,

This is a list, which allows you to vote for the books that you consider as some of "the great classics" but, unfortunately, have never gotten a chance to read.
1

by
4.21 avg rating — 851,008 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
2

by
4.17 avg rating — 370,394 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
3

by
4.11 avg rating — 945,402 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
4

by
3.91 avg rating — 309,437 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
5

by
4.39 avg rating — 397,311 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
6

by
3.76 avg rating — 139,387 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
7

by
4.33 avg rating — 1,043,724 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
8

by
3.88 avg rating — 1,020,975 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
9

by
3.57 avg rating — 622,875 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
10

by
4.16 avg rating — 2,358,439 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
11

by
4.29 avg rating — 1,109,653 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
12

by
4.20 avg rating — 5,580,029 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
13

by
4.09 avg rating — 1,311,721 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
14

by
3.91 avg rating — 1,939,139 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
15

by
4.26 avg rating — 6,976,148 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
16

by
3.71 avg rating — 380,501 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
17

by
3.80 avg rating — 882,287 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
18

by
4.04 avg rating — 181,814 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
19

by
3.87 avg rating — 958,890 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
20

by
3.44 avg rating — 928,646 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
21

by
4.10 avg rating — 349,545 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
22

by
3.90 avg rating — 2,209,345 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
23

by
4.30 avg rating — 4,886,028 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
24

by
4.17 avg rating — 2,493,337 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
25

by
3.97 avg rating — 2,896,428 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
26

by
4.21 avg rating — 222,872 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
27

by
3.81 avg rating — 133,790 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
28

by
3.83 avg rating — 1,344,690 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
29

by
3.80 avg rating — 3,939,559 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
30

by
4.02 avg rating — 115,298 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
31

by
3.97 avg rating — 199,076 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
32

by
3.92 avg rating — 244,475 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
33

by
3.97 avg rating — 168,039 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
34

by
3.93 avg rating — 6,002,928 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
35

by
4.13 avg rating — 1,925,881 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
36

by
3.77 avg rating — 363,372 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
37

by
4.05 avg rating — 261,949 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
38

by
4.31 avg rating — 1,262,579 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
39

by
3.43 avg rating — 565,063 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
40

by
3.86 avg rating — 383,795 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
41

by
3.84 avg rating — 305,093 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
42

by
4.44 avg rating — 662,162 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
43

by
4.15 avg rating — 790,129 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
44

by
4.08 avg rating — 14,144 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
45

by
4.01 avg rating — 104,038 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
46

by
3.86 avg rating — 184,683 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
47

by
4.17 avg rating — 410,004 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
48

by
4.09 avg rating — 175,204 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
49

by
4.10 avg rating — 79,288 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
50

by
4.34 avg rating — 14,263 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
51

by
3.84 avg rating — 1,213,452 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
52

by
3.80 avg rating — 85,791 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
53

by
3.98 avg rating — 97,995 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
54

by
3.81 avg rating — 218,810 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
55

by
3.64 avg rating — 165,831 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
56

by
3.82 avg rating — 359,092 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
57

by
4.02 avg rating — 4,649,784 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
58

by
3.53 avg rating — 239,483 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
59

by
4.02 avg rating — 221,388 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
60

by
3.96 avg rating — 22,100 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
61

by
3.92 avg rating — 1,029,186 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
62

by
3.97 avg rating — 228,752 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
63

by
3.55 avg rating — 75,339 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
64

by
4.19 avg rating — 78,731 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
65

by
4.03 avg rating — 1,067,921 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
66

by
3.85 avg rating — 228,330 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
67

by
3.78 avg rating — 81,956 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
68

by
3.50 avg rating — 139,648 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
69

by
4.20 avg rating — 36,584 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
70

by
3.98 avg rating — 107,101 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
71

by
3.91 avg rating — 1,472,396 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
72

by
3.72 avg rating — 23,111 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
73

by
4.28 avg rating — 431,535 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
74

by
3.92 avg rating — 478,618 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
75

by
4.02 avg rating — 1,502,257 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
76

by
really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 779,362 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
77

by
4.12 avg rating — 527,741 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
78

by
3.76 avg rating — 304,988 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
79

