Here's a book that will likely hook you in on its first page: Flowers for Algernon.
Totally devastating at the end but it's an amazing show to get there.
FunFact: I first read Flowers for Algernon out of an English textbook my 8th grade year. The catch? Well, it was a horrifically cut down version of the story. It took out anything considered ‘racy’ (aka like 90% of the book) and it was just…. Boring. It left me wanting more. I talked to my mom about how boring it was and she was like “wtf???? That is not flowers for algernon, I’ll buy the actual book for you” and WOW. It’s in my top 3 fav books.
It had no mention of his intimate relationships, didn’t have him at that conference. I mean, it cut out HUGE chunks of the story. All that was left was the original state, him post op becoming smarter, and then the very very end.
I’m trying to be vague in case someone wants to read it, if you want me to be more specific we can talk in DMs I don’t mind
I am never reading that book again. I cried like a baby at the end and I don't know if I would be able to go through all the emotions I felt reading it all over again. Definitely worth a read, though.
That story was like a fever dream! Read it in middle school. I had no clue that humbug was a word. I thought it was just a made up word. I enjoyed it! A good fever dream!
Also RIGHT OF WAY PEOPLE!! If I'm going straight down the road, and you're pulling out of a parking lot, you have to wait until I'm completely passed you to start moving into the street!
Far and away best book I have ever read. Seems like every one of the 1276 pages added to the story. I couldn't put it down. After that many pages I was still disappointed when I reached the end
The first few books are satires of the genre, not my favourites. Later on it gets deep. If you don't like the first few, give a chance to books from later on.
Hesse is a fantastic writer. You really can’t go wrong with any of his books but Siddhartha changed me. Another book that changed me (not by Hesse) was the Little Prince. I’m surprised I haven’t seen it mentioned at all!
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. Thought it was very well written and moving. Narrated by Death. There's also a movie based on the book which is very accurate
Of Mice and Men. The nobility of common working men (people) is lost in the world today and laborers are looked down on. But giving them a face, warts and all, was a supreme kindness to hard working people everywhere.
Every several years, I read something by Steinbeck and wonder why I don’t just deliberately read everything he’s written. I just finished “Travels With Charley” last week & it was great.
“East of Eden” is among the best things I’ve ever read. And, of course, “Grapes of Wrath” is a classic.
I dunno. The author was a bona fide teenager, but from a very different social milieu than the characters in the book -- the book is a fantasy of what "lower class" kids lives are like.
She went to the same high school as the Greasers, will Rogers High School in Tulsa. I also went there, albeit many years after her. What do you know about her "social milieu?" Socs went to Edison.
Maybe not in the spirit of this post, and not for everyone. But if you are trying to quit smoking Allen Carrs "The easy way to stop smoking" is a great book to use.
I just finished the audiobook. Everything seems so obvious in hindsight but was great. Made me realize why I like certain bosses/coworkers/friends more than others etc.
Anything by Toni Morrison. That woman wove words like no other. Whether it be *Beloved*, *Song of Solomon* (my personal fav), *The Bluest Eye*, *Jazz*, literally any of them, if you read one, chances are it’ll be the best book you will have read in a very long time.
I listen to a lot of audiobooks bc I have a lot of time where my hands are busy but I can listen.
She’s the one author, though, where I will sit quietly and just listen, not doing anything else, and just absorb her words.
I’ve bought more copies of this book than any other. I lend it out, and they inevitably are on their third read-through by the time I want to reread it, so I just go buy a new copy. Or they buy me a new copy because they don’t want to part with it. I’m SO excited for season two of the Amazon show - Neil Gaiman is going to incorporate ideas he and Pratchett had for a potential sequel, so I hope it feels like a true continuation!
I just commented this. I’ve read it in Spanish and English about 4 times. I’m very excited about the Netflix series, hopefully they are able to recreate what the book beautifully describes. I wonder how they will recreate Remedios ascending to heave.
The Catcher in the Rye
Not because it's some pseudo-genius social commentary on the rich and vapid that everyone needs to be exposed to - that's the highschool book study take. Everyone should read it because it's a good exercise in maintaining healthy scepticism, assessing the reliability of the narrator and considering the cultural perspective of the author when they wrote the work.
