This list represents a consensus of the most influential works of fiction and literature from various global and historical contexts. Most Frequently Cited Must-Reads – Jane Austen 1984 – George Orwell To Kill a Mockingbird – Harper Lee The Great Gatsby – F. Scott Fitzgerald Jane Eyre – Charlotte Brontë Moby-Dick – Herman Melville Wuthering Heights – Emily Brontë Crime and Punishment – Fyodor Dostoevsky The Catcher in the Rye – J.D. Salinger The Odyssey – Homer Critical World Classics & Essential Literature (11–100) The top 100 List
Since you are using PDFs, use digital highlights. top 100 classic books pdf
| Rank (avg) | Title | Author | Year | Free PDF Source | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | 1 | Pride and Prejudice | Jane Austen | 1813 | Standard Ebooks | | 2 | 1984 | George Orwell | 1949 | ⚠️ Not free (copyright until 2044) | | 3 | Moby-Dick | Herman Melville | 1851 | Project Gutenberg | | 4 | The Great Gatsby | F. Scott Fitzgerald | 1925 | ⚠️ Copyright until 2021 (check local laws) | | 5 | Crime and Punishment | Dostoevsky | 1866 | Project Gutenberg | | 6 | Wuthering Heights | Emily Brontë | 1847 | Standard Ebooks | | 7 | Jane Eyre | Charlotte Brontë | 1847 | Project Gutenberg | | 8 | The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn | Mark Twain | 1884 | Project Gutenberg | | 9 | War and Peace | Tolstoy | 1869 | Project Gutenberg | | 10 | Frankenstein | Mary Shelley | 1818 | Standard Ebooks | This list represents a consensus of the most
For epic novels ( War and Peace , Moby Dick , Les Misérables ), give the book 50 pages. If you are not intellectually engaged (not entertained—engaged), put it down and return in 5 years. No shame. Salinger The Odyssey – Homer Critical World Classics
These texts form the bedrock of Western literature.
The greatest education in the Western world costs you nothing but your attention.
Reading classic books can be a rewarding and enriching experience, but it can also be intimidating, especially if you're new to the genre. Here are a few tips to help you get started: