List of the Best Books to Read

Paradigm: Ryan MacEachern/Penguin

Everyone loves a classic novel, but where to get-go? From Jane Austen to Charles Dickens, Toni Morrison to Fyodor Dostoevsky, the fiction canon is so vast you can easily go lost in it.

So we asked our readers to tell us about their favourite classic books. The resulting listing of must-reads is a perfect style to find inspiration to starting time your classics adventure. In that location's something for everyone, from family sagas and dystopian fiction to romances and historical fiction.

And if yous bask this, you lot tin can likewise acquire about our reader's favourite books past female authors, most loved children's books and the best memoirs they've ever read.

Start at the starting time of our list (books are ranked in no particular order) and tick them off as y'all go on this handy downloadable listing, or you lot tin can jump to:

25 | 50 | 75 | 100

one. Pride and Prejudice past Jane Austen (1813)

We said: It is a truth universally acknowledged that when most people call back of Jane Austen they think of this charming and humorous story of love, hard families and the tricky chore of finding a handsome husband with a good fortune.

You lot said: Philosophy, history, wit, and the most passionate honey story.

Francesca, Twitter

two. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (1960)

Nosotros said: A novel earlier its fourth dimension, Harper Lee's Pulitzer-prize winner addresses issues of race, inequality and segregation with both levity and compassion. Told through the eyes of loveable rogues Sentinel and Jem, information technology also created one of literature'southward most honey heroes – Atticus Finch, a homo determined to right the racial wrongs of the Deep S.

Y'all said: A jarring & poignantly beautiful story about how humans treat each other.

Greygardens, Twitter

3. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald (1925)

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

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

Joe T, Twitter

4. One Hundred Years of Solitude past Gabriel García Márquez (1967)

We said: Gabriel García Márquez's multi-generational spanning magnum opus was a landmark in Spanish literature.

Y'all said: Magic realism at its best. Both funny and moving, this book made me reverberate for weeks on the inexorable march of time.

Andre C, Twitter

5. In Cold Blood by Truman Capote (1965)

We said: The 'true criminal offense' Tv bear witness / podcast you lot're obsessed with probably owes a debt to this masterpiece of reportage by Truman Capote. Chilling and brilliant.

Yous said: In this groundbreaking novel, completed after six backbreaking years of enquiry, Capote invented a new genre - the 'Nonfiction Novel' - applying prose techniques to fact. It spawned the school of New Journalism & invented the true crime genre as we know information technology.

Kgjephcott, Twitter

6. Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys (1966)

We said: JeanRhys wrote this feminist and anti-colonial prequel to Charlotte Bronte'south novel Jane Eyre which chronicles the events of Mr Rochester'southward disastrous wedlock to Antoinette Conway or Bertha as nosotros come to know her.

You lot said: Rhys took a character from a classic novel and breathed new life into the "madwoman in the attic" based on her own experiences/world view. She beautifully showed how the stories we read fold into our lives to brand new stories.

Eric A, Twitter

7. Brave New World by Aldous Huxley (1932)

We said: One of the greatest and nearly prescient dystopian novels e'er written, this should be on everyone's must-read list.

You lot said: Given the exponential growth of AI, Machine Learning & Robotics, Huxley'south vision acts equally a warning. Volition we rise and claiming those who seek to shape our future or sleepwalk toward conditioning past technology?

David G, Twitter

8. I Capture The Castle by Dodie Smith (1948)

We said: Cassandra Mortmain'due south upbringing in a crumbling castle with her eccentric family may not be anybody's experience, merely we can guarantee her coming-of-age story with all its enchanting and disenchanting moments volition resonate for many.

You said: A 'children's book' that speaks volumes (ha) nigh unrequited honey 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)

Nosotros said: One of literature's steeliest heroines, in her short life Jane Eyre has overcome a traumatic babyhood just to be challenged by 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 use of the commencement-person narrative.

Yous said:Because Jane is a office model: she stands up for herself, others and what she believes in, but isn't also proud to requite second chances to those whose fourth dimension is running out.

Sarah F, Twitter

10. Crime and Penalization 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'due south part tin costless him from the parasitic guilt nested in his soul. A brilliant read if you loved Breaking Bad.

Y'all said:No other novel has made me feel so much for the main characters, so securely depicted by the author. I felt like an orphan when I finished information technology and it's the only novel I've re-read several times.