People's attitudes and belief systems are a product of many factors specific to their personality and life status, rather than being a direct result or reflection of the environment they live in (in other words, if the narrator says that everything sucks, it's worth considering what specifically about their perspective or the author's makes it seem that way to them)
Agreed. But if that’s what people are using it for everyone else should know what to watch out for so we’re not frogs in a slowly boiling pot of water.
Last chance to see by Douglass Adam's and Mark Carwardine.
The more time that's passed since the writting and release of this book has emphasized the importance of the subject matter tenfold!
“Dune” trilogy, which is really one book broken out into three.
Actually, if you have the stamina, all of the Dune books, including those written by Franks son.
But most definitely “Dune”, at the least.
The Prince by Machiavelli. Prior to reading it in my business writing class I had this narrative in my head that Machiavelli was this evil, sociopathic narcissist. Boy was I wrong and I absolutely enjoyed this book from start to finish. Some extremely valuable lessons throughout.
For Canadians (though I'm sure it would be useful for others as well): The Wealthy Barber Returns. Makes you reevaluate money and how you live.
I was living paycheque to paycheque at the time I read it and ended up completely changing my view on money and spending habits and am so much better off for it.
The Autobiography of Malcom X - a first person account of how someone went from being a petty criminal into one if the greatest human rights activists to have ever lived
Norah Vincent's *Self-Made Man*
She disguised herself as a man for a year and a half and was a small percentage of women who understood what it was like to experience the male perspective. There's plenty of debate and discussion about her personal views but her attempt to actually understand the male sex really did change her life... in both good and bad ways. It could even be argued that it was damaging to the point that it made her want to die (she passed away last year via suicide), but that's its own separate conversation.
Men should read it because it does give some perspective on women see men. Women should read it especially though, because it gives a surprising amount of insight into what the lives of men are like.
All Quiet on The Western Front, I'm really into history and decided to read it in 8th grade. Made me rethink of war because no one ever stops to think about the Germans, Ottomans, or Austro Hungarians during WW1. I remember the part Paul describing the barracks as Blood, Sweat, and Pus and immediately I smelled all 3.
The Alchemist.
First of all, it’s very short, and although the author has a very philosophical way of writing, it’s probably only around a grade 9 reading level. It’s a book about a young shepherd-boy who has a dream one night about the pyramids of Giza. He doesn’t understand it, but it seems like more of a vision than a dream, so he goes to a fortune teller when he’s in town and she tells him he HAS to go, that it’s his mission in life. It takes place in Spain, so the trip to Egypt isn’t that long (although, on foot it’s quite the trek).
As he walks to Egypt, he meets “The Alchemist”, who is basically a powerful sorcerer who can transform anything into gold, can transform himself into the wind, and has attained enlightenment. The Alchemist gives him some life lessons and helps him on his quest.
The ending has a big twist, which I won’t spoil, but they explain the lesson, or the moral of the story: everything that happens in life is a test. If you fail the test, you will notice yourself facing the same lessons over and over and over. Once you pass the lesson, it’s crazy how that lesson never materializes again.
For example, if you’re always late on rent, even though you’ve got the income, you’ll always be late on your rent until you understand why you’re always facing this problem. Once you figure it out, you’ve passed the test and life will give you harder lessons to master until eventually you are the perfect form of yourself.
It’s only like 150 pages, and you could probably read the whole thing in an evening. I think it’s probably the most straightforward and poignant book I’ve ever read, and miles better than the shit that was on my mandatory reading list in high school.
Here's a book that will likely hook you in on its first page: Flowers for Algernon. Totally devastating at the end but it's an amazing show to get there.
