10 quirky literary masterpieces every student should read before college
Before college teaches you how to dissect literature in a classroom, these books teach you how to live with literature. They are strange, layered, often hilarious, and quietly brilliant.
books that do not just ask you to read but to reflect, pause, and sometimes, laugh at the absurdities of the world. Here's a reading list for students about to begin their college journeys curated not for completion but for contemplation.
The Metamorphosis
Author:
Franz Kafka
Genre: Absurdist fiction / Existential novella
Gregor Samsa wakes up one morning to find himself transformed into a bug. No explanation, no dramatics. His family reacts not with horror but inconvenience. Kafka does not offer comfort or clarity, and that's exactly the point.
This slim novella challenges readers to grapple with alienation and identity in ways that feel eerily relevant to young adulthood. For students on the brink of entering a world that will repeatedly ask them to define their place, this is a haunting, essential first lesson.
Catch-22
Author: Joseph Heller
Genre: Satirical war novel
This novel unfolds in the middle of a war, but the real battles are not just in the air, they're in the logic traps and contradictions of military life.
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
You Can Make Massive Side Income By Learning Order Flow Analysis
TradeWise
Learn More
Undo
Every rule has a loophole, and every escape has a cost. The phrase Catch-22 has become a cultural shorthand for no-win situations, and Heller's work is its origin story. For students preparing to navigate university bureaucracy, this book is a clever and often dizzying primer on how systems break down and people cope within them.
Slaughterhouse-Five
Author: Kurt Vonnegut
Genre: Science fiction / Metafiction
Billy Pilgrim is 'unstuck in time.' He moves between his experiences as a soldier in World War II and moments with aliens on a distant planet.
This sounds like science fiction, and it is, but it is also an anti-war novel, a meditation on grief, and a study of narrative form. Vonnegut's quiet refrain — 'so it goes', after every death teaches students a hard, necessary truth: life's chaos is often beyond understanding, and still, we must continue.
Waiting for Godot
Author: Samuel Beckett
Genre: Absurdist drama / Existential play
Two men wait on a road, Godot never comes. Not much happens, yet everything happens. Beckett's play is an academic favourite because it resists interpretation.
For college-bound students, it offers early exposure to the complexities of meaning-making. What do we do while waiting for things we cannot control? Why do we keep going? These are questions that arrive early in college life. Beckett simply asks them sooner.
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
Author: Douglas Adams
Genre: Comic science fiction
Earth is destroyed in the first few pages and a man in a bathrobe is saved by a friend who turns out to be an alien. They travel across galaxies with nothing but a towel and dry wit.
Douglas Adams's cult classic is wildly entertaining, but it is also sneakily philosophical. Beneath the absurdity is a gentle reminder that most of life's big questions do not have answers, and sometimes, the smartest thing to do is laugh while asking them anyway.
If on a Winter's Night a Traveler
Author: Italo Calvino
Genre: Postmodern fiction / Metafiction
This book begins with you, the reader, trying to read If on a Winter's Night a Traveler. Then the book changes. Again, and again. Calvino crafts a literary puzzle where each chapter becomes a new story and a new voice.
For students about to spend years reading critically, this novel is a bold introduction to meta-fiction and narrative experimentation. It gently destabilises traditional ideas of plot, identity, and authorship and does so with quiet charm.
The Importance of Being Earnest
Author: Oscar Wilde
Genre: Comedy of manners / Satirical play
Before sarcasm had a name, Wilde mastered it. This Victorian comedy of manners takes on double lives, mistaken identities, and the absurdity of social conventions. Every line is sharp, deliberate, and quotable.
At just over an hour to read, it is brief but brilliant. Students stepping into adulthood will appreciate how Wilde pokes fun at what society expects one to do.
One Hundred Essays I Don't Have Time to Write
Author: Sarah Ruhl
Genre: Essay collection / Literary non-fiction
Ruhl is a playwright but in this collection, she becomes a thinker on everyday life. Her essays are short, observational, and surprisingly profound. Topics range from parenthood to punctuation. For students with shrinking attention spans and expanding workloads, this book models how intellectual reflection can thrive in fragments.
