Find your level.
From welcoming first classics to books that ask you to slow down. Understand what makes a book demanding before you commit your evenings to it.
5 reading levels
Introducing The Classics Compass
Find the classic you actually want to read.
100 extraordinary books. Three ways to choose. A reading life that feels like your own.
Explore the complete bundleA searchable guide, printable checklist & Notion tracker.
100thoughtfully chosen
classics
classics
146pages in the
searchable guide
searchable guide
3ways to find
your next read
your next read
1reading life.
Yours.
Yours.
A better answer to “What next?”
One collection.
Three ways in.
You can love classics and still spend an entire evening choosing one. Start with the attention you have, the discoveries you want, or the life you’re living.
Go a little deeper.
Begin with the familiar names, then follow the shelves toward less expected discoveries. For when your reading list could use a very interesting stranger.
4 discovery shelves
Read for your life.
Starting over? Worn out? Finding your courage? Browse books by the situations they speak to, with room for comfort, perspective, escape, or challenge.
12 life situations
A little look inside
Where would you begin?
Three examples from the guide.
Choose a route to meet a book.
Reading level 1 · Brief
A Christmas Carol
One miserable businessman receives the world’s least relaxing overnight performance review, courtesy of several ghosts.
A familiar narrative shape and vivid scenes make entry easy. Some Victorian phrasing needs a second glance, while the five-part structure supplies natural stopping points.
A suggested pace: 1 week; 20–30 minutes, five days a week.
Reading level describes the demands of a book. Discovery reflects an editorial judgment for a general English-language classics audience. Your experience may differ.
The complete reading bundle
For the choosing.
And the actual reading.
A useful companion for your next book—and the many good books that come after it. Use the guide, print your shortlist, or keep your reading life in Notion.
The reading guide146-page searchable PDF
100 detailed book profiles, clickable contents, reading-level and discovery indexes, twelve life-situation indexes, and six suggested reading routes.
Your reading checklist8-page printable PDF
100 books to check off, a three-book shortlist, and a reflection sheet for what stayed with you. Print it, or use the checkboxes in a compatible PDF reader.
A tracker to make your ownNotion template · 5 ready-made views
Browse all books, reading levels, discovery shelves, life situations, and your personal reading list. Duplicate the template, then add statuses, dates, editions, and your own notes.
A simple place to startStart-here instructions + CSV backup
Clear instructions for choosing your first book and copying the Notion template, plus the complete 100-book database as a CSV backup.
Actual pages from the guide and printable checklist.
More than a title and a tick box
Know what you’re
getting yourself into.
Each profile explains the appeal, the reading demands, the emotional intensity, and a useful way in. You’ll also find edition advice, a flexible pace, sensitive-subject notes, and two books to try next.
You bring the opinions. There’s plenty of room for those.
Your next favorite book
may be one you’ve
barely heard of.
You don’t have to work your way through all 100. Open three profiles. Pick the one that makes you curious. Start there.
The Classics Compass · Literary Fancy
A good reading life
starts with a good next book.
Find your next read, keep track of what you’ve loved, and leave a little room for something unexpected.
- Searchable PDF guide
- Printable reading checklist
- Your own Notion tracker
- Instructions & CSV backup
The complete
reading bundle
Get The Classics CompassDigital files and a Notion template.
No physical product. Full book texts are not included.
Before you begin
A few good
questions.
Do I need Notion to use this?
No. Both PDFs work on their own. The Notion template is there if you enjoy sorting, filtering, and keeping your reading notes in one place. A free Notion account lets you duplicate the template into your own workspace.
Are the actual books included?
The bundle contains original recommendations, reading guidance, and tracking tools. It does not include the complete novels or other book texts. Profiles include source links and edition advice to help you find a copy.
Will other people see my Notion notes?
You duplicate the template into your own workspace and choose “Add to Private.” Make changes inside your own copy. Your copy’s sharing settings control who can see your notes; the original template remains unchanged.
Are the reading levels a test?
The levels describe language, structure, context, and ambiguity. They help you choose a book that fits your energy and attention. They don’t measure your intelligence, and you can move between levels whenever you like.
Do I have to follow the suggested pace?
Every pace is flexible. Your edition, reading speed, schedule, and energy will all affect it. Read slowly, pause, reread, or set a book aside. The guide is meant to make choosing easier.
What do you mean by literary prescriptions?
Books chosen as companions for life situations, with options for comfort, perspective, escape, and challenge. These are reading suggestions, not mental-health treatment. Emotional-intensity and sensitive-subject notes help you decide what feels right for you.
How do I print the checklist?
Print at actual size on US Letter, or use “Fit” on A4. You can also tick the digital boxes in compatible PDF readers. Save a local copy after making changes so your progress stays with you.
Prefer a plan made just for you?
I also create custom 12-month classics reading plans around your tastes, reading history, and real life.