Top Ten Tuesday, as always, is hosted at my other blog — The Broke & the Bookish
This week’s topic: Top Ten Of My Favorite Classics or Ten Classics On My TBR List.
I used to read way more classics and, to be honest, in the past couple years I haven’t much been interested in the classics like I used to be. Here are 10 that I absolutely DO want to read though.
1. The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway: This is one I bought a zillion years ago and I have always WANTED to read it just forgot about it.
2. Dracula by Bram Stoker: I feel like this is one I just should have read by now. Plus I bought it forever ago.
3. Beloved by Toni Morrison: I’ve heard such good things about this one!
4. Catch-22 by Joseph Heller: I had tried to read this in high school but couldn’t get into but I think I’ll appreciate it more now?
5.Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury: I’ve read other Bradbury but this is like one of THE biggest classics there is and everyone seems to have read it but me.
6. Mansfield Park by Jane Austen: I haven’t read this Jane Austen and I want to read all her books!
7. Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte: Yeah, I know, how have I not read this one yet?
8. Gone With The Wind by Margaret Mitchell: This book is mammoth but ONE DAY.
9. A Tree Grows In Brooklyn by Betty Smith: I have had so many people I admire and respect say this book is among their favorites.
10. East of Eden by John Steinbeck: I’ve read other Steinbeck books but this beast always scares me.
So tell me…which ones have you read? Which ones I should prioritize? Tell me one of your favorite classics or a classic you think I would really like!
Cheryl Malandrinos says
Wuthering Heights made my TBR list. I almost added Gone With the Wind, but went with Grapes of Wrath instead. You can find my other choices at http://thebookconnectionccm.blogspot.com/2014/07/top-ten-tuesday-top-ten-classics-i-want.html
Melody says
I definitely need to read more Ernest Hemingway, Ray Bradbury, and John Steinbeck!
Great picks!
Holly U says
Wuthering Heights is also on my list! And dang, I completely forgot about Gone with the Wind. But there are just so many I want to read, it was impossible to narrow down a list of 10, so I added some honorable mentions as well. 🙂
Christina @ You Book Me All Night Long says
If it helps, East of Eden is by far my favorite Steinbeck. (Not that I’ve read much Steinbeck…but it beats the pants off The Grapes of Wrath and Of Mice and Men, in my opinion!)
Nicole @ WCW says
A Tree Grows In Brooklyn is such a great book, and one of my favorite classics! I haven’t read Fahrenheit 451 either, and it’s one of the classics I feel like I need to read! I know I’ve read Mansfield Park, but I don’t remember anything about it (but it is Jane Austen, and you can’t go wrong with Jane Austen). Great picks!
Lianne @ caffeinatedlife.net says
Great list! I only got around to Fahrenheit 451 this year (after years and years of recommendations about it) and I was glad I got to it, I really enjoyed it. I think I’m also in the minority of Austen readers who enjoyed reading Mansfield Park; it’s a bit different from other Austen novels but it’s pretty rich thematically.
I hope to get around to Gone with the Wind one of these days, but I reckon I’d have to clean up my TBR pile first before I commit myself to that book, lol.
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Natasha says
I love Catch-22 and hope you do too. I also adore Steinbeck – especially Of Mice and Men and Grapes of Wrath – but haven’t read East of Eden yet either. Great list!
Chrissi Reads says
I keep thinking that I need to read Wuthering Heights. It seems to be a book that so many people enjoy and I’m very intrigued! I hope you enjoy these classics when you get around to them!
Alison Doherty says
I would read The Sun Also Rises and Beloved first. They are kind of life changing … at least for some people. Also Mansfield Park if you are feeling like a Jane Austen novel.
Jennifer @ A Librarian's Library says
Oh my goodness! A list where I have not finished a single one of these! I have read half of Dracula and half of Wuthering Heights…..oh goodness that’s just embarrassing. HAH!
Rachel Patrick says
I really need to read GONE WITH THE WIND! And I remember liking WUTHERING HEIGHTS when I read it, I think…but that was five years ago. (: And DRACULA, I need to read that, too!
Rachel @ Beauty and the Bookshelf
Haley says
I only read Fahrenheit 451 this past semester in college, but I absolutely fell in love with it. It’s definitely one of my all-time favorites now. Wuthering Heights is another all-time favorite of mine since I read it in high school. Every single time I’ve talked to others who’ve read the book, they’ve either loved it as much as I did or they absolutely hated it because they hated all the characters. When those of us who loved it try to explain that we love the book but also despise all the characters, the ones who hate it don’t understand at all. I think it’s definitely one of those books where you have to be okay with (extremely) unlikeable characters in order to enjoy. I was never a big fan of unlikeable characters until I read it though. It really changed my thinking about that.
Kaylee L says
Gone With the Wind is one of my favorite books. And most of these are on my to-read list too!
Laura says
My two favourite classics are both on your list: Wuthering Heights is the book that ignited my love of classics, and Fahrenheit 451, which ignited my love for Ray Bradbury.
They are both so different, but both excellent. If we were talking in person you would see my eyes are alight with excitement and I would be waving my arms around like a mad woman…I love them both so much.
Rachel says
My “read” classics list isn’t that long either. Some of yours are on my list – Fahrenheit 451 is the only one that made my Top Ten, but I’m signed up to the Classics Club Challenge as well.
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Ellie says
Dracula’s on my list, it’s so influencial and it’s interesting to see how the legend has warped over time.
Rebecca @ The Library Canary says
Dracula and Wuthering Heights are so good!!! Wuthering Heights is one of my favorite classics ever. Heathcliffe!! Your heart will break, but it will be worth it, I promise. 🙂
I need to read a lot of these. I kind of suck at reading classics. I started a whole feature to try and push myself and totally failed at my own feature. Lol.
Bernadette @ The Bumbling Bookworm says
I’ve only read Mansfield Park from your list and I’ve always enjoyed it each time I’ve read it. It’s certainly not my favourite Jane Austen but I firmly believe that any Jane Austen for wad is better than none! It’s definitely worth a shot. Great list, there’s so many on there that I should read 🙂
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Kristin | My Life as a Teacup says
Dracula is a favorite of mine; I once read an online version through a Livejournal community that posted each letter/journal entry in real time. Such a neat concept that really heightened the terror/anticipation of the horror novel!
The Sun Also Rises is also one of my favorite books EVER!
Bear Allen says
This looks like a FANTASTIC list! ENJOY!
I’ve read Dracula, Beloved, Fahrenheit 451, Mansfield Park, Gone With the Wind, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn and East of Eden.
I HIGHLY recommend prioritizing East of Eden to the very top of your list. It was my first Steinbeck and let’s just say that I loved it so much… I considered naming my daughter Caleb (you know, if she turned out to be a boy. She’s Lorelai instead).
Nicole Hewitt says
I haven’t really read many classics since I was a teenager, so I definitely have a lot of them on my TBR. I think I should make a pact to read one in the next two months. I think I’ve been inspired!
Sonia says
You must read Gone With the Wind and follow that with A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. Then Jane Eyre if you haven’t read it yet. Then the rest…I envy you reading these books for the first time!
Nicole Hewitt says
Thanks for the recommendations! I haven’t read ANY of those yet!
Jennifer from YA Book Nerd says
I’ve only read three of these -but I hear that East of Eden is really good.
Kristilyn (Reading in Winter) says
I read The Sun Also Rises in university and loved it! I’m also a fan of Wuthering Heights. I keep meaning to reread that one AND finally read A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. I’ve heard so many good things about that one and I’ve had it on my shelf forever.
Good luck with your list! 🙂
Christina says
I tried to read Gone with the Wind while I was in high school. I got through 3/4 of it but then stopped (can’t remember why). It’s one that I really want to pick up again because I think I would appreciate it more at this point.
Danielle Nguyen says
I might be in the minority, but I thought Dracula was sooo boring. Not my cup of tea. Gone with the Wind is really long, but I thought it was a pretty easy read. It’s enjoyable as long as you don’t mind reading about really awful people.
