If you are an avid reader or just want to know which books you need to get through in order to follow a bookish conversation, this is the list for you. Some books needs to be read, and some needs to be read early in life. These are a few of those books. They will give you perspectives you might not be familiar with and they will give you comfort in their familiarity.
So enjoy the list and let me know if you would add more.
A thousand splendid suns
Khaled Hosseini
In today’s society, especially in the Western world, I believe that it is so important to read about the things they won’t teach you in school, and even if you don’t live in a country that is banning books, you should always look for the information that isn’t served up to you.
That is what Khaled Hosseini gives in all of his books..
The Lonely Girls
– Edna O’Brien
Bad relationships, trying to fit in with people who might not want you for the right reasons and feeling as if your whole life is meant to start and end in your 20s – The Lonely Girls makes any girl going through an existential quarter-life crisis feel less alone. The stresses aren’t new or unique, but they aren’t trivial either, and sometimes it is nice to relate to others, even if it is a fictional character.
Crime and Punishment
– Fyodor Dostoevsky
I once read somewhere that you have to read Dostoevsky before you turn 30, and I’m not sure why, but I do agree that everyone should read Dostoevsky at least once. Crime and Punishment is a great book about moral decay and the desperation of poverty, and still the story finds a way to have a lot of heart and tender moments as well.
Also, you get bragging rights if you read something by Dostoevsky.
Another Country
-James Baldwin
Another classic that should be read by all genders and races to understand the struggles of others. James Baldwin understands how to give even his most flawed characters so much heart and soul that you can’t help but feel for them. Creating imperfect, humane characters gives you a window into a life you might have observed but never understood or lived.
Girl, Woman, Other
– Bernardine Evaristo
This book really also made a tremendous impact on me. It depicts many different lives, all sort of intertwined, and again gives you a window into so many different types of lives that you would maybe never understand unless you read about them. It is so cleverly and emphatically written and should really be a part of your 20s syllabus.
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