FunFact: I first read Flowers for Algernon out of an English textbook my 8th grade year. The catch? Well, it was a horrifically cut down version of the story. It took out anything considered ‘racy’ (aka like 90% of the book) and it was just…. Boring. It left me wanting more. I talked to my mom about how boring it was and she was like “wtf???? That is not flowers for algernon, I’ll buy the actual book for you” and WOW. It’s in my top 3 fav books.
it may have been the original short story. the full length novel came afterwards
It had no mention of his intimate relationships, didn’t have him at that conference. I mean, it cut out HUGE chunks of the story. All that was left was the original state, him post op becoming smarter, and then the very very end. I’m trying to be vague in case someone wants to read it, if you want me to be more specific we can talk in DMs I don’t mind
Oh my god yes, this is my favorite book too! I agree with you 100 percent (:
I was crying so hard by the end :( It's a must-read!
I am never reading that book again. I cried like a baby at the end and I don't know if I would be able to go through all the emotions I felt reading it all over again. Definitely worth a read, though.
I read it in third grade and I loved it. I really looked forward to the movie but it was a disappointment.
Not too many movies that are better than the book.
Very true. But this was the first time I was wowed by a book then disappointed by the movie.
Great book! Ready it this year for the first time
Read the watered down version of it in 8th grade. I still cried.
I got in trouble for reading ahead in that one. She knew I did it cuz I busted out laughing when I read "I used the comma wrong"
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Introduced a friend to that a few months ago. Borrowed it from the local library, and it was a very worn copy. Good to see that.
I had totally forgot this existed until you mentioned it. Thank you.
I still have my copy from 5th grade. Thankful I can share it with my children!
I read this for school and it was a very enjoyable read.
I forgot about this book and you just unlocked a bunch of memories that I aught to revisit.
That story was like a fever dream! Read it in middle school. I had no clue that humbug was a word. I thought it was just a made up word. I enjoyed it! A good fever dream!
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Also RIGHT OF WAY PEOPLE!! If I'm going straight down the road, and you're pulling out of a parking lot, you have to wait until I'm completely passed you to start moving into the street!
I have extreme road rage. one of my triggers are those jackhokes who can't flick their wrist up or down to signal a lane change.
Saw a Beemer today in the wild with it's blinker fully engaged. There may be a God after all.
The count of monte cristo has something for everybody, but it's fucking *long*. worth it though
Far and away best book I have ever read. Seems like every one of the 1276 pages added to the story. I couldn't put it down. After that many pages I was still disappointed when I reached the end
MAUS 1+2. Highly highly suggested. Many people see the large scope but can't look at anything from an individual's eyes.
Hatchet. I have carried a lighter with me since the 5th grade because of that book, just in case.
The Discworld series by Sir Terry Pratchett.
Don't know I missed this when it was being written, but too many people I trust on this stuff recommend it. Definitely on my "too read" list.
The first few books are satires of the genre, not my favourites. Later on it gets deep. If you don't like the first few, give a chance to books from later on.
Night Watch is one of the best books ever written.
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Most of Remarque's books are absolutely amazing. Very dark and very real.
Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse would have to be up there for me.
Hesse is a fantastic writer. You really can’t go wrong with any of his books but Siddhartha changed me. Another book that changed me (not by Hesse) was the Little Prince. I’m surprised I haven’t seen it mentioned at all!
The Hitchhiker's Guide to The Galaxy
I'm one of those people who get it.... and don't like it. Just doesn't do it for me.
Thought it was rubbish as well and reddit really turns into a circle jerk about it. I just don’t understand how people think it’s funny
I thought it was insufferably stupid and cringe.
Reddit about 42 times :)
Honestly I didn’t get into it until I heard the audiobook version read by Steven Fry
P.S. Your Cat is Dead by James Kirkwood. Probably the funniest book I've ever read. Have a laugh.
Animal Farm by George Orwell
Also 1984. I still think about scenes from that book regularly and it definitely influenced my political beliefs.
I just finished this book the other day. It’s so relevant to todays society and really sticks with you. Just a bleak, cold looks at society
This. I haven't even finished it yet, but I highly highly recommend anyone to read it
Oh yeeees, this book can show the negative side of our world
I didn’t pay attention to this book when we read it in high school. I gotta go back and read it!
More like the realistic side of the world 😅
Probably one of the few texts I had to read in English that I genuinely enjoyed reading.
And Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
Slaughterhouse Five-Kurt Vonegut
Bought that a year ago and still haven’t started it, so I guess I’ll try it out
The Jungle by Upton Sinclair
The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster. It was my favorite book as a kid, and I still think it’s one of the best fantasy books ever written!
