10 Books That Will Turn Your Life Around!
There are two definite ways of gaining wisdom: traveling and reading. While we’re always too broke and too busy to keep traveling, the other ones quite within our reach. Every book has a different eye for the world, and it lets you temporarily see through that eye. While the list of good literature is endless, here are the top ten books that are such amazingly written masterpieces that you must shell out time for them. And once you’ve read even one book out of these, you’ll know what the hype is all about!
- The Picture of Dorian Gray
Oscar Wilde wrote The Picture of Dorian Gray in 1890, in the form of a novella. It was initially published in Lippincott’s monthly magazine. The following year, it was made into a book. The plot of the book is rather unusual. A young man named Dorian Gray, after seeing his own portrait, wishes in distress that he would give anything in the world to have his portrait age and wither instead of him. And his wish actually comes true! Read Dorian Gray to find philosophical truths in your daily chores, to see it’s characters speaking the most beautifully crafted words where not even one letter seems to be extra. It was quite a controversial book for it’s themes that did not go well with the audience, but Wilde kind of answered the critics with a line from his book itself, which says :
‘The books that the world calls immoral are the ones that show the world it’s own shame.’
2. The Kite Runner
Of course this is not the first platform recommending this book to you. Everyone who reads it, wants everyone around them to read it. The Kite Runner, written by Khaled Hossieni, was published on 29th May, 2003, and remained an international bestseller for the following two years. It is a story about Amir, a well off boy living in Afghanistan, and his servant’s son, Hassan. They both are friends as any two kids would be, and Hassan serves as a kite runner for Amir when they play. The Kite Runner is an astounding book for the fact that the protagonist is not a hero but a spineless coward. It shows how people change with changing situations, and that nothing in life is scripted. Amir grows jealous as his father was quite fond of Hassan. This leads to a series of events that no one could have predicted. While the book is full of lines that will reflect upon you like a halo, here is one that just never fails to impress :
‘And that is the thing about people who mean everything they say, they think everyone else does too.’
3. Lolita
Lolita is a book by the Russian author Vladimir Nabokov. The book was extremely controversial when it was published in 1955, and still continues to get mixed reviews. The storyline revolves around an educated well to do man named Humbert Humbert, who in a quest to finish a book he’s writing, chances upon a family of a mother and her twelve year old daughter, Dolores. With a strange turn of events, Dolores, who he fondly calls Lolita, ends up being his step daughter, with only him having her custody. They develop a relationship later on. If the story baffles you, read Lolita for the astoundingly rich literature that it presents. Nabokov seems to have phrased and rephrased every statement to the point that it seems to have turned into one of the finest literary pieces that have ever been written.
“But instead I am lanky, big-boned, wooly-chested Humbert Humbert, with thick black eyebrows and a queer accent, and a cesspool full of rotting monsters behind his slow boyish smile. And neither is she the fragile child of a feminine novel.”
4. The Namesake
Again, not the first time someone is recommending it to you. The namesake was published in 2003 by Jhumpa Lahiri. The story is about a Bengali couple who move to the US. They pet name their child Gogol, which had quite an interesting history. The father, Ashoke, was in a very terrible accident, and right before that he was reading a book from the Russian author Gogol. He had dropped a page from the book to get the attention of the people looking for survivors. Accidentally, Gogol becomes the child’s official name. The story revolves around Gogol trying to find himself, brought up in an NRI household, with his parents singing laurels about a faraway land he has never seen. The Namesake strikes a chord at various levels with the reader.
“Pet names are a persistant remnant of childhood, a reminder that life is not always so serious, so formal, so complicated. They are a reminder, too, that one is not all things to all people.”
5. A Thousand Splendid Suns
Khaled Hossieni’s A Thousand Splendid Suns came out in the year 2007. It’s story too is based in Afghanistan. Mariam, an illegitimate child suffers a lot a backlash from everyone. With a turn of events, Mariam is left with only one choice — to marry a man who is a generation older to her. She suffers mental and physical abuse during her married life. In the second part of the book, we are introduced to Laila, who is forced by the existing situations to marry Mariam’s husband. The book showcases the Taliban rule in Afghanistan and also how the common people, specially the ladies, were affected by it.
“A man’s heart is a wretched, wretched thing. It isn’t like a mother’s womb. It won’t bleed. It won’t stretch to make room for you.”
6. To Kill A Mockingbird
To Kill a Mockingbird was published in 1990. It is written by Harper Lee, and is set in the fictional town of Maycomb. A winner of the Pulitzer prize, the novel is about the trial and conviction of a black man accused of the rape of a white girl. Atticus Finch, the person defending the accused, is sure that the girl is lying and has definitive proof of it. Even though he shows the proofs in court, the man is sentenced to punishment and is shot while trying to escape prison. To Kill A Mockingbird is a satire on the deep rooted evils of the society shown through the eyes of six year old Scout, Atticus’ daughter.
“Kill all the bluejays you want, if you can find ’em. But remember, it is a sin to kill a mockingbird.”
7. A Suitable Boy
A Suitable Boy is written by the Indian author Vikram Seth. At 1349 pages, it is one of the longest novels to have ever been written. The story goes about in a span of eighteen months, and revolves around four families. It is set in the time when India was independent and partitioned. Mrs Rupa Mehra is looking for a groom in order to arrange a match with her daughter, Lata. The book is divided into 19 parts and is a satire on India’s political conditions at that time. With it’s simple language and complex themes, this book easily makes the cut in the list of top ten books of literature.
“Do stop being idotic, Amit, said Lata. You’re so brilliant, do you have to be so stupid as well? I should only take you seriously in black and white.”
“And in sickness and health.”
8. Three Men In A Boat
Three Men In A Boat is a novel written by Jerome K Jerome, which was initially intended to be a serious travel guide. The funny narration and events instead turned it into a novel that was so superbly written that it became one of it’s kind. It is about three friends, Jerome, Harris, and George who go on a two week boating holiday on the river Thames. Hilarious incidents take place during their vacation, which are narrated very skillfully.
“I don’t know why it should be, I am sure; but the sight of another man asleep in bed when I am up, maddens me.”
9.) Wuthering Heights
Wuthering Heights is a novel written by Emily Brontë which was published in 1847. It is a love story between Catherine and Heathcliff. The reason why it is included in this list of top ten books is because it takes an unusual course with the main characters being portrayed as selfish, demonic people who care for no one else and can crash the rest of the world down for each other. It is set in the wild moores of England, which contrasts with the features of both the leads.
“Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same.”
10.) Midnight’s Children
Midnight’s Children is written by Salman Rushdie and was published in 1981. It comes under the category of postmodern literature. The novel revolves around the time when India was decolonized and was granted independence. The lead is Saleem Silai, who is born exactly at 12 in the night on 15th August, 1947, and is endowed with telepathic powers. This book won the Booker Prize, James Tait Black Memorial Prize, and also the Booker of Bookers prize.
“We all owe death a life.”
These are the top ten books are absolute must reads. Words have the power to influence people and change the world, and these classic pieces do make sure that this power is optimally utilized!
