Ten Must-Read Classics of Great Literature

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Fall in love with a good book

Because I love to read good books - I want to have the honor of introducing you to ten favorite classic novels that have enchanted and entertained readers for decades.

I feel one of the saddest effects of modern society has been to take young people away from the joy of reading great novels. So I'll start with telling you about my own novel-reading journey. I read a few great novels while in high school. At that time they were regularly assigned to students in English classes. I don't know if they still are where you were educated, but I discovered that my youngest children were not assigned to read novels while in high school. This not only shocked and appalled me, but it actually frightened me. What has our world come to if great literature is not valued?

When I graduated from high school in 1970 I was not into novels, or reading, or much of anything good. I drifted for a few years, unable to find what I wanted to do in life. One day I made the decision to quit smoking. At the same approximate time I got hold of a copy of A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens. This amazing novel about the French revolution starts with the infamous line, "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times." For me, that was a true summation of my condition. It was the worst of times because I had to quit smoking. It was the best of times because I discovered the great joy of getting emotionally tied up in the pages of a great novel.

I've read many of the world's classics since then. Here are a few that I believe should be on everyone's must-read list, unless of course, you've already read them.

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How this lens is organized 

I'm going to give you a short review of each book. At the end of this lens you can vote for the books you like best.

These are not presented in any particular order - in other words, I didn't put my favorites first.

Charles Dickens' Classic About the French Revolution 

A Tale of Two Cities (Penguin Classics)

A Tale of Two Cities (Penguin Classics)

by: Charles Dickens

Amazon Price: $8.00 (as of 07/06/2009)Buy Now

A Tale of Two Cities 

by Charles Dickens

To truly experience an event in history, the emotional involvement of reading a novel can help you feel it almost as intensely as if you were one of the characters in the story. In A Tale of Two Cities, you become part of an extremely turbulent part of history - the bloody, terrifying French Revolution. You're probably thinking, "Scary! I don't want to go there!" But what motivated these crazy people? Don't you want to find out? Meet Madame Defarge.

You'll learn what it was like to live in Paris at that time, juxtaposed with chapters about life in London. Besides the contrast in the two cities, you get a contrast between people - from the pure and innocent, to the wickedly hateful. The novel is not cheerful or light hearted, but is a good witness to the best and worst in the human condition.

Charles Dickens wrote many other wonderful novels. I'll also recommend Oliver Twist and David Copperfield.

Charles Dickens 

featured lens Charles Dickens :: A Life Documented

Charles Dickens documented his own life in his novels, which are quite autobiographical. You can also trace his actual life, family and travels through genealogy records and documents available online. Photos and proof of Dickens' life are presented...

featured lens Charles Dickens and his books

When the internet has become popular for selling downloads of novels chapter by chapter, or Amazon is selling chapters on Kindle it is a practice that Charles Dickens started as a popular format for selling his fiction in periodicals. Unlike other au...

A Boy Discovers the Horrors of War 

The Red Badge of Courage

The Red Badge of Courage

by: Stephen Crane

Amazon Price: $3.99 (as of 07/06/2009)Buy Now

The Red Badge of Courage 

by Stephen Crane

This short but emotionally charged classic novel is one of the greatest anti-war stories ever written. The year is 1863, the scene is the Battle of Chancellorsville during the American Civil War. A young soldier wanders around the battle area, at times taking part, and at times backing off. Critics have remarked that the story is amazingly realistic and true to historic detail.

If you are just starting to get into reading classics, this is an attention-grabbing short read that will bring you closer to an understanding of the reality of what the Civil War was about, and what all fighting is about.

Big Brother Is Watching YOU 

1984 (Signet Classics)

1984 (Signet Classics)

by: George Orwell

Amazon Price: $9.99 (as of 07/06/2009)Buy Now

1984 

by George Orwell

I consider this novel so important for a young person to understand, I read the entire thing out loud to my dyslexic teenage son a few years ago. Orwell had a unique understanding of the political future planned for the world by powers we're not supposed to know about. He put this picture together in his horrifying novel about a society gone mad with control. The characters want to live normal lives, but are prevented at every turn by "Big Brother" - the eye of the government.

Orwell also wrote Animal Farm - a much shorter novel about how power corrupts. The characters are all animals - a strange thing in a novel intended for adults. I consider both his books to be VITAL reading for informed citizens.