Angie 5, Twitter

eleven. The Secret History past Donna Tartt (1992)

We 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 dark secret. A gripping and tense read.

You said: A modernistic classic - so well-articulated and written (something that'due south difficult to come up by these days). Likewise, EXCELLENT PLOT!

AnamiAndBooks, Twitter

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

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

You said: Considering everyone who loves the earth knows it'south true.

Helen D, Twitter

13. The Chrysalids by John Wyndham (1955)

Nosotros said:An allegoric dystopia written in the wake of the 2d World War, The Chrysalids cleverly strives to denounce acts of the past while including a profound plea for tolerance.

Y'all said: A post-apocalyptic novel, near intolerance, loneliness, friendship, and what it ways to exist human. A fantastic sci-fi novel, as relevant today as it was in the 50s.

Hollie B, Twitter

fourteen. Persuasion past Jane Austen (1818)

We said: Austen's concluding completed novel earlier her untimely expiry was one tinged with heartache and regret. Anne Elliot's feelings for the handsome Helm Wentworth are re-ignited when he returns from sea. Will they get a 2nd take chances at happiness?

You said: This continues to be my favourite novel. Information technology is a more mature love story, full of humourous, delightful observations of human behaviour. It offers us a glimpse of redemption. We change every bit nosotros grow, and the mistakes made in our youth can exist 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'south.

Y'all said: The great American novel: swell characters, wonderful linguistic communication, thick with the Bible and Thomas Browne, and has the best opening sentence ever. What's not to like?

David H, Twitter

 16. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe past C.S. Lewis (1950)

Nosotros said: C.S. Lewis's timeless tale captured the hearts of children everywhere with its fantastical earth through the wardrobe, full of fauns, dwarves and anthropomorphised animals. Whether y'all were Peter, Edmund, Susan or Lucy, nosotros all wanted to put on a fur glaze and keep a snow-laden adventure with Mr Tumnus.

You said: A beautiful timeless tale of innocence, wonder and sacrifice for immature and old akin. It was 1 of the first books that I read from embrace to comprehend without putting down!

Adisha Grand, Twitter

17. To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf (1927)

Nosotros said: To the Lighthouse is a daring novel with little regard for rules. At that place's no consistent narrator, scant dialogue and virtually 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: Y'all feel similar yous're stood on top of a cliff with the ocean breeze blowing right through your bones.

‏Halcyonbookdays, Twitter

18. The Expiry of the Heart by 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, after her mother's decease. There, she falls for the attractive cad Eddie. A devastating exploration of boyish dearest and innocence betrayed.

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

Heather O, Twitter

xix. Tess of the d'Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy (1891)

We said: It received mixed reviews it was first published, in role considering it challenged Victorian ideals of purity and sexual morals. Simply Thomas Hardy's unflinching account of Tess's bid for salvation in a society set to condemn her is a harrowing and powerful read.

Yous said: This novel teaches us most the position of women in the past and their moments of frailty versus moments of forcefulness. Basically, an important insight for anybody to have!

Abbie H, Twitter

20. Frankenstein by Mary Shelley (1823)

Nosotros 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 ample.

You said: Chosen for all the questions it raises about consequences and taking responsibility for your deportment; nature versus nurture; the value of friendship. I could go on.

Julie A, Twitter

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

We said:This spine-chilling story was censored by Stalin and sadly simply published afterwards Mikhail Bulgakov'southward expiry.

You 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 50. P. Hartley of a young boy'southward loss of innocence and a disquisitional view of club at the end of the Victorian era.

You said: Every bit a 17-year-erstwhile, I was completely absorbed by this story, wishing Leo was my brother so that I could protect him from the thwarting that awaited him.

Rapsodiafestiva, Twitter

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

We said: A psychiatric ward in Oregon is ruled past a tyrannical head nurse, merely 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 there is more than to life than following rules. Having joy and being spontaneous are every bit of import as anything else in life.

Darren B, Twitter

24. Nineteen Eighty-4 by George Orwell (1949)

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

Yous said: I showtime read this volume years ago, and was glad I would never have to be a part of that kind of lodge. Nonetheless, here I am in 2018, and then much of that novel has come true.

