Thirty Books Everyone Should Read
Before They’re Thirty
By:Mark and Angel Hack Life
The Web
is grand. With its fame for hosting informative, easy-to-skim textual snippets
and collaborative written works, people are spending more and more time reading
online. Nevertheless, the Web cannot replace the authoritative
transmissions from certain classic books that have delivered (or will
deliver) profound ideas around the globe for generations.
The
thirty books listed here are of unparalleled prose, packed with
wisdom capable of igniting a new understanding of the
world. Everyone should read these books before their thirtieth birthday.
1. Siddhartha by Hermann HesseA powerful story about the importance
of life experiences as they relate to approaching an understanding of reality
and attaining enlightenment.
2. 1984 by George Orwell1984 still holds chief significance
nearly sixty years after it was written in 1949. It is widely acclaimed for its
haunting vision of an all-knowing government, which uses pervasive,
twenty-four/seven surveillance tactics to manipulate all citizens of the
populace.
3. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper LeeThe story surveys the controversial issues of race and economic class in
the 1930s Deep South via a court case of a black man charged with the rape
and abuse of a young white girl. It’s a moving tale that delivers a profound
message about fighting for justice and against prejudice.
4. A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess
A nightmarish vision of insane youth culture that depicts heart wrenching
insight into the life of a disturbed adolescent. This novel will blow you away
… leaving you breathless, livid, thrilled, and concerned.
5. For Whom the Bell Tolls by Ernest HemingwayA short, powerful contemplation on death, ideology and the incredible
brutality of war.
6. War and Peace by Leo TolstoyThis masterpiece is so enormous even
Tolstoy said it couldn’t be described as a standard novel. The storyline takes
place in Russian society during the Napoleonic Era, following the characters of
Andrei, Pierre and Natasha … and the tragic and unanticipated way in which
their lives interconnect.
7. The Rights of Man by Tom PaineWritten during the era of the French
Revolution, this book was one of the first to introduce the concept of human
rights from the standpoint of democracy.
8. The Social Contract by
Jean-Jacques Rousseau
A famous quote from the book states that “Man is born free, and everywhere he
is in chains.” This accurately summarizes the book’s prime position on the
importance of individual human rights within society.
9. One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García MárquezThis novel does not have a plot in the
conventional sense, but instead uses various narratives to portray a clear
message about the general importance of remembering our cultural history.
10. The Origin of Species by Charles Darwin
Few books have had as significant an impact on the way society views the
natural world and the genesis of humankind.
11. The Wisdom of the Desert by
Thomas MertonA collection of thoughts, meditations and reflections that give insight
into what life is like to live simply and purely, dedicated to a greater power
than ourselves.
12. The Tipping Point by Malcolm GladwellGladwell looks at how a small idea, or
product concept, can spread like a virus and spark global sociological changes.
Specifically, he analyzes “the levels at which the momentum for change becomes
unstoppable.”
13. The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth GrahamArguably one of the best children’s books ever written; this short novel
will help you appreciate the simple pleasures in life. It’s most notable for
its playful mixture of mysticism, adventure, morality, and camaraderie.
14. The Art of War by Sun TzuOne of the oldest books on military strategy in the world. It’s easily the
most successful written work on the mechanics of general strategy and business
tactics.
15. The Lord of the Rings by
J.R.R. TolkienOne of the greatest fictional stories ever told, and by far one of the most
popular and influential written works in twentieth-century literature. Once you
pick up the first book, you’ll read them all.
16. David Copperfield by Charles DickensThis is a tale that lingers
on the topic of attaining and maintaining a disciplined heart as it
relates to one’s emotional and moral life. Dickens states that we must learn to
go against “the first mistaken impulse of the undisciplined heart.”
