5 classic books perfect for quarantine

Whether you’re looking to laugh until you cry or escape to another world, now is a great time to delve that long, ever growing list of classic books on your bucket list. Here are our top picks of the ones to read during quarantine. 

1. Jane Eyre

Jane Eyre is the perfect inspiration story for quarantine. Why? You’re hard pressed to find such a tough cookie as Jane in classic literature who still always maintains her sense of kindness. She bears her turbulent life with the most positive outlook, always ready to see the good in people and willing to share the little that she has with others. It’s an incredibly heartwarming story filled with twists and turns; Charlotte Brontë’s Gothic masterpiece will transport you from your cramped apartment straight to nineteenth century England (and whether you’re identifying more with Jane or the madwoman in the attic right now is up to you!)

2. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

If there were ever a time we needed to escape to a magical realm through our wardrobes, it would be now. Take a trip to Narnia with C.S. Lewis’s timeless tale full of fauns, dwarves and turkish delight and let Mr Tumnes cheer you up, whether you’re a Peter, Edmund, Susan or Lucy. Even though it’s a children’s book, this tale is beautifully written and perfect to dive into over a hot cup of coffee in your lunch break.

3. Mrs Spring Fragrance

On the theme of childhood escapism, we love Sui Sin Far’s Mrs Spring Fragrance, a classic of Chinese-American literature. This popular short story collection written in the late 19th and 20th centuries are a mixture of stories for adults and for children set in Seattle and San Francisco. Chronicling the struggles and joys of Chinese families in North America, Sui Sin Far weaves classic Chinese folklore stories with her personal experiences to explore the conflicts between Eurasians and recent immigrants in a touching, meaningful way.

4. Frankenstein

Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein tells the story of Victor Frankentein, a young scientist who conducts a crazy scientific experiment, creating a hideous creature which takes on a life of its own. This short novel mixes Gothic and Sci-Fi elements in a fascinating narrative, raising important questions about friendship, taking responsibility for your actions and the ever important debate of nature versus nurture. It’s also a gripping read that will make you forget your quarantine blues (and make you thankful to be tucked away inside your home and not outside with the monsters!)

5. Mrs Dalloway

Virginia Woolf’s masterpiece novel is a favorite of many. It’s also a perfect read for quarantine. Woolf’s exploration of time and the little moments of life which make up the bigger picture will make you appreciate that in-joke with a friend on the phone or even that occasional walk to the grocery store, making you realise that time can be fluid and broken down in many ways, even in these strange times we find ourselves in. Woolf also explores trauma and psychoanalysis while remaining uplifting and charming in tone, making you fall in love with the world of Clarissa Dalloway (even if you can’t have your own party!) 

Bonus: The Argonauts

Okay, this one is a modern classic. Maggie Nelson’s 2015 memoir about love, gender, gender theory, having children and queer family making is an incredibly touching quarantine read. Nelson weaves in critical theory to her own experiences, meditating on the practical implications for her life and the lives of her reader’s, as we watch her deal with queerphobia, gender stereotyping and familial realities in this beautifully written work of “autotheory.”