I have read all of these books at least once. Some many times. This is not a comprehensive list, there’s lots more I’ve read and enjoyed, but not enough to feel more people should read them. I’ve not put them in any particular order, other than what comes to mind.

** Indicates my all-time favorites

* Books I think everyone should read – also favorites

• ** Dune – the entire original series by Frank Herbert
• ** The Dark Tower – the entire series by Stephen King
• * East of Eden – John Steinbeck
• * Life is So Good – George Dawson
• * Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth – Reza Aslan
• The Prophet – Kahlil Gibran
• *Of Mice and Men – John Steinbeck
• *Travels With Charley – John Steinbeck
• The Discworld Series – all 41 – Terry Pratchett
  • *Going Postal
  • *Making Money
  • *all the books with Tiffany Aching
• Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch – Terry Pratchett & Neil Gaimon
• ** Pride and Prejudice – Jane Austen
• Cannery Row – John Steinbeck
• The Grapes of Wrath – John Steinbeck – this one took about six tries before I could get all the way through. I learned I had to start it in a really good mood because it’s so depressing. But I learned a lot about what my parents and so many others went through in the the 30s and 40s.
• The Sea-wolf – Jack London
• Call of the Wild – Jack London
• White Fang – Jack London
• To Build a Fire (short story) – Jack London
• Two Old Women – Velma Wallis
• Winnie-the-Pooh – all four books – A A Milne
• * Lord of the Rings trilogy – J R R Tolkien
• Lord of the Flies – William Golding
• The Hobbit – J R R Tolkien
• * Cat’s Cradle – Kurt Vonnegut
• Slaughterhouse Five – Kurt Vonnegut
• Flowers for Algernon (short story) – Daniel Keyes
• ** The Old’s Man War – the entire series – John Scalzi
• Red Shirts – John Scalzi
• Fuzzy Nation – John Scalzi
• Android’s Dream – John Scalzi
• Lock In – the entire series – John Scalzi
• The Interdependency – the entire series – John Scalzi
• The Dispatcher – the entire series – John Scalzi
• Agent to the Stars – John Scalzi
• The Kaiju Preservation Society – John Scalzi
• ** The Tao of Pooh – Benjamin Hoff
• The Te of Piglet – Benjamin Hoff
• The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom – Don Miguel Ruiz
• The Inheritance Cycle – the entire series – Christophe Paolini