Best Books to Read to Properly Educate Yourself

Image: Ryan MacEachern/Penguin

Everyone loves a classic novel, but where to start? From Jane Austen to Charles Dickens, Toni Morrison to Fyodor Dostoevsky, the fiction canon is so vast y'all can easily go lost in information technology.

Then we asked our readers to tell us virtually their favourite classic books. The resulting list of must-reads is a perfect style to notice inspiration to start your classics adventure. In that location'south something for everyone, from family sagas and dystopian fiction to romances and historical fiction.

And if you enjoy this, you can also learn about our reader's favourite books past female authors, most loved children'south books and the best memoirs they've ever read.

Start at the beginning of our listing (books are ranked in no particular order) and tick them off every bit yous go on this handy downloadable list, or you can bound to:

25 | 50 | 75 | 100

one. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (1813)

Nosotros said: It is a truth universally best-selling that when most people think of Jane Austen they recall of this charming and humorous story of dearest, hard families and the catchy chore of finding a handsome husband with a good fortune.

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

Francesca, Twitter

2. To Kill a Mockingbird past Harper Lee (1960)

We said: A novel before its time, Harper Lee's Pulitzer-prize winner addresses bug of race, inequality and segregation with both levity and pity. Told through the eyes of loveable rogues Scout and Jem, information technology besides created one of literature's most dearest heroes – Atticus Finch, a human being determined to right the racial wrongs of the Deep S.

You said: A jarring & poignantly beautiful story about how humans treat each other.

Greygardens, Twitter

iii. The Slap-up Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald (1925)

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

Y'all said: The greatest, almost scathing dissection of the hollowness at the centre of the American dream. Hypnotic, tragic, both of its time and completely relevant.

Joe T, Twitter

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

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

You lot said: Magic realism at its best. Both funny and moving, this volume made me reverberate for weeks on the inexorable march of time.

Andre C, Twitter

five. In Cold Claret by Truman Capote (1965)

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

You lot said: In this groundbreaking novel, completed afterward six arduous years of research, Capote invented a new genre - the 'Nonfiction Novel' - applying prose techniques to fact. It spawned the school of New Journalism & invented the true criminal offence genre equally we know it.

Kgjephcott, Twitter

six. Wide Sargasso Bounding main by Jean Rhys (1966)

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

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

Eric A, Twitter

7. Brave New World by Aldous Huxley (1932)

We said: One of the greatest and most prescient dystopian novels ever written, this should be on anybody'southward must-read list.

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

David Chiliad, Twitter

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

We said: Cassandra Mortmain's upbringing in a crumbling castle with her eccentric family unit may not be everyone's experience, but nosotros can guarantee her coming-of-age story with all its enchanting and disenchanting moments will resonate for many.

You said: A 'children's volume' that speaks volumes (ha) nigh unrequited love and dysfunctional families. Timeless. And funny. (and we need some laughs on the 100 Classics listing!)

Helen Y, Twitter

ix. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte (1847)

We said: One of literature's steeliest heroines, in her short life Jane Eyre has overcome a traumatic childhood merely to be challenged past secrets, strange noises and mysterious fires in her new home of Thornfield Hall. All while falling in dear with her employer, Mr Rochester. A Gothic masterpiece which was groundbreaking in its intimate apply of the get-go-person narrative.

You said:Because Jane is a function model: she stands up for herself, others and what she believes in, but isn't too proud to give second chances to those whose time is running out.

Sarah F, Twitter

10. Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky (1866)

Nosotros said: This novel is a masterful and completely captivating depiction of a man experiencing a profound mental unravelling. No corporeality of ethical bargaining on Raskolnikov's part can free him from the parasitic guilt nested in his soul. A brilliant read if you lot loved Breaking Bad.

You said:No other novel has made me feel so much for the principal characters, so deeply depicted by the writer. I felt like an orphan when I finished it and information technology'southward the only novel I've re-read several times.

Angie V, Twitter

xi. The Hole-and-corner History past Donna Tartt (1992)

Nosotros said: Donna Tartt's book follows a clique of smart, attractive students at an aristocracy university, and an outsider who finds himself forced to conceal a dark undercover. A gripping and tense read.

Y'all said: A modern classic - and then well-articulated and written (something that'southward hard to come up by these days). Besides, EXCELLENT PLOT!

