Classic Books Which Live Up To Their Reputation

[Thudlow_Boink]

I stumbled across this old thread, on much the same topic:

Classic novels that have aged well.

I want to become a more well-rounded reader, my current diet of sci-fi/fantasy literature is fun to read, but doesn’t make for great chat at cocktail parties. So, name me some books that are considered “classics” of fiction (or non-fiction) that aren’t agonizingly dry or outdated. If it’s an entire author’s set of works, try and pick the best “starter” book if you can.