Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

People Explain What Everyone Should Read At Least Once In Their Lifetime

People Explain What Everyone Should Read At Least Once In Their Lifetime
woman wearing pink shirt in front of bookshelf
Photo by Rabie Madaci on Unsplash

To Kill a Mockingbird, Lord of the Flies, Catcher in the Rye.

Books are often found on the list of the greatest novels ever written.

But they are also commonly found on the list of books most people had to read in high school.

Which doesn't mean they aren't among the greatest pieces of literature.

But more often than not, people find the books that turn out to be their "favorites" not because they were assigned to them, but because they chose to read them for their own enjoyment.

Some people’s favorite reading material might not even be a novel or biography, but rather a juicy blog or message board.

A Recent Redditor was curious to hear what books, or other reading material, the Reddit community believed demanded to be read, leading them to ask:

'What should you read at least once in your entire life?"


An important lesson for everyone

"Don't let the pigeon drive the bus."- skmeibe

Anything, as long as it's one you'll enjoy

"Something fun."

"So many people only read the books they are assigned in school, or what random people in a reddit thread like this recommend, and walk away feeling unsatisfied, like reading is a chore."

"And sometimes it is a chore, but other times it's joyous, extraordinary, mind-blowing, or just plain fun."

"Tl;dr - read something that makes you happy, not just something you 'should' read."- bozec

An old, old old, classic

"The Epic of Gilgamesh."- Truebetold

Thought provoking and entertaining!

"The Master and Margarita."

"It's a very fun read, but also makes you think. Kind of like Discworld books."- AkechiJubeiMitsuhide

Black Cat GIF by Artitudes DesignGiphy

Hopefully, it will help you find just that!

"Man’s Search for Meaning by Victor Frankl."- post-death_wave_core

Any Sci-fi/Fantasy fans in the house?

"The discworld novels by Terry Pratchett."

"Christopher Moore's The Gospel according to Biff, Christ's childhood Pal."- rokki82

"The Hitchhiker's Guide to The Galaxy."

"Despite the title, it's hilarious."

"A relatively short read (about 200 pages iirc), the science can be a bit hard to keep up with sometimes, but it's a fun time regardless."- KiiWii4972

The Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy Space GIFGiphy

Valuable lessons on growing up.

"Hatchet."

"It is a good 'learning to read' book."

"Suspenseful, easy to understand and it was one of the first books that I wasn't happy the entire way through."

"One of the first books that I had to know how it ended."

"Yet, at the same time it touches upon topics that a year earlier may have been hard to grasp, such as the human instinct to survive when you've lost all hope."- Ramen_Beef_Baby

Who needs fiction, when you have real life?

"The local police report for a rural Appalachian community. "

"Never fails to disappoint."- Butwinsky

Something far too people neglect to read...

"You should read the f*cking manual."- Sirhc978

90S Help GIFGiphy

Unexpectedly Timely

"With all the books being banned by Republicans I think everyone needs to read, Fahrenheit 451"- VivaLasVegasGuy

A classic for all ages

"The Very Hungry Caterpillar."- SvenskaAlvar

Religious text, for inspiration, or out of curiosity

"The Bible."

"Either as holy testament or as fiction."

"I actually read it in a college class 'the Bible as Fiction' and it’s very interesting and dramatic."- Background-Eye-8883

"If you follow a religion, your religious text."- DrSealMan

season 7 flanders bible GIFGiphy

Gets you every time

"Charlotte’s Web."

"I was given a copy by a neighbor and fell in love."

"It was a rollercoaster of emotions for me, both good and bad."- The_Poptart_Cat

No one should be beholden to one genre

"A trashy romance."

"A 'classic' story, like Jane Eyre, or something Bronte, lol."

"A Shakespeare play, I suggest the comedies, because they're hilarious, and the tragedies, well, they're tragic, lol."

"A good mystery book."

"A YA fiction book, so you can see what the kids are into these days."

"A sad story that can make you cry just through the written word - it's very cleansing, maybe Tucker's Way or There There."

"Somebody's memoir or autobiography."- DishyPanHands

"All for one, and one for all!"

"Three musketeers."

"An adventure about friendship, betrayal, and coming out of age."

"Worth reading."

"Very beautiful tale."- lavendershift-ofc

Sure, you read it for the articles...

"Any 'Playboy' magazine...they have really good articles..."- rap31264

Worth refreshing every now and again

"The Constitution of the United States, especially the Bill of Rights and subsequent amendments."- Unable_Fig_3130

Season 15 Television GIF by The SimpsonsGiphy

Worth tracking down

"This probably only me, but the Rangers Apprentice series by John Flanagan is a great series that I feel like more people should read."- Commander-Appa

There is nothing more transporting than a juicy piece of reading material.

Be it from the fiction section at the library, in your local paper, or on Reddit.

More from Trending/best-of-reddit

Ansley Baker and Liz Victor
Boston 25 News

Boston Hotel Security Guard Kicks Lesbian Couple Out Of Women's Bathroom After Accusing One Of Being A Man

A lesbian couple is calling for a boycott of a Boston hotel after a security guard misgendered one of them and kicked them out.

Ansley Baker and her girlfriend, Liz Victor were attending a Kentucky Derby party at Boston's Liberty Hotel on Saturday, May 3.

Keep ReadingShow less
Joe Pesci; Donald Trump
PBS; Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

Resurfaced Clips From 'Sesame Street' Shed Light On Why Trump Hates PBS So Much

Friends, family, and professional associates of MAGA Republican President Donald Trump have all called out a serious lack of emotional maturity in the 78-year-old.

They've highlighted multiple instances of the former reality show host harming his own self interests for the sake of petty revenge against anyone or anything that bruises his fragile ego.

Keep ReadingShow less
Elmo
Craig Barritt/Getty Images for Headspace

Fake LinkedIn Post From 'Elmo' About Getting Laid Off From 'Sesame Street' Goes Viral—And It's Brutal

One of the Trump Administration's most recent rounds of budget-slashing was aimed squarely at NPR and PBS, the latter of which gave us one of American culture's most iconic institutions: Sesame Street.

The show's future now of course hangs in the balance, and one of its most beloved characters, Elmo, is calling it a layoff.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshots from video of Ken Turner, the tank, and the Tesla
Led By Donkeys

98-Year-Old WWII Vet Uses Tank To 'Crush Fascism' By Literally Crushing A Tesla In Viral Video

98-year-old British World War II veteran Ken Turner has gone viral after using a Sherman tank to crush a Tesla vehicle in an act of protest against Elon Musk and the rise of fascism around the globe.

Turner, a former Royal Engineer, crushed a Tesla electric vehicle bearing the license plate “FASCISM” in a bold protest organized by the activist group Led by Donkeys. The car, donated by a Tesla owner who said they were “appalled” by Musk’s embrace of far-right politics in Europe, was used in the dramatic stunt to symbolize resistance to rising authoritarianism.

Keep ReadingShow less
Marjorie Taylor Greene
Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images

MTG Just Made 'Weirdos' Jab At Dems—And Critics Turned It Right Back Around On Her

Georgia Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene found herself on the receiving end of her own attack after social media users flipped the script following Greene's criticism of Democratic Representative Melanie Stansbury during a hearing about transgender athletes.

On Wednesday, Greene chaired a hearing aimed at spotlighting the stories of two activists who say they were negatively affected by the inclusion of transgender athletes in their sports leagues.

Keep ReadingShow less