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10 Books to Read Before You Die
Do you have a reading "bucket list"? Books that you vow to read (or reread) sometime in your life time? Take a look out the below 10 books to read before you die. From Atlas Shrugged to the Harry Potter series, find out the books that over 2000 adults in the US recommend. If you see your favorite book missing from the list, let us know below or on Facebook.#1 - The Holy Bible
The most popular and best-selling book of all time is The Holy Bible. No book has had more influence on the world. Its pages tell the story of the creation, fall, and redemption of mankind. Relive the story of creation and the fall of man in Genesis. Cross the wilderness with Moses in Exodus. Welcome the coming of Jesus Christ in the Gospels. The Holy Bible contains epic stories of history, heroism, and hope.
#2 - Gone With the Wind
Published in 1936, Gone With The Wind sold 50,000 copies on its first day, and two million after a year. Even though it is 1,037 pages long, readers all over the world snatched up the book. In 1937 it was awarded the Pulitzer Prize. Mitchell prided herself on the historical accuracy of her work. Gone With The Wind is a sweeping account of how the Civil War tore apart an entire way of life, and Scarlett O'Hara is one of the most enduring characters in American fiction.
#3 - The Lord of the Rings
The Lord of the Rings is regarded by many to be the most important and influential work of fantasy of the 20th century. It generated the fantasy novel industry practically single-handedly, inspiring a multitude of novels concerning elves and dwarves on quests to conquer ultimate evil despite overwhelming odds. Although intended to be published as a single volume, its division into a trilogy created the iconic format for epic fantasy literature.
#4 - Harry Potter series
Follow Harry Potter from his first days at Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry, through his many adventures with Hermione and Ron, to his confrontations with rival Draco Malfoy and the dreaded Professor Snape. From a dangerous descent into the Chamber of Secrets to the Triwizard Tournament to the return of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, each adventure is more riveting and exhilarating than its predecessor.
#5 - The Stand
In 1978, Stephen King published The Stand, the novel that is now considered to be one of his finest works. It depicts his apocalyptic vision of a world blasted by plague and embroiled in an elemental struggle between good and evil. It is a gripping work with the scope and moral complexity of a true epic. Those reading The Stand for the first time will discover a triumphant and eerily plausible work of the imagination that takes on the issues that will determine our survival.
#6 - The Da Vinci Code
The elderly curator of the Louvre has been murdered. Near the body, police have found a baffling cipher. While working to solve the enigmatic riddle, Robert Langdon is stunned to discover it leads to a trail of clues hidden in the works of Da Vinci -- clues visible for all to see -- yet ingeniously disguised by the painter. The Da Vinci Code heralds the arrival of a new breed of lightning-paced, intelligent thriller...utterly unpredictable right up to its stunning conclusion.
#7 - To Kill a Mockingbird
To Kill a Mockingbird is about the crisis of human behavior and conscience arising from the racism and prejudice that exist in the small Southern town during the Depression. Scout Finch tells the story of her father's defense of Tom Robinson, a young black man who is being tried for the rape of a white woman. Harper Lee's only novel, awarded the Pulitzer Prize in 1961, is a much-beloved tale of growing up, as well as an exploration of heroism confronted with bigotry.
#8 - Angels and Demons
When a canister of anti-matter is stolen from a Swiss research facility, Robert Langdon is called in to investigate. In Angels & Demons, a Harvard professor, Langdon is an expert on the ancient, quasi-scientific, and widely feared organization know as the Illuminati, who may or may not be wrapped up in the mystery.
#9 - Atlas Shrugged
Rand's 1200-page novel Atlas Shrugged is a hymn of praise to the concept of rugged individualism, personified in John Galt. This polemic for Rands philosophy of "rational self-interest" has been a steady seller since it was published in 1957.
#10 - The Catcher in the Rye
J. D. Salinger's famous and enduring chronicle of Holden Caulfield's journey from innocence to experience is the quintessential coming-of-age novel. Salinger's 1951 novel The Catcher in the Rye was a bestseller and became an immediate cult favorite, but it has also, over the years, been subject to criticism and even censorship because of its liberal use of profanity, its frank conversations about sex, and its generally irreverent view of the adult world.
Note: This list is based on the results of a Harris Poll that asked 2,413 U.S. adults to name their favorite books.
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Comments page 1 of 34
Highest Rank
Carlton said 7-09-2008 @5:35AM
I think I can only agree with most of this list, but to include two works from Dan Brown as "must-reads" is simply inconceivable. I'm sure that they are wonderful reads, and perhaps mentally stimulating and challenging in their own way; but they are not so critical to one's mental landscape that they could be considered essential reading in one's lifetime. Basically, what I"m saying, is that they're not "groundbreaking" works which have opened up new spheres in the realm of Literature, like Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings. What they have done is generate more than enough controversy to warrant their inclusion in a list of "must-reads" that's as weighty as sawdust!
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engarde68 said 5-29-2009 @11:57AM
You are so right.
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TaraC said 7-13-2009 @12:21PM
I completely agree and would like to add that putting them both on this list makes absolutely no sense. Anyone who has taken the time to read Dan Brown novels can attest that while they both have different and interesting subjects (which is of course what sparks said controversy) they are not unique or diverse in storyline/plot structure.
