Classic Literature Books | Classic Fiction

What makes a book a classic piece of literature is widely debated, but there are some things most readers can agree on. Classic books are high in literary quality, have longevity in terms of publication and appeal to readers, and a great degree of influence. Books of classic literature often challenge ideas and concepts in social, political or cultural aspects of human existence, and explore enduring concepts of human experience. You can find such classic concepts in the works of Charles Dickens, who was also an outspoken critic of the socioeconomic status of England. Jane Austen’s work speaks directly to upper-class society and authors like Toni Morrison and Octavia E. Butler used storytelling to hold a mirror to the society they lived in.

If you’re not sure where to start, you can’t go wrong with any of the above mentioned, or you could look for something different, try the foundation of modern science fiction in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein or perhaps the greatest multi-generational story of all time in Gabriel García Márquez’s One Hundred Years of Solitude.

Whether you’re a classic literature buff or are looking for specific literature books for school, find all the best classics at Barnes & Noble. No matter if you’re reading these classic novels for a summer assignment or if you are planning to read literary fiction classics for fun, these classics are worth reading (or re-reading), and will not disappoint. Students consider literary classics old literature, but these famous novels are still relatable today. The common themes in these famous classic books are timeless since many of them explore enduring literary topics like love, friendship, betrayal, social justice and women’s issues. But wait! Classic literature doesn't just include novels, discover classic plays like Hamlet, epic poems like The Iliad, and classic stories like The Canterbury Tales. If you're a collector of classic literature, be sure to take a look at our beautiful collectible editions of these beloved literary classics!

20 Classic Literature Books You Must-Read At Least Once in Your Lifetime

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky
Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë
Summer by Edith Wharton
Anna Kerenina by Leo Tolstoy
Dracula by Bram Stoker
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
Moby-Dick by Herman Melville
The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas
Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson
Les Miserables by Victor Hugo
The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov
Aesop's Fables by Aesop
Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift