Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

The Best Books People Have Ever Read

Shelf Full Of Books
books on brown wooden shelf
Photo by Susan Q Yin on Unsplash

There are few better feelings than being in the middle of a good book, finishing a chapter, and realizing that you don't want to put it down.

Be it Howards End, Catcher in the Rye, or any mystery by James Patterson purchased at Hudson News. That moment you realize you have found a book that might be your favorite, if not the all-time best book you've ever read.

It's a sensation similar to, if not better than, falling in love.

Discovering your favorite book introduces you to characters you wish you knew in real life, hits on themes or experiences you can relate to all too well, and perhaps most deliciously, enrages you when you see how they ruined the story or botched the casting when it is adapted into a film.

Resulting in your going back to read your favorite book all over again, and discover elements which somehow escaped you the first five times you read it.


Redditor AechTMS was eager to learn the best books people have ever read bibliophiles and merely occasional readers alike, leading them to ask:

The Book Thief

"The Book Thief."

"It made me laugh and it made me cry, but most importantly it made me view life very differently."

"How easy the world is when you don't have to worry about the war /world of war around you."

"I've heard equally Thousand Splendid Suns and Kite Runner are very good and both are on my TBR."- LanternCove3

The Lies Of Locke Lamora

The Lies of Locke Lamora."

"That book just hit all the right notes for me."

"Fantastic prose, developed and atmospheric setting, drama that pulled me in, humor that had me laughing out loud, great pacing, incredibly charismatic and charming characters."

"It just had it all."

"I might even like the sequel more, the only thing it did worse was the pacing."- Corey_Bee

The Things They Carried

"The Things They Carried, by Tim O'Brien."

"I had just lived abroad for a couple of years in a highly regimented experience that kept me at some distance from the local population."

"There were a lot of similarities that I appreciated, and a lot of difference due to his experience being military in nature."

"But a lot of his thoughts regarding home nailed how I felt, and the idea of 'real truth' getting in the way of 'story truth' feels especially poignant in today's society."- mourningdoo

Endurance

"Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage, Albert Lansing."

"The fact that it's true allows it to hit that much harder."- JimJamYimYam

East Of Eden

"East of Eden."- mojojojo_joe

"East of Eden."

"One of those books that I simply adored from beginning to end."- KimDShortt

Hyperion

"Hyperion by Dan Simmons."- Warlornn

Me Talk Pretty One Day

"Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris."

"Stupid me keeps letting people borrow it and I've bought it 3 times now."- ATXKLIPHURD

The Pillars Of The Earth and The Passage

"The Pillars of the Earth, by Ken Follet is quite good, as are its prequel/sequels."

"The Passage, by Justin Cronin is also one of my faves."

"Even the tv adaptation with the 'Saved By the Bell' guy was pretty good."- Ecstatic-Appeal-5683

The Picture Of Dorian Gray

"The Picture of Dorian Gray."

"Such a compelling read!"- FlyPrudent4292

It's easy to understand why people question the fact that Pride and Prejudice, Jane Eyre, and Great Expectations seem to get film or television adaptations every two years.

When these same people actually read the novels for the first time, however, they will likely stop complaining.

As a truly good story can be told over and over in a myriad of new ways.

More from Trending/best-of-reddit

TikTok screenshots of @devandonahue
@devandonahue/TikTok

TikToker Floored After Husband's American Airlines 'Flight' Turns Out To Be A Literal Bus

A woman on TikTok went viral after sharing her husband's unique flight experience.

What made it unique, you ask?

Keep ReadingShow less
Woman cringing
Photo by OSPAN ALI on Unsplash

People Explain Which Seemingly Normal Things Are Taboo In Their Country

Each country has its own belief system and rules, and there are some activities and believes that are openly accepted or openly frowned upon, if not punishable by law.

But some things? Some things are just straight-up weird.

Keep ReadingShow less
Couple standing apart in silhouette
Eric Ward/Unsplash

People Share Signs Your Significant Other Doesn't Actually Love You

You may be on cloud nine with the person you're dating or have been in a relationship with you for a while.

But sometimes you may wonder if the feeling is mutual based on hints that the other person who is sharing your bed isn't exactly on the same page with you emotionally.

Keep ReadingShow less
Swiss Church Sparks Debate After Introducing Bizarre AI Jesus Hologram To Take Confessions
Fred de Noyelle/Getty Images; Lima/Getty Images

Swiss Church Sparks Debate After Introducing Bizarre AI Jesus Hologram To Take Confessions

A church in Switzerland is stirring debate with its use of an AI-generated Jesus hologram for confessions. Dubbed Deus in Machina (“God in Machine”), the project is installed at St. Peter’s Chapel in Lucerne, the city’s oldest Catholic church.

The hologram, developed by experts from Lucerne University’s Immersive Realities Center and a parish theologian, greets users with, “Peace be with you, brother,” and invites them to share what’s troubling their hearts. It can respond in 100 languages, with answers based on sacred scripture and theological texts sourced from the internet.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshot of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez; Nancy Mace
Spectrum News 1; Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images

AOC Calls Out Exactly What Nancy Mace's 'Gross' Anti-Trans Bathroom Crusade Is Actually About

Speaking to reporters, New York Democratic Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez called out South Carolina Republican Representative Nancy Mace, for proposing a bill that would prohibit transgender women from using women's bathroom facilities at the U.S. Capitol.

Mace introduced the resolution shortly after Delaware elected Democrat Sarah McBride as the first openly transgender member of Congress.

Keep ReadingShow less