30 Books Everyone Should Read At Least Once In Their Lives

Books are like forever companion to everyone. Especially, those who are serial readers. Importantly, books not only give you knowledge but gives you the ability to be more thoughtful. Books are friends, who talks to you in the loneliest times, who guide you through the hardest paths and who takes you on an adventurous rides. So, keeping everything in mind, here are 30 books everyone should read at least once in their lives. You will be getting lots of options and as per your taste and preference. As, you will find 5 books from each 6 different genres.

Self Help Books

This is the genre in which you will get the books that can help you in dealing life or lifestyles. Self–help is a process of sharing a common experience, challenge or concern. It is participatory in nature, and involves getting help, giving help, and learning to help yourself, as well as sharing knowledge and experience.

1. 7  Habits Of Highly Effective People – Stephen Covey

This book has the capacity to influence you. Covey has explained everything so beautifully and easily so that everyone can understand it. The books talks about three circles (circle of control, circle of influence and circle of concern) which elucidates what things are in your control and what not. In addition to this, Covey writes examples which can help you a lot in understanding the concepts. Furthermore, The book is a complete package of everything that you need to practice in your life to be more productive and effective.

2. Alchemist – Paulo Coehlo

It focuses on the individual and the pursuit of individual dreams as making a positive contribution to the “Soul of the World”. However, It shows that obstacles to one’s personal legend are merely obstacles, not blockades. Hence, It challenges you to think about your own personal legend.

3. The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck – Mark Manson

4. Life’s Amazing Secrets: How to Find Balance and Purpose in Your Life – Gaur Gopal Das

Gopal Das covers every aspect of the life. Be it about relationships or be it about relation with ourselves. Therefore, Gaur Gopal Das Ji talks about the 4 principles that form the foundation of a happy life. Moreover, these are Personal life, Relationships, Work life, and Social Contribution. To illustrate, he talks how to keep them balanced to live a life full of values and happiness.

5. Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life – Albert Liebermann and Hector Garcia

Ikigai (生き甲斐) (pronounced [ikiɡai]) is a Japanese concept that means “a reason for being”. Therefore, it gives you a reason to get up in the morning. Consequently. enjoying in your work, loving what you do, giving meaning to your existence. Additionally, combined with healthy eating and a nice living environment, your ‘ikigai’ is an important ingredient for healthy ageing. And this is what makes ‘Ikigai’ in the list of 30 books everyone should read once in their lives.

In this genre, there are hundreds of books that you can read as per your taste and preferences. For examples, books by Robin Sharma, Rhonda Byrn, Dale Carnegie etc.

Romance Genre Books

A romance is a narrative genre in literature that involves a mysterious, adventurous, or spiritual story line where the focus is on a quest that involves bravery and strong values, not always a love interest.

1. Pride And Prejudice – Jane Austen (Must Read)

At its core, Pride and Prejudice tells the love story of Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy, both of whom have to overcome their biases in order to end up together. Throughout the novel, both characters learn to unlearn their pride and prejudice so that they can come to accept the other’s goodness of character. Finally, it is one of the classics that made this book be in the list of 30 books everyone should read at least once in their lives.

2. A Walk to Remember – Nicholas Sparks

You must be familiar with ‘The Notebook’ novel written by Nicholas Sparks, published in 1996. So here is ‘A Walk To Remember’ by the same author, Nicholas Sparks, released  in 1999. In A Walk to Remember, Landon Carter narrates the flashback story of his senior year in the late 1950s at Beaufort High in Beaufort, North Carolina, when he first discovers the power of love.

3. Love in the Time of Cholera – Gabriel García Márquez

Love as an Emotional and Physical Plague. However, the novel’s most prominent theme suggest that lovesickness is a literal illness, a plague comparable to cholera.To this end,  Florentino Ariza suffers from lovesickness as one would suffer from cholera, enduring both physical and emotional pains as he longs for Fermina Daza.

4. The Girl Of My Dreams – Durjoy Datta

“The Girl of my Dreams” is the story of Daman who meets with an accident and immediately goes into a coma. Then, the only thing he remembers is that he was in the car with a girl and that the girl’s name was Shreyasi. Therefore, the climax is fairly good too with a satisfying end to such an intriguing story.

