The 28 Best Classic Novels to Read in the Modern Era
I’ve been a fan of classic books since reading The Odyssey in High School. Ever since then, I’ve been constantly searching for the best classic novels to read.
The biggest issue I have is that some classics are too dense or have too many outdated or offensive references. While I try to contextualize each classic that I read, I find that some are still unreadable. No matter what, I’ll never love Moby Dick for example.
In choosing which classic novels we included on this list, I tried to pick stories that would appeal to modern readers.
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Best Classic Novels
Plot
The classic story by Alcott has survived for generations for a reason, the way she wonderfully encapsulates what it’s like to be in a family. The highs and lows of the personal and collective lives of Beth, Jo, Amy, and Meg are an endearing testimony to the bonds of sisters.
Why Jackie loves it
I remember reading this coming-of-age novel with my grandmother when I was young. It features a family of four girls who are trying to support each other and their mother while their father is away at war.
Find this book in: Literary Classics / Books about Motherhood / Coming-of-Age Books for Teens / Fun Books for Teens
Of Mice and Men
Author: John Steinbeck
Year: 1937
Genre: Historical Fiction
More info: Penguin Classic
Age Range: 12+
Plot
This is the story of George and Lennie, migrant workers during the Great Depression. Their only goal is to find a small piece of land that they can call their own. When they find a job in the Salinas Valley, it feels as though their goals are finally within reach.
This book is another one of my favorites and it also happens to be a short one. Â George and Lennie have stuck with me for the last 20-plus years. This is a story about friendship that is also a tragedy.
Why Jackie loves it
There is something about Lennie’s innocence that is haunting. Â There is a moment (if you have read it, you know what I am talking about) that makes this book unforgettable.
Find this book in: Best Classic Novels to Read / Books With Neurodivergent Characters
Plot
This is the classic tale of Odysseus’s struggle to leave the Trojan War and return to his beloved wife, Penelope, and his homeland of Ithaca. Homer’s original tale has spawned countless retellings, movie adaptations, and literary scholars. From epic monsters to vengeful gods this book is filled with iconic legends and stories within stories.
Why Kirsten loves it
There is a reason this boat book is one of my favorite books of all time. I find this classic tale to be so entertaining. Â It’s a classic for a reason. Odysseus’s struggle to get home to his family is truly epic. Those Greeks sure knew what they were doing.
Find this book in: Literary Classics / Long Books / Boat Books / Greek Mythology / Kirsten’s Favorite Books
One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
January 2004 Oprah Book Club Pick
This multi-generational family saga is about the Buendiá family and their hometown, the magical Maconda. It’s a comedy, a tragedy, and it looks at the rise and fall of the town’s founding family.
For the record, I read this book BEFORE Oprah picked it! We spent a semester learning about this family saga in high school. Each person was assigned a symbol to report on throughout the book each week.
Mine was goldfish -part of the symbolism of amnesia and the duality between amnesia and nostalgia. Yep. I still remember the lesson. Maybe the teaching contributed, but this remains one of my favorite books ever.
Find this book in Kirsten’s Favorites / Magical Realism Books / Classic Books
Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Are you a fan of Rose’s storyline from Downton Abbey? Well, our swinging-dancing, jazz-loving, rebellious debutante would be perfectly happy inside Fitzgerald’s famed novel.
The book might take place in America, but the same ideas of the class divide and resistance to change in the most opulent of settings could be felt in England too.
Daisy and Gatsby’s story still seems so relevant today too. This tragic love story is a classic for a reason.
Find this book in Books set in New York / Classic Books / 1920s Novels
Must-Read Classic Books
Beloved by Toni Morrison
HOW HAVE I NEVER READ TONI MORRISON BEFORE? I swear I thought I had read this book, but after reading The Toni Morrison Book Club, I realized I hadn’t. When my library hold finally came up for this one, I realized I was so excited to read it.
Morrison is easily one of the most gifted writers I’ve ever read. Beloved, which is based on the true story of a runaway slave, haunted me while I was reading it. I can’t wait to read more of her work.
Find this book in Magical Realism Books / Best Classic Books / Books about Motherhood / Ghost Books
The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky
I read this MASSIVE text for fun when I was a sophomore in college. It took me an entire semester but it was worth it. Dostoevsky’s classic features a mystery, multiple love triangles, and brother relationships.
It’s about the four sons of Fyodor Karamazov and the change in their worlds after he is murdered. As with most families, each brother is very different and their reactions to the murder are as well. It’s a SUPER complex book but it’s seriously worth it.