Critica says
I’ve read Wuthering Heights, and it can be kind of slow and I think Cathy is rather unlikeable, but it’s definitely a cool story. I really liked the writing too. 🙂 Dracula, on the other hand… I’ve tried reading it twice but the writing style is extremely passive even for the time period. I’m personally not a fan of that one. Other than that, I haven’t read any of the others on your list though I’d like to read Fahrenheit 451.
Holly says
I totally want to read The Sun Also Rises & The Paris Wife in the nearish future – I like pairing books with other books!
Wendy says
I looved Dracula!!! So good! I wasn’t actually much of a fan of Wuthering heights or catch 22… I really want to read east of eden too! Its been on my list to read for awhile!
Karla says
I loved East of Eden. It’s one of those books that you read and just feel like you are experiencing something great. Another one of my favorites is Hemingway’s A Farewell to Arms. The story sticks with you and makes you feel all kinds of things.
Kate @ The Book Bee says
I’ve literally read none of those books. 🙁 Well, unless you count getting 95% through Dracula and then losing steam. I was SO CLOSE. And now I’d have to reread the entire thing just to finish. Great choices!
Lea @ YA Book Queen says
BELOVED is wonderfully unique and intense! One of the more interesting books I read as an undergrad.
Fabulous post! I definitely need to read some of these too 🙂
Wendleberry says
I am currently reading The Sun Also Rises. It’s not perfect, but i am thoroughly enjoying it. I love Hemingway’s style. A few LOLs have been had 🙂
Miss Print says
Jamie, Jamie, Jamie. Go and read A Tree Grows in Brooklyn RIGHT NOW!
I’m surprised you haven’t read Catch-22 yet. I’m pretty sure you’ll love it since I know you’ve said The Things We Carried is another of your favorites.
Christina (A Reader of Fictions) says
I love love love Jane Austen. Huuuuge fangirl. BUT Mansfield Park is awful. It’s sanctimonious and frustrating and long and boring. You say you want to read them all, and I understand this. Still, I wouldn’t prioritize or plan to binge it. The plus is that the Frances O’Connor movie, which takes liberties, is a lot of fun. Also, then you could read The Trouble with Flirting by Claire LaZebnik, which is a retelling that also takes liberties. Fanny’s lacking in backbone, sadly.
If you want a good romance and haven’t read A Room with a View, you shoullllld.
Marianne says
East of Eden and Gone with the Wind are MUST READS. Their length disappears as you read. They are just that good. 🙂
Leanne @ Oh, the Books! says
Out of your list, I’ve only read Dracula and Fahrenheit 451. It’s been years (since I was a teen!) since I’ve read Dracula but I do remember liking it. And I’m not a huge Bradbury fan but did find that I liked F451 quite a bit. So I guess I’d say I recommend both. 🙂
If you like sci-fi, Brave New World by Aldous Huxley is very amusing and thought-provoking. Lord of the Flies by William Golding is also good, if somewhat disturbing (and thought-provoking). I would run away from any George Orwell if it tries to sneak into your list.
Jessie H. says
I really enjoyed Mansfield Park! And it was so interesting to read Dracula and see how much has changed in the mythos since it was published.
Trina says
I’ve only read a few on your list. I read Fahrenheit 451 Freshman year of high school and it’s one of my favorite high school reads. I read Dracula for a college Horror Lit class (fun class!) and paired with the discussion I really loved it!
Jordin @ A Bottomless Book Bag says
A couple of these are also on my classics TBR list. But I wasn’t a big fan of Beloved unfortunately… though it might have been a result of not really liking the professor who assigned it. And I’m super intimidated by East of Eden’s size, but I still hope to read it at some point.
Tiffany / Bookplates for Brunch says
I’ve been meaning to read Beloved as well. I started a few years ago, but it’s very intense. I had to take a breather. The Bluest Eye was my first Toni Morrison book, and I loved it dearly, but it’s also one of those novels that weighs heavy on you.