by
4.10 avg rating — 553,216 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
80

by
3.86 avg rating — 32,510 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
81

by
3.63 avg rating — 80,761 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
82

by
4.20 avg rating — 786,325 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
83

by
4.02 avg rating — 167,927 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
84

by
really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 103,087 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
85

by
4.27 avg rating — 954,206 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
86

by
3.77 avg rating — 151,178 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
87

by
4.14 avg rating — 59,631 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
88

by
3.79 avg rating — 24,200 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
89

by
3.79 avg rating — 500,240 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
90

by
3.99 avg rating — 48,502 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
91

by
3.92 avg rating — 39,709 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
92

by
3.73 avg rating — 137,095 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
93

by
4.13 avg rating — 63,322 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
94

by
3.65 avg rating — 16,362 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
95

by
3.88 avg rating — 44,015 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
96

by
3.94 avg rating — 584,047 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
97

by
3.68 avg rating — 13,720 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
98

by
3.83 avg rating — 11,624 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
99

by
4.03 avg rating — 1,446,486 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
100

by
3.52 avg rating — 48,973 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
753 books · 1,827 voters · list created March 30th, 2010 by Derya (votes) .
953 likes · 
Lists are re-scored approximately every 5 minutes.


Derya 913 books
71 friends
Susanna - Censored by GoodReads 3388 books
851 friends
Grace Tjan 1124 books
340 friends
Priscilla 3742 books
29 friends
Elizabeth 1566 books
56 friends
Alison 2623 books
156 friends
Amanda 626 books
27 friends
Ashley 1355 books
126 friends

More voters…


Comments Showing 1-50 of 50 (50 new)

dateUp arrow    newest »

message 1: by Danna (new)

Danna yeah... 2 bad I have 2 read those. But I might actually enjoy 'em, I <3 classics


Maurizio (matemati) I voted just for the ones I'm planning to read, sooner or later.
Some I haven't read, but I'm not interested in.


message 3: by Sally Anne (new)

Sally Anne Way too few women on this list.


Susanna - Censored by GoodReads It might mean that we'd read a lot of classics by women.


message 5: by Sally Anne (new)

Sally Anne I believe we have and there are.


Susanna - Censored by GoodReads I'm afraid I don't get your point, then.


message 7: by Sally Anne (new)

Sally Anne They ane not included, not enough of them.


Susanna - Censored by GoodReads This list is for classics we haven't read. If we've read classics by women, we aren't voting for them here, because we've read them.


message 9: by Sally Anne (new)

Sally Anne Ah, confusing somehow. But I suppose I was mentioning that there are lots of classics by women that haven't been read. Or maybe I should just shut up.


Susanna - Censored by GoodReads Is confusing, isn't it? You go to vote for a book, and have to go, wait, am I voting for ones I've read, or ones I want to read?


message 11: by Charity (new)

Charity U I voted for ones I want to read -- indeed, that I feel I need to read someday, if only so I can say I did. :)


message 12: by Cleopatra (new)

Cleopatra I've only read 12 of those books, i wish i had time to read the rest of them within this year, yet i know it's impossible!


message 13: by Danna (new)

Danna Same here. And my situation is even thougher: only 3 book out of top 100 read... :|


message 14: by Amelia (new)

Amelia May How can you consider something "a great classic" if you haven't actually read it yet?


message 15: by Derya (new)

Derya Well, how can't you?


message 16: by Erick (new)

Erick hahahahahahahahahahaha


message 17: by Sketchbook (new)

Sketchbook I hate Lists (of any kind). So ignore. But I must protest fact that no serious myopics are on the List and no one with webbed feet.


message 18: by Marren (new)

Marren Hmm, I am voting for books that I have not read, which are "considered" as classics that I am interested in reading one day.


message 19: by Christina (new)

Christina Dee Does anyone know how I can add this list of books I want to read? Or save this list as a list or group to follow?


BookLovingLady (deceased Jan. 25, 2023...) There are a lot more unread classics on my list than the 100 I'm allowed to vote for.... :-)


Susanna - Censored by GoodReads There are lists where I wish I had a few hundred more votes...


