It’s a truth universally acknowledged that some of us are bigger readers than others. In other words, some of us annotate novels to death and some of us read the Sparknotes. However, reading can bring an extra layer to everyone’s life and open doors that we didn’t know we were missing. And it can help you to know what’s going on and get references that you never would have otherwise. While classics can undoubtedly fall flat in many modern audiences, they are critical to contribute to educated society and have a greater understanding of the human condition throughout time. With that being said, we’ve collected 21 classics that are essential pieces of literature for you to read by time you’re 21. These have been selected based on cultural relevance, age-appropriate themes, and overall excellence. Let’s get started!
#1: The Great Gatsby
Let’s start our 21 classics off with the easiest one! Chances are pretty good that you either read this in your high school American Literature class or saw the movie with Leonardo DiCaprio. While Fitzgerald’s most famous novel is best known for its gorgeous writing depicting the roaring 20s, it also holds a lot of food for thought today. Notably, how have things changed since Fitzgerald penned his novel? Is the American Dream real? How are we all like some of the characters? Does the insincerity that pervades the novel pervade our lives as well?
We’re almost 100 years out from its publishing, and sometimes, it feels like we’re in a remarkably similar point of large scale societal change and uncertainty and small-scale finding ourselves, much as Nick does throughout the novel. Even if you don’t want to delve into it with that much philosophical thought, it’s one of those novels that will both better your life and help you to get references.
Notable Spinoffs: the Baz Luhrmann movie; the novel Nick, which goes through Nick’s life before meeting Jay Gatsby.
#2: Pride and Prejudice
It’s one of the most famous love stories: smart and sassy Elizabeth Bennet meets the cold and mysterious Mr. Darcy and both must overcome their obstacles to find love. This is the basis for so many modern love stories, and it’s still so witty and enjoyable to read, even 200 years later. You love the characters and the energy that jumps through the pages, as well as the fact that it still feels relatable. Plus, there’s always the fact that it’s core romance canon and is referenced incredibly often.
Notable Spinoffs: Too many to count, but a few include Pride and Prejudice and Zombies; Pride, Prejudice, and Other Flavors; the famous movie/series with Colin Firth and Keira Knightley respectively; and Austenland.
#3: The Count of Monte Cristo
This is in my top three favorite classics, if not #1. Written by Alexandre Dumas, the same man who wrote The Three Musketeers, this story covers romance, revenge, passion, and all sorts of complicated plots. After being betrayed and losing everything, Edmond Dantes vows to get it back. This book follows his journey, and it’s fabulous. Additionally, I believe Dumas was paid by the line, so it reads far easier than a Dickens novel because of all the dialogue. If you want something that fills you with a sense of completion, this is for you.
Notable Spinoffs: Revenge (ABC TV show with socialites in the Hamptons–a fantastic, soapy, clever remake of the book!)
#4: The Wizard of Oz
We all know the story–Dorothy is carried off in a tornado with her little dog and makes new friends in the world of Oz. However, how many of you have actually read this classic children’s tale? How many of you know that it’s allegedly an allegory for the politics happening in America at that time? Beyond the nostalgia and the creative storytelling, this really is a wonderful (and short) book to read!
Notable Spinoffs: Oz the Great and Powerful, a good number of episodes in Once Upon a Time, many Disney episodes (i.e., Suite Life on Deck), Wicked.
#5: Twelfth Night
A Shakespearean comedy involving gender swapping, love triangles (more like love pentagons), and interesting commentary on gender roles, this is one to put on your to-read list. Everyone reads Romeo and Juliet at some point. While that’s a great play, it can be a bit overdone and depressing. Twelfth Night cures that, to the point where my high school sophomores *almost* enjoyed reading it. Whether you enjoy romance, mistaken identity plots, or “Elizabethan England frat boy humor,” this one has something for everyone.
Notable Spinoffs: She’s the Man (a fantastic teen rom com if you haven’t already seen it).
#6: Brave New World
Now here’s a story that will allow you to get references. This is a weird book, but it provides food for thought. It depicts a society where babies are born from test tubes and go on to live lives of pleasure and no thought. Sex, drugs, and technology keep everyone submissive to the social order they were born into, and they blindly follow the rules. However, one of our characters begins to question it, and we see the impact it has on his life. This novel is especially interesting to read in our world today, as many of Huxley’s predictions ring somewhat true. As always, it’s good to read something that helps us to see what’s right in front of us.