Find this book in Literary Classics
The Count of Monte Cristo
Author: Alexander Dumas
Year: 1844
Genre: Historical Fiction
More info: Translated from French
Age Range: 14+
Plot
The first time I read this book was actually before I saw the movie Shawshank Redemption. I read it a bunch of times and loved it. I did not realize, however, that it was an abridged version.
When I was at University, I embarked on a journey to read the unabridged version of this book. I was so amazed at the brilliance and detail that it has been a favorite ever since.
Edmund Dantès is thrown into the Chateau D’If for a crime he did not commit. There, he meets a fellow prisoner who teaches him to read and write, math, languages, and how to fight, all within the confines of their cells before telling him of a treasure. When the other prisoner dies, Dantès escapes and seeks his revenge on those who had him sent to prison. All of this is set in the time of Napolean Bonaparte who is a part of the political landscape of the book.
Why Jackie loves it
There is a reason this classic is still read today. This is the original story of revenge. The writing, plot, and details in this book are unsurpassed.
Find this book in: Best Classic Novels / Literary Classics Worth Reading / Jackie’s Top 10 All-Time Favorite Books / Books Set in France to Love / Books with Food in the Title
Rebecca
Author: Daphne Du Maurier
Year: 1938
Genre: Thriller
More info: National Book Award Winner, 1938
Anthony Award Winner, 2000
Age Range: 14+
Plot
The OG psychological thriller book, Rebecca is a book set in Cornwall that will leave you checking behind you when you walk down a dark hallway.
The new Mrs. de Winter is haunted by her husband’s first wife, Rebecca. The deceit will have you second-guessing everything you read while you yell at the pages. It is a chilling novel about a naive second wife discovering the truth behind the wife who came before her.
The Netflix book adaptation stars Lily James and it reignited this popular thriller book’s success. If you have not read this book, it is a perfect book for fall.
Why Kirsten loves it
One of the most acclaimed psychological thriller authors, Daphne Du Maurier is at her best in this chilling psychological thriller. Everything about this gothic thriller will make you feel a little bit uncomfortable. I love Du Maurier and I have read this classic more than once.
Why Jackie loves it
I was at least 50 pages into this book when I called Kirsten and asked if I would ever learn the new Mrs. De Winter’s name. The fact that the main character remains nameless throughout the book adds to the thrill of the book. It is a classic that everyone should read at least once.
Find this book in: Best Mystery Novels / Popular Thriller Books / Unreliable Narrator Books / Best Classic Books / British Books / Best Psychological Thriller Books
Sci-fi and Fantasy Classic Books to Read
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
Coelho’s classic book is a one-sitting fantasy read that is an utter delight.
Santiago embarks on an adventure to look for treasures in the desert of Egypt after meeting a mystical being. Along the way, he makes friends, learns lessons, and finds love.
This fable holds a wealth of knowledge and wisdom that opens the reader’s mind up to the true joys of life.
Find this book in Best Classic Books
Plot
In the secluded glen of Sleepy Hollow, the Headless Horseman haunts the residents. He’s the ghost of a soldier from the Revolutionary War.
New schoolmaster Ichabod Crane encounters the ghoul, and the legend lives on. This classic fantasy novel is a must-read around Halloween.
Trigger Warnings
Racism
Why Kirsten loves it
I was first exposed to this tale as a child via the Disney animated remake of Irving’s beloved story. I found the original quite compelling and it solidified to me why it’s such a reknown tale.
Find this book in: Literary Classics / Family Halloween Movies Based on Books /Best Short Stories and Collections
Lord of the Rings
Author: J.R.R Tolkein
Year: 1954
Genre: Fantasy
More info: Classic Fantasy and Academy Award-Winning Movie Adaptation
Age Range: 15+
Plot
It is hard to believe that this trilogy was published in 1954. This epic fantasy is the first in a trilogy that has withstood the test of time. In ancient times, on Middle Earth, the elves created the Rings of Power. Sauron, the dark lord, forged his own ring, The One Ring, that ruled over all the others. The ring went missing and was discovered by Bilbo Baggins, the hobbit. Now, Sauron’s power is rising and the only way to stop him is to destroy the ring.
Gandolf the Wizard; Merry, Pippin, and Sam the Hobbits; Gimli the Dwarf; Legolas the Elf; Boromir of Gandor (a human); and Aragorn (called Strider initially but is the King of Men), set out together on a quest to destroy the ring. This is the ultimate story of the fight between good and evil and the fight to overcome the evil within.