BookLovingLady (deceased Jan. 25, 2023...) Susanna - Censored by GoodReads wrote: "There are lists where I wish I had a few hundred more votes..."

Couldn't agree more... :-)


message 23: by Kirsten (new)

Kirsten I think there should be a "yet..." added. ;P I do intend to read a lot of the books that I voted for. When I do, I'll have to remember to come back and update my votes!


message 24: by Kirsten (new)

Kirsten Christina wrote: "Does anyone know how I can add this list of books I want to read? Or save this list as a list or group to follow?"

If you click "like" at the bottom of the list, Goodreads will keep it in a special section for lists you've liked. :)


message 25: by Dustin (new)

Dustin Holy SMOKES, I really need to tackle a LOT more Classics!


message 26: by Richard (new)

Richard Dustin wrote: "Holy SMOKES, I really need to tackle a LOT more Classics!"

Some of the titles on your list are ones I need to read too, Dustin. Maybe we could pick one and do a buddy-read sometime.


message 27: by jo (new)

jo white and male and eurocentric, i.e. the definition of "classic." ugh.


message 28: by Danna (new)

Danna jo wrote: "white and male and eurocentric, i.e. the definition of "classic." ugh."

Agreed!


message 29: by BookLovingLady (deceased Jan. 25, 2023...) (last edited May 01, 2017 05:21AM) (new)

BookLovingLady (deceased Jan. 25, 2023...) jo wrote: "white and male and eurocentric, i.e. the definition of "classic." ugh."

I think you are selling women a bit short here...

How about Jane Austen, George Eliot, Charlotte Brontë, Emily Brontë, Anne Brontë, Mary Shelley Mary Wollstonecraft, Tasma, Catherine Helen Spence, Fanny Burney, Anne Radcliffe, Mary Elizabeth Braddon, Charlotte Lennox, Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire, Marguerite de Navarre, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Emilia Pardo Bazán, Sei Shōnagon, Murasaki Shikibu, Colette, Zora Neale Hurston, Sappho, Willa Cather, Elizabeth Gaskell, Maria Edgeworth, Mary Augusta Ward, Elizabeth Bekker Wolff, Nella Larsen, Kate Chopin, Edith Wharton, and so on and so forth. And this list is just coming from a white Western European female... Just think what someone outside of Europe may come up with, as I was only taught about Western European literature in secondary school.

So no, not quite 'white and male and eurocentric'. Don't forget either, by the way, that a lot of literature was oral for a long time in large parts of the world.


message 30: by jo (new)

jo i'm not selling women short, just our concept of classics! all the women you mention are terrific writers and they are definitely classics, but there are so many more. i don't think for a second that are not as many fabulous women writers (in all times) as there are men: this list however doesn't acknowledge them.


message 31: by BookLovingLady (deceased Jan. 25, 2023...) (last edited Jul 17, 2015 10:52AM) (new)

BookLovingLady (deceased Jan. 25, 2023...) jo wrote: "i'm not selling women short, just our concept of classics! all the women you mention are terrific writers and they are definitely classics, but there are so many more. i don't think for a second th..."

'Our' concept of classics might not be as much 'ours' as you think :-) I'm Dutch you see, and even though I acknowledge, of course, the fact that there are more male than female authors in classic literature, I don't tend to think of classics in the terms of white, male or European... :-) (Just one example: Het hoofdkussenboek / The Pillow Book, which is neither 'white', nor 'male', nor 'European')

But a Listopia is as elaborate as people make it, so all I can say is, add more classic women authors :-0


message 32: by jo (new)

jo right. and right. i thought about taking on that task, and then i realized that, much as i love having something to distract me to what i should be doing, maybe this is not the best idea for me right now.


message 33: by Lobstergirl (new)

Lobstergirl Author spam removed.


message 34: by Richard (new)

Richard Glad to say I've read 3 of the ones I originally voted for.


message 35: by Derya (last edited Jul 17, 2015 07:54AM) (new)

Derya Richard wrote: "Glad to say I've read 3 of the ones I originally voted for."

Well, congratulations!


message 36: by Richard (new)

Richard Derya wrote: "Richard wrote: "Glad to say I've read 3 of the ones I originally voted for."

