'Reading and Thinking.com' content is reader-supported. "As an Amazon Associate, When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission." Learn more.

About - Muhiuddin Alam

About - Muhiuddin Alam

Hello, I am Muhiuddin Alam founder of ReadingAndThinking.com.
Read Popular Fiction, Novels, Nonfiction & Storybooks Recommendations, and Reviews All In One Place.
I designed easy navigation on this site to enhance your reading experience and try to give you all the information related to the books in simple language.
I try to recommend books by author and subject. I hope this site is useful & helpful to you. Thanks for being here.
Learn more.


My Publishing

Intellectual Books To Read Before You Die - Ultimate List 2023

Intellectual Books To Read Before You Die - Ultimate List 2023. such as Talent Is Overrated, The Art Of War, Cosmos, The Tempest, 1984, Republic etc

On this page...

In this article, we will talk about "Intellectual Books To Read Before You Die - Best Intellectual Books", and What are must-read novels before you die? 

Intellectuals refer to those mental workers who have a higher degree of cultural expertise among contemporary social workers, and whose specialized profession is to create, accumulate, and disseminate cultural expertise. 

Intellectuals are a historical category, which arises with the emergence of classes and the separation of manual and mental labor, and it will also disappear with the abolition of classes and the elimination of the difference between manual and mental labor. 

Therefore, it is a social-mental worker stratum formed in a specific historical stage due to the division of labor, the lack of cultural education, and the lack of science and technology. 

In different countries and different historical periods, the criteria for determining intellectuals are different.
intellectual-books-to-read-before-you-die

The Ultimate List of Intellectual Books You Need to Read Before You Die

The criteria for determining intellectuals at the current stage in my country are mental workers who have an educational level of technical secondary school or above and are engaged in scientific research, education, cultural communication, technology application, business management, and other professional and technical work.

Here we recommend 34 Intellectual Books To Read Before You Die.

Intellectual Books Everyone Should Read

Venture forth into the wonderful realm of reading, a truly enriching activity that provides access to innovative concepts expands your knowledge base, and encourages critical thinking.

Reading intellectual books, which present new perspectives and challenge your preconceived notions, can significantly augment your intellectualism.

However, this list of books to read before you die can increase your intelligence and contingent your interests and objectives.

While classic literature, philosophical treatises, and scientific studies are often perceived as intellectually stimulating, young adults may benefit from intellectual books that deal with current issues such as social justice, identity, and personal growth.

To enhance your intellectual development, you can read extensively, partake in intellectual conversations and debates, attend conferences and lectures, and actively seek new experiences and viewpoints.

The boundless power of intellectual books can be appreciated by exploring our collection of the most significant and thought-provoking works of literature ever written, suitable for both seasoned and novice readers alike.

Related Topics: Self-Help Books



1. Talent Is Overrated by Geoff Colvin 

Why are certain people so incredibly great at what they do? Most of us think we know the answer—but we’re almost always wrong. 

That’s important, because if we’re wrong on this crucial question, then we have zero chance of getting significantly better at anything we care about.


intellectual-books-to-read-before-you-die


Happily, the real source of great performance is no longer a mystery. Bringing together extensive scientific research, bestselling author Geoff Colvin shows where we go wrong and what actually makes world-class performers so remarkable. 

It isn’t specific, innate talent, nor is it plain old hard work. It’s a very specific type of work that anyone can do—but most people don’t.




2. The Art Of War by Sun Tzu  

The title of the book is so funny... "They criticized me again, saying that I directed the war with the romance of the Three Kingdoms and the art of war of Sun Tzu.


intellectual-books-to-read-before-you-die


In fact, I didn't read Sun Tzu's Art of War at that time; I had seen the Romance of the Three Kingdoms several times, but when commanding the war, who could remember the romance of the Three Kingdoms? 

I asked them: since you said that I was under the command of the art of War by Sun Tzu, I think you must have read it. 




3. Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman  

Engaging the reader in a lively conversation about how we think, Kahneman reveals where we can and cannot trust our intuitions and how we can tap into the benefits of slow thinking. 


intellectual-books-to-read-before-you-die

He offers practical and enlightening insights into how choices are made in both our business and our personal lives―and how we can use different techniques to guard against the mental glitches that often get us into trouble. 

Topping bestseller lists for almost ten years, Thinking, Fast and Slow is a contemporary classic, an essential book that has changed the lives of millions of readers.




4. A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson 

In A Walk in the Woods, Bill Bryson trekked the Appalachian Trail -- well, most of it. In A Sunburned Country, he confronted some of the most lethal wildlife Australia has to offer. 

Now, in his biggest book, he confronts his greatest challenge: to understand -- and, if possible, answer -- the oldest, biggest questions we have posed about the universe and ourselves. 

Taking as territory everything from the Big Bang to the rise of civilization, Bryson seeks to understand how we got from there being nothing at all to there being us. 


intellectual-books-to-read-before-you-die



To that end, he has attached himself to a host of the world’s most advanced (and often obsessed) archaeologists, anthropologists, and mathematicians, traveling to their offices, laboratories, and field camps. He has read (or tried to read) their books, pestered them with questions, and apprenticed himself to their powerful minds.

A Short History of Nearly Everything is the record of this quest, and it is a sometimes profound, sometimes funny, and always supremely clear and entertaining adventure in the realms of human knowledge, as only Bill Bryson can render it. Science has never been more involved or entertaining.




5. The Greatest Secret in the World by Og Mandino

One of the world's most influential writers shares one of the world's greatest secrets for your personal and financial success . . . in his dynamic sequel to The Greatest Salesman in the World, Og Mandino's Spellbinding Bestseller.


intellectual-books-to-read-before-you-die


“This tremendously challenging book will inspire the reader to realize his moral, spiritual, and financial goals!”—Wallace E. Johnson, Vice Chairman, Holiday Inns, Inc.

“It's inspiring. It's terrific! It motivates the reader.”—W. Clement Stone, Chairman, and CEO, Combined Insurance Company of America





6. Cosmos by Carl Sagan 


intellectual-books-to-read-before-you-die



Cosmos retraces the fourteen billion years of cosmic evolution that have transformed matter into consciousness, exploring such topics as the origin of life, the human brain, Egyptian hieroglyphics, spacecraft missions, the death of the Sun, the evolution of galaxies, and the forces and individuals who helped to shape modern science. 



7. The Tempest by William Shakespeare

The characters exceed the roles of villains and heroes. Prospero seems heroic, yet he enslaves Caliban and has an appetite for revenge. 

Caliban seems to be a monster for attacking Miranda but appears heroic in resisting Prospero, evoking the period of colonialism during which the play was written. 

Miranda’s engagement with Ferdinand, the Prince of Naples, and a member of the shipwrecked party helps resolve the drama.


intellectual-books-to-read-before-you-die


This edition includes:
  • Freshly edited text based on the best early printed version of the play
  • Full explanatory notes are conveniently placed on pages facing the text of the play
  • Scene-by-scene plot summaries
  • A key to the play’s famous lines and phrases
  • An Introduction to reading Shakespeare’s Language
  • An essay by a leading Shakespeare scholar provides a modern perspective on the play
  • Fresh images from the Folger Shakespeare Library’s vast holdings of rare books
  • An annotated guide to further reading




8. The Republic by Plato

Originating in approximately 380 BC, Republic is a Socratic dialogue written by the famed Greek philosopher Plato. Often referred to as Plato’s masterwork, Republic’s central goal is to define the ideal state. 

By conceptualizing this model state, Greeks believed it would lead states formed with its principles in mind to function the most efficiently and fairly, striving toward justice and the greater good of society.


intellectual-books-to-read-before-you-die



This edition includes a foreword by British American philosopher and Plato expert Simon Blackburn. 

Widely read around the world by philosophy students and academics alike, Plato’s Republic is sure to pass on its invaluable lessons and enlighten the next generation of thinkers.




