Slaughterhouse Five- Kurt Vonnegut

This satirical novel follows Billy Pilgrim, an American soldier in World War II. He is abducted by aliens and taken to their home planet. There, Billy contemplates life, death, and the harshness of war. This novel opens the reader’s eyes to the horrors of war, while also helping them understand the greatness of life. This book should be read because even though it is uniquely hilarious, it also sheds some light on life’s greatest questions.

Most memorable quote: “Well, here we are, Mr. Pilgrim, trapped in the amber of this moment. There is no why.”

Tuesdays with Morrie- Mitch Albom

This book is written about a college professor with an ageless soul who is dying of ALS– an incurable disease that affects the body’s ability to control muscle movement. The professor, Morrie Schwartz,  emphasizes the importance of kindness and loving everyone. This book helps the reader to look past money and fame and focus on the more important things in life, which can be humbling to a teenager about to go to college.

Most memorable quote: “The truth is, once you learn how to die, you learn how to live.”

It- Stephen King

This book follows the lives of 7 children  being traumatized by a being called “It”. The creature  usually looks like a clown in order to lure the kids to him. As the novel progresses and the children grow up, they learn to become less afraid of him. The book emphasizes the trauma of childhood fears, and how once someone overcomes the fear that they had as a child, the fear seemed ridiculous.

Most memorable quote: “Monsters are real, and ghosts are real too. They live inside us, and sometimes, they win.”

Brave New World- Aldous Huxley

This book starts out in a futuristic society where everyone is conditioned to act the same. The main character, Bernard, feels as if he needs to break free from it all. He travels to a Savage Reservation and sees the way its inhabitants freely live, and it changes his views forever. This book shows that even though  people in “perfect” societies  feel happy, they are being deprived of the freedom to be themselves.This book is a classic, and opens the reader’s eyes to what could come of our society.

Most memorable quote: “When the individual feels, the community reels.”

Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy- Douglas Adams  

This book follows a relatively normal English guy named Arthur Dent. After the destruction of the Earth, he is sent on insane adventures though the galaxy. Accompanying him is Ford Perfect, an alien that rescued Arthur after the end of the world. This comedic book focuses on letting things be how they are, and understanding that the universe has no rhyme or reason.
Most memorable quote: “A common mistake that people make when trying to design something completely foolproof is to underestimate the ingenuity of complete fools.”