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Must Read Books of All Time

Dive into the books that have shaped minds and withstood the test of time. Discover literature's most celebrated treasures, consistently highlighted across renowned book blogs and publications.

Recommendations from 35 articles, Barack Obama, Rihanna, Jimmy Fallon and 407 others.
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1984 book cover
1984
George Orwell - 2022-07-01 (first published in 1949)
Goodreads Rating
This influential text from the 20th century delves into a dark and dystopian world unlike any other. Written in 1949 by political satirist George Orwell, the novel portrays a totalitarian society that is both bureaucratic and terrifying. The author's foresight in predicting the future of modern life is remarkable, with themes that are still relevant today. Taking readers through a journey of surveillance, propaganda, and isolation, it is no wonder why 1984 is among the most terrifying novels ever written. A must-read for those seeking a thought-provoking exploration of individuality and the true extent of government control.
To Kill a Mockingbird book cover
To Kill a Mockingbird
Harper Lee - 2006-05-23 (first published in 1960)
Goodreads Rating
This classic American novel tells the story of a young girl growing up in a sleepy Southern town and the moral crisis that shakes her community to its core. With universal themes of innocence and experience, love and hate, and kindness and cruelty, this Pulitzer Prize-winning book has sold over 18 million copies and been translated into forty languages. Harper Lee's simple love story is now regarded as a masterpiece of American literature.
Pride and Prejudice book cover
Pride and Prejudice
Jane Austen - 2000-10-10 (first published in 1813)
Goodreads Rating
This beloved classic novel follows the dynamic protagonist, Elizabeth Bennet, as she learns the impact of hasty judgments and the importance of genuine goodness. Set in Regency-era Great Britain, the story satirizes societal expectations and the pressure to marry for financial gain. With witty humor and memorable characters, Pride and Prejudice has become one of the most popular and widely adapted novels in English literature.
The Lord of the Rings book cover
The Lord of the Rings
50th Anniversary, One Vol. Edition
J. R. R. Tolkien - 2005-10-12 (first published in 1955)
Goodreads Rating
Embark on a perilous quest with hobbit Frodo and his companions as they journey across Middle-earth to destroy the powerful One Ring, which threatens to fall into the hands of the evil Dark Lord, Sauron. Follow the journey of the Fellowship of the Ring, made up of a wizard, hobbits, dwarves, elves, and soldiers, as they battle through forests, mountains, and dark towers to save their world. Discover the epic tale of good versus evil, courage, friendship, and sacrifice in this timeless classic.
How to Win Friends and Influence People book cover
How to Win Friends and Influence People
Updated For the Next Generation of Leaders
Dale Carnegie, Robert Petkoff, Donna Dale Carnegie, Simon & Schuster Audio - 1998-01-01 (first published in 1936)
Goodreads Rating
Discover the secrets to effective communication, building relationships, and achieving success in Dale Carnegie's timeless bestseller, How to Win Friends and Influence People. This updated edition, carefully restored and edited by Dale's daughter, Donna, offers readers priceless material from the original 1936 text. With practical advice and engaging storytelling, Carnegie teaches readers how to make people like them, increase their influence, and navigate any social situation. Learn from one of history's most influential motivational guides and transform your personal and professional life.
Man's Search for Meaning book cover
Man's Search for Meaning
Viktor E. Frankl - 2006-06-01 (first published in 1959)
Goodreads Rating
Discover how to find meaning in suffering and move forward with renewed purpose by exploring the riveting memoir of a psychiatrist who survived Nazi death camps. In this influential book, based on his own experience and the stories of his patients, the author argues that we cannot avoid suffering but we can choose how to cope with it and find meaning in it through his theory of logotherapy. This book is a must-read for anyone searching for significance in the act of living.
