August 11th, 2008 @ 7:37 am by: Marc
30 Books Everyone Should Read Before Their 30th Birthday
The Web is grand. With its fame for hosting informative, easy-to-skim textual snippets and collaborative written works, people are spending more and more time reading online. Nevertheless, the Web cannot replace the authoritative transmissions from certain classic books that have delivered (or will deliver) profound ideas around the globe for generations.
The 30 books listed here are of unparalleled prose, packed with wisdom capable of igniting a new understanding of the world. Everyone should read these books before their 30th birthday.
- Siddhartha
by Hermann Hesse – A powerful story about the importance of life experiences as they relate to approaching an understanding of reality and attaining enlightenment.
- 1984 by George Orwell – 1984 still holds chief significance nearly 60 years after it was written in 1949. It is widely acclaimed for its haunting vision of an all-knowing government which uses pervasive, 24/7 surveillance tactics to manipulate all citizens of the populace.
- To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee – The story surveys the controversial issues of race and economic class in the 1930’s Deep South via a court case of a black man charged with the rape and abuse of a young white girl. It’s a moving tale that delivers a profound message about fighting for justice and against prejudice.
- A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess – A nightmarish vision of insane youth culture that depicts heart wrenching insight into the life of a disturbed adolescent. This novel will blow you away… leaving you breathless, livid, thrilled, and concerned.
- For Whom the Bell Tolls by Ernest Hemingway – A short, powerful contemplation on death, ideology and the incredible brutality of war.
- War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy – This masterpiece is so enormous even Tolstoy said it couldn’t be described as a standard novel. The storyline takes place in Russian society during the Napoleonic Era, following the characters of Andrei, Pierre and Natasha… and the tragic and unanticipated way in which their lives interconnect.
- The Rights of Man by Tom Paine – Written during the era of the French Revolution, this book was one of the first to introduce the concept of human rights from the standpoint of democracy.
- The Social Contract by Jean-Jacques Rousseau – A famous quote from the book states that “Man is born free, and everywhere he is in chains.” This accurately summarizes the book’s prime position on the importance of individual human rights within society.
- One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez – This novel does not have a plot in the conventional sense, but instead uses various narratives to portray a clear message about the general importance of remembering our cultural history.
- The Origin of Species by Charles Darwin – Few books have had as significant an impact on the way society views the natural world and the genesis of humankind.
- The Wisdom of the Desert by Thomas Merton – A collection of thoughts, meditations and reflections that give insight into what life is like to live simply and purely, dedicated to a greater power than ourselves.
- The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell – Gladwell looks at how a small idea, or product concept, can spread like a virus and spark global sociological changes. Specifically, he analyzes “the levels at which the momentum for change becomes unstoppable.”
- The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Graham – Arguably one of the best children’s books ever written; this short novel will help you appreciate the simple pleasures in life. It’s most notable for its playful mixture of mysticism, adventure, morality, and camaraderie.
- The Art of War by Sun Tzu – One of the oldest books on military strategy in the world. It’s easily the most successful written work on the mechanics of general strategy and business tactics.
- The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien – One of the greatest fictional stories ever told, and by far one of the most popular and influential written works in 20th-century literature. Once you pick up the first book, you’ll read them all.
- David Copperfield by Charles Dickens – This is a tale that lingers on the topic of attaining and maintaining a disciplined heart as it relates to one’s emotional and moral life. Dickens states that we must learn to go against “the first mistaken impulse of the undisciplined heart.”
- Four Quartets by T.S. Eliot – Probably the wisest poetic prose of modern times. It was written during World War II, and is still entirely relevant today… here’s an excerpt: “The dove descending breaks the air/With flame of incandescent terror/Of which the tongues declare/The only discharge from sin and error/The only hope, or the despair/Lies in the choice of pyre or pyre–/To be redeemed from fire by fire./Who then devised this torment?/Love/Love is the unfamiliar Name/Behind the hands that wave/The intolerable shirt of flame/Which human power cannot remove./We only live, only suspire/Consumed by either fire or fire.”
