All books are worth reading (ok, maybe not all - but most!).
Fiction, non-fiction, sci-fi, and even cookbooks will teach you something you didn't know before.
However, contemporary literature is particularly unique, in that it narrates stories that are believable,
with characters that are easier to empathise with.
Very often, these books explore themes that were
not part of the cultural discourse in the past,
or they bring up social issues that have only recently become relevant.
Even certain identities were less represented until a couple of decades ago - think of LGBTQ+ characters, for
example. Additionally, contemporary fiction often features current technologies, social media, and popular
references
which makes the setting more familiar, modern and relevant.
Finally, they tend to be easier to follow, with more colloquial and current English.