“Reading gives us some place to go when we have to stay where we are,” said Mason Cooley, and today, in a pandemic-ridden world, it’s truer than ever. Reading is an escape from reality. A fictional world powerful enough to sway emotions and to take you to that other dimension. However, it is most important to choose the best books to read.
With so many genres and innumerable forms and styles of writing, it can be a bit hard to find your zone. But there are certain books which do not fail to grip the attention of people irrespective of their tastes. The universal choices which if you haven’t read, you’re really at the losing end.
Why should you read books?
- AN ESCAPE: First and foremost as mentioned earlier, books are an escape from the hustle and bustle of your day to day life.
- MENTAL STIMULATION: Books provide mental stimulation. Reading and engaging in the plot and story keeps your mind engaged and busy.
- KNOWING MORE: Books are an infinite source of knowledge. Reading gives you more information and newer ideas and concepts on various aspects of life.
- BETTER FOCUS: Reading can be of great help in improving focus and concentration.
- INCREASED VOCABULARY AND WRITING SKILLS: A good writer is at first a good reader. Reading improves a person’s vocabulary and writing skills to a great extent.
- BETTER MEMORY: While reading books, one has to keep track of many characters, their characteristics, backgrounds, and more. This proves to be fairly easy and is beneficial in training and testing your memory power.
Must read: best books you can’t miss out
Wondering what to read next or where to start? Don’t know what exactly you are looking for? CouponCodesME is here to help you with just that. The best books of all time, for teenagers and adults alike. Find the best picks from the best writers all from Menakart.
| Book | Author | Best price | Genre |
|---|---|---|---|
| Don Quixote | Miguel de Cervantes | AED 94.50 | Psycological fiction, parody, sattire |
| To Kill a Mockingbird | Harper Lee | AED 42 | Thriller, Southern Gothic, Domestic, Fiction, Legal Story |
| 1984 | George Orwell | AED 68.25 | Dystopian Fiction, science fiction, social science fiction |
| Harry Potter series | J.K.Rowling | AED 331 | Fantasy Fiction, Drama, Mystery, Thriller |
| The Catcher in the Rye | J. D. Salinger | AED 61.95 | Young adult fiction, First-person narrative |
| Pride and Prejudice | Jane Austen | AED 51.45 | Romance, Historical fiction |
| Wuthering Heights | Emily Bronte | AED 43.05 | Romance, Tragedy, Gothic fiction |
| The Great Gatsby | F. Scott Fitzgerald | AED 54.60 | Fiction, tragedy |
| Jane Eyre | Charlotte Bronte | AED 42 | Gothic fiction, romance novel, Victorian literature |
| Little Women | Lousia May Alcott | AED 35.70 | feminist novel, comedy, fiction domestic |
| All the bright places | Jennifer Niven | AED 52.50 | Young adult fiction |
| Gone Girl | Gillian Flynn | AED 203.70 | Mystery, thriller,suspense |
| Looking for Alaska | John Green | AED 36.75 | Young adult fiction |
| The Da Vinci code | Dan Brown | AED 29 | Mystery, Thriller, Conspiracy fiction |
| The Perks of Being a Wallflower | Stephen Chbosky | AED 54.60 | Young adult fiction, Epistolary novel, Bildungsroman |
| Alchemist | Paulo Coelho | AED 55.65 | Fantasy, Quest, Fantasy Fiction, Adventure fiction |
| The monk who sold his Ferrari | Robin Sharma | AED 39.90 | Fable, Fiction |
| Tuesday's with Morrie | Mitch Albom | AED 103.95 | Biography, Memoir, Philosophical fiction |
| The Book Thief | Markus Zusak | AED 52.50 | Young adult fiction, Historical Fiction |
| Veronica decides to die | Paulo Coelho | AED 31.50 | Psychological Fiction |
Top best sellers
Don Quixote
PRICE: AED 94.50
AUTHOR: Miguel de Cervantes
GENRE: Psycological fiction, parody, satire
YEAR OF PUBLISHING: 1605
Considered the first modern novel, the story Don Quixote is known for its central ethic that a person can be right when the entire society is wrong which in turn made it one of the foundations of modern literature.
Peek into the 16th century and into how Alonso Quixano, a noble from La Mancha loses his mind after reading too many chivalric romances. Look into his life as he decides to take up knighthood to serve his nation.
To Kill a Mockingbird
PRICE: AED 42
AUTHOR: Harper Lee
GENRE: Thriller, Southern Gothic, Domestic, Fiction, Legal Story
YEAR OF PUBLISHING: 1960
“Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit ’em, but remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.”
