What good books would you recommend for others to read? Tell us why, if you like. No profanity, please!

#1

All Discworld books by Terry Pratchett (greatest fantasy/satire ever)
Flatterland by Ian Stewart (for Math nerds)
Swallows an Amazons (sailing adventure for kids)
Enid Blyton
The Hobbit by JRR Tolkien

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    #2

    Harry Potter books,

    The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien,

    The Witcher books by Andrzej Sapkowski.

    I absolutely adore these. Really great fantasy stories.

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    #3

    The Giver or anything by Lois Lowry

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    #4

    I'd definitely recommend a short-yet-powerful novel called Jonathan Livingston Seagull by Richard Bach. It's about a seagull that strives for freedom and the unlimited, unlike his other seagull peers. It's surprisingly profound and easy to read, so I'd recommend it to anyone.

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    Nicky OldfieldDesciple
    Community Member
    4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Oh my God, I was just going to recommend that book and you beat me to it. ☺ It really is the most beautiful book and I absolutely love it. It really just speaks to your soul. I love the film of it too and the film's soundtrack by Neil Diamond is just amazingly beautiful.

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    #5

    All books by Rick Riordan, and also The Book Thief (by Markus Zusak).

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    #6

    Wonder by RJ Palacio. Teaches you to not judge a book by its cover, as well as to give everything a go, to persevere, and not to let others put you down. I also really enjoy how each chapter is told from another person's perspective, you can examine the relationships between the characters and what each person things of Auggie and other classmates.

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    #7

    Former high school teacher here – what book would I recommend for everyone to read? That’s easy: “Surely You’re Joking Mr. Feynman” and/or “What Do You Care What Other People Think”, both by Dr. Richard Feynman. Both books invite you to be comfortable with yourself, your abilities and talents, and the facts that it’s okay to be smart and that you don’t have to be like other people. I gave away multiple copies of these books to my students over the years and I believe the books gave them the confidence to excel in whatever field they chose.

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    #8

    - Any Raina Telgemeier books
    - The Percy Jackson books, or if you have read those already, The Trials of
    Apollo (also by Rick Riordan)
    - Five Kingdoms, or Beyonders
    by Brandon Mull,
    - Someday Angeline, or Holes
    by Louis Sachar

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    #9

    If you think The Neverending Story by Michael Ende is just a book for children... Surprise! It is not. It has more depth than you think, and it will totally absorb you.

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    #10

    If you like weird fiction:
    Dune by Frank Herbert
    Cosmicomics by Italo Calvino
    The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath by HP Lovecraft
    Providence by Alan Moore and Jacen Burrows
    Uzumaki by Junji Ito
    Perdido Street Station by China Mieville
    The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka
    Imajica by Clive Barker

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    #11

    The Brain that Changes Itself by Norman Doidge, MD. I read it early into therapy for complex PTSD and depression. I had never heard of neuroplasticity and the concept gave me tremendous hope that I could improve my mental health by exercising my mind and reducing the impact of distressing thoughts.

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    Ryan Dawson
    Community Member
    4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Hello, how are you doing? I hope you're having a great day! You have a beautiful profile, hope you don't mind if we chat?

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    #12

    "The Eight" by Katherine Neville. A captivating story, with many plot twists that takes you on a nice adventure and ends up.... Oh, well, that's for you to find out!
    https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1388263286l/113310.jpg
    P.s. Don't forget the sequel "The Fire"

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    MeriJoy
    Community Member
    4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    WHAT. There is a sequel?! Ditto on recommending “The Eight”.

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    #13

    Dracula by Bram Stoker - I hate the movie (1992, Coppola), but the book is one of my all time favorites.

    The Star Rover by Jack London - mindblowing book.

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    F. H.
    Community Member
    4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I liked Dracula. I never thought it was possible, but the first quater is actually scary.

    #14

    I've been sticking with humour lately, so:

    Dave Barry's books make me laugh out loud, currently re-reading "Money Secrets"

    "Sh*t My Dad Says" by Justin Halpern - another lol read

    Just about anything by Carl Hiassen, but especially "Double Whammy"

    "A Confederacy of Dunces" by John Kennedy Toole

    Happy, happy reading!

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    Community Member
    4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Not seeing an edit option, but wanted to add that Carl Hiassen's "childrens" books make a great light read for adults, too. "Hoot", "Scat", "Chomp", and "Flush" are all great fun.

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    #15

    Velocity and Odd Thomas both by Dean Koontz.

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    #16

    Some of my favourite authors are:

    Louis McMaster Bujold: she writes both sci-fi and fantasy but I particularly love the Vorkosigan saga, which (in my opinion) is nicely brainy sci-fi with both humour and drama.