The Alchemist book cover
The Alchemist
25th Anniversary Edition
Paulo Coelho - 2014-04-15 (first published in 1988)
Goodreads Rating
Embark on a transformative journey with the tale of Santiago, an Andalusian shepherd boy who sets out from Spain to the Egyptian desert in search of buried treasure, only to discover the true wealth lies within. Paulo Coelho weaves a powerful and inspiring story full of wisdom and humanity, reminding readers of the importance of following our dreams and listening to our hearts.
Beloved book cover
Beloved
Toni Morrison - 2004-06-08 (first published in 1987)
Goodreads Rating
Explore the haunting and innovative world of a former slave in this Pulitzer Prize-winning novel. Sethe may have escaped to Ohio, but memories of the beautiful yet tragic Sweet Home still hold her captive. A destructive ghost and a mysterious teenage girl, both named Beloved, only add to the weight of her past. Discover how Sethe navigates the horrors of slavery and the consequences it has on her family in this unforgettable classic.
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Shonda RhimesAmy Cuddy
One Hundred Years of Solitude book cover
One Hundred Years of Solitude
Gabriel Garcia Marquez - 2003-06-24 (first published in 1967)
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This literary masterpiece by a Nobel Prize winner tells the story of Macondo, the mythical town, through the history of the Buendía family. It is a captivating tale of rise and fall, birth and death, and unforgettable characters. With lyrical magic that strikes the soul, this novel is a must-read for all who seek truth, compassion, and meaning in life.
The Great Gatsby book cover
The Great Gatsby
F. Scott Fitzgerald - 1925-01-01
Goodreads Rating
Step into the glamour and intrigue of the roaring 20s with a masterpiece novel that defies classification. Follow the enigmatic Jay Gatsby as he rises to wealth and power, throwing elaborate parties and chasing his elusive love, Daisy Buchanan. Filled with both lyrical beauty and stark realism, this captivating tale reveals a hero like no other who will live on in readers' memories long after the final page. Prepare for a reading experience that blends irony, romance, and mysticism for an unforgettable literary journey.
The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
Deep Work by Cal Newport
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
The Shining by Stephen King
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
Catch-22 by Joseph Heller
The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck by Mark Manson
The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco
Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill
American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis
Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe
The Odyssey of Homer by Homer
Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison
On the Road by Jack Kerouac
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas
Atomic Habits by James Clear
The Prince by Niccolò Machiavelli
The Call of the Wild by Jack London
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert T Kiyosaki
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey
Killing Floor by Lee Child
The Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris
The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store by James McBride
The Art of War by Sun Tzu
Moby Dick by Herman Melville
East of Eden by John Steinbeck
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
Les Misérables by Victor Hugo
The Great Dune Trilogy by Frank Herbert
Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle
The Secret History by Donna Tartt
Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra
Wild by Cheryl Strayed
Meditations by Marcus Aurelius
The Maltese Falcon by Dashiell Hammett
The Obstacle Is the Way by Ryan Holiday
12 Rules for Life by Jordan B. Peterson
Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky
Jane Austen by Jane Austen
In Cold Blood by Truman Capote
King by Jonathan Eig
The Road by Cormac McCarthy
The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson
Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt
Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut
The Autobiography of Malcolm X by Malcolm X
Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
Love You Forever by Robert Munsch
Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie
Pachinko by Min Jin Lee
Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
The Hunt for Red October by Tom Clancy
The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins
The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky
The 5 Love Languages by Gary Chapman
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer
The Long Good-Bye by Raymond Chandler
The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov
A Room of One's Own by Virginia Woolf
Essentialism by Greg McKeown
Start with Why by Simon Sinek
The Emperor's Soul by Brandon Sanderson
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey
The Outsiders by S. E. Hinton
A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara
The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
The Bhagavad Gita by Eknath Easwaran
Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu
Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobb
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis
Principles by Ray Dalio
Solito by Javier Zamora
Mindset by Carol S. Dweck
The Color Purple by Alice Walker
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick
Good To Great by Jim Collins
The Spy Who Came in from the Cold by John le Carré
All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson
Finding Me by Viola Davis
Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman
Bad Blood by John Carreyrou
Influence by Robert B. Cialdini