AnamiAndBooks, Twitter

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

Nosotros said: Jack London was a aureate prospector in the Canadian wilderness and used his experiences to write about a dog named Buck who becomes a leader of the wild. With themes exploring nature and the struggle for existence in the frozen Alaskan mural.

Yous said: Considering everyone who loves the earth knows it's true.

Helen D, Twitter

xiii. The Chrysalids by John Wyndham (1955)

We said:An allegoric dystopia written in the wake of the Second 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, about intolerance, loneliness, friendship, and what information technology ways to be human being. A fantastic sci-fi novel, as relevant today as it was in the 50s.

Hollie B, Twitter

fourteen. Persuasion by Jane Austen (1818)

We said: Austen's last completed novel before her untimely decease was one tinged with heartache and regret. Anne Elliot'south feelings for the handsome Captain Wentworth are re-ignited when he returns from sea. Will they go a second chance at happiness?

Yous said: This continues to be my favourite novel. It is a more mature love story, full of humourous, delightful observations of human behaviour. It offers united states a glimpse of redemption. Nosotros change as nosotros grow, and the mistakes made in our youth can be overcome.

Dartmouth_Diva, Twitter

xv. Moby-Dick past Herman Melville (1851)

We said: Every American writer since 1851 has been chasing the same whale: to somehow write a novel every bit epic and influential as Melville's.

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

David H, Twitter

 sixteen. The Panthera leo, the Witch and the Wardrobe past C.Due south. Lewis (1950)

Nosotros said: C.South. Lewis's timeless tale captured the hearts of children everywhere with its fantastical world through the wardrobe, total of fauns, dwarves and anthropomorphised animals. Whether y'all were Peter, Edmund, Susan or Lucy, we all wanted to put on a fur coat and continue a snowfall-laden chance with Mr Tumnus.

You said: A beautiful timeless tale of innocence, wonder and sacrifice for young and former akin. It was ane of the commencement books that I read from cover to cover without putting down!

Adisha K, Twitter

17. To the Lighthouse past Virginia Woolf (1927)

We said: To the Lighthouse is a daring novel with little regard for rules. At that place's no consistent narrator, scant dialogue and almost no plot. With everything stripped away, we're left with a breathtaking and lyrical meditation on relationships, nature and the folly of perception.

You lot said: You feel similar you're stood on top of a cliff with the ocean breeze blowing right through your basic.

‏Halcyonbookdays, Twitter

xviii. The Death of the Center by Elizabeth Bowen (1938)

We said:Considered Elizabeth Bowen'south 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 death. In that location, she falls for the attractive cad Eddie. A devastating exploration of adolescent love and innocence betrayed.

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

Heather O, Twitter

19. Tess of the d'Urbervilles past Thomas Hardy (1891)

We said: It received mixed reviews it was first published, in part because it challenged Victorian ideals of purity and sexual morals. But Thomas Hardy'southward unflinching account of Tess'southward bid for conservancy in a order fix to condemn her is a harrowing and powerful read.

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

Abbie H, Twitter

twenty. Frankenstein by Mary Shelley (1823)

We said: Written when Mary Shelley was just 18 years onetime, only don't let that depress you. Frankenstein is a Gothic masterpiece with entertaining prepare pieces aplenty.

You said: Chosen for all the questions information technology raises about consequences and taking responsibleness for your actions; nature versus nurture; the value of friendship. I could go on.

Julie A, Twitter

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

Nosotros said:This spine-spooky story was censored by Stalin and sadly only published after Mikhail Bulgakov's death.

Yous said: This novel has got the Devil mooching around Moscow with a massive black true cat. Oh, and at that place's a naked flight lady.

Eggfrieddog, Twitter

22. The Get-Between by Fifty. P. Hartley (1953)

We said:A moving exploration past L. P. Hartley of a young boy'southward loss of innocence and a critical view of society at the finish of the Victorian era.

You lot said: As a 17-twelvemonth-one-time, I was completely captivated 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)

Nosotros said: A psychiatric ward in Oregon is ruled by 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 as important every bit annihilation else in life.

Darren B, Twitter

24. Xix Fourscore-Four by George Orwell (1949)

We said: The definitive dystopian novel, George Orwell's vision of a loftier surveillance order is gripping from the first page to the last.

You said: I first read this volume years ago, and was glad I would never take to be a part of that kind of society. Yet, hither I am in 2018, and so much of that novel has come true.

