I recently completed my second Classics Club list (which I wrote about last week) and am now ready to post a new one. For any of you who are not familiar with the Classics Club, the idea is to make a list of at least fifty classics and read them within a five year time period. In reality, both my first and second lists took longer than that, but five years is the aim!
As I’ve already included a lot of the better known classics on my first two lists, I’ve had to search slightly harder for books to put on this one and a lot of these are lesser known titles by classic authors. You may be questioning whether some of them are really classics, but the rules of the Classics Club allow us to define classics in any way we choose, as long as the book is at least twenty-five years old. I’ve mostly avoided re-reads apart from the two Shakespeare plays – I chose those two because I have some modern retellings on the TBR and thought it would be interesting to re-read the original play first.
Here’s my list of 50 books with an estimated finish date of 16th January 2031:
1. Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradbury
2. The Baron in the Trees by Italo Calvino
3. Shadows on the Rock by Willa Cather
4. The Evil Genius by Wilkie Collins
5. Little Dorrit by Charles Dickens
6. The Old Curiosity Shop by Charles Dickens
7. The Women’s War by Alexandre Dumas
8. Iron Gustav by Hans Fallada
9. The Dancing Bear by Frances Faviell
10. A Harp in Lowndes Square by Rachel Ferguson
11. Mary Barton by Elizabeth Gaskell
12. Brighton Rock by Graham Greene
13. The Hand of Ethelberta by Thomas Hardy
14. The Go-Between by L.P. Hartley
15. The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne
16. The Talented Mr Ripley by Patricia Highsmith
17. The Bamboo Blonde by Dorothy B. Hughes
18. The Sundial by Shirley Jackson
19. Day of the Arrow by Philip Loraine
20. The Moon and Sixpence by W Somerset Maugham
21. The Blue Castle by LM Montgomery
22. The Black Prince by Iris Murdoch
23. Lord Tony’s Wife by Baroness Orczy
24. Down and Out in Paris and London by George Orwell
25. No Fond Return of Love by Barbara Pym
26. The Persian Boy by Mary Renault
27. The Circular Staircase by Mary Roberts Rinehart
28. The Marquis of Carabas by Rafael Sabatini
29. The Hearth and Eagle by Anya Seton
30. Othello by William Shakespeare
31. King Lear by William Shakespeare
32. The Fortnight in September by R.C. Sherriff
33. A Town Like Alice by Nevil Shute
34. The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie by Muriel Spark
35. The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
36. Travels with a Donkey in the Cevennes by Robert Louis Stevenson
37. My Brother Michael by Mary Stewart
38. Judith by Noel Streatfeild
39. The Lantern Bearers by Rosemary Sutcliff
40. Mrs Palfrey at the Claremont by Elizabeth Taylor
41. Brat Farrar by Josephine Tey
42. The Duke’s Children by Anthony Trollope
43. The Way We Live Now by Anthony Trollope
44. Lolly Willowes by Sylvia Townsend Warner
45. The War of the Worlds by HG Wells
46. The Rose and the Yew Tree by Mary Westmacott
47. A Woman of No Importance by Oscar Wilde
48. The Kraken Wakes by John Wyndham
49. Trouble With Lichen by John Wyndham
50. La Curée by Émile Zola
I’m looking forward to getting started with this, but I do have a question for those of you who are Classics Club members. I’m sure I’ll want to read other classics that I haven’t included here, so what do you usually do in that situation? Do you replace one of the titles on your list or do you just read it in addition to the listed titles? With my previous lists, I’ve swapped out a few books but have mainly just read lots of extra ones that weren’t listed. How much swapping do the rest of you tend to do? Maybe that’s why I never seem to finish within five years!
Have you read any of these books? What should I read first?
She Reads Novels 
That’s such an interesting list, and your question about swapping titles out is a good one. I don’t know if there are ‘rules’ with the Classics Club, but I would personally want to swap sometimes!
I’m sure the rules allow us to swap titles out, but I’ve never fully taken advantage of that in the past. It would make things a lot easier!
This is a great list! Many favourites here: Dandelion Wine and The Baron in the Trees are both charming and bittersweet; Willa Cather is criminally underread in Britain but a brilliant writer, and Shadows on the Rock seems like a fascinating historical novel; two great Dickens picks; Othello, my favourite Shakespeare tragedy!!; and two great Trollopes, though The Duke’s Children was a bit more of a slog for me than the other Palliser novels and I haven’t reread it yet. I participated in the Classics Club a long time ago (never really finished, though it doesn’t much matter as I like reading classics anyway), and my understanding was that swaps were absolutely allowed.
