Have you ever finished a book and thought, Wow, I wish everyone would read that?
An avid reader myself, I love hearing about the books that inspire strong reactions in other readers—the ones they finish thinking the world would be a better place if every single person would read it.
But here’s the funny thing about these books we consider “must” reads: every reader has a different list. I asked on Instagram for you to share the books you think are so good that every woman has gotta read them. And WOW, did you deliver: the comments, both public and private, contained an astonishing variety of literary works.
I’m sharing the most frequently cited books in two blog posts: today, I’m listing the ones that can reasonably be considered classics (which is good timing if you need a classic to read for the 2018 Reading Challenge). Later this month I’m sharing 50(!!!) contemporary works that many women consider must-reads.
Readers, I hope you enjoy getting to see the variety of books many different women consider to be must-reads. Are YOUR must-reads on this list? If not, please tell us all about them in comments.
Little Women
Middlemarch
Gaudy Night: A Lord Peter Wimsey Mystery with Harriet Vane
A Room of One’s Own
Rebecca
The Bell Jar
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
West with the Night
Jane Eyre
The Hiding Place
The Diary of a Young Girl
Pilgrim at Tinker Creek
Kristin Lavransdatter
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
My Ántonia
A Wrinkle in Time
A Circle of Quiet (The Crosswicks Journals)
The Bluest Eye
Gift from the Sea
The Feminine Mystique
Anne of Green Gables
Pride and Prejudice
The Secret Garden
To Kill A Mockingbird
P.S. If you haven’t yet, sign up for the 2018 Reading Challenge and get your free challenge kit. Plus 7 books that will make you a better human, 4 female authors worth binge reading, and my favorite books of 2017.
61 comments
I’m gonna use this list as a reference to all the classics I need to read, because I need to get started on some classics – I feel like I haven’t lived! Great post lovely <3
Charlotte | https://charlotteidek.com
So many great books on this list! This gives me some great ideas for what to read this year (next on my nightstand is Kristin Lavransdatter, so I’m pleased to see it on this list).
I particularly love Gaudy Night–when pressed, I sometimes rank it as my favorite book. Though then I remember my undying love for Jane Austen…it’s so hard to choose favorites!
I would, perhaps, add The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. LeGuin…
I’m reading that right now for the first time!
Oh, I’m so glad! It is so incredibly thought provoking. She has many books, and the Earthsea ones are marvelous. But she also has a book of essays, short stories, thoughts on writing, and being a woman called Dancing at the Edge of the World – its an absolute favorite of mine, and what I’d really like to put in the ‘every woman should read’ category, although it probably is not considered a classic… yet.
Feeling pretty proud that I’ve read most of these! Kristin L (not even gonna try!) needs to go on the top of my list, I think.
Lavransdatter. Kristin’s father is Lavran. Datter is Danish for daughter. I’m only on chapter 4, but so far I’m enjoying it.
I’m 100 pages away from finishing Jane Eyre and I already want to reread the book. It’s been years since I’ve added a “forever favorite” to my very short list, but I’m pretty sure this book is going to make the cut. It’s one of maybe 2-3 books that have made me cry and feel all the feels. I cannot believe I made it to 28 without ever reading it!
I set a goal for my 2018 reading to read a classic written by a woman every month. This will be a great resource! P.S. I think The Bluest Eye is the best Morrison and a lifetime favorite of mine.
Great picks here! Including some I haven’t read, And I’ve read most of the classics! Apropos of nothing really, but I didn’t like Left Hand of Darkness. Other than “gender doesn’t matter” , I couldn’t figure out what made this book a “classic”. I found the whole theme of “gender doesn’t matter” kind of boring and it made the characters less interesting, not more. Of LeGuin’s work, I preferred her traditional fantasy: The Earthsea Trilogy, even though she herself became annoyed at its use of traditional fantasy tropes and went on in the series with books that corrected what she perceived as error. I am probably the only reader who says I preferred her work before she got, in my opinion, self-consciously political and preachy. She’s known for breaking barriers, guess I kind of preferred the barriers!
I can understand that. Left Hand of Darkness is definitely more of the movement of Feminist Sci-Fi that came out in the ’70s and ’80s (along with Triptree, Russ, and Butler). Its all rather dark, and misses that redemptive element that great fantasy tends to possess. But to a purpose, I think. I do know that I take far more to it now with the state of the world as it is than I did in the past. I will say, though, I’m glad she has writing that is writing for its own sake, as well as stories to explore hard, complex, and confusing social concerns.
I’ve read twenty of these, which is making me feel pretty good about myself right now! LOL. I’ll have to check out the rest as the year progresses.
Me, too! I was thinking the same thing.
Wow really surprised I Capture the Castle didn’t make it.?
I’ve read all but six on this list, I am going to read most of the six this year! Glad to see The Bluest Eye on the list!
Such good books! I’ve read many of them, and there are a few that keep coming onto my radar. It’s time to pick them up. I’ll be getting to the library soon. Thanks so much!
I so want to read Rebecca, which was I think sparked by another of your lists.
And The Secret Garden was one of my favorites as a child! We gave our 4 year old daughter an illustrated children’s edition and she’s loving it now too!
Finally, my mom gave me Gift from the Sea when I got pregnant with my first child and it didn’t quite resonate with me. Then, I listened to it on audio last year after having 6 years of motherhood under my belt and BOY DID IT RESONATE! Timing is everything…
I’m terrible about reading the classics. I am vowing to change this in 2018. I read A Tree Grows in Brooklyn last year and loved it. I’ve read so few on this list it’s embarrassing lol
All is these are great choices, except Feminine Mystique, and I’ve read all but 5. Can’t wait to dig in to those. It’s amazing to get a list of 25 and already know that you appreciated and enjoyed 19 of them! Makes those other 5 move higher on the TBR!
