10 books which you can never get tired of re-reading

First published in 1932, it is a science-fiction. Set in the future, in 2540 AD the story features a utopian society and revolves around Bernard and Lenina, who live in the World State. Bernard and Lenina go to New Mexico for a holiday where they meet John the Savage and Linda, who have been ostracised by their society and hence have lived hard lives. Things take a different turn when it is decided that John and Linda will travel with Bernard and Lenina to the World State. This book will take the readers on a roller coaster ride in the future and will keep them hooked until the end.
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American author Mario Puzo's crime novel The Godfather was originally published in 1969. Set between 1945 to 1955, the story revolves around a New York City based fictional Mafia family, headed by Vito Corleone. The novel recounts the story of Vito Corleone from his early childhood to adulthood. The epigraph of the book says: "Behind every great fortune there is a crime. -Balzac." This bestselling book is known for introducing many Italian words to an English-speaking audience. Even though the book is set in the 1950s, the story is relevant even today. The Godfather was made into a movie of the same name in 1972.
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English writer D. H. Lawrence's 1913 novel Sons and Lovers initially received a critical response and was also alleged of obscenity, but it is now regarded as a masterpiece by many critics. It was one of the first books to talk about Oedipus Complex- the attraction between mother and son. The book is semi-autobiographical and has the subtle themes of passion, love and relationships within a family. The story revolves around Paul Morel, a budding artist who is close to his mother. He hates his drunkard father for giving his mother a tough life. After the father's death, Mrs Morel seeks emotional fulfilment from her sons. She later dies but this doesn't relieve Paul as he is overcome by his bondage and love for his mother and he now feels that he can never love any other woman. Sons and Lovers is considered as one of Lawrence's finest achievements and is surely worth re-reading.
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William Makepeace Thackeray's Vanity Fair is considered to be timeless classic and it has been adapted across various art forms. The novel is a satire on the 19th-century English society, and the story revolves around Becky Sharp and Amelia Sedley. Scheming and deceitful Becky Sharp was orphaned at a young age; her only desire is to gain wealth and social security. A governess at Sir Pitt Crawley’s house, she secretly marries his son Captain Rawdon Crawley. Meanwhile, Amelia Sedley is Becky's complete opposite in nature. All that she has ever dreamt of is to get married to her childhood sweetheart-- the egotistic Captain George Osborne; whom she does eventually marry going against her father's wishes. With the Battle of Waterloo as the backdrop, the story of the two women's lives slowly unfolds bringing in more twists and turns.
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Herman Melville's Moby Dick is narrated by Ishamel, who is a member of the Pequod crew. The story revolves around Captain Ahab and his quest for a white whale, Moby Dick, that took his leg. Blinded by his ego, Ahab believes Moby Dick to be an incarnation of evil and he wouldn't stop until his revenge is taken. This novel will take the readers on an exciting adventure of whale hunting and also has deep psychological overtones.
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Far from the Madding Crowd is the story of an independent and spirited girl, Bathsheba Everdene, who comes to Weatherbury and decides to be a farmer after she is was bequeathed a large estate on account of her uncle’s demise . Her bold move draws the attention of three different suitors: Boldwood- the gentleman-farmer, Sergeant Troy- the soldier-seducer, and Gabriel Oak- the devoted shepherd. Each of them complicates her life in their own contrasting ways. Set in a semi-fictional region of Wessex, this is a story of passion, courtship and relationships.
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Set in 18th century England, the story revolves around Elizabeth Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy. When Elizabeth meets Darcy at a ball for the first time she perceives him as an arrogant and obnoxious man, especially after she overhears him rejecting her. But as fate would have it, the two meet each other again and again, Darcy begins to fall for Elizabeth's wit and intelligence while she questions her feelings for him. This classic by Jane Austen will make you fall in love with the characters, especially Mr Darcy, making it a book worth a re-read.
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As the title suggests, this dystopian novel is set in an imaginary world in the year 1984 where there is a totalitarian government and no one is independent or safe to live life as per their wishes. The world is dominated by the Big Brother, and everything is under surveillance and control-- including people's feelings of love. With the world in ruins post World War II, Big Brother is considered as God with his power growing everyday. Though written in 1949, this haunting novel will make one think about what happens when freedom is lost, and people and their emotions are controlled. George Orwell's 1984 is surely worth a re-read considering the situations in the world at large. It will make the readers think about where we have come from and where are we heading to.
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Set in the 20th century New York City, its a time when everything and everyone can be bought. The protagonist Jay Gatsby is known for his extravagant parties. While people lose themselves to the lure of money, Gatsby is the only one who is unaffected by it. In this epic story, Fitzgerald explores the idea of a chaste dream aganist the power of money and corruption. The book is quite similar to today's times and the readers would enjoy re-reading it.
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Harper Lee's To Kill A Mocking Bird won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1961. Set in a town in the 1930s, this touching story explores racism and depicts the dramatics of the 'Great Depression'. It follows the lives of Scout and Jem Finch as they experience racial discrimination in their society and see how their father, a lawyer, struggles to give justice to a black man wrongly charged for raping a white girl. This is one of the best books written about racial discrimination in the society and will make one empathise with those who are less-fortunate.
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