The Sorrows of Young Werther

Set in the fictional village of Wahlheim, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's novel is told mostly through letters from Werther, a passionate and highly sensitive young artist, to his friend Wilhelm, with an unnamed editor adding details at times. In Wahlheim Werther meets Charlotte, who has looked after her siblings since their mother died, and falls in love with her even though he knew before they met that she was engaged to Albert, a man eleven years older. Goethe, then 24, drew on his own love for the already engaged Charlotte Buff, and the novel made him an international literary celebrity almost at once.

Ryan Holiday, listing the best books he read in 2015, described it as a beautifully written look at how young love drives people a little mad and said every person should read it.