Written by Kylie Tusing | Assistant Site Director

It is said that reading a certain book can irrevocably change your entire life, whether you are connecting deeply with a character or happen to have experienced some of the same plots going on. There are millions of books in this world but to find one that can change your life is rare.  It helps to start with the classics and here is a short listing of some of the best ones. 


Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen 

Two of the most complex and brilliantly written characters are Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy. You are left guessing until the very end and it won’t matter how many times you’ve already read it. Reading them falling in love is just one of the many aspects to love about this tale. 

To buy the movie, click the following link: https://amzn.to/2HEtbYW


Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

Jo March, a character far ahead of her time but one that every twenty-something young woman can relate to. Louisa May Alcott weaves a story of the March sisters, two summers and what it means to be a young twenty-something year old woman. While written in 1868 this book is a timeless piece of literature. 

For the movie, click the following link: https://amzn.to/3mFea8H


The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald 

Written in 1925 during the era of prohibition, Fitzgerald shows his readers an inside look at the elite and the tragedy that comes from within. Mysterious Jay Gatsby known for his lavish parties and net worth of millions is obsessed with gaining the interest of his former lover Daisy Buchanan. 

For the movie, click the following link: https://amzn.to/2HFbvwH


1984 by George Orwell 

This novel features a society post-war, filled with the world of politics and the power of manipulation. Dystopian fiction 1984 spins the webs of the dynamics of government and the power over the people. Main character Winston Smith works for what will be known as Big Brother but the reader falls into his daydreams and potential action of rebellion.  

For the movie, click the following link: https://amzn.to/31LrsZ0


One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey 

Staged in a psychiatric hospital this novel brings to question the societal viewpoint of psychiatric hospitals along with telling the tales of patients. Told from the viewpoint of “Chief” Bromden, a largely built Native American, who lets it appear that he is deaf and mute, Bromden tells the narratives of several stories but mostly of the new patient McMurphy. This book will leave you questioning and spectating your own morality. 

For the movie, click the following link: https://amzn.to/2HGlYre


These five recommendations are classics and staples that one must read in their lifetime. Though there are some notable authors to read from as well. Here is a brief list; Jane Austen, Ernest Hemingway, Edgar Allan Poe, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Virginia Woolf, Charlotte Bronte and Mark Twain. All of these authors are notoriously known for writing pieces of literature that can undoubtedly impact your entire life. 

Kylie Tusing is a first year Graduate student studying the Public Administration. She is a blogger for her own website and reporter for the BG News. In her spare time you can find her at local bookstores or coffee shops but mostly she loves traveling to various cities. Kylie loves reading the genre of biographies, mysteries and romance were she is always looking for new suggestions. The best form of contact is ktusing@bgsu.edu.

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