Owlcation has compiled a list of the top 10 best books of all time that everyone should read, featuring a mix of classics and modern masterpieces. Here are the top 10, with The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo taking the top spot.
10. The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
This coming-of-age novel follows Charlie, a shy freshman navigating high school, friendship, love, and past trauma through letters to a stranger. He forms close bonds with step-siblings Patrick and Sam, experiencing adolescence's highs and lows, dealing with mental health, trauma, and sexuality.
9. The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas
An adventure novel serialized from 1844 to 1846, it is one of Dumas's most popular works, along with The Three Musketeers and Man in the Iron Mask.
8. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Lee's poignant story follows a young girl and her brother as they confront prejudice in their small town. Their father defends a Black man falsely accused of rape, forcing the children to face racism's harsh realities. Themes include morality and innocence through a young lens.
7. Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
This 1953 dystopian novel presents a future American society where books are outlawed and firemen burn any that are found.
6. Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Americanah follows Nigerian teenagers Ifemelu and Obinze, childhood sweethearts separated when Ifemelu moves to the US and Obinze to England. They grapple with race and immigration, later reuniting in a democratic Nigeria to navigate changed identities.
5. Beloved by Toni Morrison
This 1987 novel, set after the American Civil War, tells the story of a dysfunctional family of formerly enslaved people whose Cincinnati home is haunted by a malevolent spirit.
4. Giovanni's Room by James Baldwin
The book concerns an American man living in Paris and his feelings and frustrations with his relationships with other men, particularly an Italian bartender named Giovanni.
3. Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
This Gothic novel follows young scientist Victor Frankenstein, who creates a creature during an experiment. Horrified by its appearance, Victor abandons it, leading the creature to seek revenge.
2. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
Set in Nazi Germany during World War II, this historical fiction story follows a girl who finds comfort in words, stealing books and learning to read while her family protects a Jew. Themes include death, love, and literature.
1. The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson
This story focuses on the 40-year-old disappearance of Harriet Vanger from a wealthy Swedish family. Investigative journalist Mikael Blomkvist teams up with hacker Lisbeth Salander to uncover the family's dark secrets.
