Name a book that one MUST read?

Question

I'm trying to come up with a list of books that other people think everyone MUST read before they die, you know one of those essential books.

It could be either fiction (like The Life of Pi, or Alice's Adventures in Wonderland) or non-fiction (like A Brief History of Time or The Origin of Species). BUT I am not considering any holy texts like the Bible or the Koran (I know that any Christian will tell me that one HAS to read the Bible, same with any Muslim and the Koran). I've read the Bible by the way, the Devil did it.

So, name a book that in your opinion everyone should read before they die (the author would be good too).

Thanks!

Thanks to everyone! I've definitely have some reading to do!
I've already read many of your suggested books and all those I've read I give big thumbs up to. I'm so glad someone suggested Lord of the Flies (I think that would be MY #1 suggestion, is mankind naturally evil in the absence of authority?)

Also, I'm not above reading books for younger readers (Charlotte's Web was a great story, and Pullman's Dark Materials I think are better reads than the Harry Potters)

Please, keep 'em coming!

Answer 1

I would recommend 2 great books :

Embraced By The Light
The account of Betty J. Eadie's near-death experience.

The Awakening Heart
Betty J. Eadie's 2nd book describes the author's struggles and continued spiritual awakening after her near-death experience.

really enjoyable !

http://www.onjinjinkta.com/catalog/catalog.htm

Answer 2

Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen because it's so wonderful, my favorite book!
1984, George Orwell because it is THE definitive dystopian novel of all time
Crime and Punishment, Fyodor Dostoevsky because it's had so much influence on other writing and is a classic
Murder on the Orient Express (American title Murder on the Calais Coach) Agatha Christie because it is one of the most brilliant murder mysteries of all time (I adore all Christie, anyway!)
The Stranger, Albert Camus because everyone needs a bit of existentialism in their life, same with
Waiting for Godot, Samuel Beckett
The Great Gatsby, F Scott Fitzgerald especially if you're American, since it's such a quintessential image of the American Dream
Hamlet, Shakespeare, because it's influenced so much else and is, arguably, his greatest work
The Iliad, Homer, because it's even better than the Odyssey and is one of the first classics

There are a lot of others I'd love to suggest, but these are some basics to start a really excellent library. One more -- Wuthering Heights, Charlotte Bronte! Because Heathcliff is fascinating, and the book is marvelous.

Happy reading : )

Answer 3

Catch-22 by Joseph Heller
A Room with a View by E. M. Forster
LOTR and the Hobbit by JRR Tolkien
Middlemarch by George Eliot
Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
The Bartimaeus Trilogy by Johnathan Stroud
Sender Unknown by Sallie Lowenstein

Answer 4

1. The Door into Summer by Robert A. Heinlein
2. In Memory Yet Green by Isaac Asimov
3. In Joy Steel Felt by Isaac Asimov
4. The End of Eternity by Isaac Asimov
5. The Gods Themselves by Isaac Asimov
6. All of Jules Verne's books
7. Rocket Boys by Homer Hickam

Answer 5

Profiles in Courage by J.F Kennedy
The Wonder That was India by A.L. Basham
How to Live on 24 Hours a day by Arnold Bennett
Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill
Amazing Results of Positive Thinking by Dr.Peale
Ramayana and Mahabharata- Indian Epics

Answer 6

Timeline by Michael Crichton
All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque
Eragon by Christopher Paolini
Eldest by Christopher Paolini
Angels and Demons by Dan Brown
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
Band of Brothers by Stephen Ambrose
The Merlin Series by TA Barron
The Great Tree of Avalon Trilogy by TA Barron
The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas
His Dark Materials Trilogy by Philip Pullman
Hornet Flight by Ken Follett
Jackdaws by ken Follett
Lie Down with Lions by Ken Follett
The Third Twin by Ken Follett
Slaughterhouse-Five by Sebastian Faulks
Night by Ellis Wiesel (may be spelled wrong)
These are just a few that I loved.

Answer 7

The Modern Library has a listing of the 100 Best Novels
http://www.randomhouse.com/modernlibrary/100bestnovels.html

You don't have to agree with their selections as the "100 best," but it's a great resource and place to start (they also give a reader-selected list of top 100, which is also interesting, if heavily skewed in the voting by L. Ron Hubbard and Ayn Rand fanatics).

Answer 8

Can it be true that every living person has the capability to understand their dreams merely through making use of the power of their minds? Do you are one of those individuals? The first response we currently know since we see effective person every day but if the 2nd response is no then you just discover properly to alter your life completely and this just occurs this book Manifestation Miracle, a book that you can discover here https://tr.im/xkLXA
Manifestation Miracle will teach you how to deal with the concern: Exactly what' your viewpoint on yourself, your life and on others? Due to the fact that, how you see yourself, your life, and the individuals you choose surround yourself with will eventually frame how you think ... which manages exactly what you attract ... which manages the quality, joy, and satisfaction of your life.
There is simple wisdom in the common stating, "View the intense side." Looking
on the brilliant side of life and finding the positive will assist keep your energy and favorable vibrations.

Answer 9

A few books that have changed my life are:

How to Win Friends and Influence People - Dale Carnegie
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0671723650/sr=1-1/qid=1156563674/ref=pd_bbs_1/102-6352020-2722527?ie=UTF8&s=books

The Richest Man in Babylon - George S. Clason
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0451205367/sr=1-1/qid=1156563700/ref=pd_bbs_1/102-6352020-2722527?ie=UTF8&s=books

The Art of War - Sun Tzu
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_b/102-6352020-2722527?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=art+of+war&Go.x=0&Go.y=0&Go=Go

[If you are into comic books and graphic novels, two of the most highly acclaimed pieces that are must reads are Alan Moore's "The Watchmen" and Frank Miller's "The Dark Knight Returns." The former is the author of V for Vendetta, the latter Sin City.]

Answer 10

The Translucent Revolution- Arjuna ardagh
A brief history of everything- ken Wilbur
Che Guevara a revolutionary life- Jon lee Anderson
Fingerprints of the Gods- ?
The ringing cedars of Russia-Vladimir _?