Best 19th-century fiction?

[Viking]

I'm looking for good books to read published on or before 1910.

Suggestions?

What about the Good Book itself?

It's neither 19th century nor certainly "best" but fiction alright.

It has the drunk incest scene with Lot and his daughters... not the best written sex scene but surely not the worst.

[Capetan Mihali]

Hunger - Knut Hamsun

A great book, by my second-favorite Nazi-collaborationist author.     I forgot it was written in the 1800s.

[merithyn]

True.  An awesome read even today.

Personally, I recommend Shelley's Frankenstein.  More than a horror story, an indictment on the hubris of science without ethics at the advent of the Industrial Revolution.  Very topical, albeit more of a late 18th century work.

Oddly, I never thought of Frankenstein as a horror story. I love the book, and every time I read it I get something new from it.

I read the Comte de Monte Cristo to the boys when they were little, but it may be worth reading again. 

[Gups]

I'd recommend 'The Pickwick Papers' by Dickens.  It's his first novel and very much a mid-way point between writing a 'novel' and a serialised stories.  So it's rather episodic, but a very enjoyable and fun picaresque story - it's also got one of the best of Dickens's Christmas scenes.

Wilkie Collins was an influence on Dickens's later work, especially the more coherent and controlled plots.  A lot of Collins's books aren't that great but they're mostly fun.  'The Woman in White' and 'The Moonstone' though are simply superb.  The rest of his books less-so - even the next best two 'No Name' and 'Armadale' aren't that great and are a bit ridiculous.

I love Thackeray's 'Vanity Fair'.  It's really interesting because as well as the humour and poignancy that he manages very well it's got, for my money, the most compelling female character in Victorian literature.  The orphan Becky Sharp who uses all of her natural advantages to get ahead.  Thackeray's rather strait-jacketed by the morality at the time - there's a remarkable chapter where he describes Becky as a sort-of mermaid, beautiful above water but beneath all writhing sea-monster - but you can't shake the feeling that he's more on her side.  I think, generally, the reader is.

I'd second George Eliot.  For my money the single greatest English novelist, I think she's second only to Shakespeare as an English writer.  A really interesting woman too.

Thomas Hardy's great - my family live in the heart of his 'Wessex' they live in 'Weatherbury' of 'Far From the Madding Crowd' and the nearest town is 'Casterbridge' of 'The Mayor of Casterbridge'.  I don't think he's heavy-going in terms of writing, it's not that dense, but it takes an emotional toll.  But I think he's a great writer.  'Tess of the d'Urbervilles' is probably a good starting point.

Maybe try some Conrad if you've not before?  'Heart of Darkness' is a great short novel.  'The Secret Agent' is still, for my money, the best novel on terrorism.  Those are the only two of his I've read.

There are a fair few good BBC adaptations too.  I particularly recommend the Barsetshire Chronicles - starring Alan Rickman - and their version of Bleak House.

If you're just into Victoriana I hear the Sarah Waters novels are good and personally enjoyed 'Quincunx' a lot.

Agree with most of this - Vanity Fair is probably my favourite 19th Century novel, although Middlemarsh runs it close.

However, be careful with Elliot - go for something short like Silas Marner rather than Daniel Deronda. I'd avoid Pickwick Papers as well. I don't think it's that great myself, Bleak House or a Tale of Two Cities are vastly superior.

Hardy is OK if you don't mind pages of descriptions of scenery.

[CountDeMoney]

True.  An awesome read even today.

Personally, I recommend Shelley's Frankenstein.  More than a horror story, an indictment on the hubris of science without ethics at the advent of the Industrial Revolution.  Very topical, albeit more of a late 18th century work.

Oddly, I never thought of Frankenstein as a horror story.

The unchecked pursuit of science without considering its moral ramifications is horror.

[Ed Anger]

I still like Poe. Shit was a blast in school.

Plus I liked her song 'Angry Johnny'.

[Grey Fox]

L'affaire Clemenceau by Dumas, Junior.

[Admiral Yi]

Wasn't Cyrano written in the 19th?

I also vote for A Tale of Two Cities.

[Ideologue]

True.  An awesome read even today.

Personally, I recommend Shelley's Frankenstein.  More than a horror story, an indictment on the hubris of science without ethics at the advent of the Industrial Revolution.  Very topical, albeit more of a late 18th century work.

Oddly, I never thought of Frankenstein as a horror story.

The unchecked pursuit of science without considering its moral ramifications is horror.

Raising people from the dead is bad?  Whatever.

[Darth Wagtaros]

Kipling.  Kim I found boring but his short stories are great.

I like his poems.

[Eddie Teach]

It's neither 19th century nor certainly "best" but fiction alright.

Having read a substantial portion of the Koran, I have much greater respect now for the literary merits of the Bible. At least it has some damn narrative going for it.

[Sheilbh]

Having read a substantial portion of the Koran, I have much greater respect now for the literary merits of the Bible. At least it has some damn narrative going for it.

Translation matters I think.

I've read, in numerous books by both religious and secular writers that the Koran in Arabic is absolutely astonishing.  It uses a sort of poetic form I believe and is, as literature, extraordinary.

[Barrister]

I still like Poe. Shit was a blast in school.

Plus I liked her song 'Angry Johnny'.

Didn't even think of Poe.  QUite enjoyed reading his stuff.

[Valmy]

I've read, in numerous books by both religious and secular writers that the Koran in Arabic is absolutely astonishing.  It uses a sort of poetic form I believe and is, as literature, extraordinary.

Meh.  The great Arabic poets are still great in translation.  Why does that not apply to the Koran?

[merithyn]

Agree with most of this - Vanity Fair is probably my favourite 19th Century novel, although Middlemarsh runs it close.

However, be careful with Elliot - go for something short like Silas Marner rather than Daniel Deronda. I'd avoid Pickwick Papers as well. I don't think it's that great myself, Bleak House or a Tale of Two Cities are vastly superior.

Hardy is OK if you don't mind pages of descriptions of scenery.

I read Vanity Fair in college, though I remember very little of it. I think it's one I'd like to read again. I gave up on Verne and moved on to Middlemarch. So far it's pretty good. Very typical of the time. I've already read Silas Marner, and I think once is enough for that.

Some authors require a lot more mental attention than I have while working. The beauty of Jane Austen, Sherlock Holmes, etc. is that I can pay attention to it while still getting things done. The more dense, difficult books are a bit harder. Middlemarch seems to suit so far.

And Hardy's descriptions are actually pretty cool when listening to the book. It makes it much easier to picture the places - or to tune it out when doing something a bit more tricky with my work.

Thanks for all of the suggestions, everyone. You've plumped my list up quite a bit.