30 Best Classic Books According to Our Readers

by Harper Lee
First Published: 1960

In the vote for our readers’ favorite classic novel, it was a decisive victory! A full one-third of our readers submitted To Kill a Mockingbird as one of their three all-time favorites, with the majority of those readers listing it first.

Set in Alabama in 1933, this story is told from the perspective of a 6-year-old girl called Scout. Her widowed father, Atticus Finch, is a crusading local lawyer who risks everything to defend a black man accused of a terrible crime.

In Our Readers’ Words…

This is the first "adult" book that I ever read. My mother gave it to me when I was 11. I read it again in school when I was a sophomore or junior, and then again in college for my English degree. I have taught it a number of times. Every time I read it, something new comes out. I think the characters and thematic elements are amazing, and it should be a must-read. -Kathleen W.

It’s a beautiful coming-of-age story about doing the right thing when it’s not popular. -Mitzi K.

I've lost count of how many times I've read this book. The characters are everyday, common people struggling with issues relevant to our own times....racism, bullying, single parenting, and scandal. I especially love Scout, the 6-year-old narrator of this story. Her wisdom and insight is amazing and beyond her years. This story has so many layers.....one reading of it just won't begin to absorb them all! -Kim I.

It is a beautiful story, with beautiful characters--but it is also a very ugly story, with ugly characters. It shows us the absolute best and worst of our nation. At its heart, it is about love, and caring for others, and taking a stand for what is right rather than what is easy or popular. Those concepts and themes are timeless!

Love the emotions it evokes and the honest dialogue one must have with oneself when reading. I love that it is written from the viewpoint of Scout, the youngest of the Finch family, who is the most innocent and purest, any other viewpoint would be tainted. I love the fight one man had for the other…the fight for what was right. There are ugly things that are shown in this book. Things that should be talked about and confronted. Things we need to be aware of so we do not spread racism, prejudice, and hate. We need to be reminded what these things look like and how they evolve. They do evolve, because today they can be seen everywhere in microaggressions, and we don’t see them until someone shows us. Atticus showed them their prejudices, biases, and racism. -Stacey K.

Fifty-five years after the publication of this classic, Harper Lee published a Go Set a Watchman. Harper Lee actually penned this novel in the late 50s (the decade in which the story was set), but her early publisher had reservations and recommended she take a different approach - resulting in To Kill A Mockingbird. People either love or hate Go Set a Watchman. If you adore Atticus Finch, you might be happier not reading this book, but it does tackle the important reality of the racial tensions brewing in the South in the 1950s.

by Louisa May Alcott
First Published: 1868

This novel follows the lives of the four March sisters - beautiful Meg, tomboy Jo, frail Beth, and romantic and spoiled Amy. Living in New England during the Civil War, these sisters are devoted to one another while each struggling to survive. 

Exploring themes such as love and death, war and peace, and the conflict between ambition and responsibility, as well as addressing the clash of cultures between Europe and America, Alcott based this famous work on her own early life. She initially supported her sisters by doing “woman’s work,” like sewing and laundry, while her father ran in the same circle as male authors like Emerson, Thoreau, and Hawthorne. Eventually, Alcott discovered that she could make more money writing books, even if Little Women was far from the “girl’s book” her publishers requested from her.

In Our Readers’ Words…

I think the sisters in this story make us feel that their times were simpler, and in many ways they were.  Underneath there is the struggle with illness, class, war, gender roles, and struggles with money.  It shows one that all these things affect your life, but you have to find the love and the joy. -Leslie C.

It is a book that grows and changes with you as you age. I had a much more romantic view of the story and relationships in my teens and twenties. Now in my fifties, I see a more realistic view of what is happening in the story and where some of what I romanticized earlier in life, is actually not very healthy. -Christa

All the tender follies of being young and all the bittersweet heartbreaks of growing older are in this book. I think everyone wants to be in the March family.  I still cry when I read it. -Nicole S.

This was one of my favorites as a kid and I still love it. Like most young women/girls, I wanted to be Jo. I love how she refuses to let society dictate what kind of woman she will be and chases her dreams. The struggle to figure out your identity while trying to balance familial obligations is one that so many people can relate to while growing up. -Heather W.

