It's both, see Robin Hood

Yes. I'm on mobile so won't link but she was not a good person

So I have read some that could be distilled down to a power point presentation without losing any content, some that were pure bullshit, and some that contained cutting edge psychological and neurological content, leading to very useful tips. Cal Newport, John Gottman, Dr Wendy Suzuki, Eve Rodsky were helpful to me, among others.

I also have benefited from books on psychology, sociology and philosophy that worked for me like self help even though they weren't technically self help books. Examples Flow the psychology of optimal experience by Csikzentmihalyi and Being Wrong Adventures on the Margin of Error, and Breakfast with Seneca and Man's Search for Meaning.

R/Goodreads holds my list of books I am interested in.

The kindle app lets me read while waiting for things.

Atomic Habits helped me build good habits

I also loved Travels with Charley. It is ironic and witty. It makes me want to have a drink with Steinbeck. The eyewitness account of school desegregation is fascinating.

City of Theives is a very straightforward story with friendship and a fast paced adventure. It's a good beginner book I think. The book Atomic Habits is excellent but TLDR it teaches to make tiny commitments, like 5 or 10 minutes per day to start a habit.

The Lions of Al Rassan, the Adventures of Dunk and Egg, the Deed of Paksenarrion and Surrender None, the Dragon and the George and sequels

R/suggestmeabook, r/fantasy, r/printsf, r/historicalfiction, r/romancebooks and r/horrorlit have got you covered

R/fantasy should be able to help.

R/printsf or r/suggestmeabook or r/booksuggestions should be able to help

R/suggestmeabook and r/booksuggestions will likely be able to help

So honestly you should take your request to r/fantasy and r/printsf and r/suggestmeabook.

Publishing is a business and is subject to trends and the demands of the market. There is a wide range and variety of what you are looking for in older books, not all of them in realist settings from other Centuries. Although as a fan of historical adventure in particular, I think you are missing out.

The Deed of Paksenarrion has what you are looking for. I am currently loving the Lions of Al Rassan which has a character who matches your request learning to work with adults. It's an amazing book.

So has the coming of age story been relegated to young adult? Some of the most powerful literature I know has coming of age as a theme.

You could also maybe take this to r/askliterarystudies.

Black and Blue Magic, and Time Cat

Different books work better for different people. I did find the chapter by chapter discussion helpful. The Soviet context is important and there is religious content and echoes of Faust.

We just finished the Master and Margarita in r/classicbookclub with discussions one chapter at a time. You could start and read our commentary.

Also the Master and Margarita is a 20th century book. It reads faster. The prose is more efficient. The book is somewhat surreal.

Interesting review. Thank you. If you like excellent books with outsider perspective and brutal content you might like the Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen

When I studied literature, we were told that there was a shift in critical opinion about what makes good literature in the 20th century. One of the changes was valuing short efficient concise prose. Hemingway was influential in this change but he was not the only influence. Before a certain time they are literally working toward different ideals than you are.

Classics are classic because enough people valued and appreciated them that they were not forgotten.

I watched the film after reading the book and loved it.

You need something at your level. Middle grade fiction or nonfiction, or adult books published for Lower skilled readers. Harlequin romance novels or the readers digest select or readers digest condensed books would be good.

Thank you.

Thank you for a new author. Goodreads only showed one book of his in English, but I added it to my to read list.

Most impactful required book from high school was Death of a Salesman.

Favorite book from highschool is tied between the Sword in the Stone, the Hobbit and Watership Down.

My most impactful college assigned book was the Death of Ivan Illych which I still think is the best book I have ever read.