Donna J, Twitter

25. Buddenbrooks by Thomas Isle of mann (1901)

Nosotros said:In Thomas Mann's semi-autobiographical family epic, he portrays the slow decline of a wealthy and highly esteemed merchant-family unit in northern Frg over four generations, as they grapple with the modernism of the 20th century.

You said: It'southward a great novel about the ascension and autumn of a family, the human relationship between fathers and sons, and the conflict between fine art and business. Well, and I have to say I do beloved family sagas.

Peter Fifty, Twitter

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

We said: Perhaps John Steinbeck's finest novel, this is a beautifully evocative and, past the end, devastating read.

You lot said: Migration in search of work and a amend future. A modern-twenty-four hours story. However makes my skin tingle.

Morven, Twitter

27. Beloved by Toni Morrison (1987)

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

You lot said: This volume is astonishing. Beautifully written, haunting and the level of particular 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 third total-length novel featuring P. One thousand. 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 by Wodehouse, the 20th century master of the light comic novel. Intricate plotting and brilliant command of English prose.

Matt F, Twitter

29. Dracula by Bram Stoker (1897)

Nosotros said: Bram Stoker's novel is told by multiple narrators in a series of diary entries, messages, newspaper articles and ships' logs; an old 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 like our modern vampires aka Edward Cullen.

You lot said: A Gothic tale of fear and love. Would one want immortality at the cost of i's morality and soul? Loneliness beckons downward such a dangerous and fearful path.

Rob One thousand, Twitter

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

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

You lot said: It's got the neat sweeping story, romance, heroism, self-sacrifice, social commentary... information technology's not simply magic and elves!

Anne O, Twitter

31. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn past Mark Twain (1884)

We said: Meander down the Mississippi River with Huck Finn and Tom Sawyer; on the surface, it's a simple gamble only dig a little deeper into Mark Twain'southward novel and detect undercurrents of slavery, abuse and corruption in what Hemingway described equally 'The best book we've had'.

Yous said: This book demonstrates how a young boy learns to think for himself, and shows us how nosotros can, too. Information technology'southward funny, sweet and pitiful – sometimes all in the same paragraph.

Richard C, Twitter

32. Peachy 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 dress since the mean solar day she was jilted, orphan Pip's coming of age story is ane of Charles Dickens' nigh memorable and iconic novels.

You said: This book is not merely important as a literary masterpiece and an evocative story - information technology also has universal entreatment as, unfortunately, many children in today's world undergo the aforementioned suffering every bit Pip.

Ayesha M, Twitter

33. Grab-22 by Joseph Heller (1961)

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

You said: In my opinion, there is no book that amend captures human nature and the futility of disharmonize. You'll come out the other side angry, uplifted, and crazy.

Sam West, Twitter

34. The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton (1920)

Nosotros said: A newlywed couple is shaken up by the inflow of the bride's free-spirited and charismatic cousin Ellen, who piques the husband's interests. He must decide to save a crumbling union or pursue his passions. Edith Wharton became the first woman to win the Pulitzer Prize in 1921 for this novel which explores love, lust and social course, set in the Gilded Age of New York.

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

Lulu B, Twitter

35. Things Fall Apart past Chinua Achebe (1958)

We said: It has come to be seen as the archetypal modern African novel in English and is read widely across Africa and Nigeria in which it is set. It follows the Okonowo a nifty and famous warrior and the most powerful men of his clan. But when outsiders threaten his clan's way of life - will his temper and pride exist his downfall? Read it to find out.

You said: A compelling and important exploration of cultural identity in relation to both the ascension tide of British colonialism and the pressures of gender expectations. A poignant tragedy written with desolation. Necessary reading!

Danny N, Twitter

36. Middlemarch by George Eliot (1871)

We said: Dorothea Brooke and the other inhabitants of Middlemarch grapple with art, religion, science, politics, self and club in the lead-up to the Showtime Reform Beak of 1832 in a literary exploration of human being follies.This book is considered by many to be the greatest Victorian novel.

You said: This book is superb in form and content. There is no meliorate autopsy of and insight into homo society. She was the Shakespeare of her day and Middlemarch is her finest novel.

Tim R, Twitter

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

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

Y'all said: This is the most magical and well-written book I've read. The history of the sectionalization of the Indian subcontinent told equally a delightful allegory.