    CS Friedman: also a fantasy/sci-fi writer with often unconventional/original ideas as the base premises for her stories.

    Ken Follett: His historical stories are master pieces. You can really tell he's done his homework. (I don't care at all as much for his other works, though; the few of them I've read, that is.)

    Will Adams and David Gibbins are both good if you like a bit of Indiana Jones (action packed archaeology) and intriguing ideas about our past.

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    #17

    Love in the Time of Cholera
    The Master and Margarita
    Confederacy of Dunces
    Eleanor Oliphant is Perfectly Fine
    House of Leaves
    The Poisonwood Bible

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    #18

    ANY Meg Cabot books
    Keeper of the lost cities series by Shannon Messenger
    Jill Mansell books

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    #19

    KEEPER OF THE LOST CITIES.
    This is a book series about a girl who finds out she's an elf...which aren't the elves you're thinking of!! She is extremely powerful and makes a bunch of friends, and there is some romance. Its basically a less-known series, like Harry Potter.

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    Star
    Community Member
    4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I love those books! They have better world building than Harry Potter in my opinion, but have the same magical fantasy theme with darker undertones. The plot is sometimes a bit drawn-out, but it’s a fun read if you have some time on your hands (which I’m sure everyone does).

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    #20

    The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

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    #21

    Harry Potter, my favorite coming-of-age book. I grew up alongside Harry. It's definitely darker than most, who never read it, think. It helped me understand and deal with the death of my family members since Rowling wrote it after losing her mom and the books are full of her own grief, sadness, and, in the end, closure and moving on, continuing living with that pain. I'd recommend it to every teenager and anyone, who never had the pleasure of reading it.

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    #22

    I would recommend the book the Spill Over by David Quammen. It really illustrates how pandemics starts, how diseases are passed from animals to humans and where and how some viruses originate. Very good book that will definitely give you prospective on the current outbreak, future outbreaks, and enforce the fact that you need to wear a mask in public and this pandemic is no joke.

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    #23

    Oh I have never been more excited to answer one of these, someone hold my coffee.

    The Green Rider series by Kristen Britain. Not only extremely well done but engaging and hilarious. Her heroine gets the ever loving crapped kicked out of her and there's a reality to the series that makes it so much more engaging, even though it's a 'fantasy' novel series. Laurna Freeman - Borderlands series - had an amazing start to a series I want to see finished but she broke off after the third book and no one's heard from her since. Do not let that keep you from getting your hands on these books, the story is amazing and fast paced.

    Oddjobs is an phenomenal series done by Heide Goody & Ian Grant. I'm reading it for free with my Kindle Unlimited subscription.

    Read everything/anything by:Anne McCaffery (And her son), Mercedes Lackey, Tanya Huff, Janet Evanovich, J.K. Rowling, R.A. Salvatore, Piers Anthony (Mode series; seriously people he basically wrote sting theory as a book series), Max Brooks, Mark Tufo, Shawn Chesser, Heath Stallcup. I gotta cut this off this could go on forever.

    I will leave you with this one: There is a book called Tombstone written by Yang Josheng. It's about the Great Famine in china. Amazing book written by someone who lived through it and it is a very hard book to read but I think everyone should.

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    F. H.
    Community Member
    4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Read everything/anything by Piers Anthony? Some of his books are among my favourites (On a Pale Horse, for example), but dude... you can't go around telling people to just read anything by him! That's dangerous! He wrote some seriously deprived and kinky stuff many people would find extremely offensive. I wouldn't recommend that. Personally, I'm also completely unable to read his Xanth series. I'm all in for a good pun, but at some point enough is enough.

    #24

    The Odd 1s Out: How to Be Cool and Other Things I Definitely Learned from Growing Up. Its cool.

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    Ireland Gacha
    Community Member
    4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    One of the firsts YouTubers with a good book. Also the first animator with a book!

    #25

    So for some reason, I had the novel "The Devil's Arithmetic" encased in a "Letters from Rifka" book cover. Took me years to figure that out, but I highly recommend it! It is a childrens novel, but I still love it to this day. Mixes World War II and time travel.

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    #26

    everyone’s saying harry potter so i have a couple different ones. this song will save your life by leila sales - about a girl recovering from depression through music and also has wonderful music recommendations. also my favorite book - pet sematary by stephen king because im a horror nerd

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    #27

    For Agatha Christie fans, try The Magpie Murders by Anthony Horowitz. It's three books in one, basically a case study of classic whodunit novels.

    Also, anything by P.D. James is a good murder mystery. My personal favourite is her last novel, The Private Patient, written at the prime age of 88.

