How Many Books Are Too Many to Read at Once

Image: Ryan MacEachern/Penguin

Everyone loves a archetype novel, simply where to start? From Jane Austen to Charles Dickens, Toni Morrison to Fyodor Dostoevsky, the fiction canon is so vast yous can easily get lost in information technology.

So nosotros asked our readers to tell united states of america near their favourite classic books. The resulting list of must-reads is a perfect way to notice inspiration to start your classics adventure. There'due south something for everyone, from family sagas and dystopian fiction to romances and historical fiction.

And if you relish this, you can also learn nigh our reader's favourite books by female person authors, most loved children's books and the all-time memoirs they've ever read.

Offset at the beginning of our list (books are ranked in no detail social club) and tick them off every bit you go on this handy downloadable list, or you can leap to:

25 | fifty | 75 | 100

1. Pride and Prejudice past Jane Austen (1813)

We said: It is a truth universally acknowledged that when most people retrieve 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.

Y'all said: Philosophy, history, wit, and the most passionate honey story.

Francesca, Twitter

2. To Kill a Mockingbird past Harper Lee (1960)

We said: A novel earlier its time, Harper Lee'south Pulitzer-prize winner addresses issues of race, inequality and segregation with both levity and compassion. Told through the optics of loveable rogues Lookout and Jem, it likewise created one of literature's about beloved heroes – Atticus Finch, a man determined to right the racial wrongs of the Deep South.

You lot said: A jarring & poignantly beautiful story about how humans treat each other.

Greygardens, Twitter

three. The Great Gatsby past F. Scott Fitzgerald (1925)

We said: Jay Gatsby, the enigmatic millionaire who throws decadent parties only doesn't attend them, is one of the great characters of American literature. This is F. Scott Fitzgerald at his nearly sparkling and devastating.

You said: The greatest, most scathing dissection of the hollowness at the middle of the American dream. Hypnotic, tragic, both of its time and completely relevant.

Joe T, Twitter

4. Ane Hundred Years of Confinement 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 all-time. Both funny and moving, this book made me reverberate for weeks on the inexorable march of time.

Andre C, Twitter

v. In Cold Claret past Truman Capote (1965)

We said: The 'true crime' TV show / podcast you lot're obsessed with probably owes a debt to this masterpiece of reportage past Truman Capote. Spooky and bright.

Y'all said: In this groundbreaking novel, completed subsequently six arduous years of inquiry, Capote invented a new genre - the 'Nonfiction Novel' - applying prose techniques to fact. Information technology spawned the school of New Journalism & invented the truthful law-breaking genre every bit we know it.

Kgjephcott, Twitter

half dozen. Wide Sargasso Body of water by Jean Rhys (1966)

We said: JeanRhys 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 equally 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/globe view. She beautifully showed how the stories we read fold into our lives to make new stories.

Eric A, Twitter

seven. 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 listing.

Yous 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 unit may non exist 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

ix. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte (1847)

We said: I of literature'due south steeliest heroines, in her short life Jane Eyre has overcome a traumatic childhood only to be challenged past 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 apply of the start-person narrative.

You lot said:Because Jane is a role model: she stands up for herself, others and what she believes in, just isn't as well proud to give second chances to those whose time is running out.

Sarah F, Twitter

10. Crime and Penalty 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 complimentary him from the parasitic guilt nested in his soul. A vivid read if you loved Breaking Bad.

You said:No other novel has fabricated me feel so much for the main characters, and 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 Secret History by Donna Tartt (1992)

Nosotros said: Donna Tartt's book follows a clique of smart, attractive students at an elite university, and an outsider who finds himself forced to conceal a night secret. A gripping and tense read.

You said: A modern classic - and so well-articulated and written (something that'south hard to come by these days). Also, Fantabulous PLOT!

AnamiAndBooks, Twitter

12. The Call of the Wild past Jack London (1903)

We said: Jack London was a gold prospector in the Canadian wilderness and used his experiences to write nigh a dog named Cadet who becomes a leader of the wild. With themes exploring nature and the struggle for existence in the frozen Alaskan landscape.

Y'all said: Considering everyone who loves the earth knows it's true.

Helen D, Twitter

13. The Chrysalids past John Wyndham (1955)

Nosotros said:An allegoric dystopia written in the wake of the Second Earth State of war, The Chrysalids cleverly strives to denounce acts of the by while including a profound plea for tolerance.

You said: A post-apocalyptic novel, nearly intolerance, loneliness, friendship, and what it means to exist human. A fantastic sci-fi novel, as relevant today as information technology was in the 50s.

Hollie B, Twitter

14. Persuasion by Jane Austen (1818)

We said: Austen'south final completed novel before her untimely expiry was 1 tinged with heartache and regret. Anne Elliot'southward feelings for the handsome Helm Wentworth are re-ignited when he returns from ocean. Will they get a 2nd chance at happiness?

You said: This continues to be my favourite novel. It is a more mature beloved story, full of humourous, delightful observations of man behaviour. It offers u.s. a glimpse of redemption. We change every bit 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 e'er. What's not to like?