A Family's Survival Despite Abject Poverty 

The Grapes of Wrath (Centennial Edition)

The Grapes of Wrath (Centennial Edition)

by: John Steinbeck

Amazon Price: $11.05 (as of 07/06/2009)Buy Now

The Grapes of Wrath 

by John Steinbeck

I've read almost everything Steinbeck wrote, and loved it all. But to recommend just one of his books, I'll choose The Grapes of Wrath, a heart-wrenching story of a family forced to resettle - from dust-bowl Oklahoma to poverty-stricken California emigrant camps. Life isn't easy, but the human spirit overcomes all trials. If you read this, you'll be glad you have a roof over your head.

Of course I recommend all other Steinbeck stories and novels too, for example, Cannery Row and East of Eden.

A Woman Learns About Love The Hard Way 

Gone with the Wind

Gone with the Wind

by: Margaret Mitchell

Amazon Price: $14.04 (as of 07/06/2009)Buy Now

Gone With The Wind 

by Margaret Mitchell

Do NOT do what I did, and wait until you're in your fifties to read this book. Gone With The Wind is the ultimate love story, the ultimate Civil War novel, and the ultimate late-night read. Wow - you've just got to read this one. Forget the movie, it doesn't hold a candle to the real story. Reading the novel you get underneath the simpery movie-version of Scarlett O'Hara to find the person who changes from a silly and self-centered young rich girl to a woman totally capable of managing her life and accepting her fate. It takes a while - this is a long and rocky journey for Scarlett, but well-worth learning about.

Warning: You won't want this novel to end.

Paramedic Falls In Love 

A Farewell To Arms

A Farewell To Arms

by: Ernest Hemingway

Amazon Price: $10.20 (as of 07/06/2009)Buy Now

A Farewell To Arms 

...by Ernest Hemingway

Before I read this book I used to wonder what the title meant. Did it mean no more arms as in no more weapons of war? Or did it refer to someone who lost his arms due to war injuries? The suspense kept building as the meaning of the title didn't become obvious until the end of the novel.

This is another war story - this one takes place in Europe during World War I. The main character, an ambulance driver, falls in love with a nurse. Through his somewhat detached viewpoint you see the terrors and traumas of war at that time. Hemingway was very young when he wrote this novel, but his amazing unique writing style is something to learn from and enjoy.

I also recommend The Old Man and the Sea by Hemingway - a much shorter book, in case you want to start with something less intimidating than A Farewell to Arms.

The Amazing Story of Buddha 

Siddhartha

Siddhartha

by: Hermann Hesse

Amazon Price: $5.99 (as of 07/06/2009)Buy Now

Siddhartha 

...by Herman Hesse

I read this novel long ago, when I was a teenager. It started me on a journey of reading everything by Hesse that I could get my hands on. Nothing stood up to the beauty and perfection of Siddhartha, in my memory. This is a fictional masterpiece based on the life of Gautama Buddha. Words cannot say how touching and memorable this novel is. Even today I remember certain scenes with awe.

A Man's Search For Family 

Cry, the Beloved Country

Cry, the Beloved Country

by: Alan Paton

Amazon Price: (as of 07/06/2009)Buy Now

Cry, The Beloved Country 

by Alan Paton

This novel takes you traveling through South Africa from the point of view of a dignified black minister looking for his sister and his son. He observes the way the country has changed, and is greatly saddened by what he experiences. It gives us a look at a land we may never have been to (most of us) and a time we will be glad we didn't experience (1940's Apartheid). This is a trip through another culture, where human nature is examined and explored.

Alabama Growing Up Story 

To Kill a Mockingbird

To Kill a Mockingbird

by: Harper Lee

Amazon Price: $7.99 (as of 07/06/2009)Buy Now

My Squid-Lit Lens on To Kill A Mockingbird 

featured lens To Kill A Mockingbird, by Harper Lee

She said it was a love story, but most people think of it as a great classic of Southern life. She never had another book published, yet this one, written early in life, won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1961--the highest honor for great literatu...

