The Ultimate Reading List: Classics and Modern Favorites You Shouldn’t Miss

I have found myself reading newer novels more often in the past couple of years. But here and there, I try to get through my reading list of some of the greatest novels ever written. That is why we have created this list of books that everyone should read at least once in their lives. Keep reading to find out which books we chose as must reads that you need to add to your reading list.

With so many amazing novels to choose from, it is impossible to read all of them. One reason for that is that there are always new books that our friends and critics can’t stop talking about. But there are some books that readers have to read at least once no matter what.

Many of these books are considered classics but not all of them are. But what most people can agree with is that these books are books that everyone has to sit down and read at least once. Books like To Kill a Mockingbird and 1984 are obvious picks but some of these books will surprise you. You can see the full list below!

Classics and Modern Favorites You Shouldn’t Miss

• To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
• Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
• The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank
• 1984 by George Orwell
• Animal Farm by George Orwell
• Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (Harry Potter, #1) by J.K. Rowling
• The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
• The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
• The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger  
• The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien  
• The Book Thief by Markus Zusak 
• Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë  
• The Chronicles of Narnia (Chronicles of Narnia, #1-7) by C.S. Lewis  
• Lord of the Flies by William Golding 
• Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare  

To Kill a Mockingbird

A novel that I will always mention as a must read is the timeless novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. It is a beautifully written classic novel that made me fall in love with reading. Without this novel, I don’t think this blog would be here right now.

The novel is narrated by six-year-old Jean Louise Finch and takes place in 1933 in the fictional town of Maycomb, Alabama. Jean, along with older brother Jeremy, and friend Dill are caught in a drama involving their father Atticus Finch. 

Atticus, a lawyer, is assigned to defend Tom Robinson, a black man who has been accused of raping a white woman. Residents of the town are not happy with Atticus defending a black man. But Atticus is determined to defend him as he would any other man, not matter their race. 

Pride and Prejudice

Like many people, I browse through many lists and saw Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen often. That is why I decided to read it even though I am not a big fan of romance novels. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this novel and how well it aged a couple of centuries after publication.

Elizabeth Bennett is one of five daughters and the novel follows her and Mr. Darcy, who moves near the Bennetts. Elizabeth’s older sister Jane falls in love with Bingley who is a close friends with Mr. Darcy.

Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth interact at a party and while Mr. Darcy falls for Elizabeth, she insults him after he is rude to her. Jane and Bingley seem like they are made for each other but suddenly, things go awry. Elizabeth guesses that somebody doesn’t want them to get married.

A turn of events scares the Bennett family and Elizabeth turns to Mr. Darcy to help. Will Jane and Bingley get married? And how does Elizabeth feel about Mr. Darcy? Jane Austen spins a tale like no other that has remained relevant centuries later and is considered one of the best historical fiction books ever written.

1984

As a fan of dystopian novels, this is a novel that I enjoyed a lot. And with how the world is right now, it is fair to say that 1984 by George Orwell is a must read. Especially when our government is acting like the fascist regimes in the novel. The novel was supposed to imagine a worst case scenario and we are know living in a version of it.

As digital media has taken over the world, many people have seen their privacy invaded. Orwell’s novel was a grim prediction that has come to become a reality. The trust in governments has been eroded and has led to many people turning to this novel for its accuracy.

Orwell wrote this novel in 1949 and couldn’t have known how relevant his novel was going to be over 70 years later. I highly recommend everyone to read this novel and you will be disturbed by how accurate this novel is in this current day and age.

The Great Gatsby

While I love reading classic novels, I will say I was not the biggest fan of The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. It’s a good novel and I agree it is a must read because of how influential it is. But it doesn’t compare to other classics such as To Kill a Mockingbird or Pride and Prejudice.

Jay Gatsby has recently arrived at the West Egg part of Long Island and rumors of his extravagant parties have made him famous. Nobody knows how he accumulated his wealth but they want to befriend the millionaire. 

Gatsby himself has his own plans and wants to right the wrongs of the past. He wants to reunite with his lost love no matter the cost. This timeless classic novel captures the magic of the roaring twenties before the Great Depression. 

