10 Books Everyone Should Read at Least Once
Some books entertain you for a few hours. Others stay with you long after you've turned the final page.
A great reading list doesn't need to contain only "classics" or the books everyone tells you to read. It should contain stories that make you feel something, books that challenge an idea you've always held, and pages that make you look at the world a little differently.
Here are 10 books worth reading at least once—across fiction, philosophy, psychology, self-development, and timeless storytelling.
1. The Alchemist — Paulo Coelho
A simple story about a young shepherd searching for a treasure becomes a much bigger exploration of dreams, purpose, and the courage to follow your own path.
Why read it:
It's an accessible introduction to reflective, philosophical fiction—and one that encourages you to think about what you actually want from life.
Best for: Readers looking for motivation and perspective.
→ Explore The Alchemist
2. The Kite Runner — Khaled Hosseini
Set against the changing landscape of Afghanistan, The Kite Runner explores friendship, guilt, betrayal, family, and redemption.
It's an emotionally powerful story that demonstrates how choices made in childhood can echo throughout an entire life.
Why read it:
For its unforgettable characters and emotional depth.
Best for: Readers who want immersive literary fiction.
→ Explore Fiction
3. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo — Taylor Jenkins Reid
Evelyn Hugo is an aging Hollywood icon with a complicated past—and a story she has never completely told.
The novel explores ambition, love, identity, sacrifice, fame, and the price of getting exactly what you wanted.
Why read it:
It's character-driven fiction that makes you question how much of someone's real story you can ever know.
Best for: Fans of contemporary fiction and emotionally complex characters.
4. The Psychology of Money — Morgan Housel
Money isn't only about mathematics.
This book explores the behaviours, emotions, habits, and personal experiences that influence the way people make financial decisions.
Why read it:
It makes complicated ideas about wealth and financial behaviour remarkably approachable.
Best for: Anyone who wants to understand their relationship with money.
→ Explore Non-Fiction
5. Atomic Habits — James Clear
Small actions repeated consistently can eventually produce extraordinary results.
Atomic Habits breaks down how habits form and offers practical ways to build better ones while making unwanted behaviours harder to repeat.
Why read it:
Because changing your life often starts with changing what you do every day.
Best for: Readers interested in productivity, personal development, and behavioural change.
6. The Silent Patient — Alex Michaelides
A famous painter stops speaking after being accused of murdering her husband.
Years later, a psychotherapist becomes determined to understand what happened.
What follows is a psychological mystery built around silence, obsession, and secrets.
Why read it:
If you enjoy books that make you say "I need to know what happens next."
Best for: Thriller and psychological-mystery readers.
7. 1984 — George Orwell
What happens when a government doesn't merely control what people do—but attempts to control what they think?
George Orwell's 1984 explores surveillance, propaganda, power, language, and individual freedom.
Why read it:
Its ideas remain relevant far beyond the fictional world in which they were created.
Best for: Readers interested in dystopian fiction, politics, society, and philosophy.
8. The Midnight Library — Matt Haig
Imagine being able to explore all the lives you might have lived if you'd made different choices.
The Midnight Library uses that idea to explore regret, possibility, expectations, and what makes a life meaningful.
Why read it:
It's an accessible story about the complicated relationship we have with our own choices.
Best for: Readers who enjoy emotional, thought-provoking fiction.
9. How to Win Friends and Influence People — Dale Carnegie
First published decades ago, Carnegie's book remains one of the best-known books about interpersonal relationships.
Its central ideas revolve around empathy, communication, appreciation, and understanding other people.
Why read it:
Because communication is useful in practically every part of life.
Best for: Students, professionals, entrepreneurs, and anyone interested in communication.
10. The 48 Laws of Power — Robert Greene
Love it or disagree with it, The 48 Laws of Power is difficult to ignore.
Robert Greene examines historical examples of power, influence, ambition, strategy, and human behaviour.
Why read it:
Not necessarily to follow every "law", but to understand how power and perception can operate in social environments.
Best for: Readers interested in psychology, strategy, history, and human behaviour.
So, Which One Should You Read First?
That depends on what you're looking for.
Want an emotional story?
→ The Kite Runner
Want motivation?
→ The Alchemist
Want better habits?
→ Atomic Habits
Want to understand money?
→ The Psychology of Money
Want a thriller?
→ The Silent Patient
Want something thought-provoking?
→ 1984
Want to rethink your choices?
→ The Midnight Library
Want to improve communication?
→ How to Win Friends and Influence People
Want to explore power and strategy?
→ The 48 Laws of Power
Want a character-driven contemporary novel?
→ The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo
Your Next Book Is Probably Somewhere on This List.
You don't need to read all ten at once.
Pick the one that speaks to you right now.
Because sometimes the best book isn't the one everyone recommends.
It's the one you were ready to read.