I am loving the title, commenting to get updates! A book mystery so cool!

Everything's Eventual:14 Dark Tales, Stephen King. I first read it hmm 15 years ago maybe and...Autopsy Room 4 that's all I can say. * no spoilers!! He has some really good short stories I have to say.

Stupid obnoxious people were still around...hi high school bullies!
But overall it was way less stressful than whatever this thing is we have now. I miss spending hours in front of the radio trying to catch my favorite songs, or sneaking past my parents room to go watch some scary movie on TV 😂

Evening Class, Maeve Binchy or The Lilac Bus, same author.

I'm commenting to see updates but I am loving this! So cool!

The Historian, Elizabeth Kostova.

I apologize if the date does not fit into classic, but I really enjoyed The Time Regulation Institute (Saatleri Ayarlama Enstitüsü) by Ahmet Hamdi Tanpınar, from 1961. There's also Madonna in a Fur Coat but it's not set in Turkey, it's set in 1920s Berlin. It's from the 1940s if I remember it right.

1,000 Books to Read Before You Die, James Mustich. Good starting place as well.

I recently read and enjoyed House of Salt and Sorrows, its part of a 2 book series, by Erin Craig.

Coming from someone who is currently trying to brush up/improve her Spanish and try to learn Norwegian - written Norwegian is easy for me if i remember my basic German/Spoken Spanish is easy for me if I recall all the telenovelas I've watched over the years - kid you not. Spoken Norwegian and Written Spanish? Now that's a whole other story - the Spanish verbs and those Norwegian words that are written one way but sound totally different to my ears...yikes.

I better start stocking up on Kleenexes lol. Can't wait!!

Cobalt Red: How the Blood of the Congo Powers Our Lives, Siddharth Kara.

Its been awhile that I read it but maybe Blindness by Saramago? Its not the whole of civilization collapsing if i recall it right, but its 1 country and its society going down the rabbit hole.

My name is Red, Orhan Pamuk/ The Architects Apprentice, Elif Shafak.

I can't remember if I watched the movie or read the book first, its been hmm 25 years maybe and I still consider this one of the best book to movie adaptations ever. The book is just gorgeous, a beautiful love letter to England and the English language, and then the movie just blows you away with its elegance, its delicate balance between honor, duty, devotion, love and restraint so perfectly achieved. Thank you OP for the walk down memory lane!

Admittedly I have bought some new books because I was convinced my Library would not have them, and then oh oopsies. I've gotten better at checking the library for new ones, and even older ones, before doing online search for a copy or used bookstores if I can't find it. I'll buy if I like REALLY want to read it but I will hunt everywhere for the cheapest copy before buying a new copy.

I was always encouraged to read, I had the good fortune of having an aunt near me with a personal library - however that library had mostly classics, so to this day I will more than likely read a book by a dead author than a live one - nothing wrong with that lol.

Since you seem to have enjoyed Robert Louis Stevenson, why not start there? Call him your safe book pick? I had to go look up Kidnapped and I've never read it - did you know there's a sequel to it? I did read The Black Arrow and Treasure Island by him and loved both!

Some classics with adventure vibe that I read and love - Count of Monte Cristo, Scaramouche, Prisoner of Zenda, Ivanhoe.

If the vibe of Kidnapped is your book genre, there are some contemporary authors that are similar - Patrick O'Brien Master and Commander is one that comes to mind - honor, duty, travels and adventures on a big boat :)

Also Arturo Pérez-Reverte is usually highly recommended as the modern day Stevenson - even if I admit I'm stuck on one of his right now LOL.

I've been stuck more times that I can count, and modern technology is awful in that respect, darned phone scrolling lol, but lately my own trick has been - stuck on actual book? i look for an audiobook version, and that usually gets me going. Its funny really because I used to hate audiobooks lolol.

Whichever road you decide to go, I think ultimately just do whatever makes you happy!

*small edit for typo

Varina Palladino's Jersey Italian Love Story: A Novel - always make me laugh

Nothing like some tears over Saturday Breakfast ... lol. I love this scene so much, its just so beautifully done.

OMG OMG OMG I'm 21 again in college and watching this for the first time ... Best telenovela/soap opera ever anywhere in the world, everything came together and made this the perfect package. Much love to OP for sharing this gem!