A Left case for the Great Books
Naomi Kanakia's new book defends the Great Books from a Leftist perspective, addressing common criticisms of the canon. She shares her personal journey of reading classics and how it transformed her views, despite acknowledging the problematic associations some have with these texts. The book aims to bridge the political divide around literature and encourage a broader appreciation of classic works.
- ▪Naomi Kanakia's book is titled What's So Great About the Great Books?: Why You Should Read Classic Literature (Even Though it Might Destroy You).
- ▪Kanakia argues that many on the Left dismiss the Great Books due to their associations with problematic ideologies.
- ▪The book reflects Kanakia's personal journey of reading classics and how it influenced her understanding of culture and identity.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
A Left case for the Great Books Naomi Kanakia loves the classics, despite herself A critic defends the Great Books. Credit: Getty A critic defends the Great Books. Credit: Getty BooksHillsdale CollegeLiteratureNaomi KanakiaThe Great BooksTransgenderism Valerie Stivers May 27 2026 - 12:00am 6 mins We don’t get to choose our fans. Naomi Kanakia, for example, probably doesn’t want me — a religious-minded, gender-critical writer — to review her book, What’s So Great About the Great Books?: Why You Should Read Classic Literature (Even Though it Might Destroy You), published on Tuesday.
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at UnHerd.
