Books are powerful: one book has the potential to completely alter a persons perception of life and reality. For some it is film, for others it may be art, but for all of us book lovers literature is what keeps us alive. From an English literature student, here are 10 books that you must read:
1. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings – Maya Angelou
This book is an autobiography that is read as prose fiction. The amazing Maya Angelou offers readers intimate understanding of her life experiences and the ways in which her hardships shaped her as a woman. Angelou can inspire not only us women, but us all to overcome the trauma that life sometimes faces us with through her personal stories and breathtaking writing.
2. 1984 – George Orwell
1984 is a dystopian novel set in the year 1984 … genius, right? Orwell writes about the human condition in a society in which “Big Brother” aka the government is always watching you. A captivating discourse for anyone who is interested in sci-fi or futuristic literature.
Fight Club – Chuck Palahniuk
Bet you didn’t know this was a book first, am I right? Many people have indulged in the cinematic masterpiece of Fight Club but not many have had the pleasure of experiencing the novel it was based off of. Fight Club is a form of satire that questions society in so many complex ways. From masculinity to socioeconomic levels, this book makes its readers question everything they have ever known. However, if you don’t want to get all analytical with it, it’s also just a super interesting read in its simplest form.
4. To Kill a Mockingbird – Harper Lee
I am sure many of you have heard of this one, a popular high school English class novel. Harper Lee’s classic novel is so important to our society, it teaches us about the many things our world has done wrong so that as young adults we can work to make things right. I could re-read this book 100 times and still adore it.
5. Lolita – Vladimir Nabokov
I couldn’t help but include this book in the list because it is my absolute favourite novel. The author writes so beautifully that anyone would be captivated by his words. This book will change your life because of how absolutely disturbing it is, and just how much you became fascinated with the madness.
6. The Perks of Being a Wallflower – Stephen Chbosky
This is one you have probably all heard of. The film created from the book is genius, but to truly experience the magic in this story you must read the book. Written in first-person narrative from the perspective of Charlie, readers truly experience life as he does, and his experiences are ones that make us see things differently.
7. “Benito Cereno” – Herman Melville
Herman Melville is a writer I was introduced to in a second year university English course. If you haven’t read him, this short read is definitely a good place to start. This short story is amazing for different reasons – first, it makes its readers aware of important issues involving racism and slavery. Second, Melville uses a writing technique that is both captivating and surprising, making the ending a compete twist for the reader.
8. The Outsiders – S.E. Hinton
If you weren’t lucky enough to read this gem in grade school, you need to get your hands on it. S.E. Hinton’s iconic novel is one I will never forget. You will literally repeat certain phrases from this book for the rest of your life, because it’s just that iconic.
9. The Kite Runner – Khaled Hossein
If I am going to be honest here, this was not one of my favourite books to read. However, I still think everyone should read it! The Kite Runner is a novel that takes us through the life of the protagonist Amir in such an intimate way that the ways he is impacted will forever stick in your heart.
10. Half Brother – Kenneth Oppel
I read this book in seventh grade; I have probably read hundreds of stories since then yet this is one that I will never forget. Half Brother is a fiction novel that discusses important topics revolving around animal experimentation. Oppel writes in a manner that makes you fall in love with Zan, a chimpanzee used as a pawn within a scientific project. I can’t stress enough how important this book truly is.
