diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index f9796eca..8406e253 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
 
 ### Changed
  * Removed implicit support for single-use iterables in sequences, and introduced `iterator-seq` to expliciltly handle them (#1192)
+ * `basilisp.core/str` now delegates to the builtin Python `str` in all cases except for customizing the string output for builtin Python types (#1237)
 
 ### Fixed
  * Fix a bug where protocols with methods with leading hyphens in the could not be defined (#1230)
diff --git a/src/basilisp/contrib/nrepl_server.lpy b/src/basilisp/contrib/nrepl_server.lpy
index 8d058312..cbc15ec4 100644
--- a/src/basilisp/contrib/nrepl_server.lpy
+++ b/src/basilisp/contrib/nrepl_server.lpy
@@ -192,7 +192,7 @@
                                            (read reader))}
                                   (catch python/Exception e
                                     (debug :symbol-identify-reader-error :input symbol-str :exception e)
-                                    {:error (str e)}))]
+                                    {:error (repr e)}))]
 
     (cond
       error
@@ -210,7 +210,7 @@
       :else
       (let [{:keys [var error]} (try {:var (ns-resolve resolve-ns form)}
                                      (catch python/Exception e
-                                       {:error (str e)}))]
+                                       {:error (repr e)}))]
         (cond
           var   [:var var]
           error [:error error]
diff --git a/src/basilisp/core.lpy b/src/basilisp/core.lpy
index dec4a753..05e8a1e6 100644
--- a/src/basilisp/core.lpy
+++ b/src/basilisp/core.lpy
@@ -4394,8 +4394,9 @@
 
 (defn pr
   "Print the arguments to the stream bound to :lpy:var:`*out*` in a format which is
-  readable by the Basilisp reader. Multiple arguments will be separated by the string
-  value bound to :lpy:var:`*print-sep*` (default is an ASCII space).
+  readable by the Basilisp reader (as by :lpy:fn:`repr`). Multiple arguments will be
+  separated by the string value bound to :lpy:var:`*print-sep*` (default is an ASCII
+  space).
 
   Note that some dynamically created Basilisp forms (such keywords and symbols) and
   Python objects may not be readable again.
@@ -4461,13 +4462,13 @@
   :lpy:var:`*print-sep*` (default is an ASCII space)."
   ([] (print ""))
   ([x]
-   (.write *out* (basilisp.lang.runtime/lstr x))
+   (.write *out* (basilisp.lang.runtime/lrepr x ** :human-readable true))
    nil)
   ([x & args]
    (let [stdout    *out*
          sep       *print-sep*
-         repr-args (interpose sep (map basilisp.lang.runtime/lstr args))]
-     (.write stdout (basilisp.lang.runtime/lstr x))
+         repr-args (interpose sep (map #(basilisp.lang.runtime/lrepr % ** :human-readable true) args))]
+     (.write stdout (basilisp.lang.runtime/lrepr x ** :human-readable true))
      (.write stdout sep)
      (.write stdout (apply str repr-args))
      nil)))
diff --git a/src/basilisp/lang/obj.py b/src/basilisp/lang/obj.py
index 14972539..fecef8bd 100644
--- a/src/basilisp/lang/obj.py
+++ b/src/basilisp/lang/obj.py
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import datetime
+import fractions
 import math
 import re
 import uuid
@@ -123,6 +124,49 @@ def seq_lrepr(
     return f"{start}{seq_lrepr}{end}"
 
 
+@singledispatch
+def lstr(o: Any) -> str:
+    return str(o)
+
+
+@lstr.register(type(re.compile("")))
+def _lstr_pattern(o: Pattern) -> str:
+    return o.pattern
+
+
+@lstr.register(bool)
+@lstr.register(bytes)
+@lstr.register(type(None))
+@lstr.register(str)
+@lstr.register(list)
+@lstr.register(dict)
+@lstr.register(set)
+@lstr.register(tuple)
+@lstr.register(complex)
+@lstr.register(float)
+@lstr.register(datetime.datetime)
+@lstr.register(Decimal)
+@lstr.register(fractions.Fraction)
+@lstr.register(Path)
+def _lstr_lrepr(o) -> str:
+    """For built-in types, we want the `str()` representation to match the `lrepr()`.
+
+    User types can be customized to their liking.
+
+    This function intentionally does not capture the runtime values of the lrepr
+    keyword arguments."""
+    return lrepr(
+        o,
+        human_readable=True,
+        print_dup=PRINT_DUP,
+        print_length=PRINT_LENGTH,
+        print_level=PRINT_LEVEL,
+        print_meta=PRINT_META,
+        print_namespace_maps=PRINT_NAMESPACE_MAPS,
+        print_readably=PRINT_READABLY,
+    )
+
+
 # pylint: disable=unused-argument
 @singledispatch
 def lrepr(  # pylint: disable=too-many-arguments
diff --git a/src/basilisp/lang/runtime.py b/src/basilisp/lang/runtime.py
index 3da62282..ea629fc3 100644
--- a/src/basilisp/lang/runtime.py
+++ b/src/basilisp/lang/runtime.py
@@ -2011,8 +2011,8 @@ def lrepr(o, human_readable: bool = False) -> str:
 
 
 def lstr(o) -> str:
-    """Produce a human readable string representation of an object."""
-    return lrepr(o, human_readable=True)
+    """Produce a human-readable string representation of an object."""
+    return lobj.lstr(o)
 