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mark taylor said 8-29-2009 @11:16AM
..................this list is a joke! how did you get it? are they the ONLY books you've read?
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trevor said 10-28-2009 @9:37AM
Dan Brown? Really? No Thomas Pynchon, No James Joyce. What a complete waste of an article. I've read the books on this list, but they are not 'must read' under any circumstances.
Highest Rank
Camille said 7-10-2008 @7:12AM
The Bible is the only Book you NEED to read before you die!
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Jamiyl said 7-09-2008 @6:20AM
This is a good list, but I can't believe not one African-American work cracks the top 10. What about "Invisible Man" or "The Autobiography of Malcolm X"?
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Maria Waterbury said 7-09-2008 @6:35AM
I agree, the holy bible is a definite must read, but wanted to let you know there is a misspelling of the word redemption
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will loesch said 7-09-2008 @6:41AM
dismal list of must-reads;'nuf said...
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Karen said 8-11-2009 @4:07PM
The only book on this list that you need to read before you die is the Bible. Take it's words to heart, the are as true as rain!
Highest Rank
John Permenter said 7-09-2008 @6:42AM
The fact that these books are popular does NOT make them "must-reads," nor does it make those of us who don't read them dunces. By equating popularity with quality, you are contributing to the dumbing down of our culture. Shame on you, AOL!
replyWhy don't you suggest ten truly great books for us all to read? Of course there is lots of room for debate, but I'm sorry, Dan Brown and JK Rowling don't belong on any list of great authors, especially if the list excludes Faulkner and Shakespeare. And don't tell me it's just a matter of taste. I sometimes enjoy hot buttered popcorn, but it is not great food, any more than The da Vinci Code is a great book. Shame on you!
Others have attempted such a list with better results. Here is one example by J. Peder Zane:
1. Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy
2. Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert
3. War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy
4. Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov
5. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
6. Hamlet by William Shakespeare
7. The Great Gatsby F. Scott Fitzgerald
8. In Search of Lost Time by Marcel Proust
9. The Stories of Anton Chekhov by Anton Chekhov
10. Middlemarch by George Eliot
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Sylvia Miller said 4-21-2009 @12:33AM
Your choice of books is fine. Frankly I'm writing you because
I can't find a 'comment' that works. "Open Veins of Latin America" is an interesting choice for Hugo Chavez to give to President Obama. It is a tale of the 500 years that North America (mostly U.S.) pillaged Latin America.
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Vip said 8-08-2009 @4:09PM
no quarrel with J. Peder Zane's list but I fear you're gonna die before you finish them.
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Sam Reeves said 7-09-2008 @6:48AM
In your description of the Bible, redemption is spelled incorrectly. God bless
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lala said 7-09-2008 @6:51AM
This is a trite list just made for the usual reader of todays "best sellers". However, I was impressed that they included the Bible along with the other works of fiction.
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Mary said 7-09-2008 @6:58AM
I'm glad the Holy Bible was included in this list - even though it should probably be listed first. It is truly the only manuscript for a happy life.
replyHighest Rank
Dr Deelo said 7-09-2008 @6:56AM
Utter nonsense. this list reads more like a marketing scheme than a comprehensive list of books "one ought to read before dying". First off, Dan Brown is crap. His much espoused research was stolen, the writing pedestrian, and he can't write an ending to save his life... which is true of all his novels, not just the ones mentioned. I respect Steven King immensely, he's amazingly talented and produces a huge volume of works... definitely better than Dan Brown, but his books didn't change my life or the way I look at the world. They are without doubt very entertaining, however, not a top ten. Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings are both great series. I may not have chosen them, but one can't help but respect the creativity inherent in both. I think, and I don't want to offend, that the bible doesn't belong in here. Yes, you should read it before you die, but the same is true of all the holy texts of each religion. The choice is biased, and the fact that it is the most historically sold books is a slanted fact... for a long time it was the only book being printed at all and has not been a top seller in over 40 years. Harry Potter beat the bible 5 releases running. I just wonder why Shakespeare isn't listed, or Hemingway, Conrad, Faulkner, or Joyce. Where is "Raisin in the Sun", or "The Color Purple"? I could go on and on. All I'm saying, is the list is biased and gives credit to undeserving books... not saying they're not good. Just that it could be much better. But when I die, I won't be thinking, "Jesus, I wish I read The Da vinci code." But I may think about the books with some real substance and commentary on this wild thing we call life. Rubbish!
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BJ Gnau said 7-09-2008 @7:01AM
The Holy Bible should be #1 on the read list not #10. The most read book is the most important book of all time. Without the "rulebook of life" you have anarchy.
replyHighest Rank
Tom said 7-09-2008 @7:06AM
One word about Dan Brown.....For years, the information contaned in his books was available to those who chose to research the information....All he did was take it mainstream.....Also, "Gone With the Wind" is an overblown soap opera. Try "The Jungle" by Upton Sinclaire or "Maggie, a Girl of the Streets" by Steven Crane for instance....books of true social concience.
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panopticon7 said 7-09-2008 @7:11AM
if the bible is a bestseller ... then why is it never on anyone's list? confusing.
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