David H, Twitter

 16. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.Due south. 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 along a snow-laden hazard with Mr Tumnus.

You said: A beautiful timeless tale of innocence, wonder and cede for young and former akin. It was one of the first books that I read from cover to encompass without putting down!

Adisha One thousand, Twitter

17. To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf (1927)

Nosotros 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 scenic and lyrical meditation on relationships, nature and the folly of perception.

Y'all said: You lot feel similar you're stood on top of a cliff with the bounding main breeze blowing right through your basic.

‏Halcyonbookdays, Twitter

xviii. The Death of the Heart past 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, afterward her mother's expiry. There, she falls for the attractive cad Eddie. A devastating exploration of adolescent dearest and innocence betrayed.

You said: This book captures the awkward tension and anxieties of the interwar menses through a deeply reflective, but oddly naive, unloved girl. ‏

Heather O, Twitter

19. Tess of the d'Urbervilles past 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'south bid for conservancy in a society ready to condemn her is a harrowing and powerful read.

You said: This novel teaches the states 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: Called for all the questions information technology raises about consequences and taking responsibility for your actions; nature versus nurture; the value of friendship. I could go on.

Julie A, Twitter

21.The Master and Margarita past Mikhail Bulgakov (1966)

We said:This spine-chilling story was censored by Stalin and sadly only published after Mikhail Bulgakov's death.

Yous said: This novel has got the Devil mooching around Moscow with a massive black cat. Oh, and there's a naked flying lady.

Eggfrieddog, Twitter

22. The Get-Between by L. P. Hartley (1953)

We said:A moving exploration by L. P. Hartley of a young boy'south loss of innocence and a critical view of society at the finish of the Victorian era.

You lot said: As a 17-year-old, I was completely captivated by this story, wishing Leo was my blood brother then that I could protect him from the thwarting that awaited him.

Rapsodiafestiva, Twitter

23. One Flew Over the Cuckoo'southward Nest by Ken Kesey (1962)

We said: A psychiatric ward in Oregon is ruled by a tyrannical head nurse, but when a rebellious patient arrives her regime is thrown into disarray. A story of the imprisoned battling the establishment.

You said: A story that shows at that place is more to life than following rules. Having joy and being spontaneous are as important equally anything else in life.

Darren B, Twitter

24. 19 Eighty-Iv by George Orwell (1949)

We said: The definitive dystopian novel, George Orwell's vision of a high surveillance society is gripping from the first page to the terminal.

You lot said: I outset read this book years ago, and was glad I would never have to be a function of that kind of order. Nonetheless, here I am in 2018, and and so much of that novel has come up true.

Donna J, Twitter

25. Buddenbrooks by Thomas Mann (1901)

We said:In Thomas Isle of mann'south semi-autobiographical family epic, he portrays the wearisome decline of a wealthy and highly esteemed merchant-family in northern Germany over four generations, as they grapple with the modernism of the 20th century.

You said: It'southward a great novel about the rise and fall of a family, the relationship between fathers and sons, and the conflict between art and concern. Well, and I have to say I do love family sagas.

Peter L, Twitter

26. The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck (1939)

Nosotros said: Perhaps John Steinbeck'south finest novel, this is a beautifully evocative and, by the end, devastating read.

You said: Migration in search of work and a improve future. A modern-solar day story. Still makes my skin tingle.

Morven, Twitter

27. Beloved by Toni Morrison (1987)

We said: Toni Morrison's novel tells the story of a erstwhile Kentucky slave haunted by the trauma of her past life, and won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1988.

You said: This book is amazing. Beautifully written, haunting and the level of item of the lengths people went to protect their families from slavery is fantastic.

LittleReigate, Twitter

28. The Code of the Woosters by P. G. Wodehouse (1938)

We said: This is the third full-length novel featuring P. G. Wodehouse'south best-known creations, the bumbling fool Bertie Wooster and his quick-thinking valet Jeeves. In this outing, the duo hatches a daring and hilarious scheme to steal an 18th-century cow-creamer. What could go wrong?

You said: The all-time of the Bertie and Jeeves novels past Wodehouse, the 20th century master of the light comic novel. Intricate plotting and brilliant control of English prose.

Matt F, Twitter

29. Dracula by Bram Stoker (1897)

Nosotros said: Bram Stoker's novel is told past multiple narrators in a series of diary entries, letters, newspaper articles and ships' logs; an old folklore tale becomes a frightening reality for solicitor Jonathan Harker and his friends after he visits Count Dracula. And the Count is not a hero like our modernistic vampires aka Edward Cullen.

You said: A Gothic tale of fear and love. Would one want immortality at the cost of ane's morality and soul? Loneliness beckons downwardly such a dangerous and fearful path.

Rob K, Twitter

30. The Lord of the Rings past J. R. R. Tolkien (1954)

We said: Perhaps the greatest story e'er told, J. R. R. Tolkien'due south incredible trilogy of otherworldliness brought a earth of hobbits, dwarves, elves and orcs to life in a style never read before. Ultimately a tale of companionship and the battle between skillful and evil, the fictional earth of Middle Earth has endured to get far greater than the sum of its parts.

