Scholars have tried to apply political, historical, and ideological theories to Alices Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass, but its quite simply the dreamlike story of learning to grow (or shrink) and explore, told through the eyes of a curious child. 2,459 ratings Abraham Lincoln upended the political landscape of the 1850s when he won the Republican presidential nomination over a field of well-known, privileged men. published 1997, avg rating 3.94 The novel is a monologue of a lust-ridden, mother-addicted young Jewish bachelor that details many awkward and cringeworthy moments alongside quests for identity. Deemed highly controversial and too explicit when it was first published, Philip Roths Portnoys Complaint is a vividly brash look at sexuality, obscenities, masturbation, and identity. Many have snagged spots on other best of lists published by the likes of the New York Times,The Guardian, NPR, PBS,Time magazine, and more. The book is brimming with characters who will stick with you, which is what makes it one of the best books to read when you want to deeply feel something. If youre reading this list, you likely understand the power that a book has to feed and nurture a soul. 58 ratings Ten strangers are invited to a remote mansion on a desolate island. The police had no suspects and almost no evidence. They have little to their names, save each other, some scavenged food, and a pistol, yet they must fend off the worst of post-apocalyptic Americaroaming gangs of thieves, isolation, desolation, and devastationas they make their way to the coast, where they hope to figure out whats next. Books and the written word. Jane Austens classic Pride and Prejudice adorned shelves of many a learned reader in the 1800s and 1900s, but its timeless story and lessons earn it a spot in many home libraries (and on many school reading lists) even today. But just as they see it in their grasp, they lose it all in a coil of sex, lust, romance, and abandonment. Choose the best book for you based on your zodiac sign. Love Medicine, a dazzling work of storytelling that takes place on and around a North Dakota Ojibwe reservation, shares the intertwined fates of two multigenerational families. Franks humanity and grace in light of her circumstances are inspiring and heartbreaking at once. published 1995, avg rating 3.90 One was kidnapped and enslaved. 31,222 ratings published 1996, avg rating 3.88 [1][2] The series was published from 1950 until 1997, when it was renamed Reader's Digest Select Editions. The award-winning book is widely recognized as an important contribution to LGBTQ+ and lesbian literature. But there are a few nonfiction tomes, including Ta-Nehisi Coates bible for the Black Lives Matter movement, that cannot be left out. The Road is a deeply poetic and haunting tale of a father and son, each the others world entire, and the journey they take across a burned and destroyed America. 17,141 ratings Its a requiem about love (and, yes, lust), in all its maddening forms. published 1989, avg rating 3.87 published 1985, avg rating 4.10 3,103 ratings published 1995, avg rating 3.97 The theme of teenage angst and alienation imbue a story of rebellion as the protagonist, Holden Caulfield, looks for acceptance, recognition, and appreciation. This heartwarming tale of friendship and dedication follows young Wilbur, a runt of a pig, as hes spared from one death but subsequently sent to another almost-certain death. Rubyfruit Jungle is the perfect place to start. But McBrides son, James, discovers that shes actually a White woman who was born in Poland, and he unearths the many painful reasons she has for hiding from that truth in this powerful, National Book Awardwinning memoir. Its an important read in our modern, multicultural world. For more entertainment from this era, turn on one of these fantastic 80s movies. Lewis wrote and published numerous nonfiction and fiction books throughout his lifetime, but none have seeped so soundly into pop culture as those in the Chronicles of Narnia series. In Me Talk Pretty One Day, David Sedaris shares the absurd and hysterical twists he was able to tease out of lifes more mundane and boring events growing up in Raleigh, North Carolina. Its a story so painful, youd prefer to think it is fiction. Nearly a decade after he first published this book, Pollans call to deeper thought and conversation about our food systems continues to shift the way we eat, grow, and share our food. [4] Despite this popularity, old copies are notoriously difficult to sell. He faces scenarios so outlandishly awful and painful, you cant help but laugh, cringe, cry, and cheer. In later years they added a Volumes 5, and then a Volume 6, going to a bi-monthly schedule by the early 1990s. In 1939 Nazi Germany, Liesel Meminger seeks meaning and life amid the bombings and death. published 1997, avg rating 3.49 published 1996, avg rating 3.73 This important book about racism offers a clear understanding of how Black men and women have been ostracized and exploited by formal systems throughout history. On Nov. 15, 1959, the small town of Holcomb, Kansas, was turned on end by the savage murder of four members of the Clutter family. New York City has been home to big personalities, but perhaps none have been quite as powerful as Robert Moses. Offred, a handmaid in the Republic of Gilead, has been removed from the home, family, and life that she knew only to be forced into service as a housemaidand a working pair of ovaries. This spellbinding story explores questions about the importance of literature and free speech. Every editorial product is independently selected, though we may be compensated or receive an affiliate commission if you buy something through our links. During her treatment, Lacks cells were taken without her knowledge, and they became the first immortalized cell line. Its historical fiction that will grab hold of your 21st-century heart and squeeze it till you cry. 32 ratings In Valley of the Dolls, Jacqueline Susann offers in lurid detail the stories of three young women who want nothing more than to reach the pinnacle of life. The powerhouse novel landed on our list for its overwhelming praise from readers and critics alike. 