Browse penguin's range of classic books and discover penguin classics, clothbound classics, and modern classics collections, featuring timeless classic literature from beloved authors. Translated fiction is a window into how other cultures view the world. First published in 1986, italian journalist and writer italo calvino explains why we continue to read and love classic novels.
Ryan maceachern/penguin the great american novel is, without a whisper of doubt, literature's most elusive (some even say mythical) beast. Explore the world of penguin books. So we asked our readers to tell us about their favourite classic books.
Take our quiz to find out how many classic books you've read, spanning authors from virginia woolf to fyodor dostoevsky. And if you find this useful, check out our list of our readers' 100 favourite classic novels, learn about their favourite children's books and see the best memoirs they've ever read. Lose yourself in a book, find your next read and hear from the authors you love. How many have you read?