Claudia G, Twitter

38. The Iliad by Homer (8th century BC)

Nosotros said: It is one of the greatest and nearly influential epic poems ever written, and (alongside The Odyssey)the oldest surviving work of Western literature. Although the story centres on the critical events of the last year of the Trojan war, Homer as well explores themes of humanity, compassion and survival.

Y'all said: This is the ultimate war poem, filled with existential drama, heroic striving, expiry, and the meaning of life.

Max G, Twitter

39. Vanity Fair by William Makepeace Thackeray (1847)

We said: William Makepeace Thackeray's satirical reflection of society on the whole embodied in a cast of characters who although flawed, we tin't aid just love and root for every bit nosotros follow their fortunes and downfalls throughout the Napoleonic wars.

You said: Because Becky Sharp is the greatest female person lead grapheme in English literature. Bar none.

Greg R, Twitter

twoscore. Brideshead Revisited past Evelyn Waugh (1945)

We said: The iconic country house setting of Brideshead come across a family unit consumed by its religion boxing with their loyalties. A reflective and nostalgic novel past Evelyn Waugh about grade, family and homecomings.

You lot said: So evocative of a certain time and place, equally well as being a compelling story.

Patricia C, Twitter

41. The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger (1951)

We said: Probably the to the lowest degree commented-upon attribute of J.D. Salinger's masterpiece is how utterly hilarious it is. Holden is a graphic symbol no i ever forgets.

Y'all said: This novel's primary character, Holden, is coping with tragic loss, as all of us exercise in our lives. As he wanders aimlessly around the city, he struggles to plan his side by side life movement, but finds happiness in small joys, such as his strong bond with his sister.

Alma East, Twitter

42. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll (1865)

We said: Alice is a no-nonsense, quick-witted and daring – we could all larn a lesson or two from the resourceful young daughter in Lewis Carroll's tale packed with a troupe of unforgettable characters. A boundless story full of riddles, puns and wordplay, at over 150 years erstwhile it features a heroine way ahead of her time.

You said: Nosotros should all get lost downwardly a rabbit hole every once in a while and come out believing in six impossible things before breakfast #whyisaravenlikeawritingdesk

Lauren D, Twitter

43. The Factory on the Floss by George Eliot (1860)

Nosotros said:Maggie Tulliver is passionate, impulsive and intelligence but her desires clash against her family'southward expectations and result in painful consequences. Eliot drew on the frustrations of her ain rural upbringing to write one of her most powerful and moving novels.

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

Jess, Twitter

44. Barchester Towers by Anthony Trollope (1857)

We said: The 2nd novel in Anthony Trollope's series known as the 'Chronicles of Barsetshire', opens as the Bishop of Barchester lies on his deathbed; soon the battle for power amongst the town'due south cardinal players will commence. Told with plenty of wisdom and wit.

You said: This volume has tremendous characters and a plot which sucks you lot into such a different world, almost which you find yourself caring desperately.

Hilary S, Twitter

45. Another Country by James Baldwin (1962)

We said: Primarily fix in New York'due south Greenwich Village, James Baldwin'southAnother Country tackled many themes that were taboo at the fourth dimension of its publication including bisexuality, interracial couples and extramarital diplomacy - all in the sensational earth of Harlem jazz and the Bohemian underworld.

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

Jon A, Twitter

46. Les Miserables by Victor Hugo (1862)

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

You said: A beautiful story of the power of redemption and a good center along with a backdrop of the socio-economic iniquities of 19th century France. Beautifully written, information technology tugs the heartstrings.

Gary Thou, Twitter

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

We said: Filled with all the sugariness treats from your wildest dreams (and proving that dainty guys don't always stop last), Roald Dahl'southwardCharlie and the Chocolate Manufacturing plant 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 Idiot box all day. 'It rots the senses in the head!'

You said: This list wouldn't exist consummate without some of Dahl's magic, and my golden ticket is for this novel.

Isanne Five, Twitter

48. The Outsiders by S. East. Hinton (1967)

Nosotros said: A coming-of-historic period tale of teenage rebellion, set in a winner-takes-all world of drive-ins, drag races and switchblades. It created an anti-hero from the wrong side of the form separate – all written when S. Due east. Hinton was simply 17. 'Stay gold Ponyboy… stay gilt'.

You said: The original YA novel, which sparked many crushes and made me autumn in dear with reading.

Claire C, Twitter

49. The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas (1844)

We said: An ballsy novel past Alexandre Dumas that will accept you feeling all the emotions – and a prime example of the old aphorism that revenge is a dish best served cold.