I read it with my mother as a child. I read it at least once a year, and read it with my girls. The story is from a time when the United States was at war, and to me, the story shows the hardships families, and especially the women faced. It is heartwarming and heartbreaking all at the same time. When you read it you are warmed by the relationship between the sisters, their neighbors and especially young Master Lawrence. It is a story about life, death, hope, and most of all love. -Lori M.

by Jane Austen
First Published: 1813

Pride and Prejudice follows the turbulent relationship between Elizabeth Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy. Many of our readers dubbed this classic love story the original rom-com and Mr. Darcy the original grumpy male love interest who was dark and broody in all the right ways.

Elizabeth is one of five daughters living on a country estate, and her mother is aggressively trying to matchmake for her and her sisters. When Darcy, a wealthy, aristocratic landowner, arrives in the village along with a group of other wealthy bachelors, the Bennet family is immediately put off by his cold and arrogant manner. Ultimately Elizabeth and Darcy two must overcome first impressions and prejudices if either of them is to find love.

In Our Readers’ Words…

Austen's characters are flawed and realistic--which makes them interesting. Elizabeth Bennet, in particular, is a character so ahead of her time. I related to her. As a young, headstrong girl who was misunderstood by many people and didn't always do what she was supposed to do, I found a character who was very much like myself.

I can read it again and again and still enjoy it. The language, the characters, the angst. -Kathy Y.

No one does subtle satire the way Austen does, and Elizabeth Bennett is a heroine who stands the test of time. -Rachel

I love Austen's characters, her clever way of stating things, of weaving a story, and bringing characters together. I read one Austen novel every year, rotating through them, but P & P remains my favorite. -Linda G.

by Charlotte Brontë
First Published: 1847

Filled with mystery and suspense, Jane Eyre is considered one of the most popular works of Gothic romance.

Jane was orphaned as a child and spent her early life always feeling like an outcast. Around the age of twenty, she is hired by the brooding, proud Edward Rochester to care for his ward, Adèle. Jane finds herself drawn to Edward, but there is a secret hiding inside the gloomy, forbidding Thornfield Hall that may leave Jane heartbroken.

In Our Readers’ Words…

Unlike so many classics, you don't have to understand the time period to understand the story and the themes. Its themes of being orphaned, struggling with childhood, and trying to find a place in the world are still relatable today. And then you add a gothic mystery on top! And while the book looks long, the story is easy to read. -Kim V.

This book was one of the first classics I read. At the time, I was not aware of the ending, which took me by surprise. The romantic tension that was gradually building between Jane and Mr. Rochester revealed many issues from the era they lived in. -Kathy W.

I love how Jane retains her integrity, even after undergoing such mistreatment, betrayal and disappointment, she never compromises her values or what she believes to be right. -Linda G.

It’s romantic, and Rochester is swoon-worthy, but it’s really about Jane being her own person and standing up for herself. She is independent, fierce, and shows remarkable wisdom for her age. I think it’s especially powerful given it was written in a time when women weren’t viewed as fully realized people. -Nicole S.

by L.M. Montgomery
First Published: 1908

When Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert reach out to an orphanage to give a home to a boy who could also help them out on their Prince Edward Island farm, a mix-up happens and eleven-year-old Anne Shirley is dropped off in their care. Not only is Anne not the boy they expected, but she's also mischievous, talkative, and has a bad temper! However, they also see her remarkable imagination and creativity.

This book is actually the first in a series of eight books, and as the series progresses, we see Anne go from school girl to college student to teacher to mother. This also made our Readers’ Favorites list for Best Book Series.

In Our Readers’ Words…

What’s not to love?! Anne’s character is delightful and the shenanigans keep you laughing. -Teresa F.

This is a book I remember reading with my mom when I was young and it is a book I will share with my children in the future. It is a book I can cozy up with at any point now as an adult and think fondly of and feel comfortable recommending to almost anyone looking for something to read and enjoy. -Lindsay

The characters, the writing, the setting all have a place in my heart and on my favorites shelf.

The descriptive writing style lets you feel the joy and awe of Anne and how her spirit gentles the starkness and rigidity of the other characters. This book helped me notice that I love characters with no filter. -Tamara

by Betty Smith
First Published: 1943

This novel captures a unique time and place in Brooklyn after the turn of the century. It provides a poignant, and at times meandering, look at life in the 1910s that still deeply resonants with many readers as reflecting a universal experience.

