100 Best Period Books of All Time (Updated for 2026)

1

How to Read a Book: The Classic Guide to Intelligent Reading

Mortimer J. Adler, Charles Van Doren

5.0

With more than half a million paperback copies in print and now in this stunning hardcover keepsake edition, How to Read a Book is the classic and definitive guide to reading comprehension and retention for students of literature, scholars across disciplines, and anyone who just loves to read.

Originally written in 1940 and first published by Simon & Schuster in 1972, How to Read a Book introduces

Recommended by Sergey Brin, Ben Chestnut, Kevin Systrom, and 3 others.

Sergey Brin

Co-Founder/Google

had “How to Read a Book” by Mortimer J. Adler as one of his most recommended books. [source]

Ben Chestnut

Founder & CEO/MailChimp

I also love How to Read a Book by Mortimer Adler. I’m teaching its tips to my children while they’re young, so they can consume books much faster and have more fun reading. [source]

Kevin Systrom

The author's thesis is that the most important part of reading a book is to actually read the table of contents and familiarize yourself with the major structure of the book. [source]

2

The Master & Margarita

Mikhail Bulgakov, Diana Burgin, Katherine Tiernan O'Connor

4.9

Mikhail Bulgakov's devastating satire of Soviet life was written during the darkest period of Stalin's regime. Combining two distinct yet interwoven parts—one set in ancient Jerusalem, one in contemporary Moscow—the novel veers from moods of wild theatricality with violent storms, vampire attacks, and a Satanic ball; to such somber scenes as the meeting of Pilate and Yeshua, and the murder of Juda

Recommended by Max Levchin, Neil Gaiman, Andi Dumitrescu, and 5 others.

Max Levchin

Co-founder/PayPal, CEO/Affirm, Investor

One of the finest works of fiction of the last century. [source]

Neil Gaiman

@Slavinskas_art I love that book. [source]

Andi Dumitrescu

If I had to make a more rational choice, I’d go with Ulises or The Master and Margareta, but I think that choice is a bit snobbish. [source]

3

Invisible Man

Ralph Ellison

4.7

First published in 1952 and immediately hailed as a masterpiece, Invisible Man is one of those rare novels that have changed the shape of American literature. For not only does Ralph Ellison's nightmare journey across the racial divide tell unparalleled truths about the nature of bigotry and its effects on the minds of both victims and perpetrators, it gives us an entirely new model of what a nove

Recommended by Barack Obama, Daegan Miller, Dan Barreiro, and 3 others.

Barack Obama

Former USA President

As a devoted reader, the president has been linked to a lengthy list of novels and poetry collections over the years — he admits he enjoys a thriller. [source]

Daegan Miller

The novel pinpoints relentlessly, and beautifully, the environment of exploitation. [source]

Dan Barreiro

Riveting time capsule material. Literary giant Ellison on the blues, on race, on his powerful book, Invisible Man. https://t.co/iS6xQ7ojE8 [source]

4

The Brothers Karamazov

Fyodor Dostoevsky

4.7

The Brothers Karamasov is a murder mystery, a courtroom drama, and an exploration of erotic rivalry in a series of triangular love affairs involving the “wicked and sentimental” Fyodor Pavlovich Karamazov and his three sons―the impulsive and sensual Dmitri; the coldly rational Ivan; and the healthy, red-cheeked young novice Alyosha. Through the gripping events of their story, Dostoevsky portrays t

Recommended by Randall Stephenson, Adam Townsend, Christian B Miller, and 3 others.

Randall Stephenson

CEO/AT&T

Favorite book: The Brothers Karamazov. [source]

Adam Townsend

@FinchmanWill @jposhaughnessy @Cernovich @mcclay_roman My son's favorite book of all time [source]

Christian B Miller

A host of deep philosophical questions are at work in the book: about, say, the existence of God, the nature of morality without God, and the role of free will. [source]

5

In Cold Blood

Truman Capote

4.6

On November 15, 1959, in the small town of Holcomb, Kansas, four members of the Clutter family were savagely murdered by blasts from a shotgun held a few inches from their faces. There was no apparent motive for the crime, and there were almost no clues.

As Truman Capote reconstructs the murder and the investigation that led to the capture, trial, and execution of the killers, he generates both me

Recommended by Ben Shapiro, Lynda La Plante, and R J Ellory.

Ben Shapiro

Truman Capote's best book. It's a really, really good book. [source]

Lynda La Plante

One of the reasons I like this true crime novelisation is down to the fact it was so out of character for Capote and took everyone by surprise. It is also an excellent, almost biographical, insight into the two young killers’ minds. [source]

R J Ellory

I think in all honesty it is one of the finest books ever written. It took him six years to finish it because he had to wait for the court case and the final verdict which was the two perpetrators being executed. [source]

6

Helloflo: The Guide, Period.: The Everything Puberty Book for the Modern Girl

Naama Bloom

4.6

"What we love most about this book (which we'll be gifting to our tween cousins, nieces, and daughters!) is the empowering message woven throughout: that 'your body is your body, ' as Bloom puts it, and you're the only one who gets to decide what to do with it." -- Health.com

"Full of practical advice, helpful explanations, and messages of encouragement...Period." -- Parents.com

From the founder of

7

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland & Through the Looking-Glass

Lewis Carroll

4.6

In 1862 Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, a shy Oxford mathematician with a stammer, created a story about a little girl tumbling down a rabbit hole. Thus began the immortal adventures of Alice, perhaps the most popular heroine in English literature.

Countless scholars have tried to define the charm of the Alice books--with those wonderfully eccentric characters the Queen of Hearts, Tweedledum, and Tweedle

Recommended by Eric Weinstein, Jean Webb, Larry Doyle, and 1 others.

Eric Weinstein

Managing Director/Thiel Capital

Eric Weinstein recommended this book on Twitter. [source]

Jean Webb

An imaginative, clever and fun fantasy story that satirises nineteenth century England at the same time as celebrating academic thinking. [source]

Larry Doyle

You’d have to be a zombie to miss the humour in it – it’s hilarious. Although the book is ancient, the humour feels modern [source]

8

Women Who Run With the Wolves: Myths and Stories of the Wild Woman Archetype

Clarissa Pinkola Estés

4.6

Within every woman there is a wild and natural creature, a powerful force, filled with good instincts, passionate creativity, and ageless knowing. Her name is Wild Woman, but she is an endangered species. Clarissa Pinkola Estes, Ph.D., Jungian analyst and cantadora storyteller shows how women's vitality can be restored through what she calls "psychic archeological digs" into the ruins of the femal

Recommended by Emma Watson and Irina Botnari.

Irina Botnari

I’m reading more books at the same time. Guilty. Some of them are Tools of Titans - Tim Ferriss, My Berlin Child – Anne Wiazemsky, Women who Run with the Wolves - Clarissa Pinkola Estés. Tim is full of lessons to learn, remember & implement, I’ll see what the rest of the books will unfold. [source]

9

Mythology

Edith Hamilton

4.5

The world-renowned classic that has enthralled and delighted millions of readers with its timeless tales of gods and heroes.

Edith Hamilton's mythology succeeds like no other book in bringing to life for the modern reader the Greek, Roman and Norse myths that are the keystone of Western culture-the stories of gods and heroes that have inspired human creativity from antiquity to the present.

