I have a notoriously difficult time picking favorites, but audiobooks just might be my favorite way to experience a classic novel. I’m grateful for the talented narrators who bring these works to life. When I’m listening to a classic I haven’t read before, I find that hearing the older language often helps me comprehend it better than reading on the page. When I’m listening to a classic with which I’m already familiar, I can relish the nuances of a narrator’s performance and allow myself to get swept up in the story (while I’m probably folding laundry).
Definitions vary but I tend to think of classics as books that were published over 50 years ago and remain in our literary consciousness. Reading a classic won’t earn you a trophy or gold stars or bragging rights (okay, maybe you’ll actually secure that last one) but as someone with an appreciation for good stories, well told from throughout time and around the world, I relish the variety classics bring to my reading life. (Especially because now that my school days are behind me, I’m free to read what I want to, with no tests or quizzes or term papers due at the end of the book.)
Because many classics are in the public domain, multiple excellent audiobook editions abound at a variety of price points, including totally free. Make sure to take advantage of listening to the sample to figure out which narrator(s) will work best for you.
I hope this collection of classics inspires you to listen to a great story, whether that means trying something new to you or reading something you’ve been meaning to pick up for forty years. Happy listening!
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Steinbeck’s most ambitious novel has it all: love, poverty, wealth, war, betrayal, abandonment, murder. An epic tale of the Trasks and Hamiltons, two families doomed to reenact the fall of Adam and Eve and Cain and Abel’s rivalry across generations. Set in California’s dusty Salinas Valley, Steinbeck examines class, identity, and what happens when we are denied love. Narrated by Richard Poe; 25 hrs 23 mins. More info →
Dickens regarded this novel as his “favourite child” and it’s considered his most autobiographical. As David recounts his experiences from childhood to the discovery of his vocation as a successful novelist, Dickens draws openly and revealingly on his own life. Among the gloriously vivid cast of characters are Rosa Dartle, Dora, Steerforth, and the ‘umble Uriah Heep, along with Mr. Micawber, a portrait of Dickens’s own father that evokes a mixture of love, nostalgia, and guilt. There are many versions of this audiobook, including an Audible-exclusive narrated by Richard Armitage. 36 hrs 30 mins. More info →
I don’t like to throw around the word “should” when it comes to reading, but I do hope you’ll consider reading this classic-for-a-reason. In this great Russian novel, Raskolnikov wonders whether it’s possible to murder someone without remorse, and reaches the conclusion that yes, it’s possible for an important person to kill someone they deem unimportant. He sets out to do exactly that—but he doesn’t count on a growing conscience or an investigator’s subsequent pursuit. You could read this book every year for the rest of your life and discover something new every time. This is the book that first showed me what a talented writer could do with theme, symbolism, and imagery, which may sound dry but was revolutionary—and exciting!—to my young mind. Translations and audiobook narrators abound; my favorite translation (so far) is by David McDuff. 25 hrs 1 min. More info →
Over the years I’ve been floored by the superlatives readers use to describe this behemoth of a novel: epic, thrilling, the best book they’ve ever read. WSIRN guest Ahtoosa Dale advised me to read the audiobook narrated by John Lee. Forty-seven hours later, I finally understood why readers love this tale of a man thrown into prison for a crime he didn’t commit and his long quest for retribution. This was wonderful on audio, but I did turn to SparkNotes on a half-dozen occasions for clarity on plot details. 46 hrs 56 mins. More info →
Eliot’s hefty masterpiece combines her “study of provincial life” with a close look at several young couples who fall (or think they fall) in love. Who will find lasting happiness, and who won’t, and why? By focusing on the narrow disappointments and particular joys of this small community, Eliot cuts to the heart of human nature. A novel about love, happiness, and second chances. I personally loved the audiobook version narrated by Juliet Stevenson. 31 hrs 33 mins. More info →
Nobel laureate Sigrid Undset tells the epic story of her heroine in 14th century Norway with great love and attention to detail. Kristin is devoted to her father until she meets Erlend at convent school and marries him against her parents’ wishes. Their passionate but tumultuous marriage leads to seven sons and ultimately estrangement. This is a much-beloved story, all the more impressive given its 1000+ pages. The new and much-lauded Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition is translated from the Norwegian by Tiina Nunnally and narrated by Nina Yndis and Stephen Graybill. 47 hrs 11 mins. More info →
If you’re new to this novel, brace yourself: Francie Nolan is about to win you over. Her Irish Catholic family is struggling to stay afloat in the Brooklyn slums, in the midst of great change at the turn of the century, while her charismatic but doomed father is literally drinking himself to death. But Francie is young, sensitive, imaginative, and determined to make a life for herself. Smith gently shows us how Francie is like those Brooklyn trees that somehow manage to grow in the city, even in cement, even with no light or water. A moving coming-of-age story of unlikely beauty and resilience. Narrated by Kate Burton; 15 hrs 1 min. More info →
“Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way,” begins this classic Russian novel. Anna leaves her husband and son for Count Vronksky but their love is ultimately doomed. Tolstoy’s much-beloved tome is praised for its depiction of Russian life and nuanced portrait of humanity. Numerous translations exist; if I had to choose one, I’d go with Constance Garnett’s, if only because it’s narrated by Maggie Gyllenhaal, who calls this her favorite novel and said performing it was one of the greatest accomplishments of her work life. 35 hrs 35 mins. More info →
In the first of her six autobiographies, Angelou tells the haunting story of her childhood in the American South of the 1930s. Her poetic prose is incredible, and the story is by turns heartwarming (“I met and fell in love with William Shakespeare”) and utterly heartbreaking. Angelou’s lilting voice brings her powerful, touching story to life in the audiobook. 10 hrs 10 mins. More info →
A sweeping novel set in 1920s southern Florida following Janie Crawford as she experiences love and loss and comes of age. Known as Hurston’s best work, this story about expectations, marriage, and surprising romance is richly atmospheric. It’s a classic for a reason, with a main character you’ll never forget. In fact, echoes of Janie Crawford can be seen in contemporary literature, like Salvage the Bones by Jesmyn Ward. This is a book that numerous readers have considered to be even better on audio as they then can fully experience Hurston’s talent for writing dialect. Narrated by Ruby Dee; 6 hrs 44 mins. More info →
This sweeping novel set in Britain between the world wars chronicles the Flyte family’s unraveling—along with the rest of Britain’s aristocracy—as viewed through the wistful eyes of lieutenant Charles Ryder. It’s haunting and melancholy, wistful and reverent. Themes of love, loss, and grace always capture my attention—I’m entranced by the family and the history and simply adore this book. Narrated by Jeremy Irons; 11 hrs 33 mins. More info →
I needed more than a few nudges to finally pick up this 1972 classic about a brave band of rabbits in the English countryside and their quest for survival against the threat of humans. But I’m so glad I finally read it, and opted for the audio when I did. I’ve never read anything else quite like it. This British classic powerfully probes love, courage, loyalty, and human nature, and by turns includes both gorgeous scenes of the idyllic English countryside and encounters of great violence. Narrated by Peter Capaldi; 17 hrs 31 mins. More info →
What are your favorite classics on audiobook? Please share in the comments.