9. A Tale of the Two Cities by Charles Dickens 

A novel by Charles Dickens was published both serially and in book form in 1859. The story is set in the late 18th century against the background of the French Revolution. 

Although Dickens borrowed from Thomas Carlyle's history, The French Revolution, for his sprawling tale of London and revolutionary Paris, the novel offers more drama than accuracy. 


intellectual-books-to-read-before-you-die

The scenes of large-scale mob violence are especially vivid, if superficial in historical understanding. The complex plot involves Sydney Carton's sacrifice of his own life on behalf of his friends Charles Darnay and Lucie Manette. 

While political events drive the story, Dickens takes a decidedly antipolitical tone, lambasting both aristocratic tyranny and revolutionary excess--the latter memorably caricatured in Madame Defarge, who knits beside the guillotine. 

The book is perhaps best known for its opening lines, "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times," and for Carton's last speech, in which he says of his replacing Darnay in a prison cell, "It is a far, far better thing that I do than I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest that I go to than I have ever known." -- The Merriam-Webster Encyclopedia of Literature 




10. A Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawkins 

A landmark volume in science writing by one of the great minds of our time, Stephen Hawking’s book explores such profound questions as How did the universe begin—and what made its start possible? 

Does time always flow forward? Is the universe unending—or are there boundaries? Are there other dimensions in space? What will happen when it all ends?


intellectual-books-to-read-before-you-die


Told in language we all can understand, A Brief History of Time plunges into the exotic realms of black holes and quarks, of antimatter and “arrows of time,” of the big Bang and a bigger God—where the possibilities are wondrous and unexpected. 

With exciting images and profound imagination, Stephen Hawking brings us closer to the ultimate secrets at the very heart of creation. 



11. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice is a novel about love and marriage. It is also a masterpiece of Jane Austen. The novel revolves around the theme of how Mrs. Bennet married her five daughters.


intellectual-books-to-read-before-you-die

Based on the love entanglement between the hero and heroine Darcy and Elizabeth due to pride and prejudice, four marriages are written about: Elizabeth and Darcy, Jane and Bentley, Lydia and Wickham, Charlotte, and Collins. 

Darcy is proud and arrogant; Elizabeth is clever and willful and stands for prejudice. Finally, true love finally breaks this pride and prejudice, and the novel ends at the wedding ceremony.

In this novel, Austen vividly reflects the local customs and social customs of England at the end of the 18th century and the beginning of the 19th century and gives people artistic imagination. It is a good comedy of social customs. Detail Book Reviews Category.

Click Here To Check Out More Author Jane Austen Books on Amazon. 

12. 1984 by George Orwell

intellectual-books-to-read-before-you-die


1984 is not only an outstanding political fable novel but also a fantasy novel. The work depicts the living state of human beings in a totalitarian society. 

It is like a warning label that will never fade away to warn the world that the expected darkness will come true. 

After several decades, its vitality has become more and more powerful, and it is known as one of the most influential literary classics of the 20th century.

Click Here To Check Out More Author George Orwell's Books on Amazon. 

13. One hundred years of Solitude by Garcia Marquez, Colombia

A hundred years of Solitude is a masterpiece of magic realism literature. It describes the seven generations of the Bundle family and the rise and fall of Macondo, a small town on the Caribbean coast. 

It reflects the changeable history of Latin America in the past century. The work integrates mysterious factors such as myths and legends, folk stories, Religious Allusions, and so on.


intellectual-books-to-read-before-you-die

It has become one of the most important classical literary works of the 20th century. 

Garcia Marquez won the Nobel Prize for literature in 1982, which established her status as a world-class literary master, largely because of the great influence of "a hundred years of solitude".

Click Here To Check Out More Author Garcia Marquez's Books on Amazon. 

14. Letter to Garcia by Albert Hubbard

This is a management book about dedication, loyalty, and diligence.

After the outbreak of the Spanish American War, the United States must immediately contact Garcia, the leader of the Cuban insurgency, and obtain his cooperation. 

