Adam Bede by George Eliot

The book which made Mrs. Carlyle feel "in charity with the whole human race" could be no ordinary one. Adam Bede contains all George Eliot's broad and catholic knowledge of life, and the characters are all drawn by the hand of a master. This is a true classic romance; it's one of those books that will stay with you for a long time, and you might even read again, just in case you forgot some of the more interesting parts.