“Sometimes, you read a book and it fills you with this weird evangelical zeal, and you become convinced that the shattered world will never be put back together unless and until all living humans read the book.”
― John Green, The Fault in Our Stars
Has a book shattered your world? Has it changed you, broken you, fixed you, opened your eyes or your heart? Books can expand our horizons and take us on adventures and speak truth and sometimes it is all so lovely and beautiful and overwhelming that we have to share it, we need others to share in the experience. Here are the books myself, and some other author friends, feel all living humans should read. (No pressure though, Only add them to your TBR if you want to. We will still like you even if you don't.)
Brandy Potter If you know me at all, my choices for this might surprise. Many will think that Nora, Jane or a Bronte will be on this list, but no. I love them do not get me wrong, but for me, being someone who likes to think and to laugh as well my choices are:
God the Ultimate Auto-Biography by Jeremy Pascall - It is HILARIOUS
Hound of the Baskervilles by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle - Not the BEST Holmes story but the best stand alone book
Cat among the Pigeons by Dame Agatha Christie - Poirot at his best with a GREAT plot twist!
I have read so many great books so it’s hard to cut it down to my top three. I’m going to go with books that have stayed in my top list over the years, and still give me feels even years on.
The Diary Of A Young Girl by Anne Frank - I think everyone should read this book at least once in their lifetime. I first read this book as a child and it had a huge impact on me. Worth rereading a million times over.
The Picture of Dorian Grey by Oscar Wilde - I loved this book. Oscar Wilde at his best.
Angela’s Ashes by Frank McCourt - This book was so honest and raw. It really touched me.
The Elements of Style by Strunk & White.
Montana 1948 by Larry Watson.
The Mosquito Coast by Paul Theroux
1. “The Road To Ruin” by economist James Rickards. He explains in plain terms how to protect our wealth from the next financial crisis that can be triggered, at any moment and what are the dangers of a cashless society, where in a few keystrokes authorities can freeze our assets—like they did it in Cyprus in 2012 and in Greece in 2015.
2. “The Biggest Secret ”by David Icke. He exposes the web of powers and people who really rule our world. Nothing is what it seems, and questioning everything is the key to safeguard our freedom and civil liberties. In my blog post published on 16 August I discuss it in more depth.
3. “Nineteen-eighty-four” by George Orwell is not just a science fiction masterpiece, it is a guide to understanding where we, humanity, could end up if we don’t protect our liberties. Newspeak (leaders saying something, but meaning something else), the rewriting of history (for example “Iran was behind the 9/11 attacks”), the pervasive surveillance of everyday life (from smartphones, smart TVs, driverless cars, Alexa, Google Home, et cetera to the “Chinese-style Internet” proposed by UK Prime Minister Theresa May, the Internet of Things and cashless society), a war that never ends (the war on terrorism), the Ministry of Truth (governments imposing fines on social media and search engines for allowing so-called fake news to be spread), and Doublethink (“The power of holding two contradictory beliefs in one's mind simultaneously, and accepting both of them… To tell deliberate lies while genuinely believing in them…”), for example, are very much current hot topics.
Only 3 books? Well, as far as books that have stuck with me ever since I read them:
Everybody should read Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury. It’s message is similar to that of Orwell’s 1984, but the overall tone of the novel is rather more thought-provoking and hopeful than the creepy, depressing outcome of other novels.
Everybody should read the Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer. It’s fairy tales and romance, yes--but it is also VERY good sci-fi mixed in, and readers of all ages can enjoy the delightful mix and balance she has brought to the whole adventure.
Finally, if you haven’t read The Broken Empire Trilogy by Mark Lawrence--you don’t know what you’re missing, and you don’t know what truly awesome literature is. The book presents as “grimdark fantasy” but the more you look… that map in the front looks a WHOLE LOT like Western Europe… and it’s easy to imagine this as a separate word… till somebody starts muttering words to some ancient song that nobody knows anymore… and it’s “American Pie” by Don MacLean… I tell you, there is nothing in the world like a good post-apocalyptic fantasy written by a former scientist.
1. A Wrinkle In Time 2. Harry Potter
3. Narnia *Journey To The Center Of The Earth and Diary of Anne Frank are close to my top three as well.
Personal taste in books can vary so much from individual to individual, so my answers will be geared toward fellow sci-fi/fantasy lovers out there. ;)
Ender’s Game. I think it’s the best sci-fi I’ve read so far. It just sucked me in and kept me flipping pages. There is so much to think about after reading that book.
The Stormlight Archive. Epic Fantasy at its finest. If you love high fantasy, this is a must read.
The Door Within series. This geared toward young adults. It was one of my favorites as a young teen, and part of what awakened my love for fantasy. And it’s Christian spec-fic! A fun, clean read for any young people you know.
1. Pride and Prejudice because it’s an absolute classic and has great characters and such a fascinating setting.
2. A Wrinkle in Time because it’s a great adventure sweeping through the galaxies.
3. The Chronicles of Narnia (I know that’s cheating because it’s a series, but I can’t help myself!) because it’s such a great analogy to the Christian walk and a fun and exciting read to boot!
I’m sure I’m going to be the oddball here because I don’t believe in making someone - or even telling someone they should - read a book that isn’t in a genre they don’t like, so I hate lists like this where you have to pick three books that everyone should read. That said, here are the top three I’d recommend rather than state you have to read it.
The Magician’s Nephew by C.S. Lewis
Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn
These are in no particular order but each of them affected me deeply.
1. To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee (Probably the first book I couldn't put down.) 2. Johnny Got His Gun by Dalton Trumbo (The first book to make me cry.)
3. The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis (Such awesome truth between the lines of fiction.)
So, there you have our recommendations. We would love to know yours so comment them below. And don't forget to check out these awesome authors. You rock socks!!!