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 — 4,747,319 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
2

by
4.16 avg rating — 2,303,276 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
3

by
4.20 avg rating — 5,385,801 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
4

by
4.32 avg rating — 1,013,960 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
5

by
4.17 avg rating — 2,435,929 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
6

by
3.90 avg rating — 2,017,107 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
7

by
3.90 avg rating — 1,856,782 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
8

by
3.93 avg rating — 5,851,516 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
9

by
4.26 avg rating — 6,815,751 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
10

by
4.09 avg rating — 1,286,999 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
11

by
3.83 avg rating — 1,180,757 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
12

by
3.88 avg rating — 1,007,545 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
13

by
3.80 avg rating — 868,812 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
14

by
3.99 avg rating — 2,058,562 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
15

by
4.01 avg rating — 4,486,662 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
16

by
3.83 avg rating — 1,332,958 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
17

by
4.02 avg rating — 1,459,312 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
18

by
4.03 avg rating — 1,041,080 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
19

by
3.97 avg rating — 2,798,193 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
20

by
4.05 avg rating — 973,677 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
21

by
3.53 avg rating — 236,999 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
22

by
4.10 avg rating — 923,652 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
23

by
3.80 avg rating — 3,863,273 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
24

by
3.74 avg rating — 2,804,524 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
25

by
4.15 avg rating — 769,721 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
26

by
4.30 avg rating — 4,421,414 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
27

by
4.25 avg rating — 712,563 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
28

by
4.06 avg rating — 605,923 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
29

by
3.44 avg rating — 913,645 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
30

by
4.31 avg rating — 1,253,295 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
31

by
4.21 avg rating — 839,292 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
32

by
3.94 avg rating — 575,650 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
33

by
4.13 avg rating — 1,849,552 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
34

by
4.17 avg rating — 363,191 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
35

by
3.93 avg rating — 505,508 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
36

by
4.29 avg rating — 1,063,861 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
37

by
3.50 avg rating — 344,201 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
38

by
4.40 avg rating — 294,716 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
39

by
4.10 avg rating — 348,735 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
40

by
3.89 avg rating — 1,011,543 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
41

by
3.88 avg rating — 425,431 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
42

by
3.56 avg rating — 612,280 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
43

by
3.86 avg rating — 377,719 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
44

by
4.03 avg rating — 987,547 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
45

by
3.89 avg rating — 274,961 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
46

by
3.97 avg rating — 224,394 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
47

by
3.99 avg rating — 882,995 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
48

by
3.71 avg rating — 371,965 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
49

by
4.39 avg rating — 381,385 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
50

by
4.54 avg rating — 726,693 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
51

by
3.91 avg rating — 236,209 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
52

by
4.04 avg rating — 257,085 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
53

by
3.85 avg rating — 449,779 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
54

by
3.91 avg rating — 303,185 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
55

by
4.24 avg rating — 3,122,496 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
56

by
3.89 avg rating — 561,589 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
57

by
3.70 avg rating — 3,172,382 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
58

by
3.85 avg rating — 223,288 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
59

by
4.33 avg rating — 1,103,352 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
60

by
3.89 avg rating — 2,806,884 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
61

by
3.91 avg rating — 98,498 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
62

by
3.84 avg rating — 301,355 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
63

by
3.59 avg rating — 297,527 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
64

by
4.19 avg rating — 7,343 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
65

by
3.61 avg rating — 460,929 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
66

by
3.76 avg rating — 299,540 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
67

by
3.90 avg rating — 1,398,996 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
68

by
3.96 avg rating — 274,719 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
69

by
3.81 avg rating — 132,866 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
70

by
3.86 avg rating — 65,844 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
71

by
3.76 avg rating — 98,797 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
72

by
4.62 avg rating — 143,444 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
73

by
3.85 avg rating — 537,157 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
74

by
3.83 avg rating — 347,498 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
75

by
3.83 avg rating — 75,694 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
76

by
4.44 avg rating — 627,690 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
77

by
3.97 avg rating — 194,316 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
78

by
3.68 avg rating — 329,723 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
79

by
4.02 avg rating — 113,667 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
80

by
really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 507,861 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
80

by
4.17 avg rating — 1,285,797 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
82

by
3.85 avg rating — 181,186 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
83

by
4.08 avg rating — 170,864 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
84

by
4.05 avg rating — 129,373 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
85

by
3.93 avg rating — 79,308 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
86

by
4.19 avg rating — 244,428 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
87

by
4.01 avg rating — 55,307 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
87

by
4.05 avg rating — 600,087 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
89

by
3.99 avg rating — 384,020 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
90

by
3.97 avg rating — 105,357 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
91

by
4.07 avg rating — 157,534 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
92

by
4.01 avg rating — 165,316 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
93

by
4.03 avg rating — 396,575 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
94

by
3.87 avg rating — 142,474 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
95

by
3.87 avg rating — 937,842 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
96

by
4.33 avg rating — 2,442,635 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
97

by
4.09 avg rating — 913,949 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
98

by
4.12 avg rating — 2,782,511 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
99

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

by
3.43 avg rating — 554,945 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 10681 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.