The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

Somehow I was never forced to read this as a teen. Just now read because I intend to follow it with (Booker Finalist) James and see what all the fuss is about. I now know why this book is a classic: it manages to be a very pointed satire also funny and charming. The schtick begins to get old towards the end but the ride is still worthwhile. I can imagine that in a less sensitive, politically-correct America (say 25 years or more ago) it was an excellent novel to launch young people into a discussion of slavery and racism with a handy sideline into the wider world of classic literature (Shakespeare and Dumas at the very least) that is explicitly referenced and mangled by various characters.