You said: The best classic tale! A story of innocence, romance, betrayal, suffering, revenge and more than chiefly, Human's triumph over all life throws at him.

Hayati Y, Twitter

l. Ulysses past James Joyce (1922)

We said: Having survived censorship, controversy and even legal activeness, James Joyce's most famous novel is renowned for its utilize of inner monologue and stream-of-consciousness technique. Whether it'southward the greatest novel of the 20th century, or the most unreadable, is upwardly for contend.

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

Pqxzyvr, Twitter

51. East of Eden past John Steinbeck (1952)

We said: Mostly prepare in California, John Steinbeck's well-nigh ambitious novel follows two families and their interwoven stories. The author himself said, 'Information technology has everything in it I have been able to learn most my arts and crafts or profession in all these years.'

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

Naomi M, Facebook

52. The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoyevsky (1880)

We said: Two years in the making, this philosophical novel past Fyodor Dostoyevsky questions big topics similar organized religion, gratis will and morality but information technology's too a very readable one that'due south part murder mystery, part court drama.

You said: A depiction of the darkest recesses of homo nature. But also of the brightest ones…

Luca C, Facebook

53. Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov (1955)

We said: Quite but some of the finest writing ever committed to a page. A volume that is simultaneously repulsive and utterly seductive.

You lot said: Beautifully written. The book takes y'all into the mind of this atrocious character and lets y'all roll effectually in the gorgeous word-play every bit the story unfurls.

Lesley L, Facebook

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

We said: Frances Hodgson Burnett'south volume will awaken the curiosity of any reader, no matter their age. There's something so completely irresistible nearly subconscious doors, mysterious noises and secret hiding places. But this is more than a story of adventures and gardening, at its eye, The Secret Garden promises that with time and plenty of nurturing, we can all flower.

Y'all said: I will never forget reading this book equally a child. I felt I was in the middle of the story.

Ulrika F, Facebook

55. Scoop by Evelyn Waugh (1938)

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

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

Guy V, Facebook

56. A Tale of Two 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 daughter he's never met. Split between Paris and London, A Tale of Two Cities is a mammoth story set during the cruel years of the French Revolution.

You said: Sitting alone at 16 years old afterward the family unit had gone to bed,  tears streamed down my cheeks as I finished this novel.

Pat C, Facebook

57. Diary of a Nobody past George Grossmith and Weedon Grossmith (1892)

We said: Diary of a Nobody follows a respectable middle-class human being, Charles Pooter, and his attempts to live a respectable eye-grade life. This riotously funny novel created such an impression that it inspired an adjective in honor of its main character: 'Pooterish', a self-important person who takes themselves far too seriously.

You said: I take read this book so many times and laugh out loud every fourth dimension. I have a Penguin Classic copy of it that's falling apart simply I wouldn't part with information technology 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's well-liked – only she feels her life is empty until she meets Count Vronksy. Leo Tolstoy's novel is essentially a philosophical meditation on the meaning of life and happiness but it's a very readable one.

You lot said: Simply the best in-depth characterisation of all time. Tolstoy'southward psychological insights take never been beaten.

Chris W, Facebook

59. The Matrimonial by Alessandro Manzoni (1827)

We said: Alessandro Manzoni's novel takes is the story of two young lovers trying to be together, set confronting a wider backdrop of 17th-century Italian life. The Betrothed is considered by many to be the greatest novel ever written in Italian.

You lot said: This book is on the verge of being forgotten by casual readers, simply it's entertaining, socially and scientifically progressive for its fourth dimension, has incredibly moving, beautifully-written passages on bread riots and the plague, and it has the all-time surprise trope-subversion at the cease.

Shawna R, Facebook

60. Orlando by Virginia Woolf (1928)

We said: Immense yourself in the dazzling latitude of Virginia Woolf'due south imagination in this short only powerful novel and follow Orlando from the court of Elizabeth I to a celebrated poet in the 20th century.

You said: What is it to be a woman? Woolf's modernist novel is so fresh even 90 or so years later. Gender fluidity earlier the term was even coined. And a history of literature every bit a backdrop.

Antonia M, Facebook

61.Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand (1957)

Nosotros said: Step into the dystopian USA and follow the saga of Dagny Taggart and Hank Rearden as they endeavour to bring their Transcontinental railroad into existence, and uncover the secrets of a shadowy effigy chosen John Galt forth the way.