You said: Information technology's got the great sweeping story, romance, heroism, self-sacrifice, social commentary... information technology's non just magic and elves!

Anne O, Twitter

31. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain (1884)

We said: Meander downwardly the Mississippi River with Huck Finn and Tom Sawyer; on the surface, it's a simple adventure but dig a little deeper into Mark Twain's novel and discover undercurrents of slavery, abuse and corruption in what Hemingway described as 'The best book we've had'.

You said: This book demonstrates how a young boy learns to think for himself, and shows us how we can, too. Information technology's funny, sweet and pitiful – sometimes all in the same paragraph.

Richard C, Twitter

32. Great Expectations past Charles Dickens (1860)

Nosotros said:From the escaped convict lurking in the wild Kent marshes to the eccentric Miss Havisham who has remained in her wedding dress since the day she was jilted, orphan Pip's coming of age story is i of Charles Dickens' most memorable and iconic novels.

Yous said: This volume is not only of import equally a literary masterpiece and an evocative story - it also has universal entreatment as, unfortunately, many children in today's world undergo the same suffering as Pip.

Ayesha Yard, Twitter

33. Catch-22 by Joseph Heller (1961)

Nosotros said: The perfect read for a clinking political moment. Joseph Heller's dizzying masterpiece brilliantly illustrates the way that ability is hoarded and wielded like magic, with sleights of hand and rhetorical trickery deployed similar weapons to leave normal people baffled and wearied.

You said: In my opinion, in that location is no volume that better captures human nature and the futility of conflict. You'll come out the other side angry, uplifted, and crazy.

Sam W, Twitter

34. The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton (1920)

Nosotros said: A newlywed couple is shaken up by the arrival of the bride's free-spirited and charismatic cousin Ellen, who piques the husband'due south interests. He must make up one's mind to save a crumbling marriage or pursue his passions. Edith Wharton became the starting time adult female to win the Pulitzer Prize in 1921 for this novel which explores love, lust and social class, ready in the Gilded Age of New York.

You lot said: "When SHE comes she is unlike, and ane doesn't know why...".

Lulu B, Twitter

35. Things Fall Autonomously by Chinua Achebe (1958)

Nosotros said: Information technology has come to be seen as the archetypal modern African novel in English language and is read widely across Africa and Nigeria in which it is prepare. It follows the Okonowo a great and famous warrior and the most powerful men of his clan. Just when outsiders threaten his clan'due south mode of life - will his temper and pride be his downfall? Read it to find out.

You said: A compelling and important exploration of cultural identity in relation to both the rising tide of British colonialism and the pressures of gender expectations. A poignant tragedy written with pathos. Necessary reading!

Danny N, Twitter

36. Middlemarch past George Eliot (1871)

We said: Dorothea Brooke and the other inhabitants of Middlemarch grapple with art, religion, science, politics, self and society in the atomic number 82-upwards to the Kickoff Reform Neb of 1832 in a literary exploration of human being follies.This volume is considered by many to be the greatest Victorian novel.

You said: This book is superb in grade and content. In that location is no better autopsy of and insight into human society. She was the Shakespeare of her day and Middlemarch is her finest novel.

Tim R, Twitter

37. Midnight's Children past Salman Rushdie (1981)

Nosotros said: A visceral tale, made of smells and sounds and bumps and knocks. A bright way to immerse yourself in one of the most fascinating and turbulent periods of the 20th century, via a wonderfully fantastical conceit.

You lot said: This is the most magical and well-written book I've read. The history of the partition of the Indian subcontinent told every bit a delightful allegory.

Claudia 1000, Twitter

38. The Iliad by Homer (8th century BC)

We said: It is 1 of the greatest and most influential ballsy poems e'er written, and (alongside The Odyssey)the oldest surviving work of Western literature. Although the story centres on the critical events of the terminal year of the Trojan war, Homer besides explores themes of humanity, compassion and survival.

You said: This is the ultimate war poem, filled with existential drama, heroic striving, death, and the meaning of life.

Max G, Twitter

39. Vanity Fair by William Makepeace Thackeray (1847)

We said: William Makepeace Thackeray'south satirical reflection of gild on the whole embodied in a cast of characters who although flawed, we tin can't help but love and root for equally we follow their fortunes and downfalls throughout the Napoleonic wars.

Yous said: Considering Becky Precipitous is the greatest female lead character in English literature. Bar none.

Greg R, Twitter

40. Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh (1945)

We said: The iconic country house setting of Brideshead see a family consumed by its religion battle with their loyalties. A reflective and nostalgic novel by Evelyn Waugh about class, family and homecomings.

Y'all said: Then evocative of a certain fourth dimension and place, also as being a compelling story.

Patricia C, Twitter

41. The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger (1951)

We said: Probably the to the lowest degree commented-upon aspect of J.D. Salinger'due south masterpiece is how utterly hilarious it is. Holden is a character no one ever forgets.