Trigger Warnings
Death, violence
Why Jackie loves it
This is an epic trilogy with world-building and characters that are timeless. I love that there are not hundreds of characters to keep track of which makes this series feel more readable than some of the other series with generations of characters to remember
Find this book in: Best Classic Novels to Read / Books Like Game of Thrones / Adult Fantasy Novels /Best Long Books over 500 Pages
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
Bradbury’s dystopian classic is one of the most well-known pieces of modern literature but I hadn’t read it! I don’t usually gravitate to books like this, but I’ve heard so many people speak about the relevance of this novel today.
It’s so true. This book offers a grim look at our future if our society continues down the road of this technology obsession we seem to have. If you liked 1984 or The Circle, you will devour this book.
Find this book in Best Classic Novels / Sci-Fi Books, Thought-Provoking Books / Books about Books
Classic Romance Novels
This book is my favorite book of all time. After reading Du Maurier’s Rebecca, I was eager to read more of her novels. At the time, my grandparents had a home in a Florida enclave by the same name so I picked it up and read it.
Only after I fell in love with this tale of
Find this book in Kirsten’s Favorites, Books set in Cornwall, Pirate Books, Classic Romance Novels
Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare
Romeo and Juliet is usually covered during the high school years, but if you haven’t learned about this classic book, you need to read it!
Shakespeare’s beloved story is a tragic romance set in Verona, Italy. It’s about the children of two warring families, Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet who start meeting in secret away from their parent’s machinations.
Find this book in Books Like Disney Movies / Classic Romance Novels
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
We love this classic love story. This love story has everything you could want. Elizabeth Bennet is a smart and stubborn woman who was ahead of her time. With 5 Bennet girls, one of them must marry well to support the other sisters.
There are so many new and wonderful adaptations of this novel, that we did an entire post on it. And you don’t want to miss the other Jane Austen adaptations in the post as well.
Austen is a master of romances and this book is the original enemies-to-lovers novel! It’s my favorite of all the Jane Austen books.
Find this book in Books About Sisters / Enemies-to-Lovers Books / Jane Austen Books in Order / Grumpy Sunshine Books / Classic Romance Novels
More Literary Classic Books to Read
The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
Not all books with unreliable narrators are mysteries and thrillers. Sylvia Plath’s semi-autobiographical work shows Esther Greenwood’s mental breakdown. While working as a summer intern in New York City, Esther is sexually assaulted and returns home to recuperate.
With her academic dreams on hold, Esther falls into a deep depression and attempts suicide, eventually sent to a psychiatric hospital to recover. With its deep insights into mental health and gender roles, Plath’s novel is a great classic book to read.
Find this book in Literary Classics / Unreliable Narrator, Books Set in New York
Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
The only Charles Dickens book I’ve ever read and was recently nominated for PBS’s Great American Read.
The story features orphan Pip who comes into an unexpected fortune. His life is changed forever when he becomes a man of leisure and meets beautiful but aloof Estella. It’s a great tale that could just as easily have been set in modern-day London.
Find this book in Must-Read Classic Books
The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne
If you didn’t read this book in high school, you should consider reading it now! Set in Puritan Massachusetts, The Scarlet Letter tells the story of Hester Prynne, a woman condemned to wear the letter A for the rest of her life after giving birth to a bastard child.
When her husband who is presumed dead finds out about the baby, he takes up a new name and vows to find the unknown father. As her daughter, Pearl, grows, we learn of the impact Hester’s shunning has on her life as well.
Find this book in Classic Novels to Read / Books With a Color in the Title
The Awakening by Kate Chopin
Chopin’s The Awakening was considered scandalous when it was first published back in the Victorian era. This literary classic involves a woman in a loveless marriage who turns away from her husband to ignite a passionate romance. It’s one of the best classic romance novels ever written.
Find this book in Literary Classics
The Best Classic Mystery Books
And Then There Were None
Author: Agatha Christie
Year: 1939
Genre: Classic Mystery
Spice Rating:đź’‹
Age Range: 16+
Plot
A mysterious person is trying to right the wrongs of the past by luring unsuspecting criminals to a deserted island…and then murdering them one by one. But who is the killer? Why are they killing? And just how long have they been stalking their prey? You have to figure out whodunit in this unreliable narrator book.
Why Kirsten loves it
This Agatha Christie book is one of the best stories she has EVER written. It was fast-paced, totally engaging and I did not see the ending coming. Each murder was more clever then the one before. Check out the black and white movie based on the book. It’s great!
Why Jackie loves it
A classic for a reason, Agatha Christie broke the mold with this book. It’s one of the most well-plotted mysteries I’ve ever read.
