I’d add Middlemarch by George Elliott. The most truly humanistic book I’ve ever read. You come to understand all the characters, even the villains. And very funny.
How does Middlemarch compare to Silas Marner, which I really loved. It took me a bit to get into Silas Marner, then I was head over heels and full on to the end.
Middlemarch is a lot longer and much more nuanced. Silas Marner is a relatively straightforward story of personal growth, focused on a single person. Middlemarch has multiple main characters each with their own arcs, and you get to understand the villains as well as the protagonists. Few characters get a neatly tied up ending but the endings are (to me) very real and organic. It’s also much funnier than Silas Marner - very close to Austen in noting how ridiculous people can be. I enjoyed Silas Marner but love Middlemarch. But it is very long and some of the story arcs take a while to pay off - but it’s worth it!
Great list. Read them all years ago as a isolated teen. No regrets. I would add Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter because it seems particularly relevant to the lives of young women these days.
I'd love to see what books didn't make the cut. Can you share the other forty you read?
I agree with all of the novels you put on there (so great!), but I may also challenge the other forty. Your ranking system seems to mostly evaluate their entertainment level instead of the other numerous things novels can offer--particularly life lessons still applicable even if the plot or the character is not. I don't think that makes the novels bad, but just a bit harder to get through. Part of the reason people aren't reading the classics is that they equate hard with bad. When hard could just mean rewarding?
Likewise, evaluating a novel should involve more than sheer entertainment; it should also consider its themes, the character arcs, its unique structure, and how it even helped develop the novel as a whole. Crime and Punishment, for instance, emphasized psychological subjectivity in a way that hadn't been done before. Portions of it can be complicated, but it's a beautiful story about a man wrestling with a crime he has committed, the detective who is trying to catch him, and a love that may redeem the protagonist. Mrs. Dalloway, though not the easiest novel to get through, represents Modernism, experiments in temporality, what it means "to be", what it means to live, consideration of World War I, etc. It too is short. The classics aren't just about entertainment but also about learning about the world, a time period, its representation, and looking back with a contemporary lens to see how things have developed and changed.
I think this list is a great list to launch someone into reading of the classics. However, part of the joy of the classics is the reading, discovering, and evaluating them on your own. They are classics for a reason and have added to the way characters are written, novels are structured, themes have developed over a period of time at a specific period of time. Some push you farther than you wanted to go when you opened the novel, yet by the end of it you realize you're a better reader, thinker, and may have a slightly different perspective on things because you've been challenged.
I was a high school English teacher for four years and am now in the second phase of my doctorate in the history of the novel. So, I'm VERY curious. I'm all about making the classics accessible and seeing how contemporary life has been shaped by them. One of the most rewarding experiences so far has been reading the classics I discounted because they are hard or not a page turner, and realizing that they are actually quite phenomenal. As literature lovers, I think we should be encouraging not only these gateways to the classics, as you are doing, but also going beyond that and empowering/encouraging people to read the stuff they have been told is "bad."
Seconding Middlemarch. Adding The Way We Live Now by Anthony Trolliope. Similar to Middlemarch in the various plot threads. Kind of realistic, behind the scenes in 19th century London. Also Madame Bovary for depth and emotional weight, and where capitalism intersects with passion. Spoiler alert: it's not good. If you lean toward Brontes, include Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne. Totally worth it. And North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell. I love her. Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man by Joyce. Shorter and easier to read than Ulysses, but also great.
There's a tv miniseries based on it, and it's MOSTLY good, but I'm a canon thumper, so I can't forgive the place where they deviated. But it's pretty at least.
Excellent list! I’m so glad you had count of monte cristo on here. One of my fav books of all time. I haven’t read Jane Eyre or Rebecca but I trust your judgement and just got them. Thank you :)
I will do. My wife and I just watch the original 1980s adaptation of prejudice has inspired me to read the book which I just finished and really enjoyed it.
I read 1984 when I was in high school and when 1984 was still in the future. It felt very much like fiction then. Now it feels like a user manual. The Count is on my reading list. Thanks!
A few additions from deep left field (NB: NOT ‘political’ left field—just a little bit off the mainline of the comments)
The Iliad of Homer. Agonizing, but absolutely marvelous poetry.
The Aeneid of Vergil. Read only books 1, 2, 4, 6. The rest of the poem isn’t up to these four.
Dante’s Divine Comedy. This is a toughy. Like Proust, you have to make a major intellectual commitment to a ‘willing suspension of disbelief’ if you’re not a Christian. Get the Dorothy Sayers translation (Penguin Classics paperback)—it does a superb job of explaining Dante’s world, especially the politics of it. Sayers also does an excellent job explaining some of Dante’s theology in laymen’s terms.
Tom Jones, by Henry Fielding. IMHO, the best of the classic 18th century English novels. Howlingly funny in many places. The movie is an excellent companion to the book, superbly acted, especially by Hugh Griffith.