Garcia is in the mountains of Cuba - no one knows his exact location, so he can't be reached. 

Someone recommended to the president: "There is a man named Rowan who has a way to find Garcia, and only he can find it." 

They got Rowan and gave him a letter to Garcia. Three weeks later, Rowan walked through a dangerous country and handed the letter to Garcia. Rowan's story has also been well-known.


intellectual-books-to-read-before-you-die


The concept of dedication, loyalty, and diligence advocated in this book has influenced generation after generation. 

The book tells people that what a person really needs is not only to learn the knowledge in books but also to listen to other people's guidance. 

It needs a kind of professionalism, trust from the superior, and take immediate action. Do it with all your heart - it's like sending a letter to Garcia.

Click Here To Check Out More Author Albert Hubbard's Books on Amazon. 


15. Les Miserables by Hugo

This is another magnificent masterpiece created by Hugo, the romantic leader of France in the 19th century, after "Notre Dame de Paris". 

With outstanding artistic charm, the book shows a splendid picture of modern social and political life in France from the French Revolution in 1793 to the Paris people's uprising in 1832. 

It reflects Hugo's extraordinary talent in narration to the greatest extent. It is a combination of realism and Romanticism in the history of world literature. 


intellectual-books-to-read-before-you-die



Fan. The novel reflects Hugo's humanistic thought, which is full of Hugo's concern for the fate of human suffering and unswerving belief in the future, which has a strong artistic appeal.

Click Here To Check Out More Author Victor Hugo Books on Amazon. 

16. The old man and the Sea by Hemingway

This book tells the story of a fisherman. Santiago, an old Cuban fisherman finally caught a large Marlin without catching fish for 84 consecutive days. 

However, the fish was so large that he dragged his boat on the sea for three days, exhausted, and was killed and tied to one side of the boat. 


intellectual-books-to-read-before-you-die

On his way home, he was attacked by another shark. When he finally returned to port, he was left with only his head, tail, and spine. In the old Santiago sea days, his friends have been loyal to the sea waiting for his return with confidence. 

This novel won the Pulitzer Prize in 1953 and the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1954. Hemingway laid a prominent position in world literature.



Click Here To Check Out More Author Ernest Hemingway Books on Amazon. 


17. Republic by Plato

The Republic is an important dialogue record and a typical comprehensive work of Plato. It involves many problems such as philosophy, politics, ethics, education, psychology, society, family, religion, art, and so on. 

The Republic is a must-read book in Western intellectual circles, which is both ancient and modern.


intellectual-books-to-read-before-you-die

If we want to understand contemporary Western social and political culture, we need to trace back to the source and understand ancient Western political and cultural thoughts. 

The Republic is a source of ancient Western political thought and is the first remaining monograph reflecting ancient Western political thought.


Click Here To Check Out More Author Plato's Books on Amazon. 



18. Grapes of Wrath by Steinbeck

This book is the representative work of Steinbeck, a famous American writer, and Nobel Prize winner. 

In the 1930s, during the economic panic in the United States, a large number of farmers went bankrupt and fled from the wilderness. The writer once followed the peasants from Oklahoma to California.


intellectual-books-to-read-before-you-die


He was shocked by what he saw along the way, "there are 5000 families about to die of starvation. The problem is very acute..." 

With a profound and realistic style, he shows the scene of American farmers struggling and resisting on the line of life and death at that time. After the publication of the novel, it caused panic in the ruling class in each state.

Many States banned the publication of novels, and even a novel named "the grapes of Happiness" was published to show tit for tat. 

But nothing can shake the important position of the grapes of wrath in the history of modern American literature.





19. Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller

The Death of a Salesman is the peak work of Miller's drama creation. It won Pulitzer Prize and New York Drama Critics Award, which won him an international reputation. Willy Loman, a salesman, is asking for help because of his old age.


intellectual-books-to-read-before-you-die

He worked in the office but was dismissed by his boss. Willy was so depressed that he blamed his two sons for not doing a good job. The son rebuked him and ridiculed him as a poor street runner. 

