This month I'm reading the Count of Monte Cristo. Next month I'm reading crime and punishment and catch 22. I need a book for the month after that because I'm trying to make a reading plan for the year to get back into reading. Suggest me some great books and convince me why I should read it. Thank you.
by ApprehensiveGap6614
6 Comments
Atonement by Ian McEwan. Read if you like a good meta fiction story with a heartbreaking romance in the backdrop of WW2 dealing with themes of guilt and redemption and the act of storytelling itself. (Plus point: superbly evocative prose)
Maybe you can try some philosophy, the story of philosophy is a great intro
If you’re going for classics, and you have yet to read “Dracula” (Bram Stoker), I’d recommend Dracula. (Or maybe hold off for that and read it in October!) I like horror and good writing and I was surprised by how engrossing this book was.
“A Fine Balance” by Rohinton Mistry – another classic, and this one shattered me. I loved it. Hard to give a reason to recommend it without giving spoilers… It takes place in India and has to do with navigating the caste system. I’d steer away from this if you’re looking for anything that might give you a sense of hope.
“Endurance: Shackleton’s Incredible Voyage to the Antarctic” by Alfred Lansing, a non-fiction classic and one of my top three fav books because of how incredibly hopeFUL it is.
“Oliver Twist” by Charles Dickens. I read it first as an adult and while there may be lessons to be learned in it about society and cultural systems, above all that I loved Dickens’s writing style.
“Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand” by Helen Simonson. I read this because it was on a list of “top 10 books that you should read if you’re depressed”. I ended up loving this one because it was well-written and wryly, dryly hilarious, and also because it was a love story between two elderly folks, and I was sick of reading about love between the young and beautiful so that was a balm.
“Solutions and Other Problems” by Allie Brosch. This is a sort of graphic novel but not… not really? Never seen or read anything like it. It is on the one hand the funniest thing I’ve ever read and it continues to be what I pick up when I just need a really fast reason to laugh. But certain chapters made me bawl instantly, in a life-is-too-hard-and-loss-is-indescribable sort of way. It is hilarious but it is real.
Fahrenheit 451- Ray Bradbury- “depicts a future where books are outlawed and firemen, instead of putting out fires, are tasked with burning them.“
1984- George Orwell- “is a cautionary tale about Winston Smith, an Oceania citizen rebelling against the omnipresent Big Brother and the Party. The novel’s chilling depiction of totalitarianism left a lasting impression on readers and influenced mainstream culture.”
Lord of the Flies- William Golding- “The plot concerns a group of British boys who are stranded on an uninhabited island and their disastrous attempts to govern themselves.”
East of Eden by Steinbeck. Its about family drama and morality in California. Not as heavy as crime and punishment but still makes you think. Plus its shorter than monte cristo so you can take a break from those huge books. I read it last summer and couldnt put it down
If you’re looking for something a little different to add to your list, I’d suggest Deliverance at Springhill Plantation. It’s a gripping paranormal thriller with plenty of suspense and supernatural twists. The story follows Eric, who buys a haunted plantation and soon finds himself hearing a mysterious voice and facing eerie events. If you’re looking for a thrilling, page turning break from the classics, this one could be a fun choice to keep you hooked with its tension and eerie atmosphere!