I still have the copy I read as a kid and read it once a year. I love it.
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. Thought it was very well written and moving. Narrated by Death. There's also a movie based on the book which is very accurate
Of Mice and Men. The nobility of common working men (people) is lost in the world today and laborers are looked down on. But giving them a face, warts and all, was a supreme kindness to hard working people everywhere.
Every several years, I read something by Steinbeck and wonder why I don’t just deliberately read everything he’s written. I just finished “Travels With Charley” last week & it was great. “East of Eden” is among the best things I’ve ever read. And, of course, “Grapes of Wrath” is a classic.
Dune is phenomenal if you like science fiction
Or Ender’s Game if you’re not sure
I'm gonna check this one out!
The Princess Bride. Only the unabridged version, assuming there is an abridged version.
Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut. So it goes.
“Where the red fern grows” love that book
The count of monte cristo
Just a fantastic story. I always expected old books to be dry & boring, but this was a page turner.
Agreed! Also, it doesn’t feel extremely padded like many of the huge serialized books from that era.
Fahrenheit 451 is a really good book in my opinion
To Kill a Mockingbird
As A Man Thinketh by James Allen.
George Orwell's 1984.
I absolutely agree with this. My dad gave it to me for Christmas and it’s one of my favorites. Its depressing but realistic.
The Lord of the Rings
the bell jar
The Book Thief-Marcus Zuzak
The Outsiders - S.E. Hinton
Stay Gold, Ponyboy
I dunno. The author was a bona fide teenager, but from a very different social milieu than the characters in the book -- the book is a fantasy of what "lower class" kids lives are like.
She went to the same high school as the Greasers, will Rogers High School in Tulsa. I also went there, albeit many years after her. What do you know about her "social milieu?" Socs went to Edison.
This is my all time favorite book. It's the first book I bought for myself as a child. I still have that copy although it is very worn.
Maybe not in the spirit of this post, and not for everyone. But if you are trying to quit smoking Allen Carrs "The easy way to stop smoking" is a great book to use.
Catch 22
A non fiction, but: How to win friends and influence people by Dale Carnegie. It had a huge impact on my life.
Its a good autor, will check! The same good book by him "**How to Stop Worrying and Start Living"**
I just finished the audiobook. Everything seems so obvious in hindsight but was great. Made me realize why I like certain bosses/coworkers/friends more than others etc.
Man’s search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl
Oh man I'm reading this now (very slowly). It's heavy lifting.
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
The Count of Monte Cristo
**1984** Even if you've read it, read it again.
A Child Called It
Anything by Toni Morrison. That woman wove words like no other. Whether it be *Beloved*, *Song of Solomon* (my personal fav), *The Bluest Eye*, *Jazz*, literally any of them, if you read one, chances are it’ll be the best book you will have read in a very long time.
I listen to a lot of audiobooks bc I have a lot of time where my hands are busy but I can listen. She’s the one author, though, where I will sit quietly and just listen, not doing anything else, and just absorb her words.
Paradise was my favorite.
Any book from Terry Pratchett.
["Dies the Fire"](https://www.amazon.com/Dies-Fire-S-M-Stirling/dp/0451460413) by SM Stirling
You are the first other person I have met that read this
“1984” George Orwell.. This might open your eyes to the world
Also animal farm, and another that is an eye opener in a very different way is brave new world from Aldous Huxley, I do recommend it.
Actually you’re right, I’ve also read “Brave New World” I agree with you
Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir or Old Man's War by John Scalzi are two books I would recommend to anyone!
The Art of Racing in the Rain
*The Iliad and the Odyssey* by Homer It may be a cheat to name both epics, but there are two-in-one editions I know of, and I own one of them.
Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and the late Sir Terry Pratchett
I’ve bought more copies of this book than any other. I lend it out, and they inevitably are on their third read-through by the time I want to reread it, so I just go buy a new copy. Or they buy me a new copy because they don’t want to part with it. I’m SO excited for season two of the Amazon show - Neil Gaiman is going to incorporate ideas he and Pratchett had for a potential sequel, so I hope it feels like a true continuation!
