I recently read Phantastes, a fantasy novel, by George MacDonald, and Dickens' A Tale of Two Cities. I thought A Tale of Two Cities was quite amazing, different from Dickens' other works I've read. Sydney Carton is not the typical hero you find in literature, yet I came to like him the most of all the characters. The ending almost made me cry.
Now I am reading Book Lust by Nancy Pearl, which is over one hundred lists of recommended reading. I am thoroughly enjoying it and already have quite a number of titles I will have to try to track down someday.