It is a reminder that writing and thinking need not be long to be meaningful.
Me Talk Pretty One Day
Author: David Sedaris
Genre: Humorous autobiographical essays
Sedaris's essays on trying to learn French in Paris, coping with a lisp, and navigating eccentric family dynamics are deeply funny but never cruel. His humour disarms without dismissing the awkwardness of becoming an adult. For students anxious about entering new environments, Sedaris offers proof that vulnerability and wit can coexist, and even flourish.
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
Author: Mark Haddon
Genre: Mystery / Coming-of-age fiction
Told from the perspective of a teenage boy on the autism spectrum, this novel is part mystery, part coming-of-age story. Christopher wants to solve the case of a dead dog, what unfolds is a tender and mathematical journey through grief, truth, and emotional discovery. It is a necessary read for young adults learning to value different ways of seeing, thinking, and being.
Before you begin reading
This list is not about reading the longest books or the most awarded ones. It is about encountering voices that defy easy categorisation, about spending time with ideas that do not resolve neatly. In college, you will be taught how to write papers about literature. Before that, let literature write something to you. Something odd, something essential and something that stays.
Ready to navigate global policies? Secure your overseas future. Get expert guidance now!
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
18 minutes ago
- Time of India
Garena Free Fire Max Redeem Codes for July 13: Unlock 10+ free rewards including skins, diamonds & weapons today
Garena Free Fire Max players can claim exclusive in-game rewards on July 13 by using the latest redeem codes released by the developers. These codes offer limited-time access to items like skins, weapons, and diamonds. Garena Active Free Fire Max redeem codes today Below are the official redeem codes released for July 13. These codes are valid for a short period and can be used only once per account: 1. GHTY89VCX2LK 2. BVCX45LKJHG6 by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Click Here - This Might Save You From Losing Money Youtube Undo 3. LKJH78GFDSA3 4. POIU12MNBVCX 5. TREW90QAZXCV 6. YUIO34LKJMNB Live Events 7. ASDF67GHJKL9 8. ZXCV23BNMLKP 9. HJKL56POIUYT 10. QWER89ASDFGH 11. BNML12ZXCVBN 12. CVBN45QWERTY 13. GFDS78POIUAS 14. JHGF01LKJHGF 15. MNBV34ASDFZX 16. LKJH67QWERTB 17. POIU90ZXCVNM 18. TREW23ASDFGH 19. YUIO56BNMLKJ Players should act fast to redeem the codes, as they are time-limited and may become invalid once the redemption limit is reached. What are Free Fire Max Redeem Codes? Garena, the creator of Free Fire Max, regularly shares redeem codes to reward players with free in-game items. These codes consist of 12 to 16 alphanumeric characters and can be used only once per account. They are valid for a limited period and must be redeemed through Garena's official rewards site. To claim the rewards, players need to log in using their Free Fire Max account via Facebook, VK, Google, or Twitter. Once the code is successfully redeemed, rewards will be delivered to the player's in-game mailbox within 24 hours. How to Redeem Free Fire Max Codes Go to the official Garena Free Fire rewards page: Sign in using your Free Fire Max account. Enter a valid redeem code in the given field. Click confirm to finish the redemption process.