I’m glad you’ve enjoyed so many of these! I agree that Willa Cather deserves to be more widely read – I’ve liked everything I’ve read by her so far and I’m hoping Shadows on the Rock will be another good one. I read all of the other Palliser novels a few years ago, but for some reason never got round to The Duke’s Children, so I want to finish the series before I move on to Trollope’s standalones.
I can most definitely recommend ‘A Town Like Alice’ by Nevil Shute!
That’s one that I’m particularly looking forward to reading!
yes i read this last year and loved it
I love The Go-Between. It was one of my GCSE set texts: having to “do” books at school usually puts you off them, but everyone enjoyed it.
I’m pleased to hear that as I put it on my list without really knowing much about it. And yes, it’s rare for everyone to enjoy a GCSE text!
There are some fun ones here — and one of the few Wilde’s I’ve not read or seen performed. The only one I’ve read is Scarlet Letter (I think), but it’s been so long since I DID read it I remember nearly nothing about it.
I read my first list straight through; on my second list, I made a replacement after my library’s copy of Plutarch’s LIVES was stolen and all replacements were double the size. (Evidently we had an abridged version — I’ve come to realize that Plutarch’s LIVES material is often ‘remixed’, with the lives sometimes being seperated into Greek and Roman volumes, and sometimes presented in parallel as he intended.) I also didn’t read anything from it in 2025 so I declared that year a mulligan and am hoping to finish list 2 this year.
I don’t often read plays, but loved The Importance of Being Earnest so I thought I’d put another of Wilde’s on my list. I’m looking forward to The Scarlet Letter too.
Good luck with finishing your list this year!
Very fun classics list! I had to read The Scarlett Letter in high school and liked it; Hester Prynne is one tough lady. And I absolutely LOVE A Town Like Alice and The Blue Castle. (I’m actually rereading The Blue Castle right now.) Dandelion Wine is another favorite of mine. And The Moon and Sixpence is the first book by Maugham that I ever read…and still a fav. And I like Steinbeck’s writing…but oh, The Grapes of Wrath is sad…the Joad’s life is just so depressing. Still, I’m glad I read it. Happy reading all of these! 😀
Thanks! I’m glad you loved some of these books. A Town Like Alice and The Blue Castle are two that I’m particularly looking forward to. I liked East of Eden by Steinbeck, so I’m hoping I’ll also like The Grapes of Wrath, despite the sadness!
Some of my favourite classics are on your list, Brighton Rock and the Go-Between and a Fortnight in September included. I have swapped a couple of titles in my second list (I don’t think I had the confidence with my first list!), if it’s been a particularly good read for example, such as Lolly Willowes recently (I swapped it with the Muriel Spark which I’ll read anyway) or now that I’m reading this Danish chunkster for the Review-a-long, that can take the place of an existing doorstopper! Also sometimes it’s the author I want to read more than a particular title so the one listed might change (I’m not sure which Graham Greene to read yet). Anyway, I hope you have lots of great reads and you’ve reminded me that I should put some Shakespeare on my next list.
I’m glad some of these books are favourites of yours! I’m particularly looking forward to Brighton Rock as I had mixed feelings about the only other Graham Greene book I’ve read, The End of the Affair, so I’m hoping I’ll get on better with that one.
This is a terrific list! I’ve read a few, want to read others and you have a few I haven’t heard of.
I’ve only ever swapped a few books out, usually just submit a review of extra books without including them in my list.
Yes, I usually review extra books without including them in my list too. I was just curious to know what other people do!
That’s an interesting list. I have read #3, 5, 5, 9, 10, 12, 14, 15, 16, 20, 22. 26. 27. 30. 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, and 44. Some of these I’m not sure of, I just think I have. Long in the past. Of course, I love anything by Mary Stewart, and I really liked The Moon and Sixpence (in fact, I was put off by Of Human Bondage so much that I refused to read any Maugham for years until I read this), and The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie and A Town Like Alice are awfully good. I also love Little Dorrit but must confess that I think Dickens does a horrible job with women, and a girl/woman is the main character here. They are always just sweet and submissive and loyal unless they are caricatures. I see there is a Thomas Hardy that I haven’t read! Must add that to my list I’m keeping for my next CC list.
I’m impressed that you’ve read so many of these! I thought about putting Of Human Bondage on the list, but went with The Moon and Sixpence instead – it sounds like that was the right decision! I agree that Dickens doesn’t usually do a good job with his female characters, but I only have a few of his books left to read and Little Dorrit is one of them.
She’s okay. I still like the book.
I have not read Dancing Bear but loved Frances Faviell’s Chelsea Concerto. The Blue Castle is wonderful!! I read it a year or two ago–just a wonderful book. Fortnight in September!!! Just amazing. The Prime of Miss Jean Brody!! Wonderful. A Town Like Alice!! So good. Persian Boy, The Scaret Letter, No Fond Return on Love, all good. Trollope is wonderful. Brat Farrar–“fine” but not in the class with the others. You can have the Grapes of Wrath but my opinion is not that of the majority! SUPERB list!
