What makes a book a classic? Ask any English teacher, and you’ll likely get an answer along the lines, “It’s the ones that stand the test of time,” or some other sentiment. Chris Cox noted in his 2009 blog post on The Guardian what he defines as classic literature:

There are two kinds of classic novels. The first are those we know we should have read, but probably haven’t. These are generally the books that make us burn with shame when they come up in conversation… The second kind, meanwhile, are those books that we’ve read five times, can quote from on any occasion, and annoyingly push on to other people with the words: “You have to read this. It’s a classic.”

While I would never book-shame any reader for what they do or do not read, there are certain pieces of literature that are just great reads. Ones that have helped build me as a person, and yes, ones that stand out amongst others as really great books. Sadly, the curated classical cannon often excludes works written by women, so I did a little digging to find some of the ones considered classics (both traditional and modern classics). These are books I quote often and annoyingly push on other people. 

Little Women–Louisa May Alcott
Probably one of the best known coming-of-age novels of all time, Alcott’s Little Women stands the test of time, to be sure. Following the lives of the four March sisters–Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy–readers experience how each of these young ladies encounters their loss of innocence and learns what it means to become a woman in society. Often we read this story to girls and little women in our own lives. This little tale was inspired by the author’s own life, which is probably why it is so relatable to so many. 

The Handmaid’s Tale–Margaret Atwood
Before becoming a hit series on Hulu, this dystopian novel hit the scene with its biting commentary. Reading like a diary, we get the perspective of the main character, Offred, a woman found guilty of trying to escape, along with her daughter and husband, from the military dictatorship known as the Republic of Gilead. Rather than sentencing Offred to prison, she is forced to become a “Handmaid”–a woman whose sole purpose is to bear the children of the “Commanders.” Atwood’s best-known work examines what can happen when society fails to heed the warning signs of oppression.

Jane Eyre–Charlotte Brontë
This work’s importance to the literary canon and how popular the novel has become puts this on the list. Brontë’s novel is part coming-of-age story, part romance that recounts the life of Jane Eyre, the title character. Jane, an orphan, overcomes being raised by her less-than-loving aunt and eventually finds work as a governess for Mr. Rochester–a man bearing secrets. Nevertheless, Jane and Mr. Rochester fall in love, and they both must come to terms with how they feel about each other. 

Kindred–Octavia Butler
Octavia Butler is probably best known for her science fiction, but this novel is the best in the magical realism genre. Kindred is the story of Dana, a black woman, who suddenly finds herself pulled into the past to save who she learns is her slave-owning great-great grandfather. Her dilemma is highlighted by the fact that she is pulled back to the past to save him over and over again, and she is only brought back to her present time when her own life is threatened, which turns out to be quite often in the slave-state 19th-century Maryland.

Middlemarch–George Eliot
Ok. Full disclosure, this one has been sitting on my TBR for a while. I just started it, but I already regret waiting this long to pick it up. The book gets its title from its setting, Middlemarch, a fictional English town. Like many Victorian novels, it follows multiple characters’ relationships and societal downfalls. Initial reviews upon publication were mixed, at best, but today, the work is considered one of the greatest novels in the English language, having been adapted multiple times for both the stage and television. 

Love Medicine–Louise Erdrich
Love Medicine, Erdrich’s first novel, follows the lives of three central families–the Kashpaws, the Lamartines, and the Morrisseys–and is set on fictional Ojibwe reservations. Each chapter is told from different characters’ points of view and follows a non-linear timeline. It blends Native American traditions with modern cultural influences and reads like an oral tradition. Erdrich seamlessly blends interconnected stories, dark and often sarcastic humor, and personal drama. 

The Diary of a Young Girl–Anne Frank
Most people are forced to read this work in school at some point, and if you haven’t, this is one of those books that everyone should read. It’s been published in more than 70 languages, including the original Dutch, as well as in English, and is considered one of the best autobiographies of the 20th century. Despite that, it can be found on the American Library Association’s most challenged books list. In case you haven’t read or heard of this book, it is the real compiled diary entries of a young Jewish girl–Anne Frank–chronicling her family’s life in hiding in Amsterdam during the Holocaust. It is a heartbreaking reminder that hope only floats when we work tirelessly to keep evil at bay. 

Their Eyes Were Watching God–Zora Neale Hurston
This book is touted as one of the most important pieces of literature from the 20th century. Set in the 1930s Jim Crow-era South, the story follows Janie Crawford’s self-discovery through trials and tragedy in a time when black women like herself struggled to survive, let alone thrive. 

Frankenstein–Mary Shelley
The most notable part of this work is the philosophical questions it raises, and it truly is one of the best first science fiction novels written. Written in letter form, we get the first-hand accounts of Robert Walton–an explorer who happens upon our main character; Victor Frankenstein–a scientist who experiments with life and death; and of course, the nameless creature Frankenstein creates. In the end, Shelley forces us to examine what truly makes a monster. 

The Color Purple–Alice Walker
The novel is told from the main character Celie’s point of view through letters to God. To say Celie has it rough would be the understatement of the century. Nevertheless, Celie finds her place within the world and the confidence within herself, finding love along the way. This book is a wild ride that ends sweetly but not saccharinely, with closure enough to be satisfying without closing off possibilities for the characters.