Francie Nolan needed to be made of stern stuff from her earliest days. Growing up in the Williamsburg slums of Brooklyn, New York, demanded fortitude, precocity, and strength of spirit - and Francie has each of these in spades. Neighbors often scorn her for her family's erratic and eccentric behavior, including her father's taste for alcohol and her Aunt Sissy's habit of marrying serially without the formality of divorce. No one, least of all Francie, would say that the Nolans' life lacked drama.

In Our Readers’ Words…

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn has been my favorite book since I first read it at 12. The story is beautiful and heartbreaking. The characters come alive off the page and even though it takes place over 100 years ago it remains relatable and poignant today. I read it every year and the story touches me every time. -Mary Kate Q.

I first read this book when I was in elementary school in the 60s. I've read it many times since then. Francie and Nealy are every kid you know, no matter the time period or place. -Cheryl M.

The coming-of-age story is timeless and so well-written. The characters and emotions are both real and realistic.

I first read this as a 12-year-old and since then I have read it numerous times and at each stage of my life I get something different from it. I love the characters and all of their flaws and optimism. -Kim

by Daphne du Maurier
First Published: 1938

This brooding, gothic thriller, has been keeping readers on the edge of their seats for the past 85 years! It’s a twisty, turny psychological thriller about a shy young woman who becomes obsessed with her husband’s first wife.

The new wife (who is unnamed in the novel) meets her husband while on holiday in Monte Carlo and accompanies him back to his mansion in Cornwall. It is only once she’s arrived at his beautiful mansion that she learns that the first Mrs. de Winter died the year prior and that the estate’s sinister housekeeper remains devoted to Rebecca. As does her husband. Might she share the same sinister fate?

In Our Readers’ Words…

This is, in my opinion, the quintessential gothic novel. Dark, eerie, mysterious, and gripping. I can read it over and over again burying myself in the story. -Christa

The big reveal! Oh boy does this novel keep you intrigued throughout. -Amy S.

I still remember the wonderfully eerie feeling I had watching this mystery unfold the first time I read it as a teenager! -Terry Jo S.

by Margaret Mitchell
First Published: 1936

Scarlett O'Hara is the beautiful, spoiled daughter of a well-to-do Georgia plantation owner. Before the Civil War her life revolved mostly around parties and flirting. However, after the war she sees her way of life collapse, and she uses every means at her disposal to claw her way out of poverty. Aside from the love story between Scarlett and Rhett, The Guardian sums it up well: “Gone With the Wind is a story about civil war, starvation, rape, murder, heartbreak, and slavery.”

In Our Words…

Like many classic works, this controversial novel (which won the Pulitzer Prize in 1937) reflects the views and language of a different era that can be very uncomfortable and upsetting to read through a modern lens. There is no escaping the racism portrayed in Gone With the Wind, and that should not be romanticized. However, erasing this book would not erase the historical realities that it portrays. If you choose to read this novel, we hope that its brutal honesty about the views held by many at the time serves to deepen your understanding of the Civil War and Reconstructionist era.

In Our Readers’ Words…

Wow. This book somehow portrays an unlikeable main character that you root for. Rhett Butler is a wonderfully attractive character who lights up the page. The setting is the Civil War, giving great insight into the South’s point of view. The ending - unforgettable!

As dated as it is, it was one of my first classics and I was swept away!

Margaret Mitchell has the ability to not just tell a story, but transport you to another time and place. Her characters are real people with real flaws, but we love them anyway.

The character development - Scarlett O'Hara is one of the most resilient characters in literature. The setting - the first book to be written about the Civil War from the perspective of the South. It’s captivating.

by F. Scott Fitzgerald
First Published: 1925

This was initially not the most popular of the books written in the 1920s, but a century later, The Great Gatsby is considered a classic of 1920s literature and a quintessential novel of the Jazz Age.

The mysteriously wealthy Jay Gatsby, who is obsessed with the beautiful and unattainable debutante, Daisy Buchanan, plays host to lavish parties on Long Island at a time when The New York Times noted: "gin was the national drink and sex the national obsession." The book paints a portrait of the Roaring Twenties, with all of its excess, idealism, and social upheaval.

