What books do you think are essential reading?

[JazzerMcCreary]

I’m turning 29 tomorrow. I’ve decided that as I’ve either done or have no interest in doing the typical ‘pre 30 bucket list’ activities, I’m going to try to read 30 new books over the next year.

So tell me, what books would be on your list?

The Poisonwood Bible, by Barbara Kingsolver

Happy birthday for tomorrow!

Great idea!

Hamnet
The Binding

If This Is A Man - Primo Levi

And without wanting to seem flippant I would also offer something purely comedic

Secret Diary of Adrian Mole - Sue Townsend

A Thousand Splendid Suns
The Colour Purple
Possessing the Secret of Joy
I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings

The Far Pavilions
Educated

Plus all those a ove

A Prayer for Owen Meaney, The Shadow of the Wind or Northern Lights if you've not read them!

What are some of your favourite books? Or even films. That way people can narrow down suitable suggestions. I’ve read quite a lot of books on this thread and some I loved (one is amongst my favourite books ever) and at least two put me into reading slumps.

Things Fall Apart
Pride and Prejudice
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
The Life of Pi

I did a similar thing a couple of years ago, it was brilliant stepping out of my usual books/authors and trying something new. The ones that really struck a chord for me were:

1984 - George Orwell
War of the Worlds - H.G. Wells
We Can Remember It for You Wholesale aka Total Recall - Phillip K Dick

All widely known in popular culture but reading them was something else and they're quite petite in terms of pages.

Other recommendations if you want to try different authors/genres...

My favourite comedy book(s): Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams
My top fantasy pick: Legend - David Gemmell
My most unsettling 'horror': The Long Walk - Stephen King

I'd consider them all to be gateway books that drag you down author rabbit holes though!

Happy birthday for tomorrow

The handmaid's tale, catch 22, atonement, apeirogon, flowers for algernon, the sparrow, wild swans, the humans and all the light we cannot see are some of my favourite books which I think taught me something about the world or human nature 😊

For pure enjoyment Harry potter, a boy and his dog at the end of the world, rivers of London, the Thursday murder club, one fine day in the middle of the night, American god's, this is going to hurt and accidental hit man!

East of Eden
The Quiet American
Goldfinch
The Book of Fate

The Power by Naomi Alderman
Vox by Christina Dalcher
The Handmaids Tale - Margaret Atwood
The Princess Diaries - Carrie Fisher
Woman in the Window by A J Finn

Keep in mind, OP, that if you're not enjoying a book it's okay to ditch it. Slogging away at a book you find tedious is pointless.

1984
Handmaid's Tale
Wuthering Heights, and Jane Eyre
Great Gatsby
Pride & Prejudice
To Kill a Mockingbird
some Hardy (my fave is Jude the Obscure, but it's pretty bleak. Actually it's all quite bleak. Maybe Tess?)
Lolita
Lady Chatterley's Lover
The Way We Live Now

And some less 'classic' ones:
Americanah
The Kite Runner
Any Human Heart
My Brilliant Friend
Life After Life

Oh and The Secret History

some Hardy (my fave is Jude the Obscure, but it's pretty bleak. Actually it's all quite bleak. Maybe Tess?)

too menny

SO bleak.

Rebecca
The handmaids tale
The power
The secret history
Middlesex
Tales of the unexpected
Jane eyre
The wind up bird chronicle
Half of a yellow sun

I agree with a lot of what people have posted.
I would put on ‘The Bloody Chamber’ by Angela Carter. It’s a collection of feminist retellings of fairy tales.
She was an amazing writer who died too young - not enough people know about her - well, from the people I know anyway!
I think you’re at the perfect age to read this book.

'Things Fall Apart' by Chinua Achebe. It's a Nigerian classic.

The World According to Garp
Wonderboys
The Blind Assassin
The Five People You Meet in Heaven
And the Band Played On

The world according to garp
A room with a view
The remains of the day

Shuggie Bain
Lanny (for the gorgeous lyrical prose)
Moving
An Inspector Calls

To Kill a Mockingbird
Anything by Khaled Hosseini

@ScribblyBaller

some Hardy (my fave is Jude the Obscure, but it's pretty bleak. Actually it's all quite bleak. Maybe Tess?)

too menny

SO bleak.

I'm a Hardy lover, and I work in welfare rights. Every time I deal with a family struggling because of the benefit cap or the two-child rule, I think of Jude the Obscure. And I think Tess is pretty bleak - it made me cry!

The least bleak is probably Under the Greenwood Tree, but some of the minor novels (The Hand of Ethelberta, a Laodicean etc) are quite light.

I think it depends so much on the type of story/genre you like and totally agree with pp saying that you don't have to slog through a book if it's not for you.

For comedy I have always loved Marion Keys. I haven't read loads of her books but they've always made for easy reading without being a slap to your intellect.

I also loved The Hobbit. I read it aged about 12 and again in my early 20's.

Donna Tartt novels. I liked them all though they appear to be a bit marmite.

I loved Hilary Mantel's Wolf Hall. Tough to get into but once I did I really enjoyed it.

For steampunk genre I love Natasha Pulley especially The Watchmaker of Filigree Street.

For giving you a whole new perspective "Invisible Women".

Happy birthday for tomorrow!