As an avid reader, I’m always trying to share my love of literature. And I understand that the classics are sometimes (read: most always) really hard to get into. But never fear, fellow readers, because I have here a list of novels that are labeled as classic that also won’t make you want to throw it out the window!
1. "Pride and Prejudice" by Jane Austen
This one is one of my all time favorite books and for good reason – its dry comedy and soap opera diva-worthy drama is timeless. It’s a great love story that also focuses on personal growth and family. The fact that it’s been adapted so many times in so many forms (book, movie, web series, with a zombie twist) really goes to show how well-loved this story is.
2. "North and South" by Elizabeth Gaskell
Another one of my favorites, but for different reasons than P&P. This story follows a young woman who moves with her family from their rich southern home to the other side of the country to live in a poor industrial town. This book has not only great family drama and a touch of romance, but also great social commentary on the working class (a cotton mill strike is the center focus of the novel).
3. "Jamaica Inn" by Daphne Du Maurier
Pirates, secrets, forbidden love, oh my! This gothic novel takes place in a small hotel by the sea and focuses on a young woman who comes to stay with her drunk, abusive uncle and submissive aunt, who run an inn by the shore, after her parents die. But the inn is more than it seems, and no one – not even the good guys – can be trusted.
4. "In Cold Blood" by Truman Capote
This one is great because it’s the first non-fiction novel. The story is true, researched by the author and retold in prolific, haunting prose. "In Cold Blood" tells the story of a family of four who was brutally murdered in their home and the chase to catch, prosecute and execute the killers. The history behind this book is also very fascinating, as records imply that the author fell in love with one of the killers while interviewing him for research.
5. "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes" by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Whether you love the RDJ movies or BBC’s Sherlock, you owe it to yourself to read the original text. See where it all began and follow the slightly-off-his-rocker detective and a young war vet as they run around London trying to solve the cases that range from strange to exciting.
What classic books do you love? Let me know by sharing and commenting! Until next time, read on, fellow bibliophiles!