You said: This novel'south primary character, Holden, is coping with tragic loss, as all of us exercise in our lives. As he wanders aimlessly around the city, he struggles to plan his side by side life motion, but finds happiness in minor joys, such equally his stiff bail with his sister.

Alma E, Twitter

42. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland past Lewis Carroll (1865)

Nosotros said: Alice is a no-nonsense, quick-witted and daring – we could all larn a lesson or 2 from the resourceful young girl in Lewis Carroll's tale packed with a troupe of unforgettable characters. A dizzying story full of riddles, puns and wordplay, at over 150 years old it features a heroine mode ahead of her time.

You said: We should all get lost downwards a rabbit hole every one time in a while and come up out believing in vi impossible things before breakfast #whyisaravenlikeawritingdesk

Lauren D, Twitter

43. The Manufacturing plant on the Floss by George Eliot (1860)

We said:Maggie Tulliver is passionate, impulsive and intelligence merely her desires clash against her family unit'due south expectations and event in painful consequences. Eliot drew on the frustrations of her own rural upbringing to write i of her most powerful and moving novels.

You lot said: 1 archetype everyone must read:The Mill on the Floss by George Eliot. A beautifully told story of an intelligent girl who yearns for more than society allows.

Jess, Twitter

44. Barchester Towers by Anthony Trollope (1857)

We said: The second novel in Anthony Trollope's series known every bit the 'Chronicles of Barsetshire', opens as the Bishop of Barchester lies on his deathbed; shortly the battle for power amongst the town's primal players will embark. Told with plenty of wisdom and wit.

You said: This book has tremendous characters and a plot which sucks you lot into such a different earth, about which you find yourself caring badly.

Hilary Due south, Twitter

45. Another Country past James Baldwin (1962)

We said: Primarily gear up in New York'south Greenwich Village, James Baldwin'sAnother State tackled many themes that were taboo at the time of its publication including bisexuality, interracial couples and extramarital affairs - all in the sensational world of Harlem jazz and the Maverick underworld.

Yous said: This is a volume that shows how anybody can alive and love together, passionately, dangerously, with exquisite music.  I'll never forget the thrill of kickoff reading it.

Jon A, Twitter

46. Les Miserables by Victor Hugo (1862)

Nosotros said: Vive la révolution! A sweeping epic and a completely satisfying read by Victor Hugo. Full of love, acrimony, drama and wit. Quite possibly the perfect novel.

You said: A beautiful story of the ability of redemption and a good heart along with a backdrop of the socio-economic iniquities of 19th century France. Beautifully written, it tugs the heartstrings.

Gary K, Twitter

47. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl (1964)

Nosotros said: Filled with all the sweetness treats from your wildest dreams (and proving that nice guys don't always finish last), Roald Dahl'southCharlie and the Chocolate Mill is a cautionary tale for both children and adults. Don't be greedy. Don't spoil your children. Don't chew gum. And don't sit in front of the Idiot box all twenty-four hour period. 'It rots the senses in the head!'

You said: This list wouldn't be complete without some of Dahl's magic, and my gilt ticket is for this novel.

Isanne V, Twitter

48. The Outsiders by S. East. Hinton (1967)

Nosotros said: A coming-of-historic period tale of teenage rebellion, set up in a winner-takes-all earth of bulldoze-ins, elevate races and switchblades. Information technology created an anti-hero from the wrong side of the class divide – all written when S. E. Hinton was but 17. 'Stay gold Ponyboy… stay gold'.

You said: The original YA novel, which sparked many crushes and made me fall in honey with reading.

Claire C, Twitter

49. The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas (1844)

We said: An epic novel by Alexandre Dumas that will accept y'all feeling all the emotions – and a prime number example of the quondam adage that revenge is a dish best served common cold.

You said: The all-time archetype tale! A story of innocence, romance, betrayal, suffering, revenge and more importantly, Man'due south triumph over all life throws at him.

Hayati Y, Twitter

l. Ulysses past James Joyce (1922)

We said: Having survived censorship, controversy and even legal action, James Joyce'southward most famous novel is renowned for its use of inner monologue and stream-of-consciousness technique. Whether it's the greatest novel of the 20th century, or the most unreadable, is up for debate.

Yous said: Reading it as a person, an emotional journey. Reading it every bit a writer, technically mesmerizing and inspiring

Pqxzyvr, Twitter

51. East of Eden past John Steinbeck (1952)

We said: By and large set in California, John Steinbeck's most aggressive novel follows two families and their interwoven stories. The author himself said, 'Information technology has everything in it I take been able to learn about my craft or profession in all these years.'

They said: Brilliant writing, epic family saga, drills deep into homo nature and how we retrieve, feel and act toward one some other. My all-time favourite novel.

Naomi Yard, Facebook

52. The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoyevsky (1880)

We said: Two years in the making, this philosophical novel by Fyodor Dostoyevsky questions big topics like faith, free will and morality but information technology's besides a very readable one that'southward role murder mystery, part court drama.

Y'all said: A depiction of the darkest recesses of man nature. Merely also of the brightest ones…

Luca C, Facebook

53. Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov (1955)

Nosotros said: Quite simply some of the finest writing ever committed to a page. A book that is simultaneously repulsive and utterly seductive.

