--- title: "11 Books Librarians Suggest You Read before You Die ..." description: "The Bird Artist by Howard Norman; Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese; Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler; When I Was the Greatest by Jason Reynolds; Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe; More ..." url: "https://books.allwomenstalk.com/books-that-librarians-suggest-you-read-before-you-die/" category: "books" last_updated: "2026-06-07" --- # 11 Books Librarians Suggest You Read before You Die ... There's no one that knows more about books than librarians. That's why [BuzzFeed](https://www.buzzfeed.com/alannabennett/books-everyone-should-read-before-they-die) decided to ask a bunch of different librarians which one book they think that every single person should read. Here are their answers: ## 1. The Bird Artist by Howard Norman ![The Bird Artist by Howard Norman](https://resize.allw.mn/1028x0/filters:format(webp)/filters:quality(70)/content/gm/wz/pckuz4wl5617cc62353db949854740_329x500.jpg) Buy it on [amazon.com](http://www.amazon.com?ref=allwomenstalk.com). ## 2. Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese ![Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese](https://resize.allw.mn/1028x0/filters:format(webp)/filters:quality(70)/content/by/ux/npzu66iq5617cc62009dc153410450_307x500.jpg) Buy it on [amazon.com](http://www.amazon.com?ref=allwomenstalk.com). ## 3. Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler ![Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler](https://resize.allw.mn/1028x0/filters:format(webp)/filters:quality(70)/content/iy/gw/hmhogt6d5617cc77b6784223922956_600x922.jpg) Buy it on [amazon.com](http://www.amazon.com?ref=allwomenstalk.com). ## 4. When I Was the Greatest by Jason Reynolds ![When I Was the Greatest by Jason Reynolds](https://resize.allw.mn/1028x0/filters:format(webp)/filters:quality(70)/content/ee/kw/ylh8d6rs5617cc61f1129195039789_333x500.jpg) Buy it on [amazon.com](http://www.amazon.com?ref=allwomenstalk.com). ## 5. Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe ![Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe](https://resize.allw.mn/1028x0/filters:format(webp)/filters:quality(70)/content/f6/jv/ccz9r0865617cc641e2e6682829555_600x923.jpg) Buy it on [amazon.com](http://www.amazon.com?ref=allwomenstalk.com). ## 6. Tales of the City by Armistead Maupin ![Tales of the City by Armistead Maupin](https://resize.allw.mn/1028x0/filters:format(webp)/filters:quality(70)/content/or/xo/kxg4zqjc5617cc64b2fc9613851018_330x492.jpg) Buy it on [amazon.com](http://www.amazon.com?ref=allwomenstalk.com). ## 7. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee ![To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee](https://resize.allw.mn/1028x0/filters:format(webp)/filters:quality(70)/content/tm/pa/dyh002uk5617cc658b249420826290_600x972.jpg) Buy it on [amazon.com](http://www.amazon.com?ref=allwomenstalk.com). ## 8. Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie ![Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie](https://resize.allw.mn/1028x0/filters:format(webp)/filters:quality(70)/content/pn/bd/a1dja1785617cc661974b073071197_324x500.jpg) Buy it on [amazon.com](http://www.amazon.com?ref=allwomenstalk.com). ## 9. A Ring of Endless Light by Madeleine L’Engle ![A Ring of Endless Light by Madeleine L’Engle](https://resize.allw.mn/1028x0/filters:format(webp)/filters:quality(70)/content/s9/lj/jq317f5h5617cc66278a2024054365_339x500.jpg) Buy it on [amazon.com](http://www.amazon.com?ref=allwomenstalk.com). ## 10. The Sleeper and the Spindle by Neil Gaiman ![The Sleeper and the Spindle by Neil Gaiman](https://resize.allw.mn/1028x0/filters:format(webp)/filters:quality(70)/content/i8/wq/emjovlri5617cc669a1dd035046679_374x500.jpg) Buy it on [amazon.com](http://www.amazon.com?ref=allwomenstalk.com). ## 11. Hoot by Carl Hiaasen ![Hoot by Carl Hiaasen](https://resize.allw.mn/1028x0/filters:format(webp)/filters:quality(70)/content/mr/go/l0joywbn5617cc67e583c517451378_338x500.jpg) Buy it on [amazon.com](http://www.amazon.com?ref=allwomenstalk.com). 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