This is tough cause it's so personal and there's a bunch I still want to read. In terms of classics that I've read, ones prob worth reading are: The Trial, The Brothers Karamazov, The Fountainhead if you're younger, Independent People, Heart of Darkness, Grapes of Wrath, Brave New World...
Other particularly good books:
Red China Blues if you have any interest in China/anthropology whatsoever. It's a really good memoir.
The short stories of Anton
Chekhov/
Tatyana Tostalaya... Basically, pick a Russian short story author, any Russian short story author.
Triomf by Marlene van Niekirk... Takes place in 1994 during South Africa¨s first free election and it centers on a really messed up family. Lots of raw emotion. It's stuck with me.
A Scarecrow's Bible by Martin Hyatt... If you or anyone is interested in reading gay fiction, this is the one book to read in the genre. It's the only not-totally-sappy, not-completely-ridiculous, not-shallow-plotted book there is. It's about this Vietnam vet in MS, and he's addicted to pills and deals with coming out to his crazy wife... Again lots of emotion, and the whole thing is told in second person, which gets you even more engaged with the narrative. It's another one that's really stuck,
much to my surprise.
1001 Books You Should Read Before You Die
Aside from my suggestions, that might be a good start. I recommend Goodreads in general too!
