Top 5 Classics I Want To Read | Classics TBR

Hi everyone, it’s Aimee here today! 🙂

I thought I would finally do a post entirely dedicated to classics on here as last year I slowly started getting interested in classic literature, and now it’s one of my favourite genre’s! Although I have read quite a few classics, there are still so many on my shelves that I want to get around to reading ASAP…

So today, I’m going to share with you all the top 5 classics that I want to read (hopefully) this year 🙂 Also, I’m hoping this may encourage you to pick up a classic as I feel like a lot of people have/believe the stigma around classics – that they’re either extremely daunting, boring or complex. Or, some people just don’t know where to start.

So this is a list of books I’ve heard highly of and that are currently on my bookshelf – however, I’m planning on doing a post in the future on my favourite classics as that way you can read from a personal opinion on why I love them so much!

So enough with the rambling… here’s the list –

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1. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë

“Orphaned into the household of her Aunt Reed at Gateshead and subject to the cruel regime at Lowood charity school, Jane Eyre nonetheless emerges unbroken in spirit and integrity. She takes up the post of governess at Thornfield, falls in love with Mr. Rochester, and discovers the impediment to their lawful marriage in a story that transcends melodrama to portray a woman’s passionate search for a wider and richer life than Victorian society traditionally allowed.

With a heroine full of yearning, the dangerous secrets she encounters, and the choices she finally makes, Charlotte Bronte’s innovative and enduring romantic novel continues to engage and provoke readers.” (cr. Goodreads)

This one has been high up on my list for almost a year now as it’s one of Clare’s favourites – so I’m more than eager to see how I like it too 🙂 I’ve owned a copy of this book for I don’t even know how long, however recently I bought a much prettier edition of it as it was on offer for much cheaper, so hopefully that’ll motivate me to read it even more. Also, the Brontë sisters are some of the most well-known novelists in literature so I desperately want to get around to reading their work.

2. In Cold Blood by Truman Capote

“On November 15, 1959, in the small town of Holcomb, Kansas, four members of the Clutter family were savagely murdered by blasts from a shotgun held a few inches from their faces. There was no apparent motive for the crime, and there were almost no clues.

As Truman Capote reconstructs the murder and the investigation that led to the capture, trial, and execution of the killers, he generates both mesmerizing suspense and astonishing empathy. In Cold Blood is a work that transcends its moment, yielding poignant insights into the nature of American violence.” (cr. Goodreads)

I heard about this one on Shoutame‘s channel on YouTube when I was looking for non-fiction book recommendations and this one completely drew me in. Not only is the concept extremely intriguing – it’s also written by the same man who wrote one of my all time favourite books – Breakfast at Tiffany’s 🙂 I didn’t even realise or go out of my way to see if Truman Capote had written any other books, but it turns out he has written SO many more! So I’m more than excited to check out more of his works and see how they compare to the first novel I read of his 🙂

3. Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery

“Everyone’s favorite redhead, the spunky Anne Shirley, begins her adventures at Green Gables, a farm outside Avonlea, Prince Edward Island. When the freckled girl realizes that the elderly Cuthberts wanted to adopt a boy instead, she begins to try to win them and, consequently, the reader, over.” (cr. Goodreads)

I received this book, along with the next 3 books in the Anne of Green Gables series for Christmas and I’m far too excited to read them. I’m pretty sure most people who either know of this series or have just heard of the title know it because of the various TV, film and musical adaptations that have been made from it, however I haven’t seen any of them – therefore I’m really hoping to read the book as I want to watch them all! I’ve heard really great things about this book so I can’t wait to finally pick it up – plus, I think this will be the first book I do read from this list as it seems like a great Spring read to me 🙂

4. A Room of One’s Own by Virginia Woolf

“A Room of One’s Own is an extended essay by Virginia Woolf. First published on 24 October 1929, the essay was based on a series of lectures she delivered at Newnham College and Girton College, two women’s colleges at Cambridge University in October 1928. While this extended essay in fact employs a fictional narrator and narrative to explore women both as writers of and characters in fiction, the manuscript for the delivery of the series of lectures, titled Women and Fiction, and hence the essay, are considered non-fiction. The essay is generally seen as a feminist text, and is noted in its argument for both a literal and figural space for women writers within a literary tradition dominated by patriarchy.” (cr. Goodreads)

I’ve heard incredible things about Virginia Woolf’s novels and writing style, so I decided to pick up this one actually only a few weeks ago, nonetheless, I’m definitely hoping to sit down and give it a go soon. I feel like it’s going to be a feminism driven and informative read, therefore I can’t wait to pick it up. Also, I’m really keen to purchase some of her fiction work such as Mrs Dalloway and To The Lighthouse as I’ve heard highly of those two too 🙂

5. Emma by Jane Austen

“Beautiful, clever, rich – and single – Emma Woodhouse is perfectly content with her life and sees no need for either love or marriage. Nothing, however, delights her more than interfering in the romantic lives of others. But when she ignores the warnings of her good friend Mr. Knightley and attempts to arrange a suitable match for her protegee Harriet Smith, her carefully laid plans soon unravel and have consequences that she never expected. With its imperfect but charming heroine and its witty and subtle exploration of relationships, Emma is often seen as Jane Austen’s most flawless work.” (cr. Goodreads)

I’ve read quite a few novels by Jane Austen, including – Pride and Prejudice, Northanger Abbey, Sense and Sensibility and Persuasion. I own all her other books too, however Emma is definitely my priority for my next Austen read 🙂 I absolutely adore reading any Jane Austen work as her writing is just so classical and elegant – it really does remind me as to why I love reading so much. Therefore, I’m hoping to pick up this lovely book soon. It does take me a while to get through any Jane Austen book, so I end up reading multiple books at once when I do, however they are certainly worth the read. I went on a huge Jane Austen reading spree last year as I joined the Austentatious Book Club (ran by ReadByZoe on YouTube) and had a blast discussing my reading experience with many other Jane Austen readers, so I undeniably think it’s time to continue on with the rest of her books.

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So there’s the top 5 classics I want to read! I hope this gave you some inspiration for some classics you may want to pick up and an insight into what books I’ll be reaching for over the next few months 🙂

I’d love to know – have you read any of these books? And if so, what did you think of them? If not, I’d also love to know, are there any classics you have your eye on at the moment? And if so, what are they? I love to receive book recommendations so any you want to send my way will be much appreciated 🙂

Thank you all so much for reading, and I’ll see you in my next post 🙂