"To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee: This Pulitzer Prize-winning novel explores themes of racial injustice, moral growth, and empathy through the eyes of young Scout Finch in the racially charged atmosphere of the American South during the 1930s.
"1984" by George Orwell: A dystopian masterpiece, this novel offers a chilling portrayal of a totalitarian society where individuality and freedom are suppressed, and government surveillance is omnipresent.
"Pride and Prejudice" by Jane Austen: Regarded as one of the greatest works of romantic fiction, this novel follows the spirited Elizabeth Bennet as she navigates the complexities of love, class, and marriage in early 19th-century England.
"The Great Gatsby" by F. Scott Fitzgerald: Set against the backdrop of the Roaring Twenties, this novel explores themes of wealth, love, and the American Dream through the enigmatic figure of Jay Gatsby and his obsession with the elusive Daisy Buchanan.
"Moby-Dick" by Herman Melville: A literary epic and a masterpiece of American literature, this novel tells the story of Captain Ahab's obsessive quest for revenge against the white whale that maimed him, exploring themes of fate, obsession, and the human condition.
"War and Peace" by Leo Tolstoy: Widely regarded as one of the greatest novels ever written, this epic work chronicles the lives of Russian aristocrats during the Napoleonic Wars, offering a profound meditation on history, power, and the nature of existence.
"One Hundred Years of Solitude" by Gabriel García Márquez: This landmark novel, often hailed as the quintessential work of magical realism, tells the multi-generational saga of the Buendía family in the fictional town of Macondo, exploring themes of love, memory, and the cyclical nature of history.
"The Odyssey" by Homer: One of the oldest and most enduring works of Western literature, this epic poem follows the Greek hero Odysseus as he embarks on a perilous journey home from the Trojan War, encountering gods, monsters, and temptations along the way.
"Don Quixote" by Miguel de Cervantes: Regarded as the first modern novel, this satirical masterpiece follows the adventures of the delusional knight-errant Don Quixote and his loyal squire, Sancho Panza, as they embark on a series of misadventures across medieval Spain.
"The Catcher in the Rye" by J.D. Salinger: This iconic coming-of-age novel follows the rebellious teenager Holden Caulfield as he navigates the challenges of adolescence, grappling with issues of identity, alienation, and the search for meaning in a world that he perceives as phony.