    And now for a short list of non-fiction books:

    1. Strange Histories: The trial of the pig, the walking dead and other matters of fact from the medieval and renaissance worlds, by Darren Oldridge.
    Simply and humorously written, it's very educational on the way medieval and early modern people of all classes saw superstition, religion, 'evil' and the supernatural. (Bought this book for the funny stories, it taught me more than years of history lessons - highly recommend)

    2. Vermeer's Hat: The 17th century and the dawn of the global world, by Timothy Brook.
    The author uses Vermeer's paintings of middle class life in Europe of the mid 1600s as a guide to trade, social issues and the globalisation that followed the discovery of the Americans and the ease of travel. A short, fluently written book that condences perfectly the similarities and differences of the world we live in now and the world that shaped it.

    3. The Black Swan by Nassim Nicolas Taleb
    This trader and philosopher wrote in his book that a violent market crash is coming only months before thecollapse of Lehman brothers in 2008. His reasoning: the impact of when the 'improbable' becomes reality. Minimal maths, a wealth of eye-opening obervations on economics and everyday life.

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    #28

    The false prince series. It is one of my favorite series and it is engaging for all ages!

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    Squirrelflightisawesome
    Community Member
    4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Jennifer A. Neilsen is one of my favorite authors. I've read these books by her: the scourge, Resistance, A night divided, and many others.

    #29

    The legacy book series! Its not very well known at all but I got the first book from a craft show in my city and I have been hooked ever since and I can personally guarantee you will too! Go to thelegacybookseries.com to check out Danneille Mcdonaoughs books

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    Community Member
    4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Oh and this book is pretty good for anyone 11 and up and adults would probably like it too !!

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    #30

    "Journal of the Plague Year" by Daniel Defoe. It gives some interesting insights into how people act during epidemics.

    "The Brothers Karamazov" by Fyodor Dostoevsky. You can get it free on Librivox and listen to it while you walk your dog. It conveys the sense of desperation that accompanies isolation.

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    #31

    Emporer Of The Deep, This book is all of the lives of sharks it is an adult but but as a 13 yearold and a big reader i understood everything clearly, it opens your eyes to what is actually happening to these wonderful creatures

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    #32

    The most compelling book I've read in a long time: "Octavian Nothing" by M.T. Anderson. An historical novel of an upper class slave in Boston during the Revolutionary War. Wonderful characters who will make you care about them as if they were your family, and you will never look at American history the same way again. I wish every high school student was assigned this book.

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    #33

    Guiseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa’s The Leopard.
    Not a book that offers consolation but a good book.

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    #34

    I think Shooting Kabul and The Only Road are really good books. They are sad though, and make you thoughtful.

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    #35

    Cinder(Marissa Meyer), The book thief(Markus Zusak), The Hunger Games (Suzanne Collins) Slated (Teri Terry), Throne of Glass(Sarah J Mass), Scars Like Wings(Erin Steward), The Fault in our stars(John Green), Divergent(Veronica Roth), Sick kids in love(Hannah Moskowitz), Everything everything(Nicola Yoon), The maze runner(James Dashner), Say her name(Juno Dawson), Just to name a few

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    #36

    The Underneath. One of my favorites.

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    #37

    I always return to Spider Robinson's "Callahan's Crosstime Saloon" series and Jim Butcher's "Dresden Files".
    The "Callahan's" books take place in a bar where the patrons reflexively help people face their pain and find solace. Those who wonder in include an alien who has to destroy the world and feels terrible about it, a time-traveler who worries what might happen if he tries to save the woman he loves, and a telepath who fears he's losing his mind. There's also a talking dog and intergalactic traveling salesman, tall tales and terrible puns.
    The Dresden File books follow the only practicing wizard in the Chicago Yellow Pages, who saves the world with random acts of destruction. The line I read was "The building was on fire and it wasn't my fault." (It was the fault of the big purple monkey demons hurling flaming poo.) The cast includes vampires, angels, fairies (it's best to stay out of their politics), and a talking skull named Bob.

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    F. H.
    Community Member
    4 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Yeah, good luck getting your hand on the Callaha's Crosstime Saloon books. If you have them, keep them very safe for a rainy day.

    #38

    Former high school teacher here – what book would I recommend for everyone to read? That’s easy: “Surely You’re Joking Mr. Feynman” and/or “What Do You Care What Other People Think”, both by Dr. Richard Feynman. Both books invite you to be comfortable with yourself, your abilities and talents, and the facts that it’s okay to be smart and that you don’t have to be like other people. I gave away multiple copies of these books to my students over the years and I believe the books gave them the confidence to excel in whatever field they chose.

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    #39

    Out of My Mind, by Sharon Draper. It's about a girl with cerebral palsy who is constantly underestimated because of her condition, but she's really smart. I adored this book when I read it!

