Ask HN: What is one book you would recommend everyone to read?

The death of Superman (Graphic Novel)

Not for everyone, but those who it is for very much should read this - but not without understanding that it can be quite triggering at times. :

  The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma   
  -Bessel van der Kolk

It's not an easy read for said people, but very worthwhile. Was introduced at a friends place and got a little ways in, waiting to pick up my own copy now.

Edit:

Also "The Art of War" is fun. It mostly boils down to common sense, but it's interesting to see application of first principles to ancient warfare.

The Silk Roads by Peter Frankopan

As a "general" recommendation I think "The Machine Stops" by E. M. Forster (1909) is an especially interesting read today. Extremely prescient and a fun, short book.

For someone more ambitious I might recommend "The Anatomy of Melancholy," by Richard Burton (17th c.). At least the preface (around 100 pages) and maybe a smattering of the book proper. It's hard to explain - better to look it up.

For something more recent and immediately relevant, I think "Are Prisons Obsolete?" by Angela Davis was quite eye opening about the history of racism in law enforcement and the production of the modern prison system.

Permanent Record, by Edward Snowden