<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reviews/out?asin=1400033411&platform=browser&postSource=bi%7C61df3ee60f84c037849ebf70&postTag=biauto-51405-20&sc=false&type=AMAZON-AFFILIATE-LINK&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fdp%2F1400033411%3Ftag%3Dbiauto-51405-20&sessionid=1650468688699jb8fqnfo&tag=bisafetynet2-20">Beloved</a> is a Pultizer Prize-winning historical fiction about Sethe, an escaped slave still running from her past 18 years later. Haunted both metaphorically by her memories and literally by the ghost of her baby, Sethe's past and present collide when a mysterious teenage girl arrives with the same name engraved upon her child's tombstone.

"Beloved" by Toni Morrison

Everything was beautiful, and nothing hurt.

<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reviews/out?platform=browser&postSource=bi%7C61df3ee60f84c037849ebf70&sc=false&type=LINK-WITH-REVIEW-SLASH-OUT&u=https%3A%2F%2Fbookshop.org%2Fbooks%2Fi-know-why-the-caged-bird-sings%2F9780345514400&sessionid=165046790318615q7ztn6">I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings</a> is Maya Angelou's first book in her multi-volume autobiography series.This installment offers a glimpse at Maya Angelou's early years as she struggles against racism when she and her brother are sent to live with their grandmother in a small Southern town. When she returns to live with her mother, a horrible attack changes Maya Angelou's life forever in this memoir about identity, race, and hope in the face of impossible circumstances.

"I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" by Maya Angelou

That's the thing about books. They let you travel without moving your feet.

What's the point of having a voice if you're gonna be silent in those moments you shouldn't be?

We accept the love we think we deserve.

First published in 1969, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reviews/out?asin=0385333846&platform=browser&postSource=bi%7C61df3ee60f84c037849ebf70&postTag=biauto-51405-20&sc=false&type=AMAZON-AFFILIATE-LINK&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fdp%2F0385333846%3Ftag%3Dbiauto-51405-20&sessionid=1650468688699u9gk0f6l&tag=bisafetynet2-20">Slaughterhouse-Five</a> is an anti-war novel about Billy Pilgrim, who becomes a chaplain's assistant in the US. Army during World War II.While the story begins with Billy's childhood and continues years after the war, Billy occasionally travels through time to reflect upon his life, humanity, and the devastating effects of war.

"Slaughterhouse-Five" by Kurt Vonnegut

<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reviews/out?asin=0062498533&platform=browser&postSource=bi%7C61df3ee60f84c037849ebf70&postTag=biauto-51405-20&sc=false&type=AMAZON-AFFILIATE-LINK&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fdp%2F0062498533%3Ftag%3Dbiauto-51405-20&sessionid=165046790318670wwtv1p&tag=bisafetynet2-20">The Hate U Give</a> is a moving and timely young adult read about Starr Carter, a 16-year-old who witnesses her best friend, Khalil, get shot and killed by the police.When his death makes national headlines, everyone wants to hear what really happened, but Starr is fully aware of what telling the truth could mean as well as the consequences of staying silent.

"The Hate U Give" by Angie Thomas

Loved as a funny and realistic view on war, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reviews/out?asin=1451626657&platform=browser&postSource=bi%7C61df3ee60f84c037849ebf70&postTag=biauto-51405-20&sc=false&type=AMAZON-AFFILIATE-LINK&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fdp%2F1451626657%3Ftag%3Dbiauto-51405-20&sessionid=1650467903186qqsodlv9&tag=bisafetynet2-20">Catch-22</a> is about Yossarian, a bombardier during World War II who is mad that thousands of enemies are trying to kill him while his army continues to increase the number of dangerous missions he's required to fly.Yossarian finds himself in a Catch-22, a bureaucratic rule that says men who continue to fly dangerous missions should be considered insane, yet if they make a request to be removed, they are proven sane and ineligible for relief.

"Catch-22" by Joseph Heller

<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reviews/out?asin=0679732764&platform=browser&postSource=bi%7C61df3ee60f84c037849ebf70&postTag=biauto-51405-20&sc=false&type=AMAZON-AFFILIATE-LINK&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fdp%2F0679732764%3Ftag%3Dbiauto-51405-20&sessionid=1650467903186grd70r8u&tag=bisafetynet2-20">Invisible Man</a> is a 1952 classic that shaped American literature as an unnamed man from the South who gets a scholarship to an all-Black school in Harlem but must participate in a horrifying and humiliating "battle royal" in order to claim his spot.Powerful and raw, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reviews/out?asin=0679732764&platform=browser&postSource=bi%7C61df3ee60f84c037849ebf70&postTag=biauto-51405-20&sc=false&type=AMAZON-AFFILIATE-LINK&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fdp%2F0679732764%3Ftag%3Dbiauto-51405-20&sessionid=16504679031866367l8ig&tag=bisafetynet2-20">this novel</a> explores identity and belonging as the narrator continues to search for his individuality in a society that doesn't want him to be himself.

