When you read all the time, you start to realize that some books have a much deeper impact than others. A book can be amazing or entertaining or incredibly suspenseful, but you could forget about it a month later. But there are other incredible books that change your perspective in some way or have some greater effect on your life. For me, these are some of those extremely impactful books.
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1. "On Writing" by Stephen King
You don't have to be a huge fan of Stephen King to read this book. In fact, I read it without ever having read any of his books, and I loved it. It's a short nonfiction book that is part memoir and part advice for writers. It's excellently well-written, insightful, witty, and an essential book for anyone who likes to write.
2. "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" by Ken Kesey
This is an incredible book, and it's entirely unforgettable. It's set in the '60s in a mental hospital and focuses on a main character who isn't truly insane (or is he?), but who completely changes the world of the institution and all of its inhabitants. It will change your view of history, mental health and the mind.
3. "The Book Thief" by Markus Zusak
"The Book Thief" is an amazing story of a little girl with a new family who finds a deep love of books in a time when many of them are being destroyed. It takes place in a German town during WWII and has some of the best characters in literary history. It's awe-inspiring and heartbreaking and totally beautiful.
4. "Persepolis" by Marjane Satrapi
This is a graphic memoir following the life of Satrapi, who grew up in Tehran during the Islamic Revolution. It's gripping and incredibly honest, and depicts a lifestyle and period of history that I was completely unfamiliar with before I read it. This book will teach you so much about people and a place that may seem completely foreign to you.
5. "1984" by George Orwell
This book isn't horror, but it's actually quite terrifying. It was written in 1948 about 1984, and is Orwell's imagining of what the future would look like. Though the actual 1984 passed long ago and we're still not living in the world of the book, there are a lot of startling similarities and truths in the work as well. The society that Orwell creates in this book is dark, disturbing and fascinating, and you definitely won't forget it.
6. "Every Day" by David Levithan
This is a unique book with a protagonist who lives every day inside of a different body and a different life. Seemingly for no reason, "A" wakes up each day in a new body, never having one of his own. Through this highly original perspective, you're able to see the lives of such a wide variety of people, which makes the book very eye-opening.
7. "A Time to Love and a Time to Die" by Erich Maria Remarque
I read this book quite a few years ago, and for some reason, it has always stuck with me. I've never been entirely sure why, but this is a book I never forget and think about quite often. For an American reader, this book is particularly important. It's written from the perspective of a German soldier during WWII and shows something completely separate from what we learn in history textbooks. Yes, the main character is a German soldier under Hitler's control, which should make him a natural enemy to those in the U.S. But somehow, the book completely humanizes a group of people usually depicted in a negative light and teaches so much in the process.
8. "Blankets" by Craig Thompson
This is another important graphic memoir, but with an entirely different background. This book follows the youth and young adulthood of the author, as he grapples with huge questions about faith and love. It's a book about family, heartbreak, hope and a loss of childhood values. Besides the incredible story it tells, the art in this book is gorgeous, all in black and white.
9. "Eleanor & Park" by Rainbow Rowell
This is a beautiful love story, but it's also much deeper than that. It's set in 1986 and is the journey of two misfits to find themselves and each other. They aren't perfect characters with perfect lives; these characters are flawed and deep and feel completely real. The book also tackles other larger issues. Go into it without knowing much and let yourself be swept away.
10. "I am the Messenger" by Markus Zusak
This will always be one of my favorite books of all time. It has an amazing premise, excellent mystery and interesting characters. It's an impressive portrait of humanity, filled with important messages and is also exceedingly well-written and addicting.
