I am a non-native speaker and when I was studying for GMAT, I had a really hard time

with the Reading Comprehension section - it was too difficult to digest in the amount of
time allotted, often had new words, and took double the processing power to
understand. I tried reading scientific articles and business magazines but I read only for
the sake of reading and naturally in about 3 minutes I would catch my mind wondering
somewhere else and having to get back to reading. I had to force myself to read and
that's a horrible situation to be in. There had to be a better way to do this, and I think I
found it - reading interesting books with strong written English. Now, rather than reading
myself to sleep, I would stay up till 2 or 3 am with a dictionary next to my bed, unable to
put the book down. When I read these books, I wanted to know what every word meant.
I also was able to remember the vocabulary a lot better since I now was much more
invested into the book and my reading was now done as a fun activity. Beat that!

Other GMAT-related Books:

 GMAT Club's Ultimate Grammar Book
 GMAT Club's Math Book
 Best GMAT Books
 Best Math GMAT Books
 Best Verbal GMAT Books

Also, even though I started reading fiction books to get my Reading Comprehension up,
after 3-4 good sized books I found that reading also trains your "ear" and helps with
Sentence Correction. More and more I was able to pick out the issue with the sentence
simply because it did not sound right and not because I ran through my 13 point check-
list for SC questions. Eventually I scored 42 on verbal - back then it was 96th percentile,
not too shabby for a foreigner.

Anyway, the point I am trying to make is that reading fiction books can be very helpful
for your GMAT and not only that -when I moved to the US, I found that besides good
grammar, reading Hemingway, Steinbeck, and Fitzgerald books gave me insights into the
culture and history that helped to blend in a bit better. (Many of the classic books listed
are a required reading in the US high schools). If you are not a native speaker and
serious about getting a good verbal score - I would highly recommend you pick up a
reading habit.

Here is a list of fiction books I found most interesting. However, I hope that if you find
any interesting books, esp. something that really impacted you, you will post them here
as a recommendation and I will add them to the list (I am also looking for a
recommendation for a new book to read).

Recent Classic Fiction

These are usually well known books that have some of the best style and rich vocabulary.

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald - One of the most romantic books on the
list. Though it will capture you, leave a very warm feeling and may even make you cry,
the main value of the book is its stunningly beautiful language and great history insights
(Do you know who a bootlegger is?). 4 Amazon stars based on 1,223 reviews.
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck - the most well know of Steinbeck's
masterpieces. Not the best value for the money with only 92 pages, but it has the most
cultural value as everyone in the US read, watched, or heard of it. 4.5 Amazon stars
based on 1033 reviews.

Cannery Row by John Steinbeck - a story about a group of good-natured bums living
in Salinas, Northern California in the 1920's and 1930's - the book has plenty of humor to
keep you cracking through all 200 pages - a quick read. A movie with the same title has
been made based on this book. 4.5 Amazon stars based on 233 reviews.

Daisy Miller by Henry James - definitely one of the most romantic books by James,
but he has fantastic English - 3 line sentences and more on 128 pages. No reliable
Amazon rating is available for this book

A Movable Feast by Earnest Hemingway - a very inspiring book about the writer's
years in Paris. Ideal book for a trip, but works well for GMAT too - great language, good
sentence structure, and great useful vocabulary. 4.5 stars on Amazon and recommended
by several members as well.

Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov - great language and style. Also the annotated edition will
keep you much more in sync with all the references. The most famous of Nabokov's
pieces and one that coined a name for itself in history. 4.5 Amazon Stars.

Sidartha by Herman Hesse - if you ever wondered about the meaning of life or how to
be happy - read through a short book about an Indian boy who seeks enlightenment and
satisfaction. This is one of the most famous works by Hesse. He received a Nobel prize
for his life-long contribution to the world's literature.

The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro - fantastic language and a very
interesting book about the life of a British butler. A movie has been made based on the
book, but it is not even 10% as good. 256 pages and 4.5 Amazon stars based on 196
reviews.

Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden - 2,500 Amazon reviews probably speak for
themselves. This was the first book I read after starting business school - good language,
captivating plot that will have you read through nights and a lot to learn about early 20th
century Japan and the role of a Geisha. I read it over a course of several weeks and
when I was finished, I felt a part of me was missing.

