There’s a particular joy in reading a book that has been sitting around for 100 years and thinking, Oh. So THAT’s where everyone got the idea from! As a lifelong bookworm, I love classics for exactly this reason. They may be old, but the drama, romance, ambition, and questionable choices are remarkably fresh.
And if you’re browsing the best-selling novels in India, don’t skip the classics. From gothic monsters to messy romances, here’s my list of classics you need to read.
10 Classic Novels to Read At Least Once
1984 by George Orwell
Big Brother is watching. Unfortunately, that no longer sounds entirely fictional. Orwell’s vision of surveillance feels especially striking when our lives leave digital footprints everywhere. Freedom House’s 2025 report notes that governments are increasingly using AI, biometric systems, and other technologies for surveillance. So…hey, Orwell, how did you know?
Read 1984 for the story, stay for the uncomfortable feeling that Orwell may have been onto something.
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
If you watched Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein for Jacob Elordi, now is an excellent time to meet the original.
Shelley’s novel gives you much more than a monster. As the world’s first science fiction novel, it asks what happens when ambition outruns responsibility. And yes, the original has plenty of gothic drama.
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Nothing beats the original enemies-to-lovers story. Elizabeth Bennet and Mr Darcy practically invented the art of being spectacularly wrong about each other while falling in love simultaneously.
Darcy remains the blueprint of most male leads in popular books in India—brooding, wealthy, socially awkward, and somehow still irresistible.
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Some books everyone should read remain relevant because the questions they ask never really disappear. Harper Lee’s novel examines racism, injustice, prejudice, and moral courage through Scout’s young eyes.
It’s moving without being sentimental, and serious without becoming unreadable. This is one classic that deserves to be read thoughtfully, not simply ticked off a reading list.
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Welcome to the Jazz Age. We have parties, champagne, glitter, and absolutely terrible financial decisions.
The Library of Congress describes The Great Gatsby as a portrait of the 1920s and its decadence and excess, while exploring wealth, ambition, and the American Dream. It’s basically a warning about extravagance wearing a very expensive suit.
Dracula by Bram Stoker
Before you reach for Twilight, perhaps meet the OG vampire.
Stoker’s Dracula gives you castles, fog, blood, mystery, and a villain who has an impressive afterlife in pop culture. If gothic fiction is your thing, this belongs firmly on your classic literature books list.
Lady Chatterley’s Lover by D.H. Lawrence
Fifty Shades has nothing on this one.
Lawrence’s novel caused a famously controversial British obscenity trial when Penguin published an uncensored edition in 1960. The publisher won, and the book went on to sell 3 million copies in 3 months!
But beyond the scandal, it’s a novel about intimacy, class, and emotional connection. It redefined the romance genre for me.
The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas
Love drama? Love revenge? Love a plot with enough twists to keep your brain doing overtime?
May I present The Count of Monte Cristo.
Edmond Dantès gets betrayed, imprisoned, and then returns with one astonishingly complicated plan. It’s long, yes. It’s also ridiculously entertaining. If you want good classics to read that actually feel binge-worthy, pick this one.
The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins
Love mystery novels? Go back to the source material.
The Woman in White is one of those classic fiction books that reminds you that mystery writers were causing sleepless nights long before streaming thrillers existed. Collins fills the story with secrets, identity games, suspicious characters, and deliciously slow-burn suspense.
If you like whodunits or new storybooks in English, start here. It’s old-school mystery, and that’s precisely the fun!
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë
If your dating philosophy is “I can fix him,” Jane Eyre would like a word.
Charlotte Brontë gives you romance, independence, secrets, gothic atmosphere, and one very complex man. Jane, however, is no pushover. She knows what she deserves, which makes this one of the best classic books of all time for readers who enjoy strong female characters.
If you are building your reading list—or browsing the best online bookstores in India—choose by mood. Or wander through a bookstore like Oxford Bookstore for one book and leave with six instead.
Classic books aren’t homework. They are stories that survived long enough to become part of the conversation. Pick one, settle in, and see what all the fuss was about.
FAQs
- Which classic books are best for beginners?
If you’re new to classic literature, start with books that have an engaging story and relatively accessible writing. Animal Farm by George Orwell, The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, and Frankenstein by Mary Shelley are good starting points. They’re short enough to feel manageable while still introducing you to themes and writing styles that define classic literature.
- What are the best classic books everyone should read at least once?
There’s no single definitive list, but some classics have remained relevant because their ideas still speak to modern readers. 1984 by George Orwell or Frankenstein by Mary Shelley are strong choices. The best classics aren’t simply “old books.” They are books that continue to make us think, question, or see the world differently.
- What are the best classic books for teenagers and young adults?
For teenagers and young adults, classics with strong characters, coming-of-age themes, or ideas that connect to modern life can be particularly rewarding. The Catcher in the Rye, To Kill a Mockingbird, Jane Eyre, Little Women, Animal Farm, The Outsiders, and Frankenstein are excellent choices.
- What is the greatest classic book of all time?
There’s no objective winner because “greatest” depends on what you value in a book. Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes is frequently regarded as one of the most important novels ever written and has had an enormous influence on fiction. But 1984, Pride and Prejudice, War and Peace, Anna Karenina, Middlemarch, and One Hundred Years of Solitude could all make a convincing case. Ultimately, the greatest classic is often the one that still has something to say to you centuries (or decades) after it was written.
