Maybe "Way Station" by Simak
I think it's still very readable. I read it in the late 1960s and bought a new copy last year and there were some interesting bits I'd forgotten.
It's really novella length. I found one aspect a bit unsatisfactory, but enjoyed it and I'd rate it as one of the top SF Classics.
Wikipedia writes:
Quote:
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Way Station is a 1963 science fiction novel by American writer Clifford D. Simak, originally published as Here Gather the Stars in two parts in Galaxy Magazine in June and August 1963. Way Station won the 1964 Hugo Award for Best Novel.
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