The old salesman had a lifelong dream, but now they are all disillusioned, and their self-esteem is seriously bruised. He was like a dreamer with his late.

The big brother who made a fortune in Africa argued about his hobby career. Finally, in order to get a life insurance premium for his family, he drove out at night and crashed and died. 

The play reflects Miller's tragic reality and life characteristics revealing the true meaning of The American dream and warning us that the pursuit of material wealth alone can not bring freedom and enrichment of spirit; otherwise, the dream will become illusory and will inevitably lead to destruction.


Click Here To Check Out More Author Arthur Miller Books on Amazon. 


20. The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger, USA

Holden, the protagonist of this book, is a middle school student, born into a rich middle class of 16-year-old. After being expelled from school for the fourth time, he did not dare to go home rashly. 

He spent a day or two wanderings in the most prosperous New York City in the United States, staying in Inn, visiting nightclubs, making friends with friends, and drinking too much He saw all kinds of ugliness in capitalist society and contacted all kinds of characters, most of them "fake" hypocrites.


intellectual-books-to-read-before-you-die

Holden could hardly bear to see what happened around him. He even wanted to escape from the real world and pretend to be a deaf and dumb man in a remote country. However, it was impossible to do so. 

As a result, he could only live in contradiction: he hated movies the most in his life, but he had to spend time in the cinema in boredom; he hated sexual relations without love He hated his vain and vulgar girlfriend Sally, but he was infatuated with her beauty and couldn't help cuddling with her.

Therefore, although he was not used to the world, he had to be depressed and panicked, comforted himself with all kinds of unrealistic fantasies, and deceived himself. Finally, he still had to compromise with the real society, which could not be regarded as a real rebellion. This is the tragedy of Salinger and Holden.

The author of this book dissects the complex psychology of teenagers with keen insight, observes the spiritual essence through phenomena, and vividly depicts all aspects of Holden's spiritual world, which not only reveals his decadent and declining side affected by the environment, but also writes his simple, sensitive, and kind-hearted side. 

To some extent, it really reflects the characteristics of teenagers in the changing period of youth It has aroused great repercussions among young people in Western society, and many adults regard it as the key to enlightening themselves to understand the younger generation.

Click Here To Check Out More Author J.D. Salinger's Books on Amazon. 


21. The Analects by Confucius

The Analects of Confucius is a collection of quotation-style thought prose. As early as the late spring and Autumn period when Confucius set up a forum to give lectures, its main content was initially created. 


intellectual-books-to-read-before-you-die

After Confucius died, his braids and his disciples taught him his opinions from generation to generation, and gradually recorded the quotations, words, and deeds of these oral records, and finally compiled the theory into a book in the early Warring States period, so it is called "Lun". 

The Analects of Confucius mainly records the words and deeds of Confucius and his disciples, so it is called "language".





22. War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy

In war and peace, there are not only narratives of major historical events in Russia and Western Europe, but also fictional stories; it not only describes the fighting of gold, iron, and horse, sword light and shadow, 

but also the comfortable and peaceful daily life; there is both impassioned discussion on the world and delicate and graceful Lyrics. 


intellectual-books-to-read-before-you-die

The author has created a series of distinctive characters with superb artistic skills and has written all kinds of human manners. 

Turgenev, a famous writer, called this novel "a more direct and accurate understanding of the character and the temperament of the Russian people and the whole Russian life", and reading it "is better than reading hundreds of works on Ethnology and history".


Click Here To Check Out More Author Leo Tolstoy's Books on Amazon. 


23. The Social Contract by Rousseau

On social contract is the most famous representative work of Rousseau, a French Enlightenment thinker. 

