Strange Fruit by Lillian Smith

This novel by Lillian Smith isn’t as well known as other books from the era, but it’s incredible. Smith, who grew up in backwoods, racist Georgia, lived in China for much of her adult life, but revisited her home for this novel. Written in 1944, it follows the story of Nonnie Anderson, a young black girl who falls in love with Tracy Deen, a popular white man. The two are inevitably ripped apart by a cruel town hellbent on segregating the audacious couple. The story follows the heartbreaking aftermath of their liasion. The characters are richly detailed and will break your heart. It is rumored that Smith was inspired to write the book after hearing the Billie Holiday song of the same name.

Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck

Not as lengthy as his coup de grace The Grapes of Wrath, this novella (it’s so small it could be read in one sitting) tells the story of one particular season in the lives of George and Lenny, two men with small means and big dreams. Steinbeck’s writing flows, and the inner struggle of George as he tries to take care of the overgrown child Lenny, will keep you riveted. It also contains one of the best endings of a novel ever.

The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger

Holden Caufield isn’t exactly a likeable character, but you can’t help but identify with him. J.D. Salinger captured a spirit of a generation in his protagonist: an aimless, selfish, cynical young man who has been expelled from school, rejected by girlfriends and looked down upon by his family. His only allies are his little sister who idolizes him, and a seemingly overfriendly professor who might just see a little of himself in Holden. Ignore all the negative stigma about the book, just pick it up and enjoy it. It’s a good, fast, funny read.

The Color Purple by Alice Walker

Told in simple and blunt language, this novel by Alice Walker begins with the main character, Celie, telling us about how she gave birth to two children by her father, who were then ripped out of her arms. The rest of the story isn’t any less heartbreaking, but if you can make it until the end, Celie’s many struggles and pains pay off in a wonderful tale of redemption, reunion and the sisterhood and brotherhood of friends who are there for each other in times of happiness and sorrow. After you’ve read the book, rent the film. It’s great, too.

The Good Earth by Pearl Buck

Buck spins a simple tale of a Chinese family and their struggle to make a place of their own. Going through three generations, it begins on the wedding day of Wang Lung, a young man brimming with the anticipation of beginning his new life. It also tells the story of his suffering wife, O-Lan, their unappreciative sons, and the concubine Wang Lung acquires after finding success. It is a startlingly realistic tale of father-and-son, work ethic and just rewards. The end of the book, told in Buck’s manner of fact fashion, is crippling and powerful.

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

Many of us read this novel in High School, but it is certainly good enough to warrant a second (or third or fourth) reading. Harper Lee’s only novel focuses on the young girl, Scout, idealistic and precocious, her brother Jem, quiet and thoughtful, and their father Atticus, admirable and respected. Scout discovers secrets about a mysterious neighbor, which causes some tumultuous things to happen in the little town they live in. A great tale about seeing people for what they are and not how they seem.

Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy

Not as famous as his masterpiece War and Peace, Tolstoy’s tale of an unhappy woman who takes extreme measures to escape her unhappiness is still relevant even today. The book focuses on two different sets of people: Levin and his eventual bride, the flighty Kitty, and Anna Karenina, a married aristocrat and Count Vronsky, the main with whom she is having an affair. An ill-faited quadrangle takes place, as Kitty pines for Vronsky, and Anna’s husband pines for her, with Levin caught in the middle. Full of bad omens, symbolism and richly detailed language, this book is romantic and beautifully written.

Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte

Considered one of the best love stories ever written, Wuthering Heights is an escape into the dark moors of the heart. Beginning at their childhoods, the story starts by telling the story of Catherine and Heathcliff, adoptive brother and sister who are drawn to each other like moths to a flame. As they grow into adulthood, the love between them blossoms and Heathcliff borders on obsession. Due to family constraints and societal impression, Catherine goes on to marry another, driving Heathcliff to insanity. The story that follows effects their eventual partners, siblings, and the offspring of both unions. It is both romantic and incredibly tragic, and you will be unable to put it down once you begin.

Lord of the Flies by William Golding

Written during the Cold War, Golding tells the tale of what happens when a group of seemingly well behaved young men become stranded on a desert island and left to their own devices. The boy centers on two young men in particular; the handsome, popular Ralph, and the overweight, asthmatic ‘Piggy’, whom all the other boys target. The boys, after a vote, deem Ralph the ‘leader’ of the group and set out work to survive on the island and try to organize a rescue. With in-fighting, competition and bullying, soon order turns to chaos and the evil, dark sides of the boys emerge. Disturbing and often-times terrifying, the novel is a metaphor for what society can (and has) become if given too much power.

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

From the point of view of the colorful, glitzy Jazz Age, Fitzgerald brings to life the struggle between rich and poor in aristocratic New York. Told from the point of view of Nick Carraway, a somewhat upper class working man, we come to meet Daisy and Tom Buchanan, the rich and flighty married couple who go through life leaving everything in their wake. We also meet the confident, cool Jordan Baker, a famous golfer, and the illustrious, charming and mysterious Jay Gatsby. As Nick spends his social time with these four people, we begin to learn the secrets of these rich and exciting people. The novel is told in rich, colorful language and describes a decade full of glamour and sparkle, while also focusing on the hypocrisy, disdain and discontent of the society Nick so uncomfortably settles in. Jay Gatsby will make you fall in love and will then break your heart with his innocence and naiveté. In personal and humble opinion, The Great Gatsby is the best novel of all time.