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A Literary Escape: Classic Novels to Read When You Can’t Travel
15
items Classic novels that carry you into distant places and discovery when travel itself must wait.
Sections
4
Five Classic Novels That Transport You
Five Gothic Classics Where Travel Takes a Dark Turn
Imaginative Novels
Famous Sleuths
Five Classic Novels That Transport You
These immersive novels are rooted in place, drawing you into vivid landscapes and journeys that feel immediate and alive.
Of all the Brontës, Emily is my favorite. She is as enigmatic as the book she produced. This novel is set in northern England's Yorkish moors. Cathy and Heathcliff's fiery relationship has kept casual readers and academics alike debating this novel s...
Wuthering Heights|Paperback
Napolean's escape from the island of Elba in 1815 provides the starting backdrop for the story of Edmund Dantès, a merchant sailor who becomes a count. Love and revenge play out against the backdrop of a France in political turmoil.
The Count of Monte Cristo|Paperback
It's impossible to think of London without thinking of Dickens. Of all of Dickens' novels, A Tale of Two Cities is my favorite. Set primarily in London and Paris, with the French Revolution as its backdrop, the novel tells the story of Doctor Manette...
A Tale of Two Cities|Paperback
Published posthumously in 1817, Jane Austen's tale of lost love is by far her most mature and complex. Set in southwest England, Persuasion is a must read if you have or are planning to travel to Bath, England.
Persuasion|Paperback
Agatha Christie took mysteries to a whole new level. Murder on the Orient Express is a classic read and an excellent starting point if you have never read Christie before. Follow the famous Belgian detective, Hercule Poirot as he seeks to unravel a f...
Murder on the Orient Express: A Hercule Poirot Mystery: The Official Authorized Edition|Paperback
Five Gothic Classics Where Travel Takes a Dark Turn
In these gothic classics, haunting settings transform the familiar into something deeply unsettling.
If you have never read Dracula, you are missing one of the great horror novels of all time. The story follows Englishman, Jonathan Harker, an entrant attorney tasked with traveling to Transylvania (Romania) to meet with a wealthy, albeit reclusive cl... Budapest hospital before making his way back to London. Aided by Professor Abraham Van Helsing, Harker returns Romania to face Dracula. Written by Irish author, Bram Stroker and published in 1897, Dracula takes place against a backdrop of magnificien...
Dracula (Signature Classics)|Paperback
Written by Mary Shelley and published in 1818 when Shelley was just 20 years old, the novel, Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus, begs the question: who is the monster and who is the man? The novel takes place in the late 19th century, spanning a...
Frankenstein (Penguin Classics)|Paperback
Written by Englishman, Henry James, and published in 1898, this gothic horror novella served as the inspiration for The Haunting of Bly Manor, a miniseries created by Mike Flanagan (Netflix, 2020). If haunted English manors and creepy children sound ...
The Turn of the Screw|Paperback
The Phantom of the Opera has been adapted many times. However, if you have only seen Andrew Lloyd Webber's adaptations (brilliant as they are), reading Leroux's original tale is time well-served. Published in its entirety in 1910, the novel is set in...
The Phantom of the Opera|Paperback
Written by Daphne du Maurier and published in 1938, Rebecca follows the story of a newlywed woman who discovers that her wealthy husband, his household, and his friends are held hostage by the memory of his dead first wife, Rebecca. The novel primari...
Rebecca|Paperback
Imaginative Novels
If you are Oxfore bound, here are some novels to read before your trip. Tolkien, Lewis, and Carroll were all part of a literary group called “The Inklings.” You will find numerous references to these authors on your visit to Oxford!
If you have never read Tolkien, you are missing out on one of the great literary minds of the 20th century. Tolkien's inspiration arose from the texts he translated and languages he studied. Tolkien was a professor at Oxford, specializing in Anglo-Sa...
The Hobbit|Paperback
If you are only familiar with the screen adaptations of Alice in Wonderland, now is the time to familiarize yourself with the original text. Lewis Carroll taught at Oxford University and there is a wonderful shop in Oxford connected to Carroll and th...
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass (Signature Classics)|Paperback
C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien were both professors and close friends at Oxford University. You will see more than one sign at various taverns in Oxford stating that “Lewis and Tolkien Drank Here.” The Narnia Series is often perceived as literature ai...
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (Chronicles of Narnia Series #2)|Paperback
Famous Sleuths
For those who like their British mysteries!
Dorothy Sayers was an Oxford alum who left the academic world to join Blackwell's publishing. Blackwell's has a fantastic bookstore in Oxford. While there, you can visit Sayers preserved office. Until then, you can delve into some detective stories a...
Gaudy Night (Lord Peter Wimsey Series #10)|Paperback
If you have seen the BBC's production of Sherlock Holmes staring Benedict Cumberbatch but haven't yet read the original stories, now is a great time to start, especially if you are headed to London! You will find it (you guessed it!), at 221B Baker S...
The Complete Sherlock Holmes, Volume I (Signature Classics)|Paperback