Classics you know you should have read but probably haven't

Description
I know I feel guilt at the number of works I feel I ought to have read, but haven't quite managed to get round to yet... Well, let's try to prioritise!
1
28,844 membres
457 critiques
½ 4.3
Rang global 1
139 Members
timspalding, AntiLeah, lorax, hailelib, ABVR, WalkerMedia, rosalita, wordswordswords, staffordcastle, anglemark, tiddleyboom, _Zoe_, cpg, Scorbet, mybookshelf, foggidawn, pamelad, Ragnell, booksinbed, SimoneA, smcwl, almigwin, lwbooklover, spounds, sarahemmm, varielle, worcester, .Monkey., antqueen, AnnaClaire, europhile, pmdean, Aninja, EmScape, bell7, Smiler69, chgstrom, otterlake, icre8dstny, karamazow, andejons, sjmccreary, redsox0407, quigui, crazy4reading, Matke, flips, cathyta, ncgraham, StephenBarkley, ukh, Percevan, susiesharp, perennialreader, citybird, Tigardite, souloftherose, Kodibear, ridgididge, Cindy1954, CVido, Bici47, Dunord, eclecticdodo, nlgeorge, rretzler, BlueSkies305, JqnOC, electrice, John_Vaughan, TrulyAragorn, bwtsang, fuzzi, gypsysmom, Luisali, Shutzie27, techbearable, al.vick, SkuldOMG, FancyHorse, gpaul, pewterbreath, Haleyann44, linlef, LesleyAshton, james.proffitt, FlorianKarpfinger, dwightie, yavien, morgandgarcia, Randall.Parr, VictoriaLynn, tquine9, karlaniii, Arrashid7, Laura1124, chukche, ramsesiii, linnzsue, TheUndergroundMan000, nedhyu, dljones442, JohnMB, seanogui, courtneyp93, dianeham, Evelyn_Lilly_317, mmseiple, blancosa, lsah, Saxon451, RodgerA, IllsleyFamilyLibrary, spiderlily, JMK2020, MargaretD1, TwinDaddy, RachelKirk, Sisif, Jonas.Pieters, ManWithAnAgenda, DreamEaterLibrary, GrimFiend1977, dkarenart, TaraJohnson, Jahhnavi, emily-judith, Tyler_DDurden, KrystalSheppard, gerggerggerg, gunarss, MyFathersDragon, tjtjtjtj, rafaelmc, CarolynBurke7, MaureenONeill, bookthief07, DianaInSydney, Mama_Smurf, ,eromsted ,SilentInAWay ,peterdj ,pkloza ,CharlesTheB
Explications
Randall.Parr: I would really like to read this book. Okay. thanks.
Arrashid7: I read btw. high school and college. Got me hooked on more Russian lit.
2
21,748 membres
188 critiques
4.1
Rang global 6
94 Members
Edward, Only2rs, ABVR, gennyt, conceptDawg, tiddleyboom, evilmoose, foggidawn, Ragnell, lahochstetler, SimoneA, smcwl, almigwin, lwbooklover, prosfilaes, .Monkey., antqueen, thorold, AnnaClaire, europhile, Aninja, dhm, EmScape, Zylphan, bell7, Smiler69, otterlake, olgakm, stellarexplorer, sjmccreary, Myrrha, Matke, cathyta, StephenBarkley, fundevogel, auntSteelbreaker, ukh, bacbaby, citybird, souloftherose, 2wonderY, mousse, cc9, canantopaloglu, Cindy1954, Dilara86, Bici47, Kristelh, Dunord, BlueSkies305, JqnOC, electrice, TrulyAragorn, al.vick, raperper, SkuldOMG, AmourFou, FancyHorse, Elizabeth088, james.proffitt, Jacqklueh, FlorianKarpfinger, dwightie, Liivin, ryaSilvia, IsabelJacobson, Arrashid7, kristilabrie, christianromney, linnzsue, JohnMB, Ares14, dianeham, joannawolotira, mmseiple, blancosa, RodgerA, spiderlily, JMK2020, TwinDaddy, CTyner, Sisif, kihohamu, electricgoddess1993, Aggelos, CharlesTheB, dkarenart, TaraJohnson, Tyler_DDurden, gunarss, MyFathersDragon, tjtjtjtj, scstubbs, evaneshel,lorax , ,eromsted ,SilentInAWay ,aulsmith ,karamazow ,peterdj ,sturlington ,CVido ,courtneyp93 ,lsah ,ManWithAnAgenda
Explications
aulsmith : Got halfway through hell and gave up.