Well, congratulations!"


Thank you, Derya!


message 37: by Christina (new)

Christina Dee Kirsten wrote: "Christina wrote: "Does anyone know how I can add this list of books I want to read? Or save this list as a list or group to follow?"

If you click "like" at the bottom of the list, Goodreads will k..."


Thank you!


message 38: by BookLovingLady (deceased Jan. 25, 2023...) (last edited Aug 28, 2015 04:48AM) (new)

BookLovingLady (deceased Jan. 25, 2023...) To name some of the really old ones I'd love to read : The Epic of Gilgamesh, The Iliad, The Odyssey, Eros ontwortelt mijn hart, Aesop's Fables, Oidipous & Antigone, Shahnameh, De ring van de duif, Rubaiyat, Het boek van Dede Korkoet, De Vier Heemskinderen, The Decameron, The Divine Comedy and Zes dagen. These were all written ages ago... Needless to say I voted for them :-), as well as for several others.


message 39: by Matthew (new)

Matthew Connolly I've read 8 of these!I'm 11.


message 40: by MissCoria (new)

MissCoria Well, let's be honest... I want to read them all :D


message 41: by Dylan (new)

Dylan Gelbard jo wrote: "white and male and eurocentric, i.e. the definition of "classic." ugh."

Not sure if you knew this, but it wasn't always 2016. Learn to appreciate all literature from the early days up to now. There's nothing wrong with that.


message 42: by BookLovingLady (deceased Jan. 25, 2023...) (last edited May 01, 2017 05:29AM) (new)

BookLovingLady (deceased Jan. 25, 2023...) I've read four of the ones I mentioned earlier on (and removed them from my list of votes, of course). Not that it helps me much, as in the meantime I've bought more classics I'd love to read ;-)


message 43: by Derya (new)

Derya Booklovinglady wrote: "I've read four of the ones I mentioned earlier on (and removed them from my list of votes, of course). Not that it helps me much, as in the meantime I've bought more classics I'd love to read ;-)"
Great! Keep on reading!


message 44: by Luke (new)

Luke Dylan wrote: "jo wrote: "white and male and eurocentric, i.e. the definition of "classic." ugh."

Not sure if you knew this, but it wasn't always 2016. Learn to appreciate all literature from the early days up t..."


I sure hope that means you're rocking the great texts from the Heian Period and the Golden Age of Islam and the Ming and Qing dynasties, else your definition of the 'early days' doesn't cover much.


message 45: by E.Lurie (new)

E.Lurie Sally Anne wrote: "Way too few women on this list."

Maurizio (matemati) wrote: "I voted just for the ones I'm planning to read, sooner or later.
Some I haven't read, but I'm not interested in."


There's a reason for that. Women were not expected or allowed to have writing careers until very recently in history, but that doesn't negate the value of classics written by men. There is a reason they are classics-they have something valuable to contribute and they have lasted because of that.


message 46: by Greg (new)

Greg Now this is a smart list for goodreads. I've read 22 of the top 25, I'm reading Anna Karennina now, and plan to read the other two books this year.


message 47: by Greg (new)

Greg E.Lurie wrote: "Sally Anne wrote: "Way too few women on this list."

Maurizio (matemati) wrote: "I voted just for the ones I'm planning to read, sooner or later.
Some I haven't read, but I'm not interested in."

Great answer!



message 48: by Lobstergirl (new)

Lobstergirl Something is buggy, #264 on p. 3, Faust, First Part, says 8 people voted for it but when you click, there are 11 voters.


BookLovingLady (deceased Jan. 25, 2023...) Lobstergirl wrote: "Something is buggy, #264 on p. 3, Faust, First Part, says 8 people voted for it but when you click, there are 11 voters."

The only thing I can think of is that some of the voters have deleted their vote (which doesn't always show). But it is almost impossible to check with 58 pages of voters...


message 50: by Lobstergirl (new)

Lobstergirl Maybe it's a caching issue.


back to top



Related News

Need another excuse to treat yourself to a new book this week? We've got you covered with the buzziest new releases of the day, according to early...

Anyone can add books to this list.