As an English major and a Rory Gilmore worshipper, I’ve frequently tried to read the “classics” in order to enlighten myself and engage with real literature, only to be bored out of my mind on the beach flipping the pages of a pretentious, prehistoric book rather than the Elin Hilderbrand romance that I really wanted to read. Here are a few classics that I actually think are worth reading and that stand the test of time.
- “Little Women” by Louisa May Alcott
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A delightful, epic story about sisterhood, love, loss, and family. Bonus for after you read it: Greta Gerwig directed a star-studded adaptation last year!
- “Beloved” by Toni Morrison
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All of Toni Morrison’s novels are poetic, heartbreaking, crucial masterpieces, and this is one of her most famous works for a reason.
- “Crime and Punishment” by Fyodor Dostoevsky
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A classic introspective, philosophical thriller that any Gone Girl fan will love.
- “The Outsiders” by S.E. Hinton
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I’ve read this book multiple times and learned something new from it each time. A beautiful story about friendship and goodness hidden within a classist society — like the Greasers and their leather jackets, these central themes never go out of style.
- “Great Expectations” by Charles Dickens
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Honestly, read it just for the inherent drama of Miss Havisham and all that she stands for. She is a true icon.