Classics

A classic stands the test of time. The work is usually considered to be a representation of the period in which it was written; and the work merits lasting recognition. In other words, if the book was published in the recent past, the work is not a classic.

A classic has a certain universal appeal. Great works of literature touch us to our very core beings--partly because they integrate themes that are understood by readers from a wide range of backgrounds and levels of experience. Themes of love, hate, death, life, and faith touch upon some of our most basic emotional responses.

Although the
...more

1984
Animal Farm
The Great Gatsby
Pride and Prejudice
The Alchemist
The Hobbit, or There and Back Again
The Diary of a Young Girl
Fahrenheit 451
The Little Prince
Lord of the Flies
The Catcher in the Rye
The Metamorphosis
Wuthering Heights
The Kite Runner
The Stranger
  • Homer's Odyssey by Barry Powell
    Homer's Odyssey: An Illustrated Retelling

    Release date: Jun 16, 2026
    Enter for a chance to win a copy of HOMER'S ODYSSEY: AN ILLUSTRATED RETELLING: a lush, illustrated prose edition of Homer's Odyssey! ...more
    View Details »

    Format: Print book

    Giveaway ends in: a

    Availability: 24 copies available, 5608 people requesting

    Giveaway dates: May 18 - Jun 15, 2026

    Countries available: U.S.

  • Beetlecreek by William Demby
    Beetlecreek

    Release date: Jan 13, 2026
    Enter to win a copy of this rediscovered masterpiece of Black American literature first published in 1950,
    now with introduction from S.A Cosby.

    View Details »

    Format: Print book

    Giveaway ends in: a

    Availability: 20 copies available, 2592 people requesting

    Giveaway dates: Jun 05 - Jun 25, 2026

    Countries available: U.S. and Canada

  • The Odyssey by Homer
    The Odyssey
    by

    Release date: Jun 06, 2026
    Soon to be a major motion picture directed by Christopher Nolan! Enter to win a copy of THE ODYSSEY!
    View Details »

    Format: Print book

    Giveaway ends in: a

    Availability: 30 copies available, 12867 people requesting

    Giveaway dates: Jun 01 - Jul 01, 2026

    Countries available: U.S.

  • Pride and Prejudice
    The Great Gatsby
    To Kill a Mockingbird
    Jane Eyre
    1984
    Wuthering Heights
    Animal Farm
    The Picture of Dorian Gray
    Frankenstein: The 1818 Text
    Little Women (Little Women, #1)
    The Catcher in the Rye
    Lord of the Flies
    Of Mice and Men
    Emma
    Sense and Sensibility
    To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper LeePride and Prejudice by Jane AustenJane Eyre by Charlotte BrontëThe Diary of a Young Girl by Anne FrankThe Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
    Best Woman-Authored Books
    8,815 books — 6,177 voters
    Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy by John le CarréThe Spy Who Came In from the Cold by John le CarréThe Bourne Identity by Robert LudlumThe Day of the Jackal by Frederick ForsythThe Hunt for Red October by Tom Clancy
    Best Spy Novels
    1,433 books — 2,627 voters

    The Twilight Saga by Stephenie MeyerFifty Shades of Grey by E.L. JamesThe Catcher in the Rye by J.D. SalingerEat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth GilbertTwilight by Stephenie Meyer
    I Don't Understand All That Fuss
    1,016 books — 2,630 voters

    Pride and Prejudice by Jane AustenJane Eyre by Charlotte BrontëThe Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar WildeWuthering Heights by Emily BrontëCrime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky
    Best Books of the 19th Century
    1,753 books — 6,907 voters
    To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper LeeRomeo and Juliet by William ShakespeareThe Great Gatsby by F. Scott FitzgeraldLord of the Flies by William GoldingAnimal Farm by George Orwell
    Required Reading in High School
    815 books — 1,303 voters


    Related News

    This collection is one of our favorite regular traditions. You know those “Staff Picks” recommendations you see at your favorite bookstore,...
    J. Sheridan Le Fanu
    But to die as lovers may - to die together, so that they may live together.
    Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu, Carmilla

    Zora Neale Hurston
    Some people could look at a mud puddle and see an ocean with ships.
    Zora Neale Hurston, Their Eyes Were Watching God

    More quotes...
    literature 📖 gothic literature, classic literature, southern literature
    1 member, last active 16 days ago
    Boxall's 1001  Books You Must Read Before You Die For those attempting the crazy feat of reading all 1001 books! For discerning bibliophiles and …more
    22,373 members, last active 1 days ago
    Sisters and Friends Book Club
    3 members, last active 7 days ago
    Golden Age of Hollywood Book Club This reading group is for lovers of classic Hollywood. We discuss the films, crews, actors, des…more
    439 members, last active 12 hours ago

    Tags

    Tags contributing to this page include: classics, classic, clàssic, clàssics, genre__classics, klasyka, the-classics, and классика