I enjoyed Chelsea Concerto too and I’ve heard that Dancing Bear is just as good. I’m pleased to hear you loved some of the other books on my list!
I’m someone who likes to stick to lists so wouldn’t swap even if it was allowed. Stubborn, unrealistic, perverse…. choose your adjective.
Loads of interesting ones on your list but ones I’ve read include A Town Like Alice, Little Dorrit and Mrs Palfrey at the Claremont.
I mostly stick to my lists too, but have swapped a few books in the past if I’ve completely gone off the idea of reading them.
Great list! I keep adding other titles, and last time, after 5 years, I read 94 titles (but not all of the original 50), this time I am also adding, and whenever I reach 50, I will call it a day and start anew (and the new list may have some of those I didn’t read)
In other words, some times I go to the list to see what titles I thought when I made it, others, I am reading a book for other reasons and it ends up being a classic, and I insert it chronologically in my list and count it towards the goal. (The only reason why I don’t swap is because I don’t want to forget about possible titles)
That sounds like a good plan. I read a lot more than 50 classics in the last 5 years too, but didn’t count them towards the goal. I like the idea of adding them into your list and starting a new one when you reach 50!
And I have read 1,2, 34 and 40 and like them all so much, especially 1, and 2!
I’m glad to hear you like 1 and 2 so much! I’m looking forward to reading both of those.
Good luck with your new Classic Clubs list. My goal as someone new to the genre is to read five this year so fifty over five would probably be more than I could manage. One of mine is also a Shirley Jackson title though. And I’d especially like to try something by Ray Bradbury, Mary Renault & HG Wells. Hopefully some others will catch my eye via your reviews too 😊
I think five classics in a year sounds like a more manageable goal to start off with. Good luck with it! I have only read Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury so far, but really enjoyed it. I can recommend Mary Renault’s Theseus retellings, The King Must Die and The Bull from the Sea, and for Wells I enjoyed The Time Machine and The Island of Doctor Moreau.
Thank you. I have Something Wicked This Way Comes on my TBR, although I was a little thrown to see it listed as the second in a series 🤔 The Theseus retellings are definitely where I am to start with her books as I adore those kind of retellings. And I hadn’t considered The Island Of Doctor Moreau but I really should tbh. Ive already read two retellings of the tale after all 😂
A wonderful list of titles, Helen, some of which I’ve read and a few I hope to get to quite soon. I have copies of The Scarlet Letter and Trouble With Lichen for example, but I’ve also enjoyed The Talented Mr Ripley, Lolly Willowes, The War of the Worlds and The Kraken Wakes; however, I’ve always regretted discarding the Robert Louis Stevenson in a house move. Good luck with all of these!
Thank you! It’s good to know that you’ve enjoyed some of these. I’m looking forward to making a start.
This is a great list, Helen. Remarkably, I’ve read 10 of these. And enjoyed all of them. Good luck!
Thanks! I’m glad you’ve enjoyed so many of these books. I’m looking forward to reading them.
i absolutely love john wyndham so i would say start there. My favourite of his is The Chrysalids
I’ve enjoyed everything I’ve read by John Wyndham so far. My favourites are The Midwich Cuckoos and Chocky. I’ll definitely be reading one of the two Wyndhams on my new list soon!
Great list! I’ve only read a handful of them, but standouts would be The Go-Between, Brighton Rock (though it seems to be quite divisive), The Way We Live Now and The Scarlet Letter. But there are lots of other goodies (Wyndham, Dickens, etc) and loads that I haven’t read but look tempting. Enjoy!
Your recent reviews of The Way We Live Now and The Scarlet Letter encouraged me to put those two on the list! I’m glad you enjoyed some of the other books as well.
I swap books in and out all the time to account for readalongs I suddenly join or anniversaries that I want to honour or new editions that I’ve bought and are too tempting….
I have now created a cc tbr list that has all my spare classics, so I can swap books between the lists easier whenever I need to. But it’s what we works best for you.
I love the idea of having a TBR list for your ‘spare’ classics! Maybe I’ll try something similar, as I don’t want to forget about books I previously wanted to read but have swapped out for something else.
Hello Helen, looks like a great new list! I loved Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradbury and Little Dorrit by Charles Dickens, and I enjoyed The War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells. So I can recommend starting with one of them. Happy reading! Blessings, Jessica 💌
Thank you! I’m glad you enjoyed some of those books and I’ll definitely consider starting with one of them. Otherwise I might wait for the next Spin and have one picked at random.