as repetitive and ill-intentioned despite good parts; suggests The Notebook by Agota Kristof instead.[[1]](https://www.gq.com/story/21-books-you-dont-have-to-read)
- Critiques Adventures of Huckleberry Finn as racist with tedious narration; alternatives include Frederick Douglass's slave narrative.[[1]](https://www.gq.com/story/21-books-you-dont-have-to-read)
- Targets modern works too, like Jonathan Franzen's Freedom (intolerably boring) and Keith Richards's Life (petty and fraudulent).[[1]](https://www.gq.com/story/21-books-you-dont-have-to-read)
- Premise: Some Great Books haven't aged well; strike them from the canon and read un-boring alternatives.[[1]](https://www.gq.com/story/21-books-you-dont-have-to-read)
Details and context
The article argues many canon staples are racist, sexist, or just boring, using writers' critiques to justify skipping them. Each entry gives a sharp reason—like misogyny in Larry McMurtry's Western or shallow veneer in Salinger's Franny and Zooey—then names a specific replacement, such as Jean Stafford's The Mountain Lion.[[1]](https://www.gq.com/story/21-books-you-dont-have-to-read)
Examples span classics (Dracula leaves readers cold), epics (Gravity's Rainbow punishingly confusing), and memoirs (John Adams dry). Huckleberry Finn gets double alternatives to counter its flaws with firsthand slavery accounts or poetic adventures.[[1]](https://www.gq.com/story/21-books-you-dont-have-to-read)
It originally ran in GQ's May 2018 print issue as "21 Books You Don't Have to Read Before You Die," then online.[[1]](https://www.gq.com/story/21-books-you-dont-have-to-read)
Key quotes
"The Bible: Repetitive, self-contradictory, sententious, foolish, and even ill-intentioned." — GQ editors, via Jesse Ball.[[1]](https://www.gq.com/story/21-books-you-dont-have-to-read)
"Some are racist and some are sexist, but most are just really, really boring." — GQ introduction.[[1]](https://www.gq.com/story/21-books-you-dont-have-to-read)
Why it matters
It questions rigid literary canons, pushing readers toward fresher voices over flawed classics. Readers gain permission to curate personal lists, prioritizing engaging books amid endless options. Watch if similar lists from other outlets shift reading trends or renew canon debates.[[1]](https://www.gq.com/story/21-books-you-dont-have-to-read)
FAQ
Q: Why does GQ say to skip Lonesome Dove?
A: It perpetuates toxic cowboy myths, glorifies guns and destruction, and features misogynistic gender roles. They recommend The Mountain Lion by Jean Stafford instead.[[1]](https://www.gq.com/story/21-books-you-dont-have-to-read)
Q: What replacement does GQ suggest for the Bible?
A: The Notebook by Agota Kristof. The Bible is called repetitive, self-contradictory, sententious, foolish, and ill-intentioned despite some good parts.[[1]](https://www.gq.com/story/21-books-you-dont-have-to-read)
Q: Why criticize The Lord of the Rings?
A: The books are barely readable as novels, with too much focus on world-building details over actual story. GQ suggests the Earthsea Series by Ursula K. Le Guin.[[1]](https://www.gq.com/story/21-books-you-dont-have-to-read)
Q: What's wrong with Catch-22 according to the list?
A: It fails to capture war's absurdities and impossible conflicts. The alternative is The American Granddaughter by Inaam Kachachi.[[1]](https://www.gq.com/story/21-books-you-dont-have-to-read)