We follo

Recommended by Alan Kay.

Alan Kay

A few more books like this, and by the time I got to first grade I had been ruined for the 'single book - single truth' ideas of school and church. [source]

10

Eichmann in Jerusalem: A Report on the Banality of Evil

Hannah Arendt

4.5

Preview Summary

Originally appearing as a series of articles in The New Yorker, Hannah Arendt’s authoritative and stunning report on the trial of Nazi leader Adolf Eichmann sparked a flurry of debate upon its publication. This revised edition includes material that came to light after the trial, as well as Arendt’s postscript directly addressing the controversy that arose over her account. A major journalistic tr

Recommended by Dr. Phil Zimbardo, Daniel Pick, David Bell, and 1 others.

Dr. Phil Zimbardo

Talks about Eichmann as illustrating the banality of evil. [source]

Daniel Pick

The trial focused public attention on the individual high bureaucrat who had such personal responsibility in the Final Solution. There was, in a way, this enigma of what went on in Eichmann’s mind. [source]

David Bell

Political philosopher Arendt sees the work of the Nazis as the inevitable result of colonialism and industrialisation. [source]

11

Celebrate Your Body (and Its Changes, Too!): The Ultimate Puberty Book for Girls

Sonya Renee Taylor

4.5

12

Kafka on the Shore

Haruki Murakami

4.5

Kafka on the Shore, a tour de force of metaphysical reality, is powered by two remarkable characters: a teenage boy, Kafka Tamura, who runs away from home either to escape a gruesome oedipal prophecy or to search for his long-missing mother and sister; and an aging simpleton called Nakata, who never recovered from a wartime affliction and now is drawn toward Kafka for reasons that, like the most b

Recommended by Bernard Tan, Brian Koppelman, and John Craig.

Bernard Tan

I’m also a Murakami and Vonnegut fan, Kafka on the Shore, The Wind-up Bird Chronicle, Norwegian Wood, Slaughterhouse-Five, etc. Now that I look at the books listed, they seem to carry an existential theme. I guess I like to understand humanity and human behaviour ultimately to better understand myself. I find reading a means to connect with people who may have lived before my time, or in a distant country, that I may never have had the chance to connect with in real life. As three-dimensional humans, we are all made up of so many faces and emotional layers that we find it hard to dissect them all, and when we find writers who can explain these thought processes in a way that’s tangible and digestible, there’s this incredibly comforting eureka moment of feeling understood. [source]

Brian Koppelman

If you have always wanted to read this author, I think this Covid-19 period of time is perfect for it. He could have conceived of this whole thing. [source]

John Craig

The only book, or should I say author, that takes priority is Haruki Murakami. He is a Japanese novelist that takes me into the next world. His style is surreal. Check it out. Start with Kafka on the Shore. [source]

13

The Count of Monte Cristo

Alexandre Dumas père, Robin Buss

4.4

Thrown in prison for a crime he has not committed, Edmond Dantes is confined to the grim fortress of If. There he learns of a great hoard of treasure hidden on the Isle of Monte Cristo and he becomes determined not only to escape, but also to unearth the treasure and use it to plot the destruction of the three men responsible for his incarceration. Dumas’ epic tale of suffering and retribution, in

Recommended by Ryan Holiday, Chris Kutarna, and Sol Orwell.

Ryan Holiday

Author

I thought I’d read this book before but clearly they gave me some sort of children’s version. Because the one I’d read as a kid wasn’t a 1,200 page epic of some of the most brilliant, beautiful and complicated storytelling ever put to paper. What a book! When I typed out my notes (and quotes) after finishing this book, it ran some 3,000 words. I was riveted from cover to cover. I enjoyed all the stuff I missed as a kid: the Counts struggle with his faith in light of what was done to him, the Hundred Days of Napoleon’s return, his rants against technology, the criticism of newspapers, the influence of ancient philosophy, ultimately, a warning against being consumed by revenge. Please—if you’re going on a long trip or looking to check out of modern events for a while—get this book. I recommend the Penguin Classics edition. [source]

Chris Kutarna

The Count of Monte Cristo it is about revenge and the cost of revenge. Being careful what you wish for. The other theme is about riches and wealth and what is truly valuable. [source]

Sol Orwell

I have to go with Count of Monte Cristo. An unparalleled revenge story. [source]

14

Period Book: Everything You Don't Want to Ask (But Need to Know

Karen Gravelle

4.4

Teenage girls often have trouble discussing menstruation and sex with their parents. They face the changes that are going on in their bodies without knowing many of the facts, and without much understanding of the emotional and practical problems involved.

15

Go with the Flow

Karen Schneemann, Lily Williams

4.4

Good friends help you go with the flow.
Best friends help you start a revolution.

Sophomores Abby, Brit, Christine, and Sasha are fed up. Hazelton High never has enough tampons. Or pads. Or adults who will listen.

Sick of an administration that puts football before female health, the girls confront a world that shrugs―or worse, squirms―at the thought of a menstruation revolution. They band together t

16

The Sun and Her Flowers

Rupi Kaur

4.4

Preview Summary

Hand Signed by Rupi Kaur. Exclusive Certificate of Authenticity (COA) is included. First Print - First Edition Hardcover. The Sun and Her Flowers Hardcover (No Signed Copy sticker on cover). A vibrant and transcendent journey about growth and healing. From Rupi Kaur, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of milk and honey, comes her long-awaited second collection of poetry. Ancestry and honorin

17

Don Quixote

Miguel de Cervantes, Edith Grossman

4.4

Edith Grossman's definitive English translation of the Spanish masterpiece, in an expanded P.S. edition

Widely regarded as one of the funniest and most tragic books ever written, Don Quixote chronicles the adventures of the self-created knight-errant Don Quixote of La Mancha and his faithful squire, Sancho Panza, as they travel through sixteenth-century Spain. You haven't experienced Don Quixote in

Recommended by Dr. Gabor Maté and Leo Babauta.

Dr. Gabor Maté

I read this book as a child and then, reread many times as an adult. And he’s my favorite character. [source]

18

Period Repair Manual: Natural Treatment for Better Hormones and Better Periods

Lara Briden Nd

4.4

Period Repair Manual is your guide to better periods using natural treatments such as diet, nutritional supplements, herbal medicine, and natural hormones. It contains advice and tips for women of every age and situation. If you have a period (or want a period), then this book is for you.

Topics include:
- how to come off hormonal birth control
- what your period should be like
- what can go wrong

19

The Care and Keeping of You 2: The Body Book for Older Girls

Cara Natterson and Josee Masse

4.4

This thoughtful advice book will guide you through the next steps of growing up. With illustrations and expert contributors, this book covers new questions about periods, your growing body, peer pressure, personal care, and more! Written by Dr. Cara Natterson for girls 10 and up, The Care & Keeping of You 2 follows up the original bestseller with even more in-depth details about the physical and e

20

I’m a Girl, Hormones! (Ages 10+) - Anatomy for Kids book, Explains to older girls how hormones are changing their body. 2nd Edition.

M.S. Ph.D. Shelley Metten, Alan Estridge, et al.

