Ten Books to Read Before You Die

Americans across the country spend countless hours each year reading a seemingly endless string of books on topics that run far and wide. From cook books to comic adventures, Americans digest the written word at a rapid pace; however, has any one of them ever stopped to consider exactly which books would adorn their bookshelves, only later to be taken down and leafed through again and again? Which ten, fifteen, or twenty books are their keepers, the ones cherished and held on to out of personal connection and nostalgia? Once they have figured this out, the job of completing a worthy collection is not yet finished; in fact, one probing question should remain when peering up at those cluttered shelves: What's missing?

As people, we all have goals and aspirations, especially those aligned with our own death. We compile a "bucket list" of sorts of all the places we want to see, experiences we wish to have, people we long to meet, and relationships we need to solve. Yet, for those people who adore the written word and have spent many enjoyable hours pouring through stories with Twain and Morrison, Fitzgerald and Irving, Picoult and Grisham, the list fails if it does not include finishing those few books that have been left unread. So, with pen and pad in hand, they set out to find the great books that have somehow escaped their eyes, ones that will offer them a true experience and force them to think. Needing both entertainment and enlightenment, these readers search for the ten books they should read before they die, and possibly their list should look something like this.

1.

Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole. Published nearly a decade after the author's death, the novel brings to life an enormously complex and comical Ignatius J. Reilly, who, in an odd and hilarious fashion, sets out against the ideals of the twentieth century. Within the comical constructs lives an enormous figure who will force you to think and feel, as only a beautiful book can.

2.

Sometimes a Great Notion by Ken Kesey . Although best known for his breakout novel One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Kesey's best, most intimate work comes alive when unveiling the trials of the Stumper family and the crippling strike of a local lumber yard in a coastal town in Oregon. The novel's depth probes the soul and will make you envelope yourself into the lives of its characters as it takes on a modern twist of the centuries old Greek tragedy.

3.

Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck. The story of George Milton and Lennie Smalls' tragic adventures in central California will challenge you to examine your own life, and will dare you place yourself in their shoes. While short and quick, the novel packs more within its pages than virtually any piece ever written.

4.

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. This 1961 Pulitzer Prize Winner for Literature tells the story of Scout Finch, her brother Jem, and their wise lawyer father, Atticus. Set during the Depression in Maycomb, Alabama, the book not only makes a clear statement about the troubled social issues that dominated the times, but it speaks both symbolically and metaphorically to each human's soul.

5.

A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving. With John Irving existing as one of America's greatest living writers, this book is probably his most comical, yet it contains his most tragic character. Owen Meany, who believes he is God's instrument, at 11-years-old hits a foul ball that changes his life forever, and it will change yours too.

6.

Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom. While not found on any list of the greatest books ever, this short account of a man's battle with ALS, told through the eyes of a seemingly selfish, workaholic Detroit sports reporter, offers a person the chance to examine his own life, and to take stock in what is and is not important.

7.

Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes. Charlie, a mentally disabled man, sets out on a quest to better his life following a brain operation, and along with him comes Algernon, a remarkable lab mouse. Their struggles and triumphs, told through a series of diary entries in Charlie's voice, lead you on an unforgettable emotional journey that will make Charlie and his mouse forever ingrained in your imagination.

8.

Catch-22 by Joseph Heller. With a highly clever yet disturbing approach, Heller constructs this episodic novel around the events of a war and its participants. Yossarian, a bombardier, unearths the true brutality and insanity of war that normally goes unseen by those not involved. Published in 1961, this novel will challenge any reader. It will make you laugh out loud, all the while wondering why and how can this be allowed to happen.

9.

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini. A story set in Afghanistan tells the tale of a young boy, Amir, and his "friend", Hassan. Both hailing from different cultural backgrounds, Amir struggles to see the value and integrity of true friendship, and his world is virtually destroyed one late afternoon in a cold, damp alley after a glorious kite fight. Amir, as will you, will spend his days wondering if there is ever a way to be good again.

10.

Charlotte's Web by E. B. White. White has turned an illustrated children's book into a testament of friendship and loyalty. Inundated with life lessons that apply well beyond the child years, White reminds us that despite the complexity of life, its most simple ideals are still its most important.

The list does not adhere to any specific type of literature, nor does it take into account a reader's ability. Instead, it focuses on books that have true value and can impact lives, and each one possesses the ability to change its reader for the better. If every person elected to ingest these ten books, to fully understand and appreciate them, we may very well have a kinder, more appropriate society.

So, if these make it onto your list, work diligently to complete it. Then place them on the bookshelf, in hopes of them being read again and again, long after you are gone. They truly are that good.