You said: This volume engages the reader through its characters and themes, assuasive one to be entranced through this cautionary tale that tin be practical to the modern world.

Deanna H, Facebook

62. The Fourth dimension Machine by H. G. Wells (1895)

Nosotros said: When a scientist and inventor creates a fourth dimension machine, he travels to the distant future to run across what's in store for humanity. H. G. Wells' novel is the book that popularised time travel, but read deeper and it's also a metaphor for the fractured gild that nosotros still alive in today.

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

Gultekin Due south, Facebook

63. The Art of War past Lord's day-Tzu

We said: Lord's day-Tzu, writer of the earth's oldest guide to military machine strategy, recognised that we live in a conflicted world. The layperson might not be involved in warfare simply the advice within is but as useful for navigating the workplace or daily life.

Y'all said: This should be chosen the little volume of common sense. It makes everything easier to understand.

Darren G, Facebook

64. The Forsyte Saga by John Galsworthy (1922)

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

You said: This book gives y'all a wonderful impression of life in the 19th and early 20th century. It's both enthralling and touching.

Hildegard South, Facebook

65. Travels with Charley by John Steinbeck (1962)

Nosotros said: Well-nigh 60 years afterwards Travels with Charley still proves an eye-opening insight into a country that'southward so easy to view every bit a monolith. Steinbeck and his French Poodle encounter everyone from migrant farmers to KKK members in this reminder of a complicated political landscape that's no less disparate today.

You said: I of the true kickoff '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 Usa and the Great britain for 30 years for being too 'pornographic,' and undoubtedly in that location are smutty moments, but Henry Miller uses this to comment on the human condition. Told from a variety of first-person characters in 1930s Paris – including Miller's own experiences as a struggling writer – the common thread betwixt each character is their sexual encounters.

You said: Loud, funny, sexual Paris in the 1930s. I read it when I was twenty, and information technology changed the way I look at the world.

Brendan P, Facebook

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

We said: Controversial during its time, D. H. Lawrence'due south sequel to The Rainbow follows the lives of 2 women and the men they become involved with. Women in Love contains some of Lawrence's finest writing.

Y'all said: This is Lawrence at his all-time… although I do think Lady Chatterley'southward Lover is under-rated…

David P, Facebook

68. Staying On by Paul Scott (1977)

We said: Paul Scott passed away at the peak of his writing career and his terminal novel, Staying On – which won the Booker Prize in 1977 – gives usa a unique insight into life but after the stop of the British rule in India.

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

Catherine B, Facebook

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

We said:What began equally a serial of letters to Kenneth Grahame's sickly son evolved into 1 of England's most beloved children'due south books. A whimsical foray through the Berkshire countryside, the esprit between Ratty, Badger, Mole and Mr Toad nevertheless embodies traditional British eccentricities to a tee.

You said: You can enjoy this book at any age – and it's beautifully written.

Vicky A, Facebook

70. My Ántonia by Willa Cather (1918)

Nosotros said: The novel tells the story of Jim Burden, an orphan boy and Ántonia Shimerda who are brought equally children to exist pioneers in Nebraska in the belatedly 19th century. This is Willa Cather's final book in the Great Plains trilogy and was praised for bringing the American W to life.

You said: Quite just, a beautifully written volume.

Carolyn R, Facebook

71. Wuthering Heights past Emily Brontë (1847)

We said: Controversial at the time of publication, Emily Brontë's classic honey story between Catherine and Heathcliff withal resonates with readers today.  Widely considered a staple of Gothic fiction and the English language literary canon, this book has gone on to inspire many generations of writers – and will continue to do so.

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

Tessa J, Facebook

72. Perfume by Patrick Süskind (1985)

Nosotros said: In 18th-century France, one man'south greatest passion and gift leads him down a path of sensual depravity. Later on discovering he has no olfactory property of his ain – despite having a remarkable sense of smell – Jean-Baptiste Grenouille trains in the art of perfume-making then he can create the ultimate olfactory property – one that is made from 25 young virgin girls.

Y'all said: A story of suspense and love, with beautiful 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 i of the greatest novels of all time.

You 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)

We said: Considered as Somerset Maugham'south most autobiographical of his piece of work, the author stated, 'This is a novel, non an autobiography, though much in it is autobiographical, more is pure invention.' Regardless, the story of Philip Carey, a homo with ambitions who falls in love with a loud but irresistible waitress is considered 1 of his finest books.