4.4

Your daughter is 10+ years old and is concerned about having her first period. Our most popular book for girls to prepare them for their first period has been improved with additional illustrations and added text. This books answers questions that all young girls are asking as they prepare for their first period: Why have my emotions changed? What is a period and how do I prepare for it? What is o

21

Revenge of the Red Club

Kim Harrington

4.3

A tween reporter discovers an important and beloved club at school is being shut down—and uses the power of the pen to try and activate some much-needed social change in this period-positive and empowering middle grade novel about the importance of standing up for what you believe in.

Riley Dunne loves being a member of the Red Club. It’s more than a group of girls supporting each other through Aun

22

Everything You Need to Ace World History in One Big Fat Notebook: The Complete Middle School Study Guide

Workman Publishing

4.3

It’s the revolutionary world history study guide just for middle school students from the brains behind Brain Quest.

Everything You Need to Ace World History . . . kicks off with the Paleolithic Era and transports the reader to ancient civilizations—from Africa and beyond; the middle ages across the world; the Renaissance; the age of exploration and colonialism, revolutions, and the modern world an

23

Trick Mirror: Reflections on Self-Delusion

Jia Tolentino

4.3

Trick Mirror is an enlightening, unforgettable trip through the river of self-delusion that surges just beneath the surface of our lives. This is a book about the incentives that shape us, and about how hard it is to see ourselves clearly in a culture that revolves around the self. In each essay, Jia writes about the cultural prisms that have shaped her: the rise of the nightmare social internet;

Recommended by Lydia Polgreen, Maryanne Hobbs, Sarah Spain, and 1 others.

Lydia Polgreen

This book is amazing and you should read it. https://t.co/pcbmYUR4QP [source]

Maryanne Hobbs

@jiatolentino hello Jia :) finding your perspectives in the new book fascinating and so resonant.. thank you 🌹 m/a..x https://t.co/BoNzB1BuDf [source]

Sarah Spain

Jet lag got me this am & I re-read the first essay of Jia Tolentino’s book, Trick Mirror. It’s an incredibly honest & insightful look at our relationship w/ the internet. Read the book in full, but for now, the essay is here (click book image & scroll): https://t.co/62GdCHvtm7 [source]

24

Period Power: Harness Your Hormones and Get Your Cycle Working For You

Maisie Hill

4.3

Period Power is a profound but practical blueprint for aligning daily life with the menstrual cycle, to give women a no-nonsense explanation of what the hell happens to their hormones every month and how they can use each phase to its full advantage.

Ninety per cent of women experience symptoms of PMS, a syndrome which features a wide range of signs and symptoms and yet there’s an enduring lack of

25

Period.: A Girl's Guide

JoAnn Loulan, Bonnie Worthen, et al.

4.3

For parents who do not know how or where to begin this discussion, here are ideas to get them started. A detachable Parent's Guide will lead them through the learning process for themselves and their daughters—and even their sons. The Parent's Guide can also be found in its entirety on the Book Peddlers website at www.bookpeddlers.com. In it you will find:
• Talking About Menstruation • What's The

26

On the Banks of Plum Creek (Little House, #4)

Laura Ingalls Wilder

4.3

The adventures of Laura Ingalls and her family continue as they leave their little house on the prairie and travel in their covered wagon to Minnesota. They settle into a house made of sod on the banks of beautiful Plum Creek. Soon Pa builds them a sturdier house, with real glass windows and a hinged door. Laura and Mary go to school, help with the chores around the house, and fish in the creek. P

27

Frankenstein

Mary Shelley

4.3

Mary Shelley began writing Frankenstein when she was only eighteen. At once a Gothic thriller, a passionate romance, and a cautionary tale about the dangers of science, Frankenstein tells the story of committed science student Victor Frankenstein. Obsessed with discovering the cause of generation and life and bestowing animation upon lifeless matter, Frankenstein assembles a human being from stole

Recommended by Michael Arrington, Adam Roberts, Adam Roberts, and 5 others.

Michael Arrington

Founder/TechCrunch

Shelley wrote this book as a teenager, and most of us read it in high school. Often credited as the first science fiction novel. You can read just about any political viewpoint you want into the book, and there are strong undertones that technology isn’t all good. But what I get out of it is the creativeness that can come with solitude, and how new technology can be misunderstood, even perhaps by the creator (see Twitter). Key thing to remember: Frankenstein is the name of the scientist/creator, not the Monster. Everybody forgets that. [source]

Adam Roberts

Brian Aldiss has famously argued that science fiction starts with Mary Shelley’s novel, and many people have agreed with him. [source]

Adam Roberts

Brian Aldiss has famously argued that science fiction starts with Mary Shelley’s novel, and many people have agreed with him. [source]

28

Wolf Hall

Hilary Mantel

4.3

Tudor England. Henry VIII is on the throne, but has no heir. Cardinal Wolsey is charged with securing his divorce. Into this atmosphere of distrust comes Thomas Cromwell - a man as ruthlessly ambitious in his wider politics as he is for himself.

His reforming agenda is carried out in the grip of a self-interested parliament and a king who fluctuates between romantic passions and murderous rages.

Recommended by Neera Tanden, Thomas Penn, and Vanora Bennett.

Neera Tanden

@BarackObama Wolf Hall is a great book. [source]

Thomas Penn

Hilary Mantel possesses an extraordinary historical imagination and her recreation of the world of the 1530s through the eyes of Thomas Cromwell is, I think, utterly convincing. [source]

Vanora Bennett

The Tudor monarchy has a big moment with England leaving the Church of Rome for love – that’s the moment every film and television writer is interested in. She turns it upside down. [source]

29

It's Not the Stork!: A Book About Girls, Boys, Babies, Bodies, Families and Friends

Robie H. Harris, Michael Emberley

4.3

From the expert team behind IT'S PERFECTLY NORMAL and IT'S SO AMAZING! comes a book for younger children about their bodies — a resource that parents, teachers, librarians, health care providers, and clergy can use with ease and confidence.

Young children are curious about almost everything, especially their bodies. And young children are not afraid to ask questions. What makes me a girl? What make

30

Exclamation Mark

Amy Krouse Rosenthal, Tom Lichtenheld

4.3

From the bestselling creators of Duck! Rabbit!, an exciting tale of self-discovery!

He stood out here.

He stood out there.

He tried everything to be more like them.

It's not easy being seen. Especially when you're NOT like everyone else. Especially when what sets you apart is YOU.

Sometimes we squish ourselves to fit in. We shrink. Twist. Bend. Until -- ! -- a friend shows the way to endless possibilit

31

The Mirror & the Light (Thomas Cromwell Trilogy #3)

Hilary Mantel

4.3

“If you cannot speak truth at a beheading, when can you speak it?”

England, May 1536. Anne Boleyn is dead, decapitated in the space of a heartbeat by a hired French executioner. As her remains are bundled into oblivion, Thomas Cromwell breakfasts with the victors. The blacksmith’s son from Putney emerges from the spring’s bloodbath to continue his climb to power and wealth, while his formidable mas

Recommended by Cal Flyn.