You said: Beautifully written. The volume takes y'all into the mind of this atrocious character and lets you curlicue around in the gorgeous give-and-take-play as the story unfurls.

Lesley Fifty, Facebook

54. The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett (1911)

We said: Frances Hodgson Burnett's book volition awaken the curiosity of any reader, no thing their historic period. At that place's something then completely irresistible about hidden doors, mysterious noises and secret hiding places. But this is more than a story of adventures and gardening, at its centre, The Hole-and-corner Garden promises that with time and plenty of nurturing, we can all blossom.

You said: I will never forget reading this book equally a kid. I felt I was in the middle of the story.

Ulrika F, Facebook

55. Scoop past Evelyn Waugh (1938)

We said: Partly based on Evelyn Waugh's personal experiences, Scoop is a satirical take on the lengths reporters – and newspaper magnates – will get to for a story. With mod exposés on hacking scandals and the like, Scoop feels equally relevant as ever.

You said: A funny story wrapped effectually absurdity, journalism and war.

Guy Five, Facebook

56. A Tale of Two Cities past Charles Dickens (1859)

We said: Afterward 18 years in the Guardhouse, Dr Manette is released and sent to live in Great britain with a daughter he's never met. Split betwixt Paris and London, A Tale of Two Cities is a mammoth story set during the barbarous years of the French Revolution.

You lot said: Sitting solitary at 16 years old after the family had gone to bed,  tears streamed down my cheeks as I finished this novel.

Pat C, Facebook

57. Diary of a Nobody by George Grossmith and Weedon Grossmith (1892)

We said: Diary of a Nobody follows a respectable middle-class human, Charles Pooter, and his attempts to live a respectable heart-class life. This riotously funny novel created such an impression that it inspired an adjective in honour of its main graphic symbol: 'Pooterish', a cocky-important person who takes themselves far too seriously.

You said: I accept read this book so many times and laugh out loud every time. I have a Penguin Classic copy of it that's falling autonomously but I wouldn't office with it for the globe

Emma H, Facebook

58. Anna Karenina past Leo Tolstoy (1878)

We said: Anna Karenina is a woman who seems to have it all. She'south married, she's wealthy, she'due south well-liked – but she feels her life is empty until she meets Count Vronksy. Leo Tolstoy's novel is essentially a philosophical meditation on the significant of life and happiness merely it'due south a very readable one.

You said: Simply the best in-depth characterisation of all time. Tolstoy'due south psychological insights have never been beaten.

Chris Westward, Facebook

59. The Betrothed by Alessandro Manzoni (1827)

We said: Alessandro Manzoni's novel takes is the story of two young lovers trying to be together, ready against a wider properties of 17th-century Italian life. The Betrothed is considered past many to be the greatest novel always written in Italian.

You said: This volume is on the verge of being forgotten by casual readers, just it's entertaining, socially and scientifically progressive for its time, has incredibly moving, beautifully-written passages on bread riots and the plague, and it has the all-time surprise trope-subversion at the terminate.

Shawna R, Facebook

threescore. Orlando by Virginia Woolf (1928)

We said: Immense yourself in the dazzling breadth of Virginia Woolf's imagination in this short but powerful novel and follow Orlando from the court of Elizabeth I to a celebrated poet in the 20th century.

Yous said: What is it to be a woman? Woolf's modernist novel is so fresh even 90 or so years after. Gender fluidity earlier the term was fifty-fifty coined. And a history of literature as a backdrop.

Antonia M, Facebook

61.Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand (1957)

We said: Pace into the dystopian The states and follow the saga of Dagny Taggart and Hank Rearden as they effort to bring their Transcontinental railroad into existence, and uncover the secrets of a shadowy figure chosen John Galt along the way.

You said: This book engages the reader through its characters and themes, allowing ane to be entranced through this cautionary tale that can be practical to the modern globe.

Deanna H, Facebook

62. The Fourth dimension Machine by H. Thousand. Wells (1895)

We said: When a scientist and inventor creates a time machine, he travels to the distant future to see what'southward in store for humanity. H. Yard. Wells' novel is the book that popularised fourth dimension travel, only read deeper and it's also a metaphor for the fractured society that nosotros still live in today.

You lot said: A story of knowledge, education, and imagining a future.

Gultekin South, Facebook

63. The Art of State of war past Sun-Tzu

We said: Sunday-Tzu, author of the world'due south oldest guide to armed forces strategy, recognised that we live in a conflicted world. The layperson might not exist involved in warfare but the advice inside is just every bit useful for navigating the workplace or daily life.

You said: This should be called the trivial book of mutual sense. It makes everything easier to sympathise.

Darren G, Facebook

64. The Forsyte Saga past John Galsworthy (1922)

We said: Nobel-Prize winning author John Galsworthy wrote this multi-generational saga which chronicles the Forsyte family's fortunes and downfalls as they alive through dramatic social change, from the straight-laced Victorian era to the roaring 20s.

You said: This book gives you lot a wonderful impression of life in the 19th and early 20th century. Information technology's both enthralling and touching.

