Most effective way to be "well-read"? Which books? (Conceptually, not specific titles)

With limited time to read, how should I tackle the world's best (English language) literature?

Not looking for a list of titles.

But conceptually, do you read only one or maybe two books from a famous author? e.g. which of Dickens' books should I read, there are so many. How do you decide on which titles?

How do you choose to read other genres that are unfamiliar to you? e.g. I'm a hard sci-fi guy. Would I like Pride and Prejudice?

Do you slog through books that are tougher to read? I have trouble with Shakespreare and books like Beowulf that are not written in modern English. Should I just not bother with those? What would I miss if I do?

Is there a secret to increasing reading speed without sacrificing comprehension? I doubt that skim-reading great literature just so that could say "I read it" is the right move. What do you do to increase reading speed while still keeping good retention?

How much time do you give to "fun reads"? e.g. Beth O'Leary isn't going to win any awards for The Flatshare but I LOVED that book.