Today we are stepping away from history for a minute, because I want to talk about some of my favorite classics. I have always had a special spot in my heart for classic reads ever since I can remember, I loved to curl up with a classic on the front porch and read the summer afternoon away. So I thought I would recommend my top ten classics to read in no particular order.
1. Mansfield Park by Jane Austen
This novel is by far my favorite Jane Austen work, so much so that I name my late cat after the main character Fanny Price. This novel is about an impoverished girl who goes to live with her wealthy family and is treated horribly. During this time, Fanny starts to have feelings for one of her cousins, who has treated her well despite the other family members’ treatment of her. I love this book simply because of the romance between the two cousins. This book also tackles some of the social problems of this time very critically which I find quite brave of Austen. I highly recommend this book over all other of her books (yes, even over Pride and Prejudice).
2. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
3. A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett
Growing up, this book was one of my favorites, and it has continued to stick with me so much so that this book is one that I have reread several times. A Little Princess is about a little girl named Sarah who moves to England to go to boarding school. However, her life is completely uprooted by a tragic death that leaves her penniless while she is there. Yet, despite her significant loss, she keeps her imagination and spirit until the day she meets an unexpected friend.
4. Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson
The first time I read Treasure Island, I was hooked; it is a tale of adventure and pirates. In this novel, we follow a boy, Jim, as he searches for the gold of an evil pirate. Along the way, Jim will meet several obstacles, from rough seas to a crew of untrustworthy men. This novel is thrilling, and I recommend starting with this classic if you have not read one before. The writing is clear and avoids some confusing narratives that some classics have.
5. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë
Jane Eyre is a brilliant telling of a plain girl and the struggles she faces throughout her life. Being an orphan from a young age, Jane is sent to live with her family, who mistreats Jane and eventually sends her to school. While she is in school, she gets a job offer as a governess by a widower, and during her stay there, some weird stuff happens.
6. The Death of Ivan Ilyich by Leo Tolstoy
This is a short story by the great Leo Tolstoy. I have read a few of Tolstoy’s works, and I have loved them. He portrays emotions and thoughts better than any author I have ever read. The Death of Ivan Ilyich is a tale about a dying man’s last few months and the people who care for him or are supposed to care for him. The reader is transported to see on first account what a dying man thinks of and the mistakes one can make by putting aside the things that should matter the most in life, it also tackles the question of the true meaning of living.
7. The Odyssey by Homer
Homer’s The Odyssey is a Greek mythological tale about a man traveling back home after the Trojan war and facing many, and I do mean many, challenges. This epic is something I go back to read and reread repeatedly; I never tire of talking about this book. I don’t want to give too much of this book away, so I will leave it there, but this is a must-read!
8. Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe
Defoe’s novel Robinson Crusoe is about a young boy who wishes to become a sailor despite his mother’s objections. Though he finally attains his goal on his first voyage, he gets shipwrecked on a deserted island, and this novel takes the reader through a day-by-day account of his life on the Island. Anytime I think of living on an Island, or MacGyver comes up in conversation, my mind immediately goes to this book.
9. Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert
When I first read this novel, I hated it. However, as I have finished it, I have realized how much this book stayed with me. This is the only novel on this list that I almost did not finish; however, I am glad I sucked it up and continued because, wow, has it impacted my way of thinking. Flaubert’s Madame Bovary is a story about a man who is not good at anything and has horrible luck who becomes widowed and then marries a woman not content with anything. This novel talks heavily about being happy at the moment and not giving in to the pressure of the so-called perfect picture of life.
10. The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux
Leroux’s novel is a beautiful love story that brings to life a centuries-old legend and the idea of discrimination against those who do not look “normal” or who have birth defects and a mystery. So really, whatever you are looking for in a book, The Phantom of the Opera has for you. We follow a mad/genius man who falls in love with a singer at an opera house, and it is a wild ride so hang on!
The great thing about classic books is that these books provide vital details, even if they are fictional, into the lives of people who lived back in that era. For example, though Fanny Price was not a real person, Austen portrays how upper-class citizens felt about women, marriage, and lower-class groups. A person can gather key insight into history through the book written at that time. I hope you find a classic here that is now added to your To Be Read shelve, and if you have a favorite, please comment below; I would love to hear from you!
Have a great day!
Savanah
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