5. Until The End of Time – Danielle Steel

Two parallel love stories, each perfect in their own ways, reach their own destinies after being lost. Both stories come together in the most unexpected way. The story is about the change, fear, separation and the undying quest for love.

Gothic Genre Books

The Gothic novel is a genre associated with the mystery and intrigue surrounding the supernatural and the unknown. Likewise, characteristics of the Gothic include: death and decay, haunted homes/castles, family curses, madness, powerful love/romance, ghosts, and vampires.

1. Carrie – Stephen King

The book itself is the story of Carrie White, a high-school student with latent – and then, as the novel progresses, developing – telekinetic powers. As a result, it’s brutal in places, affecting in others (Carrie’s relationship with her almost hysterically religious mother being a particularly damaged one), and gory in even more.

2. Frankenstein – Mary Shelley

The theme that revenge brings more vengeance, hence initiates moods of insanity and monstrosity, is present in both Frankenstein and the creature. Consequently, though yearning for knowledge is an often encouraged characteristic, Shelley uses Frankenstein to display that relentless curiosity only leaves behind monstrosity.

3. The Castle Of Otranto –  Horace Walpole

The novel relates the history of Manfred, the prince of Otranto, who is keen to secure the castle for his descendants in the face of a mysterious curse. At the beginning of the work Manfred’s son, Conrad, is crushed to death by an enormous helmet on the morning of his wedding to the beautiful Princess Isabella. Hence, faced with the extinction of his line, Manfred vows to divorce his wife and marry the terrified Isabella himself. In Addition, this gothic effect makes ‘The Castle Of Otranto’ one of the 30 books everyone should read.

4. Dracula – Bram Stroker

This is a really good book. The device of using letters to tell a story is one of the charms of Dracula. This was a recognized genre in Victorian times, the epistolary novel, and allows for a wide variety of characters, viewpoints, and story developments. In Addition, it’s a scary, intriguing under-the-covers read. Moreover, with great horror staples like spooky howling wolves, damsels in distress, evil monsters, and a quest to destroy them it’s not surprising that this is the novel that kicked off the vampire craze.

5. The Masque of the Red Death – Edgar Allan Poe

The story follows Prince Prospero’s attempts to avoid a dangerous plague known as the Red Death by hiding in his abbey. Also, he, along with many other wealthy nobles, has a masquerade ball within seven rooms of his abbey, each decorated with a different color. Furthermore, the story follows many traditions of Gothic fiction and is often analyzed as an allegory about the inevitability of death, though some critics advise against an allegorical reading.

Mythology Genre Books

Mythology is the study and interpretation of often sacred tales or fables of a culture known as myths or the collection of such stories which deal with various aspects of the human condition: good and evil.

1. The Palace of Illusions – Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni

Relevant to today’s war-torn world, The Palace of Illusions takes us back to a time that is half history, half myth, and wholly magical. Besides, narrated by Panchaali, the wife of the legendary Pandavas brothers in the Mahabharat, the novel gives us a new interpretation of this ancient tale.

2. Shiva Trilogy – Amish Tripathi 

3. My Gita – Devdutt Pattanaik

In My Gita, acclaimed mythologist Devdutt Pattanaik demystifies The Bhagavad Gita for the contemporary reader. His unique approach—thematic rather than verse-by-verse—makes the ancient treatise eminently accessible, combined as it is with his trademark illustrations and simple diagrams.

4. The Greek Myths: The Complete And Definitive Edition – Robert Graves

If you are into Greek Mythology then this is the book that you must have. These stories concern the origin and the nature of the world, the lives and activities of deities, heroes, and mythological creatures, and the origins and significance of the ancient Greeks‘ own cult and ritual practices.

5. Circe – Madeline Miller

Circe the truly powerful story of a goddess but also a woman who loved, who fights and lives. In addition to this, “Circe” will surely delight readers new to the witch’s stories. so, as it will many who remember her role in the Greek myths of their childhood: Like a good children’s book, it engrosses and races along at a clip, eliciting excitement and emotion along the way.

