30 Books to Read Before You Die (Pt. 4)

If you haven't read the previous part to this then I suggest you do so by clicking here. We are now on part four, which is numbers 91-120, and I would love that, if you're following along with these, you tell me what you think of the books so far. I'm trying to keep a range of old and modern texts in there, so that it doesn't become monotonous. But then again, reading a good book or two is very rarely monotonous.

I would also like to state again that I never place anything in my lists that I haven't read for myself, and tested out to begin with. I always like to see if the book deserves a space on the list or not—and these definitely do!

The way this works, if you're unfamiliar, is that I will go through the thirty books, and talk about some intermittently as we go—just to tell you more about some of them that I find either great or somewhat peculiar. I will also mark with a (*) the books that are my personal favourites, and sometimes do both of the above on a single book.

So, hopefully you've heard of most of these already, but I'd like to introduce you to some you may not have. As we get on with the lists, the books become a little more obscure. I hope you find this list informative and enjoyable. Let us go on...

91-100

91. Perfume by Patrick Suskind

92. Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy by John Le Carré

93. 'The Red and the Black' by Stendhal*

One of my favourite books of the 19th Century, Stendhal writes the character of Julien Sorel like nobody else could. With wit, mercilessness, and crime, this book perfectly encompasses the heart of many French Revolutions, and how they all collapsed in on themselves, birthing a new nation each time. Julien Sorel, Madame de Rênal, Mathilde, and the Marquis are trapped in the middle of this. With gunshots and affairs, this book goes up in smoke and tragedy as one of the greatest pieces of 19th Century fiction ever written. It gives us this with royalty, aristocratic decline, blasphemy, and even a link to the long gone Queen Margot—it has so much to offer as a piece of classic literature.

94. The Good Soldier by Ford Maddox Ford

95. Dracula by Bram Stoker

96. 'The Beast Within' by Emile Zola*

Another one of my favourite books of its era, The Beast Within is one of Emile Zola's best works. With a cast of characters that includes the paranoid and abusive Roubaud, the slightly anxious Severine, and not to forget, the problematic and yet incredibly famous Lantier (for those of you who are more familiar with Zola's works!). The thing I like most about this book is the completely witty, yet incredibly dark ending it has. The very idea of that train verges on madness (I won't say much more as to not spoil it). But, really, I would read the book just for the realisation of the ending. It's an amazing realisation, and you will be extremely satisfied.

97. Therese Raquin by Emile Zola*

98. Aurora Floyd by Mary Elizabeth Braddon

99. Less than Zero by Bret Easton Ellis*

100. The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson*

101-110

101. Stephen by Amy Cross*

102. The Haunting of Marshall Heights by Amy Cross

103. 'Let Me Tell You' by Shirley Jackson*

A collection of the horror author's greatest short stories, and most amazing pieces of shorter writings, this book reflects the dread and doom of Hangsaman, whilst also giving you the paranoia of The Haunting of Hill House, and yet you will feel all of this and much more in the space of only a few pages. There are various pieces of non-fictional writings as well, but nothing beats the provocative unknown, the impending doom, the heart-racing pace of the climax of a Shirley Jackson story. She is truly the best of the best and Let Me Tell You will (ironically) tell you exactly why.

104. Ghost Story by Peter Straub

105. All the Money in the World by John Pearson*

106. A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini*

107. Chronicle of a Death Foretold by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

108. Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert

109. Paradise Lost by John Milton

110. The Theban Plays by Sophocles*

111-120

111. Brave New World by Aldous Huxley

112. Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell

113. 'The Thorn Birds' by Colleen McCullough*

Little anecdote: I was actually reading this whilst on the first year of my undergraduate degree, and found out that one of my good friends had actually seen the TV Show (that I had never heard of by the time of reading the book), and we both knew a great deal about the story. Yes, the TV Show is actually pretty close to the book, but it really didn't give me the same experience.

All about the central character Meggie, this book perceives tragedy upon tragedy. It has it all: doomed love, parental rage, dead animals, migration, miscommunication, not getting to say goodbye, religious questioning, and much, much more. Let's just put it this way: I finished the book whilst I was at work and had to excuse myself from the room, because I was actually crying. It was so incredibly upsetting, and yet written just beautifully. I would personally say that if people call this the Australian version of Gone with the Wind, then they're wrong. Gone with the Wind is the American Thorn Birds, purely because this novel is far more engrossing. It is one of the most beautiful things you'll ever read in your life. That, I can guarantee you.

114. Metamorphosis by Ovid

115. Sons and Lovers by DH Lawrence

116. A Season in Hell by Arthur Rimbaud

117. The Last Picture Show by Larry McMurtry

118. Lady Sings the Blues by Billie Holiday*

119. Satchmo by Louis Armstrong*

120. Doctor Faustus by Thomas Mann.