No one is going to argue with you if you stand up and say, ‘Well, it’s been a pretty serious year so far.’
But, you can always escape into a great classic novel, right?
As it turns out, many great classics are pretty serious too. You might not find hiding in one so much of an escape as just swapping one depressing reality for a fictional one.
Classics become classic because of their quality, and their ability to easily draw you into the author’s world. They become beloved because over generations many people found themselves entranced and moved by the story held within the covers.
But what if you don’t just want to be entranced and moved, but you want to be uplifted? What if you don’t want to fall into a long, sluggish affair of war, pain, heartbreak, and death, but would rather an easy classic that makes you smile, and brightens your afternoon?
We’ve got you covered.
Top 12 Easy Happy Classics to Brighten Your Day
The Enchanted April by Elizabeth Von Arnim
This is a simply lovely story about four English women who found each other through an ad in the classifieds and then found themselves through a month’s holiday together in a medieval Italian castle. First published in 1922, this gorgeous tale will delight you and make you yearn to go travelling again.
You might also love: A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith
The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan
We have all been embarrassed by a family member at one point in time, right? The Joy Luck Club is a group of young Chinese immigrant women who meet to play mahjong, new to America, and life in the West. This story covers the relationships between four mothers and their daughters, filled with misunderstanding, mystery, whimsy, and love.
You might also love: The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
This is a very well-known story that you might be more familiar with through depictions by Disney than through the actual original novel. If you haven’t read it yet, I highly recommend spending some time between the pages. It is more twisted than anything Walt Disney dreamed up but also so much fun, and an absolutely glorious escape from the everyday.
You might also love: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum
The Three Musketeers by Alexander Dumas
In what can only be described as a swashbuckling epic (how do you swash a buckle anyway?), The Three Musketeers is one of the most fun-filled adventure tales of all time. Full of heroes and villains, secrets and mysteries, love and loss - if you haven’t read this book before you are missing out on something special.
You might also love: Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson
The Alchemist by Paul Coelho
This story is simple, enchanting, and just divine. A lovely tale of an Andalusian shepherd boy who travels from the hills of Spain to majestic Egypt, you will be surprised how much you fall in love with this extraordinary book.
You might also love: The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button by F. Scott Fitzgerald
F. Scott Fitzgerald is a wizard for creating exciting, vibrant worlds to escape into. This tale tells of how in 1860, Benjamin Button was born a very old man and through his life aged backward, touching many hearts and lives along the way. Now more aligned with the movie starring Brad Pitt, you really should discover the joy and magic of the story as it was originally told.
You might also love: The Magic Shop by H.G. Wells
I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith
This story invites you into the mind and heart of 17-year old Cassandra and tells of how she fell in love one summer. Her quirky family lives in the remains of a ruined Suffolk castle. This is a sweet and poignant novel which you will never be too old to read again.
You might also love: Cold Comfort Farm by Stella Gibbons
A Little Bush Maid by Mary Grant Bruce
This book was a gorgeous part of many young Aussie girl’s childhood, and honestly, I will never get tired of re-reading and discovering its joy all over again. This is the first of a series, set on a large cattle station called Billabong, inhabited by 12-year-old Norah, her older brother Jim and their widowed father. Just beautiful.
You might also love: Seven Little Australians by Ethel Turner
Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen
Ahhh, Austen. She just makes you feel all warm and gooey inside, doesn’t she? Pride and Prejudice is possibly her most famous story, but I love this whimsical story of the Dashwood sisters and their search for romance and men that can match with their wits.
You might also love: Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
All Creatures Great and Small by James Herriot
James Herriot’s enchanting memoir of life as a vet in rural England is beloved by many, and for very good reason. If you have a soft spot for four-legged creatures (or any creatures really), then you will simply adore this book, filled with a wide range of tales of his patients that will have you laughing and crying in equal measure.
You might also love: My Family and Other Animals by Gerald Durrell
The Princess Bride by William Goldman
You will be familiar with the fantastically funny movie based on this book, but you are missing out indeed if you don’t allow yourself the time to read and truly savour the story as it should be enjoyed. This was a wickedly different take on the traditional fairy tale, filled with brilliant characters, adventure, love, revenge, and everything else you need to make you happy on a quiet afternoon.
You might also love: Stardust by Neil Gaiman
Life of Pi by Yann Martel
A modern classic, this story tells of the unlikely events after a ship of zoo animals capsizes in the Pacific Ocean, and a young boy finds himself in a lifeboat with a tiger. If that premise hasn’t piqued your interest then I’m not sure what will. Even if you have read this one before, it still holds secrets and surprises within its covers for you to discover the second time around.
You might also love: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon