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100 must-read classics, as chosen by our readers

100 must-read classics, as chosen by our readers

by Sarah McKenna and Penguin Editors

13 April 2026

min read

··8

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 you can easily get lost in it.

So we asked our readers to tell us about their favourite classic books. The resulting list of must-reads is a perfect way to find inspiration to start your classics adventure. There's something for everyone, from family sagas and dystopian fiction to romances and historical fiction.

And if you enjoy this, you can also explore our reader's favourite books by female authors, most loved children's books and the best memoirs they've ever read. Plus, don't miss the chance to put your classics knowledge to the test with our quiz.

1. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (1813)

We said: It is a truth universally acknowledged that when most 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 husband with a good fortune.

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

Francesca, X (formerly Twitter)

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

We said: A novel before 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 Scout and Jem, it also created one of literature’s most beloved heroes – Atticus Finch, a man determined to right the racial wrongs of the Deep South.

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

Greygardens, X (formerly Twitter)

3. The Great 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 great characters of American literature. This is F. Scott Fitzgerald at his most sparkling and devastating.

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

Joe T, X (formerly Twitter)

4. Madonna in a Fur Coat by Sabahattin Ali (1943)

We said: This unrequited love story is deeply moving and full of yearning. A shy young man moves to Berlin in the 1920s where he is torn between his love for a woman and his duty to his family.

You said: “It hit the darkest parts of my psyche and made me feel things I hadn't experienced in a long time” - Darkesthourreads, Instagram

5. One 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.

You 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, X (formerly Twitter)

6. In Cold Blood by Truman Capote (1965)

We said: The ‘true crime’ TV show / podcast you’re obsessed with probably owes a debt to this masterpiece of reportage by Truman Capote. Chilling and brilliant.

You said: In this groundbreaking novel, completed after 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 crime genre as we know it.

Kgjephcott, X (formerly Twitter)

7. Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys (1966)

We said: Jean Rhys wrote this feminist and anti-colonial prequel to Charlotte Bronte’s 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 classic novel and breathed new life into the “madwoman in the attic” based on her own experiences/world view. She beautifully showed how the stories we read fold into our lives to make new stories.

Eric A, X (formerly Twitter)

8. Brave New World by Aldous Huxley (1932)

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

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

David G, X (formerly Twitter)

The Penguin books that shaped us

The Penguin books that shaped us Celebrating 90 years of Penguin Books Since 1935, Penguin has published books that have defined the world we live in. We’ve asked the experts, from editors and storytellers to musicians, podcasters and influencers, to help us gather the books that have shocked us, comforted us, raised us, and set […]

11. Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky (1866)

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

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

Angie V, X (formerly Twitter)

12. The Turn of the Screw by Henry James (1898)

We said: A young governess fears evil spirits are stalking the young children in her care. But is this a ghost story or a tale of intense paranoia? Either way, this chilling novella creates a claustrophobic atmosphere that makes it impossible to put down.

You said: “It’s a wonderful psychological piece and a beautifully written gothic. I especially love that it’s short but really forces the reader to ponder whether any of it is true at all.” - Letters_by_layla, Instagram

13. The Secret History by Donna Tartt (1992)

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

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

AnamiAndBooks, X (formerly Twitter)

14. 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 dog 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 earth knows it’s true.

Helen D, X (formerly Twitter)

15. Persuasion by Jane Austen (1818)

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

You said: It's a beautiful evocation of longing against sense and reason, of forgiveness and second chances.

Sharan, newsletter reader

16. 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 heart along with a backdrop of the socio-economic iniquities of 19th century France. Beautifully written, it tugs the heartstrings.

Gary G, X (formerly Twitter)

17. Moby-Dick by Herman Melville (1851)

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

You said: The writing is sublime, the settings are vivid, and all the little sub-plots are riveting: an historical adventure revenge tale that stands up as a true classic.

Dan, newsletter reader

18. To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf (1927)

We said: To the Lighthouse is a daring novel with little regard for rules. There’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 said: You feel like you’re stood on top of a cliff with the sea breeze blowing right through your bones.

‏Halcyonbookdays, X (formerly Twitter)

19. The Death of the Heart by Elizabeth Bowen (1938)

We said: Considered Elizabeth Bowen’s masterpiece novel, this is the story of 16-year old Portia who is sent to live with her Aunt in London, after her mother’s death. There, 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 reflective, but oddly naive, unloved girl. ‏

Heather O, X (formerly Twitter)

20. Frankenstein by Mary Shelley (1823)

We said: Written when Mary Shelley was just 18 years old, but don’t let that depress you. Frankenstein is a Gothic masterpiece with entertaining set pieces aplenty.

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

Julie A, X (formerly Twitter)

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

We said: This spine-chilling story was censored by Stalin and sadly only published after Mikhail Bulgakov’s death.

You said: This is the masterpiece of Mikhail Bulgakov, his magnum opus. About life and death in Communist Russia, and also about greater things: the power of forgiveness and eternal life.

Joanna, newsletter reader

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

We said: A moving exploration by L. P. Hartley of a young boy’s loss of innocence and a critical view of society at the end of the Victorian era.

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

Rapsodiafestiva, X (formerly Twitter)

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

We said: It is one of the greatest and most 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 also explores themes of humanity, compassion and survival.

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

Max G, X (formerly Twitter)

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

We 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 being spontaneous are as important as anything else in life.

Darren B, X (formerly Twitter)

Frequently asked questions

What are the easiest classics to start with?

If you’re looking for an easy entryway to reading the classics, you might consider starting with a shorter novel that is less than 200 pages long. This lets you get a sense of if you like this style of writing – and gives you the satisfaction of reading a classic over a single weekend. So, if you’re looking for a short classic book, we recommend starting with the following:

White Nights by Fyodor Dostoyevsky (128 pages)

Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys (192 pages)

The Outsiders by S. E. Hinton (160 pages)

The Diary of a Nobody by George Grossmith (176 pages)

The Time Machine by H. G. Wells (144 pages)

The Turn of the Screw by Henry James (176 pages)

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens (160 pages)

What is considered the greatest novel of all time?

The greatest book of all time is completely subjective, of course. However, the book that is most commonly cited across different articles and websites as the best book of all time is Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes. The book has been ranked one of the best books of all time by The Guardian, TIME, BBC, and more.

However, the following are also commonly cited on such websites: War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy, Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy, In Search of Lost Time by Marcel Proust, and Ulysses by James Joyce. These books are popular classics that have stood the test of time.

What makes a book a classic?

A classic is a book that has stood the test of time and still feels relevant today, years after its publication. It is usually subversive or inventive, and has influenced books that have come after it, but it can also be representative of the time it was written. In his 1986 essay Why Read the Classics, Italo Calvino said it best: “A classic is a book which has never exhausted all it has to say to its readers.”

Books ranked in no particular order. Some answers have been edited for clarity and style. Article first published in 2022, but has since been updated with new reader responses.

Image at top: Flynn Shore / Penguin.

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