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 — 4,757,554 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
2

by
4.16 avg rating — 2,307,202 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
3

by
4.20 avg rating — 5,400,032 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
4

by
4.32 avg rating — 1,016,006 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
5

by
4.17 avg rating — 2,440,946 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
6

by
3.90 avg rating — 2,023,509 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
7

by
3.90 avg rating — 1,861,936 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
8

by
3.93 avg rating — 5,862,790 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
9

by
4.26 avg rating — 6,827,356 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
10

by
4.09 avg rating — 1,288,812 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
11

by
3.83 avg rating — 1,183,085 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
12

by
3.88 avg rating — 1,008,603 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
13

by
3.80 avg rating — 869,902 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
14

by
3.99 avg rating — 2,062,348 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
15

by
4.02 avg rating — 4,499,159 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
16

by
3.83 avg rating — 1,333,912 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
17

by
4.02 avg rating — 1,463,794 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
18

by
4.03 avg rating — 1,043,261 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
19

by
3.97 avg rating — 2,805,742 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
20

by
4.05 avg rating — 975,536 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
21

by
3.53 avg rating — 237,231 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
22

by
4.10 avg rating — 925,224 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
23

by
3.80 avg rating — 3,868,813 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
24

by
3.74 avg rating — 2,807,898 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
25

by
4.15 avg rating — 771,254 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
26

by
4.30 avg rating — 4,427,938 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
27

by
4.25 avg rating — 714,368 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
28

by
4.06 avg rating — 606,616 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
29

by
3.44 avg rating — 914,862 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
30

by
4.31 avg rating — 1,253,917 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
31

by
4.21 avg rating — 840,287 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
32

by
3.94 avg rating — 576,294 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
33

by
4.13 avg rating — 1,855,525 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
34

by
4.17 avg rating — 363,821 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
35

by
3.93 avg rating — 506,453 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
36

by
4.29 avg rating — 1,067,440 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
37

by
3.50 avg rating — 344,725 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
38

by
4.40 avg rating — 295,013 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
39

by
4.10 avg rating — 345,728 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
40

by
3.89 avg rating — 1,013,482 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
41

by
3.88 avg rating — 425,970 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
42

by
3.56 avg rating — 613,157 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
43

by
3.86 avg rating — 378,155 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
44

by
4.03 avg rating — 989,003 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
45

by
3.89 avg rating — 275,316 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
46

by
3.97 avg rating — 224,788 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
47

by
3.99 avg rating — 883,828 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
48

by
3.71 avg rating — 372,604 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
49

by
4.39 avg rating — 382,607 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
50

by
4.54 avg rating — 727,548 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
51

by
3.91 avg rating — 236,533 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
52

by
4.04 avg rating — 257,433 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
53

by
3.85 avg rating — 450,697 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
54

by
3.91 avg rating — 303,606 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
55

by
4.24 avg rating — 3,128,540 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
56

by
3.89 avg rating — 562,425 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
57

by
3.70 avg rating — 3,177,533 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
58

by
3.85 avg rating — 223,672 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
59

by
4.33 avg rating — 1,105,347 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
60

by
3.90 avg rating — 2,812,254 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
61

by
3.91 avg rating — 98,560 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
62

by
3.84 avg rating — 301,671 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
63

by
3.59 avg rating — 297,839 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
64

by
4.19 avg rating — 7,361 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
65

by
3.61 avg rating — 461,749 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
66

by
3.76 avg rating — 300,027 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
67

by
3.90 avg rating — 1,404,930 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
68

by
3.96 avg rating — 275,410 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
69

by
3.81 avg rating — 132,924 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
70

by
3.87 avg rating — 65,924 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
71

by
3.76 avg rating — 98,868 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
72

by
4.62 avg rating — 143,608 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
73

by
3.85 avg rating — 537,893 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
74

by
3.83 avg rating — 348,001 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
75

by
3.83 avg rating — 75,786 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
76

by
4.44 avg rating — 630,027 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
77

by
3.97 avg rating — 194,628 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
78

by
3.68 avg rating — 330,068 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
79

by
4.02 avg rating — 113,792 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
80

by
really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 508,851 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
80

by
4.17 avg rating — 1,287,701 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
82

by
3.85 avg rating — 181,542 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
83

by
4.08 avg rating — 171,230 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
84

by
4.05 avg rating — 129,459 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
85

by
3.93 avg rating — 79,365 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
86

by
4.19 avg rating — 244,500 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
87

by
4.01 avg rating — 55,391 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
87

by
4.05 avg rating — 601,235 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
89

by
3.99 avg rating — 384,608 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
90

by
3.98 avg rating — 105,477 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
91

by
4.07 avg rating — 157,828 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
92

by
4.01 avg rating — 165,508 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
93

by
4.03 avg rating — 396,627 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
94

by
3.87 avg rating — 142,708 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
95

by
3.87 avg rating — 939,457 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
96

by
4.33 avg rating — 2,449,142 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
97

by
4.09 avg rating — 922,559 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
98

by
4.12 avg rating — 2,787,106 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
99

by
3.71 avg rating — 218,507 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
100

by
3.43 avg rating — 555,809 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
634 books · 522 voters · list created June 21st, 2008 by Crystal.
98 likes · 
Lists are re-scored approximately every 5 minutes.


Cindy 10697 books
158 friends
Kara 280 books
88 friends
Margaret 1201 books
737 friends
Cidne 772 books
62 friends
Laura 6337 books
1235 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.