Hildegard Due south, Facebook

65. Travels with Charley past John Steinbeck (1962)

Nosotros said: Almost sixty years later Travels with Charley withal proves an eye-opening insight into a state that'due south so easy to view as a monolith. Steinbeck and his French Poodle encounter everyone from migrant farmers to KKK members in this reminder of a complicated political landscape that'due south no less disparate today.

You said: One of the truthful kickoff 'road' books – a search for the spirit of the ordinary American people.

Edith S, Facebook

66. Tropic of Cancer by Henry Miller (1934)

We said: It was banned in the US and the Uk for 30 years for being too 'pornographic,' and undoubtedly there are smutty moments, but Henry Miller uses this to comment on the human condition. Told from a variety of first-person characters in 1930s Paris – including Miller's ain experiences as a struggling writer – the common thread between each character is their sexual encounters.

You said: Loud, funny, sexual Paris in the 1930s. I read information technology when I was 20, and it changed the way I await at the world.

Brendan P, Facebook

67. Women in Love past D. H. Lawrence (1920)

Nosotros said: Controversial during its fourth dimension, D. H. Lawrence's sequel to The Rainbow follows the lives of ii women and the men they become involved with. Women in Honey contains some of Lawrence'due south finest writing.

You said: This is Lawrence at his best… although I exercise think Lady Chatterley'south Lover is under-rated…

David P, Facebook

68. Staying On past Paul Scott (1977)

We said: Paul Scott passed away at the elevation of his writing career and his last novel, Staying On – which won the Booker Prize in 1977 – gives us a unique insight into life only after the finish of the British rule in Bharat.

You said: A funny, tragic, beautifully written study of an English colonial married couple left behind equally an independent India moves alee.

Catherine B, Facebook

69. The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame (1908)

We said:What began as a series of letters to Kenneth Grahame'south sickly son evolved into one of England's nigh love children's books. A whimsical foray through the Berkshire countryside, the esprit between Ratty, Badger, Mole and Mr Toad still embodies traditional British eccentricities to a tee.

You said: You lot can relish this volume at any historic period – and it's beautifully written.

Vicky A, Facebook

70. My Ántonia by Willa Cather (1918)

We said: The novel tells the story of Jim Burden, an orphan boy and Ántonia Shimerda who are brought as children to be pioneers in Nebraska in the late 19th century. This is Willa Cather'southward terminal book in the Great Plains trilogy and was praised for bringing the American W to life.

You said: Quite simply, a beautifully written book.

Carolyn R, Facebook

71. Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë (1847)

We said: Controversial at the fourth dimension of publication, Emily Brontë's classic love story betwixt Catherine and Heathcliff still resonates with readers today.  Widely considered a staple of Gothic fiction and the English literary canon, this book has gone on to inspire many generations of writers – and volition proceed to exercise and so.

You said: Passion, heartbreak – this is the greatest novel ever written.

Tessa J, Facebook

72. Perfume past Patrick Süskind (1985)

We said: In 18th-century France, ane man's greatest passion and gift leads him downwardly a path of sensual depravity. Afterward discovering he has no odour of his own – despite having a remarkable sense of aroma – Jean-Baptiste Grenouille trains in the art of perfume-making so he tin can create the ultimate odor – one that is made from 25 young virgin girls.

You said: A story of suspense and dearest, with beautiful narration.

Ivy West, Facebook

73. War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy (1867)

We said: LeoTolstoy'southward sweeping ballsy of human life in all its imperfection and grandeur is universally accepted equally one of the greatest novels of all time.

You said:This novel is just gripping and beautifully written. Kept me enthralled for weeks...

Angela T, Facebook

74. Of Human Chains past Somerset Maugham (1915)

We said: Considered as Somerset Maugham's most autobiographical of his work, the author stated, 'This is a novel, not an autobiography, though much in it is autobiographical, more is pure invention.' Regardless, the story of Philip Carey, a homo with ambitions who falls in dearest with a loud only irresistible waitress is considered ane of his finest books.

You lot said: A compelling story of unreciprocated dearest.

Rajan D, Facebook

75. Bleak House by Charles Dickens (1853)

We said: At the centre of Bleak House is the never-ending legal case of Jarndyce and Jarndyce which draws together a disparate group of people who promise in some style to profit from the case. Dickens' scathing reflection of the legal profession went some way to back up a judicial reform movement in the 1870s.

You said: An amazing story, with and then many twists and turns

Jane E, Facebook

76. Lost Illusions by Honoré de Balzac (1837)

Nosotros said: Would-be poet Lucien Chardon moves from the French Provinces to the glamorous fellow monde of Paris where he quickly discovers a globe far more dangerous than he always imagined. Honoré de Balzac paints a vivid and brutal picture of the hypocrisy and moral history of his times.

You said: A magnificent story about human nature, ambition and social club (in any century).

Isabel Yard, Facebook

77. Breakfast of Champions by Kurt Vonnegut (1973)

We said: Role comedy, function searing satire, we're taken to the Midwest to follow Vonnegut'south ageing author Kilgore Trout on an absurd narrative. Yous may love it, you may non get the point. Either mode, yous'll find it hard not to laugh.