Donna J, Twitter

25. Buddenbrooks by Thomas Mann (1901)

We said:In Thomas Mann's semi-autobiographical family unit epic, he portrays the tedious 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: Information technology's a corking novel about the ascent and fall of a family unit, the relationship betwixt fathers and sons, and the conflict betwixt art and business. Well, and I take to say I practice honey family sagas.

Peter L, Twitter

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

We said: Mayhap John Steinbeck's finest novel, this is a beautifully evocative and, by the terminate, devastating read.

Y'all said: Migration in search of work and a better future. A modern-day story. Yet makes my peel tingle.

Morven, Twitter

27. Dear past Toni Morrison (1987)

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

You said: This volume is amazing. Beautifully written, haunting and the level of detail 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 3rd full-length novel featuring P. Chiliad. Wodehouse's 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 lite comic novel. Intricate plotting and brilliant command of English language prose.

Matt F, Twitter

29. Dracula past Bram Stoker (1897)

We said: Bram Stoker's novel is told by multiple narrators in a series of diary entries, letters, newspaper articles and ships' logs; an former 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 similar our mod vampires aka Edward Cullen.

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

Rob Thou, Twitter

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

We said: Mayhap the greatest story ever told, J. R. R. Tolkien's incredible trilogy of otherworldliness brought a world of hobbits, dwarves, elves and orcs to life in a fashion never read before. Ultimately a tale of companionship and the boxing between skilful and evil, the fictional world of Centre World has endured to become far greater than the sum of its parts.

You said: It's got the great sweeping story, romance, heroism, self-sacrifice, social commentary... it's not just magic and elves!

Anne O, Twitter

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

We said: Meander down the Mississippi River with Huck Finn and Tom Sawyer; on the surface, it'south a simple take a chance but dig a piffling deeper into Marking Twain'southward novel and discover undercurrents of slavery, abuse and corruption in what Hemingway described as 'The best book we've had'.

You lot said: This book demonstrates how a young boy learns to call back for himself, and shows us how we can, too. It'south funny, sweetness and sad – sometimes all in the same paragraph.

Richard C, Twitter

32. Great Expectations by Charles Dickens (1860)

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

You said: This book is not but important equally a literary masterpiece and an evocative story - it also has universal appeal as, unfortunately, many children in today's world undergo the same suffering every bit Pip.

Ayesha K, Twitter

33. Catch-22 by Joseph Heller (1961)

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

You said: In my opinion, there is no book that meliorate 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)

We said: A newlywed couple is shaken up by the arrival of the helpmate's free-spirited and charismatic cousin Ellen, who piques the husband's interests. He must determine to save a crumbling marriage or pursue his passions. Edith Wharton became the offset woman to win the Pulitzer Prize in 1921 for this novel which explores love, lust and social class, set in the Gilt Age of New York.

Y'all said: "When SHE comes she is different, and one doesn't know why...".

Lulu B, Twitter

35. Things Fall Autonomously past Chinua Achebe (1958)

We said: Information technology has come up to be seen as the archetypal modern African novel in English and is read widely across Africa and Nigeria in which it is prepare. It follows the Okonowo a slap-up and famous warrior and the most powerful men of his clan. Just when outsiders threaten his clan's manner of life - will his atmosphere and pride be his downfall? Read information technology to notice out.

You said: A compelling and important exploration of cultural identity in relation to both the ascent 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)

Nosotros said: Dorothea Brooke and the other inhabitants of Middlemarch grapple with fine art, religion, science, politics, cocky and society in the pb-upwards to the Showtime Reform Bill of 1832 in a literary exploration of human follies.This book is considered by many to be the greatest Victorian novel.

You lot said: This book is superb in form and content. There is no better dissection of and insight into human society. She was the Shakespeare of her twenty-four hour period and Middlemarch is her finest novel.

Tim R, Twitter

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

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

You said: This is the most magical and well-written book I've read. The history of the segmentation 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 one of the greatest and almost influential epic poems ever written, and (alongside The Odyssey)the oldest surviving work of Western literature. Although the story centres on the disquisitional events of the last year of the Trojan war, Homer too explores themes of humanity, pity and survival.

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

Max Thou, Twitter

39. Vanity Fair by William Makepeace Thackeray (1847)

We said: William Makepeace Thackeray's satirical reflection of guild on the whole embodied in a cast of characters who although flawed, nosotros can't assistance but love and root for as we follow their fortunes and downfalls throughout the Napoleonic wars.

