Yeah, from now on I will be pestering GFY weekly with book recommendations. You people need some culture
Mary Shelley - Frankenstein
You've seen the movies, you've seen the spin-offs, you've seen the parodies - but have you ever actually read the book? If not, you should.
Frankenstein, the book, is not at all the corny monster story many people expect it to be. Rather, it's a delicious novel combining gothic and romantic elements, which can both be read as a delightful ghost story, and as a sharp, insightful commentary on both society and the nature of man, including such timeless themes as the hazards of hubris and technology, society's attitude towards women and, in a way, children, man as a tabula rasa, and much much more.
Read it if you haven't!