If you’re not used to reading classic books, you may be curious about what you’re missing, but also a little intimidated. After all, since these are books that were written so many decades ago, the language might be unfamiliar or more difficult to understand than the more conversational style of contemporary works.
Aside from being written at least decades ago, classics are widely regarded as high-quality books that tell stories with universal themes about the human experience. They earn the name “classic” by standing the test of time and remaining relevant decades or even centuries after their publication.
13 Classic Books You Won’t Want to Miss
We must admit, it’s not easy to pick our favorites from so many! For this list, we tried to arrange the books in order from the easiest to the more challenging themes and writing styles, but do note that personal opinions may vary.
1. Secret Garden by Francess Hodgson Burnett
Mary Lennox is known as Mary-Mary-Quite-Contrary, because that’s exactly what she is after her parents’ death, when she is sent to live in an old uncle’s gigantic mansion. But what happens when she hears of a secret garden, and of a different kind of secret—one that moans and screams in the dead of night from the far end of the corridor?
2. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
The four March sisters—steadfast Meg, headstrong Jo, tender Beth, and strong-willed Amy—have thrilled generations with their seemingly normal lives, as they learn to adapt to days without their father and strive to become the “little women” he wants to be proud of.
3. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain
Follow the adventures of Tom Sawyer, a boy living along the Mississippi River, in this coming-of-age story. Watch how he interacts with the girl he likes, and the journeys and misadventures he has with his friends, including the other famous classic character, Huckleberry Finn.
4. Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe
Who among us didn’t pretend to be shipwrecked on a desert island as children? Way before we had movies like Cast Away, Daniel Defoe excellently portrayed the challenges of surviving on a desert island, complete with Robinson Crusoe’s mental struggles and moral questions.
5. Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens
This heartbreaking look at the plight of the poor opens with an orphan born in a workhouse. Oliver Twist is sold into apprenticeship, but he escapes and comes into the company of a group of juvenile pickpockets, automatically enlisting him in the criminal underworld.
6. The Call of the Wild by Jack London
Based on his experience in the Canadian wilderness, Jack London writes candidly and engagingly about Buck, a dog who was kidnapped to become part of the sled-dogs. We follow his adventures through survival of the fittest among other dogs, until he eventually becomes the leader of his pack—but not without a cost.
7. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
This book opens with Jane Eyre’s very traumatic childhood, following her all the way to her employment with the enigmatic Mr. Rochester. She falls in love with her employer—but what is he hiding, and what are those strange noises in the attic?
8. Silas Marner by George Eliot
What happens when a miser, who loves nothing but to run his gold through his hands all alone every night, loses his gold to a thief, and instead finds a little orphan girl to care for?
9. Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy
This very intimate and intricate depiction of adultery will have you in a whirlwind with Anna Karenina’s blatant affair, all while offering a deep look into the cultural, social, and political undercurrents in Russia during that time.
10. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Considered the epitome of all romance novels, this story follows the Bennet sisters, beginning with the budding relationship between Jane and Mr. Bingley. Through that relationship, Jane’s sister, Elizabeth, meets the dashing but prideful Mr. Darcy, whom she immediately writes off, but later falls in love with.
11. Animal Farm by George Orwell
Told as an allegory, this classic is a portrayal of the problems of socialism, particularly the tyranny of Stalin, who was in power during Orwell’s time. The story follows a group of farm animals who rebel against their human master, but end up under the rule of a tyrannical group of pigs.
12. Moby Dick by Herman Melville
This classic tale about the legendary white whale, Moby Dick, has inspired the Netflix film In the Heart of the Deep. Ishamel is the narrator, who describes whaling ship captain Ahab’s obsession with taking revenge on Moby Dick, a giant sperm whale who bit off Ahab’s leg in the ship’s previous voyage.
13. Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan
Told in the “similitude of a dream,” through this book, you will follow the adventures of Christian from his home on his quest for the Celestial City, going through challenges such as the Slough of Despond and the temptation of staying in Vanity Fair. The second half of the book portrays his wife’s Christianna’s similar but not really identical journey after him.
What Qualifies a Book as a Classic?
Generally, for a book to be considered a classic, it must meet common high standards, especially for appeal, longevity, quality, and influence. Classic literature is best determined by its commitment to life, beauty, and truth. It adheres to the highest artistic standards, even if just for its own time period.
Here are some strengths of classic books:
- The quality of the writing has stood the test of time; the book can easily be enjoyed and contemplated decades or centuries after it was written.
- They usually cover themes that almost anyone can relate to, despite differences in the cultural or social backgrounds.
- They usually serve as a representation of the time period during which they were written, but the themes are relatable even in the present.
- Even though they may contain dated language, classic books are still highly informative and inspirational, even to modern readers.
Since classic books can be relevant to different generations and different age groups, it’s very natural for a classic book originally written for children to speak volumes even to an adult reader.
With that said, here we want to recommend some of the best classic books you can start with, or that you can add to your reading list if you haven’t read them yet.
Reading Classic Books
If you’re used to reading more modern books, making the foray into reading classics may come across as a challenge. If it doesn’t seem “fun” at the start, we encourage you to persevere: the more you read more difficult sentence structures, the more comfortable you will become, and soon you will find it more accessible than it was before.
Reading classic books is a great investment of time, because you get to learn a great deal about different time periods in the past, while also getting inspired to look at certain contemporary issues with fresh eyes.
Did you find this post helpful? Let us know in the comments below!
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Yen Cabag is the Blog Writer of TCK Publishing. She is also a homeschooling mom, family coach, and speaker for the Charlotte Mason method, an educational philosophy that places great emphasis on classic literature and the masterpieces in art and music. She has also written several books, both fiction and nonfiction. Her passion is to see the next generation of children become lovers of reading and learning in the midst of short attention spans.