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

Greg R, Twitter

40. Brideshead Revisited past Evelyn Waugh (1945)

Nosotros said: The iconic country house setting of Brideshead see a family consumed past its religion boxing with their loyalties. A reflective and cornball novel by Evelyn Waugh about class, family unit and homecomings.

Y'all said: And 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 least commented-upon aspect of J.D. Salinger's masterpiece is how utterly hilarious it is. Holden is a character no one ever forgets.

Y'all said: This novel'southward main grapheme, Holden, is coping with tragic loss, as all of us practise in our lives. Equally he wanders aimlessly effectually the city, he struggles to program his side by side life move, simply finds happiness in small joys, such as his strong bail with his sis.

Alma E, Twitter

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

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

You said: We should all become lost down a rabbit pigsty every once in a while and come out believing in six incommunicable 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 only her desires clash against her family's expectations and issue in painful consequences. Eliot drew on the frustrations of her own rural upbringing to write one of her most powerful and moving novels.

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

Jess, Twitter

44. Barchester Towers by Anthony Trollope (1857)

Nosotros said: The second novel in Anthony Trollope'south series known equally the 'Chronicles of Barsetshire', opens as the Bishop of Barchester lies on his deathbed; soon the battle for power among the town's fundamental players volition commence. Told with enough of wisdom and wit.

You said: This book has tremendous characters and a plot which sucks you into such a different globe, about which you observe yourself caring desperately.

Hilary S, Twitter

45. Some other Country by James Baldwin (1962)

Nosotros said: Primarily set up in New York'due south Greenwich Village, James Baldwin'sSome other Country 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.

You said: This is a book that shows how everyone can live and love together, passionately, dangerously, with exquisite music.  I'll never forget the thrill of outset reading it.

Jon A, Twitter

46. Les Miserables past Victor Hugo (1862)

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

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

Gary 1000, Twitter

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

Nosotros said: Filled with all the sweetness treats from your wildest dreams (and proving that prissy guys don't always finish terminal), 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 TV all 24-hour interval. 'It rots the senses in the head!'

You said: This listing wouldn't be complete without some of Dahl'due south magic, and my aureate ticket is for this novel.

Isanne V, Twitter

48. The Outsiders past Due south. E. Hinton (1967)

We said: A coming-of-age tale of teenage rebellion, prepare in a winner-takes-all earth of bulldoze-ins, drag races and switchblades. Information technology created an anti-hero from the wrong side of the grade separate – all written when South. E. Hinton was but 17. 'Stay gilded Ponyboy… stay gilt'.

Yous said: The original YA novel, which sparked many crushes and fabricated me fall in love 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 have yous feeling all the emotions – and a prime number instance of the old adage that revenge is a dish best served cold.

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

Hayati Y, Twitter

fifty. Ulysses by James Joyce (1922)

We said: Having survived censorship, controversy and even legal action, James Joyce's 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 near unreadable, is upwardly for contend.

You lot said: Reading it every bit a person, an emotional journey. Reading information technology as a writer, technically mesmerizing and inspiring

Pqxzyvr, Twitter

51. East of Eden by John Steinbeck (1952)

We said: Mostly prepare in California, John Steinbeck'southward most aggressive novel follows 2 families and their interwoven stories. The writer himself said, 'Information technology has everything in it I take been able to learn near my craft or profession in all these years.'

They said: Brilliant writing, epic family unit saga, drills deep into human nature and how we remember, feel and act toward one another. My all-time favourite novel.

Naomi M, Facebook

52. The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoyevsky (1880)

Nosotros said: Two years in the making, this philosophical novel by Fyodor Dostoyevsky questions large topics like religion, gratis will and morality but it'due south also a very readable i that's part murder mystery, part courtroom drama.

You said: A depiction of the darkest recesses of human nature. Merely also of the brightest ones…

Luca C, Facebook

53. Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov (1955)

We said: Quite but some of the finest writing e'er committed to a folio. A volume that is simultaneously repulsive and utterly seductive.

Yous said: Beautifully written. The book takes you lot into the listen of this atrocious grapheme and lets you curl around in the gorgeous give-and-take-play as the story unfurls.

Lesley L, Facebook

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

We said: Frances Hodgson Burnett'southward volume will awaken the marvel of whatsoever reader, no matter their historic period. In that location's something so completely irresistible well-nigh subconscious doors, mysterious noises and undercover hiding places. But this is more than a story of adventures and gardening, at its heart, The Secret Garden promises that with fourth dimension and enough of nurturing, nosotros tin all blossom.

