Vintage Book You Read Back to Front

Image: Ryan MacEachern/Penguin

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

And so we asked our readers to tell us almost their favourite archetype books. The resulting listing of must-reads is a perfect way to find inspiration to showtime your classics adventure. There's something for everyone, from family unit sagas and dystopian fiction to romances and historical fiction.

And if y'all savor this, you can also learn well-nigh our reader's favourite books past female authors, most loved children's books and the best memoirs they've ever read.

Start at the get-go of our list (books are ranked in no particular guild) and tick them off as you go on this handy downloadable list, or you can jump to:

25 | 50 | 75 | 100

1. Pride and Prejudice past Jane Austen (1813)

We said: It is a truth universally acknowledged that when near people think of Jane Austen they think of this charming and humorous story of love, difficult families and the tricky task of finding a handsome hubby with a expert fortune.

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

Francesca, Twitter

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

Nosotros said: A novel earlier its time, 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 Watch and Jem, it also created ane of literature's most beloved heroes – Atticus Finch, a man adamant to correct the racial wrongs of the Deep South.

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

Greygardens, Twitter

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

Nosotros said: Jay Gatsby, the enigmatic millionaire who throws decadent parties but doesn't attend them, is 1 of the neat characters of American literature. This is F. Scott Fitzgerald at his virtually sparkling and devastating.

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

Joe T, Twitter

iv. 1 Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez (1967)

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

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

Andre C, Twitter

5. In Cold Blood by Truman Capote (1965)

We said: The 'truthful crime' Telly show / podcast yous're obsessed with probably owes a debt to this masterpiece of reportage past Truman Capote. Chilling and brilliant.

Y'all said: In this groundbreaking novel, completed afterward six arduous years of inquiry, Capote invented a new genre - the 'Nonfiction Novel' - applying prose techniques to fact. Information technology spawned the school of New Journalism & invented the truthful crime genre equally nosotros know it.

Kgjephcott, Twitter

6. Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys (1966)

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

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

Eric A, Twitter

vii. Brave New World by Aldous Huxley (1932)

We said: 1 of the greatest and most prescient dystopian novels ever written, this should exist on everyone's must-read list.

You said: Given the exponential growth of AI, Auto Learning & Robotics, Huxley'due south vision acts equally a alert. Will nosotros rising and challenge those who seek to shape our future or sleepwalk toward conditioning by engineering science?

David M, Twitter

viii. 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 feel, but we can guarantee her coming-of-age story with all its enchanting and disenchanting moments will resonate for many.

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

Helen Y, Twitter

9. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte (1847)

Nosotros said: One of literature'south steeliest heroines, in her short life Jane Eyre has overcome a traumatic childhood but to be challenged by 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 use of the first-person narrative.

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

Sarah F, Twitter

10. Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky (1866)

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

You said:No other novel has fabricated me experience 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 V, Twitter

xi. The Secret History past Donna Tartt (1992)

We said: Donna Tartt'due south book follows a clique of smart, attractive students at an aristocracy university, and an outsider who finds himself forced to conceal a night secret. A gripping and tense read.

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

AnamiAndBooks, Twitter

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

We said: Jack London was a gold prospector in the Canadian wilderness and used his experiences to write about 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: Because everyone who loves the globe knows information technology's true.

Helen D, Twitter

13. The Chrysalids by John Wyndham (1955)

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

Y'all said: A postal service-apocalyptic novel, most intolerance, loneliness, friendship, and what information technology means to be human. A fantastic sci-fi novel, as relevant today as it was in the 50s.

Hollie B, Twitter

14. Persuasion by Jane Austen (1818)

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

You lot 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 as nosotros grow, and the mistakes made in our youth can be overcome.

Dartmouth_Diva, Twitter

15. 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'due south.

You said: The bang-up American novel: keen characters, wonderful language, thick with the Bible and Thomas Browne, and has the all-time opening sentence ever. What'south not to like?

