What book do you think everyone should read at least once in their lives?

[maxdsgnr]

There are many great books that have influenced generations of readers, but if I had to choose just one book that I think everyone should read at least once in their lives, it would be The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger :yes:

This novel follows the life of Holden Caulfield, a teenage boy who is kicked out of a prestigious boarding school and becomes a wanderer in New York City. Holden is angry, confused, and struggling to find his place in the world, and his story provides a deeply relatable and honest look at the challenges of growing up.

Agree with statement about moral of J.D. Salinger’s novel "....the morals found in The Catcher in the Rye and I Am Sam further illustrate this through the inevitability of adulthood and the ways in which society favours this natural transition...."
Despite being published over 50 years ago, The Catcher in the Rye remains one of the most poignant and timeless coming-of-age stories ever told.

 

[Annie_M]

My cousin just re-read this, because her partner's daughter was reading it in school. They really enjoyed reading it and discussing it. For me, my pick would be To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee. It is a Pulitzer Prize winner and a classic. It was published in 1960 and the story takes place during the great depression. Now, 62 years later since its publication, the story is still prevalent.

 

[Ledsteplin]

Two by James Michener:
Hawaii
Centennial

Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn - Mark Twain

 

[Mars20]

East of Eden - John Steinbeck

 

[Just_Me_D]

The Holy Bible

 

[Up_And_Away]

Fiction(classics): The Count of Monte Cristo
Notable mention: Jane Eyre
Fiction(contemporary): The Pillars of The Earth
Non Fiction: The Civil War
Notable Mention: With The Old Breed

Best book is subjective. Fiction vs nonfiction, genre. I'm an avid reader and would give this one piece of advice to readers: read across genres. There's great reads even in genres you'd think won't interest you. I started out reading entirely non fiction history. But I eventually spread out and have read across many genres. A really good read is out there in every genre. The sole criteria for a book is how much it makes me want to know what happens next (the proverbial "hard to put down"). That's it, genre doesn't matter. A notable sub genre mention for both fiction and non fiction books about trapped on a deserted island.

 

[Wotchered]

I have perhaps taken this too seriously, but have thought about this before. I have come to the conclusion that I cannot possibly answer this question. It seems to me that my favourite/most influential
books are linked inextricably with the age at which I read them, and my understanding of the world,literature, etc at that time. These things change with time and so do the books.
So, reading Gulliver’s Travels several times as a kid did me no harm. Science Fiction/Fantasy in general showed me different possibilities, and of course for a while,The Lord of The Rings was an adolescent obsession. I have no preferences nowadays that have any reference to anything read earlier in life apart from preferring fiction written earlier than the mid fifties, ( so much better written)

 

[tadpoles]

Foundation (the Foundation series, Isaac Asimov)