Ten books I would recommend to EVERYONE

This was a difficult list to compile. As someone who reads upwards of 50 books a year, narrowing it down to recommend just a few out of all the books you have read is really hard. But these books all moved me, spoke to me, taught me things, shaped my world view or simply made me so lost in a different world that I actually grieved when the reading experience was over. And of course these books have stayed with me, some of them for many years. Some have been re-read time and again, but for others the emotions evoked still feel so raw and I still feel so involved with the characters that I don't feel I can go there again...yet. I hope you are inspired to read any you haven't already read and I hope you are as affected by these books as I have been. And please, please comment and leave some recommendations of your own!

To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee

I first read this book for my English GCSE course and I have re-read it countless times since. There is something very powerful about the story of the prejudices of a town in the American Deep South during the 1930s, being told through the eyes of a lovable, innocent 8 year old child. Reading it as the teenage product of a sheltered, rural English upbringing I realised along with Scout just how awful humans can be to each other and also started to question why this might be. This book was a real eye-opener for me at the time of first reading, but I have continued to come back to it because I love the character of Scout and the way she is not afraid to question what is happening in her hometown. It is funny, touching, moving and thought provoking - a must-read for everyone.

In Cold Blood, by Truman Capote

This is another book that I first read at school, this time as part of my A-level English course, and have revisited it many times. It tells the story of a real-life crime - the brutal murder of an entire family in their remote Kansas farmhouse - and follows the investigation, culminating in the capture and eventual execution of the two men responsible.  This book became an obsession for Truman Capote and the resulting work haunts the reader too. It is a meditation on the nature of crime and punishment and what causes people to commit such terrible acts. It is also a powerful argument against capital punishment and as such it really makes the reader question their fundamental beliefs about the value of human life. Powerful stuff. Read it.

Room, by Emma Donoghue

I think this may be the most affecting book I have ever read. Yes, that sounds like hyperbole, but I honestly could not stop thinking about the two main characters for many months after reading this, always wondering about how their lives had panned out. It is about a woman and her son who are held captive in a tiny room for many years. It sounds horrific and it is, but it goes so far beyond this. What I took away from this novel was a message of love. I felt that in particular it was about a mother's love for her son, the bond between them and ultimately what it means to be a mother. 

We Need to Talk About Kevin, by Lionel Shriver

This is another book with bleak and shocking subject matter. There's no getting away from the fact that it is an uncomfortable read, but it is also utterly engrossing and compelling. It is about a mother who struggles to bond with her child and the shocking acts that child goes on to commit. The mother always believes her child is capable of evil, but her husband refuses to believe her. It is told through a series of letters to her husband in the aftermath of the terrible event perpetrated by the child. It is very cleverly constructed and the whole novel is fraught with tension, building to a devastating and unexpected conclusion. Whilst bleak and uncomfortable to read  it is also an exploration of the nurture versus nature debate causing the reader to reflect on whether a person can be innately evil; an examination of motherhood and the role a mother plays in the development of her children; and a look at perception and the way in which events can be viewed in completely contrasting ways by different people involved in them. Uncomfortable, but thought provoking, affecting, and worth it.

The Woman Who Walked Into Doors, by Roddy Doyle (and it's follow-up Paula Spencer)

This novel tells the story of Paula Spencer a woman living with domestic abuse. It is somewhat bleak and has even been described as depressing, but the feat of writing is extraordinary. Roddy Doyle not only manages to find a totally convincing voice as a woman, but he is also able to infuse this bleak tale with life, humour and hope. Paula's voice is strong and you begin to empathise with her, like her and have hope for her future. 

In the second novel time has moved on and Paula is on the road to recovery. The two novels together show just how far Paula has come, though she is still the flawed but likeable woman from the first novel. Together the novels also make an interesting study of the economic ups and downs of Ireland during the 1990s and on to the boom years of the early 2000s, particularly through the lives of its working class people. A very emotional read (although at times laugh out loud funny) but ultimately uplifting and redemptive, finding hope and the indomitable human spirit in the bleakest of situations.

Americanah, by Chimamanda Ngozie Adiche

Themes of race and identity are uppermost in this novel, which follows the story of a young Nigerian woman who moves to America and blogs about her experiences. It is very readable and Ifemelu is a very likeable character - the reader is completely drawn into her life. It is an eye-opening account of life in America, in particular what it means to be black in America and what it means to be an immigrant in America. Powerful and unforgettable.

The Secret River, by Kate Grenville (and it's follow -up Sarah Thornhill)

This novel explores colonialism and its brutalities and injustices, along with the personal moral quandries faced by the colonialists themselves. It follows a family of early settlers along the Hawkesbury River in New South Wales, Australia, describing their struggles to cultivate the land in an unfamiliar environment, their interactions with the indigenous people already living there and the moral compromises they make in order to be successful and fit in with the settler community. It is beautifully written and the harsh existence of these early settlers in the spectacular but uncompromising landscapes of 18th century  New South Wales is brought vividly to life. While reading I was completely immersed in another time and place. There are times when the subject matter is brutally shocking and other times when it is heart-wrenchingly sad, but it is always compelling.

In the second novel, the eponymous Sarah Thornhill is one of the daughters from the original settler family. It traces her life and marriage and the guilt she feels when she uncovers the truth about how her father built his fortune. The exploration of colonial guilt and whether people truly can be held responsible for the sins of their fathers is what makes this novel stand out for me. 

The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini

This is an epic story of friendship and loss and how one moment can change lives for ever. It is incredibly sad, but beautifully written and the sense of place created is so strong. It also charts the destruction of Afghanistan from a relatively developed country in the 1970s, through the Soviet invasion and Taliban rule, when it becomes a failed state. I found this aspect of the novel incredibly interesting and almost as sad as the personal story being told. It is a book that the reader becomes totally immersed in - impossible to but down.