Y'all said: A compelling story of unreciprocated dearest.

Rajan D, Facebook

75. Bleak House by Charles Dickens (1853)

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

Y'all said: An amazing story, with so many twists and turns

Jane Due east, Facebook

76. Lost Illusions by Honoré de Balzac (1837)

Nosotros said: Would-exist poet Lucien Chardon moves from the French Provinces to the glamorous beau monde of Paris where he quickly discovers a world far more dangerous than he ever imagined. Honoré de Balzac paints a vivid and brutal picture of the hypocrisy and moral history of his times.

You lot said: A magnificent story about human nature, ambition and guild (in any century).

Isabel Chiliad, Facebook

77. Breakfast of Champions by Kurt Vonnegut (1973)

We said: Function comedy, part searing satire, we're taken to the Midwest to follow Vonnegut's ageing writer Kilgore Trout on an absurd narrative. You may beloved information technology, you may not get the indicate. Either way, y'all'll detect it hard non to express mirth.

You said: Reading this blend of surrealism, sci-fi and other genres made me realise that sometimes, fiction tin be more than powerful than real-life stories!

Kleber Fifty, Facebook

78. A Christmas Ballad past Charles Dickens (1843)

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

You 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 adventure to transform his life when he adopts a young orphaned child. With themes of religion, industrialisation and community, the book also provides u.s. with a glimpse of a vanished rural world.

You said: Redemption and honey. Beautifully written

Rhiannon C, Facebook

fourscore. Mrs Dalloway by Virginia Woolf (1925)

Nosotros said: One of literature's nearly famous parties - this groundbreaking postmodernist novel centres around Clarria Dalloway's preparations for a party she'southward hosting, exploring themes of mental health, modernity and time.

You said: A reminder that no life is too pocket-size.

Marianna Due south, Facebook

81. Lilliputian Women by Louisa May Alcott (1868)

We said: In Fiddling Women, Louisa May Alcott set out to write a book in which girls would see them themselves accurately reflected. The March sisters, with their 4 very different personalities and ambitions, accurately embody both the challenges of growing up and the irreplaceable bail of sisterhood.

You said: A story of growing upward and changing and the world set up around a group of immature girls. This book is as timeless as it is cute.

Luke E, Twitter

82. The Sea, The Bounding main past Iris Murdoch (1978)

We 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 world 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 still can't find the words to depict why it is one of the most impressive pieces of writing I have ever read.

H, Twitter

83. The Godfather by Mario Puzo (1969)

We said: Both Mario Puzo'south book and 1972 film adaptation became global phenomena with this searing portrayal of New York'south Mafia underworld. A powerful story of tradition, blood, accolade and of course, family allegiance.

You said: This novel teaches the reader near the strengths and failures of homo nature.

Louisa J, Twitter

84. The Castle past Franz Kafka (1926)

We said:Taking the word 'Kafkaesque' to new levels, The Castle is a nightmarish reach into an autocratic world. Bamboozling from showtime to the very unfinished end (the novel ends mid-judgement), this is Franz Kafka'southward finest commentary on oppression and bureaucracy.

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

Arnold F, Twitter

85. I, Claudius past Robert Graves (1934)

Y'all said: Written in the form 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 every bit pioneering masterpieces of historical fiction, as well every bit gripping reads.

You said: A beautifully written novel well-nigh absolute power. Very relevant.

Ian M, Twitter

86. Peter Pan by J.1000. Barrie (1904)

You said:The story that made every child desire to trip the light fantastic toe on tiptoes over midnight rooftops and soar away to Neverland, J. M. Barrie's tale of the boy who could never grow up brought magic to bedtimes everywhere. From the Lost Boys to fearsome pirates, the enchanting gamble of Peter Pan has, both literally and metaphorically, never grown sometime.

You said: A book that reminds everyone to never abound 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 condition. John Kennedy Toole'south novel is widely regarded today equally a tragicomic classic that exposes 'intellectualism'.

You lot said: I chose this book just considering the characters are fantastic, and information technology makes me laugh.

Sharon, Twitter

88. The Razor's Edge by W. Somerset Maugham (1944)

You said: Featuring Maugham himself as a character and adapted twice for the big screen, The Razor'due south Border tells the story of an American airplane pilot trying to adjust dorsum to normal life following the First World War. It's a gruelling look at the devastating effects of mail service-war trauma, and a philosophical journey to find significant in life.

