Collection Guide: Classics

Before ‘Dystopian’ was a genre, these authors were considering how the world might look in the future; what technologies we would have, how we would behave, what we might discover...

Stories set in Australia, written by Australian authors.

Engaging short film on the life and work of C.J. Dennis (8 min.):

To check whether a novel is available as an eBook, search for it on the Library catalogue. All formats - print, eBook and audio - automatically display. If available, follow the link for access. 

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Classic stories are those that have been generally agreed on that they meet common high standards for quality, longevity, influence and appeal.

Also associated with Romantic literature and the Horror genre. With its mysterious heroes, innocent maidens and dark locations, Gothic Fiction likes to send a chill up a reader’s spine, and make them feel strong emotions.

Vincent: a short film by Tim Burton inspired by the tales of Edgar Allan Poe (7 mins).

Mythology, folklore, fairy stories and legends that continue to inspire modern story-writing.

Stories of adventures into the unknown.

The classics that immerse you in another time period, exploring the customs, traditions, joys and hardships that people experienced. Most of these stories have been adapted as films. 

Movie trailer: 

The ‘King and Queen’ of classical crime stories: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Dame Agatha Christie. Find stories of the famous sleuths – Sherlock Holmes, Hercules Poirot and Miss Marple – in the Suspense genre.

Many of the classics have also been made into movies: try a quick search on IMDb. For another great introduction to some of the classics, try these web series adaptations: