How much do I have to read before writing my first novel?

Especially when there are so many classics. I'll probably die without reading all the really good books in the world.

I unironically think short stories are the best form of prose. Novels should go the way of epic poetry and die out, leaving room for short story collections.

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what if you want to tackle a big subject?

this. Don't write, Socrates wrote nothing.

Big subjects can be often be tackled in smaller works. I'm also being hyperbolic for effect in my post, I don't actually think novels need to die out, I just think short stories are often relegated to being viewed as less valuable than novels.

I'm recalling some Stephan Crane anecdote about him not wanting to read others' works to hinder his own creativity - I'm not saying I necessarily agree with that but it's an intriguing idea to me

not the user you were replying to but I see what you mean. I wonder why they give high schoolers Catcher and not a few of the good nine stories. I remember kids really reacted to The Lottery, just because they actually read it because it was short.

You're never going to write a novel anyway. So just set a goal to read as much as possible so you can "put off" "writing" for all time.

nothing, it only gets in the way

underrated.

i don't think you need to read anything specific, it will just impede developing your own style and contaminate your thought process.
just start writing stuff down, get in the habit of writing every day.
you will write a lot of crap, get used to it, don't get discouraged.
eventually, you can re-work what you have written into something more cohesive.
nobody writes the perfect story on the first go.
revise and edit, revise and edit. eventually you will filter out all the crap.
save all the crap. one day it might come in handy for something.

Don't read much. Arrogance in your ability will help you more than you think.