Notable Spinoffs: A recent TV show was made from this book, but I don’t think it got the best ratings.
#7: Emma
A rich girl plays matchmaker to cure her boredom and (surprise) ends up finding her own romance. I initially read this in high school when I went through my Jane Austen phase. For me, it was more enjoyable than Pride and Prejudice. It made our 21 classics list because of its relevance to pop culture (see: Clueless) and the fact that everyone should read at least one other novel by Austen other than Pride and Prejudice. Emma is also so sassy and goes through a beautiful period of growth, which we can all relate to in our teens and 20s.
Notable Spinoffs: Clueless; a version in the 90s with Gwyneth Paltrow; a remake in 2020 with Anya Taylor-Joy; a rom-com book series by Sonali Dev (The Emma Project).
#8: Gone with the Wind
This might be a controversial pick, and it certainly has its questionable moments. However, there’s no denying that this is a fantastic novel. It’s long, yes, but it spans twelve years and sees Scarlett O’Hara from being a teenager to almost 30 years old. Over those 12 years, we see a perspective of a critical time in America, as well as all the societal shifts. The character development (and personality!) is flawless. The romance is brilliant. Emotions tug at you at every turn. It might take a while to read, but it is definitely worth your time.
Notable Spinoffs: No notable spinoffs; only a few prequels and sequels written. However, there is the four hour movie with Clark Gable and Vivien Leigh that’s still impressive to watch, even about 80 years later.
#9: Fahrenheit 451
Another high school English book that’s made it onto our 21 classics list. In a world where books are burned, a firefighter starts seeking knowledge. By going against his society, a series of catastrophic events unfolds. This book is especially interesting to read now, as it deals with media addiction, shortened attention spans, wars, nukes, desensitization, and so many other issues we face today.
Notable Spinoffs: a movie with Michael B. Jordan made in 2018.
#10: Lord of the Flies
What happens if you strand a bunch of preteen boys on an island?
If you’ve been around long enough, chances are pretty high that you’ve heard (or inferred) how this book ends. However, it’s an interesting reflection on human nature, especially considering all the subsequent science experiments that have been done on it and the fact that the book was written directly after WWII. I won’t spoil too much, but I will say that it made it onto the 21 classics list because of how often we see this plot pop up in TV shows.
Notable Spinoffs: Lost (no, for real–there are so many literary connections and similarities here, even if it’s not a direct spinoff); The Wilds (same things, many interesting connections); Reckless Girls.
#11: A Doll’s House
Henrik Ibsen sets this play in 1870s Norway, where divorce was virtually unheard of. It’s short, but it has it all: domestic drama, scandals, parties, blackmail, and characters that you love to hate. By examining the strained marriage between Nora and Torvald, Ibsen delves into gendered lenses, social commentary, and psychological considerations in a way that is truly fascinating to read about 150 years later. You probably won’t like any of the characters, or even fully understand their motivations, but it will certainly make you think about how social expectations impact our actions.
Notable Spinoffs: None. Which is honestly a bummer.
#12: The Catcher in the Rye
This is a classic that I feel is not being taught as much as it used to be in schools. For me, it was the most important book I read in high school, and the one that struck the deepest chord with me. While there isn’t much of a plot to it, teenager Holden Caulfield’s thoughts, experiences, and insights as he wanders through New York City are ones that resonate with so many teenagers, and even those of us in our early 20s. He might not be the most likeable character, but there’s something so raw about the way he sees the world, and the loneliness, confusion, and fear to age are things that so many of us still feel today.
Notable Spinoffs: None, but Green Day does have a song called Who Wrote Holden Caulfield?. If that doesn’t show you that this book is critical to the angsty youth canon, I don’t know what will.
#13: Franny and Zooey
If you don’t like Salinger’s writing style, this one probably isn’t for you. When I was teaching English, a good number of the students didn’t love this story. However, I’d argue that it’s a fantastic novel to read when you’re transitioning into adulthood. Published in 1961, it gives a brother and sister’s perspectives on the world, mental breakdowns, philosophy and spirituality, emptiness and coming of age, and so much more. It’s a short read, but it’s a powerful one that makes you think, especially since so many of the feelings still ring *painfully* true 60 years later.