You lot said: Reading this blend of surrealism, sci-fi and other genres made me realise that sometimes, fiction can exist more powerful than real-life stories!

Kleber 50, Facebook

78. A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens (1843)

We said: This is arguably Dickens' most famous tale. Ebenezer Scrooge, Tiny Tim and exclamations of 'Bah Humbug!' are as synonymous with the festive seasons as Santa, turkey and Christmas pudding.

Yous said: A masterpiece. The ultimate story of hope and redemption.

Sergeant_Tibbs, Twitter

79. Silas Marner by George Eliot (1861)

We said: Silas Marner was Eliot's favourite of her novels. It tells the story of an isolated miser, who is given a second chance to transform his life when he adopts a young orphaned child. With themes of religion, industrialisation and community, the book also provides the states with a glimpse of a vanished rural world.

You said: Redemption and beloved. Beautifully written

Rhiannon C, Facebook

lxxx. Mrs Dalloway by Virginia Woolf (1925)

We said: One of literature's about famous parties - this groundbreaking postmodernist novel centres around Clarria Dalloway'due south preparations for a party she's hosting, exploring themes of mental wellness, modernity and fourth dimension.

You said: A reminder that no life is besides small.

Marianna S, Facebook

81. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott (1868)

We said: In Fiddling Women, Louisa May Alcott prepare out to write a book in which girls would run across them themselves accurately reflected. The March sisters, with their 4 very dissimilar personalities and ambitions, accurately embody both the challenges of growing upwardly and the irreplaceable bail of sisterhood.

Y'all said: A story of growing up and irresolute and the world set up around a group of young girls. This book is equally timeless as it is beautiful.

Luke E, Twitter

82. The Sea, The Sea by Iris Murdoch (1978)

We said: Winner of the Homo Booker Prize in 1978, Iris Murdoch's book is the story of foreign obsessions and reflection which haunt Charles Arrowby, who retires from London'south glittering theatre world to an isolated domicile past the bounding main. An unforgettable story, beautifully told.

You said: This book left me speechless, while reading and later on reading and I nonetheless tin can't detect the words to draw why it is one of the most impressive pieces of writing I have always read.

H, Twitter

83. The Godfather by Mario Puzo (1969)

We said: Both Mario Puzo'south book and 1972 picture show adaptation became global phenomena with this searing portrayal of New York'southward Mafia underworld. A powerful story of tradition, blood, honour and of grade, family unit fidelity.

Y'all said: This novel teaches the reader virtually the strengths and failures of human being nature.

Louisa J, Twitter

84. The Castle by Franz Kafka (1926)

We said:Taking the word 'Kafkaesque' to new levels, The Castle is a nightmarish reach into an autocratic world. Bamboozling from offset to the very unfinished end (the novel ends mid-sentence), this is Franz Kafka's finest commentary on oppression and bureaucracy.

You lot said: This book leads the reader into a maze of conundrums, confusion, iciness and moral fog. Never to be forgotten once read.

Arnold F, Twitter

85. I, Claudius past Robert Graves (1934)

You said: Written in the form of an autobiography of the Roman Emperor Claudius, Robert Graves' novel captures the madness and debauchery of ancient Rome. Both I, Claudius and Graves'due south sequel Claudius the God are regarded today as pioneering masterpieces of historical fiction, every bit well as gripping reads.

You said: A beautifully written novel nearly absolute power. Very relevant.

Ian M, Twitter

86. Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie (1904)

You said:The story that fabricated every child want to trip the light fantastic on tiptoes over midnight rooftops and soar away to Neverland, J. Thousand. Barrie's tale of the boy who could never grow up brought magic to bedtimes everywhere. From the Lost Boys to fearsome pirates, the enchanting adventure of Peter Pan has, both literally and metaphorically, never grown former.

You said: A volume that reminds everyone to never grow up inside!

Jennifer M, Twitter

87. A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole (1980)

You lot said: A medievalist protagonist encounters a series of misadventures in a comedic exploration of the human condition. John Kennedy Toole'southward novel is widely regarded today as a tragicomic classic that exposes 'intellectualism'.

Y'all said: I chose this volume only because the characters are fantastic, and it makes me laugh.

Sharon, Twitter

88. The Razor's Edge by W. Somerset Maugham (1944)

Y'all said: Featuring Maugham himself as a character and adapted twice for the big screen, The Razor's Edge tells the story of an American pilot trying to adjust dorsum to normal life following the Showtime World War. It'south a gruelling look at the devastating effects of postal service-war trauma, and a philosophical journey to find meaning in life.

You said: A profound story of one man'south journey to find himself.

Holden Thou, Twitter

89. Lark Rise to Candleford by Flora Thompson (1939)

You said: Many will remember the recent BBC series of the same proper name; Lark Rise to Candleford is author Flora Thompson's semi-autobiographical recollections of her youth and growing upwardly in Oxfordshire, and paints a delightful portrait of country life at the end of the 19th century.

