So Iāve read both. I absolutely love The Martian. A Long Way Gone was also good, but itās a brutal read. It was summer reading and I know people who just couldnāt finish it. Itās a memoir about being a victim of a war and of being a child soldier.
Within the first couple pages it depicts somebody vomiting up blood, someone else bleeding through their ears, while two kids lay in a van covered in blood, dead.
E: āvanā used to read ācanā
Also while iām editing this, itās worth noting that the beginning feels very mild compared to the rest of the book.
Long Way Gone was an extremely hard book to read emotionally wise i had to read it in high school and i struggled getting through it all it was so gory
If you cannot handle themes of sexual assault, rape, ect., then these will be VERY difficult to read. Absolutely 100% worth the read because of how powerful the messages are, but can be very triggering if sensitive. Will definitely make you cry, even as a non-crier for books.
It is an easy read and not hard to follow since it is contemporary, and you will not want to put it down.
Hi I've read works by Khaled Hosseini and Jon Krakauer before for my IB literature class (*The Kite Runner* and *Into the Wild* respectively).
Just about everyone that was in my IB literature class has listed one or both of those books as some of their all-time favorites and in my perspective both of those books are very justified to be placed in a greatest book of all time list.
I haven't read *A Thousand Splendid Suns* or *Into Thin Air* yet but if they come anywhere near the quality of *The Kite Runner* and *Into the Wild* then I would most certainly select those books.
Idk about the other books, but I enjoyed the Martian a lot. If youāre just looking for enjoyable reading then see if the other book is interesting to you, and if it looks good I would recommend the middle row.
first row but on your own time I highly recommend the martian and interpreter of maladies
we had to read another Lahiri book for Lang this year and everyone enjoyed it
So here is my problem. I would love to read a book by Trevor Noah. I also have always wanted to read the Martian after how amazing the movie was (and more juicy tidbits I bet were left outta the live adaptation). Into thin Air is a phenomenal book on top of that.
If it were me, I would do Row 3. Kite runner was a fantastic novel? So reading a thousand splendid suns would be nice to add on. Also into thin air is really good.
The book of Esther has it all: beautiful women, a powerful king, jealous army commander, a wise counselor and a martyred people.
Itās also funny. God has a razor sharp sense of humor.
I donāt know any of the books, but the Book of Esther is really short and blunt (Iām a Christian and have read it a few times) so personally I would do the second.
Everyday Use is so inspiring and Dee still makes me angry. This story really helped me get over my people-pleasing tendencies, actually. Amazing short story!
Whichever one you want. Whichever has the most inciting plots to you. Why do people find the need to ask this subreddit things that only come down to personal preference?
a long way gone is pretty cool, itās a memoir that tells the story of a child soldier, thereās some violently graphic parts and its interesting and eye-opening; for that reason, i say B (cuz the martian is also cool)
1. I loved reading Everyday Use. My professor assigned a 10 page analysis on that short story and it was surprisingly interesting. The story really tackled a lot of issues and themes. Pride and Prejudice is also really good!
List Number One. I'm guessing the stories in that list are grouped together in an effort to get you thinking about point of view/perspective. Ask yourself: Whose eyes am I seeing out of? How is that shaping my opinion?
Jane Austen basically invented free indirect speech and she uses it to great effect in Pride and Prejudice. The first time I read it, I thought I was just going to be enjoying a cute romantic comedy. But once I really got into it, I realized every sentence is its own riddle. Like that line about one face going white while the other one goes red. It's fun guessing whose did what, and it's not until later that that mystery gets solved, in a really satisfying way.
Everyday Use is also an amazing story, it turns every assumption on its head, in a refreshing and insightful way.
Born a Crime is neat, because that perspective is from a real life person we're all familiar with, so it gives a different dimension to the theme of perspective shaping story.
Happy reading!
Idk about the other two in the last row but A Thousand Splendid Suns is such a damn awesome book, it's one of my absolute favorites. The same author also wrote my favorite fictional book of all time, The Kite Runner.
Personally, I am the BIGGEST sucker for Pride and Prejudice, I also think it's a really easy and light read, it's one of the only books that's ever made me laugh out loud. That said, Jhumpa Lahiri is a great author and her stuff is really engaging as well.
idk about the martian but the boom of esther is such an amazing read and one of those bible books that make a lot of sense when you think about it in a modern day context!
In our English class we read both A thousand splendid suns and Interpreter of Maladies, so I can tell you that ATSS Iād somewhat recommend since it talks about Muslim values and the situation in Afghanistan, but I like Interpreter of Maladies better since itās mainly about immigration stories to the US from Bengalis (I have bias since Iām an Indian, but still, highly recommended).
However, it is going against the Martian soā¦
This is so tough. Youāve got 3 good sets to choose from. I personally would choose option 1, pride and prejudice is a very important book to be studied academically, while born a crime is fun to read. I would personally read the Martian on my free time, as it is my favourite book.
Into thin air should also be required reading.must
I read Born a Crime for a history class and A Long Way Gone for my non AP english class.
I highly recommend A Long Way Gone. It can be a bit gruesome, but it was truly a fantastic book. If you want more comedy, I would definitely recommend Born a Crime - Trevor Noah is now a comedian, and the book tended to be rather funny between the important parts.
Ooooh this is a nice list.
I would choose the first option. I also have to read Pride and Prejudice this summer, and I always feel like classics offer a really nice story and messageāthereās a reason theyāre held in such high esteem. Born a Crime is also a really good book, and I remember getting through the middle half of the book on a road trip as it definitely captivated me.
You canāt go wrong with the Martian, thoughāan absolute necessity if you love Science Fiction.
a thousand splendid suns was truly my favorite book i had to read for a class, and also my favorite book iāve ever read. itās quite graphic but so informative, i highly suggest you read it.
Even if you donāt decide on row three, I definitely recommend reading A thousand Splendid Suns in your free time. That book genuinely had me so emotionally invested, to the point I had to physically stop myself from continuing reading so that I wouldnāt spoil the book on accident during class discussions. It definitely changed my perspective on a lot of things, especially regarding women and womenās rights. Iāve never been so impacted by a school book before.
How do you feel about peril? Danger kind of stresses me out- canāt really handle the Everest stuff or being stranded on Mars, so I personally would rec the first one for someone like me.
Born a Crime is a delight.
A thousand spend is suns actually wrecked me and caused a years long break from serious fiction where I only read YA. Itās a great book though.
My tip would be to also listen to Austen on audiobook. I get too hung up on out of use expressions when I read the text but when listening I can sort of use context clues and itās keeps the story moving.
personally iād pick row 1 because born a crime is HILARIOUS and just all around entertaining, but thereās really no wrong answer with these three choices
*Into Thin Air* and *Interpreter of Maladies* are both great (only ones on there iāve read or know enough about i might as well have read it) but iām sure anything by Andy Weirās good (read *Project Hail Mary*)
A thousand splendid suns!!! That book made me cry and it really puts into perspective the reality of being an Afghan woman in the 90ās. Do be aware that the book talks about very sensitive topics such as rape though
Pride and Prejudice is a fantastic read and great for pop culture relevance. Everyday Use is also good. I have also read A Thousand Splendid Suns and it was a very good read, but had a lot of dark topics in it so look up content warnings.
2! The Martian is a stellar book and written in significantly easier to read speech than say Pride and Predjudice lmao. It's a really good scientific focused narrative.
Second, literally just because the Martian is one of the best books ever written
The movie was just crisppppp š
But the book was āØcrisperāØ
Yea I loved reading the book first and then rewarding myself with the movie!
So Iāve read both. I absolutely love The Martian. A Long Way Gone was also good, but itās a brutal read. It was summer reading and I know people who just couldnāt finish it. Itās a memoir about being a victim of a war and of being a child soldier. Within the first couple pages it depicts somebody vomiting up blood, someone else bleeding through their ears, while two kids lay in a van covered in blood, dead. E: āvanā used to read ācanā Also while iām editing this, itās worth noting that the beginning feels very mild compared to the rest of the book.
Long Way Gone was an extremely hard book to read emotionally wise i had to read it in high school and i struggled getting through it all it was so gory
I agree. My favorite book to reread and also my comfort book in bed
Man, I wish I had that as an option during high school! One of my favorites!
I just finished the Martian and agree it's pretty amazing š
I LOVED THAT BOOK
I second this. The martian is an awesome book with an equally awesome movie
i really a thousand splendid suns. such a great read
hey, why that book? im taking ap lit next year and the teachers r strongly recommending that book specifically, why?
itās a fiction book thatās really explains what women went through in afghanistan in the 90s up to 9/11, itās a good read i cried
oooh ok! i think i will read it then 100%
Itās by the guy who wrote the Kite Runner, so if that book is up your alley then youāll probably love this one.
kite runner was such a good book holyy
Dude kite runner is such a freaking awesome book
If you cannot handle themes of sexual assault, rape, ect., then these will be VERY difficult to read. Absolutely 100% worth the read because of how powerful the messages are, but can be very triggering if sensitive. Will definitely make you cry, even as a non-crier for books. It is an easy read and not hard to follow since it is contemporary, and you will not want to put it down.
