I love reading and books, and for that reason, people always seem to assume that I’ve read all of the classics. The truth is, except for the ones I had to read for school and college, I have read very few classics. Or at least I haven’t read more than a chapter or two of most of them.
Why? Because I tend to find that in general, if a sentence covers it, a classic takes three pages to cover it. As much as I love words, I don’t like filler words. I’m also not a fan of flowery language which I find a lot of classics tend to have.
Every now and again, I’ll tell myself there are certain books everyone should read in their lifetime, and then I remind myself that life is too short to read something I have no interest in when there are so many good books out there. Having said that, it never hurts to read a couple of classics, and below, I’ve listed five classics that are perfect for someone who either isn’t a fan of classics for the same reasons as me, or someone who wants to get into the classics but start gently.
The five books I have chosen all have a good plot and aren’t dragged out needlessly.
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
I like the concept of this one – science achieving something that the world just isn’t ready for. I also like the way it shows who the true monster is (spoiler alert: it isn’t the so called monster Dr Frankenstein creates).
1984 by George Orwell
It was only last year (or maybe the year before) that I finally read this. I was hooked almost straight away. It’s funny because even over seventy years after the book was written, it still feels relevant and scarily possible.
Dracula by Bram Stoker
Ok, so in fairness this one is a little wordy where it doesn’t need to be, but there’s still something about it that pulled me into the story. It could do with moving a little faster, but the actual story is good.
The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe by CS Lewis
There is just something magical about this book. I think pretty much everyone has seen a movie or TV version, but there’s so much more to the book than what we see on film.
The Lord of The Flies by William Golding
I first read this in school, and even then, when I had to read it for school rather than pleasure, I enjoyed it. I’ve since re-read it and still find it fascinating. It doesn’t read like a classic book at all. In fact, it feels very much like something I could imagine being popular in the modern YA genre.
There are some other classics that I think I would enjoy too and I have them in my to be read pile. These include:
- The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
- Animal Farm by George Orwell
- Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov
- American Psycho by Brett Easton Ellis
- One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey
- To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
- The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Attwood
- A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess
Do you enjoy the classics? Do you have any recommendations for me based on my taste in them? Let me know in the comments 🙂
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I’ve read most of these. Still reading Frankenstein. I read Lord of The Flies and 1984 in my teens. I actually found Dracula very easy reading, it’s not long and it’s broken down into letters and journal entries. I think I read this one in a single sitting!
I must say, I’m very glad I chose English as my major in university- it meant that I read a whole lot of books I might never have got around to otherwise. These days I’ve mostly only gone back the mediaeval ones. They’re beautiful and I can use them for inspiration for my fantasy writing.
I found Dracula a bit longer than it needed to be, but in fairness, I was about fifteen when I read it and I would probably feel much different if I read it again now.
Have read all of those except Lord of the Flies. Im glad it’s not just me who gets bored with some of the classics! But two I love are Jane Eyre and Far from The Madding Crowd.
Some of them are pretty dull aren’t they haha
Do you know I graduated in 1984 and still have never read that book? I really should!!
XOOX
Jodie
Try it – it really is one of the best classics x
I feel the exact same way about classics, I confess to having never made it through a complete Jane Austen novel. It’s just too much! #AnythingGoes
Same lol
I love historical classics – I’ve read a few of these. I’m sure I’d enjoy many more too, it’s just giving them a go before I start another one from my book shelf! Great list! xx
There are some great book suggestions here. My favourite of course is The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe x #AnythingGoes
Lord of the Flies really is a classic #AnythingGoes
Have read them all, though can’t say I loved them all.
Which ones didn’t you like?
I have read all but 1984. Honestly, I hadn’t even heard of it until now and I was an English Major in College (not my degree but I majored in it for a time lol). I’ll have to look at that one. I loved To Kill a Mockingbird. Last year my oldest had to read that one for English class. #anythinggoes
That’s in my to be read pile. Give 1984 a go, you’ll love it!
Have read all these except Lord of the Flies. I think the most difficult book I ever found in the classics is ‘Wuthering Heights’. Even as a Yorkshire woman I found some of the dialect written down SO difficult to read!
I can’t read anything written in an accent, it drives me mad!
I would also have to add Pride and Prejudice to this list. It is the only Classic that I truly enjoy and have read many times.
This is a great list of books and I will certainly add a few of them to my “Want to read” list on Goodreads.
#AnythingGoes
I’ve never tried any Jane Austen book but everyone is recommending this one, so I think I might give it a go!
These are great arrangements.I never read such kind of books anymore. Thanks for this. i am awaiting for the next one.