sturlington : Read Inferno in college. Not sure of the point of reading the rest.
Arrashid7: I plan to read it this summer.
ManWithAnAgenda : Read, loved.
MyFathersDragon: I didn’t finish. I read some in Italian, but I am not very good with Italian. I read more in English translation, but I wanted to go back to the Italian, and never finished.
4
35,548 membres
540 critiques
3.8
Rang global 7
95 Members
AntiLeah, Only2rs, hipdeep, wordswordswords, tiddleyboom, mlfhlibrarian, Rtrace, cpg, mybookshelf, longway, lahochstetler, SimoneA, BookWallah, almigwin, varielle, .Monkey., europhile, pmdean, Aninja, EmScape, ScarySquirrel, jefbra, Smiler69, stellarexplorer, icre8dstny, andejons, sjmccreary, amanda4242, redsox0407, peterdj, crazy4reading, deldevries, cathyta, ncgraham, BekkaJo, ukh, suitable1, ridgididge, briarhills, Cindy1954, Simone2, CVido, Beorn_se_Bacaire, nonlocal, Bici47, Dunord, eclecticdodo, BlueSkies305, electrice, tjsween, bwtsang, cej1027, fuzzi, JalenV, gypsysmom, Aprill, Luisali, Shutzie27, elia1168, SkuldOMG, AmourFou, FancyHorse, EElsen, james.proffitt, Jacqklueh, FlorianKarpfinger, Arrashid7, metamedusa, kristilabrie, banana4thelord, christianromney, oires, mattmcmahon, linnzsue, December7, TheUndergroundMan000, nedhyu, dljones442, JohnMB, courtneyp93, mmseiple, RodgerA, IllsleyFamilyLibrary, spiderlily, HollieKirt, JessGalchutt, TwinDaddy, RachelKirk, mcountr, dkarenart, TaraJohnson, gerggerggerg, MyFathersDragon, bookthief07, DianaInSydney,lorax , ,eromsted ,SilentInAWay ,aulsmith ,rainpebble , ,karamazow ,sturlington ,lsah ,pkloza ,ManWithAnAgenda ,
Explications
aulsmith : Skipping. Too much blubber.
rainpebble : puts my brain in a muddle no matter how many attempts I make to read it.
amanda4242: I read it and discovered that I could quite happily have gone through life without having read it.
sturlington : Read in college.
JalenV: Read twice for different classes (one definitely in college), chose it the second time because I remembered enough from dfiscussing it the first time I figured it would help the second. (Still wonder if that preacher who appeared early in the book gave the same sermon every Sunday.)
Aprill: I love Melville's writing.
ManWithAnAgenda : Read. Interesting.
MyFathersDragon: I liked the book in 5th grade, but when I tried rereading in 11th grade, I didn’t find it interesting enough to read it, perhaps because I had previously read it.
