Post the “ALS Ice Bucket Challenge”, many challenges sprung up on Facebook. One of them is the Book Bucket Challenge. In this Challenge a person had to list 10 books which influenced their lives and nominate their friends to do the same.
Millions of people across the world participated, and here is a list of the top 10 books that featured on this list. How many are there in your list?
The first book of the series, “Harry Potter and the philosopher’s stone” was published by Bloomsbury, a publishing house based in London in June 1997. The book was later published by Scholastic Inc. Won the rights to publish the novel in the United States, and it was released under the name “Harry Potter and Sorcerer’s Stone”. Both have the same story line, but a few words have been changed.
The book was then followed by “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets” in June 1998, “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban” in December 1999, ”Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire” on 8th July 2000, “Harry Potter and The Order of the Phoenix” was released in the year 2003, “Harry Potter and the half blood prince” was released on 16th July 2005 and was followed by the last book of the series “Harry Potter and Deathly Hallows” that was released on 21st July 2007. Each book has been turned into a movie.
The story deals with an orphan named Harry, who at the age of eleven discovers that he is a wizard and has been admitted to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Each book contains one year of the school life.
The books are a complete package with action, adventure, humor, romance, horror and fiction, all bundled in one story. A must read for people of all ages.
Book Review of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone: https://thereandtheir.wordpress.com/2014/12/17/harry-potter-and-the-philosophers-stone-book-review/
Written by: J. k. Rowling
Published by: Scholastic and Bloomsbury
No. of Pages: 4,224
ISBN: Different for each book and box pack
Available in: Paperback, Hardcover, Kindle, Box Sets
The Hunger Games Trilogy takes place in the post apocalyptic Panem, in an unspecified future. Years before the start of the series, there was 13th district, which rebelled against the Capitol, leading to the destruction of the 13th district. In order to avoid future revolts, the Capitol started a television show where they select one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to enter into a man made arena where there is only one rule: kill or be killed and the last one to survive is the winner.
Book one: The Hunger Games: District 12 is a coal miner’s home. Katniss, a coal miner’s daughter is struggling to feed her family after she loses her father to a blast in the coal mine. During reaping, when her 12 year old sister is selected as a female tribute to enter in the dreaded hunger games, she volunteers on her behalf. More detailed review here: http://thereandtheir.wordpress.com/2014/07/01/hunger-games-book-review/
Book two: Catching Fire: Katniss has miraculously survived the games, with many emotional scars, but still alive and relieved that she and her family will never have to face hunger or poverty again. But is it all well as it seems? Seems like her way of winning the last game has led to unrest amongst the people. Districts are starting to rebel and Capitol is willing to go to all lengths to stop it. Last year was a child’s play, this year it’s experienced Killers that Katniss will be facing in the games. More detailed review here: http://thereandtheir.wordpress.com/2014/07/16/catching-fire-book-review/
Book Three: Mockingjay: Most of the districts are now in open rebellion against the Capitol. Lat games have left horrible emotional scars on everyone involved, to an extent that real and unreal intermingle. Katniss is now the symbol of revolution, but does she really want to be included? The price of being the Mockingjay is just too high, is Katniss willing to pay the price? More detailed review here: http://thereandtheir.wordpress.com/2014/07/26/mokingjay-book-review/
[schema type=”book” name=”The Hunger Games Trilogy Boxset (The Hunger Games #1-3)” author=”Suzanne Collins” publisher=”Scholastic Press” pubdate=”2010-08-24″ isbn=”0545265355″ ebook=”yes” paperback=”yes” hardcover=”yes” ]
First published in 1960, To Kill A Mockingbird is a classic that deals with serious issues and is a very easy read.
The book deals with complex societal issues like racism and humanity.
This story is told from the eyes of a young girl and how she sees the unjust society and her father trying to defend a black man.
The book was made into a movie in the year 1962, check out its trailer here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V99St7H5gPI
[schema type=”book” name=”To Kill a Mockingbird” author=”Harper Lee” publisher=”Harper Perennial Modern Classics ” pubdate=”2006-05-23″ edition=”50th Anniversary” isbn=”0061120081″ ebook=”yes” paperback=”yes” hardcover=”yes” ]
Lord of The Rings is a trilogy that takes place in the middle earth. The world is co-habited by the Hobbits, elves, goblins, wizards, humans and many more.