His famous sentence "Everyone is born free, but everywhere in chains" inspired countless people with lofty ideals to devote themselves to the cause of human liberation in pursuit of democracy and freedom at all times and all over the world.


intellectual-books-to-read-before-you-die

His idea of "people's sovereignty" has deeply influenced the American Revolution and its Declaration of Independence, and the French Revolution, and its Declaration of human rights. It is a classic work that contemporary youth can not but read.

 



24. Hamlet by Shakespeare

Hamlet is the longest of all Shakespeare's plays. It is Shakespeare's most famous play, which has profound tragic significance, complex characters, and rich and perfect tragic artistic techniques, representing the highest achievement of the whole Western Renaissance literature. 

Together with Macbeth, King Lear, and Othello, Shakespeare's "four tragedies" are formed.


intellectual-books-to-read-before-you-die

This book is based on the ancient legend that the prince of Denmark avenged his father. The king of Denmark died suddenly. The king's younger brother inherited the throne and married his old sister-in-law. 

Mret saw the ghost of his father in pain. The ghost told the prince that he had been robbed of his life, the throne, and his wife by his younger brother in his sleep, and ordered Hamlet to avenge him. So Hamlet began the tortuous course of revenge




25. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald 

In the 1920s, the air was filled with an atmosphere of singing and drinking. By chance, Nick, a poor employee, broke into Gatsby's secret world. 

He was surprised to find that his only obstacle was the small green light on the other side of the river, where his beloved Daisy lived. 


intellectual-books-to-read-before-you-die

However, the cold reality can not hold the illusory dream. In the end, the goddess in Gatsby's heart is just a material girl in the world. When all the truth is revealed, Gatsby's tragic life is like fireworks, resplendent only for a moment, disillusionment is eternal. 

In Fitzgerald's works, the elegy of the "Jazz Age" is like a poem like a dream, leaving a strong ink mark in the history of contemporary American literature.

At the end of the 20th century, the authority of American academic circles selected one hundred best novels from the hundred years of English literature. The Great Gatsby ranked second and ranked among the Contemporary Classics. 





26. The Little Prince by Saint Exupery

"The little prince" is a fairy tale written for adults, the saddest story in the world, a fable about love and responsibility.


intellectual-books-to-read-before-you-die

The novel tells the story of a pilot stranded in the African desert due to a plane crash and encounters a little alien: the little prince is a melancholy little man, he comes from a very small planet, where everything is so small and small, 

the little prince is easy to be sad, his little life is tender and kind Such a distressing little prince met the author in the Sahara desert and they were intimate with each other bit by bit, 

so we cried with the little prince laughed with the little prince and became a child again with the author, and found our lost innocence and moving.




27. Meditation by Marcus Aurelius

Meditation is written by the only ancient Roman philosopher emperor Marco Aurelius. 

This 12-volume dialogue between himself and himself, most of which was written by him in anmarauton, is a milestone of Stoic philosophy.


intellectual-books-to-read-before-you-die

"Meditation" comes from the author's feelings about the body of the court and the chaotic world in which he lives. 

He pursues a calm and optimistic life free from passion and desire. In the book, Marco Ole expounded on the relationship between soul and death and analyzed individual virtue, personal liberation, and personal responsibility to society. 

He required that he often introspect to achieve inner peace, abandon all useless and trivial thoughts, and think with integrity. What's more, we should not only think about good and aboveboard things but also put them into action. 




28. Capital by Marx

"Das Kapital" is a great scientific work that Marx devoted his whole life to completing. 

It is the crystallization of his life-long commitment to lofty beliefs and scientific research.


intellectual-books-to-read-before-you-die



Promising review: 

There is an enormous collection of valuable information in volume 1 of Marx's Capital. Volume 1, moreover, serves very effectively as the first of three volumes in which Marx gives truly compelling evidence of his genius -- how else could one author come to terms with this massive account of the reality of capitalist production as Marx uniquely understands it? While it soon becomes abundantly clear that Marx was a master prose stylist, there is no mistaking the fact that he did not write for the ease and convenience of his readers.—Read More—not a natural   

Click Here To Check Out More Author Karl Marx's Books on Amazon. 