- Catch-22 by Joseph Heller – This book coined the self-titled term “catch-22” that is widely used in modern-day dialogue. As for the story, its message is clear: What’s commonly held to be good, may be bad… what is sensible, is nonsense. Its one of the greatest literary works of the 20th century. Read it.
- The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald – Set in the Jazz Age of the roaring 20’s, this book unravels a cautionary tale of the American dream. Specifically, the reader learns that a few good friends are far more important that a zillion acquaintances, and the drive created from the desire to have something is more valuable than actually having it.
- The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger – This novel firmly stands as an icon for accurately representing the ups and downs of teen angst, defiance and rebellion. If nothing else, it serves as a reminder of the unpredictable teenage mindset.
- Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoyevsky – A smooth-flowing, captivating novel of a young man living in poverty who criminally succumbs to the desire for money, and the hefty phychological impact this has on him and the people closest to him.
- The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli – This book does a great job at describing situations of power and statesmanship. From political and corporate power struggles to attaining advancement, influence and authority over others, Machiavelli’s observations apply.
- Walden by Henry David Thoreau – Thoreau spent two years, two months and two days writing this book in a secluded cabin near the banks of Walden Pond in Concord, Massachusetts. This is a story about being truly free from the pressures of society. The book can speak for itself: “I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.”
- The Republic by Plato – A gripping and enduring work of philosophy on how life should be lived, justice should be served, and leaders should lead. It also gives the reader a fundamental understanding of western political theory.
- Lolita – This is the kind of book that blows your mind wide open to conflicting feelings of life, love and corruption… and at times makes you deeply question your own perceptions of each. The story is as devious as it is beautiful.
- Getting Things Done by David Allen – The quintessential guide to organizing your life and getting things done. Nuff said.
- How To Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie – This is the granddaddy of all self-improvement books. It is a comprehensive, easy to read guide for winning people over to your way of thinking in both business and personal relationships.
- Lord of the Flies by William Golding – A powerful and alarming look at the possibilities for savagery in a lawless environment, where compassionate human reasoning is replaced by anarchistic, animal instinct.
- The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck – Steinbeck’s deeply touching tale about the survival of displaced families desperately searching for work in a nation stuck by depression will never cease to be relevant.
- The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov – This anticommunist masterpiece is a multifaceted novel about the clash between good and evil. It dives head first into the topics of greed, corruption and deception as they relate to human nature.
- BONUS: How To Cook Everything by Mark Bittman – 900 pages of simple instructions on how to cook everything you could ever dream of eating. Pretty much the greatest cookbook ever written. Get through a few recipes each week, and you’ll be a master chef by the time you’re 30.
- BONUS: Honeymoon with My Brother by Franz Wisner – Franz Wisner had it all… a great job and a beautiful fiancée. Life was good. But then his fiancée dumped him days before their wedding, and his boss basically fired him. So he dragged his younger brother to Costa Rica for his already-scheduled honeymoon and they never turned back… around the world they went for two full years. This is a fun, heartfelt adventure story about life, relationships, and self discovery.
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105 Comments
August 11th, 2008 at 7:47 am
Great list, I have so many books to read right now it is pretty ridiculous
I am enjoying them though
Cheers,
Glen
August 11th, 2008 at 7:48 am
Rats, I only have a year and a half to read 29 books.
August 11th, 2008 at 8:42 am
What a comprehensive list of great books! I have several now to add to my nightstand (and I’m over 30!). Better late than never, though.
My oldest son has a love for reading that I wish I had developed at his age. There is so much knowledge in written text.
August 11th, 2008 at 8:47 am
Great reading list! I’ve read most of these but I added the others to my list. And I do need to get to War & Peace. It has been on my bookshelf for over a decade!
2 other of my must reads: Eat Pray Love & Tales of a Female Nomad.
Jenny
August 11th, 2008 at 9:35 am
@All: Thanks for the additions and kind remarks.
August 11th, 2008 at 9:39 am
I love lists like this, and this is a very well compiled one. The only novel I would add is Toni Morrison’s “Song of Solomon.” Her book is absolutely stunning.
August 11th, 2008 at 10:22 am
Wow! I’m behind!