David H, Twitter

 16. The King of beasts, the Witch and the Wardrobe past C.Due south. Lewis (1950)

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

You said: A beautiful timeless tale of innocence, wonder and sacrifice for young and old alike. Information technology was one of the first books that I read from cover to cover without putting down!

Adisha K, Twitter

17. To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf (1927)

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

You said: You experience like yous're stood on peak of a cliff with the sea breeze blowing correct through your bones.

‏Halcyonbookdays, Twitter

18. The Death of the Centre by Elizabeth Bowen (1938)

We said:Considered Elizabeth Bowen's masterpiece novel, this is the story of xvi-year old Portia who is sent to alive with her Aunt in London, after her mother's death. At that place, 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 by Thomas Hardy (1891)

Nosotros said: It received mixed reviews information technology was first published, in part because information technology challenged Victorian ideals of purity and sexual morals. But Thomas Hardy's unflinching account of Tess's bid for conservancy in a gild set 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 everyone to have!

Abbie H, Twitter

20. Frankenstein by Mary Shelley (1823)

We said: Written when Mary Shelley was but xviii years onetime, simply don't let that depress you. Frankenstein is a Gothic masterpiece with entertaining ready pieces aplenty.

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

Julie A, Twitter

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

Nosotros said:This spine-chilling story was censored by Stalin and sadly just published later on Mikhail Bulgakov'southward death.

You said: This novel has got the Devil mooching effectually Moscow with a massive black cat. Oh, and in that location's a naked flying lady.

Eggfrieddog, Twitter

22. The Go-Between by L. P. Hartley (1953)

We said:A moving exploration past L. P. Hartley of a immature male child's loss of innocence and a critical view of order at the end of the Victorian era.

You said: Every bit a 17-twelvemonth-old, I was completely absorbed by this story, wishing Leo was my brother and then that I could protect him from the disappointment that awaited him.

Rapsodiafestiva, Twitter

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

Nosotros said: A psychiatric ward in Oregon is ruled by a tyrannical head nurse, but 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 to life than following rules. Having joy and beingness spontaneous are as important as annihilation else in life.

Darren B, Twitter

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

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

You said: I first read this volume years agone, and was glad I would never have to exist a part of that kind of club. Even so, here I am in 2018, and so much of that novel has come up true.

Donna J, Twitter

25. Buddenbrooks past Thomas Mann (1901)

Nosotros said:In Thomas Mann's semi-autobiographical family unit ballsy, he portrays the slow turn down 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: It'southward a great novel near the rise and fall of a family, the relationship betwixt fathers and sons, and the conflict between art and concern. Well, and I accept to say I practise love family sagas.

Peter L, Twitter

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

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

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

Morven, Twitter

27. Beloved by Toni Morrison (1987)

We said: Toni Morrison'south 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 book 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 third full-length novel featuring P. G. 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 moo-cow-creamer. What could go wrong?

You lot 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 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 one-time folklore tale becomes a frightening reality for solicitor Jonathan Harker and his friends subsequently 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 love. Would one desire immortality at the price of one'southward morality and soul? Loneliness beckons down such a dangerous and fearful path.

Rob Thousand, Twitter

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

We said: Perhaps the greatest story always told, J. R. R. Tolkien'due south incredible trilogy of otherworldliness brought a world of hobbits, dwarves, elves and orcs to life in a way never read before. Ultimately a tale of companionship and the battle between proficient and evil, the fictional world of Middle Earth has endured to go far greater than the sum of its parts.

You said: Information technology'southward got the corking sweeping story, romance, heroism, cocky-sacrifice, social commentary... information technology's not just magic and elves!

Anne O, Twitter

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

We said: Meander down the Mississippi River with Huck Finn and Tom Sawyer; on the surface, it'due south a simple adventure simply dig a petty deeper into Mark Twain's novel and discover undercurrents of slavery, abuse and corruption in what Hemingway described as 'The best book nosotros've had'.