 
 __NOT_COMPLETEABLE = re.compile(r"^[0-9].*")
diff --git a/tests/basilisp/lrepr_test.py b/tests/basilisp/lrepr_test.py
index aba0968e..255cbc9b 100644
--- a/tests/basilisp/lrepr_test.py
+++ b/tests/basilisp/lrepr_test.py
@@ -168,6 +168,10 @@ def test_print_readably(lcompile: CompileFn):
         ("##Inf", "(pr-str ##Inf)"),
         ("##-Inf", "(pr-str ##-Inf)"),
         ('"hi"', '(pr-str "hi")'),
+        ("sym", "(pr-str 'sym)"),
+        ("some.ns/sym", "(pr-str 'some.ns/sym)"),
+        (":kw", "(pr-str :kw)"),
+        (":some.ns/kw", "(pr-str :some.ns/kw)"),
         ('"Hello\\nworld!"', '(pr-str "Hello\nworld!")'),
         (r'"\"Hello world!\""', r'(pr-str "\"Hello world!\"")'),
         (
@@ -196,6 +200,8 @@ def test_print_readably(lcompile: CompileFn):
         ("#py #{:a}", "(pr-str #py #{:a})"),
         ("#py ()", "(pr-str #py ())"),
         ('#py (:a 1 "s")', '(pr-str #py (:a 1 "s"))'),
+        ("#'basilisp.core/pr-str", "(pr-str #'pr-str)"),
+        ("basilisp.lrepr-test", "(pr-str *ns*)"),
     ],
 )
 def test_lrepr(lcompile: CompileFn, repr: str, code: str):
@@ -267,6 +273,10 @@ def test_lrepr_round_trip_special_cases(lcompile: CompileFn):
         ("##NaN", "(print-str ##NaN)"),
         ("##Inf", "(print-str ##Inf)"),
         ("##-Inf", "(print-str ##-Inf)"),
+        ("sym", "(print-str 'sym)"),
+        ("some.ns/sym", "(print-str 'some.ns/sym)"),
+        (":kw", "(print-str :kw)"),
+        (":some.ns/kw", "(print-str :some.ns/kw)"),
         ("hi", '(print-str "hi")'),
         ("Hello\nworld!", '(print-str "Hello\nworld!")'),
         ('"Hello world!"', r'(print-str "\"Hello world!\"")'),
@@ -277,14 +287,8 @@ def test_lrepr_round_trip_special_cases(lcompile: CompileFn):
         ),
         # In Clojure, (print-str #uuid "...") produces '#uuid "..."' but in Basilisp
         # print-str is tied directly to str (which in Clojure simply returns the string
-        # part of the UUID).
-        #
-        # I'm not sure which one is right, but it feels a little inconsistent on the
-        # Clojure side. For now, I'm erring on the side of preferring for str to return
-        # only the string portion of the UUID and have print-str be slightly wrong.
-        #
-        # Maybe at some point, we can deep dive on whether Clojure is in error or if
-        # Basilisp should just try harder to match the Clojure side regardless.
+        # part of the UUID). I believe the more correct approach is Basilisp's, so
+        # I am leaving this as it is.
         (
             "81f35603-0408-4b3d-bbc0-462e3702747f",
             '(print-str #uuid "81f35603-0408-4b3d-bbc0-462e3702747f")',
@@ -298,6 +302,8 @@ def test_lrepr_round_trip_special_cases(lcompile: CompileFn):
         ("#py ()", "(print-str #py ())"),
         ("#py {}", "(print-str #py {})"),
         ("#py #{}", "(print-str #py #{})"),
+        ("#'basilisp.core/print-str", "(print-str #'print-str)"),
+        ("basilisp.lrepr-test", "(print-str *ns*)"),
     ],
 )
 def test_lstr(lcompile: CompileFn, s: str, code: str):
@@ -320,6 +326,10 @@ def test_lstr(lcompile: CompileFn, s: str, code: str):
         ("##NaN", "(str ##NaN)"),
         ("##Inf", "(str ##Inf)"),
         ("##-Inf", "(str ##-Inf)"),
+        ("sym", "(str 'sym)"),
+        ("some.ns/sym", "(str 'some.ns/sym)"),
+        (":kw", "(str :kw)"),
+        (":some.ns/kw", "(str :some.ns/kw)"),
         ("hi", '(str "hi")'),
         ("Hello\nworld!", '(str "Hello\nworld!")'),
         ('"Hello world!"', r'(str "\"Hello world!\"")'),
@@ -332,7 +342,7 @@ def test_lstr(lcompile: CompileFn, s: str, code: str):
             "81f35603-0408-4b3d-bbc0-462e3702747f",
             '(str #uuid "81f35603-0408-4b3d-bbc0-462e3702747f")',
         ),
-        ('#"\\s"', '(str #"\\s")'),
+        ("\\s", '(str #"\\s")'),
         (
             '#inst "2018-11-28T12:43:25.477000+00:00"',
             '(str #inst "2018-11-28T12:43:25.477-00:00")',
@@ -341,6 +351,8 @@ def test_lstr(lcompile: CompileFn, s: str, code: str):
         ('#py ("a" 1 false)', '(str #py ("a" 1 false))'),
         ('#py {"a" "b"}', '(str #py {"a" "b"})'),
         ("#py #{}", "(str #py #{})"),
+        ("#'basilisp.core/str", "(str #'str)"),
+        ("basilisp.lrepr-test", "(str *ns*)"),
         ("abc", '(str "abc")'),
         ("false", "(str false)"),
         ("123", "(str 123)"),
diff --git a/tests/basilisp/test_defrecord.lpy b/tests/basilisp/test_defrecord.lpy
index 9a268e3e..dde951da 100644
--- a/tests/basilisp/test_defrecord.lpy
+++ b/tests/basilisp/test_defrecord.lpy
@@ -199,7 +199,7 @@
                        "#tests.basilisp.test-defrecord.Point{:y 2 :x 1 :z 3}"
                        "#tests.basilisp.test-defrecord.Point{:x 1 :z 3 :y 2}"
                        "#tests.basilisp.test-defrecord.Point{:z 3 :y 2 :x 1}"}
-                     (str p)))
+                     (repr p)))
       (is (contains? #{"^{:interesting :yes} #tests.basilisp.test-defrecord.Point{:x 1 :y 2 :z 3}"
                        "^{:interesting :yes} #tests.basilisp.test-defrecord.Point{:y 2 :z 3 :x 1}"
                        "^{:interesting :yes} #tests.basilisp.test-defrecord.Point{:z 3 :x 1 :y 2}"
@@ -207,7 +207,7 @@
                        "^{:interesting :yes} #tests.basilisp.test-defrecord.Point{:x 1 :z 3 :y 2}"
                        "^{:interesting :yes} #tests.basilisp.test-defrecord.Point{:z 3 :y 2 :x 1}"}
                      (binding [*print-meta* true]
-                       (str (with-meta p {:interesting :yes}))))))))
+                       (repr (with-meta p {:interesting :yes}))))))))
 