Find this book in: Unreliable Narrator Book / Best Classic Novels / Historical Mystery Books / Agatha Christie Books in Order / Best Mystery Books / Locked Room Mysteries
The Complete Sherlock Holmes Collection
Author: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Year: 1887-1927
Genre: Mystery
More info:
Age Range: 12+
Plot
Sherlock Holmes’ ability to solve each crime is fascinating. His observations are astute and I can never, ever guess who committed the crime.
If you are looking for the best mystery books of all time, Sherlock Holmes cannot be missed. This complete collection has all the short stories and the 4 Holmes novels.
Why Kirsten loves it
I am a HUGE detective story lover and no one does detective stories better than Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. These books have inspired countless adaptations and retellings since their initial publication.
Find this book in: Sherlock Holmes Books / Literary Classics / Best Mystery Books / British Mysteries / Short Stories
Classic Books for Teens
Anne of Green Gables
Author: L. M. Montgomery
Year: 1908
Genre: Classic
Age: 10+
More info: Anne of Green Gables #1
Plot
I was immediately drawn to Anne upon first reading this story. She is smart, precocious, and has a way of making everyone love her while simultaneously finding new ways to get into trouble.
Anne is an orphan sent to live with siblings Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert who wanted a male orphan to help them on the farm. Anne was sent to them instead. She is bright, loquacious, and wins their hearts.
Why Kirsten loves it
I cherish this entire book series and the TV miniseries inspired by it. I vividly remember watching Megan Follows as Anne completely transfixed. I was so enamored, that I remember asking my grandmother to get me the books to read!
Why Jackie loves it
This is one of my all-time favorite books. Something is comforting about this cozy book that makes me read it repeatedly. It is a beautiful book about friendship and found family. Because of this book, I hope to visit Prince Edward Island one day.
Find this book in: Coming-of-Age Books / Friendship Books / Realistic Fiction / Books with Green in the Title / Fun Books for Teens
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Author: F. Scott Fitzgerald
Year: 1922
Genre: Short Story
More info: Inspired Movie starring Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett
Age Range: 12+
Plot
This short story revolves around a man who aged in reverse – born as a 70-year-old and ending his life as a newborn. He has a chance at love and experiences life’s ups and downs throughout his odd life.
Why Kirsten loves it
I listened to this one while doing the laundry the other night, it’s only an hour long but I rather liked it! I liked it so much that I was frustrated that it wasn’t a full-blown novel.
Find this book in: Best Classic Books /1920s Novels / Short Story Collections
Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe
I recall being enraptured by this first book in Chinua Achebee’s African trilogy when I first read it in high school. Achebee’s story about colonization opened my eyes to the roots of our society and the destruction that colonizers did to the people they enslaved and oppressed.
This story will forever be one I thank for opening my eyes and teaching me lessons in a way I could feel in my soul. It’s a perfect example of how a well-told fictional story can leave a lasting impact on young minds.
Find this book in African Novels / Literary Classic
Classic Novels for Kids
Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson
This swashbuckling tale of piracy and treasure is perfect for children and adults alike. Long John Silver is quite a scary villain, whose legacy lives on in Halloween costumes everywhere.
One-legged, parrot-wearing, map-loving pirates everywhere can thank Robert Louis Stevenson for the inspiration. Why not read this book set in Cornwall to your little buccaneer at bedtime?
Find this book in Pirate Books / Best Classic Books / Books Set in Cornwall
Le Petit Prince (The Little Prince) by Antoine Se Saint Exupery
I read this book in both English and French. After all, I am from Canada. This is not a long book, it is easy to read. Yet, the full meaning is deep and poetic. This is the perfect classic to tackle if you are intimidated by very long books.
Find this book in Classic Books
Plot
Peter Pan is the flying leader of Neverland, a mythical world on a star, where he fights pirates, plays with mermaids, and frollicks around with the lost boys. When he decides he needs someone to tell him stories, he recruits Wendy, John, and Michael to come live with him. But while the Darling children love their new life at first, they soon begin missing their family and lives at home.
Why Kirsten loves it
Peter Pan is one of my favorite childhood stories. The magical world of Neverland with its pirates, mermaids, and faires captured my imagination and never let me go. I’ve seen every Peter Pan movie and I devour Peter Pan retellings like chocolate.
Why Jackie loves it
The story of Peter Pan and his adventures with the Darling children have inspired countless spin-off books, movies, and theatrical productions for a reason. It’s a must-read classic children’s book for everyone.
Find this book in: Pirate Books / Classic Kids Books / Cozy Books / Tween Fantasy Books
35 of the Best Classic Books for Kids by Age
For more classic novels for kids, head over to this article.
