Classics virgin. Help please!

[Posey]

Am an avid reader, read some stuff thats actually quite a challenge so not just a chick-lit reader (though not averse to a bit of easy reading!)
But am embarrassed to say I have only read some bits of classic books that I had to at school
Think its time I bit the bullet and gave some a try. Can I have your recommendations please for a good first time classic.

Why not start out with something "popular" you know it but have never read it. I echo great expectations or oliver twist by charles dickens. Even some of the kids classic literature is great, Little women, peter pan the jungle book, winnie the pooh (not the disney stuff which I hate). How old are your kids? if they are a bit older you can read them to your kids. We have a series called classics for kids and my dh who was not read to as a kid, loves reading them to the kids. They are written for kids but not dumbed down, just in plainer language. Finally, my ulitmate favorite I highly recommend is to kill a mockingbird by harper lee.

Have just finished reading Rebecca myself which I found very gripping. I also enjoyed Anna Karenina which is a very thick book but I couldn't put it down. Would also rate "to kill a mocking bird" as one of my all time favourites.

I've noticed that a few people have mentioned Thomas Hardy. No offence to Mr Hardy but his novels tend to be tragic, especially Jude the obscure and I'd avoid if you are easily upset.

Vanity Fair is a good laugh, I think Thackeray is very underrated. And also Mrs Gaskell - North and South and Mary Barton are wonderful, gripping novels.
Wilkie Collins, The Woman in White
Arnold Bennett The Old Wives' Tale and Anna of the Five Towns
Galsworthy - The Forsyte Saga if you are in it for the long haul
Robert Graves - I Claudius and Claudius the God are very fine, racy historical novels - real modern classics IMO
Dodie Smith - I Capture the Castle
Katherine Mansfield and EM Forster's Short Stories, also the lovely, tender, A Room with a View by the latter
Vera Brittain's A Testament of Youth is a good counterbalance to all those WWI poets you may or may not have read off those reading lists

All these are deeply marvellous (I second Lady Audley's Secret, it's all about murder and bigamy and horseracing and betting). You might enjoy Bram Stoker's Dracula, which although not a masterpiece of 19th century literature is a lot better than it might be and is terribly important if you are interested in horror/fantasy/vampires/Buffy.

Avoid, at all costs, Henry James. And, personally, I'd also avoid DH Lawrence.

Agree with Lawrence, but Henry James' turn of the screw I think it's marvellous!!!

Oooh Turn of the screw yesss. In fact, I think we should have A Thread. Ghosts or no ghosts?-- discuss.

I'll make an exception for Turn of the Screw (generous, aren't I).

If you're going to read Jane Eyre, read Villette afterwards.

so where can I find lady audley's secret, your description convinced me that it's what I need now

I know Virago did a reprint a while back. Except that I'm very embarrassed, I've just realised the murder and bigamy and horseracing and betting one is Aurora Floyd, by the same writer (Mary Braddon), also reprinted by Virago. There is a quite fabulous moment where the male protagonist sets eyes on the fascinating Aurora, who opens her enchanting mouth to ask him if he knows whether her favourite won at the races that day.

Lady Audley's secret is about a delicate blonde beautiful governess who murders people.

How about some Russians? Anna Karenina by Tolstoy and one of his little stories which not many people know about is Kreutzer sonata or Idiot by Dostoevski. Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton. Portrait of Dorian Grey by Wilde. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. Doctor Zhivago by Pasternak nothing like a movie very challenging to read

Great, I'm goiong to look from this mary braddon then, sounds great, thanks

Thanks once again for all these suggestions. Am amazed that I have actually read an awful lot of them.
Will keep this list to hand for future bookbuying trips. Thank you!