A Comprehensive List of Classic Literature Every Book Lover Must Read

Classic literature has captured the imagination of readers for centuries. Whether you love the gripping tales of the Bronte sisters, the witty prose of Jane Austen or the epic adventure stories of Jules Verne, there is a classic book waiting for you. Here is a comprehensive list of classic literature, that every book lover must read:

1. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

Probably the most well-known Austen novel about Elizabeth Bennett and Mr. Darcy from different backgrounds who find themselves always at odds until true love can no longer be denied.

2. Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte

A haunting portrayal of the passionate, yet doomed love between Catherine Earnshaw and Heathcliff, set against the moody Yorkshire moors in the early 19th century.

3. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

The story of Jay Gatsby, a millionaire who throws extravagant parties in an attempt to win back his lost love, Daisy Buchanan. Considered a seminal work of the Jazz Age in America.

4. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

A Pulitzer Prize-winning novel set in the Depression-era South about race, justice, and innocence. The story is told from the perspective of Scout Finch, a young girl who is coming to terms with the world around her.

5. 1984 by George Orwell

An enduring classic, 1984 has become an icon in the dystopian fiction genre. It portrays a totalitarian society in which all expressions of individuality are brutally suppressed.

6. Moby Dick by Herman Melville

A magnificent epic of obsession and the great white whale, Moby Dick is considered by many to be the ultimate sea tale.

7. Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

A gothic horror novel about Victor Frankenstein’s attempt to create a living being from assembled body parts. The result of the experiment is the creature, which becomes lonely and seeks revenge on its creator.

8. The Odyssey by Homer

An epic poem that tells the story of Odysseus, king of Ithaca, as he returns home from the Trojan War. Along the way, he encounters a Cyclops, sirens, and other mythical creatures.

9. The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

A masterpiece of the Victorian era, it tells the story of Dorian Gray, an incredibly handsome and vain young man who makes a Faustian bargain to remain forever youthful while his portrait ages instead.

10. Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy

Considered one of the greatest novels ever written, it tells the story of the doomed love affair between Anna Karenina, a married aristocrat, and Count Vronsky, a wealthy cavalry officer.

11. A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens

A historical novel set against the backdrop of the French Revolution. It tells the story of Charles Darnay, a French aristocrat, his wife Lucie, and Sydney Carton, a drunken lawyer, who sacrifices himself for the love of Lucie.

12. The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas

An adventure novel about Edmond Dantès, a young man who is wrongfully imprisoned and seeks revenge against those who betrayed him.

13. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain

A novel that explores the themes of race, identity, and freedom through the story of Huckleberry Finn, a young boy who sets out on a raft with a runaway slave named Jim.

14. Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky

A psychological novel that explores the themes of redemption and the nature of guilt. It tells the story of Raskolnikov, a young man who kills an old pawnbroker and struggles to deal with the aftermath.

15. The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky

A complex novel that explores the themes of faith, reason, and free will. It tells the story of the brothers Dmitry, Ivan, and Alyosha, and their father Fyodor, a cruel and manipulative man.

This is just a tiny fraction of the classic literature out there. There are many other amazing works you should consider reading including The Canterbury Tales, Great Expectations or Moll Flanders. Take the time to explore this wonderful world, and who knows what fictional journeys you will embark upon?

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