To kill a mockingbird by Harper Lee - this story grew with and around single family in
small city Monroeville, which said to be Herper Lee's hometown. Herper Lee delineated
each character through the eyes of Jean Louise who was a girl between 7-8 yrs. This
story helps identify each character based on its vicinity and consequences.
(Recommended by priyankur)
Men without women by Earnest Hemingway - compilation of fourteen short stories so
good reading guide for them who think that reading novel could waste precious
preparation time. Stories are distinct and readers have enough room to juxtapose their
thoughts with those of author. (Recommended by priyankur)

Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: An Inquiry into Values (P.S.) - The book is
meant to be read with concentration and a sound mind (which is very important in
papers like GMAT). It is not only psychologically motivating (if understood), but also
trains the reader's mind for complex texts. (Recommended by aknine)

Heavyweights (500+ Page Fiction Books)

Longer books but worth every page

The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck - a timeless classic and required high school
reading, this book covers the lives of several families caught in the 1930's great
depression. 464 pages of great English, interesting story, and full of cultural references.
4.5 Amazon stars based on 599 reviews.

The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand - a masterpiece by a master. Though very idealistic

and sometimes extreme, Ayn Rand delivers a great story with strong structure, and
many themes that will force you think about your life. 752 pages will slip by too quickly -
you will miss the company of this book. 4 Amazon stars based on 974 reviews.

Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand - a "continuation" to the Fountainhead and the last book
by Ayn Rand - her last and best masterpiece. I am reading it right now and thoroughly
enjoying it. I am 150 pages through and look forward to another 1,000 for a rewarding
read.

Wild Swans by Jung Chang - a fascinating journey through the 20th century history
of China - may not be the best style book, but extremely captivating and educational.
544 pages and 4.5 Amazon stars based on 359 reviews.

Shogun by James Clavell - let the 1,200 pages not scare you - this will be a fast read
about 17th century Japan. A TV-series was made based on this book. Good English,
though language can get tough sometimes. 4.5 Amazon stars based on 309 reviews.

Guns Germs and Steel" - fascinating book for history freaks. Certainly improved my RC
skills. An enjoyable book as well. (recommended by pbanavara)

Non-Fiction
Captivating and educational
The Naked Ape: A Zoologist's Study of the Human Animal by Desmond Morris -
if you want a new perspective on the human race, learn what makes us who we are,
laughing most of the way, this book is for you. 256 pages and 4.5 Amazon stars based
on 52 reviews.

The Code Book: The Science of Secrecy from Ancient Egypt to Quantum
Cryptography by Simon Singh - the only book on this list with a flawless record of 5
Amazon stars based on 255 reviews. If you are interested in code and how cryptography
works - this book is almost a step by step guide - very interesting if you are into puzzles.

Future Shock by Alvin Toffler - The book is dense and idea rich and yet just 385
pages in length. (Recommended by urchin)

Other Recommendations
1. Non Fiction and Business Business Books http://gmatclub.com/forum/mba-
books-goo ... 74557.html - a collection of over 70 different book recommendations to
enrich your views on Global Policy, Poverty, Leadership, Project Management, and just
inspiring business books
2. The Economist Magazine (JohnLewis1980)
3. National Geographic Magazine (nitya34)
-
_________________

Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov 

Nabokov is a master of both the convoluted sentence and the convoluted

mind in this classic portrait of literature’s most famous pedophile. Don’t let
the taboo scare you off, the beauty of this book shines through the slippery
intellectualism of its narrator, articulated in windy prose with ten-dollar
words.

For those of you with less than three months before your official GRE date,
reading all or even many of these lengthy books may not be feasible or the
best use of your time. If you’re in a crunch, try reading magazines like The
New Yorker, National Geographic or The Economist to get acquainted with
the linguistic formalism you'll encounter on the GRE.

Freedom and The Corrections by Jonathan Franzen 

Everyone’s reading him, so you can improve your cultural capital, or the
topics you’re ready to discuss at cocktail parties, while studying for the
GRE! Welcome to the sprawling American epic chronicling generations of
dysfunction, and get engrossed in character portraits painted with GRE
vocabulary, and using GRE-style sentence structure.
https://gre.economist.com/gre-advice/gre-verbal-section/reading-
comprehension/8-books-read-during-gre-prep

https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/15901.GMAT_recommended_readin
g_Fiction