Book one: The Fellowship of the Ring: Shire is a nice little hobbit town. People have lived peacefully since years, everybody knows everyone else.
On his grandfather’s mysterious disappearance on his birthday, Frodo Baggins is visited by Gandalf, the Grey, who tells him he is in possession of a ring, a ring that has magical powers and the Ringwraiths are looking for him. Thus begins Frodo’s Journey to destroy the ring and stop the evil from ruling the world.
Check out the movie trailer for this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V75dMMIW2B4
Book Two: The Two Towers: The fellowship is no more, all have gone their separate ways.
Some are off fighting their own wars, making their own groups, others have gone to protect their own people.
Now only Sam and Frodo are left to embark on the extremely perilous journey of destroying the ring. Accompanied just by their guide Gollum, who wants the ring for himself, how far will these two be able to go?
Check out the movie trailer here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yBNSOdEjtZs
Book Three: The Return of the King: The Journey of the Ring that begun in “The Hobbit” is now coming to the end.
The evil forces are becoming stronger as Frodo and Sam reach near to their destination. Men, elves, hobbits, drafts and all come together to fight for their rights, for the good that is left in the world.
Check out the movie trailer here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=atKEVOpFL5Qhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=atKEVOpFL5Q
[schema type=”book” name=”The Lord of the Rings Set” author=”J.R.R. Tolkien” publisher=”Folio Society” edition=”Folio Society Edition” isbn=”9781400671762″ ebook=”yes” paperback=”yes” hardcover=”yes” ]
5. The Hobbit
First published in 1937, The Hobbit is a prequel to the Lord of the Rings.
Bilbo Baggins, Frodo Baggins’ grand father, suddenly finds a whole lot of people in his peaceful home. They were all invited by Gandalf.
This book describes the start of all the things that were put to an end in the Lord of the Rings.
Check out the movie trailer here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T90Holdcrps
[schema type=”book” name=”The Hobbit (Middle-Earth Universe)” author=”J.R.R. Tolkien” publisher=”Houghton Mifflin” isbn=”0618260307″ ebook=”yes” paperback=”yes” hardcover=”yes” ]
“It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.”
Thus begins this classic novel. According to their mother, the only objective of Elizabeth Bennet and her sisters is to find a rich husband. So, she gets excited when a nearby estate gets a new tenant, a wealthy new bachelor, Mr. Bingley. Mr. Bingley is joined by his sisters and his friend Mr. Darcy.
A person full of pride, Mr. Darcy does not approve of such low class as that of the Bennets, while the Prejudice of Elizabeth does not let her look beyond what she thinks of Mr. Darcy.
Read this classic tale and fall in love!
There have been many adaptations based on this novel. The BBC has a series and many movie adaptations. Bollywood even has a movie that is based on this novel called Bride and Prejudice. The latest movie adaptation came out in 2005, check out the trailer here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJA27Jujzq4
[schema type=”book” name=”Pride and Prejudice” author=”Jane Austen” publisher=”Penguin Books” pubdate=”2005-08-15″ isbn=”0143036238″ ebook=”yes” paperback=”yes” hardcover=”yes” ]
A collection of sacred texts of Judaism and Christianity, though the name is the same, the content of both differs.
There are various different collections for different religious beliefs, the Bible also differs from the Old and the New Testaments.
[schema type=”book” name=”The Holy Bible” publisher=”zondervan Publishing” isbn=”0310902711″ ebook=”yes” paperback=”yes” hardcover=”yes” ]
The hitchhiker’s Guide to Galaxy is a six book series. This is a one of it’s kind comedy science fiction series. Originally created as a radio series, it was then adapted into a book series.
Book one: The Hitchhiker’s Guide to Galaxy: The characters visit the famous planet Magrathea. Now in rumble this was once a high end planet building Industry. Meeting the people of this Industry, they find out that Earth was in fact a computer and not a planet.
Book Two: The Restaurant at the End of the Universe: Zaphod finds himself in the middle of a huge controversy of who rules the Universe. He is united with others when they travel to Milliways, the restaurant that is situated literally at the end of the Universe.
Book Three: Life, the Universe and Everything: Ford and Arthur travel through time and space to visit the Lord’s Cricket Ground. Here, they find themselves in the middle of an intergalactic war to save the universe.