Explore coexistence of good and evil, the existence of social inequality, prejudice, and racism. As a black man is accused of the rape of a white girl, the book reflects how the conscience of a town filled with hatred and violence is pricked by a man’s struggle for justice.
1984
PRICE: AED 68.25
AUTHOR: George Orwell
GENRE: Dystopian Fiction, science fiction, social science fiction
YEAR OF PUBLISHING: 1949
The novel 1984 is the best example of classic dystopian fiction. This Orwellian story is set in an imaginary future victim to the havoc caused by war and propaganda.
The book follows the life of Wilson Smith, a low-ranking member of the party as he wrestles and fights oppression in Oceania where the political party is ever watchful and ready to scrutinize human actions.
Harry Potter Series
PRICE: AED 331
AUTHOR : J.K.Rowling
GENRE: Fantasy Fiction, Drama, Mystery, Thriller
YEAR OF PUBLISHING: 1997-2007
Harry Potter is a series of seven books that traces the journey of Harry Potter and his friends as they face the most life-threatening situations as students of Hogwarts. The main storyline is Harry’s struggle in defeating Voldemort.
The Catcher in the Rye
PRICE: AED 61.95
AUTHOR: J. D. Salinger
GENRE: Young adult fiction, First-person narrative
YEAR OF PUBLISHING: 1951
The novel tells the tale of how Holden Caulfield rails against the phoniness of the adults after getting expelled from school. He is left emotionally exhausted and unstable. The events deal with what happens after.
Romance and feminist novels: evergreen classics
Pride and Prejudice
PRICE: AED 51.45
AUTHOR: Jane Austen
GENRE: Romance, Historical fiction
YEAR OF PUBLISHING: 1813
Pride and Prejudice deals with the position of women in the society in the 19th century. The story revolves around the lives of the Bennett sisters, the protagonist being Elizabeth Bennett as they juggle their feelings in a society where marriage is mostly a financial deal. Find out if Miss Bennett is able to throw her pride and discover her love keeping prejudices aside.
Wuthering Heights
PRICE: AED 43.05
AUTHOR: Emily Bronte
GENRE: Romance, Tragedy, Gothic fiction
YEAR OF PUBLISHING: 1847
“Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same.”
Find out if Heathcliff’s love for Catherine Earnshaw sees a happy ending. One of the most haunting and tormenting romances of all time, this book is the tale of the troubled orphan Heathcliff as he and Catherine struggle to overcome all barriers to be able to accept their love for one another.
The Great Gatsby
PRICE: AED 54.60
AUTHOR: F. Scott Fitzgerald
GENRE: Fiction, tragedy
YEAR OF PUBLISHING: 1925
Considered to be Fitzgerald’s magnum opus, the book explores the theme of idealism, resistance to change, and social upheaval. The story primarily concerns the mysteries of millionaire Jay Gatsby and his obsession and passion for his ex-lover Daisy.
Jane Eyre
PRICE: AED 42
AUTHOR: Charlotte Bronte
GENRE: Gothic fiction, romance novel, Victorian literature
YEAR OF PUBLISHING: 1847
The story of Jane Eyre touches feminism, sexuality, and religion. The narrative tells the tale of how Jane falls in love with her employer Rochester. Find out how her love for her sardonic employer turns out.
Little Women
PRICE: AED 35.70
AUTHOR: Lousia May Alcott
GENRE: a feminist novel, comedy, fiction domestic
YEAR OF PUBLISHING: 1868
Image credits: Pinterest
Little Women is a light-hearted feminist novel exploring the characters of different types of women in a male-dominated society. It tells the tale of the March sisters and how they struggle to cope with finance, their feelings and their anxiety for the return of their beloved father.
Romance and thrillers for the young adults
All the bright places
PRICE: AED 52.50
AUTHOR: Jennifer Niven
GENRE: Young adult fiction
YEAR OF PUBLISHING: 2015
Image credits: Pinterest
All the bright places is a compelling novel which deals with mental illness. Violet and Theodore Finch, both struggling to believe the worth of their lives meet and help each other out and save each other. Find out if they can make it through or will they end up in the same mess they were before.
Gone Girl
PRICE: AED 203.70
AUTHOR: Gillian Flynn
GENRE: Mystery, thriller, suspense
YEAR OF PUBLISHING: 2012
Img credits: Pinterest
Gone Girl is the story of a wife who fakes her death trying to get her husband caught. This novel is a breathtaking thriller and cleverly written suspense story that tells of how Amy plots to incriminate her husband. Find out how, why, and what happens and explore the psychology of Amy.