Cal Flyn

Mantel has twice triumphed at the Booker with the first two instalments of her Thomas Cromwell trilogy, Wolf Hall and Bring Up the Bodies. The third book, The Mirror and the Light, will chart Cromwell’s inevitable demise and its publication in March is inarguably the literary event of the year. [source]

32

The Witch of Blackbird Pond

Elizabeth George Speare

4.3

Orphaned Kit Tyler knows, as she gazes for the first time at the cold, bleak shores of Connecticut Colony, that her new home will never be like the shimmering Caribbean island she left behind. In her relatives' stern Puritan community, she feels like a tropical bird that has flown to the wrong part of the world, a bird that is now caged and lonely. The only place where Kit feels completely free is

33

Woods Runner

Gary Paulsen

4.3

Samuel, 13, spends his days in the forest, hunting for food for his family. He has grown up on the frontier of a British colony, America. Far from any town, or news of the war against the King that American patriots have begun near Boston.

But the war comes to them. British soldiers and Iroquois attack. Samuel’s parents are taken away, prisoners. Samuel follows, hiding, moving silently, determined

34

A World Lit Only by Fire: The Medieval Mind and the Renaissance: Portrait of an Age

William Manchester

4.2

From tales of chivalrous knights to the barbarity of trial by ordeal, no era has been a greater source of awe, horror, and wonder than the Middle Ages. In handsomely crafted prose, and with the grace and authority of his extraordinary gift for narrative history, William Manchester leads us from a civilization tottering on the brink of collapse to the grandeur of its rebirth - the dense explosion o

Recommended by Dave Elitch and Robert Stephens.

Dave Elitch

Dave Elitch recommended this book on the podcast "The Tim Ferriss Show". [source]

Robert Stephens

@benedictevans Book looks fascinating. Check out “A World Lit Only By Fire” https://t.co/cWuTsCAHaT [source]

35

Is This Normal (Revised): More Girls' Questions, Answered by the Editors of the Care & Keeping of You

Darcie Johnston

4.2

36

It's So Amazing!: A Book about Eggs, Sperm, Birth, Babies, and Families

Robie H. Harris and Michael Emberley

4.2

"An outstanding book. . . . Meets the needs of those in-between or curious kids who are not ready, developmentally or emotionally, for It’s Perfectly Normal." —Booklist (starred review)

How does a baby begin? What makes a baby male or female? How is a baby born? Children have plenty of questions about reproduction and babies—and about sex and sexuality, too. It’s So Amazing! provides the answers—wi

37

Girls Only! All About Periods and Growing-Up Stuff

Victoria Parker

4.2

38

Mindhunter: Inside the FBI's Elite Serial Crime Unit

John E. Douglas

4.2

Discover the classic, behind-the-scenes chronicle of John E. Douglas’ twenty-five-year career in the FBI Investigative Support Unit, where he used psychological profiling to delve into the minds of the country’s most notorious serial killers and criminals—the basis for the upcoming Netflix original series.

In chilling detail, the legendary Mindhunter takes us behind the scenes of some of his most g

39

I’m a Girl, My Changing Body (Ages 8-9) - Anatomy for Kids book, prepares younger girls for changes as they enter puberty. 2nd Edition.

Shelley Metten M.S. Ph.D., Alan Estridge, et al.

4.2

Your daughter is 8-9 years old and is about to notice changes in her body. Our most popular book for girls as they enter early puberty is even more fun to read with all-new illustrations. It answers her questions in a thoughtful, simple way using a relatable storyline: What is puberty? What are breast buds? Why do I feel so emotional? What’s coming next? The text and illustrations are age-appropri

40

The Best Punctuation Book, Period

June Casagrande

4.2

PUNCTUATE WITH CONFIDENCE--NO MATTER THE STYLE

Confused about punctuation? There's a reason. Everywhere you turn, publications seem to follow different rules on everything from possessive apostrophes to hyphens to serial commas. Then there are all the gray areas of punctuation--situations the rule books gloss over or never mention at all. At last, help has arrived.

This all-in-one reference from gra

41

Hamlet

William Shakespeare

4.2

No Fear Shakespeare gives you the complete text of Hamlet on the left-hand page, side-by-side with an easy-to-understand translation on the right.

"Hamlet" is the story of the Prince of Denmark who learns of the death of his father at the hands of his uncle, Claudius. Claudius murders Hamlet's father, his own brother, to take the throne of Denmark and to marry Hamlet's widowed mother. Hamlet is su

Recommended by Ryan Holiday and Tim Lott.

Ryan Holiday

Author

Philosophy runs through this play–all sorts of great lines. There are gems like “..for there is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so” which I used in my last book and “Beware of entrance to a quarrel; but, being in, bear it, that the opposed may beware of thee.” was a favorite of Sherman. [source]

Tim Lott

I love the speech when Hamlet’s uncle Claudius admits to being inflicted with the primal eldest curse for killing his brother, and begs on his knees for forgiveness for this ultimate violation of the law of nature. [source]

42

On the Road

Jack Kerouac

4.2

When Jack Kerouac’s On the Road first appeared in 1957, readers instantly felt the beat of a new literary rhythm. A fictionalised account of his own journeys across America with his friend Neal Cassady, Kerouac’s beatnik odyssey captured the soul of a generation and changed the landscape of American fiction for ever.

Influenced by Jack London and Thomas Wolfe, Kerouac always wanted to be a writer,

Recommended by Ev Williams and Bogdan Iordache.

Bogdan Iordache

My favourite book is "On the road" by Jack Kerouac. Apart from being probably one of the best well written books in the world, I appreciate Kerouac's philosophy to dedicate himself entirely to what was important to him, something that I have applied in my life as much as possible. I've simplified my life in many ways, and stay focused on what I think it's really important. For Jack it was the experimentation of life with friends, drinks and jazz, and the dedication he put into it is simply transformative. For me it is a very different mix, though, but doing things your way will make your life meaningful and unique. Obviously, first of all you have to decide what is important for you, that's a process in itself. Also, I loved the "own less, live more" approach he took at life. I don't plan to be a bum, but even if someday I will own billions of dollars I don't want to worry about a yacht in some harbour, I find it meaningless. But I know that's also a trait of our generation, to pay for experience and not for ownership. [source]

43

The Tenth Gift

jane Johnson

4.2

In an expensive London restaurant Julia Lovat receives a gift that will change her life. It appears to be a book of exquisite 17th-century embroidery patterns but on closer examination Julia finds it also contains faint diary entries. In these, Cat Tregenna, an embroideress, tells how she and others were stolen out of a Cornish church in 1625 by Muslim pirates and taken on a brutal voyage to Moroc

44

Treasure Island

Robert Louis Stevenson

4.2

The most popular pirate story ever written in English, featuring one of literature's most beloved villains, Treasure Island has been happily devoured by several generations of boys-and girls-and grownups.

Recommended by Barack Obama, Richard Branson, and Michael Morpurgo.

Barack Obama

Former USA President

During a trip to a public library in Washington’s Anacostia neighborhood in 2015, Obama shared some of his childhood favorites with a group of young students. He also read (and acted out) Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak to kids at the White House in 2014. Treasure Island, Robert Louis Stevenson Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald Where the Wild Things Are, Maurice Sendak [source]

Richard Branson

Founder/Virgin Group

Today is World Book Day, a wonderful opportunity to address this #ChallengeRichard sent in by Mike Gonzalez of New Jersey: Make a list of your top 65 books to read in a lifetime. [source]

Michael Morpurgo

This is the first book that I ever read on my own and I take great pleasure and pride in that. It was the first book where I really identified strongly with the boy Jim in it. He was about the same age as I was when I began reading it. [source]

45

The Poetic Edda: Stories of the Norse Gods and Heroes

Jackson Crawford

4.2

She sees, coming up a second time,
Earth from the ocean, eternally green;
the waterfalls plunge, an eagle soars above them,
over the mountain hunting fish.'