I’ve read a lot of these because they were required in my High School, but there’s a big difference between “having” to read them and “wanting” to read them…
August 11th, 2008 at 11:38 am
This is an excellent list, I’ve read more than half of them, and most of the others are on my list. Good job!
August 11th, 2008 at 11:46 am
Great books! I’d add Jane Eyre, The Narnia Chronicles, and The Brothers Karamazov.
August 11th, 2008 at 12:11 pm
That’s a great list. I have read only a few from the above list.
August 11th, 2008 at 12:16 pm
I like the list, but what about Ayn Rand’s Atlas Shrugged? If you want to understand the relationship between capitalism, government and charity, there is no better book.
August 11th, 2008 at 12:56 pm
I think you should include Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley. 1984 and Brave New World are pretty similar, but the latter was written in the 20’s. it’s pretty interesting to see which things Aldous wrote came true so far, considering it takes place several hundred years ahead of us.
August 11th, 2008 at 1:09 pm
Darn! I’ve only read 9 books in your list. No worry though, I still have 8 years to finish your list.
August 11th, 2008 at 2:31 pm
In a list of thirty books, you recommend only one female writer? Enough said.
August 11th, 2008 at 3:00 pm
@Melissa: Most of these books just happen to be our favorite classics. I assure you, we never intended to leave female writers off the list. Angel didn’t even realize it. Sorry again.
August 11th, 2008 at 4:20 pm
Quite a good list, but I think you forgot a must: The Picture of Dorian gray, by Oscar Wilde.
August 11th, 2008 at 4:21 pm
good list
should add a book named “the tomorrow file” I can’t remember the author but it was written in the 1930’s I think.
I’ve read a hand full of the ones’ on this list and I’ve heard of almost all the others
only a few to read in less than a year till I turn 30
August 11th, 2008 at 4:21 pm
Great list, I would include a few more: On the Road by Kerouac as well as The Alchemist
August 11th, 2008 at 4:40 pm
One book I would say is an absolute necessity on the list…
For Us, the Living, by Robert Heinlein
Most eye-opening books that deal with future possibilities usually do so by showing you the worse case scenario. For Us, The Living, does things very differently. Instead of telling you what can go wrong, it tells us what can go right. Filled to the brim with revolutionary social, economical, ideological, and political ideas, For Us, the Living, is less a novel and more a manual on how to make a country a paradise.
August 11th, 2008 at 4:45 pm
This is a great list.
Definitely was one of the biggest influences on society as we know it.
Many of these are on my bookshelf.
However, even if you aren’t a Christian and have no interest in God, I think that the Bible is a must-read for anyone. It is, after all, the best-selling book of all time.
August 11th, 2008 at 5:23 pm
…Awful lot of male writers there, dont you think?
Maybe some Alice Walker or Sylvia Plath? Maybe?
August 11th, 2008 at 5:48 pm
Suprised that The Diceman hasn’t got a mention.
Absolutely timeless and blew my mind when i read it
August 11th, 2008 at 6:22 pm
I don’t read much books but yup,Dorian Gray is one i have read and is missing from the list,in my opinion.
;-)!
August 11th, 2008 at 6:35 pm
I think “The Celestine Prophecy” by James Redfield should be added to that list.
August 11th, 2008 at 6:36 pm
I think this is a great list but I would have loved to see “The Celestine Prophecy” by James Redfield added to the list.
August 11th, 2008 at 6:42 pm
I would add:
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison
and remove 100 Years of Solitude.
August 11th, 2008 at 6:52 pm
Lolita is from Vladimir Nabokov besides “Pnin”, “Bend Sinister”.
August 11th, 2008 at 7:02 pm
Interesting list. I would add “The Handmaid’s Tale,” by Margaret Atwood. It’s a haunting foray into a possible future.
August 11th, 2008 at 7:27 pm
yeah, I would recommend BACKLASH by Susan Faludi to understand why you didn’t even think to include the thoughts of more than one woman.
August 11th, 2008 at 7:28 pm
Great list! I want to add Heart of Darkness to the list.
hmm well maybe the list of 100 books everyone should read before 100?