Probably the best tip I can give for the non-English classics is to get a good translation. There are thousands of translations of most non-English classics; I’d look for more modern ones rather than ‘classic’ (= cheap) ones. I’ve already mentioned Dorothy Sayers’s for Dante. Robert Fagles has done good recent translations of Homer and Vergil—IIRC the classic translation of the Iliad is by Richard Lattimore, though I’m not all that familiar with it. The is a new translation of Homer by Emily Wilson— the first woman to translate Homer; I think she’s done the Iliad, too—and has gotten excellent reviews. The only translation of Proust I’m familiar with is the new Penguin Classics edition; I’ve only read the first (of seven) volumes, and found it very good.
It’s important, I think, to make a clear commitment of time and energy to read any classic work of literature; of course this must be individualized to each person’s life. Reading one in a group context (e.g. a book club) might also be helpful.
Realizing that most classics, even American ones like Moby-Dick or Gatsby, are from a different culture/time/world, and need to be,looked at in that context. The Bible is a classic example—despite what some people think, it was not written primarily for contemporary Americans. The further away from our culture the work is, the more important understanding its original culture becomes; again, the Bible is an excellent example. Good translation introductions, or commentaries aimed at ‘amateurs’, not scholars, can be very helpful.
Hope this helps—looking forward to reading more on your Substack!
We only ever read The Inferno in school, but the only thing I remember is that the circles were full of ironic punishments, and all the flatterers were in pits of excrement, which had teenage me thinking “omg we’ve been calling flatterers ‘full of shit’ for at least 800 years!”
Middlemarch, best read for me in 2025. But Lonesome Dove might be a tie for this year. Since it was a 'western', been staying away from LD. Now I cannot put the book down. It is costing me too many hours into the early morning reading. BTW Great list! I have read all except The Count of MC. Now I know what I will be reading after LD:)
I’d add Middlemarch by George Elliott. The most truly humanistic book I’ve ever read. You come to understand all the characters, even the villains. And very funny.
For sure great add.
I couldn’t feel anything for Raffles
Fair point
Fully agree it’s one of the greats!
How does Middlemarch compare to Silas Marner, which I really loved. It took me a bit to get into Silas Marner, then I was head over heels and full on to the end.
Middlemarch is a lot longer and much more nuanced. Silas Marner is a relatively straightforward story of personal growth, focused on a single person. Middlemarch has multiple main characters each with their own arcs, and you get to understand the villains as well as the protagonists. Few characters get a neatly tied up ending but the endings are (to me) very real and organic. It’s also much funnier than Silas Marner - very close to Austen in noting how ridiculous people can be. I enjoyed Silas Marner but love Middlemarch. But it is very long and some of the story arcs take a while to pay off - but it’s worth it!
Thanks!
Great list. Read them all years ago as a isolated teen. No regrets. I would add Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter because it seems particularly relevant to the lives of young women these days.
Oh yes, good one!
I'd love to see what books didn't make the cut. Can you share the other forty you read?
I agree with all of the novels you put on there (so great!), but I may also challenge the other forty. Your ranking system seems to mostly evaluate their entertainment level instead of the other numerous things novels can offer--particularly life lessons still applicable even if the plot or the character is not. I don't think that makes the novels bad, but just a bit harder to get through. Part of the reason people aren't reading the classics is that they equate hard with bad. When hard could just mean rewarding?
Likewise, evaluating a novel should involve more than sheer entertainment; it should also consider its themes, the character arcs, its unique structure, and how it even helped develop the novel as a whole. Crime and Punishment, for instance, emphasized psychological subjectivity in a way that hadn't been done before. Portions of it can be complicated, but it's a beautiful story about a man wrestling with a crime he has committed, the detective who is trying to catch him, and a love that may redeem the protagonist. Mrs. Dalloway, though not the easiest novel to get through, represents Modernism, experiments in temporality, what it means "to be", what it means to live, consideration of World War I, etc. It too is short. The classics aren't just about entertainment but also about learning about the world, a time period, its representation, and looking back with a contemporary lens to see how things have developed and changed.
I think this list is a great list to launch someone into reading of the classics. However, part of the joy of the classics is the reading, discovering, and evaluating them on your own. They are classics for a reason and have added to the way characters are written, novels are structured, themes have developed over a period of time at a specific period of time. Some push you farther than you wanted to go when you opened the novel, yet by the end of it you realize you're a better reader, thinker, and may have a slightly different perspective on things because you've been challenged.
I was a high school English teacher for four years and am now in the second phase of my doctorate in the history of the novel. So, I'm VERY curious. I'm all about making the classics accessible and seeing how contemporary life has been shaped by them. One of the most rewarding experiences so far has been reading the classics I discounted because they are hard or not a page turner, and realizing that they are actually quite phenomenal. As literature lovers, I think we should be encouraging not only these gateways to the classics, as you are doing, but also going beyond that and empowering/encouraging people to read the stuff they have been told is "bad."
I’ll make a follow up post on the 12th with the whole list. These are just my favorites and what I think new classic readers can build endurance with.
The Brothers Karamazov. It’s a doorstop but well worth the effort
and Tolstoy...
