Title: “When the Legends Die” (1984)

Author: Hal Borland

Plot: Tom, of the Ute Indian tribe, is orphaned at a young age and left to fend for himself in the wilderness where he was raised.

Importance: This is a depressing story that depicts losing one’s culture and customs and shows why it is important to never forget who you are or where you come from.

Title: “Watchmen” (1986-1987)

Author: Alan Moore (Writer), Dave Gibbons (Illustrator)

Plot: A vigilante named Rorschach initiates an investigation into the murder of an ex-superhero, leading to a more interesting finale.

Importance: With its intricate approach to genuine, human themes, “Watchmen” changed the way people perceive comic books, bringing the art form up to an adult standard never thought attainable in the world of literature.

Title: “Into the Wild” (1996)

Author: Jon Krakauer

Plot: After graduating college, Christopher McCandless abandons his wealthy suburban lifestyle for a more ambitious and meaningful existence.

Importance: McCandless’ life is a perfect example of what it is to fully go against the grain. His bravery and spirit transcend those of the average dreamer and his compelling story is crucial to understanding that nothing in this world is set in stone.

Title: “Nineteen Eighty-Four (or 1984)” (1949)

Author: George Orwell

Plot: In a society designed to be as unpleasant and dull as possible, Winston Smith thinks something isn’t right. Unlike everyone else, he doesn’t have unyielding love for Big Brother, and isn’t content with his meaningless existence under the watchful eye of the government.

Importance: Orwell’s creepy, bleak vision of the future still resonates today, especially with issues such as the privacy debate still raging in Congress. The best thing about this novel is that it hasn’t come all the way true – yet.

Title: “The Autobiography of Malcolm X” (1965)

Author: Malcolm X (as told to Alex Haley)

Plot: Malcolm X recounts his entire life, beginning with his frequent encounters with intense racism at the hands of white people to his days as a cultureless delinquent in Harlem, New York. While serving a prison sentence, he is exposed to the Islam, something that will change his life and the meaning of black pride forever.

Importance: This journey into the life and mind of the one-time spokesperson for the Nation of Islam takes an unexpected turn at its climax when Malcolm X visits Mecca for the religious pilgrimage know as Hajj. He returns to America with a matured sense of brotherhood, denouncing his extreme anti-white views.