In Our Readers’ Words…

I love all of the opulence of the parties and the setting in the 20s. For some reason, I tend to love tragic love stories that don’t have happy endings. This book is heartbreaking in all the right ways. -Jordan L.

I just loved it! The setting, the story, the characters were beautifully written and again, it makes you think about life and the consequences of choices.

The yearning, everyone wants someone or something they don't or can't have....the green light....the time period. Lightning in a bottle book. -Andrea

by Mary Shelley
First Published: 1818

Ship captain Robert Walton is headed to explore the North Pole when the trip is interrupted by impassible ice. He meets dogsledder Viktor Frankenstein, who has struggled in the cold. When Walton brings Frankenstein on board to restore his health, he hears the tale of his past, including the monster that Frankenstein created and the after-effects of his scientific feat.

Frankenstein is told in the epistolary form as a series of letters between Walton and his sister back home.

In Our Readers’ Words…

While this book has had so many permutations throughout the years, the original novel is truly a story about loneliness, bigotry, and the struggle to understand one's place in the world, along with a side note of how easy it is for hate to rise out of a lack of empathy and understanding, something we are experiencing in big way in our current society.
Who's my favorite character - the monster, of course. Anyone who has only experienced Frankenstein through movies, should definitely read the novel. Also, this is one of the first, if not the first, true science fiction novels and it's written by a young woman! - Laura M.

It is the progenitor of the gothic novel. It is written by a woman who actually published in her own name, and the back story of why she wrote this story is incredible. Her stepfather actually thought he could reanimate human life, not quite like Frankenstein did, but in his own sense. But this book talks about betrayal, abandonment, identity, loss, hate and love. The settings are wonderfully interesting and it can be just a tad scary. -Kathy C.

It is not what you think it is! Forget those black-and-white movies that turned it into something it was not! Many consider Mary Shelley's Frankenstein to be the first science fiction book ever written. - Kathy R.

by Charles Dickens
First Published: 1843

Most of us will be familiar with the tale of Ebenezer Scrooge, a man who is visited by the ghosts of his former business partner, as well as the spirits of Christmas past, present, and yet to come. These visits help him embrace a kinder approach to life and Christmas.

This book is available with Kindle Unlimited as of 2/22/23.

In Our Readers’ Words…

This book greatly influenced the modern US celebration of Christmas and has been adapted hundreds of times in every manner and format. It is enjoyable to read the original. -Jen R.

The message is timeless. The characters are timeless. And the season of the year is timeless. Sure I have no clue what is in most of the food mentioned, but I don’t care because it teaches a lesson I want to hear every year. -Jessica F.

Firstly, this book is a great one to introduce someone to the "classics", as it is short and interesting throughout. I am a big Dickens fan, which I know many are not, due the wordiness of most of the authors of his time, but I feel as if his writing really helps you enter into a time and setting that is unfamiliar and become immersed in that world. His characters are immediately engaging and you want to know what happens to them.
While "A Tale of Two Cities" is really my favorite Dickens, "A Christmas Carol" is one I read every year. I think most everyone can relate to this story of the good man oppressed by the evil overlord, but what makes this great is that it shows the redeeming qualities of a man that seems "bad" throughout, so in the end it gives you a feeling of hopefulness. Plus, looking back and forward in Scrooge's life through the ghosts is amazing and helps deepen your understanding of his character. It's through these glimpses into his life that you begin to see a ray of hope for redemption. -Laura M.

by Alexandre Dumas
First Published: 1844

Life is good for 19-year-old Edmond Dantès, who is engaged to a kind, beautiful woman. He’s about to become the captain of a ship, and his great fortune in career and romance have left others envious.

Dangles is jealous of his fast promotion on the ship, Fernand Mongedo is in love with Edmond’s fiance, and neighbor Caderousse is jealous of his overall luck in life. The trio bans together to accuse Edmond of treason, and he must stand trial. A real-life case of wrongful imprisonment inspired the book.

This book is available with Kindle Unlimited as of 2/22/23.

In Our Readers’ Words…

It shows humankind at its best and worst. Written in 1844 and clearly about that timeframe, but still relatable today. - Linda H.