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    #40

    If you only read one book this year, make it The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins. Whether or not you've read the original Hunger Games trilogy, read Ballad. It's so, so, important right now. Humanity needs this book. If you want more, read the entire Maze Runner series. And the entire Divergent series. And heck, the entire Hunger Games trilogy as well.

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    #41

    The Catswold Porthole by Shirley Rousseau Murphy I discovered it 20+ years ago and have read it a dozen times. Its not easy to find, but if you love cats, fantasy, and a dash of mystery.

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    #42

    Stronger than you Know- Jolene Perry
    When- Victoria Laurie

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    #43

    Born a Crime by Trevor Noah was so engaging and vivid, I went to Google Street View to "walk" around his neighborhoods as I read.

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    #44

    Wings of Fire by Tui T. Sutherland. best dragon fantasy novel ever besides Harry Potter.

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    #45

    W.c Ryan. A.m. keen. I love a good ghost story, haunted house, or mystery. I found a bunch of good ghost stories in the YA section at the library. Check that section out if You have read the mystery section at the Library like I have. I was surprised at the vast selection in YA. I have to throw in Stephen King also.

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    #46

    I have two that I would recommend. The first: The Outsiders by S.E.Hinton and the second: From the Corner of His Eye by Dean Koontz. Both are amazing books.

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    #47

    J. R. R. Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings" trilogy - the best fantasy world I have ever seen.

    Any stories about Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle. They keep your brain wondering, putting clues together and figuring stuff out. Great exercise and a nice insight into the period.

    Tom Clancy's "The Hunt for Red October" - one of the best... hmm.. strategy novels (?) I have ever seen! It's exciting, packed with interesting information, and has a lot of strategy employed. Definitely recommend!

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    #48

    The Discworld novels by Terry Pratchett. Especially "Unseen Academicals". The world is so extremely colourful and his writing so awesome and witty.
    For young readers, i recommend the Harry Potter books, the Percy Jackson series and The Hunger Games also.
    Also, many books of Dostojevski.

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    #49

    Definitely Terry Pratchett. I prefer the City-Guard stories but just read anything you can get your hands on. I have a very soft spot for "Feet of Clay"

    "Good Omens" by T Pratchett and Neil Gaiman

    "Watership Down" by Richard Adams

    As a fantasy-nerd (for young adults, but I still like it as an older adult): "The Dragonbone-Throne" (and following) by Tad Williams

    and for German speakers: "Die Stadt der träumenden Bücher" by Walter Moers

    Oh, and "Lord of the Rings" goes without saying.

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    Dee Hunter
    Community Member
    4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Walter Moers' books in general. It's been translatad btw. English speakers can ask their book dealers for The City of Dreaming Books ;)

    #50

    I love any medevil and Romans. One of the best I have read is the son of Spartacus. After the Romans kill Spartacus they discover he has a son. Not knowing, his son was trained as a gladiator by the Romans. And Spartacus son did not no his true identity either but it all comes out in the end. No spoiler alert here. you have to read it. highly recommended!

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    #52

    The Alchemist by Paulo Coehlo

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    #53

    The hate u give by Angie Thomas

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    #54

    The Serafina series by Robert Beatty. It has everything. Gore, mystery, books, fantasy, magic! I would definitely recommend these books.

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    #55

    Cornelia Funke's Mirrorworld books. It puts a really cool spin on all the old fairytales. FrostFire by Zoe Marriott is also fantastic. I also highly recommend The Lord of the Rings and all of the Sherlock Holmes books. And if you like high fantasy, the Inheritance cycle by Christopher Paolini

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    #56

    Fantasy PG:
    The Bartimaeus trilogy by Johnathan Stroud. Fantasy series but also humorous and actiony. Very un-cliche if you ask me, though it does have that coming-of-age element.

    Light reading any age:
    The Merchant of Marvels and The Peddler of dreams by Frederic Clement- very surreal and artistic, lots of pictures

    My own books! Very scifi and cerebral. When they're finally published in a million years.

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    #57

    Atlas Shrugged! Ayn Rand
    TIMELESS!

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    F. H.
    Community Member
    4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Timeless, that's correct. People like John Galt sadly never die out.

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    #58

    Gates of Fire by Steven Pressfield - Just read it! It's the only book that actually made me feel like I was participating in the story, like I was next to the protagonists. Amazing experience!

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    #59

    Anything on basic economics and law really. I know it sounds boring but a lot of schools miss out on teaching this stuff and it can really help you later on in life. I'm not saying you should become an expert on economics and law and their history, but you should at least understand how the country you live in works.
    For fun- His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman. I see lots of people have recommended HP and LoTR and those are very good and popular. This series is somewhat less known, though recently the first book was adapted in a tv series by the BBC.