5
44,148 membres
492 critiques
4.2
Rang global 5
11
42,951 membres
518 critiques
3.9
Rang global 9
99 Members
Aquila, waitingtoderail, gennyt, benfulton, wordswordswords, anglemark, evilmoose, Rtrace, foggidawn, pamelad, booksinbed, SimoneA, BookWallah, almigwin, varielle, antqueen, europhile, pmdean, Zylphan, jefbra, m_island, karamazow, sjmccreary, amanda4242, redsox0407, deldevries, artturnerjr, SylviaC, sturlington, cathyta, japaul22, ncgraham, BekkaJo, jyssco, perennialreader, ridgididge, briarhills, CVido, bw94612, Bici47, Dunord, eclecticdodo, BlueSkies305, JqnOC, electrice, JalenV, gypsysmom, Shutzie27, jaysbooks, ahef1963, raperper, pincus2, bcrowl399, NinieB, LesleyAshton, james.proffitt, FlorianKarpfinger, jnmlkr901, IsabelJacobson, Arrashid7, Laura1124, christianromney, hudzilla55, mattmcmahon, ramsesiii, linnzsue, December7, dljones442, JohnMB, courtneyp93, Saxon451, Zaeynab, IllsleyFamilyLibrary, spiderlily, HollieKirt, JMK2020, Rusty37, MargaretD1, JessGalchutt, TwinDaddy, RachelKirk, Sisif, mcountr, readerdad, TeriAndersonNeedham, steller0707, dkarenart, Stephan_Rogers, TaraJohnson, ChrissyQuise, FireflyLover, KrystalSheppard, MMC22378, gunarss, MyFathersDragon, MaureenONeill, valeriepatton, bookthief07, DianaInSydney,lorax ,gilroy , ,eromsted ,SilentInAWay ,aulsmith ,auntSteelbreaker ,mattries37315 ,lsah ,ManWithAnAgenda
Explications
gilroy : Read it
amanda4242: Loved it.
auntSteelbreaker : Read it, did not enjoy it.
JalenV: I think I read my parents' copy. I'd read all my books and usually had the library ones finished before our next visit.
ManWithAnAgenda : Read, eh.
MyFathersDragon: I read some Twain in 5th grade and ended up reading most of his books.
14
7,097 membres
52 critiques
3.9
Rang global 63
43 Members
hailelib, kerry1897, eromsted, Rtrace, longway, paradoxosalpha, ghilbrae, jamesabg, smcwl, prosfilaes, varielle, .Monkey., thorold, AnnaClaire, europhile, aulsmith, sjmccreary, cathyta, suitable1, souloftherose, Cindy1954, Dilara86, bw94612, Kristelh, rretzler, BlueSkies305, TrulyAragorn, JalenV, al.vick, FancyHorse, flying_monkeys, linlef, james.proffitt, mspixieears, Arrashid7, JohnMB, dianeham, joannawolotira, mmseiple, lsah, fredasteele, MargaretD1, CharlesTheB,lorax ,anglemark ,SilentInAWay , ,sturlington ,CVido ,Bici47 , ,aekd
Explications
aulsmith: I've read a lot of this, but I mean to sit down and read it all the way through someday.
sturlington : Read at least in part in high school
JalenV: Had a summer job once where, after I wrote my weekly report, there was nothing to do. I decided that would be improve my mind day and read then. It did give me a glimpse of how cultures differ when a well-born youth pretending to be a kitchen boy didn't hold it against a well-born young lady for the way she mistreated him when she didn't know who he was.
aekd: no interest
20
36,542 membres
373 critiques
½ 3.4
Rang global 41
63 Members
Aquila, wordswordswords, kageeh, cpg, pamelad, SimoneA, almigwin, varielle, europhile, Zylphan, jefbra, chgstrom, otterlake, sjmccreary, amanda4242, peterdj, martina_hrubes, cathyta, brenzi, ncgraham, BekkaJo, Simone2, CVido, bw94612, Dunord, nlgeorge, BlueSkies305, electrice, tjsween, JalenV, gypsysmom, jaysbooks, ahef1963, raperper, AmourFou, rosemitchell, NinieB, jnmlkr901, IsabelJacobson, Arrashid7, Laura1124, SamTaylor, mattmcmahon, linnzsue, dljones442, JohnMB, courtneyp93, mmseiple, IllsleyFamilyLibrary, misfortune317, kierstens, JessGalchutt, TwinDaddy, RachelKirk, mcountr, steller0707, Musicaldreamer, TaraJohnson, Tyler_DDurden, MMC22378, MyFathersDragon, MaureenONeill, zombiecat,eromsted ,SilentInAWay ,.Monkey. ,aulsmith ,karamazow ,sturlington ,aekd ,ManWithAnAgenda
Explications
.Monkey. : Read it. Hated it.
sturlington : Read in college
JalenV: I have, and have read, my copy. I was already familiar with the plot thanks to The Classics Reclassified by Richard Armour.
aekd: Not likely to read.
ahef1963: Loved it.