August 11th, 2008 at 7:30 pm
I agree I would have included Brave New World instead of 1984, for same reasons listed.
August 11th, 2008 at 8:04 pm
Why is it that every pretentious person who pushes a reading list always has to bring up T.S. Eliot? Frankly, his poetry is boring and nowhere near the quality or profound nature required of being on a reading list. Requesting anyone read him is akin to saying one should wipe his bum with sandpaper, just to see how it feels.
If you want profound poetry, read the less high brow “Howl” by the late Allen Ginsburg, or read “Leaves of Grass” by William Wordsworth. T.S. Eliot is a waste of time and of little importance, unless you want to lord over your reading prowess like a snob.
August 11th, 2008 at 8:06 pm
No mention of the book that created Western civilization itself?
August 11th, 2008 at 8:38 pm
Great list, but why before 30? I’ve read many, but all can be enjoyed and impact a person at any age!
August 11th, 2008 at 8:55 pm
Interesting reading list…
My essentials are:
Art of War…(for me…this would be an “anti-war” treatise…)
1984…(Big Bro is my homeboy!)
Animal Farm by George Orwell (a cautionary tale about replacing the “old order” with the “new”)
Great Post…! You are on my GoogleReader! c”,
August 11th, 2008 at 9:52 pm
100 years of solitude? war and peace? the republic?
you must be kidding…are you a college professor?
because the books that you recommended are college readings.
100 years of solitude????the author can’t even think of new names for the characters! He keeps on repeating them again and again to the agony of the readers.
August 11th, 2008 at 9:55 pm
what about harry potter 1 or the da vinci code or patriot games?
why do all the reading lists that i come across always include books more than a 50 years old? why not include new books for a change.
August 11th, 2008 at 10:31 pm
I already blew it. I’m 37. But a nice list… Do books on tape count?
August 11th, 2008 at 11:11 pm
Missing one, “The Total Money Makeover” by Dave Ramsey. There is no telling where I would be today if I had this book before I was 30 or even better before I was 20.
August 11th, 2008 at 11:16 pm
Hesse was a fine choice. He’s also a brilliant poet. I read a small volume of his poetry with translations on the right hand page and the original on the left. Although I don’t read German, I would hazard a guess that the original must be awesome simply because it translates so movingly and stunningly in emotional terms.
Also, The Prophet by Khalil Gibran is unspeakably beautiful. He died in the fifties (I think) but his words and ideas will live forever.
So, there are two amazing poetry books and I don’t even LIKE poetry normally.
Also, for some of the commenters here, it IS acceptable to have read more than 30 books by the time you are thirty. `(;)
Thanks for a swell list.
August 11th, 2008 at 11:41 pm
Noir: Leaves of Grass by William Wordsworth? I hope no one tells Walt Whitman.
I would suggest Jane Jacobs’ The Death and Life of Great American Cities. It’ll forever change the way you interact with your built environment.
Also, Elliot is an occasionally astonishingly great poet.
August 12th, 2008 at 12:18 am
[…] of Marc and Angel Hack Life suggests 30 books everyone should read by their 30th birthday. After looking through the list, I’ve concluded a more accurate title might be “30 books […]
August 12th, 2008 at 12:46 am
I think I’ve got enough time to tackle this… And score! I’m reading The Fellowship of the Ring right now.
I’m sure everyone has a handful of titles they would add, but I love hearing what you think is important.
(By the way, my adds would probably be Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison and The Bridge of San Luis Rey by Thornton Wilder.)
August 12th, 2008 at 2:33 am
I’ve read: #’s 3, 8, 9, 14, 19, 20, 21, 27 & 29
“The Catcher in the Rye” was one of my favorites growing up
An as for Dale Carnegie’s “How to Win Friends & Influence People”… It’s a MUST READ! One of the best books I’ve read. Someone gave it to me as a gift. Once I finished reading it, I gifted it to someone else with the instruction to carry on the trend
It’s a great book with excellent advice. I don’t doubt I’ll read it again…
August 12th, 2008 at 3:22 am
i would add - sue grafton’s a,b,c series to the list.
lawrence block burglar series
the first 4 harry potter books
frederick’s forsyth’s the dogs of war & the devil’s alternative
August 12th, 2008 at 3:50 am
I read most of these during high school
August 12th, 2008 at 5:12 am
Great list. I read many of the books in the list and I am about to read some others. Many of them are not so easy to read. Mostly, the ones that are not novels. For example, I started but never finished “The Prince”.