You said: This book demonstrates how a young boy learns to think for himself, and shows u.s.a. how we can, besides. Information technology'southward funny, sweet and sad – sometimes all in the same paragraph.

Richard C, Twitter

32. Great Expectations by Charles Dickens (1860)

We said:From the escaped captive lurking in the wild Kent marshes to the eccentric Miss Havisham who has remained in her wedding ceremony apparel since the twenty-four hours she was jilted, orphan Pip'south coming of age story is i of Charles Dickens' well-nigh memorable and iconic novels.

Yous said: This book is not simply of import equally a literary masterpiece and an evocative story - it as well has universal appeal every bit, unfortunately, many children in today's globe undergo the same suffering as Pip.

Ayesha K, Twitter

33. Catch-22 by Joseph Heller (1961)

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

You said: In my stance, at that place is no book that better captures human nature and the futility of conflict. You lot'll come out the other side angry, uplifted, and crazy.

Sam W, Twitter

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

Nosotros said: A newlywed couple is shaken up by the arrival of the bride'southward gratis-spirited and charismatic cousin Ellen, who piques the married man's interests. He must decide to save a crumbling marriage 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 class, set in the Aureate Age of New York.

Yous said: "When SHE comes she is unlike, and 1 doesn't know why...".

Lulu B, Twitter

35. Things Autumn Apart past Chinua Achebe (1958)

Nosotros said: It has come to be seen as the archetypal modernistic African novel in English and is read widely beyond Africa and Nigeria in which information technology is set. It follows the Okonowo a great and famous warrior and the almost powerful men of his association. But when outsiders threaten his association's style of life - will his temper and pride be his downfall? Read information technology to find out.

You said: A compelling and important exploration of cultural identity in relation to both the rising tide of British colonialism and the pressures of gender expectations. A poignant tragedy written with pathos. 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, cocky and society in the lead-up to the Start Reform Bill of 1832 in a literary exploration of human being follies.This book is considered past many to exist the greatest Victorian novel.

Yous said: This book is superb in form and content. There is no better dissection of and insight into homo gild. She was the Shakespeare of her solar day and Middlemarch is her finest novel.

Tim R, Twitter

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

We said: A visceral tale, fabricated of smells and sounds and bumps and knocks. A bright style to immerse yourself in ane of the most fascinating and turbulent periods of the 20th century, via a wonderfully fantastical conceit.

You said: This is the most magical and well-written volume I've read. The history of the partition of the Indian subcontinent told equally a delightful allegory.

Claudia G, Twitter

38. The Iliad past Homer (eighth century BC)

We said: Information technology is one of the greatest and most influential epic poems always 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 state of war, Homer also 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 G, Twitter

39. Vanity Fair past William Makepeace Thackeray (1847)

We said: William Makepeace Thackeray'due south satirical reflection of society on the whole embodied in a cast of characters who although flawed, nosotros can't assist only dearest and root for every bit nosotros follow their fortunes and downfalls throughout the Napoleonic wars.

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

Greg R, Twitter

40. Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh (1945)

We said: The iconic country house setting of Brideshead see a family consumed by its religion boxing with their loyalties. A cogitating and cornball novel by Evelyn Waugh well-nigh grade, family unit and homecomings.

You said: And so evocative of a sure time and place, every bit well 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'south masterpiece is how utterly hilarious it is. Holden is a character no one always forgets.

You said: This novel's main graphic symbol, Holden, is coping with tragic loss, every bit all of usa do in our lives. Equally he wanders aimlessly effectually the metropolis, he struggles to plan his next life move, but finds happiness in small joys, such as his strong bond with his sister.

