Let’s clear something up first: this isn’t a novel. The World's Greatest Books — Volume 06 — Fiction is a curated anthology. Editors Arthur Mee and J.A. Hammerton gathered what they considered the cream of the literary crop from their era and condensed them into summaries and highlights. It’s like a highlight reel of 19th and early 20th-century fiction.

The Story

There is no single story. Instead, you jump from one iconic world to another. One moment you’re in the wild Scottish highlands with Sir Walter Scott’s Rob Roy, the next you’re navigating the polite but sharp social battles in Jane Austen’s Emma. You’ll visit the grim streets of Dickens’s London and then be swept into romantic poetry. Each entry gives you the core plot, the main characters, and the spirit of the original work. It’s a guided tour through a library of classics, with the editors as your friendly, knowledgeable guides pointing out the most important sights.

Why You Should Read It

I love this book for its pure, unashamed love of reading. It was created in a time before the internet, when such a collection was a gateway to culture. Reading it feels like discovering a treasure map. You might read a condensed version of a story like The Vicar of Wakefield and think, "I need to read the whole thing now!" It’s the ultimate tool for beating reader’s block or for finding your next favorite classic author. The editors’ choices and commentary are a fascinating look at what was valued in literature over a century ago.

Final Verdict

This book is a fantastic fit for a few kinds of readers. It’s perfect for students or casual readers who feel intimidated by thick classic novels but want to understand their stories and cultural impact. It’s also great for avid readers who enjoy literary history and seeing how tastes have changed. If you’re looking for a single, gripping narrative from start to finish, this isn’t it. But if you want a book you can dip in and out of, one that opens doors to a whole world of other stories, this old anthology is a charming and surprisingly useful companion.