Of course not. Let’s get that out of the way right now. And what exactly do we mean by “good” anyway? Usually a book that’s considered a classic or a modern masterpiece. Sometimes with a strong following, critical acclaim, or, in the case of some modern works, strong celebrity endorsement. Sometimes people might feel the urge to read a work such as this but I would argue that we shouldn’t have to feel shoehorned into…
…anything. For one you might be forcing yourself into a genre or style that isn’t to your liking. No matter how well-written the work it will mean little if you don’t enjoy the subject matter. This is not to say that we should never read classics or that we should never read mainstream books – they might even introduce you to a work you didn’t know you’d love and there can be some truly excellent ones. But we should never feel forced to from societal pressure of what we “should” read. Pick up the book and have a look by all means. If you like how it sounds then read it, if not then there’s no shame in putting it back on the self. Whatever you decide to read, make sure it’s a conscious decision of your own.
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