As a longtime lover of all books, I have discovered a few that are must-reads, especially if you want to consider yourself a literature nerd. Some of these seem obvious choices, but too many people choose to overlook them in the name of newer and better. There is nothing better than a good book that you can read over and over again. Picking up a favorite book is like greeting a long lost old friend. Picking up one of the classics is like reuniting with your best friend over and over. If you don’t like to read at all, I would have to agree with Lemony Snicket when he says, “Never trust anyone who has not brought a book with them.”

1. "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy by J.R.R. Tolkien

Yes, I know this is technically three books, but there is no way you can read just one of these. "LOTR" is slowly becoming a classic — a classic story full of heroes, villains, dwarves, elves, and wonderful magic. Frodo’s journey will have you on the edge of your seat, rolling on the floor laughing, and crying your eyes out all within just a few chapters. You’ll want to share a pint with Merry and Pippin, start a garden with Samwise, and explore Gondor with Aragorn. These books will suck you in and profoundly affect you for years to come. And yes, I am speaking from experience.

2. "The Great Gatsby" by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Now, I am sure you all were required to read this book at some point during high school. However, there is so much to enjoy in this novel. Fitzgerald lays out the consequences of the Roaring Twenties, which echo as a warning to our modern times. The sheer decadence of the Jazz Age will astound you. You will forever sympathize with Gatsby as he fights hopelessly against society for true love. You will hate Daisy forever in her abandonment of Gatsby. The green light constantly beckons you onward towards your most unattainable dreams. In that moment, you become Gatsby. This American novel is a must-read.

3. "Little Women" by Louisa May Alcott

Many people have seen the 1994 movie but the book is so much better. The reader is taken back to the Civil War with a family of four daughters. You experience their joys, heartaches, struggles, and triumphs, all the while feeling a part of their family. You are taken back to a morally upright time to which I wish we could get back. You witness expert parenting and a beautiful experience of a wonderful marriage in Mr. and Mrs. March. "Little Women" is a wonderful, wholesome story that accurately portrays women during the Civil War and the Reconstruction.

4. "Gone with the Wind" by Margaret Mitchell

If you are a raging liberal set on being constantly offended, chances are you won’t like this book. Set in the South during and after the Civil War, the novel follows Scarlett O’Hara throughout her tenure as a Southern belle through the death of her husband, fruitless longing after an old lover, and the ultimate abandonment of her true love. Political incorrectness is rampant in the treatment of slaves. Scarlett is awful and so is her life, but you will be engrossed from minute one. You will laugh at the hapless characters and cry at the funerals of people you never knew. You will feel the romance of Old South but, at the same time, see the wretchedness of the lives of others. Even though it is quite a large tome, you will not be able to put this one down.

5. "Lord of the Flies" by William Golding

Golding explores the idea of total and innate depravity as the novel follows young boys marooned on an island. These youngsters regress into horrifying savages who turn into murderers. A beautiful island turns into a terrifyingly primitive nightmare as the boys try to survive until they are saved. Democracy quickly falls into the horrifying grips of chaos. Ralph attempts to save the group but Jack takes over with alarming barbarity. Boys begin to disappear and others are forced to grow up far too quickly. Monsters of nightmarish proportions take over the imaginations of all. Golding’s novel is a fascinating look at the primitive in us all.

6. "Frankenstein" by Mary Shelley

Frankenstein is a smorgasbord of literary genres including cautionary tale, romance novel, and gothic thriller. Shelley was a mere eighteen when she wrote this classic. As you follow the adventures of Frankenstein the scientist, you are forced to look inwardly and answer probing questions: What makes us human? What do we owe to one another as living creatures? How far can science push the boundaries of nature until we violate common ethics? It is fascinating to compare this novel to our modern times full of cloning and other questionable scientific practices. This work of fiction causes the reader to pause and to take stock of what he/she truly believes is ethical.

7. "Pride and Prejudice" by Jane Austen

I have grown up with the story for so long that I have become thoroughly shocked when I come across a person who has not read this beautiful work of literature. You immediately love Elizabeth and her fiery personality. You enjoy the verbal sparring between her and Mr. Darcy. You are shocked by his sudden declaration of love but laugh hysterically at Mr. Collins’ proposal of marriage. Mr. Bennett continually speaks what we are thinking. This book leads the reader on a journey of two totally opposed characters in a realm where manners and courtesy are of the utmost importance. Five daughters and their parents have never brought more joy to a reader.