Throughout our years in school we were told to read classic books from renowned authors covering topics from love to war to the future. All too often, these books were dismissed as another obligation or assignment. While many of the titles sound familiar, the actual stories tend to slip through the cracks. Though these titles all hold value of their own, these three classic novels stand out as must-reads that are sure to make you think about the world and our place in it.
Fahrenheit 451
“It was a pleasure to burn.” One of Ray Bradbury’s most well-known pieces, this book explains a dystopian future in which reading and literature are illegal. The story follows Guy Montag on his journey from book-burning fireman to a rebellious defender of books and their importance. Bradbury’s commentary on society and technology emphasizes the need for human connection and the preservation of knowledge. Though written in the 1950s, this novel’s subject matter was far ahead of its time and remains to prove relevant today.
The Great Gatsby
In this F. Scott Fitzgerald classic, the reader follows a young Nick Carraway as he encounters the intricate world of the wealthy and elite in jazz age New York. Upon moving to a new home, Carraway befriends an odd, mysterious man by the name of Jay Gatsby, who draws him into his pursuit of the beautiful Daisy Buchanan. This novel, wrought with tragedy, deceit, and tangled pasts, is an exceptional, timeless commentary on the nature of humanity and what one is willing to do to maintain a glimmering facade.
Brave New World
In this dystopian novel, Alduous Huxley describes a futuristic world in which science and efficiency are king. Children are bred and conditioned from birth to fill specific societal roles and follow the teachings of the state. In this haunting account of the future, Huxley warns us against the dangers of consumerism, technology, and uniformity.
