,

I am on a mission to read and reread classic literature. I searched far and wide for a decent book list but all seem incomplete to me. Please add your favorite classic books to the list.
1

by
4.29 avg rating — 4,733,973 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
2

by
4.16 avg rating — 2,296,830 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
3

by
4.20 avg rating — 5,363,220 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
4

by
4.32 avg rating — 1,010,752 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
5

by
4.17 avg rating — 2,429,369 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
6

by
3.90 avg rating — 2,005,936 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
7

by
3.90 avg rating — 1,840,120 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
8

by
3.93 avg rating — 5,834,267 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
9

by
4.26 avg rating — 6,797,596 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
10

by
4.09 avg rating — 1,284,290 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
11

by
3.83 avg rating — 1,177,222 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
12

by
3.88 avg rating — 1,005,942 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
13

by
3.80 avg rating — 867,240 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
14

by
3.99 avg rating — 2,052,855 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
15

by
4.01 avg rating — 4,468,195 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
16

by
3.83 avg rating — 1,331,389 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
17

by
4.02 avg rating — 1,453,000 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
18

by
3.97 avg rating — 2,786,322 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
19

by
4.03 avg rating — 1,037,750 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
20

by
4.05 avg rating — 970,729 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
21

by
3.52 avg rating — 236,618 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
22

by
4.10 avg rating — 921,111 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
23

by
3.80 avg rating — 3,854,707 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
24

by
3.74 avg rating — 2,799,392 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
25

by
4.15 avg rating — 767,330 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
26

by
4.30 avg rating — 4,410,769 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
27

by
4.25 avg rating — 709,339 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
28

by
4.06 avg rating — 604,756 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
29

by
3.44 avg rating — 911,760 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
30

by
4.31 avg rating — 1,252,208 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
31

by
4.21 avg rating — 838,738 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
32

by
3.94 avg rating — 574,656 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
33

by
4.13 avg rating — 1,840,100 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
34

by
4.17 avg rating — 362,233 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
35

by
3.93 avg rating — 504,044 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
36

by
4.28 avg rating — 1,058,084 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
37

by
3.50 avg rating — 343,402 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
38

by
4.40 avg rating — 294,230 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
39

by
4.10 avg rating — 348,280 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
40

by
3.89 avg rating — 1,008,554 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
41

by
3.88 avg rating — 424,601 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
42

by
3.56 avg rating — 610,874 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
43

by
3.86 avg rating — 376,970 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
44

by
4.03 avg rating — 985,268 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
45

by
3.89 avg rating — 274,354 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
46

by
3.97 avg rating — 223,811 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
47

by
3.99 avg rating — 881,668 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
48

by
3.71 avg rating — 370,864 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
49

by
4.39 avg rating — 380,368 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
50

by
4.54 avg rating — 725,211 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
51

by
3.91 avg rating — 235,653 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
52

by
4.04 avg rating — 256,538 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
53

by
3.85 avg rating — 448,309 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
54

by
3.91 avg rating — 302,328 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
55

by
4.24 avg rating — 3,113,104 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
56

by
3.89 avg rating — 560,279 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
57

by
3.70 avg rating — 3,164,480 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
58

by
3.85 avg rating — 222,566 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
59

by
4.33 avg rating — 1,100,112 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
60

by
3.89 avg rating — 2,798,768 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
61

by
3.91 avg rating — 98,340 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
62

by
3.84 avg rating — 300,846 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
63

by
3.59 avg rating — 297,015 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
64

by
4.19 avg rating — 7,316 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
65

by
3.61 avg rating — 459,625 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
66

by
3.76 avg rating — 298,767 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
67

by
3.90 avg rating — 1,390,113 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
68

by
3.96 avg rating — 273,614 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
69

by
3.81 avg rating — 132,736 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
70

by
3.86 avg rating — 65,721 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
71

by
3.76 avg rating — 98,680 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
72

by
4.61 avg rating — 143,176 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
73

by
3.85 avg rating — 535,959 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
74

by
3.83 avg rating — 346,656 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
75

by
3.83 avg rating — 75,542 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
76

by
4.44 avg rating — 623,974 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
77

by
3.97 avg rating — 193,766 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
78

by
3.68 avg rating — 329,122 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
79

by
4.02 avg rating — 113,446 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
80

by
really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 506,104 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
80