 (definterface Shape
   (area []))
@@ -215,7 +215,10 @@
 (defrecord Circle [radius]
   Shape
   (area [self]
-    (* 3.14 radius radius)))
+    (* 3.14 radius radius))
+
+  (__str__ [self]
+    (str "radius: " radius)))
 
 (defrecord InvokeConstructorsRecord []
   (__call__ [self ctor]
@@ -251,13 +254,18 @@
 
     (testing "repr"
       (is (= "#tests.basilisp.test-defrecord.Circle{:radius 1}"
-             (str c)))
+             (repr c)))
       (is (= "^{:interesting :yes} #tests.basilisp.test-defrecord.Circle{:radius 1}"
              (binding [*print-meta* true]
-               (str (with-meta c {:interesting :yes})))))
+               (pr-str (with-meta c {:interesting :yes})))))
       (is (contains? #{"#tests.basilisp.test-defrecord.Circle{:radius 1 :name \"Kurt\"}"
                        "#tests.basilisp.test-defrecord.Circle{:name \"Kurt\" :radius 1}"}
-                     (str c1))))))
+                     (repr c1))))
+
+    (testing "str"
+      (is (= "radius: 1" (str c)))
+      (is (= "radius: 1" (str c1)))
+      (is (= "radius: 2" (str (assoc c :radius 2)))))))
 
 (defrecord ?Name [? x? ?x ?? ?x? ??x ?x- x?x])
 
@@ -279,19 +287,19 @@
           p1 (assoc p :w 0)
           p2 (assoc p1 :new-key "some-value")
           p3 (dissoc p :y)]
-      (is (= p (eval (read-string (str p)))))
-      (is (= p1 (eval (read-string (str p1)))))
-      (is (= p2 (eval (read-string (str p2)))))
-      (is (= p3 (eval (read-string (str p3)))))
+      (is (= p (eval (read-string (repr p)))))
+      (is (= p1 (eval (read-string (repr p1)))))
+      (is (= p2 (eval (read-string (repr p2)))))
+      (is (= p3 (eval (read-string (repr p3)))))
       (is (= p #tests.basilisp.test-defrecord.Point[1 2 3]))))
 
   (testing "record with methods"
     (let [c  (->Circle 1)
           c1 (assoc c :name "Kurt")
           c2 (assoc c1 :radius 3)]
-      (is (= c (eval (read-string (str c)))))
-      (is (= c1 (eval (read-string (str c1)))))
-      (is (= c2 (eval (read-string (str c2)))))
+      (is (= c (eval (read-string (repr c)))))
+      (is (= c1 (eval (read-string (repr c1)))))
+      (is (= c2 (eval (read-string (repr c2)))))
       (is (= c #tests.basilisp.test-defrecord.Circle[1]))))
 
   (testing "illegal other forms"