70 Books Everyone Should Read At Least Once, As Shared By People In This Online Thread

#21 The Canterbury Tales By Geoffrey Chaucer

newleafkratom said:
“The Canterbury Tales – Geoffrey Chaucer.”

crunrun replied:
“I read this for a Medieval Literature class in college and it really changed some of my assumptions about older literature. I was not expecting s*x and fart jokes of the same caliber as George Carlin. The Middle English takes some getting used to, but once you grasp it you can find some of the best tongue-in-cheek humor out there. Some of this sh*t had me in stitches which really surprised me.”

#22 East Of Eden By John Steinbeck

“I just read it a few weeks ago and it blew me away. He’s such a masterful writer. It was an amazing read and I’ll probably do it again in a decade.”

#23 The Little Prince By Antoine De Saint-Exupéry

PrimateOnAPlanet said: “Not exactly a long novel, but I feel like everyone should read ‘The Little Prince.'” pulsetract replied: “We had to read this in French class in elementary school (French immersion). I never realized it’s depth until I was much older.” hungryczito replied: “In Poland we have to read it twice during our education – once in primary school, when we are around 8 y old, and in secondary school (early high school), around 15 y old. It really is a different book both times.”

#24 The Jungle By Upton Sinclair

washheightsboy3 said:
“I’d recommend The Jungle by Upton Sinclair.”

zdh989 replied:
“I remember trying to read this when I was like 12 because I thought it was about…you know…a jungle. Couldn’t make it through 5 pages. Then I picked it up again before me and my wife went on a cruise to read at leisure on the decks because I am a huge meat eater and was a chef at the time. Halfway through the book, I couldn’t put it down. I became so invested in Jurgis. The book is about so much more than the meat packing industry in Chicago at that time, which is really what I thought it was all about. Anyway, I say all that to say, I agree.”

#25 The Count Of Monte Cristo By Alexandre Dumas

I_paintball said:
“The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas.

Such a great book.”

skundrik replied:
“Oh my god yes. I love this book for being the s*x, drugs and rock and roll of the classics world. It is lengthy but has revenge, treasure, plots and schemes and drugs. There is nothing stuffy about this classic.”

#26 Frankenstein By Mary Shelley

boop-oop-a-doop said:
“Frankenstein. It’s a classic for a reason & no movie adaptation has ever really done it justice.”

buddaaaa replied:
“I read it my sophomore year of high school along with another set of books in small groups where we each had to read one of the three books given and lead discussions for our teammates and do other stuff I don’t remember. Anyway, I got ‘stuck’ with Frankenstein (I believe I was absent the day we chose). Completely lucked out, that book kicks a**.”

Conair24601 replied:
“I read Frankenstein last year and was absolutely stunned by it. As you say, no movie comes even close to the book. It’s gothic and cozy to read but just so impactful and ahead of It’s time. How Shelley wrote it at 17 is beyond me.”

#27 The Kite Runner By Khaled Hosseini

boogieafterhours said:
“The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini.”

melike_moonchild replied:
“This is the book I was thinking about too, A thousand splendid suns is imo even better than The Kite Runner.”

Ace_of_the_skies replied:
“LOVE Khaled Hosseini. Read a few of his other books as well, so good.”

#28 One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest By Ken Kesey

“Absolutely. This is probably my favourite book of all time, both from a story and writing standpoint. A very close second is All Quiet on the Western Front though.”

#29 The Grapes Of Wrath By John Steinbeck

newleafkratom said:
“The Grapes of Wrath – John Steinbeck.”

Commenter replied:
“I read this book in middle school. I remembered I barely understand English back then but it made me cry.”

#30 The Catcher In The Rye By J.D. Salinger

BRONXSBURNING said:
“The Catcher in the Rye is such a powerful and great book, I’d recommend it 100%!”

jaleel131 replied:
“Honestly, I’ve never been so impacted by a book before. I read it when I was 17 and severely depressed and it found me at the right time. ‘I don’t know exactly what I mean by that, but I mean it.'”