New Delhi: There’s a lot of debate about what makes certain books ‘classics’ – is it their longevity, popularity, literary merit, or all of these? Are all the books we see as ‘classic’ deserving of that title? Should some lesser-known books be considered ‘classics’ instead?
These questions have no easy answers, and opinions on which classic books should be read by everyone will always vary. Listed below is a variety of books which are, however, a good starting point, covering literature from a range of time periods and genres. From an Indian family saga to a Renaissance revenge tragedy, to a collection of short stories set in turn-of-the-century Ireland, there really is something for everyone here. You should at least read these classics once in your lifetime.
10 Must-Read Classic Novels
To give yourself a good literary grounding, we’ve narrowed it down to our top 10 must-read classic novels, many of which are still included on school reading lists today. From Harper Lee’s exploration of racial tensions in To Kill a Mockingbird, to Emily Brontë’s gothic romance Wuthering Heights and F. Scott Fitzgerald’s Jazz Age masterpiece The Great Gatsby, these are the classic books we can bet you’ll want to revisit time and time again.
1. Pride and Prejudice – Jane Austen
Pride and Prejudice – Jane Austen | Dover Publications
Pride and Prejudice is much more than a love story: it’s a family comedy, a satire on Regency society, and a moral tale teaching us not to judge others too hastily. Its star is Elizabeth Bennet, whose quick wit and fiery personality make her more than a match for the brooding and sardonic, but ultimately kind-hearted, Mr Darcy. There are several memorable side characters too, including the crawling vicar Mr. Collins and Lizzy’s emotional, marriage-obsessed mother, Mrs. Bennet.
2. Jane Eyre – Charlotte Brontë
Jane Eyre – Charlotte Brontë | Smith, Elder & Co.
In Jane Eyre, we witness the titular character develop from a plain, timid orphan into a headstrong, principled young woman who falls in love with her employer, Mr. Rochester, but will not allow him to compromise her independence. In her quest for stability and happiness, she encounters poverty, the loss of loved ones, and mysterious noises coming from the attic of Mr. Rochester’s mansion.
3. Wuthering Heights – Emily Brontë
Wuthering Heights – Emily Brontë | Simon & Schuster
Emily Brontë’s complex, Gothic-flavoured novel makes an interesting companion to her sister’s more straightforwardly romantic Jane Eyre. In Wuthering Heights, Cathy and Heathcliff, childhood friends, are separated by class and their own questionable decisions; however, their all-consuming passion for one another is something which quite literally never dies. It’s a story of desire but also of the damaging effects of abuse and isolation on children.
4. Great Expectations – Charles Dickens
Great Expectations – Charles Dickens | Chapman & Hall
Any of Charles Dickens’ novels will give you a flavour of his flair for creating wacky characters and his compassion for the poor, but Great Expectations is perhaps the most universally loved of them all. It tells the story of Pip, who, after helping an escaped convict on the marshes and working as a companion to the frightening, deluded Miss Havisham, is told to nurse ‘great expectations’ for his future. Raised from poverty to live the opulent life of a London socialite, he hopes to win the hand of the disdainful Estella but comes to realise that the things he thought would bring him happiness are nothing compared to the family he has left behind.
5. The Great Gatsby – F. Scott Fitzgerald
The Great Gatsby – F. Scott Fitzgerald | Charles Scribner’s Sons
In this novella, Nick Carraway, the rather dull narrator, moves to an affluent suburb of New York and is quickly drawn into a world of extravagant parties, decadence, and conceit, a world epitomised by his mysterious neighbour, Jay Gatsby. This is the classic American novel of hedonism and disillusionment, filled with descriptions as elegant as Gatsby’s glamorous clothes.
6. Nineteen Eighty-Four – George Orwell
Nineteen Eighty-Four – George Orwell | Secker & Warburg
You should read this book if only to understand where pop culture references like ‘Big Brother’, ‘the Thought Police’ and ‘Room 101’ originated. It’s one of the most iconic examples of dystopian fiction; the main character, Winston, lives in a repressive state which is perpetually at war. He is trapped in an uninspiring job and subject to constant streams of propaganda, with his every move monitored by nameless government officials. Desperate to break free, he embarks on an illicit relationship with his co-worker Julia, which has devastating consequences.
7. To Kill A Mockingbird – Harper Lee
To Kill A Mockingbird – Harper Lee | J. B. Lippincott & Co.
Set in the American Deep South, To Kill A Mockingbird combines issues of social injustice with a gentle coming-of-age story. The main character, Scout, observes the quirky characters she meets around her with humour and warmth, but the novel has a dark side, too: Scout’s father, Atticus, is defending a black man against a charge of rape, despite facing almost insurmountable prejudice from his fellow white townsfolk.
8. Rebecca – Daphne du Maurier
Rebecca – Daphne du Maurier | Victor Gollancz Ltd
This page-turning Gothic mystery may seem to have a love story at its heart, but appearances can be deceiving. Du Maurier leads us to question not only what happened to Rebecca, the previous Mrs de Winter, but also whether Mr de Winter is really as charming as he seems and whether the narrator herself is entirely reliable. Featuring raging fires, love affairs, and murder, Rebecca is the work of a mistress of the macabre writing at the height of her powers.
9. Dubliners – James Joyce
Dubliners – James Joyce | Grant Richards Ltd., London
Joyce’s early collection of short stories brings early twentieth-century Dublin to life in its depictions of religion, romance, politics, and petty crime. Though the stories tackle topics as diverse as the death of an aged priest, the frustrations of an alcoholic stuck in a mind-numbingly dull job, and a lonely older man who cannot bear to let go of the habits which rule his life, they are linked by a common sense of Ireland’s stifling paralysis and a restless desire for change. The stories are often tragic but always worthwhile, eliciting new interpretations with every re-read.
10. The Catcher in the Rye – J.D. Salinger
The Catcher in the Rye – J.D. Salinger | Little, Brown and Company
A witty and wise coming-of-age story, The Catcher in the Rye is a true timeless classic. It’s Christmas and Holden Caulfield has just been expelled from yet another school. He floats around New York City seeking solace in fleeting encounters, always thinking of his younger sister Phoebe, the only person who really understands him. An elegy to teenage alienation, capturing the need for connection and the bewilderment of adolescence, this story is as relevant today as it was when it was first published in the 1950s.
It seems as if every week, there’s another ‘must read’ hitting the shelves, making it harder than ever to keep up with the latest trends when it comes to your personal book list.
But while there are many, many novels out there to enjoy, some are considered arguably greater or more important than others – whether for their excellent prose, thought-provoking storylines, or the boundaries they broke at the time of publishing. However much or little you like to dip into the pages of a novel, these are some books everyone should consider reading at least once in their life.
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