Time of India
27 minutes ago
- Time of India
'Women have to take care ...' Sharmila Tagore's daughter Soha reveals the secret behind superstar's 43-year-old marriage to Tiger Pataudi
Sharmila Tagore, once among the most celebrated leading ladies of Indian cinema, took a path that was unconventional for many of her peers. In 1968, she married legendary cricketer Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi . Despite the expectations of the era—where most actresses stepped back from the spotlight post-marriage—Sharmila carved her own course. She continued to act while managing family responsibilities, raising children, and supporting her husband's public life. Her ability to navigate fame and domesticity has long been appreciated, but behind her graceful presence was a personal principle that guided her approach to relationships. She eventually passed down this philosophy to her daughter, actor and author Soha Ali Khan. In a recent interaction with The Hollywood Reporter India , Soha opened up about this guidance from her mother. She shared that Sharmila believed mutual respect within a marriage relied on acknowledging each other's emotional needs. According to Sharmila, while a man should be mindful of a woman's emotional world, a woman should be sensitive to a man's pride. Soha, who is married to actor Kunal Kemmu, explained that embracing this viewpoint helped her maintain balance and harmony in her own marriage. She also acknowledged that contemporary perspectives may differ, with many emphasizing that both genders possess egos and emotions. Nevertheless, Sharmila's insight remained meaningful to her, offering clarity through the complexities of long-term relationships. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Join new Free to Play WWII MMO War Thunder War Thunder Play Now Undo 'My mother told me that women should take care of the man's ego, and a man should take care of a woman's emotions. If you're able to do that, then you are going to have a long and successful relationship. A lot of people today will feel men also have emotions and women also have egos, but that advice has stood me in good stead..." she said. Soha also noted the importance of friendship in marriage, especially when navigating the pressures of daily life. She emphasized that placing all emotional expectations solely on a spouse could strain the bond, and that having a broader support system is key to lasting intimacy. Actress Neha Dhupia, who participated in the same conversation, echoed Soha's sentiments. She recalled receiving similar advice from Soha before her own marriage to actor Angad Bedi. Neha mentioned how she was cautioned about the delicacy of male egos and encouraged to be mindful in communication. Over the years, Neha admitted she has learned to be selective in disagreements and has come to value the preservation of friendship within marriage. She described the journey as ongoing, requiring consistent effort to prevent the relationship from becoming fragile. Soha also reflected on her childhood, sharing memories of how her brother, actor Saif Ali Khan, often missed their mother during her peak acting years. She remembered instances when Sharmila would rush home to see him, only to be met with resistance and hurt because of his longing. These moments of emotional strain revealed the hidden costs of balancing professional ambition with motherhood. Sharmila and Mansoor remained married until his death in 2011. After a long pause, she returned to Hindi cinema in the 2023 family-oriented film Gulmohar and also reappeared in Bengali cinema with Puratawn, a psychological drama—marking her return to regional films after two decades.
Time of India
29 minutes ago
- Time of India
Rian Johnson reveals future plans for more parts of the 'Knives Out' franchise, ahead of the third installment's release
Filmmaker Rian Johnson is talking about what the future holds for the Knives Out franchise, and it appears that Benoit Blanc fans will have more mysteries to ponder after the third installment. Johnson recently told Rolling Stone that he is excited to continue the murder mystery story and that the process continues to inspire him creatively. 'I feel great! Because I have genuinely taken a swing each time that I didn't think would work,' Johnson said. 'Ultimately, that's the thing you're trying to avoid. The second you feel like you know how to do this, that leads nowhere good.' Every Knives Out film is intended to be a novel and distinctive experience, Johnson underlined. 'With the movies, we can keep doing that,' he stated. 'I don't have something in my head right now. You kind of burn the ship into the sea each time and ask yourself, 'How will I make anything ever again?' But I would keep doing them as long as I can.' The franchise started with the critically and commercially successful films Knives Out in 2019 and Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery in 2022. By the end of 2025, Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery, the third movie, will be available on Netflix. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Is it legal? How to get Internet without paying a subscription? Techno Mag Learn More Undo Regarding the new movie's tone, Johnson disclosed that Wake Up Dead Man will be very different from the previous one. 'It's incredibly different,' he remarked. 'It's much more a Gothic, much more grounded tone. It's more similar to the first one in that way. It kind of gets back to the real origins of the genre, which, predating [Agatha] Christie, go back to [Edgar Allan] Poe.' The future of Knives Out appears bright—and mysterious—with Daniel Craig returning to his role as detective Benoit Blanc and Johnson still full of new ideas.