Alma E, Twitter

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

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

You said: We should all become lost down a rabbit hole every one time in a while and come out believing in half dozen incommunicable things earlier breakfast #whyisaravenlikeawritingdesk

Lauren D, Twitter

43. The Manufactory on the Floss past George Eliot (1860)

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

Yous said: One classic anybody must read:The Manufactory on the Floss by George Eliot. A beautifully told story of an intelligent daughter who yearns for more than society allows.

Jess, Twitter

44. Barchester Towers by Anthony Trollope (1857)

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

You said: This volume has tremendous characters and a plot which sucks you into such a unlike globe, about which you find yourself caring badly.

Hilary S, Twitter

45. Some other Country by James Baldwin (1962)

We said: Primarily set in New York's Greenwich Village, James Baldwin'sAnother Land tackled many themes that were taboo at the time of its publication including bisexuality, interracial couples and extramarital diplomacy - all in the sensational earth of Harlem jazz and the Bohemian underworld.

Y'all said: This is a book that shows how everyone tin can live and love together, passionately, dangerously, with exquisite music.  I'll never forget the thrill of first reading information technology.

Jon A, Twitter

46. Les Miserables by Victor Hugo (1862)

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

You said: A beautiful story of the power of redemption and a good heart forth with a backdrop of the socio-economical iniquities of 19th century French republic. Beautifully written, information technology tugs the heartstrings.

Gary G, Twitter

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

We said: Filled with all the sweetness treats from your wildest dreams (and proving that nice guys don't ever finish last), Roald Dahl'due southCharlie and the Chocolate Manufactory is a cautionary tale for both children and adults. Don't be greedy. Don't spoil your children. Don't chew mucilage. And don't sit in forepart of the Telly all day. 'It rots the senses in the caput!'

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

Isanne V, Twitter

48. The Outsiders by Southward. E. Hinton (1967)

Nosotros said: A coming-of-age tale of teenage rebellion, set in a winner-takes-all world of drive-ins, elevate races and switchblades. It created an anti-hero from the incorrect side of the class divide – all written when Southward. East. Hinton was merely 17. 'Stay gold Ponyboy… stay gold'.

You lot said: The original YA novel, which sparked many crushes and made 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 instance of the onetime adage that revenge is a dish all-time served cold.

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

Hayati Y, Twitter

50. Ulysses by James Joyce (1922)

We said: Having survived censorship, controversy and fifty-fifty 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 up for debate.

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

Pqxzyvr, Twitter

51. East of Eden by John Steinbeck (1952)

We said: Generally set in California, John Steinbeck's most aggressive novel follows two families and their interwoven stories. The writer himself said, 'It has everything in it I accept been able to learn about my craft or profession in all these years.'

They said: Vivid writing, epic family saga, drills deep into homo nature and how nosotros call up, experience and act toward one another. My all-time favourite novel.

Naomi Chiliad, Facebook

52. The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoyevsky (1880)

We said: Ii years in the making, this philosophical novel by Fyodor Dostoyevsky questions big topics like faith, free will and morality but information technology'southward too a very readable one that's part murder mystery, function court drama.

You said: A depiction of the darkest recesses of human nature. Only besides of the brightest ones…

Luca C, Facebook

53. Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov (1955)

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

You lot said: Beautifully written. The volume takes you into the mind of this awful character and lets you roll around in the gorgeous word-play every bit the story unfurls.

Lesley Fifty, Facebook

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

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

You said: I will never forget reading this book equally a child. I felt I was in the center 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 accept on the lengths reporters – and paper magnates – volition become to for a story. With modern exposés on hacking scandals and the similar, Scoop feels as relevant as ever.

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

Guy V, Facebook

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

We 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 betwixt Paris and London, A Tale of Two Cities is a mammoth story gear up during the brutal years of the French Revolution.

You said: Sitting alone at 16 years old after the family had gone to bed,  tears streamed down my cheeks as 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 middle-class man, Charles Pooter, and his attempts to alive a respectable heart-course life. This riotously funny novel created such an impression that it inspired an adjective in honour of its main character: 'Pooterish', a self-important person who takes themselves far as well seriously.

