Top 10 Most Important Books

One of my friends asks me nearly constantly for book recommendations. I feel like I'm not the best person to ask. I don't have a lot of recommendations to give her. But it got me thinking about what books I would consider to be must-reads.

Books have had such a big impact on me, so I got thinking about the books that have had the biggest impact. Which ones have left the biggest impression on me?

Here are the ten that that came to my mind immediately, in no particular order. There are so many more books that I love, and you can find many of them on my Goodreads page, although I’ve fallen off the goodreads wagon lately.

Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling

We're just going to group these all in one, and that’s not cheating because I made up the rules. I can't remember a time before Harry Potter. My first grade teacher read us the first book out loud. I was instantly hooked. I grew up with Harry. Those books taught me about loyalty and friendship and adventure. They also taught me (indirectly) about patience, waiting for each new novel. It's just so encompassing, I'm not sure what life would be like without it.

“Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?”

Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen

This is one of the best books I've ever read. 1930's circus adventure? Love story? Thriller? It's great. It's all great. The movie was not my favorite, to be clear, but the book is purely amazing.

“I want her to melt into me, like butter on toast. I want to absorb her and walk around for the rest of my days with her encased in my skin.

I want.” 

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

The Great Gatsby is one of the first pieces of literature that I really enjoyed reading. The tragedy that is Gatsby is beautiful and haunting and a delight to read. If you haven’t read this since high school, or maybe missed it then, it’s worth picking up. You’ll finally get all the “green light” jokes.

“The loneliest moment in someone’s life is when they are watching their whole world fall apart, and all they can do is stare blankly.”

The BFG by Roald Dahl

Roald Dahl was one of my favorite authors when I was first able to read. Matilda, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, James and the Giant Peach…they’re all great, but The BFG is my favorite. Dahl has a way of creating these fanciful worlds that just make your imagination go wild. It’s for kids, but you should check it out anyway, or read it to your kids.

“Don't gobblefunk around with words.” 

The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

This was the first book that I read in French and was actually able to get through. It felt like a huge milestone then, and I still love the book now. It’s another children’s book, but it has a thicker philosophical message, so it’s great for people of all ages. Picture book, quick read, and the English translation is really well done, so you don’t miss the message.

“And now here is my secret, a very simple secret: It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.” 

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot

This is the best book written about the ethical implications of scientific research. It’s about Henrietta Lacks, whose cells are in every university in the world. I used HeLa cells when I was in college and didn't think about them much until I read this book. It's a really fantastic read, and if you're not really used to non-fiction, it's a good starting point.

“She's the most important person in the world and her family living in poverty. If our mother is so important to science, why can't we get health insurance?” 

Brave New World by Aldous Huxley

The reason that this book is on the list is not because it's a really brilliant read (which it is), it's because as soon as you have finished it, you start to realize how much it is referenced everywhere. You don't even notice until it's put in front of you, but then all these books and movies take on a whole new level of nuance.

“Words can be like X-rays if you use them properly -- they’ll go through anything. You read and you’re pierced.”

Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes

This book has a lot of implications about people with special needs or different disabilities, and the impact of intelligence. It also has a lot of discussion on the implications of scientific testing and research. It’s a heartbreaking story, but a good one.

“Now I understand that one of the important reasons for going to college and getting an education is to learn that the things you've believed in all your life aren't true, and that nothing is what it appears to be.” 

The Lost City of Z by David Grann

This book is one of the best nonfiction books that I have read. It’s magnificently written and keeps you hooked into the story at all times. You never feel bored, and you feel so attached the characters, even more so because they’re real people. There is adventure and romance and mystery, and it’s all true. Attached from start to finish.

“You know, I had a lot of romantic notions about the jungle and this kind of finished that.”

Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers by Mary Roach

This is another brilliant nonfiction. It’s probably not for the squeamish, because it does deal with dead people and what happens to bodies that are donated to science. It lets you see the side of things that we don’t often get access to. It’s fascinating in a gruesome way.

“The human head is of the same approximate size and weight as a roaster chicken. I have never before had occasion to make the comparison, for never before today have I seen a head in a roasting pan.”

And that’s it! My ten books.

What are the books that have made the biggest impact on you?