One of the biggest regrets I have has been my inability to read for fun throughout this school year. Between schoolwork, extracurriculars, sleeping, and spending time with friends, there is hardly any time to sit down and read for my own enjoyment. I'm constantly thinking that I should be spending that time doing more homework, or connecting with friends, and it saddens me. What's happened to me?! In high school, reading for fun was a priority - it was a way to keep my brain healthy and active. Now, the very thought of doing it is stressful and feels like a waste of time.
In order to remedy my regretfulness, I have taken it upon myself to ask my friends about their all-time favorite books, and why they love them so much. I have put them together in a list as a way for me to be motivated to continue expanding my reading knowledge and spread the magic of reading with others.
1) The Princess Bride - This book will change everything you ever thought you knew about humor. You have never experienced true love, known romance, and, I guarantee, have never ROFLed in the ways this book will show you. For those of you who think you can watch a movie and not need to read the book, this book will show you that you simply cannot. I'm serious. You thought the movie was good? Read the book.
2) Catcher in the Rye - This book has to be read at the perfect time in order to take its full effect. I personally read this novel at a point in my life where I was growing into a young adult and beginning to realize that grown-ups weren't these figures of perfection that I once thought that they were - they made mistakes and had doubts, too. I read this at a time in which I was forming my own voice and my own opinions and desires. Holden Caulfield made me feel less alone in the exploration of my young adult self.
3) The Picture of Dorian Grey - This book is a tumblr post, Insta caption, deep tweet gold mine. The story itself is very eye opening, but the side characters comments and thoughts are what makes this book worth of this list. “We can have in life but one great experience at best, and the secret of life is to reproduce that experience as often as possible.” In this case that experience will be reading this book over and over and over
4) The History of Love - I mean just the title itself is enticing to any The Notebook loving, heart doodling, Pinterest wedding aficionado (and let's face it, that's almost all of us). The book is a cross-generational story about a novel inside the book called The History of Love. From the perspective of an old man and a young girl the same questions about love and life are examined. You will find yourself wondering the same exact things yourself as you read.
5) The Help - This book gives you insight into what history books won't tell you; after the time of slavery, African American women still faced humiliating treatment as the "help" of wealthy families. While the men of the house were at work, the women were at meetings, parties, and socials, all the while their children were at home, being watched by the maid/nanny of the house - African American women who nurtured and cared for white children that were not even theirs. These women were subjected to constant embarrassment and inhumane treatment when they were forbidden to use the house bathrooms and other essentials, simply because of the color of their skin. If this book doesn't give you insight to the life in the 1960s (not all that long ago, in perspective), then I'm not sure what will.
6) Harry Potter - In addition to the fact that this novel was the single greatest adventure story ever told, the beautifully crafted characters and development told by J.K. Rowling are life changing to say the very least.
7) Some book by John Green - I don't mean to sound like a Tumblr post here, but John Green work is definitely worth reading. Whether it be Paper Towns, Looking for Alaska, or The Fault in Our Stars, John Green has a book that will teach you something about yourself and give you perspective. My advice is to pick whichever novel best suits your personality or situation, read it, and learn something.
8) Modoc- A very good friend of mine was listing all his favorite books over Christmas break, and the only one I had never heard of was this one, Modoc: The True Story of The Greatest Elephant That Ever Lived. There is so much of the human experience that we will never get to know. This book reminded me how little we get to experience in life. No matter how much we explore and discover there will always be more. It is a story of adventure, hope, and how love can be the greatest source of energy a person can experience. This book shows through Modoc that no matter how much we do and see the greatest thing we can ever experience is love.
9) Catch 22 - This book is very eye opening in that it discusses the notion that one's world is wholly and completely dictated by the world around him or her. It questions the very essence of human nature and what it means to be human.
10) To Kill a Mockingbird - This one is a given; I hardly need to say anything about the beautiful themes of innocence and humanity in this novel. If your high school didn't make you read this, please do yourself a favor a do it on your own.
11) The Crucible - Through harsh satire and brutal character development, this book mirrors the horrible injustices of McCarthyism during the Cold War with that of the Salem Witch Trials. This book criticizes the radical figures of anti-Communism that allowed their fear to completely dictate their life and ruin the lives of those around them.
There you have it - eleven life-changing books that must be read in one's lifetime. You will not be disappointed in the least. Remember to read for fun! It's good for you! And fun - I promise!