Anne S says
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn is one of my all-time favorite books, a great choice for your list!!
Lena says
I read Beloved and Dracula for university and I absolutely loved Beloved. I now have Toni Morrisons other books on my never ending TBR list. I read Wuthering Heights and Mansfield Park a few years ago and I really liked them.
The Sun also Rises, Catch-22 and Fahrenheit 451 have been on my list for a while now.
Kayla @ The Thousand Lives says
Dracula and Fahrenheit 451 were my two favorites that I’ve read from this list, but I actually haven’t read many others! I guess even school lists can’t cover everything 😛
Randi says
I hated Beloved; my senior English seminar in college (a required part of my English degree program) was on Toni Morrison and Virginia Woolf. I love Sula, Song of Solomon, and Paradise, but I just could not stand Beloved. Anyway! That’s the only one of these that I’ve read – shame on me! I’m hoping Jane Eyre and The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde didn’t make the list because you’ve already read them. If not, definitely consider adding them at some point! They’re two of my favorites. 🙂
kimberlybuggie says
I loved Dracula. I think it’s a classic for a reason. It’s none of that crazy current vampire stuff (which I also love) but some serious creepy evil going on. I hope you read it and enjoy it too!
Casee Marie says
Gone with the Wind is SO GOOD. Rhett Butler was my first fictional boyfriend. Fifteen year-old me swore off all other men. Mansfield I love; it’s not my absolute favorite Austen novel, but I think it has a lot more charm than people give it credit for. And I haven’t read Fahrenheit 451 either, so you’re not alone! I also haven’t read Beloved, or Dracula, or The Sun Also Rises, or any Hemingway at all for that matter (but I really, really want to).
Megan says
Definitely read 9 & 10. East of Eden is nowhere near as scary as it looks. :-). All my commenters are telling me I should read Beloved, so it looks like that one’s going to end up on my list, too.
Amanda @ Late Nights with Good Books says
Wuthering Heights and Gone with the Wind are both FANTASTIC. Fahrenheit 451 is also a great book – and a very important, thought-provoking one at that! A Tree Grows in Brooklyn has been on my TBR list for such a long time now. I’ve also heard nothing but praise for it.
I hope you’re able to get to read some of these soon!
Stephanie H. says
I haven’t read any of these yet either. But there are several on your list that I want to eventually read! Wonderful list and I hope you enjoy them all! 😀
Danya says
I need to try reading Gone with the Wind again! I tried years ago but partway through I started skimming and I don’t think I ever finished it. It’ll have to be when I am feeling ambitious, though, because that book is ENORMOUS!
Marysue G Hobika says
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. I’ve read it more than once.
Katja (@Eeyorenyk) says
“Fahrenheit 451” by Ray Bradbury is a easy kind of classic, but it’s really good. I would like to read “Dracula” myself. 🙂
Melinda @ The Book Musings says
Wuthering Heights and Gone with the Wind are classics I still want to read. You have a great list here!
Nnenna says
Out of these I’ve only read Gone with the Wind and Fahrenheit 451 but that was ages ago! I recently picked up A Tree Grows in Brooklyn and I’m excited to read it because I’ve heard such good things.
Marie says
East of Eden! You have to get on that one! A complete masterpiece of life and the human experience.
Danica says
I finally read Fahrenheit 451 this past year and I really liked it. I also really liked Mansfield Park. I’m a mood reader too, and right now I’ve been in a reading slump. Definitely need to start up again. 🙂
Chelsea says
I HATED Dracula. I just could not get interested. However, I read Fahrenheit 451 for the first time before teaching it this year, and it is pretty good and disturbingly relevant.
Fida says
Fahrenheit 451 is good! I also enjoyed TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD and LITTLE WOMEN. Beloved is on my tbr list.
katy says
I have Dracula and need to read it, too! I need to read Catch 22 and Wuthering Heights, too! I really loved Fahrenheit 451, I want to reread it sometime. I hope you like them all!
Jamie says
I’m glad to hear you loved Fahrenheit 451! I’ve heard mixed things!