1. 1984 by George Orwell
Nineteen Eighty-Four follows Winston, a man who is living in dystopian Airstrip One (formerly Great Britain) but refuses to conform to the control and doublethink of the leader Big Brother. He falls in with a resistance group, or so he believes.
Why You Should Read It: Okay, so Nineteen Eighty-Four isn’t exactly rarely discussed, but especially with the United States’ current political climate, this book is more important than ever. Even George Orwell couldn’t predict Donald Trump, but it’s beginning to seem like he came pretty close with Big Brother.
2. The Giver by Lois Lowry
The Giver is another dystopian novel following a twelve-year old boy named Jonas. His society has eradicated emotions in order to create what they believe to be a utopia. Jonas is assigned to be the new Giver and begins taking all of the memories of the past from the previous Giver. The Giver is the only way that emotions are kept alive.
Why You Should Read It: In a time with a lot of dystopian literature, The Giver was one of the first, and it also has an otherworldly sense to it. There’s a dreamlike quality to it, very dissimilar to Nineteen Eighty-Four. This book transcends reality in a way that few novels manage.
3. The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton
The Outsiders is a novel about two opposing gangs, the Greasers and the Socs, and is narrated by a young member of the Greasers, Ponyboy Curtis. Ponyboy tells the story of a major fight between the two gangs, spanning several weeks and resulting in deaths on both sides.
Why You Should Read It: Ponyboy is someone caught up in more than he can handle, and is doing the best he can under the circumstances. Many of his dilemmas will resonate with readers, even if they haven’t been in the middle of a gang war. Also, S.E. Hinton wrote most of it in high school, and it was published when she was 18 years old. Isn’t it bomb? It also includes the classic line, “Stay gold, Ponyboy.”
4. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
The Book Thief, which is narrated by death, follows Liesel, a young girl trying to save books from being burned in Nazi Germany. Her family is also harboring a Jewish man, who is the one who teaches Liesel to read and fosters her love of books, but his presence also puts her and her family in danger.
Why You Should Read It: Aside from being brilliantly written, The Book Thief is about a love of books, perfect for any book lover. It also deals with themes of love and loss in an incredibly poignant way, as well as depicting the lives of people not often talked about in history—those who quietly resisted Nazi rule.
5. The Princess Bride by William Goldman
In the beginning of this classic tale of true love and high adventure we are introduced to Buttercup and Westley (called “Farm Boy” for the first few chapters), who fall deeply in love. However, when Westley goes to America to seek his fortune, Prince Humperdinck hears that Buttercup is the most beautiful woman in the world and decides he must marry her. Things get complicated from there.
Why You Should Read It: Sometimes, you just need a good, funny book and The Princess Bride delivers that in spades. Goldman inserts his own comical takes on the story, supposedly written by S. Morgenstern and abridged by Goldman. This is a book that will keep you enthralled and laughing. Plus, the movie is great.