Classic books every woman should read in her lifetime
These classic books for women are exactly what you need to travel to another, simpler time and remind yourself of the really important things in life.
The smell of the pages in an old book is unbeatable. The soothing sound of the pages gently turning, will calm your nerves and lull you into a state of peace.
Grab your tea or coffee and cuddle up with a classic book this evening.
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Must Read Classic Books
These are all books I currently own and have read many many times. I hope you can fall in love with them just as I have.
I love holding a real book in my hands when I’m reading. I’ve linked the most affordable new option available for each of these classic books. I also recommend going to the library to check out books if you have the chance.
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Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
“I would always rather be happy than dignified.” -Charlotte Bronte, Jane Eyre
Love, tragedy, pain, and hope, this book has everything to keep you turning the pages. Follow Jane Eyre’s story from being an orphan and sent away to an awful school, all the way to falling in love with a man who may already have a wife. This book is so full of page turning surprises, it’s hard to give much of a summary without giving anything away! Once you start reading Jane Eyre, you won’t want to put the book down. This book has been a best seller since its publication in 1847 for a reason.
Emma by Jane Austen
“If I loved you less, I might be able to talk about it more.” -Jane Austen, Emma
Emma is lively, and charming, but like the rest of us she has her faults. Determined to play matchmaker for her friend, Emma soon finds out just how little she knows about love. She must discover the ins and outs of the social world and navigate the feelings of her own heart.
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Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
“I want to do something splendid…something heroic or wonderful that won’t be forgotten after I’m dead. I don’t know what, but I’m on the watch for it and mean to astonish you all someday.” -Louisa May Alcott, Little Women
Live alongside four wonderful sisters and their mother as their navigate the ups and downs of life together while their father is away fighting in the war. The women learn what it means to fall in love, experience heartbreak, chase hopes and dreams, and live a life worth of writing about.
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Gone With The Wind by Margaret Mitchell
“I’ll think of it tomorrow, at Tara. I can stand it then. Tomorrow, I’ll think of some way to get him back. After all, tomorrow is another day.” -Margaret Mitchell, Gone With The Wind
Experience life in Georgia before, during, and after the civil war. This classic novel follows the life of Scarlett O’Hara, a southern belle. She watches her whole world fall apart, many people she loves die, her home is ransacked, and she has to go to measures she never imagined just to take care of herself and those around her. Scarlett must find her inner strength to make it through these terrible times. She falls in love and breaks many hearts along the way too. Will Scarlett allow the man she loves to ever know how she feels, or will it be too late?
*This book has been “cancelled” by some. When you read it, remember that it was written in 1936, and is based in 1861. The author is representing the thoughts and feelings of those in that time period, correct or not. It should be read as a historical novel, and all that comes with that.
Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery
“It’s been my experience that you can nearly always enjoy things if you make up your mind firmly that you will.” -L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables
Generation after generation of readers cherish these classic books. Anne, an orphan sent to live with the wrong family, wins them over with her spirit, joy, and enthusiasm for life. Follow Anne as she learns lessons the hard way, makes unforgettable friends, and even meets the love of her life (though she won’t admit it). You are going to love her tenacious spirit, and she may even encourage you to start fully living your own life too.
Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte
“He’s more myself than I am. Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same.” -Emily Bronte, Wuthering Heights
When a man is forced to take shelter at Wuthering Heights, he finds himself immersed in a people living in the past. Past memories of love and heartbreak. He slowly finds out the story of Heathcliff and Catherine. The heartbreaking tale of choosing to do what is expected rather than what the heart truly wants. Watch as the next generation of children feels the pain of this choice and the wrath of Heathcliff because he lost his one true love.
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
“You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view… Until you climb inside of his skin and walk around in it.” -Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird
This story is told from the point of view of a young girl growing up in a time of prejudice and injustice, who also sees the beauty in the world around her. Her father, a local lawyer, takes on a case to defend a black man unjustly accused of a very serious crime. Read about the events of the case through the eyes of a child.
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith
“Look at everything always as though you were seeing it either for the first or last time: Thus is your time on earth filled with glory.” -Betty Smith, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
Follow the life of Francie Nolan as she grows up in Brooklyn in the early 1900s. She dreams of being a writer and we get to read the story from her perspective. She has to navigate tricky family dynamics, poverty, death, and making something of herself when all odds are against her.
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
“There must be something in books, something we can’t imagine, to make a woman stay in a burning house; there must be something there. You don’t stay for nothing.” -Ray Bradbury, Fahrenheit 451
Books are illegal. It’s the firemen’s job to burn them and the houses they are found in. Guy Montag has never questioned his job as a firefighter. He does his work, then goes home to his family who spend the days with their “family” on the TV in the living room. Clarisse, his neighbor, tells him stories of life before books were illegal and fear ruled people’s lives. Her tales intrigue him, and he begins to question everything he knows.
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Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
“A lady’s imagination is very rapid; it jumps from admiration to love, from love to matrimony in a moment.” -Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice
When Elizabeth Bennet meets Mr. Darcy, they immediately dislike on another. When she finds out that he has involved himself in her sister’s love life, she is even more determined to hate him. The provincial middle class life of these characters is full of gossip, friendships, and pride. The story is sure to keep you entertained.
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Enjoy reading these classic books! Let me know what other classic books you would add to the list!
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