Two of my all-time favorites made your list: West with the Night and Gift from the Sea. Gift from the Sea should be read slowly and with reflection. Her words make an even greater impact if you’ve read one of the bios on her husband and how she was marginalized by him and his achievements.
I would add The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins. It’s a classic mystery that doesn’t get enough love, and it has a great (smart!) heroine and some truly scary villains. It’s also a great commentary on how women were legally pretty powerless back in the day.
In addition to other gender-interested scifi mentioned – try Sheri S. Tepper’s “The Gate to Women’s Country”. Also, I’m just finishing the audiobook (read by Reese Witherspoon!) of Go Set a Watchman, by Harper Lee, and it’s fantastic. Its universal themes of “can’t step in the same river twice” and “feet of clay” should make it a classic, also.
I have read 19 out of the 25 and just added the other 4 to my list:) Kristin Lavransdatter may be my all time favorite book.
Dusty Answer also had a big impact on my sister and I as teens growing up. Loved it.
Such a fantastic list! Can I nominate Edith Wharton’s Age of Innocence for an honorable mention? ?
Yes and absolutely!
I love this list. So many favorites here! You nailed it 🙂
Am I going crazy or are there only 24 books listed? I love this list!
I’ve scrolled up and down several times and I only counted 24 also. Love the list and I’m happy to see I’ve read many of them but also it gave me some great ideas for my TBR list.
Glad I am not the only one who wrote the list down and only reached 24 🙂 Of which I have read 9 of the books listed
Glad to see Kristin Lavanstadder on here. I’m almost finished and if it’s by far one of the best books I’ve ever read. The second book to bring me to tears. Charlotte’s Web was the first. 🙂 I also never thought I’d be able to stick with it at 1000+pages!
Can I say that it says good things for your reading life that Charlotte’s Web makes the list of your bookish firsts? 🙂
Am I confused? I only count 24 on this list. I’ve read 76 of them, but have several on my TBR list too!
Great list, but I’ve counted the books three times and there are only 24 listed!
I left the metaphorical open seat (or open book space) on this list 🙂
Ha! I like it.
I would add The Red Tent by Anita Diamant as a newer book destined to become a classic. And the most beautiful book I’ve ever read (even though P&P is my all-time fav) is Witch Light by Susan Fletcher. Do yourself a favour and READ it! 🙂
The Red Tent is a great one for this list! (And as a matter of fact, I believe it’s queued up for the contemporary list coming soon 🙂 ) I’ve never read Witch Light—thanks for putting it on my radar.
I recently read the middle grade book Wishtree by Katherine Applegate and feel this is a must read by everyone!!!
Great suggestion!
Rebecca sounds so intriguing! That’s definitely going on my list for 2018! There’s so many books I want to read, I always feel like I’m wanting to sit down and read, read, read so I can get to them all. Can’t wait to read some of these! Thanks so much for this list
I’ve read just over half of these already, but have decided to make reading 2 a month this year a reading goal. Plan to re-read the ones I’ve read at least once already.
What a great goal! I’d love to hear how that goes for you.
Um, I only count 24; not that I’m complaining. This is a great list with some of all-time favorites and others that I’ve intended to read but haven’t…yet. Thanks!
One of my favourite Jane Austen novels is “Persuasion.” I love the way the word “persuasion” and variations such as “persuaded” is repeated throughout the book. I think many women can relate to the theme of this book, and how they cope with the pressure to conform to expectations.
I read Anne of Green Gables after seeing this list, and couldn’t love it more! Already on to Anne of Avonlea and enjoying such a classic series. Thanks so much!
These are fabulous picks!! I would add The Red Tent…thanks for the post…its a good one! So glad a friend suggested i check you out…lovely writing! Xo
Oh my goodness. I knew I wasn’t as well-read as I wished, but this list makes me realize I’ve barely scratched the surface! Thank you so much for this list. . . there are several titles here I’ve never even heard of, much less read.
Right now I’m under contract to write a book, and most of my research is theological, so almost all of my reading is non-fiction. But I’m realizing more and more that, even as a non-fiction author, if I want to write well, I need to read well, across all genres. Bless you for compiling this list!
I am only coming up with 24 books, and I’m dying to know what the 25th book could be! I’ve counted the list twice!
Two things: My favorite totally interesting classic is We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson. My favorite food to buy at TJ’s is Maple Leaf Cookies.
Although there are many great books on this list, I am sadly a bit disappointed. It may just be a matter of a difference of opinions, but to me a classic is something that stands the test of time. Many of these books were written within the last hundred years. To me, that isn’t a “classic.” Sorry, but I was hoping for something different (ie more along the lines of the Bronte sisters and Austen, not Morrison and L’Engle).
I really love this list! I would add, Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston. It’s a book everyone should read.
Is it just me or are there only 24 books listed?? I’ve gone back and counted twice and only count 24.
It’s definitely 24. I thought it was me, but counted 4 times. 🙂
I just posted the same comment. I counted several times too.
Am I miscounting? I have read (and enjoyed) twenty of these. When I went to list the five that I had not, I could find only four. Counting several times, my “25 Must Read Classics …” list has only 24 books.
I know I have read some classics but this list right here is something to get started on when it comes to this genre. Hoping to enjoy myself this 2022.