17. Four Quartets by
T.S. EliotProbably the wisest poetic prose of modern times. It was written during
World War II, and is still entirely relevant today … here’s an excerpt: “The
dove descending breaks the air/With flame of incandescent terror/Of which the
tongues declare/The only discharge from sin and error/The only hope, or the
despair/Lies in the choice of pyre or pyre–/To be redeemed from fire by
fire./Who then devised this torment?/Love/Love is the unfamiliar Name/Behind
the hands that wave/The intolerable shirt of flame/Which human power cannot
remove./We only live, only suspire/Consumed by either fire or fire.”
18. Catch-22 by
Joseph HellerThis book coined the self-titled term “catch-22” that is widely used in
modern-day dialogue. As for the story, its message is clear: What’s commonly
held to be good, may be bad … what is sensible, is nonsense. Its one of the
greatest literary works of the twentieth century. Read it.
19. The Great Gatsby by
F. Scott FitzgeraldSet in the Jazz Age of the roaring 20s, this book unravels a cautionary
tale of the American dream. Specifically, the reader learns that a few good
friends are far more important that a zillion acquaintances, and the drive
created from the desire to have something is more valuable than actually having
it.
20. The Catcher in the Rye by
J.D. Salinger
This novel firmly stands as an icon for accurately representing the ups and
downs of teen angst, defiance and rebellion. If nothing else, it serves as a reminder
of the unpredictable teenage mindset.
21. Crime and Punishment by
Fyodor Dostoyevsky
A smooth-flowing, captivating novel of a young man living in poverty who
criminally succumbs to the desire for money, and the hefty psychological impact
this has on him and the people closest to him.
22. The Prince by
Niccolo Machiavelli
This book does a great job at describing situations of power and statesmanship.
From political and corporate power struggles to attaining advancement,
influence, and authority over others, Machiavelli’s observations apply.
23. Walden by
Henry David ThoreauThoreau spent two years, two months and two days writing this book in a
secluded cabin near the banks of Walden Pond in Concord,
Massachusetts. This is a story about being truly free from the pressures of
society. The book can speak for itself: “I went to the woods because I wished
to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I
could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover
that I had not lived.”
24. The Republic by PlatoA gripping and enduring work of philosophy on how life should be lived,
justice should be served, and leaders should lead. It also gives the reader a
fundamental understanding of western political theory.
25. Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov
This is the kind of book that blows your mind wide open to conflicting feelings
of life, love and corruption … and at times makes you deeply question your own
perceptions of each. The story is as devious as it is beautiful.
26. Getting Things Done by
David AllenThe quintessential guide to organizing your life and getting things done.
Nuff said.
27. How To Win Friends and Influence People by
Dale CarnegieThis is the granddaddy of all self-improvement books. It is a comprehensive,
easy to read guide for winning people over to your way of thinking in both
business and personal relationships.
28. Lord of the Flies by William GoldingA powerful and alarming look at the possibilities for savagery in a lawless
environment, where compassionate human reasoning is replaced by anarchistic,
animal instinct.
29. The Grapes of Wrath by
John SteinbeckSteinbeck’s deeply touching tale about the survival of displaced families
desperately searching for work in a nation stuck by depression will never cease
to be relevant.
30. The Master and Margarita by
Mikhail BulgakovThis anticommunist masterpiece is a multifaceted novel about the clash
between good and evil. It dives head first into the topics of greed, corruption
and deception as they relate to human nature.
31.
BONUS: How To Cook Everything by Mark Bittman900 pages of simple instructions on how
to cook everything you could ever dream of eating. Pretty much the greatest
cookbook ever written. Get through a few recipes each week, and you’ll be a
master chef by the time you’re thirty.
32.
BONUS: Honeymoon with My Brother by
Franz WisnerFranz Wisner had it all … a great job and a beautiful fiancée. Life was
good. But then his fiancée dumped him days before their wedding, and his boss
basically fired him. So he dragged his younger brother to Costa Rica for his
already-scheduled honeymoon and they never turned back … around the world they
went for two full years. This is a fun, heartfelt adventure story about life,
relationships, and self-discovery.
