As someone who used to dread going to English classes in middle school and high school (which is highly ironic now, considering that I am about to graduate with a degree in English and Literature), I have come in contact with my fair share of books that I was forced to read. With being forced to read these books, I almost automatically disliked them without giving them a chance. However, despite my unwillingness to read a majority of these books given to me by teachers that were convinced that the red walls were a sign for the protagonists anger (and gave no room for interpretation), there were a few in this mix that have made an impact on my life and some of which are now my favorite books that I have re-read numerous times (or at least plan on in the future).
The Great Gatsby – F. Scott Fitzgerald
Why We Love It: You honestly have come to hate each character, but you can’t seem to put this book down. Between Nick’s unreliable narrations and his willingness to for some reason view Gatsby as a Saint, to Daisy pretending to be a “beautiful fool”, you have a lot to argue about with this book, which is probably why you never forget it.
The Outsiders – S.E. Hinton
Why We Love It: At one point or another, you probably have had “Stay gold, Pony” in your Instagram and Twitter bio, and we have The Outsiders to thank for that. There is nothing like putting two groups from the opposite side of town against one another, and this novel has the perfect balance of that, but does so in the eyes of Ponyboy Curtis, who in all this fuss, is still able to beautifully paint the scenes of his life.
The Giver – Lois Lowry
Why We Love It: The first book to really make me think, while the life displayed in The Giver, a utopian society, was interesting to examine, it made it more impactful to read it through the eyes of 12-year-old Jonas, who you would have been roughly the same age as when you read the book. It opened up your eyes to what happens with power and how our society could turn out to be, or already was forming into.
The Catcher in the Rye – J.D. Salinger
Why We Love It: A once banned book and a spark of much controversy, the tales of Holden Caulfield, filled with much angst and issues that were considered taboo for it’s time. This is what makes this novel impactful to those who read and why it has made it on my list of personal favorites.
1984 – George Orwell
Why We Love It: I’ll sum this up with just five words – Big Brother is always watching. The Orwell novel that takes place in a utopian society, and if we thought The Giver scared us for life, we knew nothing until we read 1984. Classroom discussions were filled with, at times, comparing this society to our own, making you want to go back into the book to find the similarities and to try and not live by them.
To Kill a Mockingbird – Harper Lee
Why We Love It: The combination of wittiness in writing, yet touching upon serious subject matters, with the mockingbird being more than just a board in Harper Lee’s classic tale. You definitely revisited this when the “sequel”, Go Set a Watchman, was released in the summer of 2015, but it was nowhere near the excellence that was To Kill a Mockingbird.
Of Mice and Men – John Steinbeck
Why We Love It: Who else remembers not expecting this book to break their heart like it did. However, that is why Of Mice and Men made the cut. It gave you more than you thought it would and what seemed like a simple plot of two men trying to find work during the Great Depression, turned out to me much, much more.
Hamlet – William Shakespeare
Why We Love It: While all of Shakespeare’s plays are worth the read, this one stands out the most with all the twists and tragic outcomes (aka pretty much everyone dying), and some of the most famous lines to ever be written in literature.
The Awakening – Kate Chopin
Why We Love It: Set in the late 19th century, The Awakening has beautiful language and follows the thoughts and journey of a woman who wants more than what her class and era have come to expect of her.
Frankenstein – Mary Shelley
Why We Love It: Fun Fact – Frankenstein is actually the last name of the doctor, not the monster, who receives no name. Nevertheless, this book is all sorts of horror and sci-fi bliss, and the first of it’s kind.