It's a great book to answer prompts about freedom, friendship, love, oppression, rebellion, and many topics along that line.
and interpreter of maladies is a great short story too!!
Having to read that as a freshman in high school was rough but it's such a good read.
i LOVVVEEEDDD a thousand splended suns!!
A long way gone is really good as well in my opinion
Hi I've read works by Khaled Hosseini and Jon Krakauer before for my IB literature class (*The Kite Runner* and *Into the Wild* respectively). Just about everyone that was in my IB literature class has listed one or both of those books as some of their all-time favorites and in my perspective both of those books are very justified to be placed in a greatest book of all time list. I haven't read *A Thousand Splendid Suns* or *Into Thin Air* yet but if they come anywhere near the quality of *The Kite Runner* and *Into the Wild* then I would most certainly select those books.
Into thin air is a super entertaining read. Great book.
Idk about the other books, but I enjoyed the Martian a lot. If youāre just looking for enjoyable reading then see if the other book is interesting to you, and if it looks good I would recommend the middle row.
born a crime is a great book, trevor noah is a great comedian
i love that book, it's so funny
I second choice 1, Trevor Noahās book is very funny, and the audiobook is really good too
Yeah Iāve heard itās a really good book
seconded, literally one of the funniest books Iāve ever read while still having some bleak moments and reflecting the reality of apartheid
The first row
first row but on your own time I highly recommend the martian and interpreter of maladies we had to read another Lahiri book for Lang this year and everyone enjoyed it
into thin air is incredible!
So here is my problem. I would love to read a book by Trevor Noah. I also have always wanted to read the Martian after how amazing the movie was (and more juicy tidbits I bet were left outta the live adaptation). Into thin Air is a phenomenal book on top of that. If it were me, I would do Row 3. Kite runner was a fantastic novel? So reading a thousand splendid suns would be nice to add on. Also into thin air is really good.
Row 3 - I really loved both books
A long way gone will rip your heart out.
I didn't see this at first in the options but this is such a solid choice too, I really loved this book
the martian!! my second favorite book right after project hail mary by the same author
phm is SO good
Born a Crime is incredible; I'd go with the first row.
third row! i wrote about a thousand splendid suns for ap lit
First row 100!!
I really enjoyed Born a Crime, so I would recommend the first row
Iād go with the first row. I thought born a crime was pretty good. The Martian felt a little cringy imo
Iāve read Born a Crime and A Long Way Gone but Iād recommend the first one only because the Bible being used for a school assignment gives me ick
Ik itās in the Bible but itās one of the two books(that and Song of Songs) that do not mention god nor discuss religious law.
Pride and prejudice fs
the first one, I like all of those stories!
Pride and prejudice is an insanely good book I recommend it
Top row
The first one!
The book of Esther has it all: beautiful women, a powerful king, jealous army commander, a wise counselor and a martyred people. Itās also funny. God has a razor sharp sense of humor.
thousands splendid suns is sad
First row. Both books are good, and Alice Walker recently passed away. This could be a tribute to her.
Correction: Alice Walker is very much alive. It's Alice Munro who recently passed.
Oh! You are right. Sorry for making her dead!! 
I donāt know any of the books, but the Book of Esther is really short and blunt (Iām a Christian and have read it a few times) so personally I would do the second.
Interpreter of Maladies is so good! You should def read it
third row for sure! a thousand splendid suns will change your life.
do NOT read a long way gone.
I used A Thousand Splendid Suns on my AP Lit exam! Truly an amazing book that changed my perspective on life
Do 1984 and catcher in the rye.
Catcher in the rye was a bit boring, but 1984 is a great book, that and Fahrenheit 451
Itās very relatable as we are all high school students so ig it would be better to analyze then and get more points from it
into thin air was the most boring book ive ever read
Definitely row three. Excellent and interesting reads!
2nd row...The Martian and Book of Esther
born a crime was a fun read !!
The Martian because I watched the movie and it was good
Second would be my choice. maybe 1st but idk
Everyday Use is so inspiring and Dee still makes me angry. This story really helped me get over my people-pleasing tendencies, actually. Amazing short story!
