to read list

#1 Fahrenheit 451 (Ray Bradbury)
A book burner in a future fascist state finds out books are a vital part of a culture he never knew. He clandestinely pursues reading, until he is betrayed.
Tags
#2 The Picture of Dorian Gray (Oscar Wilde)
Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray is a mesmerizing and provocative novel that delves into the complexities of human nature, the pursuit of pleasure, and the consequences of unchecked desire. Set in the opulent and morally ambiguous world of late Victorian London, the story follows Dorian Gray, a young man whose extraordinary beauty captivates all who meet him. When the artist Basil Hallward paints Dorian’s portrait, he unwittingly sets in motion a chain of events that will forever alter the course of Dorian’s life. Influenced by the charismatic and hedonistic Lord Henry Wotton, Dorian becomes obsessed with the idea that youth and beauty are the only things worth having, and he makes a fateful wish that he might remain forever young while his portrait bears the marks of age and sin. As Dorian indulges in a life of excess, vice, and moral corruption, his outward appearance remains flawless and untouched by time, while his hidden portrait grows increasingly grotesque, reflecting the darkness of his soul. Isolated from the consequences of his actions, Dorian spirals ever deeper into decadence, leaving destruction in his wake and grappling with guilt, fear, and the haunting presence of his own conscience. Wilde’s only novel masterfully blends elements of gothic horror, philosophical fiction, and biting social satire, challenging readers to consider the true cost of vanity, the dangers of influence, and the eternal struggle between surface and substance. The Picture of Dorian Gray endures as a powerful meditation on art, ethics, and the price of living for pleasure alone. This classic work continues to captivate readers worldwide, offering profound insights into the nature of vanity, the consequences of moral decay, and the eternal conflict between appearance and reality. A timeless masterpiece. Its enduring relevance and haunting narrative make it a cornerstone of literary exploration into the human psyche and the cost of eternal youth.
Tags
#3 The Catcher in the Rye (J. D. Salinger)
Story of Holden Caufield with his idiosyncrasies, penetrating insight, confusion, sensitivity and negativism. Holden, knowing he is to be expelled from school, decides to leave early. He spends three days in New York City and tells the story of what he did and suffered there.
Tags
#4 1984 (George Orwell)
Nineteen Eighty-Four: A Novel, often referred to as 1984, is a dystopian social science fiction novel by the English novelist George Orwell (the pen name of Eric Arthur Blair). It was published on 8 June 1949 by Secker & Warburg as Orwell's ninth and final book completed in his lifetime. Thematically, Nineteen Eighty-Four centres on the consequences of totalitarianism, mass surveillance, and repressive regimentation of persons and behaviours within society. Orwell, himself a democratic socialist, modelled the authoritarian government in the novel after Stalinist Russia. More broadly, the novel examines the role of truth and facts within politics and the ways in which they are manipulated.
Tags
#5 Jane Eyre (Charlotte Brontë)
Orphaned, penniless, and fiercely independent, Jane Eyre embarks on a journey of self-discovery and love that will take her to the darkest depths of the human heart. As governess to the mysterious and brooding Mr. Rochester's ward, Jane finds herself drawn to the enigmatic master of Thornfield Hall - but secrets lurk in the shadows, threatening to destroy their fragile bond. Will Jane's unyielding spirit and determination be enough to overcome the obstacles in her path, or will the darkness of her past consume her? Dive into this timeless classic of love, loss, and resilience, and discover the unforgettable story of Jane Eyre.
Tags

#6 The Midnight Library (Matt Haig)
Somewhere out beyond the edge of the universe there is a library that contains an infinite number of books, each one the story of another reality. One tells the story of your life as it is, along with another book for the other life you could have lived if you had made a different choice at any point in your life. While we all wonder how our lives might have been, what if you had the chance to go to the library and see for yourself? Would any of these other lives truly be better?
Tags
#7 Brave New World (Aldous Huxley)
Originally published in 1932, this outstanding work of literature is more crucial and relevant today than ever before. Cloning, feel-good drugs, antiaging programs, and total social control through politics, programming, and media -- has Aldous Huxley accurately predicted our future? With a storyteller's genius, he weaves these ethical controversies in a compelling narrative that dawns in the year 632 AF (After Ford, the deity). When Lenina and Bernard visit a savage reservation, we experience how Utopia can destroy humanity. A powerful work of speculative fiction that has enthralled and terrified readers for generations, Brave New World is both a warning to be heeded and thought-provoking yet satisfying entertainment. - Container.
Tags
#8 And Then There Were None (Agatha Christie)
An exclusive authorized edition of the most famous and beloved stories from the Queen of Mystery. Ten people, each with something to hide and something to fear, are invited to an isolated mansion on Indian Island by a host who, surprisingly, fails to appear. On the island they are cut off from everything but each other and the inescapable shadows of their own past lives. One by one, the guests share the darkest secrets of their wicked pasts. And one by one, they die… Which among them is the killer and will any of them survive?
Tags
#9 Slaughterhouse-Five (Kurt Vonnegut)
Slaughterhouse-Five is one of the world's great anti-war books. Centering on the infamous fire-bombing of Dresden, Billy Pilgrim's odyssey through time reflects the mythic journey of our own fractured lives as we search for meaning in what we are afraid to know.