30 Books to Read Before You Die (Pt. 9)

So, we're on Part 9 of our journey into literature, and I really hope you've been keeping up with the reading! I'm joking, I only expect to give you at least one new thing to read, and if from these nine lists (so far!) you've gotten one new book to read, then I have done a perfect job. The reason why I make these lists really is because I don't really have anyone to talk to about books, and so I just write things about them.

If you get anything out of them—if I can encourage you to create memories to cherish with books, or maybe you want to read more widely into a certain genre and I gave you an idea of what to read—then I can honestly say I did what I came here to do. These lists will hopefully help you towards a great reading journey and beyond! Again, if you think of anything that you haven't seen on the lists yet, then don't be afraid to contact me (my social media handles are in my bio) and tell me about it.

I will never ever put any book in these lists that I haven't read myself first. I want these lists to be filled with books I know you'll enjoy instead of empty promises. So, if it's not on the lists then we either haven't got there yet or I haven't read it yet!

It's going to be the same as it ever was (a Talking Heads reference was appropriate, I believe). I will speak intermittently about various books on the list, and I will mark my favourites with an (*). So without further introduction, let's get on with the list!

This is numbers 241 to 270...

241-250

241. The Last Temptation of Christ by Nikos Kazantzakis

242. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead by Tom Stoppard*

243. The Stepford Wives by Ira Levin

244. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou

245. Papillon by Henri Charriere*

246. The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test by Tom Wolfe

247. Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

248. 'Orientalism' by Edward Said

I know, an odd one to talk about, but there's a bit of a history behind me and this very strange philosophy book. I first read it when I was doing my undergraduate degree, and well, I found it a bit confusing because there were many hypocritical statements in there. Then, I rediscovered it whilst doing my MA, and my philosophy lecturer was talking about it as I drifted off to sleep as I did in his lectures. But, when he said the name of the book, I propped my ears up in an "Ooh I've read that" way. He actually looked directly at me and asked me if everything was okay, because I looked like someone had just awoken me from a bad dream. "I've read that book" was the biggest mistake I could've said in any situation, as you can imagine I had to then explain what the book was on about. I was already confused enough, tried my best, and actually got it... right! That was the last time I went to philosophy. It was on the top floor, and I wasn't up for walking that far once a week.

249. Ariel by Sylvia Plath

250. A Grief Observed by CS Lewis

251-260

251. De Profundis by Oscar Wilde*

252. Life on the Mississippi by Mark Twain

253. Culture and Anarchy by Matthew Arnold*

254. The Life of Charlotte Bronte by Elizabeth Gaskell

255. Walden by Henry David Thoreau*

256. Confessions of an English Opium Eater by Thomas De Quincey

257. A Vindication of the Rights of Men and Women by Mary Wollstonecraft

258. 'Reflections on the Revolution in France' by Edmund Burke*

Yes, another strange one to talk about but I think you've seen that there are many philosophy books in the midst of these numbers. I had to read this in my undergraduate course as a part of an assignment I was writing. I was reading it alongside Burke's book on the Sublime as well. It was interesting because it challenged what I knew about Edmund Burke. I knew he was a libertarian, and would've supported, in all aspects, the revolution and the overthrowing of the monarchy. That was my belief before I read the book. When I read the book, he was making a case for why the revolution was totally out of hand and out of character for France. I got so engrossed in this act of defiance, I think I read the whole thing in less than 24 hours. It was captivating to see such a liberal man defy the revolution because of the way it got out of hand and hadn't gotten a structure that would make it successful. It truly fascinated me, and find it funny if you want, but really you have to read about Burke before you read this book. Then it's bound to fascinate you as well.

259. The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire by Edward Gibbon

260. Common Sense by Thomas Paine

261-270

261. The Diary by Samuel Pepys

262. The Anatomy of Melancholy by Robert Barton*

263. Devil in the White City by Erik Larson*

264. Under the Banner of Heaven by John Krakauer*

265. On Writing by Stephen King

266. When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi

267. Columbine by David Cullen*

268. In the Heart of the Sea by Nathaniel Philbrick

269. The Complete Maus by Art Speigelman*

270. Homage to Catalonia by George Orwell