>>1379339>If it helps, the literature I intend to read is basically just all of the classics around the world, both fiction and philosophy.Mortimer Adler's 'How to Read a Book' would be my recommendation, as well as /lit/'s starter kits. The book itself starts with explaining how to go about engaging with a book, mostly non fiction and is geared toward newcomers. It also has a recommended reading list at the end which covers fiction, non fiction, philosophy, and med stuff in chronological order.
Also, for most historical events, a basic knowledge should be all you need to know. You often don't have to be an expert in it to get the reference, especially in fiction. For example, if a fiction books talks about a certain battle from a war you've never heard about, it usually is referring to a main theme of the book that you can usually infer.
What books have you been trying?
https://4chanlit.fandom.com/wiki/Charts 