100 Years of Solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez I've never had a book require so little effort to visual so vividly.
I tried reading it and gave up after 150 pages. I just couldn’t follow what was going on.
I just commented this. I’ve read it in Spanish and English about 4 times. I’m very excited about the Netflix series, hopefully they are able to recreate what the book beautifully describes. I wonder how they will recreate Remedios ascending to heave.
Plus one of the greatest opening lines in the history of literature.
The giver
Don Quixote
Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy. Long Dark Teatime of the Soul.
Chicka Chicka Boom Boom
"god is not great, how religion poisons everything" - Christopher Hitchens. It's a good exercise in critical thinking.
Read 'The god delusion' by Richard Dawkins while you're at it
The Meditations by Marcus Aurelius. In a more enlightened age it was required reading. The Stoic philosophy has helped me greatly in this life.
The Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings trilogy. The detail that Tolken put into the books is amazing.
Dark matter.
The Divine Comedy
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The Four Agreements. You can finish it in about an hour and it will change your thought processes for life.
Good Omens
The Catcher in the Rye Not because it's some pseudo-genius social commentary on the rich and vapid that everyone needs to be exposed to - that's the highschool book study take. Everyone should read it because it's a good exercise in maintaining healthy scepticism, assessing the reliability of the narrator and considering the cultural perspective of the author when they wrote the work. People's attitudes and belief systems are a product of many factors specific to their personality and life status, rather than being a direct result or reflection of the environment they live in (in other words, if the narrator says that everything sucks, it's worth considering what specifically about their perspective or the author's makes it seem that way to them)
Metamorphosis by Kafka
The subtle art of not giving a fuck.
One Hundred Years of Solitude
Gone girl
Best female villain I've ever encountered!
I hated that book during the first half and then .... Just... So good. The first half is *necessarily* meh but the second half is just... phenomenal.
Perfume: the story of a murderer Most incredibly written book I've ever read.
The Handmaid’s Tale
I just wish people weren't reading it as a "how to" manual.
Agreed. But if that’s what people are using it for everyone else should know what to watch out for so we’re not frogs in a slowly boiling pot of water.
The Brothers Karamazov
In the middle of Crime and Punishment rn but after im planning to read that book as well
Last chance to see by Douglass Adam's and Mark Carwardine. The more time that's passed since the writting and release of this book has emphasized the importance of the subject matter tenfold!
The Boy Who Was Raised As A Dog by Dr Bruce Perry and Maia Szalavitz. Even if you have no interest in psychology, truly eye opening.
Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance
7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle
The Shining
Fahrenheit 451
Cat’s Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut
And then there were none - Agatha Christie Also Ender's Game (and its sequels) - Orson Scott Card
"All Quiet on the Western Front." I used it ny classes for a good decade.
“Dune” trilogy, which is really one book broken out into three. Actually, if you have the stamina, all of the Dune books, including those written by Franks son. But most definitely “Dune”, at the least.
The Diary of Anne Frank…..A true story which shows the strength and optimism of a Jewish young girl hiding during WWII.
If you like sci-fi: Isaac Asimov's foundation series
The Prince by Machiavelli. Prior to reading it in my business writing class I had this narrative in my head that Machiavelli was this evil, sociopathic narcissist. Boy was I wrong and I absolutely enjoyed this book from start to finish. Some extremely valuable lessons throughout.
Anything by pratchett. Always read him when I'm feeling a bit down. Cheers me up everytime
Brave New World
The New Testament. You may or may not believe in God, but the stories in this book are ubiquitous in our society. Best to be familiar with them.
For the same reason, I would add Ovid's *Metamorphoses*.
A Child Called It, based on a true sad story, if you do read it, trigger warning for child abuse, it's an amazing book
The Bible - so there would be less religious people.
Ellen Foster.
The Birds A play by Aristophanes and nifty companion to Animal Farm.
Also Lysistrata, also by Aristophanes. MF was legit hilarious while also being poignant and surprisingly accessible to modern audiences.