ManWithAnAgenda : Read. Nearly everything else he wrote is better.
MyFathersDragon: It was one of the classics to choose from to read in a high school class. I read lots of the choices, so I had options to choose from when it was time to write a book report.
23
14,177 membres
176 critiques
3.9
Rang global 85
40 Members
gennyt, tiddleyboom, eromsted, longway, jamesabg, SimoneA, .Monkey., europhile, icre8dstny, sjmccreary, redsox0407, cathyta, BekkaJo, cc9, Cindy1954, Beorn_se_Bacaire, Kristelh, Dunord, Dehinde, eclecticdodo, BlueSkies305, Himalmitra, JalenV, gypsysmom, Shutzie27, al.vick, elia1168, bcrowl399, Elizabeth088, linlef, FlorianKarpfinger, ryaSilvia, Arrashid7, Laura1124, linnzsue, nedhyu, JohnMB, mmseiple, TwinDaddy, TaraJohnson,SilentInAWay ,aulsmith ,Simone2 ,CVido ,ManWithAnAgenda
Explications
JalenV: Another library audio edition I checked out. I knew from my mom's copy of Plot Outlines of 100 Famous Novels that it didn't have a happy ending, but it was even more grim than I expected.
24
13,899 membres
112 critiques
4
Rang global 54
25
10,821 membres
251 critiques
4
Rang global 61
26
5,334 membres
58 critiques
3.9
Rang global 93
28
11,130 membres
183 critiques
4.2
Rang global 115
29
21,971 membres
168 critiques
½ 3.7
Rang global 76
50 Members
Edward, Aquila, wordswordswords, kerry1897, booksinbed, SimoneA, almigwin, varielle, .Monkey., europhile, otterlake, sjmccreary, deldevries, cathyta, ukh, souloftherose, nik61, cc9, CVido, Kristelh, eclecticdodo, BlueSkies305, TrulyAragorn, cej1027, fuzzi, al.vick, jaysbooks, ahef1963, mattries37315, bcrowl399, linlef, LesleyAshton, FlorianKarpfinger, IsabelJacobson, Arrashid7, Laura1124, hudzilla55, dljones442, JohnMB, Ares14, courtneyp93, mmseiple, Saxon451, RachelKirk, Sisif, TaraJohnson, KrystalSheppard, MyFathersDragon, MaureenONeill, valeriepatton,tiddleyboom ,eromsted ,cpg ,SilentInAWay ,aulsmith ,karamazow ,sturlington ,aekd ,lsah ,ManWithAnAgenda
Explications
tiddleyboom : Read in High School - loved it!
aulsmith : Took a course on Chaucer in college and read all I'm going to.
sturlington : Read partly in college
aekd: Tried to read this in college, then switched majors out of English in horror.
ahef1963: Read in university. Loved it.
MyFathersDragon: We read excerpts in high school. I thought it was interesting so decided to keep reading.