You said: I have read this volume and so many times and express mirth out loud every fourth dimension. I have a Penguin Classic copy of it that's falling apart simply I wouldn't part with it for the world

Emma H, Facebook

58. Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy (1878)

Nosotros said: Anna Karenina is a woman who seems to have information technology all. She's married, she'due south wealthy, she'southward 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 pregnant of life and happiness just it's a very readable one.

You said: Merely the all-time in-depth characterisation of all time. Tolstoy's psychological insights accept never been beaten.

Chris W, Facebook

59. The Betrothed by Alessandro Manzoni (1827)

We said: Alessandro Manzoni'due south novel takes is the story of two young lovers trying to exist together, fix 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 said: This volume is on the verge of being forgotten by casual readers, but it's entertaining, socially and scientifically progressive for its time, has incredibly moving, beautifully-written passages on staff of life riots and the plague, and information technology 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's imagination in this short but powerful novel and follow Orlando from the court of Elizabeth I to a historic poet in the 20th century.

You said: What is it to exist a woman? Woolf's modernist novel is then fresh fifty-fifty 90 or so years later. Gender fluidity earlier 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: Footstep into the dystopian USA and follow the saga of Dagny Taggart and Hank Rearden every bit they attempt to bring their Transcontinental railroad into being, and uncover the secrets of a shadowy effigy called John Galt forth the manner.

You lot said: This book engages the reader through its characters and themes, allowing i to be entranced through this cautionary tale that tin can be applied to the modern globe.

Deanna H, Facebook

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

We said: When a scientist and inventor creates a time auto, he travels to the distant time to come to see what's in store for humanity. H. Thou. Wells' novel is the book that popularised fourth dimension travel, simply read deeper and it'due south also a metaphor for the fractured society that we 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 by Lord's day-Tzu

We said: Lord's day-Tzu, author of the earth's oldest guide to military machine strategy, recognised that we alive in a conflicted globe. The layperson might not be involved in warfare only the advice inside is just as useful for navigating the workplace or daily life.

Yous said: This should be called the little book of mutual sense. It makes everything easier to empathise.

Darren G, Facebook

64. The Forsyte Saga past John Galsworthy (1922)

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

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

Hildegard S, Facebook

65. Travels with Charley past John Steinbeck (1962)

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

You said: 1 of the truthful first 'road' books – a search for the spirit of the ordinary American people.

Edith Southward, Facebook

66. Tropic of Cancer by Henry Miller (1934)

Nosotros said: It was banned in the U.s.a. and the UK for 30 years for being likewise 'pornographic,' and undoubtedly in that location are smutty moments, merely Henry Miller uses this to comment on the human condition. Told from a diverseness of first-person characters in 1930s Paris – including Miller's own experiences as a struggling writer – the common thread between each character is their sexual encounters.

You said: Loud, funny, sexual Paris in the 1930s. I read it when I was 20, and information technology changed the style I await at the world.

Brendan P, Facebook

67. Women in Beloved by 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 Dearest contains some of Lawrence's finest writing.

Y'all said: This is Lawrence at his all-time… although I practise call up Lady Chatterley's Lover is nether-rated…

David P, Facebook

68. Staying On past 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 us a unique insight into life just later on the end of the British rule in India.

Yous said: A funny, tragic, beautifully written study of an English colonial married couple left backside 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 serial of letters to Kenneth Grahame's sickly son evolved into i of England's nigh love children'south books. A whimsical foray through the Berkshire countryside, the camaraderie between Ratty, Badger, Mole and Mr Toad withal embodies traditional British eccentricities to a tee.

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

Vicky A, Facebook

70. My Ántonia past Willa Cather (1918)

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

You said: Quite simply, a beautifully written book.