A great revenge novel filled with adventure and intrigue. It's a page-turner!

by Ray Bradbury
First Published: 1953

Set in a bleak, dystopian future, this novel transports us to an unspecified city near the middle of the US after two atomic wars. Guy Montag is a fireman, but rather than putting out fires, his job is to destroy the most illegal of commodities - books, as well as the houses in which they are hidden.

His life is the same day in and day out. He causes destruction and ruin in the name of censorship without ever questioning his actions. All the while, his wife spends her time staring at the television (which has become, for many, a replacement for friends and family).

Everything begins to change when Guy meets his seventeen-year-old neighbor, Clarisse, who loves nature, despises TV, and introduces him to the ideas of individualism and critical thought. She also causes him to question, for the first time, whether he is happy - and what happiness even means.

In Our Readers’ Words…

How can any self-pronounced lover of books not be in shock reading about a world of total censorship? Such a thought-provoking book to reread among all the talk of book banning today. Kris I.

It's always a good time to read Fahrenheit 451. The events, attitudes and circumstances are still here, 70 years later. The politics, social ideology, attitudes and focal points really haven't shifted as much as we think they have. -Irene I.

It is simply the story of how very important it is for everyone to have shared knowledge and be always willing to educate themselves to make a successful society. -Lori D.

by John Steinbeck
First Published: 1937

George and Lennie are an unlikely pair, and opposites by many measures. George is small and quick, while Lennie is physically giant and has the mind of a child. But both men are displaced migrant ranch workers, and they’ve formed a family of sorts as they move from place to place searching for work in California during the Great Depression. Together they dream of owning an acre of land and a shack to call their own.

This novella is just over a hundred pages long, making it a great intro to older literature.

In Our Readers’ Words…

This book just left me speechless. It is a read between the lines kind of book, it makes you think, ponder, question...Also, it made me cry like a baby. -Christine I.

Either the novel OR play version is great. A novel about an era that was tragic with a tragic ending might not be everyone's cup of tea, but the characters are richly developed, and it is a short novel for those who want to just "dip their toes" into classic literature. -Kathleen W.

by Frances Hodgson Burnett
First Published: 1911

The Secret Garden is often considered one of the best children's books of the twentieth century, but it appeals to both young and old alike. Mary lives in India with her uncaring parents when they are both killed in a cholera epidemic. She is sent to live with an uncle at his house in Yorkshire, England, where she meets and helps her uncle's sickly son, Colin, recover his health.

In Our Readers’ Words…

A timeless story of strength, courage, friendship, family and adventure. -Lynn D.

Such a beautiful story of the power of nature, friendship, our beliefs about who we are and what we can/can’t do.

by Emily Brontë
First Published: 1847

Set in the English moors of Yorkshire, this novel follows the life of Heathcliff, from childhood through adulthood. Orphaned as a child, Heathcliff is a Black boy who is adopted and brought up in a wealthy white household. When he grows up, he falls in love with the daughter of the family, Catherine. She loves him back but they fight all the time over the disparities in their positions.

E. Lockhart, the author of We Were Liars, references this classic book throughout her own, and she describes Wuthering Heights as "full of romance and ghosts and family feuds and a huge amount of anger."

This book is available with Kindle Unlimited as of 2/22/23.

In Our Readers’ Words…

This book I return to over and over again. I love the ghostly atmosphere and the tragic affairs of Catherine and Heathcliff. You sense from the beginning when it starts on a stormy night that no good can come from this story, and after reading it several times I don’t really believe it’s their “love” story any more. They were the most tortured souls tormenting each other, trying to possess one another. True love would never have treated each other so selfishly and so cruel. But I still remain fascinated with the story and the storytelling. - Nikki L.

Epic love story, full of craziness and family drama too. -Rebekah

by John Steinbeck
First Published: 1952

This 600-page generational epic is a retelling of Cane and Abel. The book is set amid Califonia’s rich farmland as it followers the intertwined destinies of the Trask and Hamilton families. Adam Trusk has come to California from the East in hopes of a better life with his wife. But when they have twins, Cal and Aaron, the birth of the boys brings his wife to the brink of madness. He must raise them as a single father, and despite being twins they have very different experiences.

In Our Readers’ Words…

Family saga. Pretty easy to read. Demonstrates strength and endurance when life is hard. -Amy Lynn B.

