Remember back in high school, when these books were required reading? You would slog through the 500+ pages, skipping unimportant chapters, glossing over the words you didn’t know, just hoping you’d retain enough information to get through the test next week. I have to admit, my love of reading was almost quashed due to high school required reading.
But let me fill you in on a little secret: when it’s not required, the classics are actually really good. There is a reason high school teachers think every student should be reading these books. And when I’ve gone back and read these on my own, with no deadlines or tests, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed them. So here are our top 15 classics you should take another look at. Some of them are meant for younger audiences (I’m looking at you Mrs. Frisby and Little Women), but there is still something there that adults can appreciate as well.
To help you in the book selection process, we answer the essential questions for each title: who would like it; what it’s all about; when/where to read it; how long it is; and why you should read it. This should give you just enough of a snapshot to know if this book is for you.
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
- Who: I’m going to come right out and say it: Girls (young and old) will like this book.
- What: Set during the Civil War, it follows the lives of the four March sisters from childhood to womanhood. Plenty of family drama, romance, and warm fuzzies.
- When/where: Best read on a warm day, with the windows open, when you need a feel-good book, and are feeling nostalgic for your childhood.
- How long: 280 pages
- Why: Little Women has been a favorite from the first time I read it out loud with my high school friends one summer. It’s a coming of age story, but it’s clean and wholesome reading. My copy has the bonus of being illustrated, which adds even more charm to this already charming book.
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
- Who: Again, girls and women will be more drawn to this one. In particular, girls who like a good period romance.
- What: This is the well loved story of Jane Eyre, as she moves from childhood to adulthood, from one oppressive situation to another, until she at last finds freedom. Plus, it’s got mystery, romance, suspense. Kind of a little bit of everything.
- When/where: This isn’t a quick, short story, and it takes a bit of time before things pick up. Read it when you have the time and patience for a well told tale. Also, read it before watching one of the film adaptations – you have 10(!) to choose from.
- How long: 422 pages
- Why: Most women I know can’t say the words “Jane Eyre” without immediately making a happy sigh. It’s a great love story, and great literature; isn’t that what we are all looking for?
The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
- Who: Children, teens, and adults.
- What: The story of Mary, an unloved, unwanted, orphan who comes to live on her uncle’s estate and slowly uncovers the secrets of the gloomy house, as well as the meaning of friendship and love.
- When/where: I think this book is best read in early spring, so you can watch everything come alive at the same time as the characters, though it’s a great read any time you want to capture that feeling of all things fresh and new. Also, it makes a wonderful read-aloud book for families.
- How long: 288 pages
- Why: My aunt gave me this book when I was a child and dealing with an illness that kept me in bed for 3 months. And so the obsession began. There is something magical in the very idea of a secret garden, and the way this story is teased out captures that magic perfectly.
David Copperfield by Charles Dickens
- Who: Anyone looking for a book with interesting, well-developed characters and a detailed coming-of-age storyline. Mostly adults, but I think some teens would enjoy it as well.
- What: A coming-of-age story about David Copperfield and the formidable, lively, enchanting, and downright odd host of characters he meets. Even though it’s set in the early/mid 1800s, there’s something timeless about the way David Copperfield experiences the world and it’s easy to relate to almost 200 years later. This was originally published as a monthly serial, so although long it reads like a TV series–cliffhangers, tragedy, comedy, and intriguing plots included.
- When/where: When you’re in the mood for a book that reads more like a TV series than a movie, this is the book for you. It lends itself well both to binge reading or just reading a couple chapters a week.
- How long: 974 pages
- Why: I’m just going to quote Virginia Woolf on this one, because, really, she’s much more qualified to comment on literature than I am: “There, though characters swarm and life flows into every creek and cranny, some common feeling—youth, gaiety, hope—envelops the tumult, brings the scattered parts together, and invests the most perfect of all the Dickens novels with an atmosphere of beauty.” (Collected Essays by Virginia Woolf. Vol. I. New York: Harcourt, Brace & World, Inc., [1925] 1967. 4 vols. Pp. 191- 195.)
Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoyevsky
- Who: Confession: this was my favorite book as a teenager. I know, I know, what kind of teenager likes something as dark and deep as this? But for me it was an absolutely thrilling read. I think adult readers might get more out of it, but I wouldn’t discount an older teen liking it too.
- What: This is a story about Raskolnikov (let’s call him “R” for short) and a double murder he commits. Although originally an experiment to prove how extraordinary men are above the law, R’s interactions with characters in the book force him to reexamine his conscience. Suspenseful, existential, philosophical, and psychological, this book evaluates some tough questions: what is crime and what is punishment?
- When/where: This is a pretty intense and thought-provoking psychological thriller, so I’d highly recommend reading this on a dark and stormy night cuddled up by a heat source with steaming beverage in hand.
- How long: 590 pages
- Why: Although far from a light read, this book nevertheless pulls you into its world–all while skillfully showing what it means to be human.
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
- Who: Probably adults on this one.
- What: This book is a love story, a tragedy, a cautionary tale about the American Dream, and it gives the reader a peek at the decadence of the Roaring 20s, all written in beautiful prose that makes you stop and say, “Oh. That’s what good writing is.”
- When/where: Read this book when you want something well written, full of dazzling imagery, but not a happily ever after.
- How long: 180 pages
- Why: I read this book in high school, and it was completely lost on me. I read it again at 30 (with the release of the new movie), and I loved it. The writing is beautiful, and the plot is so much more relatable to me now. Of all the books on this list, this is the one I most recommend for a re-read. It was eye opening to read it again as an adult.