Sci-Fiction Genre Books

Fiction based on imagined future scientific or technological advances and major social or environmental changes, frequently portraying space or time travel and life on other planets.

1. 1984 – George Orwell

”1984” portrays a world divided between three States, each of them sovereign and under totalitarian rule. Oceania, Eurasia and Eastasia are not countries in the traditional sense of the world. However, they are conglomerates of power in which infallible and all-powerful Big Brothers rule. Importantly, this book is a must read before you die that is the reason behind this book being in the list of 30 books everyone should read once in their life.

2. The Time Machine – H.G. Wells

The Time Machine by HG Wells can be called a classic for two reasons. First, the book is a groundbreaking work of science fiction that in the twenty-first century still appeals to readers of the genre. Second, it is a document of the frame of mind of the Victorian Age at its height.

3. Dune – Frank Herbert

The original “Dune” is a 1965 science-fiction novel written by author Frank Herbert and is often cited as one of George Lucas’ original inspirations for “Star Wars.” The story was first published as two separate serials in the science-fiction magazine “Analog Science Fiction and Fact.”

4.The Left Hand of Darkness – Ursula K. Le Guin

The Left Hand of Darkness, science-fiction novel byUrsula K. Le Guin, published in 1969. Furthermore, the book, set on a frigid planet called Gethen, or Winter, is a vehicle for Le Guin’s Daoist view of the complementary nature of all relationships. And thus, this is the reason this book is in the list of 30 books everyone should read before they die.

5. Hyperion – Dan Simmons

Hyperion is a Hugo Award-winning 1989 science fiction novel by American writer Dan Simmons. The plot of the novel features multiple time-lines and characters. It follows a similar structure to The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer. On the world called Hyperion, beyond the law of the Hegemony of Man, there waits the creature called the Shrike. There are those who worship it. There are those who fear it. And there are those who have vowed to destroy it.

Autobiography Genre Books

Autobiography is one type of biography, which tells a life story of its author, meaning it is a written record of the author’s life.

1. Joothan – Om Prakash Valmiki

Omprakash Valmiki describes his life as an untouchable, or Dalit, in the newly independent India of the 1950s.       “Joothan” refers to scraps of food left on a plate, destined for the garbage or animals. Since, India’s untouchables have been forced to accept and eat joothan for centuries, and accordingly, the word encapsulates the pain, humiliation, and poverty of a community forced to live at the bottom of India’s social pyramid.

2. Wings Of Fire – A. P. J. Abdul

Wings of Fire is an autography of APJ Abdul Kalam covering his early life and his work in Indian space research and missile programs. Although, it is the story of a boy from a humble background. Who went on to become a key player in Indian space research/Indian missile programs and later became the president of India.

3. My story – Kamala Das

My Story is an autobiographical book written by Indian author and poet Kamala Das (also known as Kamala Surayya or Madhavikutty). In fact, the book was originally published in Malayalam, titled Ente Katha. Firstly, the book evoked violent reactions of admiration and criticism among readers and critics. Secondly, it remains to date the best-selling woman’s autobiography in India. Therefore, this is one of the 30 books everyone should read.

4. Long Walk to Freedom – Nelson Mandela

Long Walk to Freedom is an autobiography written by South African President Nelson Mandela. Importantly, first published in 1994 by Little Brown & Co. And in addition to this, the book profiles his early life, coming of age, education and 27 years in prison.

5. Mein Kampf – Adolf Hitler

Madman, tyrant, animal—history has given Adolf Hitler many names. In Mein Kampf (My Struggle), often called the Nazi bible, Hitler describes his life, frustrations, ideals, and dreams. Moreover, born to an impoverished couple in a small town in Austria, the young Adolf grew up with the fervent desire to become a painter.

So all the readers out there ! these are 30 books everyone should read once in their life. Be it someone who is into reading or someone who doesn’t like to read much. But these books can actually hold your interest and leave  you with a huge heap of knowledge in your brain. These 6 different genres with amazing book collections are for everyone. People with different interests and preferences can go through these books.  Keep reading!