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    #60

    We're All Wonders - R. J. Palacio
    Why We Sleep - By Matthew Walker
    Altruism: The Power of Compassion to Change Yourself and the World - By Matthieu Ricard
    21 Lessons for the 21st Century - By Yuval Noah Harari

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    #61

    The Dear America series. Various authors. They are aimed at children, but many adults would enjoy them. They are written in a diary format and written from a child's point of view. They are based on true history. I've read most of the series (There are 36 in all). You get hooked.

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    #62

    "The Sacred and the Profane" by M. Eliade--an exploration of the history of these basic human concepts and their fundamental meanings.

    "Finite and Infinite Games" by J.P. Carse--looking at life as a game, and defining the differences between the two categories of games.

    "The Wisdom of No Escape" by Pema Chodran--Buddhist advice and teachings for everyday life (from which there is no escape).

    "The Denial of Death" by Ernest Becker--Awarded the Pulitzer Prize in 1974, this book looks at the normal activities that fill our days and nights and helps the reader to recognize the truths underlying much of what we do, as individuals and as a society.

    The Bhagavad Gita--In "The Song of God", Hinduism's ancient holy scripture, the deity Krishna teaches his human friend Arjuna the fundamentals of ultimate truth and reality: Even though this body is born, ages, and dies, the Self is unborn, changeless, and eternal.

    "How to Raise an Ox" by Dogen/Cook--Essays by 13th century Japanese Zen master, intended as an introduction to the practice of meditation, and to the religion/philosophy of Buddhism."The Sacred and the Profane" by M. Eliade--an exploration of the history of these basic human concepts and their fundamental meanings.

    "Finite and Infinite Games" by J.P. Carse--looking at life as a game, and defining the differences between the two categories of games.

    "The Wisdom of No Escape" by Pema Chodran--Buddhist advice and teachings for everyday life (from which there is no escape).

    "The Denial of Death" by Ernest Becker--Awarded the Pulitzer Prize in 1974, this book looks at the normal activities that fill our days and nights and helps the reader to recognize the truths underlying much of what we do, as individuals and as a society.

    The Bhagavad Gita--In "The Song of God", Hinduism's ancient holy scripture, the deity Krishna teaches his human friend Arjuna the fundamentals of ultimate truth and reality: Even though this body is born, ages, and dies, the Self is unborn, changeless, and eternal.

    "How to Raise an Ox" by Dogen/Cook--Essays by 13th century Japanese Zen master, intended as an introduction to the practice of meditation, and to the religion/philosophy of Buddhism.

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    #63

    Any Raina Telgameyer books (is that how you spell her name???), resistance, bad girls dont die series.

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    #64

    In a totally different direction than most people here area going, but "The Four Hour Workweek" by Tim Ferriss. I found this book life changing. It is full of different, well thought out philosophy's, as well as cool stories and is very practical.

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    #65

    the mysteries Benedict society series

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    #66

    Haroun and the Sea of Stories by Salman Rushdie.

    Haroun sets out on an adventure to restore his father's gift of storytelling by reviving the poisoned Sea of Stories. On the way, he encounters many foes, all intent on draining the sea of all its storytelling powers. Salman Rushdie gives us an imaginative and, at times, humorus allegorical warnings of a world trapped by oppressive thought control and bereft of the extraordinary power and illumination of storytelling.

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    #67

    All Quiet on the Western Front
    Johnnie got his Gun
    Atlas Shrugged

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    Andres Tejeda
    Community Member
    4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    The pandemic is depressing enough on its own, we don't need more reasons to be depressed.

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    #68

    Harry Potter Series and Enid Blyton
    There's these books that I've read during my spare time and they're from an author called Amish. The Immortals of Meluha, The Secret of The Nagas and The Oath of The Vayuputras are the three books I've read. Another author whose books I've read is Christopher Doyle (btw he's an Indian author).

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    #69

    "Oh the places you'll go" by Dr Suess

    It's no literary masterpiece, but it's been given to me more than once (once by my employer) as it's supposed to be inspiring or something. It's a pretty quick read though, so even if you don't like it, it doesn't take much time to read.

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    #70

    Definitely ALL of the Harry Potter books, the Boy on the Wooden Box (By Leon Leyson), Les Miserables, and other books that I'm too lazy to list right now.

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    #71

    Either any of the Cassandra Clare novels or even short stories, Shadowhunters Fandom, or the Medoran Chronicles. Literally my favourite books ever. Or, if you don't like fantasy, Leah on the Offbeat and Love, Simon.

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    #72

    Okay, I have a few.

