20 must-read classic books.
1. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (1813)
We said: It is a truth universally acknowledged that when most people think of Jane Austen they think of this charming and humorous story of love, difficult families and the tricky task of finding a handsome husband with a good fortune.
You said: Philosophy, history, wit, and the most passionate love story.
Francesca, Twitter
2. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (1960)
We said: A novel before its time, Harper Lee’s Pulitzer-prize winner addresses issues of race, inequality and segregation with both levity and compassion. Told through the eyes of loveable rogues Scout and Jem, it also created one of literature’s most beloved heroes – Atticus Finch, a man determined to right the racial wrongs of the Deep South.
You said: A jarring & poignantly beautiful story about how humans treat each other.
Greygardens, Twitter
3. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald (1925)
We said: Jay Gatsby, the enigmatic millionaire who throws decadent parties but doesn’t attend them, is one of the great characters of American literature. This is F. Scott Fitzgerald at his most sparkling and devastating.
You said: The greatest, most scathing dissection of the hollowness at the heart of the American dream. Hypnotic, tragic, both of its time and completely relevant.
Joe T, Twitter
4. One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez (1967)
We said: Gabriel García Márquez’s multi-generational spanning magnum opus was a landmark in Spanish literature.
You said: Magic realism at its best. Both funny and moving, this book made me reflect for weeks on the inexorable march of time.
Andre C, Twitter
5. In Cold Blood by Truman Capote (1965)
We said: The ‘true crime’ TV show / podcast you’re obsessed with probably owes a debt to this masterpiece of reportage by Truman Capote. Chilling and brilliant.
You said: In this groundbreaking novel, completed after six arduous years of research, Capote invented a new genre - the 'Nonfiction Novel' - applying prose techniques to fact. It spawned the school of New Journalism & invented the true crime genre as we know it.
Kgjephcott, Twitter
6. Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys (1966)
We said: Jean Rhys wrote this feminist and anti-colonial prequel to Charlotte Bronte’s novel Jane Eyre which chronicles the events of Mr Rochester’s disastrous marriage to Antoinette Conway or Bertha as we come to know her.
You said: Rhys took a character from a classic novel and breathed new life into the “madwoman in the attic” based on her own experiences/world view. She beautifully showed how the stories we read fold into our lives to make new stories.
Eric A, Twitter
7. Brave New World by Aldous Huxley (1932)
We said: One of the greatest and most prescient dystopian novels ever written, this should be on everyone’s must-read list.
You said: Given the exponential growth of AI, Machine Learning & Robotics, Huxley's vision acts as a warning. Will we rise and challenge those who seek to shape our future or sleepwalk toward conditioning by technology?
David G, Twitter
8. I Capture The Castle by Dodie Smith (1948)
We said: Cassandra Mortmain’s upbringing in a crumbling castle with her eccentric family may not be everyone’s experience, but we can guarantee her coming-of-age story with all its enchanting and disenchanting moments will resonate for many.
You said: A 'children's book' that speaks volumes (ha) about unrequited love and dysfunctional families. Timeless. And funny. (and we need some laughs on the 100 Classics list!)
Helen Y, Twitter
9. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte (1847)
We said: One of literature’s steeliest heroines, in her short life Jane Eyre has overcome a traumatic childhood only to be challenged by secrets, strange noises and mysterious fires in her new home of Thornfield Hall. All while falling in love with her employer, Mr Rochester. A Gothic masterpiece which was groundbreaking in its intimate use of the first-person narrative.
You said: Because Jane is a role model: she stands up for herself, others and what she believes in, but isn't too proud to give second chances to those whose time is running out.
Sarah F, Twitter
10. Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky (1866)
We said: This novel is a masterful and completely captivating depiction of a man experiencing a profound mental unravelling. No amount of ethical bargaining on Raskolnikov’s part can free him from the parasitic guilt nested in his soul. A brilliant read if you loved Breaking Bad.