30
58,963 membres
917 critiques
4.2
Rang global 39
71 Members
Edward, Aquila, wordswordswords, staffordcastle, tiddleyboom, eromsted, kageeh, dara85, pamelad, jamesabg, booksinbed, almigwin, varielle, antqueen, europhile, EmScape, Zylphan, jefbra, otterlake, m_island, sjmccreary, amanda4242, redsox0407, martina_hrubes, artturnerjr, sturlington, cathyta, brenzi, BekkaJo, perennialreader, ridgididge, Cindy1954, CVido, Dehinde, eclecticdodo, nlgeorge, electrice, JalenV, gypsysmom, Aprill, Shutzie27, jaysbooks, ahef1963, NinieB, LesleyAshton, Peace2, FlorianKarpfinger, mspixieears, Arrashid7, Laura1124, SamTaylor, linnzsue, December7, dljones442, IllsleyFamilyLibrary, JMK2020, TwinDaddy, RachelKirk, Sisif, mcountr, TeriAndersonNeedham, steller0707, Musicaldreamer, TaraJohnson, KrystalSheppard, gerggerggerg, MyFathersDragon, MaureenONeill, valeriepatton, jarcipreste, Mama_Smurf,lorax ,gilroy , ,ABVR ,_Zoe_ ,cpg ,SilentInAWay ,aulsmith ,auntSteelbreaker ,Simone2 ,ManWithAnAgenda ,CharlesTheB ,emily-judith
Explications
tiddleyboom: I know the whole plot and resolution of Jane Eyre; I've just never read the book.
JalenV: I have read this book so many times since I was a school girl. However, it wasn't until PBS first aired "I, Claudius" that I understood that "West Indies Messalina" insult.
Aprill: Enjoyed it.
ahef1963: A favourite.
MyFathersDragon: It was available when I was reading anything I could find. I reread it in high school.
31
20,712 membres
612 critiques
4.2
Rang global 51
32
13,629 membres
222 critiques
½ 3.5
Rang global 147
33
12,427 membres
142 critiques
3.8
Rang global 157
34
3,888 membres
46 critiques
½ 4.5
Rang global 194
35
22,948 membres
337 critiques
3.8
Rang global 149
23 Members
wordswordswords, eromsted, booksinbed, almigwin, varielle, europhile, Zylphan, jefbra, amanda4242, deldevries, brenzi, Cindy1954, ahef1963, ryaSilvia, jnmlkr901, Arrashid7, Laura1124, linnzsue, JohnMB, Ares14, Saxon451, Jonas.Pieters, MaureenONeill,.Monkey. ,aulsmith ,sturlington ,ManWithAnAgenda
Explications
aulsmith : No more Hemingway. Ever.
sturlington : Read in college
ahef1963: Have read it, didn't like it much, am never reading Hemingway again.
36
11,564 membres
135 critiques
½ 3.7
Rang global 146
21 Members
wordswordswords, varielle, europhile, pmdean, jefbra, icre8dstny, WSB7, gypsysmom, aekd, NinieB, LesleyAshton, james.proffitt, ryaSilvia, jnmlkr901, daisy_jane, mattmcmahon, Sisif, readerdad, steller0707, MyFathersDragon, valeriepatton,eromsted ,sturlington
Explications
sturlington : Read as a child
MyFathersDragon: My mom read the book and said I would enjoy. I read it and thought it was funny.
37
8,459 membres
214 critiques
3.8
Rang global 170
39
9,369 membres
94 critiques
4
Rang global 159
40
1,418 membres
25 critiques
½ 3.7
Rang global 181
41
25,859 membres
389 critiques
4
Rang global 126
42
9,504 membres
100 critiques
½ 3.6
Rang global 189
23 Members
ABVR, eromsted, lahochstetler, SilentInAWay, booksinbed, almigwin, lwbooklover, varielle, europhile, jefbra, icre8dstny, cathyta, jyssco, Cindy1954, Aprill, jaysbooks, ahef1963, LesleyAshton, james.proffitt, Laura1124, JessGalchutt, Sisif, MaureenONeill, ,anglemark ,henkl ,cpg , ,prosfilaes ,aulsmith ,sturlington ,Simone2
Explications
aulsmith : This is the one Lawrence I read, and I agree with sturlington.
sturlington : You really only need to read one Lawrence, I think. I read Lady Chatterley's Lover and had no interest in reading more.
ahef1963: I really loved this book. It captured England so well.
43
9,698 membres
202 critiques
4
Rang global 141
21 Members
Aquila, wordswordswords, kerry1897, eromsted, booksinbed, almigwin, AnnaClaire, europhile, jefbra, Cecrow, deldevries, PatsyMurray, brenzi, Cindy1954, gypsysmom, ahef1963, AmourFou, NinieB, james.proffitt, linnzsue, MaureenONeill,sturlington ,Simone2
Explications
sturlington : Read in college and did not enjoy; recommend The Age of Innocence instead
ahef1963: Read quite recently. Enjoyed it.
