Home › Best Books › Classics · Updated October 2026Share
The 10 Best Classic Novels of All Time
Classic novels earn the name by being read generation after generation. These ten classics are not just famous, they are still selling strongly today, helped by school reading lists, new translations and new film and TV adaptations. Some are short enough for a weekend, others are long, rewarding reading projects.
Animal Farm#1Animal Farm
by George Orwell · first published 1945
Why it is on the list: A top-two US backlist bestseller of 2025 on BookScan, and a Modern Library and TIME all-time pick.
The animals of an English farm overthrow their human owner and promise a fair society, but power slowly changes their new leaders. A short, sharp fable about politics and propaganda that readers of any age can finish in an evening.
Evidence and sources
- No. 2 on the top 10 best-selling backlist books of 2025 per BookScan data (Book Riot, Dec 2025) (source)
- Ranked No. 31 on Modern Library's 100 Best Novels (source)
- Included in TIME's All-TIME 100 Novels (source)
- Ranked No. 46 in BBC's The Big Read (source)
- Signet Classics edition ISBN 9780451526342 (source)
Of Mice and Men#2Of Mice and Men
by John Steinbeck · first published 1937
Why it is on the list: A 2025 BookScan top-10 backlist bestseller and still one of America's most assigned classroom novels.
Two drifting farmworkers in Depression-era California share a dream of one day owning a small piece of land. A brief, moving story of friendship and hope that many readers first meet in school and return to as adults.
Evidence and sources
- No. 10 on the top 10 best-selling backlist books of 2025 per BookScan data (Book Riot, Dec 2025) (source)
- Named among the top 10 most-assigned texts in a recent NCTE survey of 4,000+ US teachers (Harvard Gazette, Aug 2025) (source)
- Ranked No. 52 in BBC's The Big Read (source)
- Penguin Books edition ISBN 9780140177398 (source)
The Great Gatsby#3The Great Gatsby
by F. Scott Fitzgerald · first published 1925
Why it is on the list: Still a top-10 most-assigned US school novel in 2025, and No. 2 on Modern Library's list.
A young Midwesterner in 1920s Long Island is drawn into the glittering world of his mysterious, wealthy neighbour and the woman he longs for. A short, elegant read for anyone curious about the Jazz Age and the American Dream.
Evidence and sources
- Named among the top 10 most-assigned texts in a recent NCTE survey of 4,000+ US teachers (Harvard Gazette, Aug 2025) (source)
- Tagged 'Best seller' in Walmart's Adult Fiction Top 100 (viewed Oct 2026) (source)
- Reported in early 2020 to sell about 500,000 copies a year (source)
- Ranked No. 2 on the Modern Library board's 100 Best Novels (source)
- Included in TIME's All-TIME 100 Novels (source)
- Included in Library of Congress Books That Shaped America (2012) (source)
- Ranked No. 15 in PBS's The Great American Read (source)
- Scribner edition ISBN 9780743273565 (source)
East of Eden#4East of Eden
by John Steinbeck · first published 1952
Why it is on the list: Sales up nearly 200% and No. 1 on Amazon in 2026 ahead of Netflix's Florence Pugh series.
Two farming families in California's Salinas Valley repeat, across generations, an age-old story of brothers, rivalry and the freedom to choose good. Steinbeck's sweeping family saga, rich in character and moral questions.
Evidence and sources
- Penguin Classics reports sales up nearly 200% across formats, a No. 1 Amazon ranking and 25 reprints this year (Netflix, Oct 2026) (source)
- Ranked No. 133 in BBC's The Big Read top 200 (source)
- Oprah's Book Club pick (2003); sells about 50,000 copies a year (source)
- Penguin Steinbeck Centennial edition ISBN 9780142004234 (source)
The Odyssey#5The Odyssey
by Homer (tr. Emily Wilson) · first published c. 8th century BC
Why it is on the list: Emily Wilson's translation passed one million US copies and hit Amazon's top three during Nolan's 2026 film.
After the Trojan War, the hero Odysseus spends ten years battling monsters, gods and temptation on his journey home, while his wife and son hold out against greedy suitors. Wilson's clear, modern verse makes the ancient adventure easy to read.
Evidence and sources
- Norton reports more than 1 million US copies sold of Wilson's translation, paperback sales up nearly 40%, and No. 3 on Amazon (PhillyVoice, July 2026) (source)
- Circana BookScan: US sales of the Odyssey up 76% since the start of 2026 (Euronews, July 2026) (source)
- W. W. Norton edition, translated by Emily Wilson, ISBN 9780393356250 (source)
Crime and Punishment#6Crime and Punishment
by Fyodor Dostoevsky · first published 1866
Why it is on the list: A ThriftBooks world-literature bestseller and one of 2025's most-searched classics amid a Dostoevsky revival.
A poor former student in St Petersburg convinces himself that a terrible act can be justified, then wrestles with guilt and a clever investigator. A tense psychological novel for readers who like moral questions.