You lot said: I will never forget reading this volume equally a child. I felt I was in the centre of the story.

Ulrika F, Facebook

55. Scoop past Evelyn Waugh (1938)

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

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

Guy V, Facebook

56. A Tale of 2 Cities by Charles Dickens (1859)

Nosotros said: After 18 years in the Bastille, Dr Manette is released and sent to live in Britain with a girl he'southward never met. Split between Paris and London, A Tale of Ii Cities is a mammoth story fix during the brutal years of the French Revolution.

You lot said: Sitting lonely at 16 years old afterward the family had gone to bed,  tears streamed downwardly my cheeks equally 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 heart-class man, Charles Pooter, and his attempts to live a respectable middle-grade life. This riotously funny novel created such an impression that information technology inspired an describing word in award of its main character: 'Pooterish', a self-of import person who takes themselves far besides seriously.

Yous said: I accept read this book so many times and laugh out loud every time. I take a Penguin Classic re-create of information technology that'south falling apart only I wouldn't part with it for the world

Emma H, Facebook

58. Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy (1878)

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

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 past Alessandro Manzoni (1827)

We said: Alessandro Manzoni'southward novel takes is the story of 2 young lovers trying to be together, set confronting a wider properties of 17th-century Italian life. The Betrothed is considered by many to exist the greatest novel e'er written in Italian.

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

Shawna R, Facebook

60. Orlando past Virginia Woolf (1928)

We said: Immense yourself in the dazzling breadth of Virginia Woolf'due south imagination in this curt just powerful novel and follow Orlando from the courtroom of Elizabeth I to a historic poet in the 20th century.

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

Antonia M, Facebook

61.Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand (1957)

We said: Step into the dystopian U.s.a. and follow the saga of Dagny Taggart and Hank Rearden as they attempt to bring their Transcontinental railroad into being, and uncover the secrets of a shadowy figure called John Galt along the way.

You said: This book engages the reader through its characters and themes, assuasive one to exist entranced through this cautionary tale that can exist applied to the modern earth.

Deanna H, Facebook

62. The Time Machine by H. G. Wells (1895)

Nosotros said: When a scientist and inventor creates a fourth dimension motorcar, he travels to the afar futurity to see what's in store for humanity. H. Yard. Wells' novel is the volume that popularised time travel, but read deeper and information technology's also a metaphor for the fractured society that we all the same alive in today.

You said: A story of knowledge, instruction, and imagining a futurity.

Gultekin S, Facebook

63. The Fine art of War by Sun-Tzu

Nosotros said: Dominicus-Tzu, author of the globe's oldest guide to military strategy, recognised that we live in a conflicted world. The layperson might not be involved in warfare but the communication within is simply as useful for navigating the workplace or daily life.

Y'all said: This should exist called the picayune book of mutual sense. Information technology makes everything easier to understand.

Darren G, Facebook

64. The Forsyte Saga by John Galsworthy (1922)

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

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

Hildegard S, Facebook

65. Travels with Charley by John Steinbeck (1962)

Nosotros said: Almost 60 years after Travels with Charley still proves an centre-opening insight into a country that's so easy to view as a monolith. Steinbeck and his French Poodle meet everyone from migrant farmers to KKK members in this reminder of a complicated political landscape that'south no less disparate today.

You said: Ane of the true first '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 Britain for 30 years for existence too 'pornographic,' and undoubtedly at that place are smutty moments, just Henry Miller uses this to comment on the human condition. Told from a multifariousness of first-person characters in 1930s Paris – including Miller'southward own experiences as a struggling author – the mutual 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 inverse the mode I look at the earth.

Brendan P, Facebook

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

We said: Controversial during its time, D. H. Lawrence's sequel to The Rainbow follows the lives of two women and the men they become involved with. Women in Love contains some of Lawrence's finest writing.

You said: This is Lawrence at his best… although I do call up Lady Chatterley'due south Lover is under-rated…

David P, Facebook

68. Staying On by Paul Scott (1977)

Nosotros said: Paul Scott passed abroad at the peak of his writing career and his last novel, Staying On – which won the Booker Prize in 1977 – gives united states a unique insight into life but afterwards the stop of the British rule in Bharat.