1984 was a great book indeed, but from Orwell, I rather liked “The Animal Farm” : a very clever illustration on how power and corruption always ends up breaking appart authoritative regimes in spite of their honorable social objectives. I always tend to think more about that book when I read news on the paper than about 1984.
I just turned 30 this year, and there’s a book I would recommend for anyone getting at this age, it’s “The World According To Garp” by James Irving. I always have a hard time trying to give an abstract of what the book is about. Any abstract would just kill it. It’s like “100 years of solitude” by Marquez, this books is so much more about the idea of preserving our cultural history. The beauty of this book lies indeed more in its narration and in the surreal events depicted in it than in the plot itself. But, the way I interpreted the plot was that life doesn’t end with your own physical end, there’s something in your family legacy that creates a link among the members of it, you unconciously inherit the memory of the past and the history of your ancestors, they are somehow still present and keep living through you.
August 12th, 2008 at 6:36 am
Interesting list. Have read more than half, would add the remainder to my “to-read” list. thanks
I would also have
1) Good Earth - Pearl S Buck
2) Fountainhead - Ayn Rand
3) A Story About a Real Man - Boris Polevoi
August 12th, 2008 at 6:54 am
“Once you pick up the first book, you’ll read them all.” Can you be serious? The Hobbit was good, The Lord of the Rings was boring and I couldn’t get past 50 pages of Two Towers.
Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand MUST be put on that list, replace the LOTR trilogy with it.
August 12th, 2008 at 10:55 am
Thanks to everyone for the additions. As for the comments about only having one woman author… in retrospect, I agree. But believe it or not, my wife helped me create this list. Neither one of us realized it until the very end. These books just so happen to be some of our favorites (most are classics). Feel free to add more to the list.
August 12th, 2008 at 12:35 pm
Nice list of books!
but it would be great if you would give a wikipedia link rather than an amazon link 
August 12th, 2008 at 12:48 pm
You forgot Three cups of tea!! One of the best books I have ever read. What about Blink? Or Good to Great?
August 12th, 2008 at 3:39 pm
Wow I’ve read most of those and did so in my early 20’s. With the exception of Tolkein books I read those somewhere around 16 or 17. Woot!
Getting Things Tone is the least favorite on that list.
There is actually an original GTD written in the 70’s by another author.
August 12th, 2008 at 8:01 pm
There’s an inherent problem with a list of this type. No matter how many you say - 30, 50, 100 - there will always be books that belong on the list and were left off. One that stands out immediately was On the Road by Jack Kerouac. Reads like a jazz concern and did almost as much to shape a culture as Elvis or the Beatles did. The Bell Jar was another as well as Slaughterhouse 5 and Stranger in a Strange Land.
August 12th, 2008 at 8:36 pm
i must disagree with 2 books/series on your list. the first being Lord of the Rings (and the subsequent novels). Tolkien, although amazing as a story writer, is a horrible, horrible story teller. i read all of one, all except for three pages of two, and finally by three i threw the damn thing at my door. Also, Wind in the Willows? No. no. no.
In place of these you should have…
1) Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis
2) Watership Down by Richard Adams.
August 12th, 2008 at 8:37 pm
Also, Scar Tissue, by Anthony Keideis is wonderful and should be on this list.
August 13th, 2008 at 11:54 am
What about Animal Farm? or Farenheit 451? or In Cold Blood….i mean Truman Capote!!! Perhaps even Brave New World?
August 13th, 2008 at 5:10 pm
I got about 60% of them read. I’m 32, so that means that means life’s over for me, but you young ones… Go and read this list, stay ahead of the curve and life will be more fun and prosperous.