After the terrible conflagration of Ragnarok, the earth rises serenely again from the ocean, and life is renewed. The Poetic Edda begins with The Seeress's Prophecy which recounts the creation of the world, and looks forward to its destruction

46

The Complete Works of H.P. Lovecraft

H. P. Lovecraf

4.2

The weird fiction short stories of H.P. Lovecraft from 1917-1935. Excludes collaborations.

The eBook’s table of contents is listed below. It includes the year each story was written.

The Tomb (1917)
Dagon (1917)
Polaris (1918)
Beyond the Wall of Sleep (1919)
Memory (1919)
Old Bugs (1919)
The Transition of Juan Romero (1919)
The White Ship (1919)
The Doom That Came to Sarnath (1919)
The Statement of Randolph

47

Bring Up the Bodies

Hilary Mantel

4.2

Alternate Cover Edition ISBN 0805090037 (ISBN13: 9780805090031)

The sequel to Hilary Mantel's international bestseller and Man Booker Prize winner Wolf Hall explores one of the most mystifying and frightening episodes in English history: the downfall of Anne Boleyn.
...
Though he battled for years to marry her, Henry VIII has become disenchanted with the audacious Anne Boleyn. She has failed to give

Cover unavailable

48

Thanksgiving on Thursday (Magic Tree House, #27)

Mary Pope Osborne and Sal Murdocca

4.2

Take a trip back to the first Thankgiving with Jack and Annie and the Magic Tree House! The #1 bestselling chapter book series of all time celebrates 25 years with new covers and a new, easy-to-use numbering system!

It's a time for giving thanks when the Magic Tree House whisks Jack and Annie back to 1621 on the first Thanksgiving Day. The Pilgrims ask them to help get things ready. But whether it'

49

Sabotaged (The Missing, #3)

Margaret Peterson Haddix

4.2

After helping Chip and Alex survive 15th century London, Jonah and Katherine are summoned to help another missing child, Andrea, face her fate. Andrea is really Virginia Dare, from the Lost Colony of Roanoke. Jonah and Katherine are confident in their ability to help Andrea fix history, but when their journey goes dangerously awry, they realize that they may be in over their head. They've landed i

50

Fate Is the Hunter

Ernest K. Gann

4.2

Ernest K. Gann’s classic pilot's memoir is an up-close and thrilling account of the treacherous early days of commercial aviation. “Few writers have ever drawn readers so intimately into the shielded sanctum of the cockpit, and it is hear that Mr. Gann is truly the artist” (The New York Times Book Review).

“A splendid and many-faceted personal memoir that is not only one man’s story but the story,

51

The Moon Within

Aida Salazar

4.1

Celi Rivera's life swirls with questions. About her changing body. Her first attraction to a boy. And her best friend's exploration of what it means to be genderfluid.

But most of all, her mother's insistence she have a moon ceremony when her first period arrives. It's an ancestral Mexica ritual that Mima and her community have reclaimed, but Celi promises she will NOT be participating. Can she fin

52

Käthe Kollwitz

Elizabeth Prelinger, Alessandra Comini, Hildegard Bachert

4.1

Few artists are as universally beloved as the German printmaker, draftsman, and sculptor Kathe Kollwitz, whose powerful images of mothers and children and of protest against social injustice have long been admired by both critics and the public. Kollwitz, a woman in a field dominated by men, steadfastly adhered to a figurative style in the era of abstraction and depicted socially engaged subject m

53

Who Was Galileo?

Patricia Brennan Demuth

4.1

Like Michelangelo, Galileo is another Renaissance great known just by his first name--a name that is synonymous with scientific achievement. Born in Pisa, Italy, in the sixteenth century, Galileo contributed to the era's great rebirth of knowledge. He invented a telescope to observe the heavens. From there, not even the sky was the limit! He turned long-held notions about the universe topsy turvy

54

Celebrate Your Body 2: The Ultimate Puberty Book for Preteen and Teen Girls

Dr. Carrie Leff and Dr. Lisa Klein

4.1

55

Revolutionary War on Wednesday (Magic Tree House, #22)

Mary Pope Osborne, Sal Murdocca

4.1

It is a dark and snowy night when the Magic Tree House whisks Jack and Annie back to colonial times. General George Washington is about to lead his army in a sneak attack against their enemy. But now a terrible weather is making the great general question his plans. Can Jack and Annie keep history on track? The fate of the country rests in their hands!

56

The Outlandish Companion, Volume Two (The Outlandish Companions #2)

Diana Gabaldon

4.1

More than a decade ago, #1 New York Times bestselling author Diana Gabaldon delighted her legions of fans with The Outlandish Companion, an indispensable guide to all the Outlander books at the time. But that edition was just a taste of things to come. Since that publication, there have been four more Outlander novels, a side series, assorted novellas, and one smash-hit Starz original television s

57

Menstrupedia Comic

Aditi Gupta and Tuhin Pau

4.1

58

A Dangerous Fortune

Ken Follett

4.1

In 1866, tragedy strikes at the exclusive Windfield School. A young student drowns in a mysterious accident involving a small circle of boys. The drowning and its aftermath initiates a spiraling circle of treachery that will span three decades and entwine many loves... From the exclusive men's club and brothels that cater to every dark desire of London's upper classes to the dazzling ballrooms and

59

The Girls Body Book: Fifth Edition

Kelli Dunham

4.1

The updated fifth edition of the #1 bestselling Girl’s Body Book includes everything you need to know about growing up, even the embarrassing stuff.

From periods to peer pressure, puberty can be a confusing time for pre-teens and parents alike. The newly updated fifth edition of the Girl’s Body Book helps prepare girls and their parents for the ups and downs of puberty, middle school, and everythin

60

Who Was Leonardo da Vinci?

Roberta Edwards

4.1

Leonardo da Vinci was a gifted painter, talented musician, and dedicated scientist and inventor, designing flying machines, submarines, and even helicopters. Yet he had a hard time finishing things, a problem anyone can relate to. Only thirteen paintings are known to be his; as for the illustrated encyclopedia he intended to create, all that he left were thousands of disorganized notebook pages. H

61

Now What?!!

Dr. Nicola J Rinaldi, Stephanie G Buckler Esq., et al.

4.1

62

Writings/Interviews

Richard Serra

4.1

One of the most important sculptors of this century, Richard Serra has been a spokesman on the nature and status of art in our day. Best known for site-specific works in steel, Serra has much to say about the relation of sculpture to place, whether urban, natural, or architectural, and about the nature of art itself, whether political, decorative, or personal. In interviews with writers including

63

The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (37 plays, 160 sonnets and 5 Poetry Books With Active Table of Contents)

William Shakespeare

4.1

This collection gathers together the works by William Shakespeare in a single, convenient, high quality, and extremely low priced Kindle volume!

