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steve test Summer reads: The 10 best classic books
books, fiction, bestseller, classic, jeanette winterson, oranges, fruit
Oranges Are Not The Only Fruit
By Anna Smith
An imaginative, engaging tale of teen angst, this novel established Jeanette Winterson as a leading writer and continues to be a darned good read. Her heroine - also called Jeanette - is a young girl struggling to make her own way in life despite a seriously god-fearing mother who does not look kindly on girls of the lesbian persuasion. It's all the more poignant for the memory of the brilliant TV series, which starred the late Charlotte Coleman.
Oranges Are Not The Only Fruit by Jeanette Winterson, £5.00 from Amazon.co.uk
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steve test Summer reads: The 10 best classic books
books, fiction, bestseller, classic, agatha christie, death, nile
Death On The Nile
The way Agatha Christie writes about crime is always entertaining - and this is one of her finest. Hercule Poirot investigates the death of a beautiful, glamorous young girl killed during a cruise along the Nile. If you can't remember whodunit, you'll have a lot of fun guessing in this page-turner.
Death On The Nile by Agatha Christie, £4.58 from Amazon.co.uk
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steve test Summer reads: The 10 best classic books
books, fiction, bestseller, classic, jane austin, pride, prejudice
Pride And Prejudice
Elizabeth Bennet has been immortalised many times on film and television, but all her sharp, funny and insightful lines come straight from the same source: Jane Austen's novel. The tale of heroine Elizabeth cutting the dashing Darcy to the quick - and then quietly falling for him - is intelligent without ever losing out on romance or humour. And it's so old you can buy it for the price of a magazine! Bargain.
Pride And Prejudice by Jane Austen, £2.00 from Amazon.co.uk
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steve test Summer reads: The 10 best classic books
books, fiction, bestseller, classic, charlotte bronte, jane eyre
Jane Eyre
It may have been written in the 1800s, but this is the tale of one spirited woman determined to be treated as an equal. Passionate governess Jane falls for her employer Mr Rochester, but he's got a secret that could put a bit of a spanner in the works, to put it mildly. An intense read however many times you return to it.
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte, £4.39 from Amazon.co.uk
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steve test Summer reads: The 10 best classic books
books, fiction, bestseller, classic, helen fileding, bridget jones
Bridget Jones' Diary
You might be surprised how much fun this novel still is. There's a reason it was made into a film, coined phrases like "fuckwit" and "smug marrieds", and saw millions of women weep and laugh into their Chardonnays. It's a blimmin' good read. Funny, identifiable and comfortingly familiar, the tales of Bridget's dietary and dating woes make this the perfect light summer read.
Bridget Jones' Diary by Helen Fielding, £4.57 from Amazon.co.uk
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steve test Summer reads: The 10 best classic books
books, fiction, bestseller, classic, nick hornby, high fidelity
High Fidelity
Ever sat idly in a pub on holiday and made a list of your favourite films/music/actors/TV programmes? This one's for you. Nick Hornby's record store owner is a list fanatic, and Hornby uses his obsession to structure an amusing and ultimately touching tale of a man trying to juggle relationships with his love of music and general procrastination.
High Fidelity by Nick Hornby, £7.99 from Amazon.co.uk
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steve test Summer reads: The 10 best classic books
books, bestseller, classic, audrey niffenegger, time traveler's wife
The Time Traveler's Wife
Your fella won't get a peep out of you if you take this one on holiday to read by the pool - it's utterly engrossing from start to finish. Cleverly flitting between timelines, it sees heroine Claire falling for a man who is an unwilling time traveller, who appears and reappears in seemingly random places and times. Probably the most romantic science fiction book ever - read it and weep.
The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger, £5.33 from Amazon.co.uk
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steve test Summer reads: The 10 best classic books
books, fiction, bestseller, classic, dh larwence, sons, lovers
Sons And Lovers
One of those classic novels you've been meaning to read forever, this ticks off an important box on the list while making you realise what a jolly good writer DH Lawrence really was. A family saga, it tells of an overbearing mother whose son is looking for romantic adventures. A timeless theme, but with plenty of period detail to make you feel educated as well as entertained.
Sons And Lovers by DH Lawrence, £2.89 from Amazon.co.uk
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steve test Summer reads: The 10 best classic books
books, bestseller, classic, louisa may alcott, little women
Little Women
Never mind Coronation Street - this family saga has enough drama and intrigue for a month's worth of TV soap operas. The female characters are vivid and relatable, and come no more fascinating than heroine Jo, said to be based on writer Alcott. Strong-minded Jo is determined to help the March family survive during the Civil War, and you'll be rooting for her all the way.
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott, £4.53 from Amazon.co.uk
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steve test Summer reads: The 10 best classic books
books, fiction, bestseller, classic, muriel spark, jean brodie
The Prime Of Miss Jean Brodie
While written in the ‘60s, this classic is set in the ‘30s, when secret stolen kisses were a really big deal. Miss Brodie is the characterful teacher who takes a group of girls under her wing and into her confidence. While she tries to decide between two admirers, the schoolgirls look on and try to make their own life decisions, with dramatic consequences. An effortlessly enjoyable read.
The Prime Of Miss Jean Brodie by Muriel Spark, £7.19 from Amazon.co.uk
steve test Summer reads: The 10 best classic books
For something classic this summer, sip a cocktail in the sun with handbag.com's top 10 timeless summer reads
by Steve Smith
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