44
23,583 membres
387 critiques
½ 3.6
Rang global 94
42 Members
Edward, wordswordswords, kerry1897, mybookshelf, jamesabg, booksinbed, almigwin, varielle, europhile, sjmccreary, amanda4242, sturlington, cathyta, BekkaJo, fundevogel, ukh, jyssco, nik61, electrice, gypsysmom, ahef1963, elia1168, james.proffitt, FlorianKarpfinger, mspixieears, ryaSilvia, IsabelJacobson, Arrashid7, Laura1124, SamTaylor, linnzsue, dljones442, JohnMB, mmseiple, lsah, Saxon451, JessGalchutt, RachelKirk, Sisif, steller0707, MyFathersDragon, MaureenONeill,jain ,SilentInAWay ,aulsmith ,peterdj ,Simone2 ,ManWithAnAgenda
Explications
MyFathersDragon: We read the Secret Sharer in English class, but on the other side of it (upside down from each other) was this one, so I read it because it was available. The book also described it as a Joseph Conrad classic. I was determined to read lots of books considered classics when I was in high school.
46
4,510 membres
125 critiques
4
Rang global 154
49
2,554 membres
43 critiques
2.9
Rang global 171
19 Members
kerry1897, eromsted, SilentInAWay, smcwl, almigwin, thorold, europhile, SylviaC, cathyta, japaul22, Cindy1954, CVido, Kristelh, Himalmitra, NinieB, linlef, james.proffitt, ryaSilvia, lsah,gennyt ,jain ,aulsmith ,ManWithAnAgenda
Explications
jain : Read ~1/4 of it, and that was annoying and repetitious enough. Can't imagine slogging through the whole thing.
aulsmith : Life's too short to waste it reading Pamela.
50
3,323 membres
58 critiques
3.2
Rang global 222
9 Members
eromsted, europhile, amanda4242, fundevogel, ahef1963, mspixieears, ryaSilvia, ManWithAnAgenda, GrimFiend1977
Explications
ahef1963: I had no idea that such an old book could be this bawdy. I was genuinely shocked.
51
23,451 membres
441 critiques
½ 4.3
Rang global 103
52
7,416 membres
245 critiques
4.1
Rang global 186
53
5,114 membres
169 critiques
½ 3.6
Rang global 203
54
2,433 membres
27 critiques
4.1
Rang global 235
-
29,353 membres
559 critiques
½ 4.3
Rang global 119
28 Members
Aquila, wordswordswords, booksinbed, jefbra, otterlake, m_island, icre8dstny, cathyta, brenzi, perennialreader, Dehinde, TrulyAragorn, JalenV, gypsysmom, ahef1963, NinieB, LesleyAshton, james.proffitt, mspixieears, IsabelJacobson, daisy_jane, mattmcmahon, JohnMB, IllsleyFamilyLibrary, FireflyLover, MyFathersDragon, MaureenONeill, valeriepatton,europhile ,aulsmith ,sturlington
Explications
aulsmith : I missed this as a child, and now I think it's too late.
sturlington : Me, too, even though it's on my shelf
JalenV: I know I have the set -- did I get it myself, or did my parents give it to me? I did enjoy it.
ahef1963: Loved it; have been to PEI to see Montgomery's house, and have read all the Anne books.
-
13,843 membres
232 critiques
3.9
Rang global 412
6 Members
amanda4242, fundevogel, gypsysmom, Shutzie27, ahef1963, ryaSilvia,eromsted ,europhile ,aulsmith , ,sturlington ,aekd ,ManWithAnAgenda
Explications
: Is this really considered a "classic"?
sturlington : Read it, but I don't know if this qualifies as a classic.
aekd: read
ahef1963: It was okay, but not as great as advertised.