According to Google, there have been over 130,000,000 books published globally as of 2021. However, of these books, there are 30 that I recommend that you read before you die. Many are Eurocentric, but they all reveal indelible truths about human nature and humanity in general. In this brief piece, we will discuss these literary works.
- To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee
This classic examines human behavior and the collective conscience of The Deep South in the early 20th century.
- 1984, by George Orwell
George Orwell’s dystopian, totalitarian society of control, fear, and lies has never been more relevant.
- Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, by J.K. Rowling
Accompany Harry Potter as he starts his journey into the world of magic, where he is the celebrated Boy Who Lived.
- The Lord of the Rings, by J.R.R. Tolkien
This trilogy is a tale of grit.
- The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby examines the excess and luxury of the Jazz Age and an introduction into a world of high society.
- Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen
Details the courtship of two polar opposite characters in a world where manners and courtesy are very important.
- The Diary Of A Young Girl, by Anne Frank
Profoundly influential, Anne Frank’s diary is a raw account of a young girl’s life as she hides from the Nazis.
- The Book Thief, by Markus Zusak
The Book Thief follows Liesel as she saves books from the tyranny of Nazi rule.
- The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien
Meet your favorite characters for the first time as Bilbo Baggins navigates the desolate landscapes of Middle Earth to challenge a dragon.
- Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott
Join four sisters as they come of age in charming 19th Century New England.
- Fahrenheit 451, by Ray Bradbury
Books are forbidden, and it iGuy Montag’s duty to burn any books he comes across.
- Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Bronte
Jane Eyre is a strong, unbroken woman despite her childhood and Victorian society.
- Animal Farm, by George Orwell
This 1945 satire examines the risks of revolution and the dynamics animals will give in to.
- Gone with the Wind, by Margaret Mitchell
A story of the Civil War and its aftermath for Scarlett.
- The Catcher in the Rye, by J.D. Salinger
The Catcher In The Rye examines the challenges and of adolescence.
- Charlotte’s Web, by E.B. White
Charlotte and Fern try to save Wilbur, the piglet, from becoming breakfast.
- The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, by C.S. Lewis
Narnia is the home to hundreds of magnificent creatures, each with its own origins, morals, and ideals.
- The Grapes of Wrath, by John Steinbeck
Set during The Great Depression, this novel follows one Oklahoma family forced to travel to California.
- Lord of the Flies, by William Golding
This novel follows the lives of boys stranded on an island as they regress into savages, and their island existence collapses into a bad dream.
- The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini
The Kite Runner follows Amir as he endeavors to find the only friend he’s ever had.
- Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck
A complex tale of a friendship between two migrant workers.
- A Tale of Two Cities, by Charles Dickens
After eighteen years as a political prisoner, Dr. Manette is released and returns to England with Lucie.
- Romeo and Juliet, by William Shakespeare
Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy that examines the euphoria of desire and the tragedy of revenge.
- The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, by Douglas Adams
Accompany Arthur Dent on an adventure across the galaxy.
- Wuthering Heights, by Emily Bronte
This story of love, rivalry, and revenge follows Catherine Earnshaw and her father’s adopted foundling Heathcliff as they grow into very different adults.
- The Color Purple, by Alice Walker
The Color Purple is a tale that tackles the lives of colored women in the 1930s USA.
- Alice in Wonderland, by Lewis Carroll
Alice In Wonderland examines the potential of imagination and the reality of fiction.
- Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley
A combination of gothic thrillers, cautionary tales, and romance novels, Frankenstein is a story like no other.
- The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain
The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn is a convoluted and complex tale of friendship, adolescence, and shifting societal norms.
- Slaughterhouse-Five, by Kurt Vonnegut
This tale aims to dissuade us from war and murder that the authorities force the public into.
