Let's face it: most college students these days don't like reading. We'd rather be on our phones going through social media, or playing some sort of video game. Although college does take a lot out of us, reading is something that can help us connect with previous civilizations and understand what the world was like pre-Facebook and Instagram. And because I love classics, I've made a list of classics that everyone should at least own and read some of.
The Odyssey - Homer
This epic poem is my favorite piece of writing, ever. So I'm a little biased in thinking that it deserves to be on this list. This poem is the sequel to The Illiad which is also by Homer - but reading The Illiad isn't needed to understand The Odyssey. The main character, Odysseus, has to find his way home after the Trojan War (which is what The Illiad is based off of), and the poem recounts his odyssey back home. Reading this transports you to another world and gives the reader much more insight into Ancient Greek life with the Greek gods/goddesses constantly making appearances.
The Picture of Dorian Gray - Oscar Wilde
Dorian Gray is such an interesting character - especially when we consider the fact that Wilde wrote this novel during the Victorian era. The book basically follows Mr. Gray and two other men in some sort of weird love triangle (because everyone loves Dorian Gray). He gets a portrait of himself painted by his friend and weird things start happening. Wilde is one of the few authors in the Victorian era that has an extremely creative imagination and he is able to paint lovely pictures of what the United Kingdom might have been like in the Victorian era.
Frankenstein - Mary Shelley
Another Victorian novel, but this one was written by a 16 year old girl (just when you thought you were doing good things in life). Everyone knows the story of Frankenstein, but what a lot of people don't know is that Frankenstein is the doctor, not the monster. His monster has no name, actually. However, this is a great science fiction novel about playing God and it keeps the reader on their toes, unlike some other classics.
The Great Gatsby - F. Scott Fitzgerald
Full disclosure: this is one of my least favorite books of all time. And I read a lot. But I do have to admit that this novel is very good at portraying the 1920's era of America. It's definitely a bit heavy on Gatsby's infatuation (though I would call it obsession) with Daisy, but I think Nick is a decent narrator and helps the reader understand the mindset of Americans in the 1920's.
BONUS:
Annabel Lee - Edgar Allan Poe
Poe did not write novels, of course. But I do think his work deserves to be mentioned. Annabel Lee is a lovely (though very morbid, but what did you expect from Poe?) poem about one of his many "loves." I think Poe's work - including Annabel Lee - puts 1800's America (as well as other countries) into perspective for modern readers because a lot of works written during that era were not sugar-coated or frilly, they were truthful and aware of some of the misfortunes that happen in life.
