We usually love reading books as children, or having them read to us because as children, we’re excited by the stories. The characters and the adventurous magical plots that kid’s books usually have. However, as we grow older, reading becomes a hobby cultivated only by a few and we have forgotten just how amazing it can be. As college students, one of the most essential parts of our daily routines should be reading books outside of our syllabus. Not only does it provide additional knowledge, books tell us more about the world than we can experience for ourselves. Here’s a list of 4 essential books you must read before you graduate from college:
1. The Catcher In The Rye by J.D. Salinger
“The mark of the immature man is that he wants to die nobly for a cause, while the mark of the mature man is that he wants to live humbly for one.”
The book is about Holden, a 16 year old boy who gets expelled from his school and wanders around Manhattan. It deals with themes of teenage angst, alienation and the fear of growing up. The book has been extremely popular with students since they can relate to a lot of the feelings and experiences that the protagonist goes through and recognize their own struggles in him. It is a must read because of how touching it is, recognizing the true struggles of the generation. It is also an interesting, funny and engaging read.
2. The Stranger by Albert Camus
“It is better to burn than to disappear.”
The Stranger, depicts just how absurd the world around us really is and how important our personal choices are. It presents the value and significance of individual freedoms and rights. It is a book that is said to present Camus’s views on existentialism and absurdism and served as a good introduction for anyone who is looking to get started or delve into the world of philosophy.
3. Lord of the flies by William Golding
“The thing is – fear can’t hurt you any more than a dream.”
The book is about a group of boys who find themselves on an uninhabited island and the society that they end of building. It will tell you about the qualities of a leader and how it emerges, the nature of human survival and how essential, and at the same time, difficult it is, to resist violence during such critical times. The characters are extremely interesting and varied and the plot is exciting, so you will be fully engaged in the book.
- To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
“You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view… Until you climb inside of his skin and walk around in it.”
Perhaps one of the most acclaimed books of all time, To Kill A Mockingbird is about Scott, a young girl and her life growing up in a small town. It is a book about friendship and human behavior. Above all, it is a book about the role race plays in our society and how it changes our morals and beliefs when people are of a different race. The book is funny, sensitive and touching, making it an emotional read.