To Kill A Mockingbird 

by Harper Lee

Ostensibly a middle grade novel with an elementary-school aged main character, this book will appeal to anyone looking for an easily readable, gripping, page-turning good story. It is about disturbing events, love, and hometown life in the south. The author's skill with description and characterization is palpable. The book, published in 1960, won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1961. In 1999 the Library Journal voted To Kill A Mockingbird "Best Novel of the Century".

Did You Ever Think From A Dog's Perspective? 

The Call of the Wild

The Call of the Wild

by: Jack London

Amazon Price: $3.99 (as of 07/06/2009)Buy Now

The Call of the Wild 

by Jack London

I've read a lot of stories by Jack London, and I think this one qualifies as a short novel. If you want to read about a dog challenged by the elements of nature, facing the cruelty of humans, living on the edge, seeking safety in the snow-bound wilderness of Alaska, this novel will take you there.

Jack London, once a citizen of the town in which I was born, Oakland, California, wrote all his amazing classic stories early in life, and died at the very young age of 40, in November 1916.

Your Turn To Vote 

...also you can add classic books you recommend.

You can vote for books you want to read, or books you already read that you thought were great. You can also add classic books you think others will enjoy.

1

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1984 by George Orwell

1984 by George Orwell

George Orwell's prophetic, nightmarish vision of "Negative Utopia" is timelier than ever-and its warnings more powerful.11 points

2

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To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

"When he was nearly thirteen, my brother Jem got his arm badly broken at the elbow.... When enough years had gone by to enable us to look back on them, we sometimes discussed the events leading to his accident. I maintain that the Ewells started it all, but Jem, who was four years my senior, said it started long before that. He said it began the summer Dill came to us, when Dill first gave us the idea of making Boo Radley come out."Set in the small Southern town of Maycomb, Alabama, during the D...6 points

3

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A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens

A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens

Edited with an Introduction and Notes by Richard Maxwell.5 points

4

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The Call of the Wild by Jack London

The Call of the Wild by Jack London

First published in 1903, The Call of the Wild is regarded as Jack London's masterpiece. Based on London's experiences as a gold prospector in the Canadian wilderness and his ideas about nature and the struggle for existence, The Call of the Wild is a tale about unbreakable spirit and the fight for survival in the frozen Alaskan Klondike.5 points

5

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Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

Please visit www.ArcManor.com for more books by this and other great authors5 points

6

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The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck

The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck

MAXnotes offer a fresh look at masterpieces of literature, presented in a lively and interesting fashion. Written by literary experts who currently teach the subject, MAXnotes will enhance your understanding and enjoyment of the work. MAXnotes are designed to stimulate independ ent thought about the literary work by raising various issues and thought-provoking ideas and questions. MAXnotes cover the essentials of what one should know about each work, including an overall summary, character lists...3 points

7

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Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell

Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell

Margaret Mitchell's epic novel of love and war won the Pulitzer Prize and went on to give rise to two authorized sequels and one of the most popular and celebrated movies of all time. Many novels have been written about the Civil War and its aftermath. None take us into the burning fields and cities of the American South as Gone With the Wind does, creating haunting scenes and thrilling portraits of characters so vivid that we remember their words and feel their fear and hunger for the rest of o...3 points

8

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Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse

Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse

In the novel, Siddhartha, a young man, leaves his family for a contemplative life, then, restless, discards it for one of the flesh. He conceives a son, but bored and sickened by lust and greed, moves on again. Near despair, Siddhartha comes to a river where he hears a unique sound. This sound signals the true beginning of his life -- the beginning of suffering, rejection, peace, and, finally, wisdom.2 points

9

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Jane Eyre (Dover Thrift Editions) by Charlotte Brontë

Jane Eyre (Dover Thrift Editions) by Charlotte Brontë

Charlotte Brontë characterized the eponymous heroine of her 1847 novel as being "as poor and plain as myself." Presenting a heroine with neither great beauty nor entrancing charm was an unprecendented maneuver, but Brontë's instincts proved correct, for readers of her era and ever after have taken Jane Eyre into their hearts. The author drew upon her own experience to depict Jane's struggles at Lowood, an oppressive boarding school, and her troubled career as a governess. Unlike Jane, Brontë had...2 points

10

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The Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane

The Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane

Following its initial appearance in serial form, Stephen Crane's The Red Badge of Courage was published as a complete work in 1895 and quickly became the benchmark for modern anti-war literature. Although the exact battle is never identified, Crane based this story of a soldier's experiences during the American Civil War on the 1863 Battle of Chancellorsville. Many veterans, both Union and Confederate, praised the book's accurate representation of war.1 point

11

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A Farewell To Arms by Ernest Hemingway

A Farewell To Arms by Ernest Hemingway

The best American novel to emerge from World War I, A Farewell to Arms is the unforgettable story of an American ambulance driver on the Italian front and his passion for a beautiful English nurse. Hemingway's frank portrayal of the love between Lieutenant Henry and Catherine Barkley, caught in the inexorable sweep of war, glows with an intensity unrivaled in modern literature, while his description of the German attack on Caporetto -- of lines of fired men marching in the rain, hungry, weary, a...1 point

12

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Cry, the Beloved Country by Alan Paton

Cry, the Beloved Country by Alan Paton

A cry for attention to a sad, culture-destroying apathy during the era of Apartheid in South Africa.1 point

13

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A House for Mr. Biswas by V.S. Naipaul

A House for Mr. Biswas by V.S. Naipaul

The early masterpiece of V. S. Naipaul's brilliant career, A House for Mr. Biswas is an unforgettable story inspired by Naipaul's father that has been hailed as one of the twentieth century's finest novels.

In his forty-six short years, Mr. Mohun Biswas has been fighting against destiny to achieve some semblance of independence, only to face a lifetime of calamity. Shuttled from one residence to another after the drowning death of his father, for which he is inadvertently responsible, Mr. Bi...1 point

14

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The Third Witch: A Novel by Rebecca Reisert

The Third Witch: A Novel by Rebecca Reisert

If you like history, Shakespeare and fiction, you may enjoy this book as much as I just did.

In this stirring debut novel, Rebecca Reisert enters the world of Shakespeare's Macbeth, in which a young woman's search for vengeance plunges her into a legendary tale of deceit, murder, and retribution....1 point

15

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The Horse Whisperer (Penguin Readers, Level 3) by Evans

The Horse Whisperer (Penguin Readers, Level 3) by Evans

The extraordinary first novel that is taking the publishing and film worlds by storm, The Horse Whisperer is at once a gripping adventure and an epic love story that weaves an incredible tale of healing and redemption, an emotional journey that explores our ancient bonds with earth and sky and hearts untamed.1 point

Do you love to read? 

Here's a short poll. I am guessing that most people who come to a lens like this are avid readers, but let's find out for sure.

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Links to sites about the books I've featured here 

A Tale of Two Cities - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A Tale of Two Cities From Wikipedia

More Classics... 

Befriending the Bard
How to read Shakespeare with understanding rather than with dread.
Classical Library - Author Index
Author Index for The Classical Library -
Online Editions of the Great Books
Bleak House
Bleak House is a satirical look at the complicated legal system in London as it consumes the minds and talents of the greedy and nearly destroys the lives of innocents.Dickens's tale takes us from the foggy streets of 19th century London and the maze of the Inns of Court to the peaceful countryside

Thanks for visiting my lens! 

I love good novels and if you're reading this lens, I'm sure you do too. Feel free to mention the names of novels you loved in your comments (see below). I'm always looking for something exciting to read.

I just finished re-reading: To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, and now I'm reading: The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald.

Click here to add this lens to your favorites.

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Your comments are welcome! 

...I'd like to get to know you.

Please let me know what you thought of those novels (if you've read them) or better yet, recommend a great classic novel for me to read!

Lensmaster

puzzlemaker wrote...

I love how you titled your modules with a short description of the book, and not the book titles. Genius.

ReplyPosted May 27, 2009

Lensmaster

wrote

Who is your admired figure ? Discover book recommendations from famous people on:

http://famouspick.blogspot.com

(From Barack Obama, Bill Gates, Oprah Winfrey, Robert Kiyosaki, Ellen DeGeneres to Alicia Keys)

Reply Posted May 12, 2009

Lensmaster

KimGiancaterino wrote...

Blessed... I'm featuring this lens on my Squid Angel Diary this week.

ReplyPosted April 27, 2009

Lensmaster

spirituality wrote...

Great lens - you've been blessed by a squidoo angel :)

ReplyPosted April 22, 2009

 
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