10 Must-Read Books in Your Lifetime

It's very difficult to choose which book to read in your, it takes time to read, and you certainly don't have an endless supply of time. However, there are a number of books that have withstood the test of time themselves, offering excellent choices for adult hobbies. Here's a look at 10 must-read books that offer the opportunity to learn, to experience, and to enhance your own well-being.


1. 1984 by George Orwell

This is the ideal book for individuals who are politically minded, interested in psychology, or interested in philosophy. It takes a long look at totalitarianism. The book was written in 1948 by George Orwell - thus, at the time, "1984" was the future. The book tells the tale of a society in the year 1984 that is under constant war, ruled by a strict dictatorship ("Big Brother") that manipulates its populace. The book carries with it strong issues that will keep you questioning society long after you're done reading it.

 

Best quotes from the book:

- He who controls the past controls the future. He who controls the present controls the past.

- War is peace. Freedom is slavery. Ignorance is strength.
 2. Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse

Reading this novel enlightens an individual regarding his or her own existence and well-being. The title "Siddhartha" was chosen by Hermann Hesse because its translation means he who has found meaning of existence. If you are wondering what your purpose is in life or whether you have fulfilled your destiny, this is the perfect book to pick up and read.

 

Best quote from the book: 

- Wisdom cannot be imparted. Wisdom that a wise man attempts to impart always sounds like foolishness to someone else ... Knowledge can be communicated, but not wisdom. One can find it, live it, do wonders through it, but one cannot communicate and teach it. 
3. Cat's Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut

If you haven't yet read "Cat's Cradle" by Kurt Vonnegut, it's time to do so now. The book takes you along a fascinating path through religion, the power of weapons, and futility. Kurt Vonnegut's cult classic tells the story of global destruction -- it targets our deepest fears of Armageddon, and even worse, surviving it.

 

 

Best quotes from the book:

- Science is magic that works.

- Tiger got to hunt, bird got to fly;

  Man got to sit and wonder 'why, why, why?'

  Tiger got to sleep, bird got to land;

  Man got to tell himself he understand.
4. Brave New World by Aldous Huxley

Far in the future, the ideal society has been molded by World Controllers. In laboratories worldwide, genetic science has created the “perfect” human race.  If you've ever considered genetic engineering to be promising, pick up this book and see what a perfect world looks like. 

 

Best quotes from the book:

- Words can be like X-rays if you use them properly -- they’ll go through anything. You read and you’re pierced.

- But I don't want comfort. I want God, I want poetry, I want real danger, I want freedom, I want goodness. I want sin. 
5. Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy

A book that takes you along a path filled with hopes, dreams, love, sadness, and utter despair, "Anna Karenina" by Leo Tolstoy offers hours of fine reading. You won't be able to finish this one in a single day, which is perhaps a great reason to select it. The story line exposes human emotion at its most vulnerable, giving you pause to appreciate what you have accomplished in life and motivation to achieve even more.

 

Best quotes from the book:

- All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way

- I think... if it is true that there are as many minds as there 

  are heads, then there are as many 

  kinds of love as there are hearts

  Respect was invented to cover the empty place where love should be
6. The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath

A stunning, emotion creating novel, The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath takes you along the path of a young woman's life and the obstacles that get in her way. It is filled with naked depictions of human emotion and the chaos that it creates. It's a book that encourages you to live life to the fullest, simply so you don't miss out on anything important.

 

Best quotes from the book:

- If you expect nothing from anybody, you’re never disappointed.

- The silence depressed me. It wasn't the silence of silence. It was my own silence.
7. A Room of One's Own by Virginia Woolf

Whether you are soul searching or trying to understand the woman in your life, A Room of One's Own by Virginia Woolf is a good read. It will help you to understand the importance of both emotional and financial freedom for women, particularly those who have been in the shadow of a man's success. The book delves into the peace of mind that is ever so necessary for creativity as well.

 

Best quotes from the book:

- Lock up your libraries if you like; but there is no gate, no lock, no bolt that you can set upon the freedom of my mind.

- One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well.

8. Herzog by Saul Bellow

Whether you are feeling the beginning of a mid-life crisis creeping into your life or you are at the stage where the realization that life is slipping by ever so swiftly, Herzog by Saul Bellow will kick start you into action. It's the perfect book for people who have reached their middle years or even golden years since it is packed full of pleasurable moments of reading.

 

Best quote from the book:

- Unexpected intrusions of beauty. This is what life is.
9. IT by Stephen King

Let's face it; if you are going to pick up reading as one of your adult hobbies, then a scary novel is a must-read book. No secrets are given away here, so you'll just have to read It.

 

Best quote from the book:

- Unexpected intrusions of beauty. This is what life is.

10. The Giver by Lois Lowry

While this book is on many an elementary school reading list, it's an important reminder that life is a precious gift.

 

 

Best quotes from the book:

- The worst part of holding the memories is not the pain. It's the loneliness of it. Memories need to be shared.

- If you were to be lost in the river, Jonas, your memories would not be lost with you. Memories are forever.