What is your favourite obligatory book?

In a huddle of huge opuses with hundreds of folios, there is one small and simple masterpiece. It's called "Janko Muzykant" and it was written by well known for such a best-selling productions like for exapmle his trilogy, Henryk Sienkiewicz.

The main character is to all appearences a simple village-boy, but inside is a very intense and ambitious man with bright dreams-music and violin. He was exaggerated melomaniac. Everything was playing for him - a forrest, windbuzz or even droping prongs. He could still be an artist, but he met some set-backs...

When I was reading this book for the first time in primary school I loved it so much. Although it's a very simple book without fussied poetic forms it definetly makes us rummaging all sites till the end. I think that Sienkiewicz stirs a very universal problems and everyone should get something for himself from this masterwork. It's been a long time since I've seen such interesting and well thoughtful book. Emotive Janko's fate enthrall us to that enormous book like a chain. Unspoted kid's talent was a reason of tragedy.

I would like to recommend it as an interesting book for those who like to care about others unluck and problems. It fits like a glove to my conception of a very readable book. And if it's not so gorgeous as I said, would it be in our obligatory book's crop?