Before They’re Thirty
By:Mark and Angel Hack Life
The Web
is grand. With its fame for hosting informative, easy-to-skim textual snippets
and collaborative written works, people are spending more and more time reading
online. Nevertheless, the Web cannot replace the authoritative
transmissions from certain classic books that have delivered (or will
deliver) profound ideas around the globe for generations.
The
thirty books listed here are of unparalleled prose, packed with
wisdom capable of igniting a new understanding of the
world. Everyone should read these books before their thirtieth birthday.
1. Siddhartha by Hermann HesseA powerful story about the importance
of life experiences as they relate to approaching an understanding of reality
and attaining enlightenment.
2. 1984 by George Orwell1984 still holds chief significance
nearly sixty years after it was written in 1949. It is widely acclaimed for its
haunting vision of an all-knowing government, which uses pervasive,
twenty-four/seven surveillance tactics to manipulate all citizens of the
populace.
3. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper LeeThe story surveys the controversial issues of race and economic class in
the 1930s Deep South via a court case of a black man charged with the rape
and abuse of a young white girl. It’s a moving tale that delivers a profound
message about fighting for justice and against prejudice.
4. A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess
A nightmarish vision of insane youth culture that depicts heart wrenching
insight into the life of a disturbed adolescent. This novel will blow you away
… leaving you breathless, livid, thrilled, and concerned.
5. For Whom the Bell Tolls by Ernest HemingwayA short, powerful contemplation on death, ideology and the incredible
brutality of war.
6. War and Peace by Leo TolstoyThis masterpiece is so enormous even
Tolstoy said it couldn’t be described as a standard novel. The storyline takes
place in Russian society during the Napoleonic Era, following the characters of
Andrei, Pierre and Natasha … and the tragic and unanticipated way in which
their lives interconnect.
7. The Rights of Man by Tom PaineWritten during the era of the French
Revolution, this book was one of the first to introduce the concept of human
rights from the standpoint of democracy.
8. The Social Contract by
Jean-Jacques Rousseau
A famous quote from the book states that “Man is born free, and everywhere he
is in chains.” This accurately summarizes the book’s prime position on the
importance of individual human rights within society.
9. One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García MárquezThis novel does not have a plot in the
conventional sense, but instead uses various narratives to portray a clear
message about the general importance of remembering our cultural history.
10. The Origin of Species by Charles Darwin
Few books have had as significant an impact on the way society views the
natural world and the genesis of humankind.
11. The Wisdom of the Desert by
Thomas MertonA collection of thoughts, meditations and reflections that give insight
into what life is like to live simply and purely, dedicated to a greater power
than ourselves.
12. The Tipping Point by Malcolm GladwellGladwell looks at how a small idea, or
product concept, can spread like a virus and spark global sociological changes.
Specifically, he analyzes “the levels at which the momentum for change becomes
unstoppable.”
13. The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth GrahamArguably one of the best children’s books ever written; this short novel
will help you appreciate the simple pleasures in life. It’s most notable for
its playful mixture of mysticism, adventure, morality, and camaraderie.
14. The Art of War by Sun TzuOne of the oldest books on military strategy in the world. It’s easily the
most successful written work on the mechanics of general strategy and business
tactics.
15. The Lord of the Rings by
J.R.R. TolkienOne of the greatest fictional stories ever told, and by far one of the most
popular and influential written works in twentieth-century literature. Once you
pick up the first book, you’ll read them all.
16. David Copperfield by Charles DickensThis is a tale that lingers
on the topic of attaining and maintaining a disciplined heart as it
relates to one’s emotional and moral life. Dickens states that we must learn to
go against “the first mistaken impulse of the undisciplined heart.”
