WetLeather Classics

Every now and then, a discussion is launched answering the question "what books do y'all think are classics?" This is an attempt to capture (archive) some of that info. On this page, novels alphabetized by title. Plays and short stories or novellas have their own lists. So does science fiction. All non-annotated recommendations.

Non-Annotated | Novels | Plays | Science Fiction | Short/Novella

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

A

All Quiet On the Western Front, Erich Remarque
Possibly the greatest war novel ever written. The best one I've read, anyway.
Keith Underdahl

Anna Karenina, Tolstoy
I've not read War and Peace but I've read AK twice. Some would say Anna Karenina has everything - history, romance, sex, power, religion, philosophy, social taboos (and the flaunting thereof) ... :) Also classic conflict of "emotion" v. "reason". Some say A.K. is Tolstoy's best book.
Kathy Gill

The Art of War, Sun Tzu
It's practically older than dirt and still relevant. Good source of quotes or reference book for politics, managment, chess, etc. You'll find the actual text brief, but the various interpretations can add a lot of meat to the book. Like a code reference book, you'll want to shop around before selecting a particular version.
Scott Sullivan

Atlas Shrugged, Ayn Rand
Because it's the best novel-ization of a libertarian economic/social philosophy (objectivism) that you'll ever read. You also need to acknowledge the context - ie, Rand was a refugee from Russia and this was her response (IMO) to that communist threat. Written in the, umm, 40s I think. In fact, you should probably first read _Anthem_. It's short (and was written earlier) but it sums her philosophy of the importance of the individual in a way that I've read no where else. She had a major impact on my world view as a teen and into my 20s -- I argue with her a bit (ok, quite a bit!) when I re-read the works. I'm overdue on a re-read. Extremely idealistic.
Kathy Gill

B

Beowulf, unknown
It's got monsters and dragons and heros and swords and stuff.
Beth Dixon

C

Catch 22, Joseph Heller
You'll be the only kid on your block who really knows what Catch 22 is. You'll also learn Snowden's Secret which is the secret of life. But mostly because you'll have fun. Don't watch the movie, Mike Nichols was way off mark. M.A.S.H. was a better movie version of Catch 22 than Catch 22 was.
Charles Cherry

D

E

Essay on Man or Essay on Criticism, Alexander Pope
Great ideas exquisitely expressed. If you don't like great ideas, read Pope's Rape of the Lock instead - cynically insignificant ideas exquisitely expressed.
Charles Cherry

F

Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail '72, Hunter S. Thompson
Less sensationalistic that his other works, but definatly a good primer on your country's political system from one of the people who was there. With a seriously twisted view.
Dave Macdonald

The Fountainhead, Ayn Rand
entertaining and not as long winded as Atlas Shrugged
Scott Sullivan

G

Grapes of Wrath, John Steinbeck
I read this for the first time about 3-4 years ago. Excellent portrayal of post-depression, rural america. It gave me a perspective into my parents' life that I could not appreciate as a teen. I believe he won a Pulitzer for this.
Kathy Gill
Also, Ed Gardner

Gone With The Wind, Margaret Mitchell
For its portrayal of the civil war, especially Reconstruction. SO much better than the movie.
Kathy Gill
Also, Ed Gardner

H

I

J

K

L

Les Miserables, Victor Hugo
or go to the play. :) I re-read the book after seeing the play -- insights into French Revolution. Dark.
Kathy Gill

M

N

O

P

Politics, Aristotle
essential political reading
MiG

The Prince, Machiavelli
still relevant text of political behaviour
MiG
Also, Kathy Gill

Principles of Psychology, William James
An American, James believed that belief (will) is a prime determinant of attitude, and that emotions follow physical sensation -- ie, act happy => feel happy, tremble => feel afraid, hit someone => feel anger ... NOT the other way around (ie, we chose to feel POed at the idiot BDC who cuts us off in traffic *g*). I remember when I was introduced to this concept (chosing to feel anger) in the early 80s - and I'm still re-learning it. This book is held as one of the most important books in the history of psychology -- when psychology was a discussion of thought more than essays on chemicals and neurotransmitters.
Kathy Gill

Q

R

The Republic, Aristotle
also on school lists, but with good reason. See above (Politics)
MiG

S

Still Life With Woodpecker, Tom Robbins
Robbins is kind of a Vonnegut on acid. I've read two of his books (this one and "Only Cowgirls Get the Blues" and Woodpecker was the most enjoyable, in spite of the main character's fawning over Ralph Nader)
Keith Underdahl

"L'etranger" (or the Stranger), Camus
a must for "existential" reading (that is; approachable)
MiG

T

U

V

W

War, Gwynne Dyer
Little known, based on a NFB series by an ex military/ political journalist. An excellent look at the title subject. Puts reading VonClauswitz, Sun Tzu, and Machiavelli in a real perspective.
Dave Macdonald

War and Peace, Tolstoy
This is, IMHO (and that of a few others, as well) the greatest novel in European literature (defining Europe to include Great Britain and the US, as well). It has *everything*, history, romance, war, much philosophy, etc.
Frank Ferguson