Pride and Prejudice

Author: Jane Austen

Summary: A classic novel about the turbulent relationship between Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy, exploring themes of love, class, and reputation.

Time Period: 1813 - Present

Moby Dick

Author: Herman Melville

Summary: The epic tale of Captain Ahab's obsessive quest to hunt down the great white whale, Moby Dick, exploring themes of revenge and humanity's place in nature.

Time Period: 1851 - Present

War and Peace

Author: Leo Tolstoy

Summary: A sweeping narrative set during the Napoleonic Wars, delving into the lives of Russian aristocracy and the nature of fate and free will.

Time Period: 1869 - Present

1984

Author: George Orwell

Summary: A dystopian novel about a totalitarian regime that uses surveillance and control to suppress individuality and independent thought.

Time Period: 1949 - Present

Great Expectations

Author: Charles Dickens

Summary: The coming-of-age story of Pip, a young orphan who seeks fortune and navigates a world of social class, ambition, and betrayal.

Time Period: 1861 - Present

To Kill a Mockingbird

Author: Harper Lee

Summary: A powerful story about racial injustice and moral growth, narrated by young Scout Finch in the Deep South.

Time Period: 1960 - Present

The Great Gatsby

Author: F. Scott Fitzgerald

Summary: A portrayal of the American Jazz Age and the dark side of wealth and excess, focusing on Jay Gatsby's obsession with Daisy Buchanan.

Time Period: 1925 - Present

Crime and Punishment

Author: Fyodor Dostoevsky

Summary: This philosophical novel follows Raskolnikov, a young man driven by guilt and moral conflict after committing murder, exploring themes of crime, punishment, and redemption.

Time Period: 1866 - Present

The Catcher in the Rye

Author: J.D. Salinger

Summary: The novel explores adolescent rebellion and isolation through the story of Holden Caulfield, a teenager struggling to find his place in a world he finds superficial.

Time Period: 1951 - Present

Jane Eyre

Author: Charlotte Brontë

Summary: This coming-of-age story follows orphan Jane Eyre, who overcomes hardships to find independence, love, and a sense of belonging at Thornfield Hall with Mr. Rochester.

Time Period: 1847 - Present

The Odyssey

Author: Homer

Summary: An epic poem about Odysseus's ten-year journey home from the Trojan War, facing mythical creatures and gods as he longs to reunite with his family.

Time Period: 8th Century BC - Present

The Brothers Karamazov

Author: Fyodor Dostoevsky

Summary: A philosophical novel exploring faith, doubt, and the human condition through the complex relationships of the Karamazov family.

Time Period: 1880 - Present

Anna Karenina

Author: Leo Tolstoy

Summary: A tragic tale of love, family, and social conventions, centered on the doomed love affair between Anna Karenina and Count Vronsky, set against the backdrop of Russian society.

Time Period: 1877 - Present

Frankenstein

Author: Mary Shelley

Summary: This Gothic novel follows Victor Frankenstein, a scientist who creates a monstrous creature, exploring themes of ambition, responsibility, and the consequences of playing god.

Time Period: 1818 - Present

Wuthering Heights

Author: Emily Brontë

Summary: A dark tale of obsession, revenge, and doomed love, centered on the complex relationships between Heathcliff, Catherine, and the Earnshaw and Linton families.

Time Period: 1847 - Present

The Scarlet Letter

Author: Nathaniel Hawthorne

Summary: Set in Puritan Massachusetts, the story follows Hester Prynne, who bears a child out of wedlock and must face the judgment of her community, as well as her own internal struggles.

Time Period: 1850 - Present

Dracula

Author: Bram Stoker

Summary: This Gothic horror novel follows the vampire Count Dracula's attempt to move to England, and the ensuing struggle between him and a group led by Professor Van Helsing.

Time Period: 1897 - Present

Les Misérables

Author: Victor Hugo

Summary: A sweeping tale of love, redemption, and justice, set in post-revolutionary France, centering on the lives of characters like Jean Valjean and Inspector Javert.

Time Period: 1862 - Present

Madame Bovary

Author: Gustave Flaubert

Summary: This realist novel tells the story of Emma Bovary, a young woman trapped in a provincial life, whose pursuit of romance and luxury leads to her downfall.

Time Period: 1857 - Present

The Picture of Dorian Gray

Author: Oscar Wilde

Summary: This philosophical novel explores themes of vanity, moral corruption, and consequence through the story of Dorian Gray, a man who stays young while his portrait ages.

Time Period: 1890 - Present