Carolyn R, Facebook

71. Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë (1847)

We said: Controversial at the time of publication, Emily Brontë's archetype love story between Catherine and Heathcliff still resonates with readers today.  Widely considered a staple of Gothic fiction and the English literary canon, this volume has gone on to inspire many generations of writers – and volition proceed to practice so.

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

Tessa J, Facebook

72. Perfume by Patrick Süskind (1985)

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

Yous said: A story of suspense and love, with beautiful narration.

Ivy W, Facebook

73. War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy (1867)

Nosotros said: LeoTolstoy'south sweeping ballsy of human life in all its imperfection and grandeur is universally accepted as ane of the greatest novels of all fourth dimension.

You lot said:This novel is just gripping and beautifully written. Kept me enthralled for weeks...

Angela T, Facebook

74. Of Human Chains by Somerset Maugham (1915)

We said: Considered as Somerset Maugham'south 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 but irresistible waitress is considered i of his finest books.

You said: A compelling story of unreciprocated beloved.

Rajan D, Facebook

75. Dour House by Charles Dickens (1853)

We said: At the center 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 turn a profit from the case. Dickens' scathing reflection of the legal profession went some way to support a judicial reform movement in the 1870s.

You said: An amazing 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 boyfriend monde of Paris where he apace discovers a globe far more dangerous than he ever imagined. Honoré de Balzac paints a bright and brutal picture of the hypocrisy and moral history of his times.

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

Isabel M, Facebook

77. Breakfast of Champions past Kurt Vonnegut (1973)

We said: Part comedy, part searing satire, nosotros're taken to the Midwest to follow Vonnegut's ageing writer Kilgore Trout on an cool narrative. Yous may love information technology, you may not go the betoken. Either way, yous'll find it hard not to express mirth.

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

Kleber L, Facebook

78. A Christmas Carol past Charles Dickens (1843)

Nosotros said: This is arguably Dickens' most 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 lot 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'south favourite of her novels. It tells the story of an isolated miser, who is given a 2d chance to transform his life when he adopts a immature orphaned child. With themes of religion, industrialisation and community, the book also provides the states with a glimpse of a vanished rural world.

Y'all said: Redemption and dearest. Beautifully written

Rhiannon C, Facebook

lxxx. Mrs Dalloway by Virginia Woolf (1925)

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

You said: A reminder that no life is too minor.

Marianna S, Facebook

81. Piddling Women past Louisa May Alcott (1868)

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

You said: A story of growing upwardly and irresolute and the world set up effectually a group of young girls. This book is as timeless as it is beautiful.

Luke East, Twitter

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

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

You said: This book left me speechless, while reading and after reading and I still can't notice the words to draw 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'southward book and 1972 moving-picture show accommodation became global phenomena with this searing portrayal of New York's Mafia underworld. A powerful story of tradition, blood, accolade and of course, family allegiance.

You said: This novel teaches the reader about the strengths and failures of man nature.

Louisa J, Twitter

84. The Castle past Franz Kafka (1926)

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

Y'all said: This book leads the reader into a maze of conundrums, defoliation, 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 course of an autobiography of the Roman Emperor Claudius, Robert Graves' novel captures the madness and debauchery of aboriginal Rome. Both I, Claudius and Graves's sequel Claudius the God are regarded today as pioneering masterpieces of historical fiction, too as gripping reads.

You said: A beautifully written novel almost absolute ability. Very relevant.

Ian K, Twitter

86. Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie (1904)

You said:The story that made every child want to trip the light fantastic toe on tiptoes over midnight rooftops and soar away to Neverland, J. Thou. Barrie'south tale of the boy who could never abound up 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 anybody to never grow up inside!

Jennifer M, Twitter

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

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

You said: I chose this book only because the characters are fantastic, and information technology makes me express joy.

Sharon, Twitter

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

You said: Featuring Maugham himself as a character and adapted twice for the big screen, The Razor'southward Edge tells the story of an American pilot trying to adjust back to normal life following the First Earth War. Information technology'south a gruelling expect at the devastating effects of mail service-state of war trauma, and a philosophical journey to observe significant in life.

