A Walk in the Woods
a humorous memoir by Bill Bryson that details his trek through the Appalachian Mountains as a person who has never done any serious hiking.
Into Thin Air
A true story written by Jon Krakauer, Into Thin Air recounts the writer’s experience during the 1996 Mount Everest disaster in which eight climbers were killed and several others were trapped in a storm.
The Left Hand of Darkness
Set in part of the Hainish Cycle series, The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin is a futuristic sci-fi novel that tells the story of the fictional planet of Gethen. The Gethenians are androgynous and can be either male or female based on what cycle of life they’re in.
The Silmarillion
a collections of Tolkien’s works published posthumously, The Silmarillion, gives an extensive narrative of the universe of Eä.
Pride and Predujce
By Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice follows the fictional character of Elizabeth Bennet as she navigates manners, education, upbringing, and marriage in the society of the British Regency.
The Girl on the Train
A psychological thriller novel by Paula Hawkins, The Girl on the Train tells the personal narrative of three women, Rachel, Anna, and Megan. They each tell the story of the disappearance and apparent murder of Megan.
The Fountainhead
A 1943 novel by Ayn Rand, The Fountainhead follows Howard Roark: a young architect who chooses to struggle in obscurity rather than compromise his artist and personal vision.
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn is a novel written by Betty Smith that follows an impoverished by aspirational second generation Irish-American adolescent girl growing up in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.
Ender's Game
A military science fiction novel by Orson Scott Card, Ender’s Game tells the story of future earth that’s preparing for a third alien invasion. Children are trained from a very young age in anticipation.
Blood Merdian
An epic Western by Cormac McCarthy, Blood Meridian, a narrative of “the kid” and his experiences with the Glanton gang, a historical group of scalp hunters who massacred Native Americans.
Ghost Writer
The Ghost Writer, by Philip Roth, follows the story of Nathan Zuckerman, a promising young writer who spends the night in the home of a an author he idolizes. Also spending a night is Amy Bellette, who Zauckerman is convinced is Anne Frank.
The Sound and The Fury
Set in Jerfferson, Mississipi, The Sound and The Fury centers on the Compson family. Faulkner paints them as form Southern Aristocrats who are struggling to deal with the dissolution of their family and their reputation.
The Alchamest
By Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist is allegorical tale of a young Andalusian shepherd and his journey to Egypt after having a recurring dream of finding treasure there.
Jitterbug Perfume
A fantasy novel by Tim Robbins, Jitterbug Perfume follows an 8th-century king Alobar after he narrowly escapes being killed as it is the custom of his kingdom to kill the king as the first sign of aging. The novel follows him after his escape as he travels the world a peasant.
White Noise
White Noise, a Don DeLillo postmodern novel, follows a year in the life of Jack Gladney: a professor at a Mid-Western College that has made his name by pioneering the field of Hitler studies.
