The Great Gatsby or To Kill A Mockingbird. They’re shorter classics and easy to dive into. I don’t suggest Tale of Two Cities because I even have a hard time with that one.
Depends on what you want to read–dystopian romance, adventure, war. So many GREAT books out there. Certainly All Quiet on the Western Front for a great lesson on how stupid war is; Jane Eyre for a beautiful love story; White Fang or Call of the Wild for animal adventure in Alaska; and Treasure Island just because it has pirates!
See English isn’t my language, I need something easy-to-understand and interesting…… And would love to read some adventures or history or maybe a love story
English was NOT my first language either! I think Treasure Island or Kidnapped would be good to start. Jane Eyre also, though depends on how fluent you are in English. My mom would always have a dictionary on stand by when she was reading.
With English not being your first language, perhaps a youth, abridged version of a classic would be useful. I enjoyed Little Women, but the language in the original might be too confusing. I think the youth version would be easier to read.
Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier. It’s considered a classic but was written in the 30s so it’s very easy to read and you’re not trying to decipher Old English or anything like that. Lots of authors have written unofficial “sequels” to the book. Also, Wicked by Gregory Maguire. Tells a different story of the wicked witch of the west. Start with newer classics and work your way back so you’re not overwhelmed.
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, prequel to Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, cited by many as the Great American Novel. It’s a Children’s book meaning it’s easy to read but it’s every bit a classic as any other. 🙂
Yeh i was around that age too, it was part of my school work at the time and i fell in love with it right then and there…i have two paperback copies and 4 ebook copies of it…the reason i have 2 paperbacks is cos once my dog chewed one to pieces and looked like he ate some of it and then a young boy who i raised decided to doodle in it once bought a new copy to replace the chewed up one…i think my son also did the same about a year later…so i bought 2 after that lol
The secret garden, 1984, White Fang, Call of the Wild, Wuthering Heights, Of mine and Men, Little Women, Pride and Prejudice, To kill a mockingbird, Anthem, or The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.
Go for Mark Twain, or Little Women. Poe is great, but dark. Dickens is always classic but hard to read. You could always go for the Wizard of Oz or the original Alice in Wonderland. The Secret Garden is my favorite though.
My introduction to classic was Wuthering heights….I swear I don’t understand anything…..It was so complicated …I mean the plot with two narrators ….And with complex time shifting ….I had a tough time reading the book for the first time and had to reread the first 50 pages thrice to get grasp the story…Even I had to draw a family tree of the linton n earnshaw family to understand them….But once I understand the novel,I just can’t put it down and would have reread it more than seven times until the book worn out..
Wuthering Heights or Jane Eyre. <3
I tried this book to start off with classics, I could not get past the first 3 pages. Lol
Those were my first two, followed by Rebecca. They’re still among my favorites.
@Quevina, stick with it. I know at first it seems a bit hardgoing but once you get into it, you will love it, promise <3 xxx
Jeni, me too! I have just bought a biography about Anne Bronte and am going to give her books a bash next xx
The hound of the baskervilles
The Count of Monte Cristo
This book has everything!
The tale of two cities
The portrait of Dorian Gray
The Great Gatsby or To Kill A Mockingbird. They’re shorter classics and easy to dive into. I don’t suggest Tale of Two Cities because I even have a hard time with that one.
Depends on what you want to read–dystopian romance, adventure, war. So many GREAT books out there. Certainly All Quiet on the Western Front for a great lesson on how stupid war is; Jane Eyre for a beautiful love story; White Fang or Call of the Wild for animal adventure in Alaska; and Treasure Island just because it has pirates!
See English isn’t my language, I need something easy-to-understand and interesting……
And would love to read some adventures or history or maybe a love story
English was NOT my first language either! I think Treasure Island or Kidnapped would be good to start. Jane Eyre also, though depends on how fluent you are in English. My mom would always have a dictionary on stand by when she was reading.
Thnx dear..
I have read treasure island 20 years ago :-(.
Now forgotten everything
With English not being your first language, perhaps a youth, abridged version of a classic would be useful. I enjoyed Little Women, but the language in the original might be too confusing. I think the youth version would be easier to read.
Ok @Grace…
Thnx dear
Tom Sawyer
Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier. It’s considered a classic but was written in the 30s so it’s very easy to read and you’re not trying to decipher Old English or anything like that. Lots of authors have written unofficial “sequels” to the book. Also, Wicked by Gregory Maguire. Tells a different story of the wicked witch of the west. Start with newer classics and work your way back so you’re not overwhelmed.
