This is a guest post by Danielle Norrish.
If God were a book-lover wouldn’t you be really annoyed if the only reason why he didn’t allow you to enter heaven is because you haven’t read a single book in your whole lifetime? (No, the required reading you did in school won’t count). While a lot of people do like to read, there are also a number who don’t and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with them. People are just different; it’s just as simple as that. However, if it would mean earning you a place in heaven, wouldn’t you want to ensure that you have a reserved seat for you up there? And God asked “So what books have you read?” You can at least name one or a few titles like:
1. Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
You’ll never know, God might just be an English man, you wouldn’t want to offend him by not having read a single Dickens book. For non-readers, it’s easy to get turned-off by classics. After all, it’s hard to empathise with characters that lived so long ago with different values and even manner of speaking. However, this is Dickens at his best – a story with unforgettable characters, a comedy and at the same time, a heart-breaking tale of despair and tragedy.
2. One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabrielle Garcia Marquez
For those who read to escape from reality, this is the book for you. A wonderful tale filled with magic realism, love, family drama, ghosts, and mysterious prophesies, this book will certainly fill your appetite for escapism.
3. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
This great American novel is definitely a must-read for any book lover or would-be book enthusiast – a classic tale about racism and bigotry in the Deep South during the depression.
4. Catcher in the Rye by J.D Salinger
This coming-of-age book has long been known to be a “bible” for many brooding, angst-ridden teen-ager. With a rebellious, anti-hero character, Holden Caulfield, it is of no wonder that many youngsters can relate to him.
5. Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
Everyone knows about the Lord of the Rings, if not the book, then the movie. This is an incredible epic fantasy tale about hobbits, wizards, elves and other creatures. If you’ve enjoyed it on the big-screen, you’d even love it more in the fine small print. The Lord of the Rings is definitely one of the best novels of all time.
6. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
A passionate love story set in the Victorian times. This novel is a great depiction of how harsh it was growing up as an orphan and a woman in the 18th century.
7. Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoyevsky
Some refer to this book as the ultimate psychological novel written about doom versus redemption.
8. Of Human Bondage by W. Somerset Maugham.
The frustrations of physical impediment, wasted love and thwarted ambition. Philip Carey’s search for peace and contentment, perhaps even a sense of salvation. A beautifully written novel.
9. 1984 by George Orwell.
What do you mean you haven’t read it? Just because we’ve passed the year of the title don’t think that Orwell’s dystopian vision doesn’t still carry a warning for all mankind.
10. Harry Potter books by J.K. Rowling
If all the above titles have just given you a headache, you won’t go wrong with any of the Harry Potter books. This charming tale about a young magician and his three friends is an easy read for any non-reader.
How about you, what’s on your list?
This post is written by Danielle Norrish, a talented writer being a full-time freelancer. Her current occupation is writing for a resume builder website, where she collects all her knowledge into the resume building.