August 14th, 2008 at 2:20 am
Sweet list. I’ve got 12 of them waiting for me (thank you, online library reserve and distribution list). Have to agree, Atlas shrugged belongs on the list. It should be a law that no one should vote or have a job until they have read it.
August 14th, 2008 at 12:03 pm
Awful lot of US writers, no?
August 15th, 2008 at 3:12 am
this is absolutely awesome list. how many you guys have read?
August 15th, 2008 at 7:01 am
[…] 30 Books Everyone Should Read Before Their 30th Birthday. What a great list of literary classics. From a financial perspective, I would add to that list Your Money or Your Life, which is one I wish I read before my 20th birthday! […]
August 15th, 2008 at 7:08 am
i vote for celestine prophecy.
August 15th, 2008 at 9:49 pm
Funny thing is, 18 of those books were on my REQUIRED reading list during High School - 40 years ago! (Yes, 40 years ago)
So obviously I’ve read those 18, plus several others. 6 to go 
Thanks for the suggestions.
I would add: The Foxfire Book, Foxfire 2, Foxfire 3, etc.series of books, with intro by Eliot Wigginton from the late 60’s and the 70’s.
August 16th, 2008 at 12:43 am
wtf!!!?!? No Atlas Shrugged!?!?
August 16th, 2008 at 10:14 am
I’m now almost 31 and I’ve only read 4 on that list. So sad. I better get reading. Thanks for the list. I would love to add the Sci-fi classic, Ender’s Game, to the list! My favorite book of all time.
August 18th, 2008 at 6:07 am
Here’s another book that should be on that list:
The Heroin Diaries by Nikki Sixx, the amazing fully true story of Sixx while he was deepest in his addictions to cocaine, heroin, and alcohol.
Not sure what it should replace, maybe Clockwork Orange, but I have not yet read that.
August 18th, 2008 at 11:50 am
Interesting list, although I also consider myself relatively well-read and have only read 6 of your picks. (I own, read & reread literally 1,000s of books.)
I disliked For Whom the Bell Tolls intensely, but then I’ve never read any Hemingway I liked.
I made it through either The Hobbit or Lord of the Rings many years ago but was never the least interested in continuing with the others. On the other hand, I adore the Narnia Chronicles and have already read The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe aloud chapter by chapter to my 5 year old.
I also think the Bible, Jane Eyre and Stranger in a Strange Land belong on the list (eclectic, no?) but For Us, The Living is merely an incredibly interesting peek into RAH’s mind and the values he believed in and held to. If you are a Heinlein fan (I read my first Heinlein novel, Red Planet, at age 7 and was hooked) you will see the initial concept of many of his famous characters which he fleshed out in later books or, in the case of Nehemiah Scudder, a very little more than appears in The Past Through Tomorrow series, particularly in If This Goes On. But Stranger is still the quintessential Heinlein novel.
I had to laugh at the idea of The DaVinci Code or a murder mystery (other than perhaps The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes) being a candidate. The DaVinci Code was an interesting read, but it’s not likely to become a classic a century from now.
Perhaps I should post about the books that have most influenced my life….
August 18th, 2008 at 2:07 pm
What about A Handmaid’s Tale? Frightening for women.
August 19th, 2008 at 10:26 am
[…] 30 Books Everyone Should Read Before Their 30th Birthday […]
August 19th, 2008 at 11:18 am
Wonderful list! I’ve read many of them but it seems I have a lot of catching up to do as well (I’m a tad past thirty to be kind). Thanks!
August 19th, 2008 at 4:01 pm
I’m 19 and have read 7 so far, i also started the master and margarita but didnt finish it. still, plenty of time tho.
August 20th, 2008 at 4:07 am
Good list. An extra suggestion: the Tibetan book of living and dying by Sogyal Rinpoche. This book illustrates how quality of life improves by actually getting used to the idea of dying, instead of continually running away from it. Good preparation for the 4th decade of life.
August 20th, 2008 at 2:38 pm
Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand (going to pick up The Fountainhead from the library this weekend) and anything by Alice Walker and Toni Morrison (two of my favorite authors).
August 22nd, 2008 at 12:14 pm
I have 4 months to read 26 books. I’m going to be busy. Great post.