I was late to this party, though I’d read most of the rest of his canon years ago. It’s an exquisite story of love - romantic, obsessive, filial, and Storge - beautifully and brutally told. -Weezie F.

by Victor Hugo
First Published: 1862

After Jean Valjean spent 19 years in prison for stealing bread, he attempted to redeem his life by helping others who were living in poverty. However, he’s constantly followed by police inspector Javert, making it impossible to escape his past. This was one of the first novels to feature a working-class hero and was an instant success despite the book’s long length of over 1300 pages. 

In Our Readers’ Words…

It is a book about second chances and redemption. Love the characters. I have re-read this so many times. Love it every time. -Lori D.

It is very well written, all the characters are deep and complex, it addresses a multitude of issues, albeit from a different time period. -Christine I.

by J.R.R. Tolkien
First Published: 1937 (Lord of the Rings Trilogy published 1954-55)

Originally written for Tolkien’s children, this story of adventure follows a hobbit named Bilbo Baggins, the wizard Gandalf, Gollum, and the spectacular fictional world of Middle-earth. Bilbo is a home-body but is convinced by Gandalf to go on a journey to win a share of the treasure guarded by Smaug, a dragon.

In Our Readers’ Words…

I first read these in H.S. and have re-read them at least 5 times since then (I’m 60-ish now). They have everything - adventure, magic, love, war, friendship, family, and are timeless. -Pam T.

I typically do not re-read books as there are just too many great ones out there, but this is one I have read at least 5 times and can't wait to read again. It has a little of everything and the descriptions are fantastic and exciting. -Emily P.

by Antoine de Saint
First Published: 1943

When a pilot crashes in the Sahara, he doesn’t have enough food or water to survive long. As he wonders how to get out of this predicament, a little blond-haired boy appears and asks the pilot to draw him a picture of a sheep. This leads to a friendship, and the pilot learns the endearing little boy is from an asteroid and is out exploring other planets. At its core, this short read is about teaching the secret of what is really important in life.

In Our Readers’ Words…

I read it as a child and fell in love with the main character, the little Prince. I read it with some of my students, and they loved it. It has a great message that Carrie’s through time. I traveled to Brussels once, and so much in the city was about the little Prince. -Wendy K.

I keep this book in my bedside table and is the only book I have actually written in, underlining my favorite quotes. It is full of such lovely imagery - I wish I could learn enough French to read it in its original form. This is the type of book that speaks to your soul! -Mary Ann G.

by John Steinbeck
First Published: 1939

With the Great Depression gripping the nation, this epic novel from the 1930s chronicles the Dust Bowl migration that transformed the nation. The story follows a farm family - the Joads - who are driven from their homestead in Oklahoma and forced to travel west for promise of a better life in California. But when they finally arrive at their destination, the worst rumors prove true.

In Our Readers’ Words…

It tells of a significant period in American history in a way that is not taught in schools, from a human experience. The perspective of a family packing up their lives to escape the Dust Bowl and seek a new life, hopefully prosperous, including all their trials along the trip, is heartbreaking yet hopeful. -Lisa H.

I read it the first time when I was a frivolous 30 year old. I didn’t get it. I read it again after another 30+ years in a book club. It changed my life. I began to see all types of people with a new perspective - that very often, people are disadvantaged through no fault of their own and that others often are more than willing to take further advantage of them.

The Joads carried on despite their circumstances. My favorite line is “It was her habit to build up laughter out of inadequate materials.” The book was banned in several states in 1939, calling it a “libel and a lie” by people who didn’t like the depiction of how the dust bowl migrants were treated by the farmers in California and it's description of the dust bowl. It has been pulled from many school library shelves calling it “filth” due to profanity. -Pat S.

by Leo Tolstoy
First Published: 1878

Anna Karenina shares a glimpse into late 1800s Russian life through a soap-operatic lens. The story centers on an affair between Anna and Count Alexei Kirillovich Vronsky. When their romance is discovered, they must flee to Italy in an attempt at happiness together. However, when they return to Russia, their lives continue to unravel. 

In Our Readers’ Words…

Some say it’s the greatest classic novel of all time. It’s a long, intricate read but so glad I reread it recently. Sweeping saga of tragic love and a fascinating look at all levels of Russian social life at the time. -Susan H.