The Comedies of William Shakespeare

A Midsummer Night's Dream
All's Well That Ends Well
As You Like It
Love’s Labour ’s Lost
Measure for Measure
Much Ado About Nothing
The Comedy of Errors
The Merchant of Venice
The Merry Wives of Windsor
The Taming of the Shrew
The

64

Pirates of the Caribbean: The Price of Freedom

A.C. Crispin

4.1

Twenty-five-year-old Jack Sparrow is a clean-cut merchant seaman pursuing a legitimate career as a first mate for the East India Trading Company. He sometimes thinks back to his boyhood pirating days, but he doesn't miss Teague's scrutiny or the constant threat of the noose. Besides, he doesn't have much choice-he broke the Code when he freed a friend who had been accused of rogue piracy, and he c

Cover unavailable

65

It's Perfectly Normal: Changing Bodies, Growing Up, Sex, and Sexual Health

Robie H. Harris

4.1

The definitive book about puberty and sexual health for today’s kids and teens, now fully updated for its twentieth anniversary.

For two decades, this universally acclaimed book on sexuality has been the most trusted and accessible resource for kids, parents, teachers, librarians, and anyone else who cares about the well-being of tweens and teens. Now, in honor of its anniversary, It’s Perfectly N

66

The Divine Comedy

Dante Alighieri

4.1

"Dante and Shakespeare divide the world between them, there is no third." T. S. Eliot

"Ciardi has given us a credible, passionate persona of the poet, stripped of the customary gauds of rhetoric and false decoration, strong and noble in utterance." Dudley Fitts

"A sensitive and perceptive translation;a spectacular achievement." Archibald MacLeish

Belonging in the immortal company of the great works o

Recommended by A N Wilson.

A N Wilson

I don’t think there’s anything in world literature to compare with the last few cantos of the Paradiso as a Christian statement. [source]

Cover unavailable

67

The Master's Tools Will Never Dismantle the Master's House

Audre Lorde

4.1

From the self-described 'black, lesbian, mother, warrior, poet', these soaring, urgent essays on the power of women, poetry and anger are filled with darkness and light.

Penguin Modern: fifty new books celebrating the pioneering spirit of the iconic Penguin Modern Classics series, with each one offering a concentrated hit of its contemporary, international flavour. Here are authors ranging from Kat

Cover unavailable

68

James Baldwin: A Biography

David Leeming

4.1

“The most revealing and subjectively penetrating assessment of Baldwin’s life yet published.” —The New York Times Book Review. “The first Baldwin biography in which one can recognize the human features of this brilliant, troubled, principled, supremely courageous man.” —Boston Globe

James Baldwin was one of the great writers of the last century. In works that have become part of the American canon—

69

The Complete Book of Dinosaurs: The ultimate reference to 355 dinosaurs from the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous periods, including more than 900 illustrations, maps, timelines and photographs

Dougal Dixon

4.1

The ultimate identification guide for dinosaur enthusiasts, featuring more than 355 creatures, written by an acknowledged expert. Fascinating anatomical drawings demonstrate their skeletal make up, and the habitats in which they lived are depicted. The main section of the book is an encyclopedia of dinosaurs and prehistoric creatures, arranged according to type. Each entry contains a description o

70

The Outlandish Companion: Companion to Outlander, Dragonfly in Amber, Voyager, and Drums of Autumn

Diana Gabaldon

4.1

#1 New York Times bestselling author Diana Gabaldon has captivated millions of readers with her critically acclaimed Outlander novels, the inspiration for the Starz original series. From the moment Claire Randall stepped through a standing stone circle and was thrown back in time to the year 1743—and into a world that threatens life, limb, loyalty, heart, soul, and everything else Claire has—reade

71

Moon Mother, Moon Daughter

Janet Lucy, Terri Allison

4.1

How would it be different if mothers looked forward to their daughters first steps into womanhood with the same anticipation and excitement as they had for her very first steps toward walking? What if there was a whole community of women waiting to receive her into womanhood? What if there was a way for mothers and daughters to walk together? With the moon as a guide and a symbol, Moon Mother, Moo

72

The Gothic Body: Sexuality, Materialism, and Degeneration at the Fin de Siècle

Kelly Hurley

4.1

This book accounts for the resurgence of Gothic, and its immense popularity, during the British fin de siecle. In particular, Kelly Hurley explores a key scenario that haunts the genre: the loss of a unified and stable human identity, and the emergence of a chaotic and transformative "abhuman" identity in its place. Gothic is revealed as a highly productive and speculative genre, strongly indebted

73

Beyond the Pill: A 30-Day Program to Balance Your Hormones, Reclaim Your Body, and Reverse the Dangerous Side Effects of the Birth Control Pill

Jolene Brighten

4.1

Out of the 100 million women—almost 11 million in the United States alone—who are on the pill, roughly 60 percent take it for non-contraceptive reasons like painful periods, endometriosis, PCOS, and acne. While the birth control pill is widely prescribed as a quick-fix solution to a variety of women’s health conditions, taking it can also result in other more serious and dangerous health consequen

74

Alex and Eliza (Alex & Eliza, #1)

Melissa de la Cruz

4.1

Their romance shaped a nation. The rest was history.

1777. Albany, New York.

As battle cries of the American Revolution echo in the distance, servants flutter about preparing for one of New York society’s biggest events: the Schuylers’ grand ball. Descended from two of the oldest and most distinguished bloodlines in New York, the Schuylers are proud to be one of their fledgling country’s founding f

75

Alias Grace

Margaret Atwood

4.1

It's 1843, and Grace Marks has been convicted for her involvement in the vicious murders of her employer and his housekeeper and mistress. Some believe Grace is innocent; others think her evil or insane. Now serving a life sentence, Grace claims to have no memory of the murders.

An up-and-coming expert in the burgeoning field of mental illness is engaged by a group of reformers and spiritualists wh

Recommended by Chris Kutarna.

Chris Kutarna

Historical fiction set in Canada around the mid-1800’s. Grace Marks, the main character, really was a person. She was put into prison for her role in the murder of a farming family. [source]

76

The Trial

Franz Kafka, Breon Mitchell

4.1

Written in 1914 but not published until 1925, a year after Kafka's death, The Trial is one of the most important novels of the twentieth century: the terrifying tale of Josef K., a respectable bank officer who is suddenly and inexplicably arrested and must defend himself against a charge about which he can get no information. Whether read as an existential tale, a parable, or a prophecy of the exc

Recommended by David Heinemeier Hansson and Michael Peel.

David Heinemeier Hansson

It’s a fascinating writing style with a 3rd party observer that’s treated as an extension of the protagonists own sentiments and mind. It’s also just exquisitely written. And the concept of being on trial for charges unknown by a vast, impersonal, yet petty, bureaucracy pulls from a timeless well of societal anxieties. So far, so very good. About half way through. [source]

Michael Peel

I read this before going to Nigeria but moving there made me think about it a lot. The idea that the system always wins. [source]

77

Period Power: A Manifesto for the Menstrual Movement

Nadya Okamoto and Rebecca Elfast

4.1

PERIOD founder and Harvard student Nadya Okamoto offers a manifesto on menstruation and why we can no longer silent about that time of the month.

