You should get your credit card out because you are going to have to purchase these books and read them as soon as you can. This is a list of books that every individual should read in their lifetime. By no means is whittling down the list to a mere four books was easy. What with so many incredibly influential writes and even more stellar creative works to have shaken the world. The criteria in choosing these select few were simply that the book should possess the ability to alter the way a person thinks and feels, and reflect diversity. Let’s get cracking!
All About Love by Bell Hooks
The world we know teaches every individual to regard love as this inexplicable ‘thing’ that simply happens to people. People go out ‘searching’ for it, or they describe how they have ‘found’ it. Well, buckle up, folks, because this read is going to turn everything you thought you knew or didn’t know about love upside down.
The book is a deeply personal assertion of the author’s feelings and thoughts about love being a choice that each of us makes. The author proposes that there is no magical, abstract, or elusive nature about love and that it is rather something that we all can cultivate. The book goes on to explore the many roles that love has played in people’s lives. It explores the manners by which cultures have distorted the definition of love. This book can help you answer the questions you have in your relationships. For instance, why some relationships stand strong against a storm, while some don’t last the test.
Geek Love by Katherine Dunn
If you only choose one of the books on this list, then perhaps this is the one to choose as your read. This is a novel that is that certain something that will simply blow your mind away. The backdrop is unusual. Yet the book is a strangely engaging and rather an extraordinary story about a family of circus freaks, deliberately designed as such.
The story narration is by a dwarf sister who is also an albino hunchback. However, the true quality of the book lies in its story about belonging and true identity. This is a piece that will make you question whether you know who you are or what you are. Be prepared for many questions.
A Good Man Is Hard To Find and Other Stories by Flannery O’Connor
This Flannery O’ Connor book is a collection of short stories. It is the first of its kind, penned in 1955. However, as difficult as it may be to believe, this book happens to be still as consequential today as it was in 1955! The stories are ruthless, riddled with dark humor, and immensely engaging. There is certainly a lot of content that will sweep you off of your feet.
O’Connor manages to create characters that possess such intriguing qualities. It thus makes the book is a page-turner. Many disturbing events unfold throughout the novel, but the book has been written in the most evocative imagery that literature has ever seen. This surprising read is a must!
Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro
If you ever have intentions of loving another person, this is a book you should not hesitate to read. The book deals with disappointment, heartbreak, and love in an honest way that will have you entranced.
There’s not much you could say about its contents for fear of stealing away some f its magic. This is simply a science fiction story about freedom, youth, and plenty more good stuff. It’s a novel you will not want to put down until you have read every single word.
While there is plenty of pleasure to be had tucking into a suspenseful mystery or a light comedy, sometimes you need to read something with more substance. Take it from us, selecting any of the books in this shortlist will not leave you disappointed, no matter what your reading preferences are! You owe it to yourself to prod your thoughts and indulge in the impressive creative works of others. It must surprise you by what you might uncover about yourself along the way! So, happy reading!