The Count of Monte Cristo // Alexandre Dumas
At 1200 pages, this is the longest novel I’ve ever read – this fact alone makes it worthy of being included, but it’s not the main reason. The Count of Monte Cristo seems to be the type of classic that has been taken for granted: doomed to be repeated on television through mediocre adaptations that rarely do the novel justice. Most people are familiar with the story, yet few actually experience this exhilarating journey through prose, which is a shame, as I have a strong suspicion it may be the best book ever written.