Over the past century, there have been countless attempts to assemble a definitive list of essential literature. In recent decades, however, the very idea of a literary canon has become a source of sustained debate, shaped by its historical tendency to be racist, sexist and otherwise exclusionary. A glance at many of these roundups still reveals a striking sameness: overwhelmingly white and male.

That is not to suggest that Joyce, Homer and Dostoyevsky are not foundational reads for literary devotees. Rather, a truly committed reader would do well to recognize that many extraordinary books exist as overlooked peers to the greatest works humanity has produced. With that in mind, what follows is a selection of classics, old and new, that deserve a place in any honest literary canon.

Atwood’s vision of a hyper-misogynist dystopia became an instant classic upon its release in 1985, but over the past decade, it has only grown more culturally urgent, securing its place in the broader imagination. Today, the cloak and veil worn by the women of Gilead have become potent political symbols far beyond the page. I’m not the first to argue that The Handmaid’s Tale deserves a place in the canon. While it has faced frequent bans, those efforts have only reinforced its relevance and underscored its importance.

Few works of art confront the brutality of slavery with the imaginative force of Colson Whitehead’s 2016 breakout novel, which transforms the metaphor of the Underground Railroad into a literal subterranean train system beneath the southern United States. Its story of a young woman’s flight from enslavement transcends historical specificity, offering a timeless meditation on freedom, memory and the human dignity owed to all.

I suspect that in a survey of contemporary authors, a significant percentage would cite Anaïs Nin’s sprawling diary collection as a foundational influence.........

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