You said: A funny, tragic, beautifully written report of an English colonial married couple left behind as an independent India moves ahead.

Catherine B, Facebook

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

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

You said: You can savor this book at any age – and information technology'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 belatedly 19th century. This is Willa Cather'due south final book in the Great Plains trilogy and was praised for bringing the American West to life.

Y'all said: Quite but, 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 archetype honey story betwixt Catherine and Heathcliff withal 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 will continue to do then.

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

Tessa J, Facebook

72. Perfume by Patrick Süskind (1985)

We said: In 18th-century France, one human's greatest passion and souvenir leads him down a path of sensual depravity. Subsequently discovering he has no aroma of his ain – despite having a remarkable sense of olfactory property – Jean-Baptiste Grenouille trains in the art of perfume-making and then he tin create the ultimate scent – one that is fabricated from 25 young virgin girls.

Y'all said: A story of suspense and love, with cute narration.

Ivy W, Facebook

73. War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy (1867)

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

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

Angela T, Facebook

74. Of Human Bondage by Somerset Maugham (1915)

Nosotros said: Considered as Somerset Maugham's about 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 man with ambitions who falls in love with a loud merely irresistible waitress is considered 1 of his finest books.

You said: A compelling story of unreciprocated dearest.

Rajan D, Facebook

75. Bleak House by Charles Dickens (1853)

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

You said: An astonishing story, with so many twists and turns

Jane E, Facebook

76. Lost Illusions by Honoré de Balzac (1837)

We said: Would-be poet Lucien Chardon moves from the French Provinces to the glamorous young man monde of Paris where he chop-chop discovers a earth far more unsafe than he e'er imagined. Honoré de Balzac paints a bright and brutal picture of the hypocrisy and moral history of his times.

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

Isabel K, Facebook

77. Breakfast of Champions past Kurt Vonnegut (1973)

We said: Part comedy, function searing satire, we're taken to the Midwest to follow Vonnegut'south ageing writer Kilgore Trout on an absurd narrative. You lot may love information technology, you lot may not get the point. Either way, you'll find it hard not to laugh.

You 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 Fifty, Facebook

78. A Christmas Carol past Charles Dickens (1843)

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

Y'all 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 immature orphaned kid. With themes of organized religion, industrialisation and community, the book also provides u.s.a. with a glimpse of a vanished rural world.

Yous said: Redemption and love. Beautifully written

Rhiannon C, Facebook

fourscore. Mrs Dalloway by Virginia Woolf (1925)

We said: 1 of literature's virtually famous parties - this groundbreaking postmodernist novel centres around Clarria Dalloway's preparations for a party she's hosting, exploring themes of mental health, modernity and fourth dimension.

You said: A reminder that no life is as well pocket-sized.

Marianna S, Facebook

81. Piffling Women past Louisa May Alcott (1868)

We said: In Piddling Women, Louisa May Alcott set out to write a book in which girls would encounter them themselves accurately reflected. The March sisters, with their iv very different personalities and ambitions, accurately embody both the challenges of growing up and the irreplaceable bond of sisterhood.

You said: A story of growing upwards and changing and the world set around a group of young girls. This book is as timeless as it is beautiful.

Luke E, Twitter

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

Nosotros said: Winner of the Man Booker Prize in 1978, Iris Murdoch's book is the story of strange obsessions and reflection which haunt Charles Arrowby, who retires from London's glittering theatre earth to an isolated home past the sea. An unforgettable story, beautifully told.

You said: This book left me speechless, while reading and afterwards reading and I nonetheless can't observe the words to describe why it is one of the most impressive pieces of writing I accept ever read.

H, Twitter

83. The Godfather by Mario Puzo (1969)

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

You lot said: This novel teaches the reader about the strengths and failures of human 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 start to the very unfinished terminate (the novel ends mid-judgement), this is Franz Kafka's finest commentary on oppression and hierarchy.

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

Arnold F, Twitter

85. I, Claudius by Robert Graves (1934)

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

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

Ian M, Twitter

86. Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie (1904)

Yous said:The story that made every child want to dance on tiptoes over midnight rooftops and soar abroad to Neverland, J. M. Barrie's tale of the boy who could never grow upwardly 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 old.

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

Jennifer Grand, Twitter

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

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

You said: I chose this book just because the characters are fantastic, and it makes me laugh.