    1. The summer I turned Pretty series by Jenny Han.
    2. The Divergent Series by Veronica Roth.
    3. The Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins. (WHOSE EXCITED FOR THE PREQUEL!)
    What NOT to read (in my opinion)
    1. Any pandemic-horror books. Not a good time, in my opinion.

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    #73

    New Hunger Games Prequel, The ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. Percy Jackson series or any book by Rick Riordan. Wouldn’t exactly recommend the Apollo series. The character is a little cranky and annoying.

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    Sarcasm101
    Community Member
    4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    If u like these u need to read the selection series by Kiera cass

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    #74

    I’ve read a lot of books in my life, but one of the most memorable is Magruder’s Curiosity Cabinet by H.P. Wood. It’s set partially in New York City and partially in Coney Island in the 1980s.The protagonist, Katherine, or “Kitty,” Hayward, has recently been evicted from the hotel she and her mother were staying in, but her luck changes when a group of performers takes her in. They help her adjust to her new surroundings, become more confident, and, ultimately, reunite with her mother. As the book also deals with the Black Plague and its effects, there are a few sad moments, but the more humorous ones provide a good balance. All of the characters bring something different to the plot, but in a way that doesn’t feel forced or unnatural. Some of the dialogue is in different languages, but that doesn’t detract from the novel. This book is ideal for people who enjoy historical fiction, the circus, and books that make you laugh and cry.

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    #75

    Robert Heinlein, classic scifi before it was cool.

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    #76

    A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Husseini.

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    #77

    Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth--or as is is better know, The bible. It has it all. Love, Intrigue, Romance, Murder, Incest, Law, History, Parables, Future Events, and Hope. I would recommend the New King James Version.

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    #78

    I have a few favourites I would recommend.

    Hold on, bit don’t hold still by Kristina Kuzmic.
    Anything by Rachael Johns especially The art of keeping secrets
    Could it be magic by Melanie Rose
    Saving Grace by Fiona McCallum
    The grass is greener by Loretta Hill
    The five people you meet in heaven by Mitch Albom
    The guardians trilogy by Nora Roberts
    Trylle trilogy by Amanda Hocking

    That is just a small list of books I absolutely loved. I am into a lot of chick lit, country romance, drama and some fantasy style of books.

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    Sarcasm101
    Community Member
    4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    If you want YA very steamy romance book. Anna Todd’s best selling books after series bam

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    #79

    Sandman Slim by richard kadrey
    Reaper man by Terry pratchett
    The mad scientists daughter by Cassandra rose clark
    The gargoyle by Andrew davidson
    Stolen by Lucy Christopher
    Irona 700 by dave Duncan
    Black sails by jo Graham
    Hand of isis by jo graham
    American gods by Neil gaimon

    Certainly not all, but some of my favorites and ones that just stuck simply because of how well written they are.

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    #80

    If you're into mysteries, thrillers, and young adult fiction, you will love any book by April Henry.

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    #81

    If you like odd, meandering, poetic, surreal (and occasionally boring) things:
    Kafka on the Shore - Haruki Murakami
    Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World - Haruki Murakami
    (anything by Haruki Murakami really)

    if you like dark things:
    The Wasp Factory by Iain Banks

    If you like classic sci-fi/horror or "Scientific Romance":
    Anything John Wyndham - they are all old and wonderfully B-Movie

    If you like fantasy:
    Name of the Wind (and sequel) - Patrick Rothfuss - best magic system ever

    The Lies of Locke Lamora (and sequels) - Scott Lynch - these kinda felt like reading a mash up of Dishonoured the video-game and Pirates of the Caribbean. The first one is short, great romp and works as a stand alone if you don't want to commit to the whole series.

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    #82

    Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl. It's a great story of courage and strength. This book could have become lost, but miraculously survived. Her father, the only survivor, chose to share this with the world. I've read it multiple times throughout my life, and each time it has affected me differently, depending on where I was in my life at that time. The first time, I was 11. That prompted me to ask for a diary of my own, for Christmas. To my surprise, I received 2! I have kept a journal ever since.

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    #83

    EAT SO WHAT series by La Fonceur

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    #84

    Anything by Dale Mayer or Susan Stoker or Tee O'Fallon, listed as Military Romance but they are So Much More, every single one.

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    #85

    Great List! So much of the stuff that I would recommend has already been recommended.

    If you read Ayn Rand, you should follow it up with "Sewer, Gas & Electric" by Matt Ruff. Regardless if you liked or hated Rand, you'll like Ruff.

    Daniel Pinkwater's stuff. Particularly, "The Snarkout Boys & The Avocado of Death."

    Donald Westlake's Dortmunder Series.

    Carl Hiassen's "Skinny-Dip" or "Basket Case".

    For nonfiction, "The History of the World In Six Glasses", "Moonwalking With Einstein" and "Playing Dead".