37 ratings Winston Smith, the books leading character, must navigate the Party, Big Brother, and his thoughts, which grow more criminal by the day. In The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat, one doctor finally did commit those episodes to paper. Youre never too old to visit with Charlotte, Wilbur, and Templeton. No list of the best books of all time would be complete without this truly classic novel. published 1989, avg rating 3.89 And in the end, isnt that just a story about life? published 1995, avg rating 3.37 But when another man enters the scene, their love story takes a manipulative, violent turn. Much of Slaughterhouse-Five is autobiographical, but that hasnt stopped pushes for censorship because of the books irreverent tone and unfiltered depictions of sex and profanity. While there are many, many Baldwin texts to recommend, Go Tell It on the Mountain landed on this list because of its semi-autobiographical nature. Despiteand sometimes spurred bythe discrimination he faced, he wrote prolifically. Every reader should take the time to read a few of the best LGBTQ books ever published. She wears the worries of past decisions and strives longingly toward freedom, the arc for which her entire life story bends. In her vast collection, And Then There Were None frequently rises to the top. Truman Capotes book In Cold Blood recounts in chilling detail the deaths of the family and the investigation that ultimately led to the arrest of two recently paroled ex-convicts. This story highlights the life of T.S. Welcome back. Tim OBrien moves beyond the pain of war to examine the sensitivity and nature that each soldier brought with him on that long journey to Vietnam and the scars that returned with them. Its early success is due in large part to the relatable nature of its narrator, a young, nameless Black man who has to navigate levels of 1950s American culture that are fraught with hate and bias. The Giver is a dystopian story about what youre willing to give upand what youre notto live a life thats free of emotions, pain, and suffering. 40 ratings published 1995, avg rating 3.83 Though the world of Middle-earth is entirely made up, the trilogy teases out universal themes of good versus evil that have resonated with readers of all ages and backgrounds. What happened to the countries, the natives, and the settlers was nothing short of cataclysmic and tragic. If you only ever read one of Shakespeares plays, let it be this, the tragic tale of a son on a quest to avenge his murdered father. published 1997, avg rating 4.14 published 1984, avg rating 3.91 Ah, Anna Karenina. You cant go wrong with anytheyre all must-read books. The science fiction story centers on cloned humans living in a boarding school who await their future as forced organ donors. Despite his own personal desires, Archer marries Welland as he has promised but continues to see Olenska. The Autobiography of Malcolm X stands as the definitive work of an era in American history when cultural, racial, and religious ideologies met at a pinnacle. Khaled Hosseinis debut novel has been read by millions of people all over the world, clearly marking it as one of the best books of all time. Its a classic and a must-read quite simply because its been described as one of Dickens best works, an appraisal to which Dickens himself agreed. Between 1942 and 1945, Viktor Frankl labored in four Nazi death camps. Many are taught in schools today. Team of Rivals is a deeply personal biography of one of Americas most respected leaders, told to show how he humbled himself in order to lead and govern. In this magical realism novel, Salman Rushdie offers a timeless, enchanting story of family, heritage, and duty. You think you know the events that led to September 11, 2001, but The Looming Tower is a history lesson that is as profound as it is infuriating and painful. 5,764 ratings Worse than the ordinary miserable childhood is the miserable Irish childhood, and worse yet is the miserable Irish Catholic childhood. McCourt battled poverty, near-starvation, neglect, and cruelty but manages to tell his story with humor, compassion, and self-perpetuating power. Its an inspiring read for all. Need something else to keep you entertained when you finish this book? published 1993, avg rating 3.60 Once theyve arrived, each guest is accused of murder. Their livesand their careersare equally bright and fanciful. After 50 years of marriage, Enid Lambert is looking for a little excitement, but it seems the universe is working against her goals. Lyra, a bold and brave young woman, takes off into uncharted territories to rescue her friend and other young children from kidnapping by the Gobblers. Through tales of men and women, boys and girls, the authorfather of the magical realism literary styleoffers a striking picture of the heartbreaking beauty and pain of the human race. 93 ratings Which. Its a coming-of-age story that sparked dozens after it, but isnt the original always the best? Refresh and try again. published 1996, avg rating 3.67 Most science books, even well-written ones, read a bit too much like textbooks. When Aldous Huxley penned the story of the World State, in which humans were conditioned out of their emotions and ability to bond with others, his ideas were new and somewhat shocking. This page-turner is one of those classic beach reads you wont be able to put down, and it paved the way for similar scintillating vacation books. Its captivating and heartbreaking, and it helps you understand how doctors connect with the humans behind the diagnoses. 31 ratings Its a new classic and truly one of the best fiction books youll read all year. The imagination and artistry of Shel Silverstein are on full display in this classic collection of short stories and poems. The ripple effects of his jealousy even carry over into the next generation. Its a coming-of-age story that remains relevant for women everywhere because of its themes of love, career, and budding identity. Zamperini soon found himself stranded in the Pacific Ocean and adrift thousands of miles from help. A central event in the storyas well as Vonneguts own lifeis the firebombing of Dresden. But before you get settled into the fun of spells and potions, the action starts right away as Harry finds himself troubled by the feeling his destiny is intertwined with his past. To land in the top 100, a book needed to truly stand out in the stacks. Its a classic whodunit. Margaret Atwoods The Handmaids Tale is one part cautionary tale and one part enthralling narrative. The book is a must-read for its ubiquitous place among American countercultural classics (much like Catcher in the Rye). But its powerful prose has won awards, resulted in film and musical adaptations, and earned a spot on best of lists everywhere. The author has said that most of the criticisms come from those who never even cracked open the book. The Night Watchmen snagged the top spot on our list of the best Native American books for a reason. While this book may have seen an uptick in interest thanks to the 2018 film starring Oprah Winfrey, Mindy Kaling, and Reese Witherspoon, Madeleine LEngles A Wrinkle in Time has long been held as a must-read for its fantastical telling of splitting the fabric of time and space.