Published: Nov 12, 2024
Last Updated: May 17, 2025 12:40 PM

Books To READ: Must-Read Indian and International Classics

Books To READ: Must-Read Indian and International Classics
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Here's a Listing of Must-read Books With Their Genres and a Brief

Book Title Author Genre Description
To Kill a Mockingbird Harper Lee Fiction A story of racial injustice and moral growth in the American South.
1984 George Orwell Dystopian Fiction A dystopian world where totalitarianism controls every aspect of life.
Pride and Prejudice Jane Austen Romance A tale of love and social dynamics in Regency-era England.
The Great Gatsby F. Scott Fitzgerald Fiction A portrayal of the American Dream through the mysterious Jay Gatsby.
Moby Dick Herman Melville Adventure A sailor’s epic journey to capture the elusive white whale.
War and Peace Leo Tolstoy Historical Fiction A sweeping novel set against the backdrop of the Napoleonic Wars in Russia.
The Catcher in the Rye J.D. Salinger Fiction A teenager's search for identity in post-war New York.
The Lord of the Rings J.R.R. Tolkien Fantasy An epic fantasy adventure through Middle-earth.
Jane Eyre Charlotte Brontë Romance A governess's journey of love, independence, and resilience.
Animal Farm George Orwell Allegory A satirical take on totalitarianism and revolution.
Brave New World Aldous Huxley Dystopian Fiction A vision of a future society driven by technological control and artificial happiness.
Wuthering Heights Emily Brontë Romance A dark tale of passion, revenge, and tragedy on the Yorkshire moors.
The Grapes of Wrath John Steinbeck Fiction A family’s struggle during the Great Depression in America.
Crime and Punishment Fyodor Dostoevsky Psychological Fiction A deep exploration of guilt and redemption.
The Odyssey Homer Epic An ancient Greek hero's long journey home from war.
The Brothers Karamazov Fyodor Dostoevsky Fiction A philosophical novel of faith, family, and free will.
Little Women Louisa May Alcott Fiction The coming-of-age story of four sisters in 19th-century America.
Ulysses James Joyce Modernist Fiction A dense, stream-of-consciousness novel set in a single day in Dublin.
Anna Karenina Leo Tolstoy Romance A tragic love affair set in Russian high society.
A Tale of Two Cities Charles Dickens Historical Fiction A gripping story of sacrifice and love during the French Revolution.
Great Expectations Charles Dickens Fiction The story of an orphan’s rise and fall in Victorian England.
The Picture of Dorian Gray Oscar Wilde Gothic Fiction A man’s descent into moral decay as he remains forever youthful.
The Divine Comedy Dante Alighieri Epic Poetry A journey through Hell, Purgatory, and Heaven.
One Hundred Years of Solitude Gabriel Garcia Marquez Magical Realism The story of the Buendía family in a mythical town.
In Search of Lost Time Marcel Proust Fiction A profound reflection on memory and time.
The Hobbit J.R.R. Tolkien Fantasy A small creature’s adventure to a far-off mountain and a hoard of treasure.
Slaughterhouse-Five Kurt Vonnegut Science Fiction A satire on war through the eyes of a time-traveling soldier.
Catch-22 Joseph Heller Satire The absurdity of war through a bureaucratic lens.
Beloved Toni Morrison Historical Fiction A haunting tale of slavery’s legacy on one woman’s life.
The Alchemist Paulo Coelho Fiction A fable about following one’s dreams and discovering oneself.
Fahrenheit 451 Ray Bradbury Dystopian Fiction A future where books are banned and “firemen” burn them.
Maus Art Spiegelman Graphic Novel A graphic novel recounting the Holocaust through anthropomorphized animals.
Frankenstein Mary Shelley Gothic Fiction A scientist creates a monster, leading to unforeseen consequences.
The Sound and the Fury William Faulkner Southern Gothic A complex narrative exploring a Southern family’s decline.
Dracula Bram Stoker Gothic Horror The story of Count Dracula’s attempt to spread vampirism.
Lolita Vladimir Nabokov Fiction A controversial tale of obsession and manipulation.
The Old Man and the Sea Ernest Hemingway Fiction An aging fisherman’s struggle to catch a giant fish.
The Road Cormac McCarthy Post-Apocalyptic A father and son’s survival journey in a post-apocalyptic world.
Middlemarch George Eliot Fiction An intricate portrait of life in a provincial English town.
The Count of Monte Cristo Alexandre Dumas Adventure A story of betrayal, revenge, and redemption.
A Clockwork Orange Anthony Burgess Dystopian Fiction A dark vision of juvenile delinquency and state control.
Gone with the Wind Margaret Mitchell Historical Fiction A romance set during the American Civil War and Reconstruction.
The Kite Runner Khaled Hosseini Fiction A story of friendship, betrayal, and redemption in Afghanistan.
The Name of the Rose Umberto Eco Mystery A medieval murder mystery set in a monastery.
The Shining Stephen King Horror A haunted hotel brings out a man’s darkest impulses.
Rebecca Daphne du Maurier Gothic Fiction A young bride confronts the secrets of her husband’s first wife.
The Secret Garden Frances Hodgson Burnett Children’s Fiction A young girl discovers a hidden garden and heals through it.
A Wrinkle in Time Madeleine L'Engle Science Fiction A young girl embarks on an interstellar quest to find her father.
The Little Prince Antoine de Saint-Exupéry Fable A child’s exploration of the adult world’s follies.
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland Lewis Carroll Fantasy A girl’s whimsical journey down the rabbit hole.
The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle Haruki Murakami Magical Realism A man’s surreal journey to find his missing wife.
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy Douglas Adams Science Fiction A humorous space adventure following the only human survivor of Earth's destruction.
To the Lighthouse Virginia Woolf Modernist Fiction A family's fragmented visit to a lighthouse reflects deep internal lives.
The Bell Jar Sylvia Plath Fiction A young woman’s descent into mental illness.
The Book Thief Markus Zusak Historical Fiction A girl’s story of resilience during Nazi Germany.
White Teeth Zadie Smith Fiction A multigenerational tale of family and identity in multicultural London.
The Sun Also Rises Ernest Hemingway Fiction The lost generation’s search for meaning after World War I.
Things Fall Apart Chinua Achebe Historical Fiction A tragic story of tradition versus change in a Nigerian village.
The Handmaid's Tale Margaret Atwood Dystopian Fiction A near-future society where women’s rights are stripped away.
Life of Pi Yann Martel Fiction A boy’s journey of survival and faith on the high seas.
About the Author
Mekhala Joshi

JAIN College

JAIN PU College, a part of the renowned JGI Group, is committed to empowering students with quality education.

Beyond academics, the college ensures its online content reflects the same standard of excellence. Every blog and article is meticulously vetted and proofread by subject matter experts to ensure accuracy, relevance, and clarity. From insightful educational topics to engaging discussions, JAIN PU College's content is crafted to inform, inspire, and add value to its readers, reflecting the institution's commitment to intellectual growth and innovation.

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