Throughout history, periods have been hidden from the public. They're taboo. They're embarrassing. They're gross. And due to a crumbling or nonexistent national sex ed program, they are misunderstood. Because of these stigmas, a status quo has been establ

78

The Lacemaker

Laura Frantz

4.0

When colonial Williamsburg explodes like a powder keg on the eve of the American Revolution, Lady Elisabeth "Liberty" Lawson is abandoned by her fiance and suspected of being a spy for the hated British. No one comes to her aid save the Patriot Noble Rynallt, a man with formidable enemies of his own. Liberty is left with a terrible choice. Will the Virginia belle turned lacemaker side with the rad

79

Below Your Belt: How to be Queen of your Pelvic Region

Missy Lavender, Jeni Donatelli Ihm, Jan Dolby

4.0

WINNER OF FOUR INDEPENDENT PUBLISHING AWARDS

When was the last time anyone talked to you about going to the bathroom? Probably not since you were potty trained! Did you know there are exercises that improve sports performance as they improve pelvic health? And, have you or your daughter every wanted to curl into a ball and stay home from school or work while you have your period?

More than a book ab

80

Believe Like a Child

Paige Dearth

4.0

Home isn't safe for young Alessa because her uncle lives there...unfortunately neither are the streets.

Alessa's uncle is a child predator, and she's one of his victims.

At sixteen, after the death of her only friend, Alessa finds herself isolated at home with her uncle. Unable to live there, she runs away.

Alone on the streets of North Philadelphia, she encounters more people who hurt her. About to

81

A Midsummer Night's Dream

William Shakespeare, John Gilbert, Ned Halley

4.0

A Midsummer Night's Dream is perhaps the best loved of Shakespeare's plays. It brings together aristocrats, workers, and fairies in a wood outside Athens, and from there the magic begins. A young woman flees Athens with her lover, only to be pursued by her would-be husband and by her best friend. Unwittingly, all four find themselves in an enchanted forest where fairies and sprites soon take an in

82

Rock My Religion: Writings and Projects 1965-1990

Dan Graham, Brian Wallis

4.0

Dan Graham's artworks and critical writings have had an enormous influence on the course of contemporary art over the past quarter century. Rock My Religion collects eighteen of Graham's essays from all periods of his work, beginning with his essays on minimalist artists such as Dan Flavin and Donald Judd, continuing with his writings on punk rock and popular culture, and concluding with his more

83

I Am Leonardo Da Vinci

Brad Meltzer

4.0

The famous Renaissance artist and inventor Leonardo da Vinci is the twentieth hero in the New York Times bestselling picture book biography series.

This friendly, fun biography series focuses on the traits that made our heroes great--the traits that kids can aspire to in order to live heroically themselves. Each book tells the story of one of America's icons in a lively, conversational way that wor

84

Girl to Girl: Real Questions and Honest Answers about Growing Up

Sarah O'Leary Burningham and Alli Arnold

4.0

Being a girl isn't always easy, and growing up is far from a walk in the park. This time of transition is particularly confusing without a confidante to help. Meet Sarah O'Leary Burningham, a real-life big sister here to coach preteens through all of life's big moments, from first bras to first periods. Filled with letters and testimonials from real girls—as well as confidence-boosting advice and

Cover unavailable

85

The Essential Writings of Ralph Waldo Emerson

Ralph Waldo Emerson

4.0

Introduction by Mary Oliver
Commentary by Henry James, Robert Frost, Matthew Arnold, Oliver Wendell Holmes, and Henry David Thoreau

The definitive collection of Emerson’s major speeches, essays, and poetry, The Essential Writings of Ralph Waldo Emerson chronicles the life’s work of a true “American Scholar.” As one of the architects of the transcendentalist movement, Emerson embraced a philosophy t

86

Period: Twelve Voices Tell the Bloody Truth

Various Authors, Kate Farrell

4.0

Periods enter the spotlight in this essay collection that raises a variety of voices on a topic long shrouded in shame and secrecy.

In this collection, writers of various ages and across racial, cultural, and gender identities share stories about the period. Each of our twelve authors brings an individual perspective and sensibility. They write about homeless periods, nonexistent periods, male peri

Cover unavailable

87

What's Up Down There?: Questions You'd Only Ask Your Gynecologist If She Was Your Best Friend

Lissa Rankin

4.0

In this funny, outrageous and empowering book, Dr. Lissa Rankin answers all the secret gynecological questions that most women wonder about, but have always been afraid to ask.

Suppose you had a wise, warm, funny best friend-who just happened to be a gynecologist. You're out with the girls for cocktails and the conversation turns to sex, and then to girly parts. One by one, you start asking her all

88

Romeo and Juliet

William Shakespeare, Dr. Barbara A. Mowat, Paul Werstine Ph.D.

4.0

In Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare creates a violent world, in which two young people fall in love. It is not simply that their families disapprove; the Montagues and the Capulets are engaged in a blood feud.

In this death-filled setting, the movement from love at first sight to the lovers’ final union in death seems almost inevitable. And yet, this play set in an extraordinary world has become the q

89

An Anthology of Piano Music Volume 3: The Romantic Period

Hal Leonard Corp. and Denes Agay

4.0

(Yorktown). Includes representative works of Brahms, Chopin, Dvorak, Liszt, Mendelssohn, Schubert, Schumann, Tchaikovsky, and 17 other Romantics. Contents: ALBENIZ: Zortzico, Op. 165, No. 6 • ALKAN: Barcarolle, Op. 65, No. 6 • BRAHMS: Hungarian Dance No. 7 • Intermezzo, Op. 117, No. 1 • Intermezzo, Op. 119, No. 3 • Rhapsody, Op. 79, No. 2 • Waltzes, Op. 39, Nos. 1, 2, 3, & 15 • CHOPIN: Etude, Op. 10, No. 3 • Etude, Op. 25, No. 2 • Mazurka, Op. 7, No. 2 • Mazurka, Op. 17, No. 1 • Nocturne, Op. 27, No. 1 • Nocturne, Op. 55, No. 1 • Polonaise, Op. 26, No. 1 • Preludes, Op. 28, Nos. 7, 11, 6, 20, 15, & 4 • Valse, Op. 69, No. 1 • Valse in E minor, Op. posth • DOHNANYI: Postludium, Op. 13, No. 10 • DVORAK: Polka, Op. 53 • Silhouette, Op. 8, No. 2 • FAURE: Capriccio, Op. 84, No. 1 • FRANCK: Little Prelude in C minor • Little Prelude in E-flat Major • GADE: Elegie, Op. 19, No. 1 • GLINKA: Children's Polka • Farewell Waltz • Intermezzo • GRIEG: Humoreske, Op. 6, No. 3 • Longing for Home, Op. 57, No. 6 • Notturno, Op. 54, No. 4 • Puck, Op. 71, No. 3 • HELLER: At Evening, Op. 138, No. 14 • Prelude, Op. 119, No. 29 • Scherzetto, Op. 125, No. 5 • LISZT: Consolation No. 3 • En Reve • Valse Oubliee No. 1 • MACHDOWELL: From Puritan Days, Op. 62, No. 8 • In Autumn, Op. 51, No. 4 • To a Wild Rose, Op. 51, No. 1 • MENDELSSOHN: Song Without Words, Op. 102, No. 3 • Song Without Words, Op. 53, No. 4 • Scherzo, Op. 16, No. 2 • Venetian Boat Song, Op. 19, No. 6 • MUSSORGSKY: In The Village • RACHMANINOFF: Moment Musical, Op. 16, No. 5 • Serenade, Op. 3, No. 5 • REGER: Album Leaf, Op. 44, No. 1 • Burletta, Op. 44, No. 2 • SCHUBERT: Allegretto in C minor • 5 Ecossaises • Impromptu, Op. 90, No. 2 • 6 Landler from Op. 33 & Op. 67 • Moment Musical, Op. 94, No. 2 • Moment Musical, Op. 94, No. 3 • 2 Valses Semtimentales • SCHUMANN: At the Inn, Op. 82, No. 6 • Child Falling Asleep, Op. 15, No. 12 • 2 Dances, Op. 6, Nos. 11-12 • First Loss, Op. 68, No. 16 • Important Event, Op. 15, No. 6 • Intermezzo, Op. 26, No. 4 • Italian Sailor's Song, Op. 68, No. 36 • Melody, Op. 68, No. 1 • Novelette, Op. 99, No. 9 • Phantasy Dance, Op. 124, No. 5 • Romanze, Op. 28, No. 2 • The Prophet Bird, Op. 82, No. 7 • The Reapers' Song, Op. 68, No. 18 • SIBELIUS: Pensee Melodique, Op. 40, No. 6 • SMETANA: Idyl, Op. 4, No. 2 • TCHAIKOVSKY: Chanson Triste, Op. 40, No. 2 • In Church, Op. 39, No. 24 • Song of the Lark, Op. 39, No. 22 • Valse-Scherzo No. 2 from Op. 59 • VOLKMANN: Grandmother's Songs, Op. 27, Nos. 10 & 8 • WOLF: Cradle Song