Evidence and sources
- Listed first in ThriftBooks' World Literature 'Bestsellers' (viewed Oct 2026) (source)
- Among the 12 classics with the most Google search interest in 2025 (PureWow) (source)
- Ranked No. 60 in BBC's The Big Read (source)
- Ranked No. 64 in The Great American Read (source)
- Vintage Classics edition ISBN 9780679734505 (source)
The Grapes of Wrath#7The Grapes of Wrath
by John Steinbeck · first published 1939
Why it is on the list: On Penguin Random House's current Classics bestseller list; Pulitzer winner and Modern Library top-10 novel.
A family of Oklahoma tenant farmers loses its land in the Dust Bowl and heads west toward the promise of work in California. Ideal for readers who like big, humane stories about hardship, family and American history.
Evidence and sources
- On Penguin Random House's Classics Best Sellers list (viewed Oct 2026) (source)
- Won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1940 (source)
- Ranked No. 10 on Modern Library's 100 Best Novels (source)
- Included in TIME's All-TIME 100 Novels (source)
- Ranked No. 12 in The Great American Read (source)
- Penguin Books edition ISBN 9780143039433 (source)
Anna Karenina#8Anna Karenina
by Leo Tolstoy · first published 1878
Why it is on the list: A current Penguin Random House and ThriftBooks classics bestseller; No. 54 in BBC's Big Read.
A glamorous Russian aristocrat risks everything for love, while a thoughtful landowner searches for meaning in family and farm life. Tolstoy's great novel of society, passion and happiness, in a highly readable modern translation.
Evidence and sources
The Count of Monte Cristo#9The Count of Monte Cristo
by Alexandre Dumas · first published 1844
Why it is on the list: Back in the spotlight after the 2024 hit film; No. 44 in BBC's Big Read, No. 41 PBS.
A young sailor is wrongly imprisoned on his wedding day, escapes years later with a hidden fortune, and returns to Paris under a new name to settle scores. A page-turning adventure of patience, revenge and justice.
Evidence and sources
- The 2024 film, released in US cinemas in Dec 2024, grossed about $100 million worldwide (source)
- The novel sold over 62,000 copies in France in a few weeks after the film, about ten times usual sales (Fnac, July 2024) (source)
- Ranked No. 44 in BBC's The Big Read (source)
- Ranked No. 41 in The Great American Read (source)
- Penguin Classics (Robin Buss) edition ISBN 9780140449266 (source)
War and Peace#10War and Peace
by Leo Tolstoy · first published 1869
Why it is on the list: Still a ThriftBooks world-literature bestseller; No. 20 in BBC's Big Read, No. 50 in PBS's poll.
Several aristocratic Russian families live through love, ambition and the Napoleonic invasion of their country. A vast, absorbing epic for readers ready to commit to a true reading project.
Evidence and sources
Frequently asked questions
What is the best classic novel of all time?
On our list it is Animal Farm by George Orwell. A top-two US backlist bestseller of 2025 on BookScan, and a Modern Library and TIME all-time pick.
Which classic novel should I read first?
Start with the top three: Animal Farm, Of Mice and Men and The Great Gatsby. They are the most popular books in this genre right now, and each one is a good way into the rest of the list.
Are these books still popular today?
Yes. Every book here has evidence of strong sales or readership from the last few years, which you can see under “Evidence and sources” on each book. That is the main difference between this list and lists that only look back at history.
How often is this list updated?
We review it about once a month against current bestseller charts and change a book only when the evidence clearly changes.
Apart from this list, see the books we love most, hand-picked by QuickOnlineTips.
How we chose these books
1. Still selling and read today
Every book shows current demand from roughly the last three years: Audible best-seller charts (Audible is owned by Amazon), US independent bookstore bestseller lists from the American Booksellers Association, Publishers Weekly and Circana BookScan sales figures, and similar charts. Old books that nobody buys any more do not make the cut.
2. A proven track record
Every book has a strong record behind it: very large sales, a major award (such as the Pulitzer, Booker, Newbery or Hugo), a place on a respected list (such as the Modern Library 100, TIME 100 or the BBC Big Read), or a big recent hit with a film or TV version. A book does not have to be old: new bestsellers can join as soon as the evidence is there.
3. Written for adult readers
This is a list for grown-up readers, so some books include mature or steamy scenes, and some deal with hard themes such as war, crime, abuse or loss. For younger readers, see the Children's and Young Adult pages.
Within each genre, books are ranked with current popularity weighted most, then lasting reputation. We review the list about once a month and swap a book only when the evidence clearly changes.
Book covers: Open Library. Links to each book go to Amazon. Last reviewed: October 2026.
More of the best books of all time
See the full 200 best books of all time list, or explore more fiction genres: Literary Fiction Books, Historical Fiction Books, Romance Novels, Children's Books, Mystery and Thriller Books, Science Fiction Books, Fantasy Books, Horror Books, Young Adult Books.
Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, QuickOnlineTips earns from qualifying purchases.
