Favorite Classic Works of Fiction?

[Ammanas]

So I consider "classic" to mean anything written before 1900. I'm curious what everyones favorites are.

I will give you mine, but please consider that I am not big on artistic style, influence, etc. I just love a good story.

1. War and Peace by Tolstoy (Briggs translation) This book has a unfair reputation of being a long snoozer of a book, but nothing is further from the the truth. It is a beautiful, exciting story.

2. Count of Monte Cristo by Dumas (Buss translation)- Classic tale of revenge and adventure.

3. The Decameron by Boccaccio (I have read both the Musa and Mcwilliam translation. I give the slight edge to Mcwilliam for the helpful notes in the penguin classics version)- So it seems that english speakers rave about the Canterbury Tales, but the author of that book stole the idea from Boccacio and the Decameron is a better book. It is about 10 rich young Italians that leave the city during the plague and amuse themselves telling stories. It takes place over 10 days each telling one story a day (so 100 total). Most days have a particular theme and almost all of them are good.

 

[Rebecca]

I'm currently reading The Count of Monte Cristo, and so far I've loved it. So, I guess that's my favorite, even though I haven't read the whole book yet, and even though you already mentioned that one.