29. Walden Lake by Thoreau

Walden Lake is a masterpiece of wisdom that makes people calm and hopeful. When people gradually lose pastoral tranquility, it will be read and missed by the whole world. 


intellectual-books-to-read-before-you-die


As the famous American critic IRA Brooke said, "in the past 100 years, Walden Lake has become a synonym of pure paradise in American culture."

Promising review: 

I first read "Walden" in a freshman seminar course in American Lit, and it was quite daunting reading at the time. Thoreau seemed an over-rated author: he darts from topic to topic with little to no transition, he quotes obscure passages, and he sermonizes. And perhaps most frustrating of all, he wants his writing to be ambiguous (see, for instance, Chapter 18), and for an assiduous college student eager to absorb and analyze, this can be quite an overwhelming experience. So, I got very little of Thoreau at the time.  —Read More—Dutch  

Click Here To Check Out More Author Henry David Thoreau's Books on Amazon. 


30. How to Read a Book by Mortimer J. Adler, Charles van Doren

Under the cover of each book, there is a skeleton of its own. As a reader of analysis and reading, the responsibility is to find out the skeleton. 

When a book appears in front of you, the muscles cover the bones, and the clothes wrap the muscles, which can be said to come in full clothes. The reader doesn't have to uncover its coat or tear off its muscles to get at it.


intellectual-books-to-read-before-you-die

The skeleton is under the soft skin, but you must use a pair of X-ray perspectives to see this book because that is the basis for understanding a book and mastering its skeleton. 



Click Here To Check Out More Authors Mortimer J. Adler & Charles van Doren's Books on Amazon.  


31. 2666 by Roberto Bolano

This is an unforgettable novel, a novel that can be described in all words. The story takes block writing as the structure and expresses the author's anxiety and indignation about society and the fate of the whole of mankind from a panoramic perspective.


intellectual-books-to-read-before-you-die

It is divided into five parts. The five parts are connected by a key character, Reinbold, who officially appears in the fifth part. The first "literary critic" tells the story of the same German writer, Reinbold, by four literary critics since the 1980s. They lived and worked in different places. 

They met at international conferences and became friends and lovers because of the same academic views. Finally, at a meeting in Mexico, they heard about the killing of women. 

2666: the greatest novel of the 21st century! A masterpiece beyond "one hundred years of solitude"! From London to New York, everyone loves Bolanyo! 

The best Novel award of the National Association of Book Critics, the first of the ten best books of the Year by the New York Times, the best novel of the Year by Time magazine, and the best 100 Best Western Language novels in the past 25 years! A great but not perfect novel, as powerful as a torrent, leading readers to the unknown!
 



32. Desert Solitaire by Edward Abbey

"A book full of passion and poetry. It has a philosophy. It has a sense of humor. It also has some creepy Adventures... With concise, fast-paced prose as the background, with a close combination of strength and beautiful style. 


intellectual-books-to-read-before-you-die



New York Times Book Review

Edward Abby lived in the Moab desert of Utah for three seasons. What he found about the land before him, the world around him, and the heartbeat was a fascinating story. Sometimes he screamed. He was always a staff member of a disappeared place, but it was worth recalling and living repeatedly.




33. Disgrace by J. M. Coetzee

This book gives a clear introduction to the theme and form of the novel based on the author's years of practical experience in teaching fiction in British universities and as a South African-born and educated scholar. 


intellectual-books-to-read-before-you-die


As a South African-born writer or one of the most widely read novels "about" South Africa, Nobel laureate JM Coetzee (the second book), "disgrace" (1999), is a favorite of reading groups and a favorite of many college English postcolonial literature or international literature courses. 

Disgrace is sometimes regarded as a terrible image of post-apartheid South Africa, but it is also interpreted as a novel about resignation and redemption which is full of hope in the end.



Click Here To Check Out More Author J. M. Coetzee's Books on Amazon. 


