Classic Novel Reading List Novels & Stories

He returned his attention to the bookshelf at the rear of his office, the one he’d been browsing when he’d first heard the strange sounds outside, only being made by the cats, after all. The top shelf held purely “literary works.” Poetry collections of Blake, Yeats, Robert Frost, and Shakespeare. Prose collections of Zora Neal Hurston, Hemingway, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Flannery O’Connor, and folktales collected by the Brothers Grimm. Novels, from The Man in the Iron Mask to Madame Bovary, to Villette and Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte, to A Passage to India by E. M. Forster.

I must be the only person in my class that will read a classic novel for anything other than requirement. I couldn’t think of anyone I knew that would pick up Jane Eyre, Little Women, or Tess of the D’Urbervilles for pleasure. In fact, they were not even my first choice. Little Women came in a close second, but Pride and Prejudice will always win out. There was something beautiful about a couple from two different backgrounds traveling along the bumpy road of love until it was undeniable, and there was something even more beautiful about watching that journey happen. Flicking through the pages anxiously waiting for that sweet first kiss, the passion filled argument, the final declaration. Th

For a moment, I savored the quiet escape from the whirlwind outside. "Hmm," I began, swirling the glass in my hands. "Let's see... I belt out questionable tunes in the shower, prefer quiet nights with a book to these," I gestured around, "and this Friday night attire is definitely out of character." "Books?" His tone was genuinely curious, not the feigned interest I’d come to expect from most. "Any favorites?" "Jane Eyre," I replied without hesitation. "There’s something timeless about a woman's quest for love and autonomy."

The bell rang. Jane was stuffing A Tale of Two Cities into her backpack when she heard Lucy's voice beside her. "You're reading Dickens?" Jane nodded warily. "Oh, I love Dickens. Have you read David Copperfield? Or Oliver Twist? Olive Twist is my favorite. I've read it twice. I cried both times. I can't believe someone else in our class is reading Dickens." To her dismay, Jane found herself walking down the hall to English with Lucy by her side, still talking, talking, talking.

His eyes never left my face, and I just couldn't bring myself to stare back at him. I was about to leave when I spotted the book he was reading from the corner of my eyes. He had closed the book when I walked in, so I saw the cover and title, "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee. I looked up at him in astonishment, "I didn't think you would be interested in classic literature."

It smelled like vanilla I put it back quickly. No. I wasn't going to get comfortable here. This wasn't my home no matter how nice it looked. I walked back into the bedroom and that's when I saw the bookshelf. A whole wall of books. How did I miss that ? Oh right I was too busy having a mental breakdown. I walked over and looked at the titles. Jane Eyre. Wuthering Heights. Beauty and the Beast. Phantom of the Opera. Rebecca. These all looked familiar. I pulled out Jane Eyre and a piece of paper fell out. Fancy handwriting on expensive paper.

Salvatore asked. Alexa adjusted her napkin in her lap and contemplated her answer. “Well, I know it’s not exciting or adventurous, but I love to read.” “I think reading is quite adventurous. I enjoy it myself sometimes. What types of books do you like reading?” “I like reading all kinds of books, but literary classics are my favorite.” “Ah, Pride and Prejudice and the like?” She laughed, and he leaned closer to her. “Yes, you could say that.” “What’s your favorite book?” His gaze was locked on hers, and he was close enough she could feel the heat of his breath. He was caught up in the wonder of the moment, and she was captivated too.

"Well, sometimes I watch T.V. I like, well, love to read. So I do that a lot when I'm alone." "Like what? Romance, crime thrillers?" I shrugged. "Sometimes. I really like the classics. Jane Austen, the Bronte sisters, George Elliot (who was a woman, by the way). I also like the Russians, like Tolstoy and Dostoevsky. 'War and Peace' is amazing." "You've read 'War and Peace'?" "Yeah, twice. It's excellent." I cocked my head. "How about you, what do you like to read?"

The more I try to draw boundaries she is making it nearly impossible for me to control myself from going and grabbing her face and kissing the shit out of her. I take a deep breath and return a soft smile," how about the classics, lex?" I ask her to divert my mind. " well, pride and prejudice is the only one I can truly think of!" she caresses the book on the book rack. " hmmm, interesting. I can't find any better than that one in the classics," I say while walking toward her. " but I think sense and sensibility were nice too, you know," I whisper not wanting to disturb other people in the store

"Well, I've seen many of the classics. Shakespeare, Jane Austen, Cervantes. The novel section is divided into time periods. For some reason though, Dickens is missing and he's one of my favorites." "That's intentional. I hoarded them up for myself. It's in the library but it's hidden, "He said with a wicked smile. "That's not fair, I need to see it," I said, grumbling. "Alright, I'll show you. Let's go see it" He said with a chuckle. "Now?," I asked surprised. "Yes now, or are you doing anything else at the moment" "No, I'll be glad to do that" I said with excitement.