Opened this just to make sure Rebecca was on here. My bookclub of 20 something’s just finished it
Amazing right?! Did everyone love it?
Love love loved it. Oh, to be a young girl and suffer through all the drama that comes with it
Seconding Middlemarch. Adding The Way We Live Now by Anthony Trolliope. Similar to Middlemarch in the various plot threads. Kind of realistic, behind the scenes in 19th century London. Also Madame Bovary for depth and emotional weight, and where capitalism intersects with passion. Spoiler alert: it's not good. If you lean toward Brontes, include Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne. Totally worth it. And North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell. I love her. Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man by Joyce. Shorter and easier to read than Ulysses, but also great.
Oooh North and South, I need to finish that one. I have a feeling it's going to be so good. Thank you for these!
There's a tv miniseries based on it, and it's MOSTLY good, but I'm a canon thumper, so I can't forgive the place where they deviated. But it's pretty at least.
I struggle with that too..I hate every Jane Eyre adaptation.
Right? And it could be SO GOOD. 🫤
Yes! Someone needs to do it right.
Excellent list! I’m so glad you had count of monte cristo on here. One of my fav books of all time. I haven’t read Jane Eyre or Rebecca but I trust your judgement and just got them. Thank you :)
I will do. My wife and I just watch the original 1980s adaptation of prejudice has inspired me to read the book which I just finished and really enjoyed it.
There's also a 1940 film, with Greer Gardon and Laurence Olivier
Yay, let me know what you think of them please!
PS And seconding Scarlet Letter. Hawthorne is the shizznit.
I read 1984 when I was in high school and when 1984 was still in the future. It felt very much like fiction then. Now it feels like a user manual. The Count is on my reading list. Thanks!
Scary but true.
I notice there is nothing by Faulkner mentioned. A Glaring Omission.
😕😕 I think the actual act of reading classics is crucial. I think of Newspeak in 1984. What’s the difference between that and this?
A few additions from deep left field (NB: NOT ‘political’ left field—just a little bit off the mainline of the comments)
The Iliad of Homer. Agonizing, but absolutely marvelous poetry.
The Aeneid of Vergil. Read only books 1, 2, 4, 6. The rest of the poem isn’t up to these four.
Dante’s Divine Comedy. This is a toughy. Like Proust, you have to make a major intellectual commitment to a ‘willing suspension of disbelief’ if you’re not a Christian. Get the Dorothy Sayers translation (Penguin Classics paperback)—it does a superb job of explaining Dante’s world, especially the politics of it. Sayers also does an excellent job explaining some of Dante’s theology in laymen’s terms.
Tom Jones, by Henry Fielding. IMHO, the best of the classic 18th century English novels. Howlingly funny in many places. The movie is an excellent companion to the book, superbly acted, especially by Hugh Griffith.
Any tips on how to get through the agonizing texts?? Maybe it's a mindframe shift?
Probably the best tip I can give for the non-English classics is to get a good translation. There are thousands of translations of most non-English classics; I’d look for more modern ones rather than ‘classic’ (= cheap) ones. I’ve already mentioned Dorothy Sayers’s for Dante. Robert Fagles has done good recent translations of Homer and Vergil—IIRC the classic translation of the Iliad is by Richard Lattimore, though I’m not all that familiar with it. The is a new translation of Homer by Emily Wilson— the first woman to translate Homer; I think she’s done the Iliad, too—and has gotten excellent reviews. The only translation of Proust I’m familiar with is the new Penguin Classics edition; I’ve only read the first (of seven) volumes, and found it very good.
It’s important, I think, to make a clear commitment of time and energy to read any classic work of literature; of course this must be individualized to each person’s life. Reading one in a group context (e.g. a book club) might also be helpful.
Realizing that most classics, even American ones like Moby-Dick or Gatsby, are from a different culture/time/world, and need to be,looked at in that context. The Bible is a classic example—despite what some people think, it was not written primarily for contemporary Americans. The further away from our culture the work is, the more important understanding its original culture becomes; again, the Bible is an excellent example. Good translation introductions, or commentaries aimed at ‘amateurs’, not scholars, can be very helpful.
Hope this helps—looking forward to reading more on your Substack!
We only ever read The Inferno in school, but the only thing I remember is that the circles were full of ironic punishments, and all the flatterers were in pits of excrement, which had teenage me thinking “omg we’ve been calling flatterers ‘full of shit’ for at least 800 years!”
Middlemarch, best read for me in 2025. But Lonesome Dove might be a tie for this year. Since it was a 'western', been staying away from LD. Now I cannot put the book down. It is costing me too many hours into the early morning reading. BTW Great list! I have read all except The Count of MC. Now I know what I will be reading after LD:)
Oh thank you for the heads up!
The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton. Hilarious and well-written.
I'd recommend Sounder by William H Armstrong. Prepare to cry. A lot.
Oh thank you! Sometimes it’s needed.
WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU READ THEM AND NOW I DON'T HAVE TO? I WANTED TO READ THEM 😭😭😭
jk, I love this kind of posts <3 and I agree with you on those I read.
Ha!