1984?
Never read it but it’s been on my reading list for years
Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley. It’s in interesting read to say the least XD
Start with classic children’s literature. They’re easy to get interested in, but still classics and well worth reading. I’ve got to catch up on them myself! =)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_children%27s_classic_books
That’s a great suggestion!!!! Jumping right into the other ones is so hard! Always put me off.
A Little Princess, Anne of Green Gables…children’s classics that I still love as an adult.
The Secret Garden
Yes! Excellent suggestion.
The Secret Garden all the way. Or something from Astrid Lindgren like… Pippi Longstocking?
Catcher in the Rye
Lord of the Flies was a pretty easy read
Of Mice and Men
Thank you all…
Now I have list of books 🙂
Wuthering heights n Jane eyre
Or Jane Austen s’novels like sense and sensibility
how about SIDDHARTA by Herman hesse
little women
Little women,Pride and Prejudice,To Kill a Mocking Bird.
White Fang, The Prince & The Pauper, Tom Sawyer, or Treasure Island.
Agree on Pride and Prejudice! You can read it for free on http://www.sweek.com/, together with many other classics that were suggested here 🙂
To kill a Mockingbird, pride and prejudice, sense and sensibility
Frankenstein, Madame Bovary
MAry Poppins. Fun. light read. Gratifying as it is easy and fast paced.
Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
To kill a mockingbird.
Has to be To kill a mockingbird.
I agree, To kill a mockingbird.
Lasie come home
Great Expectations by Charles Dickens.
Pride and prejudice
Frankenstein. This book really hit me. So sad.
I agree. That book was excellent. I really felt for the monster.
Jane Eyre
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, prequel to Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, cited by many as the Great American Novel.
It’s a Children’s book meaning it’s easy to read but it’s every bit a classic as any other. 🙂
Little Women!
Charlotte’s Web.
Not sure if this would count, but Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen is great.
Not for beginners
The Great Gatsby.
watership down or, where the red fern grows.
Jane eyre by charlotte bronte…still my fav and i still read it many times
Yeh i was around that age too, it was part of my school work at the time and i fell in love with it right then and there…i have two paperback copies and 4 ebook copies of it…the reason i have 2 paperbacks is cos once my dog chewed one to pieces and looked like he ate some of it and then a young boy who i raised decided to doodle in it once bought a new copy to replace the chewed up one…i think my son also did the same about a year later…so i bought 2 after that lol
Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens or Dracula by Bram Stoker
Anne of Green Gables, and Sherlock Holmes
(does LOTR and The Hobbit count as classics?)
Oh yes great choices ?
Thank you ?
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. That was my very first classic and its still my favorite!
Of Mice and Men. Classic and a short book
Harry Potter and Charles dickens
The secret garden, 1984, White Fang, Call of the Wild, Wuthering Heights, Of mine and Men, Little Women, Pride and Prejudice, To kill a mockingbird, Anthem, or The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.
The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton!!!!!
The two Princesses of Bamarre by levine
or W A K E by McMANN
Gone with the wind
I had to pick a classic for English class and my English teacher suggested this one
The Little Prince
Withering Heights if you like tragic love stories or The count of Monte Cristo if you adventure or The Three Musketeers and anything Edgar Allen Poe
Go for Mark Twain, or Little Women. Poe is great, but dark. Dickens is always classic but hard to read. You could always go for the Wizard of Oz or the original Alice in Wonderland. The Secret Garden is my favorite though.
Anna Karenina or Madame Bovary, two great and tragic heroines.
For a beginner,Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier.You’ll be lost in it 😉
The princess bride
Pride and Prejudice.
Wuthering Heights ❤
1984
Anything by Charles Dickens
The time Machine
My introduction to classic was Wuthering heights….I swear I don’t understand anything…..It was so complicated …I mean the plot with two narrators ….And with complex time shifting ….I had a tough time reading the book for the first time and had to reread the first 50 pages thrice to get grasp the story…Even I had to draw a family tree of the linton n earnshaw family to understand them….But once I understand the novel,I just can’t put it down and would have reread it more than seven times until the book worn out..
To kill a mockingbird, Harper Lee.
Yes, to Kill a Mockingbird 🙂