"It Broke Me And Truly Opened My Eyes": 26 Books That Readers Say Everyone Should Read Once In Their Lives (2024)

Each reader must one day confront the fact that there are simply too many books and not enough time. But whether it's a classic, a contemporary memoir, or even a children's book, there are some works of literature that people categorize as absolutely essential.

So there were plenty of responses when Reddit user u/kitkatbarsaregood asked r/AskReddit, "Which book would you recommend someone to read at least once in their life?" Here are some of the best recommendations from the readers of Reddit.

Responses have been edited for length and clarity.

1. "The Ultimate Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Great book series, and lots of people reference it."

Random House Publishing Group / Via barnesandnoble.com

—TheCleanerZero

2. "A little off the beaten path, but The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk. It's a in-depth look into the world of trauma and PTSD, and how impactful it is and how much it affects our lives. It's fascinating information that I truly feel everyone would benefit from having."

3. "The Autobiography of Malcom X. Very inspiring for anyone to read. We can all radically change who we are and the direction we want to take in life to make the world tangibly better."

4. "Maus by Art Spiegelman. It's a graphic novel about how his father survived the Holocaust, and what it's like to deal with second-generation survivor's guilt. In 1992, it became the first graphic novel to win the Pulitzer Prize."

5. "The Little Prince. I never understood the love people had for this book until I read it, and it became my favorite book. The most charming point about this book would have to be how simple it is. It’s a children book, and it's supposed to be simple and easy. Yet the characters and lessons in the story are things I think many people have yet to discover both about themselves and the world around them. This book really made me realize that thinking like a child in a grown-up world is essential."

6. "Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke. The best book I've ever read. A sophisticated look at a London that has forgotten magic, and is suddenly forced to admit that it's real. Beautifully written, surprisingly funny, and a wonderful escape into a world that could've easily been our own."

7. "Trevor Noah’s memoir, Born a Crime. It’s unforgettable."

8. "A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini. It broke me and truly opened my eyes. It’s a book I always recommend to people that I think can take the emotional strain. However, before you read, I definitely advise you to look up the content warnings. If this book doesn’t make you cry, I don’t know what will, honestly."

9. "Night by Elie Wiesel. It's one of the most heart-wrenching, horrifying Holocaust memoirs I've read, and reading it changed my view of not only the Holocaust, but of discrimination and genocide in general. Do I think I'll ever be able to read it again? No. But I'm glad I got to read it at least once."

10. "The Handmaid’s Tale. I read it 30 or so years ago, and I still think about her not having hand cream and using butter for her cracked hands."

11. "The Silmarillion. It was J.R.R. Tolkien's lifelong work. It's the bible for Lord of the Rings. Really, really difficult to read, but very, very rewarding."

12. "If you're still relatively young, Looking for Alaska. It gets you right in your feels. I've never been so invested in something that wasn't real."

13. "Slaughterhouse-Five. It's a book for people that don't like reading books."

14. "Tim O'Brien's The Things They Carried. It's very honest and raw. And tenacious. I can't tell you how many times I've read this book. It completely altered my perspective on everything. It's quite well written, with a smooth and engaging style. This book compels readers to see what they don't want to see and then learn from it. Please, if you haven't already done so, read it. Also, if you've already read it, go back and re-read it!"

15. "Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro will break your heart and genuinely make you think about what it means to be human. I was incredibly fortunate to take an English course in college that focused on the concept of 'humanity,' and this book was the final book assigned in the class."

16. "Fox in Socks (1965) by Dr. Seuss. I've read it many times. It's about a fox who has fun with boxes and stuff. You'll love it."

17. "The Book Thief. I never enjoyed reading, but I read it my senior year of high school, and it's one of the only books I've ever loved. No book has ever made me sob that hard. It's so beautifully written, and I'm convinced Markus Zusak sold his soul to write it. If anyone ever asks for a book recommendation from me, I will always say The Book Thief."

18. "To Kill a Mockingbird. Hands down one of the best written, most poignant, and, frankly, important novels ever written."

19. "Read Don Quixote. It's funny and episodic and reminds me of cartoons. It makes you think about how similar you really are to people in the 1500s."

20. "Brave New World. A far more terrifying dystopia than 1984. Instant gratification is abundant, yet you feel unfulfilled. It's easy to see a path from our current society to something very similar."

21. "Johnny Got His Gun. It’s one of my least favorite books of all time and I only read it once, but man, did it change my opinion of war."

22. "Dune, if you're even a bit into sci-fi. Just forget the hype and pretend you're a teenager in 1969."

23. With the End in Mind: Dying, Death, and Wisdom in an Age of Denial by Kathryn Mannix. This helped me deal with my dad being in the hospital and dying. I was as prepared as I could be for the process of how end of life happens."

24. "Frankenstein by Mary Shelley. Pop culture has changed the original story beyond recognition, and I think more people need to read it because it's one of my favorite books of all time! Also, the world needs to understand there is no Doctor, just a college dropout who tried to play God but couldn't handle the responsibility."

25. "A Prayer for Owen Meany, followed closely by The World According to Garp. I have a special place for the storytelling of John Irving. Much of his writing is as much maddeningly funny as it is tragically sad. His characters remain with you years after your first read."

26. And finally: "Your car owner's manual."

Which books do you think everyone should have on their literary bucket lists? Tell us about them in the comments!