25 of the Best Must-Read Novels

I am an avid reader. It is one of the best ways to pass the time while traveling—between all the airports, trains and planes, distractions are a necessity. But, even at home a good book will have you off to a place you’ve never been or even a time different from your own. That’s the thing about books—they let you travel without moving your feet.

My tastes on books to read run the gamut, from romance to science fiction to entrepreneurial to fantasy. It doesn’t matter much as long as it’s entertaining, educational or inspirational. With that said, the one genre that seems to always be last on the reading list is classic novels. This probably due to the fact that so many were mandatory reading way back in high school, which turns enjoyable reading into homework. I never liked homework. That’s why I decided to create this list of must-read classic books.

From books I was assigned while in school to good reads I’ve come across in my adult life, leaf through the pages of…