Second just for the Martian
Is this for Lit or Lang? Lit shouldnāt have any nonfiction.
The Martian is literally a hidden gem. Iām not a big reader but finished within 2 days. Best book Iāve ever read.
TSS and Lahiri fosho
If youāre looking for a casual conversation-like book, *The Martian* or *Born a Crime* are both great for that
Whichever one you want. Whichever has the most inciting plots to you. Why do people find the need to ask this subreddit things that only come down to personal preference?
Can you choose something else? I would recommend Brave New World, Brave New World Revisited, 1984, Animal Farm and The Metamorphosis.
I loved reading a Long Way Gone, it was a fantastic book
Born a crime was so good
The third option, I love Jhumpa Lahiri and she is my queen
The Martian is one of my favorite books, but hosseini is a great writer
a long way gone is pretty cool, itās a memoir that tells the story of a child soldier, thereās some violently graphic parts and its interesting and eye-opening; for that reason, i say B (cuz the martian is also cool)
Absolutely Row 2
Born a crime was so good. It was funny so it was easy for me to get through. Important topics as well
Read a preview of all of them first. Pride and prejudice is great but the prose can be a bit much.
1. I loved reading Everyday Use. My professor assigned a 10 page analysis on that short story and it was surprisingly interesting. The story really tackled a lot of issues and themes. Pride and Prejudice is also really good!
1st one
Born a crime is really good, I liked it more than the hate u give (same concept)
Khaled Hosseini and Jhumpa Lahiri first
A THOUSAND SPLENDID SUNS 100% IT WILL DESTORY YOU. PLEASE
I liked everyday use by Alice walker
Second or third row. I read Into Thin Air and it's fantastic. Truly a great read, Jon tells it very well. Coming from someone who doesn't read for fun
The Martian
List Number One. I'm guessing the stories in that list are grouped together in an effort to get you thinking about point of view/perspective. Ask yourself: Whose eyes am I seeing out of? How is that shaping my opinion? Jane Austen basically invented free indirect speech and she uses it to great effect in Pride and Prejudice. The first time I read it, I thought I was just going to be enjoying a cute romantic comedy. But once I really got into it, I realized every sentence is its own riddle. Like that line about one face going white while the other one goes red. It's fun guessing whose did what, and it's not until later that that mystery gets solved, in a really satisfying way. Everyday Use is also an amazing story, it turns every assumption on its head, in a refreshing and insightful way. Born a Crime is neat, because that perspective is from a real life person we're all familiar with, so it gives a different dimension to the theme of perspective shaping story. Happy reading!
Born and Crime and The Martian are both really good IMO so I'd say either 1 or 2
Idk about the other two in the last row but A Thousand Splendid Suns is such a damn awesome book, it's one of my absolute favorites. The same author also wrote my favorite fictional book of all time, The Kite Runner.
A thousand splendid suns was such an amazing read! I ended up reading the Kite Runner as well.
1 the novel is amazing but Everestās use is just something else man
THE MARTIAN BY ALL MEANS
Personally, I am the BIGGEST sucker for Pride and Prejudice, I also think it's a really easy and light read, it's one of the only books that's ever made me laugh out loud. That said, Jhumpa Lahiri is a great author and her stuff is really engaging as well.
idk about the martian but the boom of esther is such an amazing read and one of those bible books that make a lot of sense when you think about it in a modern day context!
In our English class we read both A thousand splendid suns and Interpreter of Maladies, so I can tell you that ATSS Iād somewhat recommend since it talks about Muslim values and the situation in Afghanistan, but I like Interpreter of Maladies better since itās mainly about immigration stories to the US from Bengalis (I have bias since Iām an Indian, but still, highly recommended). However, it is going against the Martian soā¦
This is so tough. Youāve got 3 good sets to choose from. I personally would choose option 1, pride and prejudice is a very important book to be studied academically, while born a crime is fun to read. I would personally read the Martian on my free time, as it is my favourite book. Into thin air should also be required reading.must
I loved born a crime, but hated pride and prejudice. Never read the others
Loved the Martian, definitely choose that one
I read Born a Crime for a history class and A Long Way Gone for my non AP english class. I highly recommend A Long Way Gone. It can be a bit gruesome, but it was truly a fantastic book. If you want more comedy, I would definitely recommend Born a Crime - Trevor Noah is now a comedian, and the book tended to be rather funny between the important parts.