Looking for Alaska
PRICE: AED 36.75
AUTHOR: John Green
GENRE: Young adult fiction
YEAR OF PUBLISHING: 2005
Image credits: pinterest
“If people were rain, I was drizzle and she was a hurricane.”
Miles Halter discovers the hurricane of his life. A new adventure in Culver creek his new school with the center being Alaska Young, the hurricane. Find out if she pulls him into the labyrinth or helps him find a way out.
The Da Vinci Code
PRICE: AED 29
AUTHOR: Dan Brown
GENRE: Mystery, Thriller, Conspiracy fiction
YEAR OF PUBLISHING: 2003
Image credits: Pinterest
Read this crime fiction novel and follow as Robert Langdon a symbologist and Sophie Neveu, a cryptologist gets involved in a battle between the Priory of Sion and Opus Dei. This is of over the possibilities of Jesus Christ and Mary Magdalene having had a child together after a murder in the Louvre Museum.
The Perks of Being a Wallflower
PRICE: AED 54.60
AUTHOR: Stephen Chbosky
GENRE: Young adult fiction, Epistolary novel, Bildungsroman
YEAR OF PUBLISHING: 1999
Image credits: Pinterest
The story is a touching coming of age epistolary novel. Set in the Pittsburgh suburb in the early 1990s, the story follows Charlie, an observant introverted freshman as he navigates between adolescence and adulthood.
Life-changing inspirational books
Alchemist
PRICE: AED 55.65
AUTHOR: Paulo Coelho
GENRE: Fantasy, Quest, Fantasy Fiction, Adventure fiction
YEAR OF PUBLISHING: 1988
Image credits: Pinterest
The Alchemist is an allegoric novel. It follows the journey of an Andalusian shepherd Santiago as he ventures for the treasure he sees in a recurring dream. Find and figure life on his journey to the Egyptian pyramids with one of the most inspiring books ever written.
The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari
PRICE: AED 39.90
AUTHOR: Robin Sharma
GENRE: Fable, Fiction
YEAR OF PUBLISHING: 1996
Image credits: Pinterest
A lawyer Julian Mantle sells his Ferrari to study the seven virtues of the Sages of Sivana in the Himalayas. Walk with Julian and explore his life-changing odyssey to achieve passion, peace, and purpose in life.
Tuesday’s with Morrie
PRICE: AED 103.95
AUTHOR: Mitch Albom
GENRE: Biography, Memoir, Philosophical fiction
YEAR OF PUBLISHING: 1997
Picture credits: Pinterest
Tuesday’s with Morrie is a memoir celebrating the author’s last experiences with Morrie Schwartz, a psychology professor. The main theme revolves about what we can learn about life from death.
The Book Thief
PRICE: AED 52.50
AUTHOR: Markus Zusak
GENRE: Young adult fiction, Historical Fiction
YEAR OF PUBLISHING: 2005
Image credits: pinterest
Read about the power of words to make worlds. In a war struck Germany Liesel’s life changes as she finds the Gravedigger’s Handbook by her brother’s graveside. This starts her thieving journey from wherever she could find them. Find out what happens with her family keeping life-threatening secrets in the most dangerous time. Read The Book Thief.
Veronica Decides To Die
PRICE: AED 31.50
AUTHOR: Paulo Coelho
GENRE: Psychological Fiction
YEAR OF PUBLISHING: 1998
Image credits: Pinterest
Veronica decides to die is the story of 24-year-old Veronica. She decides to kill herself even when everything in life seems to favor her. The book is mostly inspired by the author’s experience in mental institutions.
Book covers: hardcover and paperback
A book cover is a protective cover that binds the pages of a book together. There are two types of covers, the hardcover and the paperbacks.
The paperback covers are mostly made of thicker and harder paper and attached to the pages using glue. On the other hand, hardcovers come with thick rigid protective covers. These are sown and bound tightly together. The flexible sewn spine allows the book to lie flat on a surface.
Books with hardcovers are more expensive than paperbacks.
Pros and cons of reading e-books
E-books or electronic books have gained great popularity. These have become an international phenomenon and a widespread trend as people all over the world are changing their conventional forms of reading. Here are some pros and cons of reading e-books.
Pros
- First of all, reading books online saved on your appliances efficiently helps you save up space, and paper.
- These are light and easy to carry around.
- You get easy updates and the content can be shared.
- You can read your books on multiple devices and you also get the read-aloud feature.
Cons
- These are harder to read in the sunlight. Furthermore, it can strain your eyes and cause damage.
- E-books will never be able to replace the feeling of reading a real book with the smell and texture of the paper.
- They can be lost if you have no backup and a failed hard drive.
Reading is one of the best hobbies you can have. This quarantine expand your collection with these great books.
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