What are some books that you think everyone should read?

I think it would be the Qur'an.

Hitchhikers guide to the galaxy by Douglas Adams - because everyone should learn not to take life so damn seriously. Mr Adams was damn awesome. Aside from that? Whatever you like. You are the one who has to read them. You are the one who should take something from these stories and who should find something valuable in each word, meaning, sentence. Listen to friends recommendations, look at reviews and recs online, give the books a chance to speak to you but if they start to bore you, why waste your time? I love books so much but there are many I wish I'd never bothered with and more I put down when I got to the point where I just couldn't take it any more.

Mmm.. I'm still a student in school, so I might not know of many good books. But one of my favourite books is The Giver by Lois Lowry. It's an interesting book.. and it really makes me think. You could try reading it :) Happy myLotting ^^

I think everyone must read Harry Potter series. I even heard it's included in some school curriculum to read the book for the students. It's a great fiction story about fantasy, friendship, and family.

My favorite book of all time is "The Catcher in the Rye." By JD Salinger. It is an awesome book, I've read it probably 10 times. The first time I ever had to read it was for high school but I have read it several times since then. Although I love to read so I could go on and on about other good books. It depends on what style you like.

well i'd say "the alchemist" by paulo coelho.. its about doing what you want in life, not what you need in life.. this book gives enlightenment to anyone who's having problems over what they would do with their life.

I believe that there are several good books out there and I truly believe that everyone should read Black Beauty. I know it is a child's book, but it contains good lessons about animal care and it shows us that man is not always right in the way things are done.

Most of the books I see on those types of lists are the books I was forced to read in English class and the ones that I throughly hated. Charles Dickens makes me gag and don't even get me started on Ernest Hemingway! English class was a parade of dystopian societies, overcoming racial prejudice, coming of age stories, war stories... etc. I'm a high fantasy freak. What I would put on my list of books everyone should read would be stuff like The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien, The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis, and The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle. I like epic adventures in made-up worlds. My English teachers never agreed with me. But you know... I don't think everyone is obligated to read and like the same things. The books that you think changed your life and could do the same for everyone else if they would only read them, are probably not going to have the same effect on others. They might hate and despise them like how I feel about The Great Gatsby. I hate that book something fierce. Or they might think them boring, pointless, and plotless like how I feel about The Sun Also Rises. I hate that book even more. My English teachers loved these books and thought that they were CLASSIC example of BEAUTIFUL writing and GRAND life lessons and GREAT symbolism and yada yada. I saw a bunch of drunk rich people. I like heroes, mythical creatures, good vs. evil... but I know there are loads of people who would gag at what I like to read. The way I see it, as long as you're reading something you enjoy... you can't go wrong.

I think the "Secret" would be well worth the read for everyone. Full of positive life quotes and how to approach life with a positive attitude. I asked for this book last Christmas and I loved it!!

Well, first of allc the personal interests about what to read are quite different so I rather prefer that every person reads what he/she likes and thinks is more interesting or better for him/herself. It's quite difficult to tell somene what he or she should read. But, in my opinion, everyone should read even once the Holy Scriptures. Than books about history, biographies about important people and about philosophy. When I mention "important people" I don't think of politics or persons with a higher status. For me, important people can be for example Mahatma Gandhi or Mother Theresa, persons who might have changed world or part of it. Definitely, books you might learn a lot of and can help you to live a better life. Anyway, as I already said, it's very personal and everybody has to decide on her/his own what people really want to read as the interests are quite different.

I'm not sure if someone posted it, but everyone should read The Lord of the Rings trilogy. One other book that I think everyone should read is Captain Corelli's Mandolin. It's set on a small island in Greece during the Second World War. It's a story that shows the effects of war on humanity, which side you're on. The author, Louis de Bernieres, makes the saddest scenes read like the most beautiful thing you'll ever read.

Hi Raineyes, This may sound complicated but I do not think that there are ANY books which everyone should read. Because, a book -whether fiction or non-fiction, bases itself upon the writer's inner psyche. I do not know J.K.Rowling but I think she can't be a dowdy old matronish lady simply because that doesn't fit in with the Harry Potter Books. Again-James Joyce's ULYSSES is in such a style that it is difficult to understand for the non-initiated. He didn't write it for fame but because he thought that way. There are so many examples. If there is a book-list foe all and everyone likes reading the books in the list (no fibbing), then the world will be unbearably dull.

"The Picture of Dorian Gray" from Oscar Wilde is a must read book, other book I think you should read is "Demian" from Hermann Hesse. I love Herman Hesse's novels and tales, and I think that a good reader should read him novels.

Firstly, I think no one can say they're smart if they haven't read the bible. I mean, even if you're a not a christian, the bible always have good stuff. Then, there are scientific books everybody should read like the Communist Manifesto (Karl Marx and Friederich Engels), The origin of species (Charles Darwin), The wealth of nations (Adam Smith) and other writers like Plato and Kant. Lets not forget about the books from this century, like harry potter, twilight (I know its silly, but ok) and the lord of the rings