10 Books You Need To Read Once In Your Life
I can’t imagine my life without literature. As an English major, literature surrounds me. I explore various texts through my coursework and analyze their themes and characters. This allows me to read classics by well-known geniuses, as well as newer novels by lesser-known authors.
Literature has evolved. Themes in novels have grown deeper, challenging people’s way of thinking in the best way possible. Here are 10 pieces of literature I’ve read for their insightful themes:
1. “The Epic of Gilgamesh” by Anonymous
This novel is a true backbone in literature; the author wrote this during ancient Mesopotamian times. It captures the story of Gilgamesh, the king of Uruk, and his ascent into heroism. He travels with an unlikely companion—Enkidu, a wild man sent by the gods to challenge Gilgamesh’s strength and willpower. Enkidu and Gilgamesh become great allies and conquer enemies together.
2. “The Odyssey” by Homer
This story maintains themes that have increased in relevance over time. Its main theme highlights that even the slightest trace of hope can lead to a wish coming true, and that giving up is not an option. In the Odyssey, Odysseus, the king of Ithaca, becomes lost to humanity following the ten-year Trojan War. Greek gods, such as Zeus and Poseidon, oppose him as he travels home to reunite with his son and wife, Penelope, back in Ithaca.
3. “Animal Farm” by George Orwell
Capturing an unexpected perspective, “Animal Farm” focuses on the mistreated animals who live at Manor Farm. Tired of their farmer, Mr. Jones, abusing them, the animals kick him off the farm. After doing so, they transform the farm into a space where everyone is treated equally. The animals learn to read and write and create the Seven Commandments of Animalism, which will guide their new lifestyles.
4. “Fahrenheit 451” by Ray Bradbury
In a dystopian version of America, “Fahrenheit 451” depicts a world where the government has outlawed books. The protagonist, Guy Montag, is a firefighter who burns books. He doesn’t comprehend the value behind literature, simply following what the government deems as ethically right. However, throughout the book, Guy begins to believe in the preservation of literature, giving up the comfort he once knew.
5. “Foxfire: Confessions of a Girl Gang” by Joyce Carol Oates
This novel tells the story of a girl gang called “Foxfire.” The characters include Maddy “Monkey” Wirtz, Betty “Goldie” Siegfried, Loretta “Lana” Maguire, Elizabeth “Rita” O’Hagan, and Margaret “Legs” Sadovsky. Despite coming from troubled backgrounds, the girls find solace within Foxfire. They expose the wrongdoings of those surrounding them in pursuit of justice, gaining a trustworthy family along the way.
6. “The Bathhouse” by Farnoosh Moshiri
This book tells one of the bravest stories of survival. Moshiri depicts the gritty, overlooked side of the fundamentalist revolution in Iran. This novel follows an unnamed narrator who is imprisoned in an abandoned bathhouse because of her brother’s political beliefs. During her time there, she develops relationships with other women while her prisoners subject her to torture, relying on their connections to get by.
7. “The Hunger Games” by Suzanne Collins
This popular book series has traversed through mainstream media. It occurs in a dystopian society where the government pits children against each other in a game to the death, all for the higher class’s amusement. The series explores themes of grief, rebellion, and fear, expressing the need for a better government. You can also interpret Collins’ books as heeding a warning that a corrupt political system only leads to destruction.
8. “Highly Illogical Behavior” by John Corey
Focusing on the life of a teenager named Solomon or “Sol”, “Highly Illogical Behavior” discusses his agoraphobia. Scared of open spaces, Sol still lives with his parents and has no friends because of how isolated he chooses to be. When Lisa, a girl around his age, decides she wants to befriend Sol, his life becomes less lonely. However, as walls of comfort begin to collapse around him, so do the friendships he builds with Lisa and her boyfriend, Clark.
9. “Homegoing” by Yaa Gyasi
This novel narrates the stories of two half-sisters, Effia and Esi, as they live their separate lives in eighteenth-century Ghana. Esi is imprisoned and sold as a part of the slave trade, while Effia marries a wealthy Englishman. This novel not only follows the two sisters, but their entire bloodline. Their descendants face oppression once they settle in America, living through major events like the Civil War and the Jazz Age of twentieth-century Harlem.
10. “The Power” by Naomi Alderman
In “The Power,” women are born with an organ called a Skein that allows them to discharge electricity through touch. This results in the world going haywire as women rise up; the society forces the men onto the defensive because they don’t have Skeins. Various characters capture the unfolding conflict from their perspectives. This includes Margo Cleary, a woman running for mayor of Seattle, and Olatunde “Tunde” Edo, an aspiring reporter.
These novels have stuck with me throughout my life because they break away from my expectations, unafraid to tell the most difficult truths. Reading literature that challenges thoughts and morals makes the voices that matter heard. It places us, as readers, in different perspectives.