If you are anything like us, then you love reading. But with so many books to choose from, how do you decide which books to read? That is why we have created a list of the ten must read books of all time. Keep reading to see which books made our list!
Choosing only ten books for this list is difficult but manageable. This is an ongoing series and more books will be added in future lists. So, if your favorite book didn’t make this list, it may make the next one. These are the books that we believe deserved the top ten spots and yes, a few of them can be replaced based on your preference. You can see the full list below!
The Ten Must Read Books of All Time
- To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
- The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
- 1984 by George Orwell
- Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
- The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
- Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
- The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
- Lord of the Flies by William Golding
- The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
- The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas
To Kill a Mockingbird
Like many readers, I first read To Kill a Mockingbird in high school and couldn’t put the novel down even if I wanted to. The story is told by the viewpoint of Jean Louise Finch and tells the story of Atticus Finch defending Tom Robinson, a black man who has been accused of raping a white woman in Maycomb, Alabama.
The Lord of the Rings
If you love reading fantasy novels, then you have to read The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien. Not only is it an amazing series but it is the formula that many fantasy authors have used to write their novels. If you have read a bunch of fantasy novels, then you have most likely come across troupes that were popularized by Tolkien.
1984
A sci-fi novel that has risen to popularity over the years is 1984 by George Orwell. When some ideas in this sci-fi and dystopian novel came true, people’s interest in the novel rose. The novel touches on issues such as mass surveillance, a controlling regime, and disinformation.
The Book Thief
One of my favorite novels of all time is The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. It tells a chilling story about a family that hides a Jewish man in Germany during World War II. The writing is incredible but what I love the most is using death as a narrator. If you haven’t read this timeless classic, then you are missing out.
The Catcher in the Rye
A classic novel that everyone should read is The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger. After revisiting this novel, I do believe it deserves the recognition it has gotten over the decades. There is a lot to take away and the novel is even more relevant in this day and age. I do think the novel hasn’t aged as gracefully as other classics but it still captures childhood innocence that we are all familiar with.
The Kite Runner
A novel that has stayed with me ever since I read it is The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini. It is a powerful novel about two unlikely friends that takes place in Afghanistan, where the regime is collapsing. Hosseini tackles heavy subjects as love, betrayal, family, identity, and redemption. Find out yourself why this novel is one of the best selling historical fiction novels of all time.
The Count of Monte Cristo
One of my favorite books of all time has to be The Count of Monte Cristo. It is an adventure novel unlike anything else. The book is entertaining and has held up well centuries later. Who doesn’t love a good revenge story? Even after a couple centuries, this novel is still considered one of the best works of literature and worth reading every few years.
Conclusion
That ends our list of the ten must read books of all time. These are some of the our favorite books to read and many of these books have stayed popular over the decades. How many of these books have you read? Which books should we include in our next list? Let us know in the comments below!
Such a narrow list of readings. The selection person is also narrow minded in their choices. Apparently person is out of touch with society broader view of books produced by many other talented writers in this wide world, plus all the selections serve only white readership. Which confirms my observations of narrow mindedness in your audience readers. Thank you
You forgot the Bible. Truly the most purchased book would probably be the most read?
Reminder: The Holy Bible is a 66-volume compilation of Sacred Literature. If compelled to recommend one of the books, it would be Romans, by the Apostle Paul; definitely NOT a work of Fiction!
Best fiction I ever read
Stop shoving racism b.s. down everyone’s throats!
Honestly, do the words on the page care about the skincolor of the reader?
💯
I fell asleep after rolling my eyes so hard they fell out my head.
Typical American bs
It’s a list not the Ten Commandments
Atlas Shrugged/Ayn Rand
I would add a few. The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath, and a few poems.
Atlas Shrugged
Any list without Maya Angelou (“I know why a caged bird sings”)isn’t a complete one. It’s time folk to get real about American life.
Looks like the list is all fiction.
Wouldn’t be my top 10.
Grant and History of the English Speaking People would be two on my list.
An outside the box choice : The Idiot’s Guide to Zen Living is an easy read and will give many a fresh outlook on life.
James Joyce “Ulysses”
Leo Tolstoy “War and Peace”
Jack Kerouac “On the Road”
Mr. Kerouac allegedly considered writing a sequel…
Read ” Jonathan Livingston Seagull” Excellent!
Read ” Jonathan Livingston Seagull”. Excellent!
Same ole same ole, !!!!
Great list! I’ve read every book listed. For those disconcerted by the choices, I wait, excitedly, every year for the “new classics!” Sadly, they just never arrive, with very few notable exceptions, including my favorite newer classic on this list: Kite Runner.
I’ve read “The Count of Monte Christo” 7 times in the last 35 years… 3 the abridged version, and 4 the 1200+ page original manuscript version. Haven’t found anything to top it !
A Brief History of Time? Again I’ve read nine of these. What is the reason I should read them?
My Antonia by Willa Cather should be in the list.
Are you saying that there are no books by African-American authors that are classics?
Why does there have to be one? It’s a top 10 list.
My Top 10 favorite food dishes might NOT include gumbo, but it is still considered classic Louisiana fare!
Anytime one dares make a list;
Someone, somewhere WILL get pissed!
Yes, I am disappointed in many of these responses….. 🙁 Thank you for being brave enough to provide this list! 🙂
Compile a list of the Top 20 biographies of the late-19th and 20th Centuries. Some of us prefer Truth!
Not True KJV old testament The holy bible #1 most read book in the world, let’s get it right or not at all.
And that’s why the world is f’d up . Greatest lie ever told need to be on YOUR LIST
In light of today’s political scene, “The Emperor’s New Clothes”.
To kill a mockingbird is a greater achievement than Bleak House?
To add Gibran Kahlil Gibran “The Prophet” the most read book worldwide and translated in 22 languages.
The picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde.
A good list of Western literature. You could pick any 2 from your list at random and substitute Tolstoy’s War and Peace and Joyce’s Ulysses. You should probably include the KJV version of the Bible for its Judaic mythology or a compilation of Greek mythology since both are essential reading to fully understand the listed books.
Is Ahaqir really qualified to name so called favourite books ? By the way what are his academic qualifications ? Does he have any ? It would be interesting if he would respond…
Stockholm – Sweden.