In 2023, the Leipzig Book Fair returned after a three-year hiatus due to the pandemic, showcasing countless new books across all genres.
To help you navigate the literary jungle, we’ve compiled a list of five world-renowned classics that everyone should read at least once, along with why they remain relevant today:
Jane Austen – Pride and Prejudice
The novel spans a little over a year in the lives of several young people living in the countryside near London during the late 18th to early 19th century. At its center is the Bennet family, with five daughters aged 15 to their early 20s. The story revolves around the successful marriages of three of these young women, each striking a unique balance between love, economic stability, and social status. Misunderstandings, intrigues, pride, and prejudice create obstacles and delays in their journeys toward independence.
Published: 1813
Why it’s relevant: Love, societal norms, class, and prejudice—Austen’s themes are timeless. Her realistic portrayal of human relationships is brought to life by iconic, masterfully developed characters. Austen subtly critiques social conventions and class distinctions of the Regency era in England, all delivered in a precise, ironic, and humorous style.
This novel paved the way for modern romance literature and the development of complex female protagonists. Pride and Prejudice has remained continuously popular since its release, attracting a global readership and inspiring numerous film and television adaptations.
Franz Kafka – The Metamorphosis
This story follows Gregor Samsa, who wakes up one morning to find himself transformed into a giant insect. His new form increasingly strains his relationship with his family, who eventually abandon him in his monstrous state. Isolated and confined to his room, Gregor ultimately dies alone.
Published: 1912
Why it’s relevant: Kafka’s tale explores existential themes like identity, isolation, alienation, guilt, and the individual’s relationship with society. Gregor’s transformation is often interpreted as a metaphor for the loss of human dignity and the individual’s struggle against an impersonal, hostile world.
Through this profound depth, combined with his precise and concise style, Kafka wrote himself into literary history. His distinctive “Kafkaesque” style and his exploration of themes like alienation and absurd reality became foundational elements of literary modernism.
Erich Maria Remarque – All Quiet on the Western Front
Recently adapted into a movie earning multiple Oscar nominations and wins, Erich Maria Remarque’s classic “All Quiet on the Western Front” continues to captivate audiences. This war drama follows Paul Bäumer and his classmates, who enlist in the army at the urging of their teacher at the onset of World War I. Their initial patriotism is quickly replaced by a sobering reality as they discover that life and death on the front lines are far from glorious.
Published: 1929
Why it’s relevant: The novel depicts World War I from the perspective of a young German soldier. Having served as a soldier himself, Remarque drew heavily from his personal experiences to craft the story. He portrays the realities of war and the soldiers’ experiences with unflinching precision and authenticity. This raw depiction evokes deep empathy in readers and prompts a profound reflection on the horrors of war.The novel goes beyond the battlefield, critiquing the societal structures and mechanisms that enabled and sustained the war. Remarque challenges the ideals and propaganda that glorify warfare, exposing its devastating impact on the lives and psyches of soldiers.
Although All Quiet on the Western Front focuses on World War I, the questions and themes it raises are timeless. The novel explores human nature, the absurdity of war, the consequences of violence, and the meaning of individual existence—topics that remain universally relevant today.
The novel achieved international acclaim and significantly influenced contemporary literature. It played a key role in establishing the anti-war novel as a genre and shaped the literary landscape of the interwar period.
George Orwell – 1984
“Big Brother is watching you …” This dystopian classic follows Winston Smith, a man living in a totalitarian future society called Oceania. The Party, led by “Big Brother,” controls every aspect of life. Thought crimes are harshly punished, and the Party manipulates reality through the language of “Newspeak.”
Winston begins to feel a growing dissatisfaction with the system and secretly rebels against it. He joins an underground resistance movement but is ultimately betrayed, tortured, and subjected to brainwashing to eradicate his rebellious thoughts. In the end, he succumbs to the pressure, fully accepting the Party as the ultimate authority. Stripped of his free will, he becomes a blind follower of the regime.
Published: 1948
Why it’s relevant: “1984” introduced the term “Big Brother,” symbolizing an omnipresent government that monitors every aspect of life. Orwell also coined “Newspeak,” a manipulative language designed to control thought. The book serves as a powerful warning against the dangers of authoritarian regimes that suppress freedom and individuality. Orwell vividly portrays the oppressive effects of manipulation, propaganda, and surveillance on society.
Orwell created a dystopian world that in many ways predicted today’s surveillance society and the influence of totalitarian regimes with frightening precision .
Antoine de Saint-Exupéry – The Little Prince
A pilot, stranded in the desert, encounters an extraordinary boy known as the Little Prince. The Prince comes from a distant planet and is searching for friends. He tells the pilot about his travels to other planets, where he met peculiar adults consumed by vanity, power, and materialism. Despite his adventures, the Little Prince has a special bond with a rose on his home planet, which he is determined to protect.
On Earth, he encounters various animals, including a fox who teaches him that one can only see clearly with the heart and that responsibility and relationships give life its true value. Eventually, the Little Prince returns to his home planet, leaving the pilot deeply moved by the lessons of friendship, love, and the meaning of life.
Published: 1943
Why it’s relevant: The Little Prince explores universal themes such as friendship, love, loss, loneliness, and the meaning of life. Its timeless wisdom and philosophical insights resonate with people across generations and cultures.
The book’s simple, accessible style makes it approachable for younger readers, yet its deeper symbolism and metaphors invite thoughtful interpretation and reflection. Accompanied by iconic watercolor illustrations closely tied to the narrative, the story exudes a magical and poetic atmosphere that enhances its enduring appeal.
Translated into over 250 languages and sold hundreds of millions of times worldwide, The Little Prince continues to inspire and move readers, solidifying its status as a global literary treasure.
Frequently asked questions
Must-read classics include Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice“, George Orwell’s “1984“, and Franz Kafka’s “The Metamorphosis“. These works explore timeless themes that remain globally relevant.
“Pride and Prejudice” and “The Metamorphosis” are classics because they address fundamental human themes such as love, society, identity and alienation, which are still relevant today.
George Orwell’s “1984” is a classic of world literature because it creates a terrifying dystopia that shows the dangers of surveillance, propaganda and totalitarian regimes, topics that are still highly relevant today.
The main theme of “All Quiet on the Western Front” is the unsparing portrayal of the horrors of war from the perspective of a young soldier, making it an influential work of anti-war literature.
“The Little Prince” deals with universal themes such as friendship, love, loss and the meaning of life, making the book a touching classic for people of all ages.
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