I loved the setting and the story. And, of course, it was so well written. I read it at the same time PBS was doing the series on TV. This was 45 years ago, and I still remember enjoying this book so much! -Angela H.

by Anthony Doerr
First Published: 2014

The author spent ten years creating this book, and the final result is a beautifully written story of a blind French girl and a German boy whose paths collide in occupied France as both try to survive the devastation of World War II.

All the Light We Cannot See won the Pultizer Prize and was a National Book Award finalist, both well-deserved as he captures the effects of war on two children with vivid details. Fans of literary fiction will be drawn to the writing in this one.

In Our Readers’ Words…

I read a lot of books and love a lot of books, but the details don't always stick with me. This one has. I have read it twice and listened to it once and I find something new each time. There have been so, so many WWII historical fiction novels and in my opinion, this one is heads above all the rest. -Laura M.

This book is both heartbreaking and hopeful...simply a great read. -Sally M.

It is a beautiful book that I recommend to everyone.

Beautiful prose, wonderful characterization, and timeless themes. A great historical fiction novel of an era that the world must never forget. -Jill R.

by Kristin Hannah
First Published: 2015

This is an unforgettable historical fiction novel about the experience of two sisters in France during World War II. It blends two different true events in a way that gives us a new perspective on life in France throughout the early 1940s.

While an older sister is forced to host a German officer in her home, her younger rebellious sister joins the resistance movement. She makes heroic efforts to help British and American soldiers who parachute into France after their planes are disabled.

This novel is so popular with our readers that we created a full list of Books Like The Nightingale.

In Our Readers’ Words…

I think it's important to remember even the difficult and tragic parts of history, so that they are not repeated. This was such a moving book, but their acts of resistance were inspiring, which I think is just as important – giving hope. -Lisa H.

It has beautiful writing and showcases the role of women in WWII. Like many other classics, it deals with what it means to be human. The book shows us the resiliency of humans, the ability of people to overcome the worst possible situations, and the strength that people find in themselves and each other.

This was possibly the most powerful book I have ever read. This work by Hannah was very well written and did a masterful job describing the French resistance during WWII. I could hardly do anything else while reading it and was unable to start a new book when I finished reading Nightingale. -Angela H.

There are many books written about WWII. There's something about this one, though - I was immersed in the visual in my mind. Reality faded away. It's another beautiful story about resilience, resistance, and sisterhood. And motherhood. It's simply amazing. -Elizabeth

by Delia Owens
First Published: 2018

Young Kya, who was left to fend for herself in the North Carolina marsh in the 1950s, will steal your heart from the beginning. For two decades, Kya has been known to locals as the "Marsh Girl." She lives away from other humans and has only attended one day of school, but finds companions in nature all around her.

The book has a split timeline between Kya's formative years in the 1950s and an incident in 1969. A handsome boy from town is found dead, and the locals immediately suspect Kya, leading to a courtroom drama.

This novel is so popular with our readers that we created a full list of Books Like Where the Crawdads Sing.

In Our Readers’ Words…

A fantastic coming-of-age novel that is part mystery and part adventure. It tugs at your heartstrings, keeps you on the edge of your seat, and leaves you breathless long after you’ve finished reading.

It is such a well-written book. It has a great mystery to it, but also amazing descriptions of the wetlands. I think it is definitely a classic. -Terry M.

I think it has enough timeless plot and enough similarities to To Kill A Mockingbird to stand the test of time. -Jessica F.

by J.K. Rowling
First Published: 1997-2007

Harry Potter was orphaned as a baby and sent to live with his abusive aunt and uncle. On his eleventh birthday, he receives an invitation to attend the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and learns for the first time that he possesses magical powers and that his parents did not die in a car accident, but were in fact, powerful wizards who were murdered.

At Hogwarts, Harry befriends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. Throughout each book, Harry and his best friends learn about their magic and overcome dangerous obstacles at every turn. The main story arc of the series involves Harry struggling to defeat Lord Voldemort - the powerful dark wizard who seeks to take over the wizarding world.

While these best sellers were initially written as middle-grade books, the themes become darker and more complex in each subsequent book, making them equally popular with adult readers. These books also made our Readers’ Favorites list for Best Book Series.

This series is available with Kindle Unlimited as of 2/22/23.