    Neil Gaiman, I can't believe nobody's mentioned him yet. Or, maybe I missed it.

    And, that should occupy you guys for a while.

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    #86

    "My orange lemon plant" by José Mauro de Vasconcelos. For little kids and up.
    "Foulcaut´s pendulum" by Umberto Eco if you like conspiracies.
    "Foundation" saga by Isaac Asimov for sci-fi lovers
    "Soldier of the mist" by Gene Wolfe for fantasy
    "The Stand" by Stepken King
    All by Howard Phillips Lovecraft
    All by Julio Cortázar
    All by Jorge Luis Borges

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    F. H.
    Community Member
    4 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    "All" by Lovecraft? Even the really racist stuff? Well, ok, all of his stuff is somewhat racist, but you want to include his political texts too? And there's also just bad stuff he wrote as a kid, which is still included in anthologies because the publishers need it to fill the pages. "The Alchemist" is one of these stories. Don't read it. It's just not good.

    #87

    I don't know if this already posted, so sorry if it posts twice.

    I have enjoyed all of his books, but I always recommend Christopher Moore's "Lamb", "Fool", and "The Stupidest Angel".

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    #88

    I've got a few. If you are into historical fiction try the book Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys. If you like fantasy Harry Potter might be the one for you. But I absolutely loved The Hunger Games Trilogy and I recommend that you read it.

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    #89

    Oh my, there are so many! A few of my favorites;
    Earth's children series of historical fiction.
    Eragon for fantasy and also The bear and the nightingale.
    Some of my favorite thriller writers are Lars Kepler, Samuel Bjørk and Camilla Läckberg.
    Post apocalyps The passage by Justin Cronin.
    Reading is my favorite thing to do, if i don't have a book to read in the evening, i'm restless and even grumpy.

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    #90

    Percy Jackson

    Heartless
    The duff
    Harry potter
    The vanderbeekers

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    #91

    I'd definitely recommend Harry Potter (The Goblet Of Fire is my favourite) and also books by Rick Riordan and also a Russian book series (it's not translated into English or any other language except for Russian sadly 😔) called chasodei or Часодеи in Russian

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    #92

    If you're into mysteries, thrillers, and young adult fiction, you will love any book by April Henry.

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    #93

    The Warrior Cats, Survivor Dogs and Seeker Bears series all by Erin Hunter 💚💚💚

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    #94

    RUN HIDE SEEK EVER AFTER series by Gabby Tye

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    #95

    Harry Potter, Divergent, Hunger games, Percy Jackson, The Selection. All amazing books you need to read.

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    Sarcasm101
    Community Member
    4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    The selection doesn’t get enough praise my fav teen series ever

    #96

    The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
    It is a entertaining, but also a great illustration about the pursuit of your personal destiny

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    #97

    The Cross and the Switchblade by David Wilkerson, the book changed my life. My pastor gave it to me when I was 12. My copy still sits on my nightstand, I'm now 69.

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    #98

    Wuthering Heighs, from Emily Brönte. Also Jane Eyre from Charlote Brönte.

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    Sarcasm101
    Community Member
    4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    You guys won’t get this after (Anna Todd) reference “‘She’s more him then I am. it’s Brönte, Theresa. “I know it’s Brönte and my name is Tessa.’”

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    #99

    Masters of Atlantis by the late Charles Portis. It is a comic masterpiece. I've probably read it over 30 times since it was published in 1985, and I keep finding new gems inside. People either love it, hate it, or are baffled by it. There is nothing to be baffled by, because there's nothing to "get," no symbolism or hidden meanings. The characters are eccentric, but they are so REAL. One critic wrote of Portis' work, "Portis does not comment on America -- he IS America."

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    #100

    I'm a book nerd. I also like a lot of books that are considered "children's books." Those are super entertaining. Anyway, here are my suggestions:

    Restart: It's an amazing book. It made me cry, laugh and laugh again. I read it 3 times know. It's a must read (no matter your age)

    Whatshisface: just read it. You won't be disappointed

    Tuck Everlasting: It's a timeless classic. Read it and you'll get the pun.

    Resistance: A beautiful book by the POV of a young, Jewish girl during the Nazi invasion.

    Oh, and all books by ross welford. I loved them all.

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    #101

    DEFINITELY THE MYSTERIOUS BENEDICT SOCIETY!

    It is probably my favorite book ever, and I have read and reread it so many times! If you like smart characters, adventures, action, teamwork, family, and good, satisfying endings, this book is for you.

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    #102

    Ranger’s Apprentice by John Flannagan. Also all other books in the same world like Brotherband Chronicles. It is my favorite book that anyone can enjoy.

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    #103

    The Doomed City by Boris and Arkadi Strugatsky.

