Twenty Five Books That Made Me Smarter

Discover the 25 books that expanded my mind and boosted my intelligence. From classics to modern must-reads, this curated list will inspire your next smart read.

Candide Cover
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Candide

by Francois Voltaire

"All is for the best in the best of all possible worlds" It was the indifferent shrug and callous inertia that this "optimism" concealed which …
Fight Club Cover
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Fight Club

by Chuck Palahniuk

This underground classic first published in 1996 tells the darkly funny story of a god-forsaken man who discovers that his rage at living in a …
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest Cover
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One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

by Ken Kesey

An international bestseller and the basis for the hugely successful film, Ken Kesey's One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest is one of the defining works …
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Cold Mountain Cover
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Cold Mountain

by Charles Frazier

Inman, an injured and disillusioned Confederate soldier, embarks on a harrowing journey home to his sweetheart, Ada, who herself is struggling to run the farm …
The Pillars of the Earth Cover
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The Pillars of the Earth

by Ken Follett

Nominated as one of America’s best-loved novels by PBS’s The Great American Read #1 New York Times Bestseller Oprah's Book Club Selection The “monumental masterpiece” …
Black Hawk Down Cover
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Black Hawk Down

by Mark Bowden

Chronicles the experiences of ninety-nine American soldiers who were trapped in the city of Mogadishu, Somalia in 1993.
Death of a Salesman Cover
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Death of a Salesman

by Arthur Miller

The Pulitzer Prize-winning tragedy of a salesman’s deferred American dream Ever since it was first performed in 1949, Death of a Salesman has been recognized …
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The Rules of Attraction

by Bret Easton Ellis

From the New York Times bestselling author or Less Than Zero and American Psycho—a startlingly funny, kaleidoscopic novel about three students at a small, affluent …
To Kill a Mockingbird Cover
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To Kill a Mockingbird

by Harper Lee

The unforgettable novel of a childhood in a sleepy Southern town and the crisis of conscience that rocked it, To Kill A Mockingbird became both …
Requiem for a Dream Cover
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Requiem for a Dream

by Hubert Selby Jr.

The acclaimed novel that inspired the Darren Aronofsky film--the story of three friends whose pursuit of wealth ends in addiction and tragedy. "To understand Selby's …
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The Stranger Cover
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The Stranger

by Albert Camus

With the intrigue of a psychological thriller, The Stranger—Camus's masterpiece—gives us the story of an ordinary man unwittingly drawn into a senseless murder on an …
The Complete Stories Cover
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The Complete Stories

by Franz Kafka

The complete stories of one of the greatest writers of the twentieth century, the author of The Metamorphosis and The Trial. “An important book, valuable …
Of Mice and Men Cover
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Of Mice and Men

by John Steinbeck

A controversial tale of friendship and tragedy during the Great Depression They are an unlikely pair: George is "small and quick and dark of face"; …
Nine Stories Cover
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Nine Stories

by J.D. Salinger

The "original, first-rate, serious, and beautiful" short fiction (New York Times Book Review) that introduced J. D. Salinger to American readers in the years after …
The Great Gatsby Cover
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The Great Gatsby

by Francis Scott Fitzgerald

Tells the tragic love story of Gatsby and Daisy Buchanan.
Siddhartha Cover
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Siddhartha

by Hermann Hesse

The classic novel of a quest for knowledge that has delighted, inspired, and influenced generations of readers, writers, and thinkers—a perennial favorite for graduation gifts. …
The Electric Kool-aid Acid Test Cover
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The Electric Kool-aid Acid Test

by Tom Wolfe

Wolfe details his wild cross-country ride with Ken Kesey and the Merry Pranksters, offering a vivid portrayal of the hippy subculture in its own joyful, …
The dragons of Eden Cover
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The dragons of Eden

 

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A Brief History of Time

by Stephen Hawking

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER A landmark volume in science writing by one of the great minds of our time, Stephen Hawking’s book explores such …
The Catcher in the Rye Cover
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The Catcher in the Rye

by J.D. Salinger

The "brilliant, funny, meaningful novel" (The New Yorker) that established J. D. Salinger as a leading voice in American literature--and that has instilled in millions …
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On the Road Cover
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On the Road

by Jack Kerouac

Jack Kerouac’s classic American novel of freedom and the search for originality that defined a generation “An authentic work of art.”—The New York Times Inspired …