What should be the one mandatory book?

[nifedj]

There are an awful lot of excellent books in this thread!

If the chosen book/series is going to be read at school age, when most people study literature, I think Phillip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy would be a good choice. It has plenty of depth - the philosophical question of how to live your life which is at the series' core, the way the plot is used as an allegory for The Fall but with key ideas being flipped on their heads. In this sense it is like many older classic novels, but it is much easier to read. I think the combination of depth, readability and, of course, brilliant writing makes it an excellent series for educational use.

 

[FunKing]

I just had this thought today and wondered what you guys would answer. If there was one book or book series that every literate person in the world would be required to read, which do you think it should be and why? Just one rule, no sort of scripture (for example The Bible, The Quran or, yes, even The God Delusion). It's too obvious and this is not a religious discussion.

I'm not asking about your personal favourite or what would be a good introduction to literature, but more about what should everyone know? Is there a children's book with a particularly valuable lesson, is there an old classic that should be read to get insight into what came after it, is there a modern book that's just so insightful that everybody should have to read?

I'm specifically asking about books, but feel free to apply it to games, movies or whatever if you so feel so.

As for my answer, I don't know, that's why I'm asking. I may edit in an answer based on your comments.

The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, also known as the True Holy Bible

lol that was exactly what was thinking when i read the title of the post

 

[Zinaxos]

Fight Club

 

[ExplosiveTiger]

Mein Kampf, a truly inspiring piece of literature. Changed my life.

On a serious note, it may sound cliche but To Kill a Mockingbird.

 

[TCPirate]

To kill a mocking bird. It's a fantastic book and should be mandatory by all means!

 

[SemiHumanTarget]

Considering the police state we're living in? 1984

 

[The Random One]

Sophie's World.

What's religion?

 

[The Stonker]

I would definetly say Twilight.
Why?
Because it's a good read for everyone, it deals with real life people and their forbidden love and from that you can see that the author puts forth alot of mormon values, which are great.

 

[Auninteligentname]

The dictionary. Everyone should at least have read it once...

 

[Mercurio128]

There are an awful lot of excellent books in this thread!

If the chosen book/series is going to be read at school age, when most people study literature, I think Phillip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy would be a good choice. It has plenty of depth - the philosophical question of how to live your life which is at the series' core, the way the plot is used as an allegory for The Fall but with key ideas being flipped on their heads. In this sense it is like many older classic novels, but it is much easier to read. I think the combination of depth, readability and, of course, brilliant writing makes it an excellent series for educational use.

I second this wholeheartedly. I read these in my early teens and loved them, especially THAT ending. The ending that made me glad they never went on and made films after the first one, because as we all know, Americans don't do so well with anything that vaguely challenges religious ideas, so it would've been completely butchered.

 

[effilctar]

A Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking.

 

[randomsix]

For me it would be a three-way between The Giver, 1984, and QED.

 

[Curlythelock]

The Richest Man in Babylon by George Samuel Clason.

 

[Sjakie]

All of my friends keep telling me to read Dune. I will, I just haven't got my hands on a copy yet. Supposedly it is THE sci-fi book.

Yes, get that book if you like sci-fi. While your at it pick up: Hyperion by Dan Simmons

 

[The_Splatterer]

Of mice and men. Mandatory for our English classes... Short and easy read but actually pretty good

Or the curious incident of the dog in the night-time, if you haven't read this i really recommend it, it's written from the perspective of a 15 year old boy with autism. It's an incredible read.

 

[-KC-]

Uncle Tom's Cabin .....

 

[thefrizzlefry]

Slaughterhouse-Five. It's fairly short, absolutely incredible, and is an absolutely life-changing book. I swear to you that I'm a better person for reading it.

 

[Klarinette]

The dictionary, pre-times when they started adding 90s and 2000s slang.