Your Guide to 40 Must Read Books You Can’t Miss

There is little time to read books which is why we tend to be picky with what we read. Some people seek out must-read books that are highly rated. That is why we decided to list the 40 must read books that you can’t miss!

These lists are always fun to make because of the discussion they lead towards. While these are our must-read books, the truth is that everyone has a unique taste. Their list will look a bit different.

With that said, this list includes novels that we believe are must reads as well as novels that show up on most lists, even if it isn’t your specific taste in books. You can see the full list below!

40 Must Read Books You Can’t Miss

• To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee  
• The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien  
• The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald  
• 1984 by George Orwell  
• Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen  
• The Book Thief by Markus Zusak   
• Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte  
• Animal Farm by George Orwell  
• Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell  
• The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger  
• Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White  
• The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis   
• The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck  
• Lord of the Flies by William Golding  
• The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini  
• Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck  
• A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens  
• Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare   
• The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams  
• Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte  
• The Color Purple by Alice Walker  
• Frankenstein by Mary Shelley  
• Dracula by Bram Stoker
• Catch-22 by Joseph Heller  
• A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith  
• War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy  
• East of Eden by John Steinbeck  
• Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson  
• The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas  
• Gulliver’s Travel by Jonathan Swift 
• Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky  
• Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep by Philip K Dick  
• The Secret History by Donna Tartt  
• Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy  
• The Diary of Anne Frank by Anne Frank 
• The Sound and the Fury by William Faulkner  
• Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison  
• The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood  
• Watership Down by Richard Adams  
• The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver 

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.

This novel is considered one of the best novels of all time and still sells ten of thousands of copies every year. It is the book that got me into reading for fun and I know that it holds a special place in many people’s hearts.

The Great Gatsby

Many critics and book lovers consider The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald as the greatest work of American literature. While I wouldn’t go that far, I do think it is a great classic novel that everyone should read at least once.

The novel didn’t see much success upon its release. During World War II, it was distributed to soldiers and it became a favorite afterwards. That is why I say don’t take critics too seriously because they are wrong as often as they are right.

Jay Gatsby has recently arrived to the West Egg part of Long Island and rumors of his extravagant parties have made him famous. Nobody knows how he accumulated his wealth but they want to befriend the millionaire. 

Gatsby himself has his own plans and wants to right the wrongs of the past. He wants to reunite with his lost love no matter the cost. This timeless classic novel captures the magic of the roaring twenties before the Great Depression. 

The Lord of the Rings

If you enjoy adventure 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. But none of those series will top the original fantasy series that has come to define the genre.

If you have read a bunch of fantasy novels, then you have most likely come across troupes that were popularized by Tolkien.  Few authors have had as much of an impact on a genre then Tolkien. But the genre is changing and I am excited to see where it goes from here.

The Book Thief

One of my all time favorite novels is The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. This classic novels tells one of the best stories about World War II, love, and unwavering strength. It is novel that belongs in every person’s home.

The novel takes place in Nazi Germany starting in 1939. Liesel Meminger is a foster child that is adopted by Hans and Rosa Hubermann. One day, Hans help hide a Jewish man named Max Vandenburg in the basement of their home. Liesel and Max form a bond as the war goes on, teaching each other valuable lessons.

Once a thriving town, Now Molching is a ghost town. The Hubermann are treated horrible because of Hann’s hatred of the Nazi party. His distaste of the party catches up with the family, facing the ire of the Nazi party and his fellow neighbors.

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

The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger is a classic novel that is also a beautiful coming of age novel. It is taught in high schools and has a lot to impart on students. The novel had a powerful effect on me and till this day, I think about Holden Caulfield and the ducks at Central Park. 

17-year old Holden Caulfield has been kicked out his boarding school in Pennsylvania. Winter Break is around the corner and he decides to go back to New York City. But he doesn’t tell his parents that he has been kicked out. Instead, Holden books a hotel in New York. 

He explores New York City and finds all the adults to be phony and lashes out. A drunk night out leads to him visiting his younger sister who represents all that is innocent to him. All Holden wants to do is to leave everything behind and start new but where does he go from here?

This novel either resonates with readers or they end up hating it with a passion. A big reason is that Holden appeals to a certain of reader. It also doesn’t help that the world is completely different than it was in 1951. I think this is a classic novel that still captures what it means to grow up through the lens of a teenager. 

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.

Conclusion 

These are the 40 must read books that everyone should read at least once in their lives. There are always going to be some books that are going to be left off the list. But this is still a solid list that covers some of the best books ever written

No list is ever going to get it all right. The good news is that you can always check out another list and read the books from that list that catch your eye.

How many books from this list have you read or plan to read? What other books would you add to this list? Let us know in the comments below. Until next time, happy reading!

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