When was the last time you relaxed and cuddled up with a book? If you’re picturing yourself as a teenager, then it’s officially been too long, and you’re missing out. We get it, free time is hard to come by and other forms of entertainment are just a remote control away. But no matter how busy life may get, there’s never been a better time to turn that first page. Studies have shown that participating in mentally stimulating activities, such as reading, help you maintain a healthy mind later in life and help slow memory decline as you age. According to Dr. Robert S. Wilson, “We shouldn’t underestimate the effects of everyday activities, such as reading and writing, on our children, ourselves and our parents or grandparents.”
Clearly books are good for your mental health, and the good news is that people are actually reading. According to Pew Research about 76% of adults aged 18+ have read a book within the last year. So the next question is, what should you read next? If you’re debating picking up a book, but you’re intimidated by the page count, listen up: size isn’t everything in life and in literature. We promise you’ll be so immersed in the story you won’t even notice that you’ve been reading for hundreds (or thousands) of pages. Here are our favorite 15 classic novels to snuggle up with.
1. War and Peace, Leo Tolstoy
You’ll start reading it just so that you can say you did. But turns out it’s actually good. It’s one of the most famous novels for a reason. Just don’t be freaked out by the thickness of this massive Russian novel that boasts 1,456 pages. Eeek.
Read Related: Falling Gently Into Fall: 20 Books About Starting Fresh to Dive Into Now
2. Infinite Jest, David Foster Wallace
The late and brilliant David Foster Wallace published this thick tome beloved by hipsters and scholars alike. We recommend using two bookmarks to navigate the 1,088 pages: one for the main text and one for the endnote section being read concurrently.
