Must read books.

Here’s a list of 50 must-read books across various genres and themes, along with a brief synopsis for each:

Contents

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
A timeless tale of justice and morality in the racially charged American South, seen through the eyes of a young girl, Scout Finch.
1984 by George Orwell
A dystopian masterpiece about surveillance, totalitarianism, and the manipulation of truth in a grim future world.
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
A romantic tale that critiques societal norms and explores themes of love, family, and social class.
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
A tragic story of ambition and disillusionment, capturing the American Dream during the Jazz Age.
One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez
A multigenerational saga of the Buendía family, blending magical realism with themes of love and loss.
Moby-Dick by Herman Melville
A gripping tale of obsession and revenge as Captain Ahab hunts the great white whale.
The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
A coming-of-age story about teenage alienation and rebellion through the eyes of Holden Caulfield.
Beloved by Toni Morrison
A haunting narrative about the legacy of slavery and the strength of maternal love.
Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky
A psychological exploration of guilt, morality, and redemption following a murder in St. Petersburg.
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
A chilling vision of a future society dominated by technology, conformity, and pleasure.

The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
An epic quest through Middle-earth to destroy the One Ring and defeat the dark lord Sauron.
Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling
A magical coming-of-age story about friendship, bravery, and the battle against dark forces.
Dune by Frank Herbert
A sprawling science fiction epic about politics, religion, and the fight for survival on a desert planet.
The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
Bilbo Baggins embarks on an unexpected adventure filled with dwarves, dragons, and treasure.
Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card
A tale of a young boy trained in a battle simulation to save humanity from alien threats.
A Song of Ice and Fire Series by George R.R. Martin
A gritty saga of power, betrayal, and war set in the fantasy world of Westeros.
The Wheel of Time Series by Robert Jordan
A vast fantasy series about the cyclical nature of time and the battle between light and darkness.
Neuromancer by William Gibson
A foundational cyberpunk novel about a washed-up hacker on a mission in a dystopian future.
The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss
A lyrical tale of Kvothe, a gifted young man seeking knowledge and revenge.
The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
A dystopian story of a woman living under a theocratic regime that controls women’s lives.

All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
A heartwarming WWII tale of a blind French girl and a German boy whose lives converge.
The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah
A powerful story of two sisters’ resistance against the Nazis during WWII in France.
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
A tale narrated by Death about a young girl in Nazi Germany who discovers the power of words.
War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy
A grand depiction of Russian society during the Napoleonic Wars.
A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini
A moving story of two women’s resilience and friendship in war-torn Afghanistan.
Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden
A fictional autobiography of a geisha in 20th-century Japan.
The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett
A sprawling tale of love, ambition, and the building of a cathedral in medieval England.
Shogun by James Clavell
An epic story of an English navigator’s adventures in feudal Japan.
The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón
A mystery set in post-war Barcelona centered around a cursed book.
Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
A sweeping Southern romance set during the American Civil War.

Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari
A captivating overview of human history, from hunter-gatherers to the modern age.
Educated by Tara Westover
A memoir about a woman who escapes her strict upbringing to pursue education.
Becoming by Michelle Obama
The inspiring life story of the former First Lady of the United States.
The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg
Insights into how habits form and how to change them for a better life.
Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman
An exploration of how humans make decisions and the cognitive biases at play.
Atomic Habits by James Clear
A practical guide to building good habits and breaking bad ones.
Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl
A Holocaust survivor’s reflections on finding purpose in life despite suffering.
Quiet by Susan Cain
A compelling argument for the power of introverts in a noisy world.
Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell
An analysis of the factors that lead to success, from culture to practice.
The Art of War by Sun Tzu
An ancient Chinese text on strategy, applicable in war, business, and life.

Meditations by Marcus Aurelius
The Stoic reflections of a Roman emperor on life, duty, and resilience.
The Prince by Niccolò Machiavelli
A political treatise on leadership and power dynamics.
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
A fable about following your dreams and listening to your heart.
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
A groundbreaking Gothic tale about ambition, creation, and morality.
Dracula by Bram Stoker
The iconic vampire story that defined the horror genre.
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë
A gothic romance exploring themes of independence and social critique.
Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë
A tale of passion, revenge, and family turmoil on the Yorkshire moors.
Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes
A comic and tragic story of an aging knight on a quest for chivalry.
The Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri
An epic poem that journeys through Hell, Purgatory, and Heaven.
The Iliad by Homer
A timeless epic of war, honor, and heroism set during the Trojan War.