    It's a decent novel on itself but the message goes much deeper. I read it as a kid and it has taught me much about the ambivalence of politics and how people will choose personal gain or comfort over their highest ideals without questioning. It's one of the harder books by the authors, though. There are more acessable ones, like Roadside Picnic or Dead Mountaineer's Hotel. I would not recommend to start with the later books Boris wrote on his own, I think they lack much of the humor the joint works of the brothers have.

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    #104

    The Brothers Torres, by Coert Voorhees

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    #105

    classic utopistic books:
    - "1984" by George Orwell
    - "We" by Jewgeni Samjatin

    great books for brain and heart:
    - "The Name Of The Rose" by Umberto Eco
    - "The German Lesson" by Siegfried Lenz
    - "Haroun and the Sea" of Stories by Salman Rushdie

    great and entertaining:
    - "A Night Train to Lisbon" by Pascal Mercier
    - "Perlmann's Silence" by Pascal Mercier
    - "Widow for one Year" by John Irving
    - "Garp" by John Irving

    ... and hundreds more.

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    #106

    The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton.
    Most people read it in 8th grade but I read it by my self in 7th grade and it is my favorite book in the world!!! It’s a great book and great movie also.

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    #107

    A Cosmology of Monsters by Shaun Hamil

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    #108

    The Sudden Apperance of Hope by Claire North

    The Girl in Green Silk Gown by Seanan McGuire ( great if you lo e urban ledgends)

    Imaginary Friend by Stephen Chboski


    14 by Peter Clines

    The Sevem Husband's of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Ried

    The Olympus series by Jordanna Max Broadsky

    The Tea Tree Girl of Hummingbird Lane by Lisa See

    The Brothergood of The Wheel series by R.S. Belcher

    The Menagerie Series by Tachel Vincent

    A Gift Upon The Shore by M.K. Wren

    And if you enjoy Audibooks listen the Gabra Zackman as a narrarator

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    #109

    How have 118 people not said:

    Rivers of London series by Ben Aaronovitch

    All the Realm of the Elderlings books by Robin Hobb

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    Sarcasm101
    Community Member
    4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    How have 118 ppl now mentioned after Idk that either but still no one knows what the hell im tOlKIeN about

    #110

    100 Years of Solitude - I only wish I knew Spanish so that I could have read the original writing. An amazing tale of one who lives beyond years.

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    #111

    Botany of Desire
    "In The Botany of Desire, Michael Pollan ingeniously demonstrates how people and domesticated plants have formed a similarly reciprocal relationship." - Amazon review

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    #112

    Bible

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    #113

    my top 10:
    Furiously Happy by Jenny Lawson - I peed my pants reading this book
    The War Prayer by Mark Twain - profound
    The Phantom of the Opera by Leroux, Gaston - one of my all time favs
    The Orphan Master’s Son by Adam Johnson - I've read this book twice and listened to the audio book twice. If you're stuck in the beginning, just keep reading. Keep reading! This is such a powerful and shocking book that was inspired by true stories of defectors from North Korea.
    The Face on the Milk Carton by Caroline Cooney - stays with you
    Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card - I've read and re-read
    Dune by Frank Herbert - I've read and re-read
    A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court by Mark Twain - humor
    Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World by Jack Weatherford - I learned amazing things
    The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams - humor

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    #114

    The "Thursday Next" series by Jasper Fforde. Really smart and intelligent writing and totally original ideas. Actually anything that he has written is fantastic.

    The "Luna Chronicles" by Marissa Meyer. Great reading while on holidays as they are easy but interesting.

    I echo the previous posts regarding the "Green Rider" series by Kristen Britain. I am eagerly awaiting the next book.

    For younger readers (tweens) who want to try the fantasy genre, I highly recommend the "Belgariad" series by David Eddings.

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    #115

    The fudge books by Judy Blume... actually any Judy Blume books, and Mirror Mirror, I forget the author. And the wild rescuers series. That’s good

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    #116

    Braiding Sweetgrass, by Robin Wall Kimmerer. Robin is a professor of plant science at SUNY, but in this book she talks about the intersection of classroom science and the native wisdom of the Potowatami nation, of which she is a member. We need to change. Robin Wall Kimmerer shows us how to get there.

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    #117

    I've alway recommended to all of my friends who NEVER LISTEN, but:
    Harry Potter
    Percy Jackson an the Olympians
    Heroes of Olympus

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    #118

    William Joyce's Guardians of Childhood series.

    Jonas Jonasson: The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared

    Anything from Jostein Gaarder. His "Sofie's world" is most widely known but there are a lot more books worth reading.

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    #119

    Any Star Wars fans must read Darth Bane series by Drew Karpyshyn.

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