Take a minute and write down what you remember doing today in your free time. Most people instantly grab an electronic device, most often a phone. What do you do on your phone? Does it include social media, news applications, texting? One time I downloaded an app that logged how many times I used my phone per day.

While consciously making an effort to not use my phone as much as normal, I still logged into my phone over eighty times that day. The tracker app also indicated which apps I used the most on my phone. Unsurprisingly, Facebook topped the list. Here are five excellent and thought-provoking works of literature to read instead of spending so much spare time on social media and electronics.

1. "The Scarlet Letter"

This book is incredibly relevant to many modern moral struggles that Americans have regarding sex and marriage. In this book, the protagonist is shamed for adultery in a nearly unimaginable way. Our modern American culture still shames many people for sexual activity and our culture maintains obvious gender oriented double standards.

The plot of this book contains commentary on many of these modern issues through the context of early America. Reading this book will help readers gain perspective on modern issues that men and women face, and it will help readers learn about the origins of many issues that pervade modern America.

2. "Gone With The Wind"

Similar to The Scarlet Letter, this book provides a moving and accurate account of the civil war time period. Many people do not enjoy history in school, and, consequently, do not remember many of the facts that they learn in history classes. Reading an engaging romance in a historical context reinforces the factual events of the book.

3. "Phantom of the Opera"

One of the most common excuses not to read literature is that the language is boring and difficult to understand. This book, “The Phantom of the Opera” remedies that issue because the language is written more like a news article rather than a flowery or philosophical tome.

The story is also exciting, mysterious, and romantic, so it keeps the reader engaged until the end. There may not be as many literary devices and as much figurative language as other works of literature, but this book is an excellent read for people who do not enjoy traditional literature styles.

4. "The Picture of Dorian Gray"

The Picture of Dorian Grey is an excellent commentary on human nature. The characters make damaging and surprising choices, which keeps the readers entertained and illustrates a very cynical view of human nature. This book does not contain a conventional love story, so it is perfect for readers who are tired of romance stories. The Picture of Dorian Grey is also a relatively short book, so it is perfect for people who are not voracious readers.

5. "The Awakening"

Feminism often goes awry in our modern day and age. It is misconstrued into an organization that either hates men or tries to place women’s rights above men’s rights. This book provides a refreshing view of feminism and a reminder of some real issues that women in the past have had to fight for.

This book will place certain modern circumstances into perspective and it will reinforce the passion behind many modern issues. "The Awakening"is a short book which feels less overwhelming to tackle than a longer piece of literature.