by
4.17 avg rating — 1,282,698 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
82

by
3.85 avg rating — 180,623 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
83

by
4.08 avg rating — 170,351 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
84

by
4.05 avg rating — 129,232 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
85

by
3.93 avg rating — 79,221 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
86

by
4.19 avg rating — 244,290 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
87

by
4.01 avg rating — 55,205 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
87

by
4.05 avg rating — 598,279 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
89

by
3.99 avg rating — 383,056 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
90

by
3.97 avg rating — 105,080 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
91

by
4.07 avg rating — 157,026 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
92

by
4.01 avg rating — 164,933 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
93

by
4.03 avg rating — 396,482 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
94

by
3.87 avg rating — 142,081 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
95

by
3.87 avg rating — 935,347 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
96

by
4.33 avg rating — 2,433,030 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
97

by
4.09 avg rating — 907,558 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
98

by
4.12 avg rating — 2,775,233 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
99

by
3.71 avg rating — 217,780 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
100

by
3.43 avg rating — 553,685 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
634 books · 523 voters · list created June 21st, 2008 by Crystal.
98 likes · 
Lists are re-scored approximately every 5 minutes.


Cindy 10635 books
158 friends
Kara 280 books
88 friends
Margaret 1201 books
737 friends
Cidne 771 books
62 friends
Laura 6335 books
1236 friends
Tamra 187 books
16 friends
Miles 214 books
941 friends
Miriam 268 books
22 friends

More voters…


Comments Showing 1-7 of 7 (7 new)

dateUp arrow    newest »

message 1: by Tamora (new)

Tamora Pierce I'm just clicking on what I've read, not on what I liked. When you're dealing with books like these, that generally drop into everyone's life before they're 20, what you like and what you don't like is highly individual. I don't think you can really go by the opinion of the next person, because you're all forming your opinions. I liked TARZAN, but had no interest in CHARLOTTE'S WEB. My classmates had spasms over CRIME AND PUNISHMENT, so much so that I never told them that I kinda liked it. They were okay with THE SCARLET LETTER, which made me crazy. You really have to try the books that our parents, teachers, and peers think are probably classic, and decide for yourself if they're good reads as far as you're concerned!


message 2: by Mandy (new)

Mandy I would just like to say that I believe 'Les Miserables' by Victor Hugo is the best book on this list. And nooooo, I'm not basing it on the hit musical (even though I love that as well), because it did get a lot wrong. I'm currently reading A Tale of 2 Cities, nad let me say I've made a lot of connections to Les Miserables. It's just an amzing and epic Book!


message 3: by Tamara (new)

Tamara I agree with Tamora, There are several books i've been told are must reads by people who don't read much themselves. I have been disappointed in many of them most books are classics because they've been around forever and a day. Much of the language is outdated and stale. occasionally you do stumble upon a book with a plot that holds up but it is a rare find. That being said, I loved Scarlett Letter and The hunchback of Notra Dame but found Pride and Prejudice tedious at best shallow and mindless at worst


message 4: by Marsi (new)

Marsi i just discovered my interest in reading so i've read only a few. i just finished che's book on social revolution. so far from what i've read dracula is the best they describe the events as if one was there. my second best is lady chaterley's lover


message 5: by Danna (new)

Danna This is a great list! I have this sort of mission too, although I gotta find a good library to hold all of these books. Too bad I don't have it in the area, or money to but some..


message 6: by BookLovingLady (deceased Jan. 25, 2023...) (last edited Feb 07, 2017 07:03AM) (new)

BookLovingLady (deceased Jan. 25, 2023...) @Crystal
I've tried adding other books than then ones originally written in English, apart from voting for the ones already on the list I mean, as there are so many great classics worth reading. All of which are available in English translations, by the way. Books I've added are, for instance, Alle fabels, Lustgebed, Avondgezichten, Het hoofdkussenboek, Het boek van Dede Korkoet, Nibelungenlied, De ring van de duif, Het boek der koningen, De rozentuin and Rubaiyat, to name just a few.


By the way, 'Classics' = 'Modern Classics' too? As there are plenty of those on your list.


message 7: by Tyler (new)

Tyler Cameron How is The Giver on this list?


back to top



Related News

As you might expect, we are book people here at Goodreads World Headquarters—rather intense book people, actually. And when the holidays roll...

Anyone can add books to this list.