August 24th, 2008 at 12:43 pm
Oh-oh
I’m 30+18 and I’ve never read any of those books.
That doesn’t look good.
August 26th, 2008 at 4:19 pm
[…] post about 30 Books Everyone Should Read Before Their 30th Birthday made me wonder if there were many "things you should do before you’re 30" lists. […]
August 30th, 2008 at 11:28 am
Great! I am really happy. I am just 22 years old, eight more years and only 5 more titles left to read. Just kidding. O’Henry’s “Last Leaf”; Erih Maria Remarks ‘Three FriendS’ and Antuan de Sant Egzuper’s “Little Prince”. :)))))))))) read them too, believe me
August 30th, 2008 at 11:30 am
and also “the old man and sea” it’s just great. Also read everything written by Vaja Pshavela - that really teaches you how to live properly. :)))))))))))
September 1st, 2008 at 8:11 pm
Great list of books, I must say that I had to read quite a few of these in High School English classes. Other books will be added on to my list of books to read. I just turned 30, does that count?
September 4th, 2008 at 4:20 pm
I was going to say you missed On The Road by Jack Kerouac but I think it needs to be read before your 20’s. This decade of my life would have been completely different if it weren’t for it’s representation.
September 4th, 2008 at 7:30 pm
@Shevy: You’re out of your mind. The bible is full of hate, discrimination, racism and murder. The best thing anyone can do with a bible is use the pages as rolling papers in a pinch. Or you could use it to wipe your ass if you run out of toilet paper.
September 4th, 2008 at 11:35 pm
I’m currently reading 100 Years… To Kill.. is one of may favorites.
Great list you have here! ;p
September 5th, 2008 at 2:39 am
Great list! Really! I’ve read several and most are already on my “to read” list. Still, I’m sad that Jane Austen has thus far not been on the list nor was she requested by previous commentors. She’s amazing!
September 5th, 2008 at 3:56 am
Heller’s other great works “Something Happened” and “Good as Gold” are also less well known masterpieces…
September 5th, 2008 at 10:59 am
It would be a bit difficult to read about 28 books in thirteen days…
September 5th, 2008 at 2:18 pm
Malcolm Gladwell? Are you kidding me? It totally destroyed the credibility of the list for me.
September 6th, 2008 at 2:15 am
[…] So there are lots of things you apparently need to have done before you reach that point. Including 30 books you should read before you turn 30. Get out your fruit-scented Smiggle hilighters and start tickin’ ‘em off, […]
September 6th, 2008 at 2:48 am
Good list, maybe didn’t really agree with some. But I will definately be keeping it in mind the next time I’m looking for a good read.
I would probably add A Time To Kill by John Grisham.
It’s not as life changing or impacting as some of the others people have been suggesting, but I personally loved it. May be fairly similar to To Kill A Mockingbird, but updated and compelling.
There are so many good books out there that I’ve read that aren’t on this list…
September 12th, 2008 at 9:11 am
[…] 30 Books Everyone Should Read Before Their 30th Birthday […]
September 12th, 2008 at 9:28 am
I don’t like the word ’should’ and myself and many of my friends hardly read now, because in our youth we had it shoved down our throats at school by teachers saying: ‘You have to read this, you have to read that!!’
Let kids read what they like, rather than what someone else thinks is right for them. Ditto for adults. I’ve read about half the books on this list [there’s some great ones here] but I got just as much out of reading Dennis The menace and Mad magazine!
September 15th, 2008 at 5:36 pm
So what do I do if I’m well over 30? Am I banned?
September 15th, 2008 at 10:23 pm
I searched the list and agreed with Jessica:
Jessica
August 11th, 2008 at 4:45 pm
This is a great list.
Definitely was one of the biggest influences on society as we know it.
Many of these are on my bookshelf.
However, even if you aren’t a Christian and have no interest in God, I think that the Bible is a must-read for anyone. It is, after all, the best-selling book of all time.
