Vox Hunt: Required Reading

Book:  Show us a book everyone should read before they die. 
Submitted by Rob.

Perfume: The Story of a Murderer

Patrick Suskind

Given that I set this question, I'd look pretty stupid not answering...

To be honest, one book is tough to come up with. I toyed with the idea of Donna Tartt's Secret History, which I love and thought about one of the classics from the Brontes, Austen or Hardy, but have settled on something a little more  modern.

I first read this book back in 1992, while I was in Russia of all places. It was so fantastic, that I sought it our in its original language of German, when I was there the next year and I can genuinely say it's even more evocative.

If you went to see the recent movie adaptation, don't be put off reading it. A novel about sense of smell sounds impossible, but it works in so many ways. For me, this is a modern classic and should be read by everyone.