34. Geek Love by Katherine Dunn

Geek Love is the story of the Binewskis, a carny family whose mater- and paterfamilias set out with the help of amphetamine, arsenic, and radioisotopes-to breed their own exhibit of human oddities. 

There's Arturo the Aquaboy, who has flippers for limbs and a megalomaniac ambition worthy of Genghis Khan . . . Iphy and Elly, the lissome Siamese twins . . . albino hunchback Oly, and the outwardly normal Chick, whose mysterious gifts make him the family's most precious-and dangerous-asset.


intellectual-books-to-read-before-you-die


As the Binewskis take their act across the backwaters of the U.S., inspiring fanatical devotion and murderous revulsion; as its members conduct their own Machiavellian version of sibling rivalry," 

Geek Love throws its sulfurous light on our notions of the freakish and the normal, the beautiful and the ugly, the holy and the obscene. Family values will never be the same.


FAQ: Intellectual Books To Read Before You Die

What should I read to be intellectual?

There are many books that can help increase your intellectualism, but it depends on your interests and goals. Generally, books that challenge your assumptions and introduce new perspectives are considered intellectual. Some examples include philosophical treatises, scientific studies, and classic literature.

What type of books increase intelligence?

Reading a wide range of books can increase your intelligence, but non-fiction books in fields such as science, history, philosophy, and politics are typically considered the most intellectually stimulating.

What are some of the most intellectually challenging books?

Some of the most intellectually challenging books include works such as James Joyce's Ulysses, Marcel Proust's In Search of Lost Time, and Immanuel Kant's Critique of Pure Reason.

What are the must-read novels before you die?

This is a subjective question and will depend on your personal taste. However, some commonly cited novels that people consider "must-reads" include Leo Tolstoy's War and Peace, Fyodor Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment, and Virginia Woolf's Mrs. Dalloway.

What type of intellectual books should young adults read?

Young adults may benefit from reading books that deal with relevant issues such as identity, social justice, and personal growth. Memoirs, coming-of-age stories, and young adult fiction can all be intellectually stimulating.

What is the most read classic intellectual book?

Again, this is subjective, but some of the most widely read classic intellectual books include works such as Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, Fyodor Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment, and George Orwell's 1984.

Which intellectual books should I read first as a beginner?

For beginners, it may be helpful to start with shorter and more accessible works, such as Aldous Huxley's Brave New World or George Orwell's Animal Farm. From there, you can work your way up to more complex and challenging works.

How do books help intellectual development?

Reading books can help increase your knowledge, improve your critical thinking skills, and expand your understanding of the world around you. Books can challenge your assumptions, introduce new perspectives, and inspire you to think deeply and critically.

What is an example of an intellectual novel?

An example of an intellectual novel might be Fyodor Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment. This novel deals with complex moral and philosophical themes, and challenges the reader to think deeply about issues such as guilt, justice, and redemption.

What are the different types of intellectuals?

There is no one definition of an intellectual, but some common types might include scientists, philosophers, artists, writers, and scholars.

Is an intellectual person smart?

Intelligence and intellectualism are not necessarily the same thing. While intellectualism is often associated with a certain level of intelligence, being intellectual also involves a willingness to engage with complex ideas, challenge assumptions, and think deeply about the world around you.

How can I become more intellectual?

To become more intellectual, you can read widely, engage in intellectual discussions and debates, attend lectures and conferences, and actively seek out new experiences and perspectives.

Who are hyper-intellectuals?

Hyper-intellectuals are individuals who are highly knowledgeable and deeply engaged in intellectual pursuits. They may be highly respected in their fields and may be known for their intellectual achievements and contributions.

> This is Why You Should Read Books - Benefits of Reading Books





> Why reading matters 

Rita Carter | TEDxCluj | 


Discover literary treasures at ReadingAndThinking.com – your ultimate destination for insightful book recommendations and reviews!

Please Share These Resources with Colleagues, Friends, and Family.

Hello, I created this blog that aims to enhance readers' lives and provide some helpful articles and content. Thanks for the reader's presence and invite you to follow me on Linkedin.