September 27th, 2008 at 10:25 am
Great list…I’d add some more contemporary reads into this list like Generation X by Douglas Coupland, and Rorschach’s Ribs, by Marcus Eder, though…
October 1st, 2008 at 12:45 pm
In my opinion, it’s a greate list, but I’d like to recommend one more book to read: Carl Sagan - The contact
October 5th, 2008 at 7:00 pm
I suggest: “The Dumbest Generation; How the Digital Age Stupefies Young Americans and Jeopardizes Our Future, or Don’t Trust Anyone Under 30″ by Mark Bauerlein (2008).
October 7th, 2008 at 1:46 am
I think most of those books are better off on a good book list to read in general… if you’re making a list of things people should read before they are 30 you should include books that are a bit more profound. A lot of the books on that list are about social issues and western thinking (ie Walden).
People tend to be most interested in that AFTER they are 30. As it is a more valuable time for that sort of though.
Kurt Vonnegut should be read before 30 because of the social satire.
Something about reality not being fixated is great for those under 30 as well, maybe some Carlos Casanada or any other litature, really, that involves other cultures or plans of reality.
Some David Sadaris would be great on the list as well, it helps one to appreciate life.
Also quite important to read before 30 would be something about eastern religion, preferably about taoism (the inner chapters). This is especially so if one grew up in western culture. It teaches one that not all thought is alike. Something on Buddhism would also work.
There are other books as well, but basically what is fundamentally wrong with your list is that most of the books are very similar. What is important to learn before your 30 is a variety of different ideas/cultures/opinions in order to make one a more well rounded person that can have a deep understanding of ones culture and other cultures around them.
I’m also surprised no one mentioned james joyce is not on the list… (though not necessarily something to read before 30)
October 9th, 2008 at 11:06 am
where do you draw the line? it is a brave thing you have done here, you must have expected a lot of abuse for it.
you still have a couple of years to go before you are 30, so can i suggest everything jack kerouac, william s burroughs, franz kafka, charles bukowski, john fante, knut hamsun, aldous huxley, roald dahl, kahlil gibran and His Holiness the Dalai Lama ever wrote.
there you go, a list of ten authors to read before you are 30.
oh, and the velveteen rabbit.
do you get paid for writing this? can i get a job?
October 9th, 2008 at 10:36 pm
I remember reading the Catcher in the Rye when I was 10. My teacher lent me the book, talking about how highschool kids read it, and I would benefit from it a lot. Five years later I don’t remember a thing from it. I might read it again, to see if I can actually get some of those benefits.
October 11th, 2008 at 8:06 pm
No Bible?? Please…for the believer and non-believer, it’s the most important book in world history and language.
Don’t believe me?
Here’s a challenge: find a book among your 30 listed that does not contain quotes, if not entire sub-plots, taken directly from the Old & New Testaments.
October 14th, 2008 at 8:42 pm
Well, I have 10 years to read those books. Already read some of them in high school.
November 1st, 2008 at 11:23 am
I agree that the bible should be on this list. Everyone should read it; especially anyone claims to disagree with it. How can you argue against it if you’ve never read it?
November 2nd, 2008 at 9:26 am
Solid list, maybe a bit academic. Maybe write it in terms of authors instead of books such that multiple works by Ayn Rand, Betty Friedan, Virginia Woolf, Naomi Wolf, Thomas Pain, Shakespeare, Socrates, Leonardo DaVinci, Benjamin Franklin and others are covered, though that won’t work for The Constitution, which I recommend everyone read — maybe a history/government textbook is best so you can also read The Declaration of Independence and The Articles of Confederation. Maybe divide the list into modern, historical, ancient…
I’d also recommend “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” by Stephen Covey. I’m working my way through it now, and it brings a whole new perspective to interacting with the world and claiming control over and responsibility for your own life. Dale Carnegie is also a good choice.
November 13th, 2008 at 11:59 am
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November 22nd, 2008 at 11:21 pm
This is a great list! I’ve read a lot of what’s on here, but there are some that I’ve not heard of so will definitely be adding them to my ever growing list. A new one that I would add is Living Life As If Thinking Matters by R. L. Wysong. I’ve just finished it and it’s an amazing read and a great reminder that we can solve all our problems if we only think about them instead of buying into other peoples’ beliefs.
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