You said: Perhaps a little bit out of left field, but I love this book. It's simple, it'south beautifully written and information technology's all virtually capturing a vanishing way of life as countryside farming turns to Victorian towns... really eloquent, really moving!

Vicky, Twitter

90. The Return of the Native past Thomas Hardy (1878)

We said: When proud and passionate Eustacia Vye marries Clym Yeobright, she believes she tin finally get out her rural life at Egdon Heath behind. But their unhappy union causes a concatenation of events culminating in tragedy, and their realisation that their destinies cannot be controlled.

You said: I chose this book because Eustacia Vye is misunderstood - as are many women.

Linda M, Twitter

91. A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man past James Joyce (1916)

We said: A Portrait of the Artist equally a Swain was James Joyce's commencement novel and details the young artist discovering his phonation, craft and identity through his literary alter ego, Stephen Dedalus. There are echoes of his techniques here before they are refined in his subsequently works such as Ulysses and Finnegans Wake.

You said: Joyce is non simply the greatest stylist in English, but the novel contains one of the most circuitous discussions of aesthetics in the 20th century.

Donald Grand, Twitter

92. Heart of Darkness past Joseph Conrad (1902)

Nosotros said: JosephConrad's novella has been accounted by many as a 'hard read', only this enigmatic and atmospheric piece of fiction of Charles Marlow's journeying up the Congo river – which also provided the inspiration for Francis Ford Coppola'due south Apocalypse At present – will go out you lot unfolding its many layers for a long fourth dimension after.

You said: What an amazing piece of writing from someone who had to acquire the language start...

Tracey Fifty, Twitter

93. N and S by Elizabeth Gaskell (1854)

We said: A swooningly romantic volume with an exhilaratingly combative pairing at the centre. The themes of wealth and gender inequality are woven in seamlessly, and are completely integral to the electric dynamic betwixt Margaret Hale and John Thornton.

You said: This novel combines a beautiful love story and discussion of important economical and social bug of its time.

Alina, Twitter

94. The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood (1985)

We said: 'When information technology first came out it was viewed every bit existence far-fetched,' said Margaret Atwood in 2017. The continued regression of ballgame laws and women's rights across the earth has only made Atwood's dystopian all the more pertinent; and ensuring the book – and Idiot box show's – place in history as a lynchpin of the feminist resistance.

You said: I chose this book because it gives a feminist perspective on the earth. Also, Atwood uses events from history to create the story, which I find important. History is a circumvolve.

Emma H, Twitter

95. Suite Francaise by Irene Nemirovsky (2004)

We said: A novel of two halves, Suite Francaise is most life and death in occupied France, and finding honey and promise in the virtually unexpected of places.

Y'all said: This is my favourite book. Information technology is an extremely moving account of the kinds of things that actually happened in Nazi-occupied French republic during the Second World State of war. It presents the dilemmas, fears and choices that were felt and had to exist made past ordinary people.

Jim H, Twitter

96. One Twenty-four hour period in the Life of Ivan Denisovich by Alexander Solzhenitsyn (1962)

Nosotros said: This deeply personal and unforgettable account of a day in the life at a Soviet labour camp in the 1950s is highly considered to exist 1 of the greats of contemporary literature.

You lot said: Solzhenitsyn's writing from personal experience of life/existence in a forced labour military camp under Stalin's communist regime is a stark, brutal, masterpiece.

Brian T, Twitter

97. What A Dissever! by Jonathan Coe (1994)

We said: The Winshaw family are the most powerful and cruellest family in England that is until their biographer Michael Owen starts investigating the family's corrupt and immoral activities. A dark and wickedly funny story which makes a profound statement on the Thatcherite era.

You said: This novel has so much to say near man nature, political ability and the aristocracy, and ever will do. Caustic, heartfelt, funny, devastating; a beautiful book.

Declan C, Twitter

98. Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance past Robert Pirsig (1974)

Nosotros said: Anyone looking for an introduction to philosophy demand expect no further. It's also a touching portrayal of fatherhood and friendship.

Yous said: An amazing philosophical take chances that influenced a generation.

Jason F, Twitter

99. White Nights by Fyodor Dostoyevsky (1848)

We said: 1 of Fyodor Dostoyevsky'south underrated works, this short story is divided into six sections. With themes of loneliness and unrequited love told by a nameless narrator – it's quintessential Dostoyevsky.

You said: This is an incredibly beautiful and uplifting volume. Everyone should read it!

Melly, Twitter

100. Difficult Times pastCharles Dickens (1854)

Nosotros said: Dickens uses the fictional town of Coketown and its inhabitants to explore the harsh realities of the Industrial Age and the importance of imagination in a earth driven by fact.

You lot said: Desolation, sense of humour, social annotate, politic and incredibly well-fatigued, conceivable characters.

Angela, Twitter

What'due south your favourite classic read? Let u.s.a. know at @penguinukbooks.

Books ranked in no item order. Some answers take been edited for clarity and style.

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Source: https://www.penguin.co.uk/articles/2018/100-must-read-classic-books.html

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