Yous said: A profound story of 1 man's journey to find himself.

Holden M, Twitter

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

You lot said: Many will remember the recent BBC serial of the same name; Distraction Rise to Candleford is writer Flora Thompson'due south semi-autobiographical recollections of her youth and growing up in Oxfordshire, and paints a delightful portrait of country life at the end of the 19th century.

You said: Mayhap a fiddling fleck out of left field, but I love this book. It's uncomplicated, it's beautifully written and it's all nearly capturing a vanishing mode of life as countryside farming turns to Victorian towns... really eloquent, really moving!

Vicky, Twitter

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

We said: When proud and passionate Eustacia Vye marries Clym Yeobright, she believes she can finally go out her rural life at Egdon Heath behind. 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 - as are many women.

Linda Grand, Twitter

91. A Portrait of the Creative person as a Fellow past James Joyce (1916)

We said: A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man was James Joyce's start novel and details the young artist discovering his voice, arts and crafts and identity through his literary alter ego, Stephen Dedalus. In that location are echoes of his techniques here before they are refined in his later works such as Ulysses and Finnegans Wake.

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

Donald Thousand, Twitter

92. Heart of Darkness past Joseph Conrad (1902)

Nosotros said: JosephConrad's novella has been accounted by many as a 'difficult read', only this enigmatic and atmospheric piece of fiction of Charles Marlow's journeying up the Congo river – which also provided the inspiration for Francis Ford Coppola's Apocalypse Now – volition leave you unfolding its many layers for a long time after.

You said: What an astonishing piece of writing from someone who had to learn the linguistic communication first...

Tracey L, Twitter

93. North and South 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 between Margaret Hale and John Thornton.

Y'all 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 past Margaret Atwood (1985)

We said: 'When it commencement came out it was viewed as beingness far-fetched,' said Margaret Atwood in 2017. The connected regression of ballgame laws and women'south rights across the world has only made Atwood'due south dystopian all the more pertinent; and ensuring the book – and TV bear witness's – place in history as a lynchpin of the feminist resistance.

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

Emma H, Twitter

95. Suite Francaise by Irene Nemirovsky (2004)

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

You said: This is my favourite book. It is an extremely moving account of the kinds of things that actually happened in Nazi-occupied France during the Second World War. It presents the dilemmas, fears and choices that were felt and had to be made by ordinary people.

Jim H, Twitter

96. One Solar day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich by Alexander Solzhenitsyn (1962)

We said: This deeply personal and unforgettable business relationship of a day in the life at a Soviet labour camp in the 1950s is highly considered to be one of the greats of gimmicky literature.

Yous said: Solzhenitsyn'south writing from personal experience of life/being in a forced labour camp under Stalin's communist authorities is a stark, brutal, masterpiece.

Brian T, Twitter

97. What A Carve Up! by 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 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 do. Caustic, heartfelt, funny, devastating; a beautiful volume.

Declan C, Twitter

98. Zen and the Fine art of Motorbike Maintenance past Robert Pirsig (1974)

We said: Anyone looking for an introduction to philosophy need wait no farther. Information technology's also a touching portrayal of fatherhood and friendship.

Y'all said: An amazing philosophical hazard that influenced a generation.

Jason F, Twitter

99. White Nights by Fyodor Dostoyevsky (1848)

We said: One of Fyodor Dostoyevsky'due south underrated works, this short story is divided into six sections. With themes of loneliness and unrequited love told past a nameless narrator – it's quintessential Dostoyevsky.

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

Melly, Twitter

100. Difficult 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 said: Pathos, humour, social comment, politic and incredibly well-fatigued, believable characters.

Angela, Twitter

What's your favourite classic read? Let u.s.a. know at @penguinukbooks.

Books ranked in no particular order. Some answers take 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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