Book Four: So Long, and Thanks for all the Fish: Arthur gets a surprise, he gets to visit his home, the Earth, that was destroyed when he had left. Here he meets a girl and falls in love with her. Further, he discovers that this is just a replacement Earth that is created by the Dolphins as a part of their “Save the Humans Campaign”.
Book Five: Mostly Harmless: Arthur’s spaceship crashes, and all the characters find themselves on planet Lamuella. Finding no other way of escape, he starts to live in a small village selling Sandwiches.
But, the villains have gotten hold of Arthur’s DNA and are now using it to destroy all the Earths.
Book Six: This book starts just before the end of the last book. The characters wake up from the virtual reality and so they escape the death ray. The group again regroups and forms new alliances to save the galaxy.
[schema type=”book” name=”The Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy” author=”Douglas Adams” isbn=”0330508105″ ebook=”yes” paperback=”yes” hardcover=”yes” ]
A very witty account of the life of a very Cynical Teenager.
In this book, Holden narrates a few days of his life. He gives his views on everything and everyone around him. He spares no one, the people in his school, the teachers, his parents, everyone is mentioned.
The way he narrates the incidents and the words he uses to describe his experiences, have led to this book being on many “Banned Books” lists as well.
[schema type=”book” name=”The Catcher in the Rye” author=”J.D. Salinger” publisher=”Back Bay Books” isbn=”0316769177 ” ebook=”yes” paperback=”yes” hardcover=”yes” ]
Narnia is a magical land that is created by Aslan, the wise Lion. He rules Narnia as well as all other worlds and it is according to his wishes and plans that people can travel to other worlds.
This is a collection of seven books. Though published in a different order, we are listing them in the order in which they are supposed to be read. The movie adaptations are being made keeping in mind the publication order i.e. the book that was published first, was first to be made into the movie.
Book One: The Magician’s Nephew: The start of it all. The book shows how Aslan creates Narnia. This was the last book to be published in the series, but, it is the first book that needs to be read as per the Chronological Order.
Digory and Polly find themselves being a part of Digory’s Uncle Andrew’s Experiments. His rings take them to a magical land with magic pools. Each pool is the entrance to a different world. In one such world, by mistake they carry a character with them to back to London, and while trying to send her back, they find themselves in the Land of Narnia.
Book Two: The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe: The first book of the series to be published.
Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy are unwelcome guests at the Professor’s house. While playing a game of Hide and Seek, Lucy hides herself in a cupboard that leads her to Narnia.
She goes back and tells this to others, who do not believe her.
Check out the movie trailer here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lWKj41HZBzM
Book Three: The Horse and His Boy: Two runaways meet accidentally and decide to become allies.Both were looking to escape the harsh realities of the lives they were born in, they find themselves in middle of a battle. A battle that would decide both their as well as Narnia’s fate.
Book Four: Prince Caspian: While on their way to School, Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy find themselves in the Land of Narnia. But this time around, something is very different. Animals have lost their ability to communicate, trees have stopped moving.
Narnia is controlled by a wicked Man who has killed his brother for the throne, and has the rightful heir, Prince Caspian in hiding.
Check out the movie trailer here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=icnmPD3QitY
Book Five: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader: While visiting their extremely annoying cousin, Eustace, Narnia again beckons. This time without Peter and Susan as apparently they are too old.
Lucy, Edmund and Eustace find themselves on a ship called “The Dawn Treader”. The Captain of the sheep is King Caspian and they are going to the edge of the world to find the lost seven Lords.
Check out the movie trailer here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKs5SKCOaVQ
Book Six: The Silver Chair: Eustace and his friend Jill are running from bullies at their boarding school and they find themselves in Narnia. Prince Rilian is captured by the Wicked Witch and it is up to Eustace and Jill to face the witch and save the prince.
Book Seven: The Last Battle: The final installment of the series where the entire story concludes. We see all the characters come together once more in Narnia together, for the first as well as the last time.
[schema type=”book” name=”The Chronicles of Narnia (The Chronicles of Narnia #1-7)” author=”C S Lewis” publisher=”HarperEntertainment” pubdate=”2005-11-01″ isbn=”0060765453″ ebook=”yes” paperback=”yes” hardcover=”yes” ]