In Our Readers’ Words…

This series created an entire world and shaped a generation. It truly is magical. -Kim A.

This series appeals to young and old readers, both male and female. Seeing the underdog overcome hardships and problems and make friends along the way is always a winning combination. -Pam T.

Every time I read it, it feels like I’m returning home. It’s a classic good vs evil and I get something new out of it each time I read it.

by Markus Zusak
First Published: 2006

Liesel Meminger is a foster girl living in Nazi Germany in 1939. While trying to avoid all the death around her, she learns to read and begins stealing books. Soon, she's sharing the books with neighbors and the Jewish man hidden in their basement.

It's a heartbreaking historical fiction novel like so many others that cover this subject, but the Book Thief also underscores the vast power of books to help you through a terrible time.

In Our Readers’ Words…

Death as a narrator? It doesn't get any better for a war novel. But seriously this is also timely and timeless. It demonstrates that doing the right thing doesn't always get the best results but it is still worth doing. -Kathy C.

A heart-wrenching understanding of the effect of war and hate that should never be forgotten. -Cindy W.

by Amor Towles
First Published: 2021

This entire novel takes place within ten days in 1954. Eighteen-year-old Emmett has finished his term on a work farm, where he was sent after being convicted of involuntary manslaughter. The warden drives him home to Nebraska, where he plans to pick up his 8-year-old brother before heading west for a fresh start.

However, Emmett discovers that two friends, Duchess and Wooly, from the work camp have stowed away in the trunk. The three teens and 8-year-old Billy adjust their plans and set out across the country together. The book is told from alternating points of view.

Our readers also mentioned Towles’ A Gentleman in Moscow as another book that is destined to become a classic.

In Our Readers’ Words…

Characters were well-developed, he treated them with respect even with their flaws. Reminded me of Huck Finn in some respects. The adventure of traveling across country with hints of the Odyssey. There are lots of lessons to be learned from each character. -Mary R.

This book just feels like an instant classic. It's a tale of days gone by, an adventure, brothers, and the search for a new life. -Becca

Road trip, coming-of-age, evocative writing - all literary tropes that suck me right in and are told with Towles’ singular panache. It’s a beautifully constructed book. -Weezie F.

This book offers great character development as it tells the story of two young boys out on their own. The historical background is spot on. -Renee N.

by Bonnie Garmus
First Published: 2022

Elizabeth Zott is a quirky and brilliant female chemist working with an all-male team at the Hastings Research Institute. But it's the 1950s, and her scientific qualifications don't stop the "good old boys" from being frustrated that she won't get the coffee or make copies for them. When Elizabeth meets Calvin Evans, another scientist at the Institute, another type of chemistry results.

Fast forward a few years. It's 1961, and Elizabeth is a 30-year-old single mother. She's taken a bit of a detour in her career. Instead of working for Hastings, she's now (somewhat reluctantly) the star of a much-loved cooking show called Supper at Six. Her cooking methods are unusual ("combine one tablespoon acetic acid with a pinch of sodium chloride"). As her popularity grows, it turns out she's not just teaching women to cook. She's also daring them to change the status quo.

In Our Readers’ Words…

It speaks to the struggles women have and will continue to have in the workforce. -Kim V.

It is an entertaining read, but even more than that, tells the tale of a woman that lived her life well before her time. -Dawn D.

by Fredrick Backman
First Published: 2012

Ove (pronounced Oo-veh) is a 59-year-old Swedish man. He’s an ill-tempered, cynical protagonist who doesn’t like change… or anything or anyone, for that matter. He’s living a solitary life until a boisterous young family moves in next door. Not only do they break all the residents’ association rules (something Ove can not tolerate), their chatty young daughters disrupt his strict routines. It’s hard to say too much more about this book without giving anything away. But know that this novel is at equal turns frustrating, charming, insightful, touching, and hilarious.

Our readers also mentioned Backman’s Beartown trilogy as books destined to become classics, and we couldn’t agree more!

In Our Readers’ Words…

Fredrick Bachman captures human experience and emotion completely. I actually think any Fredrick Backman book could become a modern classic! -Patty C.

The compassion shown in Fredrik Backman's books is universal.

Such strong character development and timeless themes of love and friendship making all the difference in the world. -Kim