To Kill a Mockingbird (Harper Lee, 1960)

Ever since its publication, To Kill a Mockingbird has remained one of the most widely read books. Told from the perspective of a young girl, the story revolves around the events that happened in a small town in Alabama, when her father, a white lawyer, was appointed to defend a black man accused of raping an underage girl. Dealing with grave issues like racial inequality and injustice, the novel gave us the iconic character of Atticus Finch, an example of moral integrity for lawyers.

The Fellowship of the Ring (J.R.R. Tolkien, 1954)

The opening part of the famous book series, The Fellowship of the Ring doesn’t need much of an introduction. It sets off the story of an unlikely group of heroes on their quest to save the world from a powerful evil. Initially, Tolkien was planning to publish the entire trilogy in one volume, with six subdivisions he called books. However, his publisher convinced him to publish it in three different parts.

The Little Prince (Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, 1943)

Equally loved by children and adults, The Little Prince is rightfully considered among the classics of world literature. The story describes the encounter between a young boy referred to as the little prince and an adult narrator, loosely based on Saint-Exupéry himself. The novel has been translated into over 505 languages, as the themes of friendship, love, loneliness, and loss the book addresses resonated with readers from different backgrounds and cultures.

Where the Sidewalk Ends (Shel Silverstein, 1974)

This poetry collection is a true representation of children’s imaginations and common childhood worries. From “The Truth About Turtles” to “Who's Taller?” and the titular “Where the Sidewalk Ends,” it is full of imagination-inspiring stories and illustrations. The book stirred quite some controversy due to its subject matter and was banned in some libraries and schools. However, in 2007, the National Education Association listed it in the Teachers’ Top 100 Books for Children.

The Shining (Stephen King, 1977)

When Jack Torrance and his family moved to the Overlook Hotel, where Jack accepted the position of an off-season caretaker, the last thing they expected was a series of terrifying supernatural occurrences that eventually drove Jack mad and put his wife and 5-year-old son in danger. Based on King’s own experience, The Shining was his third published novel that firmly established him as the master of horror.

The Handmaid’s Tale (Margaret Atwood, 1985)

After the Second American Civil War, a new totalitarian regime with a very strict class system is established in New England. Any women from the lower layers of society that fail to fit the rules engrafted by the ruling class are forced to become natal slaves, or handmaids, for noble families. Even though The Handmaid’s Tale is set in a dystopian future, its themes of female individuality and suppressing women’s reproductive and other rights hold relevant in our society.

A Wrinkle in Time (Madeleine L’Engle, 1962)

This young adult fantasy novel is full of things you expect from the genre: adventure, time and dimension travel, fighting evil in the name of justice, saving the world, and – above all – concepts of love, friendship, and good versus evil. After an encounter with their neighbor Ms. Whatsit, the Murry siblings and their friend Calvin set out on a journey to save inventor Alexander Murry, who is also Meg and Charles Murry’s father. A Wrinkle in Time opens the Time Quintet series that follows Meg, Charles, and Calvin’s adventures.

Anna Karenina (Leo Tolstoy, 1878)

Even though Tolstoy had two major works and a number of shorter stories to his name before publishing Anna Karenina, he called it his first true novel. Although the main focus is on the protagonist and her extramarital affair with Count Vronsky, there are a number of other storylines and characters in the novel. Tolstoy draws attention to issues of family, happiness, high society in Imperial Russia, the differences between city and rural life, among others. 

Valley of the Dolls (Jacqueline Susann, 1966)

When Valley of the Dolls was published, it received largely negative reviews from critics, yet it went on to become one of the bestselling novels in history. Telling the stories of several characters working in show business and their subsequent involvement with drugs, it is largely believed to be based on some real-life big names in the entertainment industry. Susann never fully confirmed or denied this supposition.

Pride and Prejudice (Jane Austen, 1813)

Pride and Prejudice is not only Austen’s most popular novel that has been adapted for screen and theater numerous times, but it also often ends up in top positions on “must-read books of all time” lists. Centered around the Bennet family, who have five adult daughters but are on the brink of losing their property should the father of the family die, the novel explores the concepts of class, marriage, societal expectations and prejudices. Upon its first publication, the novel received very mixed reviews, from admiration to disappointment. Austen herself felt like her book lacked “shade.”