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

Holden M, Twitter

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

You said: Many will remember the recent BBC serial of the same name; Lark Rising to Candleford is author Flora Thompson's semi-autobiographical recollections of her youth and growing upwardly in Oxfordshire, and paints a delightful portrait of state life at the end of the 19th century.

Yous said: Peradventure a little bit out of left field, but I love this book. It'due south simple, it'southward beautifully written and information technology'south all about capturing a vanishing way of life as countryside farming turns to Victorian towns... actually eloquent, really moving!

Vicky, Twitter

90. The Render of the Native by Thomas Hardy (1878)

We said: When proud and passionate Eustacia Vye marries Clym Yeobright, she believes she can finally leave her rural life at Egdon Heath behind. But their unhappy spousal relationship causes a concatenation 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 - as are many women.

Linda M, Twitter

91. A Portrait of the Creative person every bit a Boyfriend by James Joyce (1916)

Nosotros said: A Portrait of the Creative person equally a Young Human was James Joyce's kickoff novel and details the young creative person discovering his vocalism, craft and identity through his literary alter ego, Stephen Dedalus. There are echoes of his techniques here before they are refined in his after works such as Ulysses and Finnegans Wake.

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

Donald One thousand, Twitter

92. Center of Darkness by Joseph Conrad (1902)

Nosotros said: JosephConrad's novella has been accounted by many as a 'difficult read', simply this enigmatic and atmospheric slice of fiction of Charles Marlow's journey up the Congo river – which also provided the inspiration for Francis Ford Coppola'due south Apocalypse At present – will leave yous unfolding its many layers for a long time after.

Yous said: What an amazing piece of writing from someone who had to acquire the language first...

Tracey Fifty, Twitter

93. North and Southward by Elizabeth Gaskell (1854)

Nosotros said: A swooningly romantic book with an exhilaratingly combative pairing at the middle. The themes of wealth and gender inequality are woven in seamlessly, and are completely integral to the electric dynamic between Margaret Hale 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's Tale by Margaret Atwood (1985)

Nosotros said: 'When it starting time came out it was viewed as being far-fetched,' said Margaret Atwood in 2017. The continued regression of ballgame laws and women's rights across the earth has only fabricated Atwood'south dystopian all the more pertinent; and ensuring the volume – and Tv set testify'south – identify in history as a lynchpin of the feminist resistance.

Y'all said: I chose this book because it gives a feminist perspective on the globe. Also, Atwood uses events from history to create the story, which I detect important. History is a circle.

Emma H, Twitter

95. Suite Francaise by Irene Nemirovsky (2004)

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

You said: This is my favourite book. Information technology is an extremely moving business relationship of the kinds of things that actually happened in Nazi-occupied French republic during the Second World State of war. It presents the dilemmas, fears and choices that were felt and had to be made by ordinary people.

Jim H, Twitter

96. Ane Twenty-four hours in the Life of Ivan Denisovich by Alexander Solzhenitsyn (1962)

We said: This securely personal and unforgettable account of a solar day in the life at a Soviet labour campsite in the 1950s is highly considered to be 1 of the greats of gimmicky literature.

You said: Solzhenitsyn's writing from personal experience of life/existence in a forced labour military camp nether Stalin'southward communist regime is a stark, roughshod, masterpiece.

Brian T, Twitter

97. What A Cleave Up! past Jonathan Coe (1994)

We said: The Winshaw family are the most powerful and cruellest family in England that is until their biographer Michael Owen starts investigating the family'southward corrupt and immoral activities. A dark and wickedly funny story which makes a profound statement on the Thatcherite era.

You said: This novel has and then much to say nearly human nature, political power and the elite, and e'er will do. Caustic, heartfelt, funny, devastating; a beautiful book.

Declan C, Twitter

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

We said: Anyone looking for an introduction to philosophy need look no further. It'southward also a touching portrayal of fatherhood and friendship.

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

Jason F, Twitter

99. White Nights by Fyodor Dostoyevsky (1848)

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

Yous said: This is an incredibly beautiful and uplifting book. Everyone should read it!

Melly, Twitter

100. Hard Times pastCharles 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 earth driven by fact.

You said: Desolation, sense of humor, social comment, politic and incredibly well-drawn, believable characters.

Angela, Twitter

What's your favourite archetype read? Allow us know at @penguinukbooks.

Books ranked in no particular guild. 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

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