There are some books that everyone should read. These are the books that have a lasting impact on people and have a meaning way beyond some words on paper. These are stories that need to be told, and stories that need to be read. They may cover a wide rang of topics, but in the end they are all important pieces of literature that need to be passed down to generations to come like they were to ours. Here is a lost of 16 books that we should all read and all share with generations to come.
1. Animal Farm by George Orwell
Animal Farms is a famous 1845 satire that reflects the events leading up to the Russian Revolution of 1917 and then moves into the Stalinist era of the Soviet Union. It’s a classic our Dad’s usually tell us to read. And trust me, Dad is right about this one.2. Of Mice and Men John Steinbeck
Written in 1937 by John Steinbeck Of Mice and Men seems like a simple story of two migrant ranch workers during the Great Depression, but it is really so much more than that.
3. Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
What makes us human? Mary Shelley asks all of humanity that in this novel she wrote at just 18 years old and originally published in 1818. (And what was I doing with my life at 18?!)4. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
As a Pulitzer Prize winner this is one you have to read (if that wasn’t required in high school for some strange reason.) It was published in 1960 and talks about many social issues including rape and racial inequality that occurred in the 1930s.5. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Published in 1925, this novel creates a portrait with words of what the American Dream meant in the 1920s. I am sure we have all seen the movie and as great as that was, it has nothing on the book.6. 1984 by George Orwell
This novel, published in 1949, is set in the future (1984) where individualism and independent thinking is all seen as a crime. Hmm, sound familiar? The Party is only interested in the power they have, not the good of the people. Again, sound familiar? Definitely a must read!7. Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
Another dystopian novel and published in 1953 by Ray Bradbury. (This is by far my favorite book of all time!) The novel is set in a future American society where books are no longer legal and “firemen” now make careers out of burning books rather than putting out fires.8. Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
Written by Margaret Mitchell in published in 1936, the story is set during the American Civil War and Reconstruction era. Although a pretty lengthy read, it is an amazing story of Scarlett O’Hara and how she used every mean possible to find a way out of poverty after growing up in a rich family.9. The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
This novel has won many awards, including being on Time’s 2005 list of 100 Best English-language novels written since 1923. Once you pick it up, you will see why!10. The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
Okay, not going to lie. This one was hard to get through the first time. But maybe I was too young to really appreciate it. The second time around was much better! Published in 1939 it is set during the Great Depression and focuses on the troubles of farmers driven from their home because of the drought and troubles of the depression. It has won many awards, including a Pulitzer Prize to attest to its greatness.11. The Color Purple by Alice Walker
Published in 1982 and later won a Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1983, The Color Purple is set in the 1930’s where is tells the story of an African-American women in the southern US.12. Catch-22 by Joseph Heller
Catch-22 is a satirical novel that was first published in 1961. The story is set during WWII and follows the fictional lives of soldiers as they attempt to survive combat and keep their sanity in the process.13. The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka
This is another one of those novels that develops its meaning to the reader over time, not necessarily while you’re reading. Published in 1915, Metamorphosis has been studied in schools in all of Western society and definitely a must read. (I didn’t want to tell any details because this is one you have to read for yourself!)14. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
First published in 1884, this is a classic. If you haven’t read it by now, what did you even read in high school? This novel is often named one of the Great American Novels and is one you won’t want to put down!15. The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls
Although this is a newer novel, published in 2005, it also makes it in my list of books that need to be passed down from generation to generation. It is a memoir of how the writer grew up in her unconventional household because of her extremely dysfunctional parents. (If you don’t read any other book on this list, please read this one!)16. Hiroshima by John Hersey
OK, so I know I have said that you needed to read all these books, but this one you need to read. Hersey tells the stories of 6 different people who survived the dropping of the atomic bomb in Hiroshima in 1945. It is amazing.I was lucky enough to have the best English teachers imaginable back in my high school days (shout out to Barclay and Vasquez) and if I didn’t read it for them, my Dad always gave the best advice about what books to read next. I may not have understood exactly what these books would mean to me at the time, but looking back I am so thankful the messages these stories told and the impact that have left on me. Of course, I may be leaving out a few and everyone has their own opinion of what books are important to them. How many of these books have you read? What certain books were impactful for you? Keeps these stories in your heart and share them with generations to come. As Katherine Patterson said, “It is not enough to simply teach children to read; we have to give them something worth reading. Something that will stretch their imaginations—something that will help them make sense of their own lives and encourage them to reach out toward people whose lives are quite different from their own.”
