When was the last time you grabbed a book to read – simply because you liked the cover or the title fascinated you?
If you haven’t, you are missing out on one of life’s most simple pleasures – Reading.
Books are not only a great source of knowledge, but they can be your best friend too.
They make you forget all your worries and tensions and for the time you are immersed in their pages – you are literally in a different world – an imaginary world filled with adventure, intrigue and loads of entertainment.
If my words have inspired you enough to rekindle your passion for the printed word, I am sure you would also like to know more about the 10 Must-Read-Before-I-Die kind of books, right?
10 Best Books to Read Before you Die
So here’s the list of the 10 Best books to read before you die, backed by the highest ratings from Amazon that you should try to read at the earliest opportunity.
1. Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind – By Yuval Noah Harari.
A path-breaking book which begins 70,000 years ago with the arrival of modern cognition. It then traces the route of human evolution, its role in developing the global ecosystem till the ultimate rise of human empires.
Harari, a renowned historian tries to answer several pertinent questions – including what lies ahead for mankind – by combining history and science to examine past events and connect their relevance to contemporary issues.
This insightful and somewhat provocative book, which featuring 27 photographs, 6 maps, and 25 illustrations/diagrams has been on the Best-Seller list of both the New York Times and the Sunday Times.
It has sold over a million copies sold worldwide, and is considered to be one of the foremost works of its kind in the world.
Amazon Rating: 4.6 out of 5 Stars.
2. The Intelligent Investor – By Benjamin Graham
Widely considered to be one of the best investment gurus of the twentieth century, Graham shares his amazing insights on the principles and strategies involved in safe investing in his book.
It is an attempt by the author (who is also considered to be the father of value-investing) to protect first time investors from committing unforced errors and offers great advice on how to achieve their long-term investments objectives.
The newest edition of the book also includes the latest concepts that will keep the reader in sync with his financial goals.
It also shares major principles that can be applied in daily life, illustrated with simple examples and a lucid understanding of the world of finance and investments.
Amazon Rating: 4.3 out of 5 Stars.
3. 1984 – By George Orwell
This is one of the best books to read before you die. In this novel, the author Orwell imagines a world where state controlled everyone and everything.
The intriguing plot is set in the year 1984, where a cartel – Oceania – enjoys ultimate power and Big Brother controls everything.
The main protagonist is a character named Winston Smith, a man who leads a normal life but hates his party bosses in particular.
Then there is a young girl, Julia, who also hates the system equally but is careful not to show it.
Eventually Winston and Julia meet and fall in love – an emotion that is frowned upon by the state and Big Brother. How their circumstances change and what is the outcome of their love for each other forms the crux of the remainder of this engaging novel.
Amazon Rating: 4.4 out of 5 Stars.
4. Man’s Search for Meaning – By Viktor E. Franki
Franki’s book propagates his theory that its man’s constant search for meaning that gives him the power to survive the harshest and most despicable situations in life.
A survivor of the German holocaust himself, Franki draws on his extensive personal research as a leading psychologist to state that there are only two kinds of people in the world, namely the decent and the indecent.
Both categories of people stick to their core beliefs-regardless of the situations. While the decent lot will go to great lengths to help people, the indecent will only serve their own selfish interests.
Interestingly Franki’s observations were mostly based on his long walks in captivity and his close eye on the behavior of fellow inmates during his time in Nazi prisons.
Amazon Rating: 4.3 out of 5 Stars.
5. The Great Gatsby – By F. Scott Fitzerland
Set in the swinging twenties in New York, this entertaining novel questions the basic belief whether money can buy you everything – including the right to erase you’re past?
The story is developed around Jay Gatsby, a young, handsome millionaire of unknown origins and his romantic obsession with Daisy Buchanan, a beautiful young woman, who appears to be resistant to all his attempts to woo her with his wealth and innate charm.