Les Miserables by Victor Hugo
- Who: Grownups who want to exercise their brains
- What: Whenever I see a paragraph summary of what this book is about, I always feel like they don’t get it quite right–but then I realize that it’s just because there’s so much to this book you can’t possibly summarize it all. You have the convict-turned-hero story of Jean Valjean, the downfall and redemption of Fantine, the militant Inspector Javert, the beautiful and satisfying love story of Cosette and Marius Pontmercy, the brave little Gavroche, the horrifically wicked and selfish Thénardier. And so many satisfying connections between everyone throughout the entire 1463 pages.
- When/where: Read this when you have the time for a long, satisfying, thought-provoking book, rich with intertwined plots and complex characters.
- How long: 1463 pages (really, really long) (really)
- Why: If I were stuck on a desert island alone and could only take one book with me, I’d immediately grab this one. It captures an entire panorama of cliche adjectives for me: lush, beautiful, tragic, awe-inspiring, thought-provoking, human, and timeless.
Dubliners by James Joyce
- Who: Adults who want a thought-provoking period piece and are willing to meet a new story every few pages.
- What: A collection of short stories that portray life in Ireland in the early 1900s–flaws and all.
- When/where: This a great read when you want a burst of intellectual literature but don’t necessarily have the time to devote to a long novel. Since the stories aren’t necessarily intertwined, it’s great for picking up and putting down at your leisure.
- How long: 207 pages
- Why: Ever since I read this in high school, I’ve felt like the stories in it have followed me around and informed my ideas about what makes a great short story. Even though they are “short” stories, I still somehow feel like I came to know the characters on a pretty intense level through his descriptions and their interactions with each other.
Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
- Who: This will probably appeal to women more than men, and will especially appeal to the Civil War buff.
- What: This book paints the picture of the south during the Civil War and the Reconstruction through the eyes of one woman, the iconic spoiled southern belle Scarlett O’Hara.
- When/where: Be ready for a good long read, that follows a character through many hardships. And be ready to feel some sympathy for the South and The Cause.
- How long: 960 pages
- Why: It took me an entire pregnancy to read this one (mostly because it kept coming due at the library), but it was well worth it. I loved the movie, but only through reading the book did I come to like (and even love) Scarlett O’Hara, as I was able to see the complexity of the character and the depth that was there.
Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery
- Who: This is written for all ages.
- What: 11-year-old orphan Anne Shirley is accidently sent to live with the Cuthberts, who were looking for a boy to help run their farm. She manages to work her way into their hearts, and they decide to let her stay. This is the story of a dreamer finding her place in a family, in a school, and in a town, making friends and meeting “kindred spirits” wherever she goes.
- When/where: The way this book is laid out lends itself well to reading it aloud to children. It also makes a great summer read – quick and easy.
- How long: 158 pages
- Why: You will love this book because of Anne Shirley. She is so full of hopes and dreams and imagination, no one can help but like her (whether they are fictional characters in the book, or real life readers).
Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert C. O’Brien
- Who: A Newberry award winner, this is definitely written for children. But every adult could use some juvenile fiction once in awhile, right?
- What: Mrs. Frisby is a mouse who needs to move from her house in the field before the farmer plows it under. When her son gets sick and can’t be moved, she doesn’t know what to do, until she is directed to seek out the mysterious rats of NIMH, who are not what they seem.
- When/where: Really, this book is a return to childhood reading. Good for when you want some mystery and suspense, thrown in with talking mice and thinking rats.
- How long: 240 pages
- Why: It’s a great, suspenseful storyline, and a great introduction to fantasy for children.
1984 by George Orwell
- Who: Written for adults–particularly lovers of dystopian literature.
- What: Big Brother keeps an eye on everything in Oceania in 1984. So when Winston Smith decides to start writing a journal with his true feelings about Big Brother–an act punishable by death–crazy things start to happen.
- When/where: The next time you have a hunkering to reread The Hunger Games, try also reading this one.
- How long: 298 pages
- Why: For as long as Big Technology and Big Government are around, this book will never lose its relevance.
The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery
- Who: Seekers of the imaginative and lovers of clever writing.
- What: This is a difficult book to summarize because it’s often more about the writing and the thoughts than about the plot, but in a nutshell it’s about a boy who leaves the tiny planet he was living on to explore the universe, meeting an array of interesting characters along the way.
- When/where: I’d recommend reading this at a time when you can fully engage with the story and let it bring you into its world.
- How long: 98 pages
- Why: Saint-Exupery’s philosophical musings delved quite deeper into the realm of imagination than I was expecting, leaving me with the urge to reread everything to try and glean more of the beautiful metaphorical substance it held.
Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy
- Who: For the reader who is not afraid of a long book.
- What: This is the parallel story of Anna, who tries to escape a loveless marriage through an affair, and Levin, who tries to build a marriage on love and respect. It examines the Russian class system, love, and relationships, and at it’s heart, shows the dark path adultery can take you down.
- When/where: Read this when you have a good chunk of time you can invest in a great book. It will take a while to get going, and there are a few chapters that don’t really deal with the main plot points, but it’s worth plowing through for the story.
- How long: 976 pages
- Why: This is one I started in high school, but never finished. It is lengthy, has multiple plot lines, and veers off into descriptions of Russian peasant life, but the way everything comes together is so well done.
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