Have you noticed that different periods of life are associated with different thoughts, interests, hobbies and aspirations? We listen to a certain kind of music, wear a certain type of clothes and even use specific words during different periods. The same goes to literature. There are books for children, books for teenagers, books for college students, books for grown-ups etc. When it comes to college students, I feel that there are certain books that every self-developing individual of this age should read in order to find answers to the questions that are born out of this intense period in their lives. Here are top 10 books that helped me become more conscious and realize who I am. I sincerely hope that they will help you as well.
- Ken Kesey’s “One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest”
The following masterpiece pictures the mad man who struggles against the system. Human empathy and total depersonalization produced by authority are shown as contrasts. - Haruki Murakami’s “Norwegian Wood”
Norwegian Wood shows tough destinies of people who live in Japan in the 20th century. The main theme of the novel is human losses. - Mikhail Bulgakov’s ”The Master and Margarita”
It is an outstanding mix of Soviet realism, fantasy, occultism, godless, and godlike. Among all the plot twists you will also meet a wise one with eternal wisdom. - Franz Kafka’s “The Trial”
This masterpiece is a philosophical novel where realism and fantasy are intertwined masterfully. An outstanding piece of literary art! - George Orwell “1984”
A dystopian novel describes the future of society darkened by totalitarian control. It makes you think about the basic values, such as freedom, democracy and free will. None of these values are present in 1984. - Fyodor Dostoyevsky’s “Crime and Punishment”
Not only this book illustrates the law of cause and effect but also gives a glimpse at what “the point of no-return” actually means. - Aldous Huxley “A Brave New World”
Another masterful dystopian novel shows the future of Earth. People live in a single state, are no longer born as a result of sex, don’t have private life, and can have as many partners as they want. Everything looks so polished, yet so artificial. Would you live in such a world? - Vladamir Nobokov’s “Lolita”
A story is about the doomed and sinful love, about the artists and his art, about destiny, obsession, bliss and curse. - F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “The Stories”
All of us know The Great Gatsby, especially after the movie came out, but I would recommend you to read F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Stories first. It combines an outstanding imagination talent with offbeat descriptive features. - Albert Camus “The Stranger”
Creative manifesto of Albert Camus is presented in The Stranger. It is an ode to absolute freedom.
Every book on this list had a tremendous influence on me because of its powerful message and creative genius that stood behind each of these literary masterpieces. Those are not easy pieces of reading, but their transformational force can’t be questioned.