The Catcher in the Rye

It had been a while since I read The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger which is why I reread it. And honestly, it was a good read. I would say this novel hasn’t aged as well but that’s because of how different schools are now. But the messages of the novel are timeless and make it a must read because of that.

17-year old Holden Caulfield has been kicked out his boarding school in Pennsylvania. Winter Break is around the corner and he decides to go back to New York City. But he doesn’t tell his parents that he has been kicked out. Instead, Holden books a hotel in New York. 

He explores New York City and finds all the adults to be phony and lashes out. A drunk night out leads to him visiting his younger sister who represents all that is innocent to him. All Holden wants to do is to leave everything behind and start new but where does he go from here?

This novel either resonates with readers or they end up hating it with a passion. A big reason is that Holden appeals to a certain of reader. It also doesn’t help that the world is completely different than it was in 1951. I think this is a classic novel that still captures what it means to grow up through the lens of a teenager. 

The Lord of the Rings

You won’t see many fantasy novels make a must read list but one novel you almost see make the list is The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien. This is a classic fantasy novel that captures the beauty of the fantasy genre. Without Tolkien, fantasy novels and a multitude of books would ceae to exist.

Frodo is a Hobbit that lives in the Shire and is one day asked by Gandalf the Wizard to take the Ring of Power away from the Shire. Accompanied by his gardener Sam Gamgee and his cousin Pippin Took, the trio leaves the Shire and leave on foot and start their journey.

The group is pursued by mysterious Black Riders that will do anything to retrieve the ring. On their journey, the Hobbits meet Elves, Dwarves, and humans who aid them on their journey and guide them forward.

But the soldiers of the Dark Lord Sauron are persistent and continue to hunt the group. What is the Ring of Power and what does it do? Battles ensue and the put the Hobbits in danger as they continue their journey. But the Black Riders are not the only ones after the ring. Can the Hobbits destroy the ring before it is too late? 

The Book Thief

One of my all time favorite novels is The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. This classic novels tells one of the best stories about World War II, love, and unwavering strength. It is novel that belongs in every person’s home and is a must read no matter what your reading preference is. 

The novel takes place in Nazi Germany starting in 1939. Liesel Meminger is a foster child that is adopted by Hans and Rosa Hubermann. One day, Hans help hide a Jewish man named Max Vandenburg in the basement of their home. Liesel and Max form a bond as the war goes on. 

Once a thriving town, Now Molching is a ghost town. The Hubermann are treated horrible because of Hann’s hatred of the Nazi party. His distaste of the party catches up with the family and they are punished as a result.

The writing is incredible but what I love the most is using death as a narrator. If you haven’t read this timeless classic, then you are missing out.

Lord of the Flies by William Golding 

A novel that has come to define the young adult genre is The Lord of the Flies by William Golding. What would happen if a bunch of children were stranded on an island with no adult supervision. Whatever you expect, it is much worse.

A wartime evacuation goes wrong and a British airplane crashes near an isolated island somewhere in the Pacific Ocean. All the adults die while all the schoolboys survive the crash.

One of the boys, Ralph uses a conch to gather around all the survivors. Because of this action, Ralph is elected chief by the other boys. But Jack and the other older boys decide to form their own group to hunt for food. 

The three rules that govern this society are to have fun, to survive, and to always have the smoke going. That way, a passing ship will know that there is someone on the island. Lastly, whoever Is holding the conch is the only one able to speak and everyone else has to listen.

Ralph and Piggy find out the hard way that being in charge is not easy. As time passes, Jack and his crew try to usurp Ralph and Piggy, even going to lengths to isolate them no matter the cost. 

Conclusion

These are just some of the many must read books that you need to check out. I would recomemend reading these novels at least once. And f you read any novel on this list while in school, I strongly recommend revisiting them and reading them on your own accord.

Many of these novels are considered classics and for good reason. This list has a variety of genres and a great place to start if you aren’t an avid reader. This list is from Goodreads and while I would add my own personal favorites, it is great list nonetheless.

How many of these books have you read or plan to read? What other must read books would you add to this list? Let us know in the comments below. Until next time, happy reading!

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