"Invisible Man" by Ralph Ellison

First published in 1818, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reviews/out?platform=browser&postSource=bi%7C61df3ee60f84c037849ebf70&sc=false&type=LINK-WITH-REVIEW-SLASH-OUT&u=https%3A%2F%2Fbookshop.org%2Fbooks%2Ffrankenstein-9798688164879%2F9780486282114&sessionid=16504679031866exqcs85">Frankenstein</a> is a horror classic about a scientist named Victor Frankenstein who brings a monster to life and flees his laboratory in disgust, to return the next day and find that the creature is missing.In this novel that explores the dark power of alienation, Frankenstein's monster tells the devastating story to his creator of his first challenging days in the world.

"Frankenstein" by Mary Shelley

In this <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reviews/out?asin=1594483299&platform=browser&postSource=bi%7C61df3ee60f84c037849ebf70&postTag=biauto-51405-20&sc=false&type=AMAZON-AFFILIATE-LINK&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fdp%2F1594483299%3Ftag%3Dbiauto-51405-20&sessionid=1650467903186u2e7d09r&tag=bisafetynet2-20">classic French children's book</a>, a young prince meets a pilot whose plane has crashed in the desert, who begins to tell him his story of traveling across various planets and all he had seen and learned along the way. One of the most translated books in the world, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reviews/out?asin=0156012197&platform=browser&postSource=bi%7C61df3ee60f84c037849ebf70&postTag=biauto-51405-20&sc=false&type=AMAZON-AFFILIATE-LINK&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fdp%2F0156012197%3Ftag%3Dbiauto-51405-20&sessionid=1650467903186018xqabj&tag=bisafetynet2-20">The Little Prince</a> is for readers of all ages who wish to reminisce upon the nostalgic innocence of childhood.

"The Little Prince" by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reviews/out?asin=0358062683&platform=browser&postSource=bi%7C61df3ee60f84c037849ebf70&postTag=biauto-51405-20&sc=false&type=AMAZON-AFFILIATE-LINK&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fdp%2F0358062683%3Ftag%3Dbiauto-51405-20&sessionid=165046790318784gm6dax&tag=bisafetynet2-20">The Namesake</a> is Jhumpa Lahiri's first novel and explores the immigrant experience through the Ganguli family, whose story begins as Ashoke and Ashima uproot their traditional life in Calcutta and move to America shortly after their arranged marriage so Ashoke can attend school at MIT. When Ashima names their child Gogol, the meaning of his name continues to follow him through his life as he navigates the expectations of a first-generation immigrant.

"The Namesake" by Jhumpa Lahiri

Anything worth dying for is certainly worth living for.

I am not afraid of storms, for I am learning how to sail my ship.

It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.

Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same.

They say nothing lasts forever but they're just scared it will last longer than they can love it.

I took a deep breath and listened to the old brag of my heart: I am, I am, I am.

<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reviews/out?asin=0060837020&platform=browser&postSource=bi%7C61df3ee60f84c037849ebf70&postTag=biauto-51405-20&sc=false&type=AMAZON-AFFILIATE-LINK&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fdp%2F0060837020%3Ftag%3Dbiauto-51405-20&sessionid=1650467903186c7p3651h&tag=bisafetynet2-20">The Bell Jar</a> is a semi-autobiographical novel and a haunting classic from Sylvia Plath. The book follows Esther Greenwood, a young woman in Boston who is consumed by depression and anxiety as her mental state worsens over time.

"The Bell Jar" by Sylvia Plath

This <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reviews/out?asin=0062065254&platform=browser&postSource=bi%7C61df3ee60f84c037849ebf70&postTag=biauto-51405-20&sc=false&type=AMAZON-AFFILIATE-LINK&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fdp%2F0062065254%3Ftag%3Dbiauto-51405-20&sessionid=1650467903186pu7n4h3y&tag=bisafetynet2-20">2012 National Book Award winner</a> follows a young boy on the Ojibwe reservation in North Dakota whose community and family is changed forever in the wake of a terrible crime. Richly layered, this profound mystery is about so much more than finding a criminal and seeking justice.

"The Round House" by Louise Erdrich

This <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reviews/out?asin=0525562028&platform=browser&postSource=bi%7C61df3ee60f84c037849ebf70&postTag=biauto-51405-20&sc=false&type=AMAZON-AFFILIATE-LINK&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fdp%2F0525562028%3Ftag%3Dbiauto-51405-20&sessionid=1650467903186as9wlwa8&tag=bisafetynet2-20">stunning and poetic novel</a> is a letter from a son to his mother, who cannot read. Little Dog is in his 20s, exploring and speaking frankly about sexuality, masculinity, grief, and race as he unravels his family's history rooted in Vietnam, leading to an unforgettable conclusion in this powerful novel about humanity and language.

"On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous " by Ocean Vuong

<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reviews/out?asin=0062315005&platform=browser&postSource=bi%7C61df3ee60f84c037849ebf70&postTag=biauto-51405-20&sc=false&type=AMAZON-AFFILIATE-LINK&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fdp%2F0062315005%3Ftag%3Dbiauto-51405-20&sessionid=1650468688700o2mhbhje&tag=bisafetynet2-20">The Alchemist</a> is a powerful and inspirational story full of wisdom about a boy named Santiago who travels to Egypt from Spain in search of a treasure buried near the Pyramids.On his adventure, Santiago encounters numerous obstacles, meets interesting new people, and discovers so much more than the treasure he once sought.

"The Alchemist" by Paulo Coelho

Not all those who wander are lost.

Beware; for I am fearless, and therefore powerful.

<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reviews/out?platform=browser&postSource=bi%7C61df3ee60f84c037849ebf70&sc=false&type=LINK-WITH-REVIEW-SLASH-OUT&u=https%3A%2F%2Fbookshop.org%2Fbooks%2Fthe-fellowship-of-the-ring-the-lord-of-the-rings-part-one-9780345339706%2F9780345339706&sessionid=1650467903187wux72ftw">The Fellowship of the Ring</a> is the first novel in the classic fantasy "Lord of the Rings" series.In <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reviews/out?platform=browser&postSource=bi%7C61df3ee60f84c037849ebf70&sc=false&type=LINK-WITH-REVIEW-SLASH-OUT&u=https%3A%2F%2Fbookshop.org%2Fbooks%2Fthe-fellowship-of-the-ring-the-lord-of-the-rings-part-one-9780345339706%2F9780345339706&sessionid=1650467903187dw8zh51r">this book</a>, the hobbit Bilbo Baggins entrusts young Frodo Baggins with an incredible and dangerous task: To take the powerful Ring to the Cracks of Doom and destroy it once and for all. Frodo sets off on an epic adventure across Middle-Earth in this beloved and revered novel.

"The Fellowship of the Ring" by J.R.R. Tolkein

Hazel's terminal cancer diagnosis has been extended by a few years when she meets a gorgeous boy named Augustus in her support group. Immediately drawn to one another, they agree to read each other's favorite books, launching a whirlwind teenage romance that's full of love and heartbreak.

"The Fault in Our Stars" by John Green

There is always something left to love.

This <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reviews/out?asin=0060883286&platform=browser&postSource=bi%7C61df3ee60f84c037849ebf70&postTag=biauto-51405-20&sc=false&type=AMAZON-AFFILIATE-LINK&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fdp%2F0060883286%3Ftag%3Dbiauto-51405-20&sessionid=1650468688700cphhibb8&tag=bisafetynet2-20">beautiful multi-generational story </a>of the Buendía family begins with José Arcadio Buendía, the founding patriarch of the town of Macondo. Following seven generations of the family through feuds, friendships, and technological advancements, this novel uses magical realism to explore extraordinary moments through time.

"One Hundred Years of Solitude" by Gabriel García Márquez

It's the possibility of having a dream come true that makes life interesting.

<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reviews/out?platform=browser&postSource=bi%7C61df3ee60f84c037849ebf70&sc=false&type=LINK-WITH-REVIEW-SLASH-OUT&u=https%3A%2F%2Fbookshop.org%2Fbooks%2Flittle-women-89681f90-5e42-4dd9-a56a-50840d9d84e9%2F9780451532084&sessionid=1650468688699p9k1716h">This adored classic </a>is about four sisters — Jo, Beth, Meg, and Amy — who are struggling to survive in New England during the Civil War.First published in 1869, this novel has delighted readers for generations as they follow the sisters on each of their unique journeys to womanhood.

"Little Women" by Louisa May Alcott

When I discover who I am, I'll be free.

Time moves slowly, but passes quickly.

As he read, I fell in love the way you fall asleep: slowly, and then all at once.

