16 Wonderful Literary Classics Worth Reading
I’ve been a literary classics book lover for a long time. It comes down to fantastic teachers that taught books like The Odyssey in approachable and fun ways. I firmly believe there is a right “classic” for everyone, even if you’ve never loved them in the past.
School reading lists are filled with classic literature books. But if you did not tackle these while you were in school, we still encourage your to read some of these literary classics on this list to see what the fuss is about.
Also, if you are looking to venture into the world of classics, it might make sense to try them out in Audio. There are so many ways to listen to these literary classics and many of these are narrated by celebrity narrators as well.
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Literary Classics Written by Women
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
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.
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: Books for 13-year-olds / Literary Classics / Books about Motherhood / Coming-of-Age Books for Teens
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
Fantasy Literary Classics
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
The Odyssey by Homer
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. This is one of the OG adult fantasy novels.
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.
I’m constantly picking up something new and reading it along with A Thousand Ships and The Lost Sisterhood gave me so much to think about.
Find this book in Literary Classics / Long Books / Boat Books
More Literary Classics
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
The Complete Sherlock Holmes Collection by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
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 I Love 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
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
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
Epic 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
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.
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 well, brother relationships. It’s a SUPER complex book but it’s seriously worth it.
For more books like these, check out our list of 58 of the Best Long Books over 500 Pages
Literary Classics for Kids
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
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland
Author: Lewis Carrol
Illustrator: Minalima
Year: 1865
Genre: Classic Children’s Fiction
Age: 8 – 12
More info: Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland #1
Plot
When Alice falls down a rabbit hole, she enters Wonderland’s magical world, filled with fantastical creatures. As she tries to return to the human world, she endures adventures of epic proportions.
Written over a century ago, Lewis Carroll’s fantasy world of Wonderland is one of the most unique worlds ever written. From the Queen of Hearts to the Cheshire Cat, these characters have inspired countless retellings and movies.
Why Kirsten loves it
Lewis Carroll’s Alice is as trippy as the Disney version leads you to believe. His imagination was fascinating and the story details are so wonderful.Â
Jackie’s Thoughts
My daughter recently came home with this tween fantasy book from school. It is classic and many children know the story of Alice. While my daughter loves the Disney version of this book, She did not enjoy the original. For her, it was too creepy.
Find this book in: Literary Classics Worth Reading / Fantasy Books for Tweens
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 one to your little buccaneer at bedtime?
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
Wow, there’s only three on this list that I haven’t read! And, yes, they are totally worth reading if you’re a bookworm. Classics are classic for a reason.
Which 3 haven’t you read?