Often described as a masterful depiction of American culture in the twenties that was soiled by tales of nepotism, extravagant wealth and greed, The Great Gatsby makes for a compelling read for those who like a gripping tale of romance set against the corrupting influence of wealth and the lure of money.
Amazon Rating: 4.6 out of 5 Stars.
6. The Old Man and the Sea – By Ernest Hemingway
An all-time classic, The Old Man and the Sea is a brilliantly-written story by master story teller and Nobel Prize winner for Literature, Ernest Hemingway.
At first glance it may appear to be a rather simple tale of an old Cuban fisherman who lands a huge Marlin, only to lose it to sharks in the end.
But look deeper and you will find a wondrous tale filled courage and heroism. It is a story of unbridled optimism and about finding hope where there is none.
Hemingway mastery with words comes to the fore here when he expertly turns around a tale of abject surrender into a celebration of victory in the end.
Amazon Rating: 4.3 out of 5 Stars.
7. Harry Potter 7 Volume Children's: The Complete Collection (Set of 7 Volumes) – By JK Rowling
Thanks to the cult status enjoyed by the Harry Potter movies, this complete book collection of Harry Potter’s adventures has become a must-read for kids and adults alike.
With these top books to read you get to relive Harry’s many magical adventures – right from his days as an unhappy orphan living with his aunt and uncle to being admitted to the famous Hogwarts School of Wizardry.
From his first meeting with Ron and Hermione, his best friends to his many battles with the dreaded Voldemort – the evil wizard who wants to live forever.
Printed by Bloomsbury Press, this paperback edition comes with high quality printing and paper and makes for an engrossing read.
Amazon Rating: 4.6 out of 5 Stars.
8. To Kill A Mocking Bird – By Harper Lee
Set in a town plagued by hypocrisy, violence and racism during the thirties, this novel by Harper Lee tells a touching tale that continues to linger in the minds of readers long after they have finished the book.
The story traces the lives of two young men Scout and Jem Finch, who witness first-hand the rampant racism and prejudice of civil society, they watch helplessly as their father, a lawyer, fights in vain to secure justice for a black man accused of raping a white girl.
A great example of Southern writing and an apt reflection of racism rampant in American society during that period, To Kill A Mocking Bird rates among the best works of fiction till date and won Harper Lee the prestigious Pulitzer Prize for her sublime effort.
Amazon Rating: 4.4 out of 5 Stars.
9. A Brief History of Time: From Big Bang to Black Holes – By Stephen Hawking
A must read book before you die for science geeks authored by the late genius physicist Stephen Hawking, this book takes a close look at issues related to time and space.
Drawing on theories attributed to greats like Newton, Kepler and Einstein, Hawking has attempted to shed light on key questions like – where does the universe end and can time run backwards.
The book takes its readers on a space voyage traversing the remnants of the Big Bang theory to trying to explain what the universe is made of.
With this book, Hawking has succeeded not only to arouse the curiosity of readers with an interest in physics and mathematics, but also the regular Joe who may be attracted to the secrets of the universe.
Amazon rating: 4.4 out of 5 Stars.
10. The God of Small Things – By Arundhati Roy
Roy’s splendid debut effort which also bagged her the famed Booker Prize, The God of Small Things brings to life the many ill-effects of the rigid caste system and Marxist uprising in Kerala – India’s southern-most state.
The story follows the less-than-perfect life of twins Esthappen and Rahel, and it’s through their eyes and life experiences that Roy expertly weaves this tale of a loss of innocence, torture and tragedy.
Following a series of flashbacks and current day events, the story maps the life of the young twins who get caught in an intricate web of lies, deceit and bitterness that threatens to destroy their world forever.
Amazon Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars.
In Conclusion
So these were the 10 Must Read books before you die that you need to checkout at the earliest.
Not only do they cover a variety of genres, their high popularity ratings on Amazon are also a reliable indication of their quality and ability to engage the reader.
So go ahead and take your pick and do share your thoughts with us on the experience.