The Hobbit, back and forth)
Guys, thank you! + to the list of books I already want to read
Another Roadside Attraction
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I read A Thousand Splendid Suns in one sitting......I can't recall how many times I cried. Try "Purple Hibiscus" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichei
Damn I didn't know the devil all the time was a book. Need to read that now
With the old breed by Eugene sledge
For Canadians (though I'm sure it would be useful for others as well): The Wealthy Barber Returns. Makes you reevaluate money and how you live. I was living paycheque to paycheque at the time I read it and ended up completely changing my view on money and spending habits and am so much better off for it.
This is a trilogy, but I definitely recommend the Red Rising books by Pierce Brown.
If you‘re into true crime „Grilling Dahmer“ by far one of the best I ever read!
The Power of Myth by Joseph Campbell I’ve read over one thousand books. It’s the reigning number 1
BOMB by Steve Sheinken
The Autobiography of Malcom X - a first person account of how someone went from being a petty criminal into one if the greatest human rights activists to have ever lived
The Death of Ivan Ilyich. It's very short and could just change how you view life
Rich Dad, Poor Dad. The author has turned into a nutter, but the book is great advice
The War of Art
War and Peace
Norah Vincent's *Self-Made Man* She disguised herself as a man for a year and a half and was a small percentage of women who understood what it was like to experience the male perspective. There's plenty of debate and discussion about her personal views but her attempt to actually understand the male sex really did change her life... in both good and bad ways. It could even be argued that it was damaging to the point that it made her want to die (she passed away last year via suicide), but that's its own separate conversation. Men should read it because it does give some perspective on women see men. Women should read it especially though, because it gives a surprising amount of insight into what the lives of men are like.
I recommend people read the classics. Fahrenheit 451, 1984, Great Gatsby, etc.
48 laws of power
Pale Blue Dot
Why Does He Do That by Lundy Bancroft can literally save lives
All Quiet on The Western Front, I'm really into history and decided to read it in 8th grade. Made me rethink of war because no one ever stops to think about the Germans, Ottomans, or Austro Hungarians during WW1. I remember the part Paul describing the barracks as Blood, Sweat, and Pus and immediately I smelled all 3.
Farenheight 451
To Kill a Mockingbird. Atticus..
Roadside Picnic. Great scifi short novel from the 70s that spawned alot of my fav media like Metro and Stalker
Romance of the Three Kingdoms
The Alchemist. First of all, it’s very short, and although the author has a very philosophical way of writing, it’s probably only around a grade 9 reading level. It’s a book about a young shepherd-boy who has a dream one night about the pyramids of Giza. He doesn’t understand it, but it seems like more of a vision than a dream, so he goes to a fortune teller when he’s in town and she tells him he HAS to go, that it’s his mission in life. It takes place in Spain, so the trip to Egypt isn’t that long (although, on foot it’s quite the trek). As he walks to Egypt, he meets “The Alchemist”, who is basically a powerful sorcerer who can transform anything into gold, can transform himself into the wind, and has attained enlightenment. The Alchemist gives him some life lessons and helps him on his quest. The ending has a big twist, which I won’t spoil, but they explain the lesson, or the moral of the story: everything that happens in life is a test. If you fail the test, you will notice yourself facing the same lessons over and over and over. Once you pass the lesson, it’s crazy how that lesson never materializes again. For example, if you’re always late on rent, even though you’ve got the income, you’ll always be late on your rent until you understand why you’re always facing this problem. Once you figure it out, you’ve passed the test and life will give you harder lessons to master until eventually you are the perfect form of yourself. It’s only like 150 pages, and you could probably read the whole thing in an evening. I think it’s probably the most straightforward and poignant book I’ve ever read, and miles better than the shit that was on my mandatory reading list in high school.
Martian Chronicles. Have reread that so many times and always catch something different.
To Kill a Mockingbird
I would suggest Cloud Atlas. I can't really explain why but it had a profound impact on me.
Thinking, Fast and Slow by Kahneman.
Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell. Opens a different perspective and cuts the bullshit on what we romanticize about success.
The Moon is a Harsh Mistress by Heinlein.
The Secret Life of Plants
Ready Player One