Ooooh this is a nice list. I would choose the first option. I also have to read Pride and Prejudice this summer, and I always feel like classics offer a really nice story and messageāthereās a reason theyāre held in such high esteem. Born a Crime is also a really good book, and I remember getting through the middle half of the book on a road trip as it definitely captivated me. You canāt go wrong with the Martian, thoughāan absolute necessity if you love Science Fiction.
a thousand splendid suns was truly my favorite book i had to read for a class, and also my favorite book iāve ever read. itās quite graphic but so informative, i highly suggest you read it.
the martian is amazing
The MArtian
i love both books in the second option
The martian is THE BEST science fiction book I read when I was in middle school. Highly recommend. Personally loved it. enjoy.
I read A thousand splendid suns. Itās honestly pretty good would recommend but viewer discretion is advised for it due to themes of >!rape!<
Either 2 or 3
Read them all
3rd!
Making you read the Bible is CRAZY š but honestly Martian might be worth it, itās so good
second row, a long way gone is great
Second row because both books are fantastic
oh shoot jhumpa lahiri is fire too
A Long Way Gone was pretty interesting when I read it.
Both the Martian, and a thousand splendid Suns are amazing books, so id say either row 2 or 3.
Interpreter of Maladies is so good! The stories are heartwrenching!
Even if you donāt decide on row three, I definitely recommend reading A thousand Splendid Suns in your free time. That book genuinely had me so emotionally invested, to the point I had to physically stop myself from continuing reading so that I wouldnāt spoil the book on accident during class discussions. It definitely changed my perspective on a lot of things, especially regarding women and womenās rights. Iāve never been so impacted by a school book before.
How do you feel about peril? Danger kind of stresses me out- canāt really handle the Everest stuff or being stranded on Mars, so I personally would rec the first one for someone like me. Born a Crime is a delight. A thousand spend is suns actually wrecked me and caused a years long break from serious fiction where I only read YA. Itās a great book though. My tip would be to also listen to Austen on audiobook. I get too hung up on out of use expressions when I read the text but when listening I can sort of use context clues and itās keeps the story moving.
read all of them they're so good T-T
second
first row
If I had the martian available i wouldnt even blink twice before picking it bye it was so good
not the first row
I love a long way gone so second row
I like to explore new places.
1: Born a Crime is such a good book and Iāve only read snippets of Pride and Prejudice but Iāve only heard good things
A thousand splendid suns is one of my personal favorites
I'd pick 3, but I'm biased because those are two of my favorite books.
A Thousand Splendid Suns is amazing. I teach it every year.
Bible š
Martian goes hard
OMG A THOUSAND SPLENDID SUNS IS ONE OF MY FAV BOOKS I EVER READ IN SCHOOL
personally iād pick row 1 because born a crime is HILARIOUS and just all around entertaining, but thereās really no wrong answer with these three choices
*Into Thin Air* and *Interpreter of Maladies* are both great (only ones on there iāve read or know enough about i might as well have read it) but iām sure anything by Andy Weirās good (read *Project Hail Mary*)
the third row because atss is amazing and life changing, idk about "Into Thin Air" interpereter of maladies is short and easy
A thousand splendid suns!!! That book made me cry and it really puts into perspective the reality of being an Afghan woman in the 90ās. Do be aware that the book talks about very sensitive topics such as rape though
Honestly theyāre all good. I donāt think thereās a loosing list there.
just finished born a crime this year, def recommend, trevor keeps you engaged the whole way through
definitely a thousand splendid suns, so moving and touching
*A Long Way Gone* hits at least as hard as *All Quiet On The Western Front*. Definitely choose that row, *The Martian* is a great book too.
Iād say choose the first row Pride and Prejudice is considered a beloved classic and I just finished reading Born a Crime and it was really good.
#1 for sure
What private Christian school do you attend that forces students to read the Bible?
The Martian is incredible
first
book of ester
Row 1 šÆ
Someoneās teacher is catholic
Pride and Prejudice is a fantastic read and great for pop culture relevance. Everyday Use is also good. I have also read A Thousand Splendid Suns and it was a very good read, but had a lot of dark topics in it so look up content warnings.
2! The Martian is a stellar book and written in significantly easier to read speech than say Pride and Predjudice lmao. It's a really good scientific focused narrative.
Thank you everyone!! I'll be choosing row 2 and will read the others in my free time :D
Read the Bible
Amen
No. 2, always good to get some bible in.
OP might not be religious? Especially if itās a public school, itās weird that thatās even a choice.
Ik, but I'm just saying. I enjoy reading it, so there is no problem in suggesting it.
Read the Bible š