17. Four Quartets by
T.S. EliotProbably the wisest poetic prose of modern times. It was written during
World War II, and is still entirely relevant today … here’s an excerpt: “The
dove descending breaks the air/With flame of incandescent terror/Of which the
tongues declare/The only discharge from sin and error/The only hope, or the
despair/Lies in the choice of pyre or pyre–/To be redeemed from fire by
fire./Who then devised this torment?/Love/Love is the unfamiliar Name/Behind
the hands that wave/The intolerable shirt of flame/Which human power cannot
remove./We only live, only suspire/Consumed by either fire or fire.”
18. Catch-22 by
Joseph HellerThis book coined the self-titled term “catch-22” that is widely used in
modern-day dialogue. As for the story, its message is clear: What’s commonly
held to be good, may be bad … what is sensible, is nonsense. Its one of the
greatest literary works of the twentieth century. Read it.
19. The Great Gatsby by
F. Scott FitzgeraldSet in the Jazz Age of the roaring 20s, this book unravels a cautionary
tale of the American dream. Specifically, the reader learns that a few good
friends are far more important that a zillion acquaintances, and the drive
created from the desire to have something is more valuable than actually having
it.
20. The Catcher in the Rye by
J.D. Salinger
This novel firmly stands as an icon for accurately representing the ups and
downs of teen angst, defiance and rebellion. If nothing else, it serves as a reminder
of the unpredictable teenage mindset.
21. Crime and Punishment by
Fyodor Dostoyevsky
A smooth-flowing, captivating novel of a young man living in poverty who
criminally succumbs to the desire for money, and the hefty psychological impact
this has on him and the people closest to him.
22. The Prince by
Niccolo Machiavelli
This book does a great job at describing situations of power and statesmanship.
From political and corporate power struggles to attaining advancement,
influence, and authority over others, Machiavelli’s observations apply.
23. Walden by
Henry David ThoreauThoreau spent two years, two months and two days writing this book in a
secluded cabin near the banks of Walden Pond in Concord,
Massachusetts. This is a story about being truly free from the pressures of
society. The book can speak for itself: “I went to the woods because I wished
to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I
could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover
that I had not lived.”
24. The Republic by PlatoA gripping and enduring work of philosophy on how life should be lived,
justice should be served, and leaders should lead. It also gives the reader a
fundamental understanding of western political theory.
25. Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov
This is the kind of book that blows your mind wide open to conflicting feelings
of life, love and corruption … and at times makes you deeply question your own
perceptions of each. The story is as devious as it is beautiful.
26. Getting Things Done by
David AllenThe quintessential guide to organizing your life and getting things done.
Nuff said.
27. How To Win Friends and Influence People by
Dale CarnegieThis is the granddaddy of all self-improvement books. It is a comprehensive,
easy to read guide for winning people over to your way of thinking in both
business and personal relationships.
28. Lord of the Flies by William GoldingA powerful and alarming look at the possibilities for savagery in a lawless
environment, where compassionate human reasoning is replaced by anarchistic,
animal instinct.
29. The Grapes of Wrath by
John SteinbeckSteinbeck’s deeply touching tale about the survival of displaced families
desperately searching for work in a nation stuck by depression will never cease
to be relevant.
30. The Master and Margarita by
Mikhail BulgakovThis anticommunist masterpiece is a multifaceted novel about the clash
between good and evil. It dives head first into the topics of greed, corruption
and deception as they relate to human nature.
31.
BONUS: How To Cook Everything by Mark Bittman900 pages of simple instructions on how
to cook everything you could ever dream of eating. Pretty much the greatest
cookbook ever written. Get through a few recipes each week, and you’ll be a
master chef by the time you’re thirty.
32.
BONUS: Honeymoon with My Brother by
Franz WisnerFranz Wisner had it all … a great job and a beautiful fiancée. Life was
good. But then his fiancée dumped him days before their wedding, and his boss
basically fired him. So he dragged his younger brother to Costa Rica for his
already-scheduled honeymoon and they never turned back … around the world they
went for two full years. This is a fun, heartfelt adventure story about life,
relationships, and self-discovery.
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