Book Hero currently holds well over 1,000 classics in stock in our Auckland warehouse, available for fast overnight delivery anywhere New Zealand. We want more Kiwis to discover (or rediscover) the books that have stood the test of time, so we’ve also committed to doubling our range of classics this side of Christmas. That will make Book Hero home to what we believe will be the largest selection of classics available anywhere in New Zealand.
Why read the classics?
They’ve stood the test of time
Each of these incredible books have earned the right to be called a classic, ideas and characters that have been loved by generations of readers and remain just as rewarding today as when they were first published. That's (...one of the many) great things about books - if the story or idea has been published in a book, chances are it's pretty good compared to majority of the "free" content available online. Chances are higher again if it's been through multiple reprints and emerged the other side as a classic! There are only so many hours in a day and days in a lifetime - don't pass up the best the literary world has to offer!
They explore timeless human experiences
Love, ambition, jealousy, injustice, courage and loss are human emotions that haven’t changed nearly as much as the world around us. Part of the joy of reading is recognising our own emotions in the lives of the characters - and discovering that people across different eras and cultures have wrestled with many of the same things we do.
Books about Love
Books about Ambition
Books about Jealousy
Books about Injustice
Books about Courage
We asked some of our team to choose their favourite classic and share a few words about why they love it. If you’re not sure where to begin, these recommendations are a great place to start!
Dylan - Meditations by Marcus Aurelius
Meditations is the private journal of the Roman Emperor, Marcus Aurelius, who rules from 161AD to 180AD. He never intended it for publication, and it's an amazing insight into how the most powerful man in the world thought about his responsibilities. Marcus was a stoic and many of his thoughts in Meditations have become the foundation of stoic philosophy even today. Some of my favourite passages from the book include - “Choose not to be harmed - and you won’t feel harmed. Don’t feel harmed—and you haven’t been.” “The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts.” “You always own the option of having no opinion.” These beautiful passages are as true today as they were when they were written nearly 2,000 years ago.
Sacha - A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett
A Little Princess will always have a special place in my heart. I received it for Christmas when I was about seven years old, and I read it so many times that the paperback cover eventually fell off. I was completely captivated by Sara Crewe, her kindness, quiet strength and ability to see magic even in the hardest moments. I loved the journey from riches to rags and back again, but more than anything, I loved how she used her imagination to create beautiful stories for the other girls. The Victorian setting felt so enchanting, and Frances Hodgson Burnett's writing was unlike anything I'd read before. It was one of the first proper novels I ever finished, and it sparked a lifelong love of classic literature that has never left me.
Tim - Walden and Civil Disobedience
Walden has been a slow read over many years for me. I come back to it from time to time when I'm needing a reminder of spending time in nature and solitude. He makes the case that we've made life far more complicated than it needs to be, and there's value in slowing down and observing, and for being comfortable with yourself and your own company.
There are parts that feel like they're from another era. But every few pages I'd come across a sentence that made me stop and think. For a book written many years ago, it's surprising how many of its ideas still feel relevant.
One line in particular has stuck with me throughout my life and I often reflect on it... “The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation. What is called resignation is confirmed desperation."
Shirl - Dracula by Bram Stoker
I’m a huge horror fan! Whether it’s books, movies or haunted houses I’ve always been drawn to anything dark and mysterious. So naturally one of my favourite classics is Dracula by Bram Stoker. What first led me to the book was Francis Ford Coppola’s iconic 1992 film which seemed to feature every major Hollywood actor of the time including the eternally cool Winona Ryder. It's a film I still watch time and time again.
The style of the novel was unlike anything I had read before. Told through journal entries and letters it feels as though you’re piecing together the mystery alongside the characters. It creates a growing sense of dread as Dracula’s presence begins to close in around them. I also love how a novel first published in 1897 has had such a lasting influence on horror and shaped so much of the vampire folklore we still see in books, film and television today.
Amelia - Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson
Growing up, my grandparents loved giving us classic books and one of my favourites was Treasure Island. It is such a great adventure featuring hidden treasure, dangerous pirates, and life at sea, creating many of the pirate tropes that are still popular today. The story follows young Jim Hawkins as he embarks on an unforgettable journey, with memorable characters like Long John Silver and Dr. Livesey.
Although it was first published in the 1880s, Treasure Island remains an engaging read thanks to its fast-paced plot, sense of adventure, and themes of courage, greed, loyalty, and betrayal. I think looking back, Treasure Island is probably the reason that I love so many books filled with epic adventures.
Lizzy - Letters to a Young Poet by Rainer Maria Rilke
This is one of those books that has stuck with me since I first read it many years ago, and after a recent re-read I was reminded at how impactful it was for me personally. A very slim little classic, this is a collection of letters written by Rainer Maria Rilke to a young officer cadet who wanted advice on life and writing and love. Through these letters we explore the meaning of life and creativity, receive advice on coping with uncertainty and hardship, and are invited to reflect and wonder on our own identity and beliefs.
There are certain bits that feel like they have been engrained in my brain forever like this one:
"To be an artist means not to count or reckon but to ripen like the tree that does not force its sap and, trustingly, stands through the storms of spring without fear that summer will not come. It will come."
