This is just a short list of books that are important to me, and they, in my opinion, are helpful to any living person who has to interact with the world. It is just about guaranteed that you have read at least one of these books, but I hope you will read another. 

1. Candide by Voltaire

Reason: It was the only thing that made me smile throughout four years of French classes. 

Candide was written over 250 years ago, in French, and still, the humor carries over in such a way that it makes tenth graders laugh. 

2. Aesop's Fables

Reason: "A fair face is of little use without sense." 

Aesop's Fables is a quintessential collection for every schoolteacher or parent, and there's a reason for that: the lessons taught by these fables do not become less potent as we age (see The Wolf and The Crane). 

Don't you just love that URL? 

3. Sin's Doorway and Other Ominous Entrances by Manly Wade Wellman

Reason: "Because places is where I've been, and things is what I've seen."

Before there was Supernatural, Buffy, Xfiles, Hellboy, or even Kolchak: The Nightstalker, there was Manly Wade Wellman and John The Balladeer. Now, this collection does not have any stories of John The Balladeer, but it is extraordinarily good. 

4. Cujo by Stephen King

Reason: I just think it's the best.

It made me afraid, it made me cheer for the characters, it made me cry, and I think that's about all you can ask for in any novel.

But, and many people will disagree, I truly believe Cujo is the standard for horror novels.

5. This Textbook That I Stole From My Highschool

Reason: It's solid reference material

It's a great book, and I regret nothing. I took it right off the top of that pile and have had many hours of entertainment and excellent instruction since. 

This book has hundreds of poems and short stories, as well as educational passages that are worth their weight in gold. 

And though, yes, I did technically steal it, they were going to throw the books out because they were deemed too old. And yes, you read that right, they were going to toss them. No donations, just a trash bin.  

So, you know, don't @ me.