90

De Profundis and Other Prison Writings

Oscar Wilde, Colm Toibin

4.0

De Profundis and Other Prison Writings is a new selection of Oscar Wilde's prison letters and poetry in Penguin Classics, edited and introduced by Colm Tóibín.

At the start of 1895, Oscar Wilde was the toast of London, widely feted for his most recent stage success, An Ideal Husband. But by May of the same year, Wilde was in Reading prison sentenced to hard labour. 'De Profundis' is an epistolic ac

Recommended by Sos Eltis.

Sos Eltis

Wilde wrote this as a letter to Lord Alfred Douglas while he was imprisoned in Reading Gaol. [source]

91

Paradise Lost

John Milton

4.0

In Paradise, God’s favored new creations—Adam and Eve—live in bliss, untainted by sin. In another realm, Satan and his banished rebel angels collude to destroy God’s tranquil new design. Into this idyll called Earth, and the confidence of Adam and Eve, Satan will instigate the fall of man.

At the heart of this complex, audacious epic poem is a drama driven by the most recognizable human flaws. More

Recommended by Emily Wilson and Stephen Greenblatt.

Emily Wilson

Paradise Lost is a homecoming story of marital breakup and martial reunion, just as the Odyssey is. They’re also both epics about redefining a community in the wake of a devastating war, and about whether there will ever be an end to war. [source]

Stephen Greenblatt

Milton’s astonishing intervention in the Adam and Eve story includes thinking how it was possible—not for ignorant children, but knowing, thoughtful, complex human beings in a relationship with one another—to do what they did. [source]

92

Bluets

Maggie Nelson

4.0

Suppose I were to begin by saying that I had fallen in love with a color...

A lyrical, philosophical, and often explicit exploration of personal suffering and the limitations of vision and love, as refracted through the color blue. With Bluets, Maggie Nelson has entered the pantheon of brilliant lyric essayists.

Maggie Nelson is the author of numerous books of poetry and nonfiction, including Someth

93

Bad Feminist

Roxane Gay

4.0

Pink is my favorite color. I used to say my favorite color was black to be cool, but it is pink—all shades of pink. If I have an accessory, it is probably pink. I read Vogue, and I’m not doing it ironically, though it might seem that way. I once live-tweeted the September issue.

In these funny and insightful essays, Roxane Gay takes us through the journey of her evolution as a woman of color while

Recommended by Irina Nica.

Irina Nica

It’s hard to pick an all-time favorite because, as time goes by and I grow older, my reading list becomes more “mature” and I find myself interested in new things. I probably have a personal favorite book for each stage of my life. Right now I’m absolutely blown away by everything Roxane Gay wrote, especially Bad Feminist. [source]

94

A Poetry Handbook

Mary Oliver

4.0

With passion, wit, and good common sense, the celebrated poet Mary Oliver tells of the basic ways a poem is built—meter and rhyme, form and diction, sound and sense. She talks of iambs and trochees, couplets and sonnets, and how and why this should matter to anyone writing or reading poetry. Drawing on poems from Robert Frost, Elizabeth Bishop, and others, Oliver imparts an extraordinary amount of

95

Kon-Tiki

Thor Heyerdahl

4.0

Kon-Tiki is the record of an astonishing adventure -- a journey of 4,300 nautical miles across the Pacific Ocean by raft. Intrigued by Polynesian folklore, biologist Thor Heyerdahl suspected that the South Sea Islands had been settled by an ancient race from thousands of miles to the east, led by a mythical hero, Kon-Tiki. He decided to prove his theory by duplicating the legendary voyage.

On April

Recommended by Ovidiu Drugan.

Ovidiu Drugan

Expedition books from north pole to across the oceans with ships or rafts. [source]

Cover unavailable

96

The Tempest

William Shakespeare

4.0

Performed variously as escapist fantasy, celebratory fiction, and political allegory, The Tempest is one of the plays in which Shakespeare's genius as a poetic dramatist found its fullest expression. Significantly, it was placed first when published in the First Folio of 1623, and is now generally seen as the playwright's most penetrating statement about his art.

Stephen Orgel's wide-ranging introd

Recommended by Peter Atkins.

Peter Atkins

There is a kind of allegory about scientific endeavour in The Tempest which I enjoy. It’s magical, and it is an allegory of human knowledge. [source]

97

Ask Me About My Uterus: A Quest to Make Doctors Believe in Women's Pain

Abby Norman

4.0

For any woman who has experienced illness, chronic pain, or endometriosis comes an inspiring memoir advocating for recognition of women's health issues

In the fall of 2010, Abby Norman's strong dancer's body dropped forty pounds and gray hairs began to sprout from her temples. She was repeatedly hospitalized in excruciating pain, but the doctors insisted it was a urinary tract infection and sent he

98

Geologic History of Utah (Brigham Young University geology studies)

Lehi F. Hintze

4.0

99

The Girls' Guide to Growing Up

Anita Naik and Sarah Horne

4.0

Cover unavailable

100

Uncle John's Actual and Factual Bathroom Reader (Uncle John's Bathroom Reader #31)

Bathroom Readers' Institute

4.0

It’s an actual fact—Uncle John is the most entertaining thing in the bathroom!

Uncle John and his team of devoted researchers are back again with an all-new collection of weird news stories, odd historical events, dubious “scientific” theories, jaw-dropping lists, and more. This entertaining 31st anniversary edition contains 512 pages of all-new articles that will appeal to readers everywhere. Pop