# Best Classic Books Everyone Should Read at Least Once **By Sana Shafique** · 2026-07-15 The [best classic books](https://somiibooks.com/ "best classic books") to read first are accessible, memorable, and still widely discussed today. Start with Harper Lee for justice and empathy, J.R.R. Tolkien for fantasy world-building, C.S. Lewis for children’s fantasy, and Emily Brontë for Gothic emotion and complex relationships. ## Why Classic Books Still Matter [Classic books](https://somiibooks.com/collections/classic-books "best classic books") are not only old books. They are stories that continue to shape reading habits, school discussions, film adaptations, and modern fiction. Penguin’s classics list highlights how readers still look for timeless books across romance, fantasy, historical fiction, and social drama. For readers browsing [](https://somiibooks.com/collections/classic-books "best classic books") [**literature classic novels**](https://somiibooks.com/collections/classic-books "best classic books"), Somii Books offers a helpful place to explore classic fiction, fantasy books, and related English classics books in one place. ## 5 Good Classic Books to Read First Book Author Best For [_To Kill a Mockingbird_](https://somiibooks.com/products/to-kill-a-mockingbird?_pos=1&_psq=To+Kill+a+Mockingbird+by+Harper+Lee&_ss=e&_v=1.0) Harper Lee Justice, empathy, moral courage [_The Hobbit_](https://somiibooks.com/products/the-hobbit-the-classic-bestselling-fantasy-novel?_pos=1&_sid=b9c23f0c6&_ss=r)[](https://somiibooks.com/products/the-hobbit-the-lord-of-the-rings-boxed-set-illustrated-edition?_pos=1&_psq=The+Lord+of+the+Rings&_ss=e&_v=1.0) J.R.R. Tolkien Beginner-friendly fantasy [_The Lord of the Rings_](https://somiibooks.com/products/the-hobbit-the-lord-of-the-rings-boxed-set-illustrated-edition?_pos=1&_psq=The+Lord+of+the+Rings&_ss=e&_v=1.0) J.R.R. Tolkien Epic fantasy and adventure [_The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe_](https://somiibooks.com/products/the-lion-the-witch-and-the-wardrobe-1?_pos=1&_psq=The+Lion%2C+the+Witch+and+the+Wardrobe&_ss=e&_v=1.0) C.S. Lewis Children’s fantasy and imagination [_Wuthering Heights_](https://somiibooks.com/products/wuthering-heights?_pos=1&_psq=Wuthering+Heights+Emily+Bronte&_ss=e&_v=1.0) Emily Brontë Gothic fiction and emotional intensity ### 1\. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee Harper Lee’s _T[o Kill a Mockingbird](https://somiibooks.com/products/to-kill-a-mockingbird?_pos=1&_psq=To+Kill+a+Mockingbird+by+Harper+Lee&_ss=e&_v=1.0)_ [](https://somiibooks.com/products/to-kill-a-mockingbird?_pos=1&_psq=To+Kill+a+Mockingbird+by+Harper+Lee&_ss=e&_v=1.0)is a 1960 [fictional novel](https://somiibooks.com/collections/fiction-books "classic novel") set in the fictional town of Maycomb, Alabama, during the Great Depression. It follows Scout Finch as she learns about empathy, prejudice, justice, and moral responsibility through her father Atticus Finch’s example. This is one of the best classic books for readers who want a powerful story with clear emotional and ethical themes. ### 2\. The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien [_The Hobbit_](https://somiibooks.com/products/the-hobbit-the-classic-bestselling-fantasy-novel?_pos=1&_sid=b9c23f0c6&_ss=r) is a strong starting point for readers new to literary classics books and fantasy. Britannica describes it as the story of Bilbo Baggins’s growth from comfort-loving hobbit to a braver figure who acts for the greater good. It is shorter and easier to enter than _The Lord of the Rings_, making it one of the most good classic books for younger readers, fantasy fans, and adults returning to reading. ### 3\. The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien _T[he Lord of the Rings](https://somiibooks.com/products/the-hobbit-the-lord-of-the-rings-boxed-set-illustrated-edition?_pos=1&_psq=The+Lord+of+the+Rings&_ss=e&_v=1.0)_ was originally published in three parts between 1954 and 1955. It expands Tolkien’s Middle-earth into a richer story of friendship, sacrifice, power, courage, and temptation. For readers searching for classics novels to read with deep world-building, this is essential. Read _The Hobbit_ first if you want the smoothest path into Tolkien’s universe. ### 4\. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis C.S. Lewis’s [_The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe_](https://somiibooks.com/products/the-lion-the-witch-and-the-wardrobe-1?_pos=1&_psq=The+Lion%2C+the+Witch+and+the+Wardrobe&_ss=e&_v=1.0) was published in 1950 and became one of the best-known children’s fantasy novels. Its world of Narnia, the White Witch, Aslan, and the Pevensie children makes it ideal for family reading and young readers beginning with English classics books. ### 5\. Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë Emily Brontë’s [_Wuthering Heights_](https://somiibooks.com/products/wuthering-heights?_pos=1&_psq=Wuthering+Heights+Emily+Bronte&_ss=e&_v=1.0) was published in 1847 under the pseudonym Ellis Bell and is her only novel. It blends romance, realism, and Gothic fiction, with the Yorkshire moors becoming a powerful part of the atmosphere. This is best for readers who enjoy darker literature classic novels about obsession, revenge, class, and emotional conflict. ## How to Choose the Right Classic Book If you are new to classics, do not start with the longest book first. Choose by mood: - Want moral drama? Read [_To Kill a Mockingbird_](https://somiibooks.com/products/to-kill-a-mockingbird?_pos=1&_psq=To+Kill+a+Mockingbird+by+Harper+Lee&_ss=e&_v=1.0). - Want adventure? Read [_The Hobbit_](https://somiibooks.com/products/the-hobbit-the-classic-bestselling-fantasy-novel?_pos=1&_sid=b9c23f0c6&_ss=r). - Want epic fantasy? Read [_The Lord of the Rings_](https://somiibooks.com/products/the-hobbit-the-lord-of-the-rings-boxed-set-illustrated-edition?_pos=1&_psq=The+Lord+of+the+Rings&_ss=e&_v=1.0). - Want family-friendly fantasy? Read [_The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe_](https://somiibooks.com/products/the-lion-the-witch-and-the-wardrobe-1?_pos=1&_psq=The+Lion%2C+the+Witch+and+the+Wardrobe&_ss=e&_v=1.0). - Want Gothic intensity? Read [_Wuthering Heights_](https://somiibooks.com/products/wuthering-heights?_pos=1&_psq=Wuthering+Heights+Emily+Bronte&_ss=e&_v=1.0). ## Conclusion The [**best classic books**](https://somiibooks.com/collections/classic-books "best classic books") are worth reading because they make old questions feel alive again: What is courage? What is justice? What does love become when it turns destructive? Start with one book that matches your mood, then explore more literary classics books through Somii Books’ classic fiction collection. **Tags:** best classic books, books everyone should read, classic books, classic fiction, classic novels, classics novels to read, english classics books, famous classic books, good classic books, iterary classics books, literature classic novels, must read classics, timeless books, UK book readers --- > Source: [Somiibooks](https://somiibooks.com/blogs/news/best-classic-books-everyone-should-read-at-least-once)