1. "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" by Betty Smith
"The world was hers for the reading."
Set in early 20th century Brooklyn, this coming-of-age novel follows its protagonist, Francie Nolan, as she traverses the simplicity of childhood, the pitfalls of adolescence and the challenges of adulthood. The novel's narrative covers the full spectrum of the human experience: happiness, sadness, loneliness, family, friendship, love, loss, and everything in-between. "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" will make any reader smile, cry, and think deeply about life and its many lessons.
2. "The Kite Runner" by Khaled Hosseini
"For you, a thousand times over."
Lauded as one of the most important novels of its time, "The Kite Runner" focuses on two polar opposite themes: the repercussions of betrayal and the beauty of redemption. In Hosseini's critically acclaimed novel, Amir, the narrator, faces the many struggles of adolescence and the difficulties of interpersonal relationships amid a backdrop of the tyrannical Taliban regime in Afghanistan. This simultaneously beautiful and heartbreaking story is deeply moving, exploring the nature of unconditional love as well as the human heart's unlimited capacity for forgiveness.
3. "The Things They Carried" by Tim O'Brien
"A true war story is never moral. It does not instruct, nor encourage virtue, nor suggest models of proper human behavior, nor restrain men from doing the things men have always done. If a story seems moral, do not believe it."
Composed of a series of fictionalized vignettes from the Vietnam War, "The Things They Carried" is not your typical war novel. It deals with the futility and uncertainty of war and its detrimental effect on the human psyche. This novel presents an open and honest look into the life of a soldier and opens the reader's eyes to the true nature of not only warfare, but the human condition.
4. "To Kill A Mockingbird" by Harper Lee
"Shoot all the blue jays you want, if you can hit ‘em, but remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird."
There's a reason this iconic novel is a mainstay in high school classrooms across the country. Described by its author as a "love story, plain and simple," "To Kill A Mockingbird" takes place in rural Alabama and follows a young girl named Scout as she grows up amid the controversy surrounding a racially charged court case in which her father is representing the defendant. Harper Lee's timeless novel provides an uncensored look into American society in the 20th century and sheds light on issues that are still relevant in today's society.
5. "The Little Prince" by Antoine de Saint-Exupery
“And now here is my secret, a very simple secret: It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.”
Short and sweet, Antoine de Saint-Exupery's most famous work follows its main character, the Little Prince, on a journey of love, loss, and friendship. The Little Prince encounters a variety of characters throughout the novella, each of them teaching him a different life lesson. This heartwarming story not only tugs at the heartstrings of readers young and old, but also gives its audience pause to consider the many valuable lessons it has to teach.
