what are the must-read books before getting 20 years old?

Question

I am already 18 and I want tips about books I should read before getting too old for them!
Is harry potter useful or so important to read by the way?or should I skip it for something else more important? and What about non-fiction? I won't mind if you write me a list!!

Answer 1

The one book I am forever grateful I read at that age is "The Lord of the Rings." It's not for everybody, but I think it would appeal to a younger reader more than an older one who comes to it for the first time.

Other than that, you're at a great age--old enough to read anything and generally understand it, and young enough to have decades of reading ahead of you.

And thanks for asking such a great question!

One thing I wish I had done, even though it seems goofy, is to write down all the books I read. I know that there were many I enjoyed, but I can't remember them all now. Even if you've been a voracious reader and think that you'd never remember all of the books you have already read, that's ok. Start now and enjoy looking back at the list later.

There are many lists of books to read to prepare for college. Look up AP English Literature teachers' web sites for many of these.

Answer 2

Model: a memoir - Cherly Diamond Darcy's Passion - Regina Jeffers Sleeping With The Fishes – MaryJanice Davidson The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo - Stieg Larsson The House of Silk - Anthony Horowitz Pretty Little Liars - Sarah Shepard The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold All These Things I've Done - Gabrielle Zevin Noughts & Crosses - Malorie Blackman Memoirs of a Geisha - Arthur Golden Sarah's Key - Tatiana De Rosnay The Five People You Meet In Heaven - Mitch Alborn The Help - Kathryn Stockett The Snow Queen - Sarah Addison Allen The Tea Rose series - Jennifer Donnelly The Thirteenth Tale - Diane Setterfield Water for Elephants - Sara Gruen Julie & Julia [My Year of Cooking Dangerously] – Julie Powell The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer Graceling Series by Kristin Cashore Inkheart Series - Cornelia Funke The Graveyard Book - Neil Gaiman The Shadow Of The Wind - Carlos Ruiz Zafon How Not To Be Popular – Jennifer Ziegler L.A. Candy – Lauren Conrad Summer Intern- Carrie Karasyov The Wedding Planner's Daughter Series - Coleen Paratore A Kiss In Time - Alex Finn Beautiful Disaster - Jamie Mcguire Confessions Of A Shopaholic - Sophie Kinsella Perfect Chemistry – Simone Elkeles Redeeming Love - Francine Rivers Something Borrowed - Emily Giffin The Luxe Series - Anna Godbersen The Night Circus - Erin Morgenstern

Answer 3

Charlie and The Chocolate Factory
Silas Marner
The Chronicles of Narnia
The Wizard of Oz
The Secret Garden
Series of Unfortunate Events
Nancy Drew

Answer 4

Wow so many to choose from....I'll list some of my faves and some that are just always recommended reads and u can take it from there:
1. My all-time fave poetry read is: Edgar Allen Poe
2.Of Mice and Men-John Steinbeck(recommended classic)
3.East of Eden-John Steinbeck(I LOVED THIS BOOK!!!)
4.Moby Dick-Herman Melville(recommended classic)
5.The Old Man and the Sea-Ernest Hemingway(recommended
classic "but" at times a bit slow-moving, great life lesson
though)
6.Tom Sawyer-Mark Twain(awesome read classic book set)
7.The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn-Mark Twain(aka Samuel
Clemens, his real name is the 2nd part in this classic book set
about coming of age, dealing w/life's controversies)
8.Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave-
Frederick Douglass(in my opinion, a must read classic
because it is the first real account of a slave's life from that
slave's point of view)
9.Note:I myself do NOT believe this to be a necessary read but
others will criticize if not included.
Civil Disobedience-Robert Faulkner(classic read that I found
to be nothing short of fantasy)
10.The Great Gatsby-F. Scott Fitzgerald(not described as a
classic yet it seems should be so) Basically, a reflection on
the measurement of man's successes.
11.Not a MUST READ but this one's good for passing the time
if u r interested in war.
War and Peace-Leo Tolstoy
12.This work is also FUN to read if u r reading in short intervals.
Essays and Poems by Ralph Waldo Emerson
13.This is a MUST READ!!!! This man WAS WISE beyond his
years...maybe even ours. He will state the reasons we need
government to survive and then tell us how the poor will
become poor under this government and become the new
"slaves" the new "oppressed peoples."
Common Sense by Thomas Paine

These should get u started on the rt path. Should u be interested
in others they can easily be found in the "Book Club" sections of
the Barnes and Noble.com site. Most of these books can be read
fairly quickly so don't get discouraged by the list. It looks more
intimidating than it actually is. Happy Reading!!!!

Answer 5

harry potter has done a lot for literature in my opinion, and to be quite honest with you, the books are slated to be classics in the sense that Judy Blume books, the Ramona Quimby books, and Shel Silverstein books are. But like the other poster said, you're never too old to read any book. But the number one book I would pick is "The Little Prince"----basically because it speaks to the kid in all of us, and it wakes up the adult that may have been dormant.

Answer 6

You're never too old to read any kind of book. I'm 25 and I occasionally go back and read some of the books I loved as a kid. I even read some children's books that I somehow missed, growing up.
So, go ahead and read whatever strikes your fancy. Don't worry about what age group the book's labeled for.

Answer 7

tolkien can be dry, Try R.A Salvatore books. He does great stories and he paints a scene with words theat leave you intrigued.

Neil Gaiman's American Gods. < Great book. GREAT F**CKIN BOOK!!

Douglas adams. He wrote hitch hikers guide, Read the whole series thou, Its a 6 book series.

Non fiction...Look up Rueban Carter's book. Bout the story of the hurricane.

Answer 8

You should read "The Outsiders" by S.E. Hinton-Instead of Harry Potter try some J.R.R. Tolkien.

Answer 9

King Fortis the Brave
Harry Potter
Eragon and
Chronicles of Narnia are all great

Answer 10

the beano bumper book