Books Everyone Should Read Once

 It is once again time for another Top 5 Wednesday post! I can say that I have been particularly looking forward to this prompt as I obviously love reading a wide selection of books, but I am a firm believer that there are some books which I have read that everyone should read. Many of these books teach us what I think are vital lessons in life, whether it covers discrimination, the social sciences or how we are with other people. Before we start, I must admit that I found it very difficult to pick just five of these books, but I have managed it, and where I have been able to get away with it, I have mentioned some of the other books I believe everyone should read, some of these books being linked with each other, albeit indirectly. Let's get straight into my top 5 books, which everyone should read at least once!

1.  To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee

I begin this list with the amazing book by Lee about the court trial of a black man set in 1930s Alabama. This book highlights the deep racism in America at the time and how everyone was against the innocent black man because he was black and would rather listen to the white female victim who was lying about the offence and was most likely listened to purely because she was white and female. This book really shows the need for equality and fair procedures to be put in place, particularly in the criminal justice system. The Criminal Justice System can be said to be a central theme to this week's post as the majority of books on this list link to the criminal justice system in some way. It may be that I am biased due to being a law student, but regardless of that, the justice system affects all of us daily, and many of us are unaware of it. I think it's because so many people are unaware of our legal system that some of these books are so important to read. 

Another book I could have added to this list but which links very nicely to this book is Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck. This book was set in 1930s California and is about two migrant workers who get into slavery during the Great Depression. This book also has themes of racism, mental disability, the concept of the American dream and, of course, slavery. This book, again, could be said to teach us of the importance of equality and acceptance of everyone.

2. A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess

This next book is a difficult one. It contains some very valuable lessons and important themes, but it contains some deeply distressing scenes, including that of violence, murder and rape, some of the most serious criminal offences in the Criminal Justice System. That should not stop you from reading this book. In fact, one of my friends is sadly a victim of rape and had to read the book and watch the movie as part of their academic qualifications; I don't know how they managed this, but I think they must be incredible to be able to do so. Anyway, this book contains a bit of all the main social sciences, including politics, law, psychology, criminology and sociology. So, as I'm a lover of the social sciences, it already ticks all the right boxes. In this respect, it teaches us about the dangers of the abuse of state power, touches on some of the reasons why we have crime, and shows how psychology can be used to help 'treat' criminals, however unsuccessfully in this book.

This book also has themes of innocence, free will, religion, conformity, Humanity, Treachery, and Loyalty. These are all themes that play a part in our lives, and this book can really show us the extremes of this. I would also like to hint at some of the symbols in this book, including the power of music, darkness, and milk, which is closely associated with innocence and children and the use of Nadsat. Firstly, in this book, Alex is still a child, a juvenile delinquent. More interestingly, Nadsat was used in this book to show just how easy it is to brainwash people, the logic being that by the end of reading this book, Nadsat may have become part of your own vocabulary. I had to use a Nadsat dictionary when reading this book but I can admit that I was indeed brainwashed by this language and it really surprised me how easily I was brainwashed when I was reading some of the commentaries at the end of my version of the book.

3. The Secret Barrister: Stories of the Law and How It's Broken

We are now approaching more modern books, starting with The Secret Barrister. His book on stories of the law and how it is broken, which I am currently re-reading, essentially educates people about the criminal justice system of England and Wales, which many people likely do not know much about and the downfalls of this system. Yes, it may be advocated that England and Wales' Criminal Justice System (CJS) is one of the best in the world, but there are some serious flaws. The Secret Barrister's second book, Fake Law, is another must-read, particularly for those from the United Kingdom.

These books are a must-read because, as previously mentioned, our CJS impacts everyone in many different ways, including tax, but so many people do not know much about this system, despite the principle of open justice, that justice should be seen to be done. Yes, the courts are open to the public, but the public are often working in their own jobs so may not get the opportunity to attend the courts. The first step to improving our CJS is educating people about it because the group is stronger than the individual. 

4. Why Has Nobody Told Me This Before? by Dr Julie Smith

This is one of the newest books on the list and a best-seller. Essentially, this is a psychology book and, more specifically, therapy techniques that can be used in everyday life without a psychologist supervising you. Everyone has mental health, and many people have mental ill health. This book is good for both categories of people to understand their internal mental processes and know how to tackle the difficult moments in their lives. This book is, therefore, more practical than the others on this list, teaching you practical skills to assist with your overall well-being. 

5. An Inspector Calls by J. B. Priestley

Finally, the last book on this Top 5 Wednesday list is An Inspector Calls which is another great book indeed, or I should say play/play script. I read this for GCSE English Literature, and I can say that reading this play was like going through the transitioning period between childhood and adulthood. The play highlights themes and topics which are as relevant today as they were at the time it was written. Really, some may say it is concerning how we are arguably in pretty much the same space and very little has actually changed.

Anyway, this book includes themes of the social class system in England, focusing on the unequalness and discrimination between the bourgeoisie and proletariat, artificiality and performance, group culpability, judgment and women's rights in 20th-century England. Furthermore, this piece of literature is full of really interesting symbols. Therefore, I feel like this is a great book giving an introduction to the politics and system of the United Kingdom and the kind of country we should be trying to avoid.

Thank you for once again reading my Top 5 Wednesday post! I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I have enjoyed writing it. As always, if you are interested in reading any of the books on this list, I would strongly recommend that you read these books at least once (as is clear from the title of this post) and feel free to read my reviews on this blog of the relevant books. As always, I would love to hear from you, and as a keen reader myself, please comment below on some of the books that you believe everyone should read at least once! I look forward to next week's Top 5 Wednesday post; keep your eyes open!

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