You said: No other novel has made me feel so much for the main characters, so deeply depicted by the author. I felt like an orphan when I finished it and it's the only novel I've re-read several times. Angie V, Twitter
11. The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien (1954)
We said: Perhaps the greatest story ever told, J. R. R. Tolkien’s incredible trilogy of otherworldliness brought a world of hobbits, dwarves, elves and orcs to life in a way never read before. Ultimately a tale of companionship and the battle between good and evil, the fictional world of Middle Earth has endured to become far greater than the sum of its parts.
You said: It's got the great sweeping story, romance, heroism, self-sacrifice, social commentary... it's not just magic and elves!
Anne O, Twitter
12. The Call of the Wild by Jack London (1903)
We said: Jack London was a gold prospector in the Canadian wilderness and used his experiences to write about a dog named Buck who becomes a leader of the wild. With themes exploring nature and the struggle for existence in the frozen Alaskan landscape.
You said: Because everyone who loves the earth knows it’s true.
Helen D, Twitter
13. The Chrysalids by John Wyndham (1955)
We said: An allegoric dystopia written in the wake of the Second World War, The Chrysalids cleverly strives to denounce acts of the past while including a profound plea for tolerance.
You said: A post-apocalyptic novel, about intolerance, loneliness, friendship, and what it means to be human. A fantastic sci-fi novel, as relevant today as it was in the 50s.
Hollie B, Twitter
14. Persuasion by Jane Austen (1818)
We said: Austen’s last completed novel before her untimely death was one tinged with heartache and regret. Anne Elliot’s feelings for the handsome Captain Wentworth are re-ignited when he returns from sea. Will they get a second chance at happiness?
You said: This continues to be my favourite novel. It is a more mature love story, full of humourous, delightful observations of human behaviour. It offers us a glimpse of redemption. We change as we grow, and the mistakes made in our youth can be overcome. Dartmouth_Diva, Twitter
15. Moby-Dick by Herman Melville (1851)
We said: Every American writer since 1851 has been chasing the same whale: to somehow write a novel as epic and influential as Melville’s.
You said: The great American novel: great characters, wonderful language, thick with the Bible and Thomas Browne, and has the best opening sentence ever. What's not to like?
David H, Twitter
16. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis (1950)
We said: C.S. Lewis’s timeless tale captured the hearts of children everywhere with its fantastical world through the wardrobe, full of fauns, dwarves and anthropomorphised animals. Whether you were Peter, Edmund, Susan or Lucy, we all wanted to put on a fur coat and go on a snow-laden adventure with Mr Tumnus.
You said: A beautiful timeless tale of innocence, wonder and sacrifice for young and old alike. It was one of the first books that I read from cover to cover without putting down!
Adisha K, Twitter
17. To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf (1927)
We said: To the Lighthouse is a daring novel with little regard for rules. There’s no consistent narrator, scant dialogue and almost no plot. With everything stripped away, we’re left with a breathtaking and lyrical meditation on relationships, nature and the folly of perception.
You said: You feel like you’re stood on top of a cliff with the sea breeze blowing right through your bones.
Halcyonbookdays, Twitter
18. The Death of the Heart by Elizabeth Bowen (1938)
We said: Considered Elizabeth Bowen’s masterpiece novel, this is the story of 16-year old Portia who is sent to live with her Aunt in London, after her mother’s death. There, she falls for the attractive cad Eddie. A devastating exploration of adolescent love and innocence betrayed.
You said: This book captures the awkward tension and anxieties of the interwar period through a deeply reflective, but oddly naive, unloved girl. Heather O, Twitter
19. Tess of the d'Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy (1891)
We said: It received mixed reviews it was first published, in part because it challenged Victorian ideals of purity and sexual morals. But Thomas Hardy’s unflinching account of Tess’s bid for salvation in a society ready to condemn her is a harrowing and powerful read.
You said: This novel teaches us about the position of women in the past and their moments of frailty versus moments of strength. Basically, an important insight for everyone to have! .Abbie H, Twitter
20. Frankenstein by Mary Shelley (1823)
We said: Written when Mary Shelley was just 18 years old, but don’t let that depress you. Frankenstein is a Gothic masterpiece with entertaining set pieces aplenty.
You said: Chosen for all the questions it raises about consequences and taking responsibility for your actions; nature versus nurture; the value of friendship. I could go on.
Julie A, Twitter
words by penguin
done by Omar Hussain