25 Books You Should Read Before You Die
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List time! I was scanning the interwebs the other day and came across Powell’s list of the 25 books you should read before you die. I was amazed at the diversity of the books and thought this might be a fun thing to attempt. Note to self: lists like this are difficult, particularly trying to remember all the books you’ve ever read.
So what did I decide on? I’m going to semi-cheat here and pull an Awards Circuit on you by including series as a single entity. Why? Because 1) I want to, 2) some of these I read in single omnibus format, and 3) because it’s my list. There also isn’t a big selection of “Classics.” Don’t know what it was about being assigned classic books, but I don’t too much like them and therefore they don’t factor in too much. Additionally, I ultimately decided to not include plays, although you will see them in my full list on the second page. I want to do a best of theater list soon.
So without further ado, here’s my list. You can see my full list I narrowed down from on the 2nd page.
25 Books You Should Read Before You Die
The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon
Brilliantly weaving in WWII, the immigrant experience, sexuality, and comic books, this book should be required reading for everyone, especially anyone who has seen a comic book film. Loved the balance of tone and the journey Chabon takes us on.
The Art of Fielding by Chad Harbach
Baseball, sexual orientation family strife and small town characters collide in this novel. Barbach has deft hand and you can just feel the smell of new cut grass of the field in this small town in Wisconsin. Also, it’s one of the few books on this list that speaks directly to people in my generation and doesn’t look down on the challenges we face.
The Autobigraphy of Malcolm X as told to Alex Haley
This book was formative to my childhood in that it allowed me to learn more about the man whose portrait we had hanging over the wall. It’s such a joy to be able to bear witness to the life of an amazing and revolutionary figure of Black America, through his highs and lows.
Beloved by Toni Morrison
“That looks like her, but not her mouth.” One of the most devastating lines of literature in one of the most crucial books I’ve ever read. Morrison takes us on the harrowing journey of this woman and won’t allow us to look away from the horrors of slavery. Best Pulitzer winner ever?
The Boy Who Went Away by Eli Gottlieb
I got this book last year as a part of the Indiespensable package with the sequel and was bowled over by the characters and the unflinching eye Gottlieb had for his family and the struggles that came with having a brother with mental illness. The last 10 pages are some of the most emotionally resonant you’ll read.
The Brief and Wonderous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz
Who told Junot Diaz to go slap the fuck off like this? This novel is such a fun romp that deals with growing up, love and masculinity while never neglecting the cultural background of his main character.
Captive Prince Trilogy by C.S. Pacat
For opening my eyes to male-male romance as being a legitimate genre and story focus and some of the best period writing I have ever put before my eyes.
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time by Mark Haddon
Before the phenomenal Broadway show, there was a simple book that a young boy picked up for his high school summer reading list. I was blown away at that age by the narrator’s voice, my first experience with autism, and his desire to solve a crime no matter what. Also, his bravery and the complex family dynamics.
His Dark Materials Trilogy by Phillip Pullman
If the Harry Potter series hit me in the childhood feels, this one KO’d me as an adult. A searing coming of age tale mixed with magic, religious oppression, and monsters, this book is a godsend for kids who read at advanced levels. Even as it gets weird, it leans fully into it.
Did You Ever Have a Family by Bill Clegg
A portrait of seemingly unending grief that will at once have you crying on the floor but also feeling somewhat restored.
The Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling
Few of the books on this series actually inspired my devotion to reading more books like the Harry Potter series. I can talk about how these texts drove my radical fanaticism (Slytherin4Lyfe) but really they inspired me to identify with characters, learn about new world, and seek out other books that could make me feel as awesome as these did.
The Holy Bible, New King James Version
If you can make it through this version of the Bible you can literally read any book. Great text (although woefully misapplied in life) with incredible visuals and words to live by.
Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder
I got so into this book when I was younger I signed up for the Scholastic book club and still have the old recipe pamphlet to prove it. Such a moving story about a family trying to make it in land they’re not familiar with.
Many Waters by Madeleine L’Engle
A book that’s probably way to adult for the audience it courts, but it’s my favorite in the Wrinkle in TIme universe. Transporting characters back to the time of Noah where angels are mating with human women and trying to deliver a coming of age tale is a tough sell, but L’Engle manages a tough balancing act.
More Happy Than Not by Adam Silvera
More Happy Than Not marks one of the few books to render me so unable to deal, so ruined that I just sat with my thoughts for about two hours after reading it. I was looking around the empty room for someone to give me a hug and there was no one there, it was rough. Even now, thinking about parts of the book, I get wildly emotional, not all bad though, it has fun parts. And even though, this book tried my life, I was so grateful to Adam Silvera for the journey he took me on.
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
This story will probably ruin your relationship expectactions, while also being a brilliant examination of gender and class issues, the struggles of love, and how the choices we make can affect others.
The Privileges by Jonathan Dee
Who knew a book about rich white people and their problems/foibles/foolishness could be so engrossing? A Pulitzer nominee we follow a young couple, one of whom is an investment banker. I loved how the novel just lulls you into being complicit with the actions of the main characters and really challenges the notion of good and evil with regards to investment banking. It’s a novel for the modern age.
Redeployment by Phil Klay
Whether you agree with the wars the United States has been fighting or not, this book provides some much-needed understanding for what our men and women in the armed forces go through. The short stories here are varied in scope and theme, with each contributing to an amazing whole.
Serena by Ron Rash
Ron Rash’s novel wouldn’t seem like something that would top a list like this. But more than any of the novels that I’ve read the characters are the most fully realized, the scenarios so immersive and the story so tantalizing that I couldn’t help but put it number one. You’ve got everything you could want in a novel and was really a thrilling read from cover to cover.
Sharp Teeth by Toby Marlow
Werewolves roaming Los Angles set to epic Beowulf level prose. Unique, harrowing, and brilliant.
Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achibe
My first serious introduction into the world of Black writers and more advanced literature. There are so many rewards from reading this book from gaining a better understanding of how Colonialism impacted Africa and its inhabitants to the dissection of race and religion as constructs.
Two Boys Kissing by David Levithan
Narrated by gay men who have died from AIDS, Levithan’s book is sure to make you cry your eyes out. His look at how young men are affected by their sexuality is given just that more credence, and non-judgement, by the voices who encourage, yet understand the struggles.
Watchmen by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons
This is one of two books I own that will never leave my house, as I value this incredible deconstruction of superheroes that much.
World War Z by Max Brooks
I wanted to absorb all of the incredible detail of this book. The interview style isn’t a new concept but the language and vivid imagery is so potent that you just get lost. Plus as a horror fan, this book is downright terrifying.
Zorro by Isabelle Allende
Isabelle Allende paints with words, that’s the only way to describe how every page feels like images come to life. Zorro is wonderful exploration of friendship, heroism, and daring, while also being a globe trotting historical fiction piece and an examination of class issues.
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