Check out 10 books, on different topics and of different styles, that you must read at least once in your life. Identify the one that most relates to your current moment and good reading:
1 – The Kite Hunter, by Khaled Hosseini
The story of Amir, a young Afghan man who feels guilty for having betrayed his best friend, is set against a backdrop of political events, beginning with the fall of the Afghan monarchy in 1973, communist coup in 1978, Soviet invasion in 1979, the migration of refugees to Pakistan and the USA and the deployment of the military regime by the Taliban.
2 – The Number of the Stars, by Lois Lowry
The book shows that cultural and religious differences do not matter between friends. The Number of Stars tells the story of Annemarie Yohansen, a Danish girl who grew up in World War II with her best friend, Ellen, who is Jewish. When Annemarie finds out what the Nazis are doing against the Jewish people, she does everything she can to protect Ellen and the entire Jewish community.
3 – Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen
The story shows how the character Elizabeth Bennet deals with the problems related to education, culture, morals and marriage in the aristocratic society of the early 19th century in England. Pride and Prejudice, one of the most enduring works in English literature, teaches how to overcome differences and find joy in everything we live.
4 – The Outsiders, by Susan E. Hinton
Hilton wrote The Outsiders when she was just 16 years old to present the reality of an American teenager in the 20th century. The book follows two rival groups, the Greasers and the Socs, who are divided by their socioeconomic conditions, and that reminds us that the transition to adulthood has never been an easy task.
5 – Mulherzinhas, by Louisa May Alcott
The book tells the story of four sisters who grew up during the American Civil War, between 1861 and 1865, and how they learned to overcome life’s difficulties together. It teaches, above all, the importance of family unity.
6 – Please Don’t Kill the Lark, by Harper Lee
The book is based on the author’s family memories, as well as on an event that happened near her hometown in 1936, when she was ten years old. Known for his liveliness and humor, he discusses serious issues such as rape, racial inequality and the injustices of the legal system.
7 – The Secret Garden, by Frances Hodgson Burnett
It is a timeless classic about the beauty of nature, the healing power of love and the belief in magic. The book is considered Burnett’s most important work, as it is the first work in which a boy, Dickon, and a girl, Mary Lennox, are the main characters.
8 – Anne of the Red Hair, by LM Montgomery
When Anne Shirley, an 11-year-old orphan, moves in with a new family, she discovers that there was a mistake: they wanted to adopt a boy. While this discovery leaves Anne unsure, afraid of not being loved, she will see how a child’s imagination and kind heart can touch us. An exciting story of love and friendship, which reminds us that life can present us with good surprises, even when things happen that we were not expecting.
9 – Alice in Wonderland, by Lewis Carroll
The children’s book is a tale of magic that revolves around Alice and an imaginary world. History, which delights children and adults with its discourse between reality and make-believe, can be interpreted in different ways. One of them states that the narrative represents adolescence, with an unexpected entry, the changes, confusions and transformations that appear with the unfolding of the plot.
10 – The Little Prince, by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
One of the most translated books in the world, the book tells the story of a child who fell from an asteroid on Earth when he was looking to understand humanity. During his journey, he encounters a number of characters, who help him to understand the transforming power of friendship and trust.