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The 30 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 30th birthday.

1. Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse A powerful story about the importance of life experiencesas they relate to approaching an understanding of reality and attaining enlightenment.

2. 1984 by George Orwell 1984 still holds chief significance nearly 60 years after it was writtenin 1949. It is widely acclaimed for its haunting vision of an all-knowing government which

uses pervasive, 24/7 surveillance tactics to manipulate all citizens of the populace.

3. To Killa Mockingbird by Harper Lee The story surveys the controversial issues of raceand 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. Its a moving tale that delivers a profound message

about fighting for justice and against prejudice.

4. AClockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess A nightmarish vision of insane youth culturethat 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 Hemingway A short, powerful contemplation ondeath, ideology and the incredible brutality of war.

6. Warand Peace by Leo Tolstoy This masterpiece is so enormous even Tolstoy said itcouldnt 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 Paine Written during the era of the French Revolution, thisbook was one of the first to introduce the concept of human rights from the standpoint ofdemocracy.

8. TheSocial Contract by Jean-Jacques Rousseau A famous quote from the book states thatMan is born free, and everywhere he is in chains. This accurately summarizes the books

prime position on the importance of individual human rights within society.

9. One Hundred Years ofSolitude by Gabriel Garca Mrquez This novel does not have aplot 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 ofSpecies by Charles Darwin Few books have had as significant an impact onthe way society views the natural world and the genesis of humankind.

11. The Wisdom ofthe Desert by Thomas Merton A collection of thoughts, meditations andreflections that give insight into what life is like to live simply and purely, dedicated to a

greater power than ourselves.

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12. The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell Gladwell looks at how a small idea, or productconcept, 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 Windinthe Willows by Kenneth Graham Arguably one of the best childrens booksever written; this short novel will help you appreciate the simple pleasures in life. Its mostnotable for its playful mixture of mysticism, adventure, morality, and camaraderie.

14. TheArt of War by Sun Tzu One of the oldest books on military strategy in the world. Itseasily the most successful written work on the mechanics of general strategy and business

tactics.

15. The Lord ofthe Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien One of the greatest fictional stories ever told,and by far one of the most popular and influential written works in 20th-century literature.

Once you pick up the first book, youll read them all.

16. David Copperfield by Charles Dickens This is a tale that lingers on the topic of attainingand maintaining a disciplined heart as it relates to ones 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. Eliot Probably the wisest poetic prose of modern times. It waswritten during World War II, and is still entirely relevant today heres 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 Heller This book coined the self-titled term catch-22 that is widelyused in modern-day dialogue. As for the story, its message is clear: Whats commonly held to

be good, may be bad what is sensible, is nonsense. Its one of the greatest literary works of

the 20th century. Read it.

19. The Great Gatsbyby F. Scott Fitzgerald Set in the Jazz Age of the roaring 20s, this bookunravels 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 Catcherinthe Rye by J.D. Salinger This novel firmly stands as an icon for accuratelyrepresenting the ups and downs of teen angst, defiance and rebellion. If nothing else, it serves

as a reminder of the unpredictable teenage mindset.

21. Crimeand Punishment by Fyodor Dostoyevsky A smooth-flowing, captivating novel of ayoung man living in poverty who criminally succumbs to the desire for money, and the hefty

phychological impact this has on him and the people closest to him.

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22.The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli This book does a great job at describing situations ofpower and statesmanship. From political and corporate power struggles to attaining

advancement, influence and authority over others, Machiavellis observations apply.

23.Walden by Henry David Thoreau Thoreau spent two years, two months and two dayswriting 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 Plato A gripping and enduring work of philosophy on how life should belived, justice should be served, and leaders should lead. It also gives the reader a fundamental

understanding of western political theory.

25.Lolita 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 Allen The quintessential guide to organizing your life andgetting things done. Nuff said.

27.How To WinFriendsand Influence People by Dale Carnegie This is the granddaddyof 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 oftheFlies by William Golding A powerful and alarming look at the possibilities forsavagery in a lawless environment, where compassionate human reasoning is replaced by

anarchistic, animal instinct.

29.The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck Steinbecks deeply touching tale about thesurvival of displaced families desperately searching for work in a nation stuck by depression

will never cease to be relevant.

30.The Masterand Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov This anticommunist masterpiece is amultifaceted 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