Winner of the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reviews/out?asin=0143135694&platform=browser&postSource=bi%7C61df3ee60f84c037849ebf70&postTag=biauto-51405-20&sc=false&type=AMAZON-AFFILIATE-LINK&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fdp%2F0143135694%3Ftag%3Dbiauto-51405-20&sessionid=165046790318671ibzilp&tag=bisafetynet2-20">The Color Purple</a> is a magnificent and important novel about the abuse silently suffered by Black women in the 20th century.Celie and Nettie are sisters who were separated as children but continue to communicate and share messages of hope through letters that sustain them through seemingly insurmountable pain in this story of strength and redemption.

"The Color Purple" by Alice Walker

There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.

Nolite te bastardes carborundorum.

Offred can remember enjoying life with her husband and daughter not long ago. Now, trapped in a dystopian present where women are only valued if they have viable ovaries, Offred is the Commander's handmaid, forced to lie down for him once a month and pray she gets pregnant in this <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reviews/out?asin&platform=browser&postSource=bi%7C61df3ee60f84c037849ebf70&postTag=biauto-51405-20&sc=false&type=AMAZON-AFFILIATE-LINK&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FHandmaids-Tale-Margaret-Atwood%2Fdp%2F038549081X%2F%3Ftag%3Dbiauto-51405-20&sessionid=16504679031867oytce2h&tag=bisafetynet2-20">devastatingly memorable read</a>.

"The Handmaid's Tale" by Margaret Atwood

Now that I knew fear, I also knew it was not permanent. As powerful as it was, its grip on me would loosen. It would pass.

Love is or it ain't. Thin love ain't love at all.

<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reviews/out?platform=browser&postSource=bi%7C61df3ee60f84c037849ebf70&sc=false&type=LINK-WITH-REVIEW-SLASH-OUT&u=https%3A%2F%2Fbookshop.org%2Fbooks%2Fdon-quixote-9780060934347%2F9781973836254&sessionid=1650467903186wevygz5k">Don Quixote</a> is a historical novel from the 1600s and one of the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/best-selling-books-of-all-time#:~:text=1.,Amazon%20and%20Bookshop%2C%20from%20%2415.30&text=The%20highest%20selling%20and%20most,and%20the%20other%20in%201615.">top-selling books of all time</a>.Quixano is a young nobleman who decides to become a knight-errant after reading countless romances and falling in love with the idea of chivalry. Under the name "Don Quixote de la Mancha," Quixano brings the witty Sancho Panza along as his squire on his quest for knighthood.

"Don Quixote" by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra

<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reviews/out?platform=browser&postSource=bi%7C61df3ee60f84c037849ebf70&sc=false&type=LINK-WITH-REVIEW-SLASH-OUT&u=https%3A%2F%2Fbookshop.org%2Fbooks%2Fwuthering-heights-d56998e3-d55b-4a8b-9b34-16b3d303e8ea%2F9780141439556&sessionid=1650467903186ow52jpj1">Wuthering Heights</a> is a classic, gothic novel from 1847 about two families — the Lintons and the Earnshaws — and their relationships with the Earnshaws' adopted son, Heathcliff. Full of complex characters, this classic follows Heathcliff's young friendship with his benefactor's daughter, Cathy, as it grows and morphs into a passionate and twisted romance.

"Wuthering Heights" by Emily Brontë

In this <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reviews/out?asin=1451696191&platform=browser&postSource=bi%7C61df3ee60f84c037849ebf70&postTag=biauto-51405-20&sc=false&type=AMAZON-AFFILIATE-LINK&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fdp%2F1451696191%3Ftag%3Dbiauto-51405-20&sessionid=165046790318730rplokm&tag=bisafetynet2-20">unique coming-of-age novel</a> set in the 1990s, Charlie is a freshman in high school who is torn between passivity and a budding passion for life while also being stuck between childhood and adulthood. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reviews/out?asin=1451696191&platform=browser&postSource=bi%7C61df3ee60f84c037849ebf70&postTag=biauto-51405-20&sc=false&type=AMAZON-AFFILIATE-LINK&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fdp%2F1451696191%3Ftag%3Dbiauto-51405-20&sessionid=1650467903187x9a09aj8&tag=bisafetynet2-20">This book</a> is a compilation of his letters to an unknown recipient, discussing the challenges he faces with his family, in school, and in his personal life.

"Perks of Being A Wallflower" by Stephen Chbosky

Too much sanity may be madness — and maddest of all: to see life as it is, and not as it should be!

For readers looking for a new inspirational read or wondering where some of the greatest lines originated from, here are some of the best literary quotes and the books they came from.

We rounded up some of the most famous and inspirational book quotes — as well as the classic and contemporary books they're from.

RALPH ELLISON

Similar ideas to RALPH ELLISON

LAO TZU

CHARLES HORTON COOLEY

Examples of destructive thinking