books across various genres and time periods that many people find influential

"To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee: This classic novel explores themes of racial injustice and moral growth in the American South.

"1984" by George Orwell: A dystopian novel that warns of the dangers of totalitarianism and the erosion of individual freedoms.

The Great Gatsby" by F. Scott Fitzgerald: Set in the Roaring Twenties, this novel is a critique of the American Dream and the excesses of wealth.

The Catcher in the Rye" by J.D. Salinger: A coming-of-age story that captures the disillusionment of adolescence and the search for authenticity.

Pride and Prejudice" by Jane Austen: A timeless romance that also offers sharp social commentary on class, gender, and marriage in 19th-century England.

To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee: A Pulitzer Prize-winning exploration of race, class, and justice in the American South.