As JK Rowling says,” I do believe something very magical can happen when you read a book”. These words by one of the most celebrated writers of all time have touched the hearts of millions of readers. Books are a doorway to the world unlocking myriad opportunities. Garrison Keillor puts it “A book is a gift you open again and again.” A reader alone can understand the experience he undergoes after reading a well-picked book. So, this blog today will discuss some of the best books of all time that one must read in a lifetime.
1. 1984 by George Orwell
1984 by George Orwell is a splendid representation of modern literature. The book unleashes the truth of the world that will leave you questioning reality.
George Orwell here talks about the political situation of a time when one of the three inter-continental superstates divided the world among themselves after a global war. The story is based in Oceania where the protagonist Winston Smith takes the readers through the uber-dystopian world of Oceania discussing the political structure of the time, and what horrible impact it had on the lives of people.
2. The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini talks about Afghanistan in 1975 when two friends Amir and Hassan witness the invasion of Russia.
The book commemorates the uncanny friendship of Amir and Hassan. Amir is portrayed as a son of a wealthy Wazir whereas Amir’s father is seen as working as Wazir’s servant. Amir belongs to the Hazara community. Despite the striking social differences these two friends nonetheless stand to the test of time. The story surrounds when a twenty-one-year-old Amir participates in local kite-fighting with Hazara at his aid. Neither of them could foresee the dreadful afternoon of 1975 which would change their lives forever.
3. Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery
Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery is a children’s classic that is loved just as by adult readers. The Cuthberts expect a boy to help them with the work at Green Gables. But they instead encounter a red-headed Orphan who with her imagination and chatter wins the way through Cuthberts’ hearts. And then life seems impossible without Anne Shirley.
Simple yet one of the most desirable reads of all time!
4. Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley discusses Europe in the nineteenth century. The monster presented in Frankenstein is believed to be symbolic of the horror and destruction unleashed on Europe in the nineteenth century. The book is addressed as gothic for its element of mystery and supernatural.
This book is a classic for the right dose of love, suspense, friendship, and human psychology.
5. The Color Purple by Alice Walker
The Color Purple by Alice Walker celebrates the power and resilience of a girl who seeks to win over her adversities. This is a classic tale of a young black girl Celie born into poverty and segregation. Celie is repeatedly raped by a man she calls father, parted with her two children, and is doomed to an unfortunate marriage. But her life takes a turn when she meets Shug Avery, a singer, and magic. Shug teaches her how one can take control of his destiny. Hence begins the journey of Celie into freedom from the past and reuniting with the ones she loves.
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is a classic that portrays a man falsely charged with the rape of a white girl. Harper Lee through his characters Scout and Jem Finch explores the irrationality of the human toward race and class. The story highlights the situation in the Deep South in the 1930s. A deep prejudice society sunk in violence and hypocrisy tortures a man to find justice.
6. To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee
It is an outstanding anti-racist novel highlighting the Great Depression and a moving example of Southern writing tradition.
7. Animal Farm by George Orwell
Animal Farm by George Orwell highlights animal suffering and how animals are imagined to respond to the brutality shown towards them. Animal Farm portrays Napoleon and Snowball, two pigs, leading a group of ill-treated animals to throw the corrupt and power-drunk rulers. This leads to the coming up of Animal Farm which shows corrupt practices and the horrible consequences faced by the farm animals.
The motive of the novel is to create a safe and free society for the animals.
8. Walden by Henry David Thoreau
Walden by Henry David Thoreau gives an account of Thoreau’s experiences with living in simple natural surroundings. The novel narrates Thoreau’s experiences over two years, two months, and two days in a cabin he built near Walden Pond nestled in the woods owned by his friend Emerson.
Walden here tries to say how living close to nature gives independence and stimulates spiritual discovery, social experiment, and self-reliance.
9. A Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking
A Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking discusses seven lectures delivered by the master theoretical scientist Stephen Hawking that simplifies the complex problems of mathematics and the questions that have engrossed everyone over centuries. The simple language of Hawking has helped the audience to understand the theory of existence.
The book gives a detailed account of the beginning of the universe that has mesmerized and awed the audience.
10. The Great Gatsby by F.Scott Fitzgerald
The Great Gatsby by F.Scott Fitzgerald is about Jay Gatsby who stands against the natural urges of humans, that is the greed of money, in roaring twenties New York. While others are lured by the power of money, Jay Gatsby remains unaffected even as someone hosting the most extravagant parties in society.
The novel stands against the corrupting influences of money and wealth through a stirring plot and outstanding characters.
11. In Cold Blood by Truman Capote
In Cold Blood by Truman Capote is an account of real murders that involved multiple killings of a family. Truman Capote along with his co-author Harper Lee traveled to the place of crime to investigate the local investigators in charge of the case.
The brutal quadruple murder of a Kansas farmer, his wife, and his four children shook the audience at the time. The two convicts Perry Smith and Dick Hickcock were arrested after six years of the murder.
Although this was a clear case of cold-blooded murder, the two authors explored the complex psychological relationship between the murderers, and what drove them into committing such a crime.
12. Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte
Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte is an epic love story of Heathcliff and Catherine that talks about love, jealousy, and treachery. The story is set in the austere and lonely Yorkshire moors. The novel commences when Mr.Lockwood, a tenant of Thrushcross Grange looks for a shelter for a night in Yorkshire. Our story begins then.
13. Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky
Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky is about Raskolnikov, a former and frantic student haunted by his conscience for committing a murder. Sonya, a browbeaten prostitute is his only chance for redemption.
14. The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas
The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas is a literary classic that narrates the story of Edmond Dantes, a skilled sailor, charged with a crime he has not committed. Edmond Dantes is arrested on the night of his wedding feast and pushed to solitary confinement. He pledges to starve himself to death only to hear scratching on the walls a few weeks later. Faria, an Italian priest, and a fellow prisoner share a secret with Dantes about the hidden treasure in Monte Cristo.
The novel grapples with the escape of Dantes and what events turn him into a vindictive count of Monte Cristo.
15. The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R Tolkien
The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R Tolkien seeps with magic and otherworldliness that has touched the hearts of millions of readers making it one of the most treasured reads of all time.
The book has three parts- The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers & The Return of the King that have equally kindled the spark in the minds of the readers.
Conclusion
The few other masterpieces that one must read in a lifetime are The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho, One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, Brave New World by Aldous Huxley, and The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery.
The list of best-selling books of all time is always a fascinating one to explore. In This list, Anne of Green Gables is a timeless classic that touched my heart. The characters are so well-developed and relatable, especially Anne herself. I loved following her journey and growth throughout the book.
Among the above-mentioned Best-Selling Books of all time I like. The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien is a classic epic fantasy that has captured the hearts of generations of readers. The richly imagined world and memorable characters make this a timeless story that will be loved for years to come.