Top 10 Books to Read Before You Die

Top 10 Books to Read Before You Die

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It is a truth universally acknowledged that some books will change your life. Join MsMojo as we count down our picks for Top 10 Books to Read Before You Die. For this list, we’re looking at books that may heavily influence your perspective and outlook on life, on yourself, and on the people around you. We’re looking exclusively at novels today, so we won’t be including novellas like Le Petit Prince or lengthy poems like The Odyssey.

#10: “The Grapes of Wrath” (1939) John Steinbeck

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This classic novel focuses on a family whose farm is seized by the bank during the Great Depression – a fate that befell countless people during that time. Unemployed, destitute, and hoping only for an opportunity to work to pay for food and a roof over their heads, the Joad family follows empty rumors of jobs across the country, slowly starving to death. Nobel Prize winner John Steinbeck is renowned for capturing the terrible realities of the Great Depression, and he does a heart-rending job exploring the hardships, desperate dreams and unwavering love of the 1930s as well as shining light on the social and economic injustice that still exists today in many parts of the world.

Kurt Vonnegut’s semi-autobiographical satire is not what you’d expect from a World War 2 novel. Protagonist Billy Pilgrim is “unstuck in time,” and his story bounces between the atrocities of war and his later life as a veteran, not to mention the time he spends as a prisoner on planet Tralfamadore after being abducted by aliens. In spite of the wacky adventure and deceptively light tone, the book is drenched in the sorrow and trauma that Vonnegut experienced first-hand in the Dresden bombing during the Second World War. From its dry humor to its flights of whimsy to its crazy storyline, Slaughterhouse-Five will change the way you think about both war and humanity.

#8: “Great Expectations” (1860-61) Charles Dickens

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As the title suggests, you can pick up this book with very high expectations - and you won’t be disappointed! Charles Dickens’ classic bildungsroman about a young boy named Pip is emotional and exciting, and includes escaped convicts, gothic scenery and ghost-like old ladies. When a mysterious benefactor unexpectedly grants him a fortune, Pip goes from being a poor country orphan to a rich heir in England. From there, the book shows how his newfound wealth influences his frame of mind, not to mention his relationships with his family and friends. It all comes together into a complex exploration of class, presumption and charity.

Set in a totalitarian society with constant government surveillance, the novel that coined the term “Big Brother” remains the ultimate dystopia. 1984 twists with spies, fear and mass manipulation, while protagonist Winston desperately tries to find a way to remain an individual without being caught by the Thought Police. In a world where even your thoughts are monitored and where you are obliged to love Big Brother and to believe that 2+2=5, individuality is rare and precious – but is it worth the risk? The novel is particularly relevant today, where there are cameras everywhere. It’s a book that will mess with your mind in the best possible way and make you question everything you know.

#6: “Harry Potter” series (1997-2007) J. K. Rowling

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This is the series that defined a generation. For ten years, children and adults alike waited with bated breath for the next instalment of this fantasy series so that they could find out what would befall Harry and his friends in their fight against You Know Who. Harry may only be eleven in the first book, but this is definitely not just a series for children. From the complex characters to the imaginative world and its sparkling humor, Harry Potter will continue to thrill readers of all ages. You’ll tear through the series faster than Hermione can read Hogwarts: A History.

#5: “The Catcher in the Rye” (1951) J. D. Salinger

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The Catcher in the Rye has achieved almost legendary status since it was first published in the mid-20th century, not least because John Lennon’s murderer was carrying a copy of the novel in his pocket. It’s certainly a dark book, but a dark book well-worth reading, and worth re-reading if you only skimmed through it in high school. Teenage Holden Caulfield, supreme unreliable narrator and anti-hero, struggles with ideas of innocence and experience as he deals with adolescence, his distant parents and the death of his brother – all told from inside a rest home. With a protagonist that’s both incredibly jaded and beautifully naïve in his desire to protect children from the depressing reality of the world and from the corrupt, manipulative, “phony” adults, the novel’s impact on pop culture is undeniable.

Prepare yourself for Romance with a capital R, including obsession, revenge and elements of the supernatural. Through the loops of the double frame and several unreliable narrators, this non-linear story weaves its way across the stormy, treacherous moors of England. It also sees ghosts and memories of childhood trauma haunt two generations, while the cruel Heathcliff seeks revenge on everyone who wronged him and separated him from his soul mate, Cathy. Cathy is dead by the time the story begins, but her spirit still wanders the moors, tapping at windows and asking to come inside. This brilliant novel rests somewhere between doomed love story and psychological horror, complete with an incredibly vivid atmosphere and the ultimate Byronic Hero.

One of the most important books of the 19th century, Moby-Dick tells the adventures of wandering sailor Ishmael and his voyage on the whaling ship commanded by Captain Ahab. Ahab is on an insane quest for revenge – against a whale, of all creatures! In his poetic, almost biblical tale of madness and vengeance, Melville tackles the relationship between humans and the natural world, delving deep into human nature itself along the way. The first line, “Call me Ishmael,” is one of the most famous openings ever written, and the rest of the book deserves just as much attention.

The story of Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy is a classic for a reason. Pride and Prejudice isn’t just a brilliant romance – it’s also equal parts comedy and scathing social satire. Everyone has heard of Mr. Darcy, perhaps the most famous romantic hero of all time, but the other characters are just as compelling, from strong-willed Lizzy and her four sisters to the grotesque Lady Catherine and the arrogant Mr. Collins. As the title suggests, the book is a complex exploration of different kinds of pride and prejudice, such as the ways in which they are imbued in Western culture, and the ways in which they can be overcome. Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions: • “The Handmaid’s Tale” (1985) Margaret Atwood • “Catch-22” (1953) Joseph Heller • “The Giver” (1993) Lois Lowry • “Fahrenheit 451” (1953) Ray Bradbury • “Lord of the Flies” (1954) William Golding

#1: “To Kill a Mockingbird” (1960) Harper Lee

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Set in the Southern United States, Pulitzer Prize-winning To Kill a Mockingbird is narrated by a character named Scout. As she tries to navigate childhood, she watches her father, a lawyer defending a black man, try desperately to use his own power as a white man to bring change to their racist town. This book sheds devastating light on a white, male power structure that still rules in many (if not all) parts of the world. Its persistent social relevance, complex characters and excellent prose are just a few of the reasons you should definitely give it a read. Do you agree with our list? What’s your favorite book? For more literary Top 10s published daily, be sure to subscribe to MsMojo.