Notable Spinoffs: None.
#14: The Joy Luck Club
Amy Tan’s moving tale of four mothers and four daughters is one that everyone (especially women) should read. It captures the nuances of difficult mother-daughter relationships and does a fantastic job showing each character’s journey. As you enter college and move on to a new stage of life, this is a great story to let you reflect on your own home relationships. For this, as well as the creative storytelling, it makes our 21 classics list.
Notable Spinoffs: None, other than the movie.
#15: Rebecca
Daphne du Maurier’s Gothic novel about a young woman and her wealthy new husband’s mysterious estate is fantastic. It defies genre boundaries–romance, murder mystery, courtroom genre, domestic suspense, classic…it has it all. My favorite part of the book is how it manages to perfectly evoke a certain sense with its setting. Its opening line also surfaced in a trivia game the other day, so that’s more incentive to get literate and read it. However, one of the reasons it’s truly perfect to read at this age is because many of us feel like we’re constantly living in someone else’s shadow, and Rebecca addresses this in a very unique way.
Notable Spinoffs: Alfred Hitchcock’s 1940 movie, the 2020 remake with Lily James and Armie Hammer (before all the cannibal scandal came out).
#16: House of the Spirits
If you’ve watched Jane the Virgin (my favorite TV show ever!), chances are pretty good that you’ve heard of Isabel Allende’s most famous novel. It’s one that I’d argue should be taught in every classroom. It tells the story of a Latin American country and a very special family through three generations of women. With her beautiful writing, enthralling plot, and fabulous use of magical realism, this is seriously not one to miss. So often, we don’t get to read novels with this level of familial intimacy and depth, understanding of generations and history/politics, and Latin American voices in schools. Fix that easily–read this.
Notable Spinoffs: the movie with Meryl Streep; Violeta (not really a spinoff, but what I felt was Allende’s modern answer to her previous novel).
#17: To Kill a Mockingbird
Another high school classic that made our 21 classics list, and for good reason. This tells the tale of a time and a place and a story that many argue only continues today. A young girl and her entire town watch as her father defends a black man against unjust allegations in the 1930s South. Race, class, justice, and coming of age all feature prominently in this novel. In terms of American classics, this is definitely one that you don’t want to miss.
Notable Spinoffs: None, but Harper Lee did release a sequel in 2015 called Go Set a Watchman.
#18: The Alchemist
Paolo Coelho’s most famous novel easily makes our 21 classics list because it holds insight that a lot of us need to hear as we transition into the adult world. It’s a charming little tale about a shepherd boy traveling the world looking for treasure. On his journey, he learns about following his dreams and finding himself. It’s heartwarming and short, and honestly something that we all need to hear once in a while.
Notable Spinoffs: None.
#19: The Age of Innocence
The Gilded Age doesn’t get much attention, but Edith Wharton shines some light on the social conditions and how strict everything was. If you like forbidden love, brilliant settings, and insight into overlooked historical periods, this is for you.
Also, the movie is fantastic.
Notable Spinoffs: the movie with Winona Ryder.
#20: The Bell Jar
If you didn’t cover Sylvia Plath’s poetry in high school, you were missing out. The Bell Jar, a deeply moving semi-autobiographical novel about a woman’s mental health journey and coming of age, is so powerful to read at this stage of life. Painful at times, it’s an emotional, raw portrait that you don’t want to miss.
Notable Spinoffs: None.
#21: Anna Karenina
To conclude our list of 21 classics, we have what might be the longest one: Anna Karenina. I’ll admit that I didn’t love it when I initially read it, and it was hard to get through. If you see the size of the book, you’ll understand. However, its themes of expectations, society, progress, and change still appeal to modern audiences. Beyond that, there’s the idea of forbidden love and its repercussions. That’s something that romances don’t always cover, and it gives the book a very well-rounded feel.
Notable Spinoffs: Anna K: A Love Story (a YA retelling of Anna Karenina set in high society New York); the movie with Keira Knightley.
A Final Word
Even if you’re not the biggest reader, it’s incredibly helpful to be well-read. After all, isn’t that the point of an education? Books open up your mind to new ideas and perspectives, yes, but they also allow you to converse more fluently and impress people. As you saw by all of the spinoffs, these books still hold so much cultural relevance! Were there any other books that we should have added to our 21 classics? Let us know!