Sharon, Twitter

88. The Razor'southward Border by West. Somerset Maugham (1944)

You lot said: Featuring Maugham himself as a character and adapted twice for the big screen, The Razor'southward Border tells the story of an American pilot trying to adapt back to normal life following the First World State of war. It'due south a gruelling look at the devastating effects of post-war trauma, and a philosophical journey to observe meaning in life.

You said: A profound story of ane homo's journey to find himself.

Holden M, Twitter

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

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

Yous said: Maybe a little bit out of left field, but I love this book. It's simple, it's beautifully written and it'southward all about capturing a vanishing way of life equally 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 can finally get out her rural life at Egdon Heath backside. But their unhappy marriage causes a chain 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 - every bit are many women.

Linda One thousand, Twitter

91. A Portrait of the Artist as a Swain by James Joyce (1916)

Nosotros said: A Portrait of the Artist as a Young man was James Joyce'southward first novel and details the immature artist discovering his voice, craft and identity through his literary change ego, Stephen Dedalus. In that location are echoes of his techniques hither earlier they are refined in his subsequently works such as Ulysses and Finnegans Wake.

You said: Joyce is not only the greatest stylist in English, only the novel contains one of the nearly complex discussions of aesthetics in the 20th century.

Donald K, Twitter

92. Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad (1902)

We said: JosephConrad's novella has been deemed by many every bit a 'difficult read', merely this enigmatic and atmospheric piece of fiction of Charles Marlow's journey up the Congo river – which also provided the inspiration for Francis Ford Coppola'south Apocalypse At present – will leave you unfolding its many layers for a long fourth dimension after.

You said: What an amazing slice of writing from someone who had to learn the language first...

Tracey L, Twitter

93. Northward and S by Elizabeth Gaskell (1854)

We said: A swooningly romantic book 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 Unhurt and John Thornton.

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

Alina, Twitter

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

Nosotros said: 'When it beginning came out it was viewed as beingness far-fetched,' said Margaret Atwood in 2017. The continued regression of abortion laws and women'due south rights across the globe has merely made Atwood's dystopian all the more pertinent; and ensuring the volume – and Telly show's – place in history as a lynchpin of the feminist resistance.

You said: I chose this volume because it gives a feminist perspective on the world. Also, Atwood uses events from history to create the story, which I find of import. History is a circle.

Emma H, Twitter

95. Suite Francaise by Irene Nemirovsky (2004)

We said: A novel of two halves, Suite Francaise is most life and expiry in occupied France, and finding love and hope in the most unexpected of places.

Yous said: This is my favourite volume. It is an extremely moving business relationship of the kinds of things that really happened in Nazi-occupied French republic during the Second World War. It presents the dilemmas, fears and choices that were felt and had to exist fabricated by ordinary people.

Jim H, Twitter

96. 1 Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich past Alexander Solzhenitsyn (1962)

Nosotros said: This securely personal and unforgettable account of a 24-hour interval in the life at a Soviet labour camp in the 1950s is highly considered to exist one of the greats of contemporary literature.

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

Brian T, Twitter

97. What A Split up! by Jonathan Coe (1994)

We said: The Winshaw family are the well-nigh powerful and cruellest family in England that is until their biographer Michael Owen starts investigating the family unit'due south decadent 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 about human nature, political power and the elite, and always will practice. Caustic, heartfelt, funny, devastating; a beautiful book.

Declan C, Twitter

98. Zen and the Fine art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert Pirsig (1974)

We said: Anyone looking for an introduction to philosophy demand wait no farther. It's as well a touching portrayal of fatherhood and friendship.

You said: An amazing philosophical adventure that influenced a generation.

Jason F, Twitter

99. White Nights past Fyodor Dostoyevsky (1848)

We said: One of Fyodor Dostoyevsky'southward underrated works, this short story is divided into half dozen sections. With themes of loneliness and unrequited love told by a nameless narrator – information technology's quintessential Dostoyevsky.

You said: This is an incredibly cute and uplifting book. Everyone should read it!

Melly, Twitter

100. Hard Times byCharles Dickens (1854)

We 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 world driven by fact.

You lot said: Pathos, humor, social comment, politic and incredibly well-drawn, believable characters.

Angela, Twitter

What'due south your favourite classic read? Permit us know at @penguinukbooks.

Books ranked in no particular order. Some answers have been edited for clarity and style.

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