So - help me with a classic novel

[happystory]

I vowed I'd read a classic novel this year and I've failed miserably. And now it's near the end of November. Please recommend something to me, American, English, I don't mind but not a massive tome you could use for a doorstop!

What kinds of things do you like? Help us to narrow it down a bit!

The Great Gatsby.

Short, classic, and full of pithy social commentary.

Dickens, Austen, Bronte

All good

Jane Eyre. Classic, easy to read, not too long. And fab!

Well I do like American fiction on the whole and not really a fan of Jane Austen George Eliot etc - I feel I ought to get out of my comfort zone. One that sticks in my mind that I had to read for A level was Darkness at Noon, and George Orwell that I wouldn't have chosen to read but really stuck with me .

Pride and Prejudice. You've seen the films. Now enjoy the written word and the language. Then read Bridget Jones.

Thank you! I do love Jane Eyre but struggled with her other novels. What about Forster?

Steinbeck - 'The Grapes of Wrath' is big and soul destroying / 'East of Eden' easier. His 'Travels with Charlie' is non-fiction and excellent - a v easy read.

Capote - 'Breakfast at Tiffany's' for fiction or 'In Cold Blood' for non-fiction.

Well if you want well written american classics

Go for
Of Mice and Men
To Kill a Mockingbird
The Grapes of wrath
The Color Purple

Forster - 'Maurice' or 'Howard's End' - not, 'A Passage to India' because it's dreadful.

Of Mice And Men? American, classic, fantastic book.

Or Anna Karenina? Madame Bovary? Rebecca? All amazing and easy to read.

What about 'Cider with Rosie'? it is a classic but quite short and not too un contempary

What about Maya Angelou has anyone read I know why the caged birds sing?

But the big question now is what is a 'classic' novel? I would put all of the 'Famous Five', 'Secret Seven', 'Malory Towers' etc into that catagory as well as Malorie Blackman, Cathy Cassidy an Anthony Horrowitz. And a lot of others. I love being a Mum so I can have a reason to read these books.

Maya A didn't do a great deal for me tbh, but lots of people think, 'Caged Bird' is brilliant.

I agree elephant I work in a school and saw a 9 year old avidly reading Malory Towers recently and was so envious

Don't be envious happy story just read it. Although I have to warn you that the 'new' versions are somewhat changed. For example there is no pork pie on the linoeneum.

Revolutionary Road
Stoner

both American, not so well known but very worthy of classics status

Beloved by Toni Morrison - modern classic, beautiful

Ballet Shoes
Flatland

Or grit your teeth and read Emma because it is honestly brilliant. (Just listened to the In Our Time episode about it and feeling evangelical).

I don't understand why, 'Revolutionary Road' is considered a classic. I didn't like it. Definitely an easy read though.

Oh gosh I did read Ballet Shoes again quite recently! I love childhood books. However the books that really got me into major reading and then onto A'level English were; The Mayor of Casterbridge, Wuthering Heights and as mentioned previously Pride and Prejudice.

Lord of the Flies
Animal Farm
To Kill a Mockingbird
Something by Dickens?

'Ballet Shoes' is one of my top ten books ever - it's just perfect!

YY to, 'Lord of the Flies' - astonishingly good book.

I utterly loathe Steinbeck after O and A Level English Lit. The Pearl was the most utterly depressing book I have ever read. And Of Mice and Men isn't much better. I hated The Great Gatsby and The Go Between as well.

What about The Remains Of The Day by Ishiguro? I do love Pride and Prejudice though. It's quite witty and sarcastic really. I think many 'classics' are overrated yo be honest. The last book I read that I really enjoyed was Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch. I've bought the next 3 books in the series to read.