Books everyone should read

[limebirdmike]

A good friend of mine recently asked me to compile a list of books he thought he 'should read' ie the best, most important books that I think everyone should read. This got me thinking: what would be in your list?

To get you all started, off the top of my head, some of the 'must read' books I recommend include:

1. Slaughterhouse 5
2. Flowers for Algernon
3. Animal Farm
4. 1984
5. The Communist Manifesto
6. Paradise Lost (extremely hard, but very rewarding)
7. LOTR
8. The Time Machine
9. The Monk
10. Frankenstein
11. Oliver Twist
12. Picture of Dorian Gray
13. Dracula
14. The Hitchikers Guide to the Galaxy...

[limebirdwriters]

Oct 30, 2011 20:11:30 GMT limebirdmike said:

A good friend of mine recently asked me to compile a list of books he thought he 'should read' ie the best, most important books that I think everyone should read. This got me thinking: what would be in your list?

To get you all started, off the top of my head, some of the 'must read' books I recommend include:

1. Slaughterhouse 5
2. Flowers for Algernon
3. Animal Farm
4. 1984
5. The Communist Manifesto
6. Paradise Lost (extremely hard, but very rewarding)
7. LOTR
8. The Time Machine
9. The Monk
10. Frankenstein
11. Oliver Twist
12. Picture of Dorian Gray
13. Dracula
14. The Hitchikers Guide to the Galaxy...

Oh gosh, I've only read 6 of those. Oh Mike I am going to have to disagree with one of those books. I HAVE read 'Paradise Lost', but I pretty much had to drag myself through it. I can completely appreciate the technical 'wow' of it, but it just wasn't enjoyable for me. However, this is probably because I was forced to read it in a very short amount of time for my degree. (eep! Don't hurt me!)

[bonusparts]

There's definitely a theme running through many of these books...

A lot of them would probably be on my list, too, though, especially Frankenstein, 1984, and Hitchhiker's Guide. I think I'd personally replace The Communist Manifesto with Der Kleine Prince, and Slaughterhouse 5 with Fahrenheit 451. I can appreciate Oliver Twist, Dracula, and Paradise Lost...but I didn't enjoy them. Meaning, I understand recommending them to those who haven't been exposed, but I wouldn't take them with me to a deserted island.

For me, I'd add Through the Looking Glass, The Scarlet Letter, Tarzan of the Apes (even though I prefer Burroughs's Mars books), and - what the heck - The Pillow Book.

[limebirdwriters]

I've just realised that I've never read 'The Hobbit', I know right? Terrible! So, I'm starting reading it today!

[yrdeni]

I'd add The Flour Babies by Anne Fine.

However, I think I'd prefer to mix the title up a bit from 'Books you should read' to 'You should read books'.

This point of view comes mainly from the year I was forced to read Wuthering Heights because it's a book I should read. The world didn't change after I'd finally struggled through to the end. The thing was, several people reading it at the same time as me did enjoy it - we're all so different. Just read whatever you're into, as long as you read something. That's my new motto.

[yrdeni]

Sorry, I didn't mean to kill this thread... How about Profession by Isaac Asimov (short story)

[munsi]

woot! i hit 12 of the original 14! that's not bad, hmmm? i'd add Fahrenheit 451, The Stand, Watchmen and Good Omens, personally. But that's just me....

[yrdeni]

Jul 19, 2013 10:41:10 GMT munsi said:

woot! i hit 12 of the original 14! that's not bad, hmmm? i'd add Fahrenheit 451, The Stand, Watchmen and Good Omens, personally. But that's just me....

Good Omens is one of my all-time favourites

[munsi]

Jul 31, 2013 22:22:04 GMT yrdeni said:

Good Omens is one of my all-time favourites

as well it ought to be! Good Omens and Cancer Ward are the two books I can't stop buying and giving away, stone cold classics.