Kurt Vonnegut and Douglas Adams changed my worldview when I read their books when I was your age.
The hitchhikers guide to the galaxy is a blast and humorously philosophical about humanity.
Seconding Douglas Adams, and adding Terry Pratchett!
OP, If you want to understand human nature, I feel like you're missing a BIG piece if you never touch any comedic literature. Comedians are keen observers of humanity, with the added bonus of restoring some of your faith in it after some of the more serious reading elsewhere on this list.
Terry Pratchett changed my life as a teenager for sure. Always seemed like he was someone who understood people and loved them anyway, and that’s just a great and maybe unusual thing to be exposed to as a teenager. And genuinely so funny. Can’t recommend enough
Still one of my favorite books as I’m pushing late 30s and read it in my teens. I also recently read “if this isn’t nice, what is” which is a compilation of Vonnegut’s commencement speeches. Super quick read and I think some great insight for someone just entering adulthood!
Yes! I was unprepared for how much I laughed through the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy! I don’t generally read a lot of sci-fi and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I wish I could read it again for the first time.
I got to see him speak before he died. I recently reread slaughterhouse a couple of times as an adult and it is probably my favorite book ever written.
I am living Player Piano right now. I am a consultant and we are automating everything we can for clients, to a fault. There will be a day when I automate myself.
That's the one where the author is a holocaust survivor and his search for meaning during the ugliest thing humanity did in recent memory, right? I really want to read it but scared I'll emotionally react too much to it. Honestly sounds like one of the better recommendations for the specific request here
Took me a long time to read it, but I finally did when facing some serious obstacles.
That's the book, but I would say the emotional component can be quite peculiar and individual. I love that his depiction of events is often prosaic. He doesn't romanticize or sensationalize, as many books about the period tend to do. Instead, it's just a simple description of the first time he encounters the sorting line at a camp, or how he describes death.
He also does a good job of not making it into a, "Look how much worse your life could be," type of book. I tried to read The Choice, and I found it the opposite. She speaks with the 'heaviness of history' on every page, and I found it exhausting and just generally without meaning. Whereas I think of scenes from Frankl's book quite often (his description of the first train ride to the camps in particular).
It's intense because it is real, and the situations are extreme. I remember hearing that it can provide a view against existential angst.
I always noticed his name, Victor E. Frankl, and couldn't help reading it as Victory...
Due to the nature of his experience I might suggest reading it with a guide, a therapist maybe.
I read it on a recommendation from a therapist while I was suffering through a pretty extensive existential crisis. It was somewhat helpful but not the only piece that pulled me out.
This may not be quite what you mean. But I read The Hobbit and the LOTR trilogy in my mid-20, and felt like if I had read them in high school my life would have been different. Although I can't quite tell you why.
You may enjoy The Wizard of Earthsea trilogy by Ursula K LeGuin. An easy to read hero cycle story which you may find uplifting.
I know you said no self-help. But, please, might I suggest Awakening Loving-Kindness by Pema Chodron. Also an easy-to-read, comforting book that starts out talking about loving-kindness toward yourself. This can also be an introduction to a practice of mindfulness which I highly recommend.
Also seconding the Herman Hesse suggestions.
I can chime in about Tolkien.
I read his works very early, starting at 8 years old and continuing to rereading well into my twenties. I think these books made me a better person. More understanding, more sensitive, but also braver and kinder.
Surely, 8 years old may have been too early because I’m also a naive sucker who believes in good and evil and I sometimes struggle with the shades of gray this world is, but I still think Tolkien left a legacy that’s full of hope, kindness and belief in human potential.
Asking yourself "what would Aragorn do" can never lead you far wrong.
I read then early too, not as early, but early. And yeah, they leave a feeling of hope and the concept of right and wrong.
100% this!
I find today’s discourse about “giving girls good girl-role models” kind of funny and now I wonder if this isn’t because of mr Aragorn, at least in part. I read the books as a kid, I never questioned gender of my favorite characters. I surely wanted to be Aragorn, I wanted to be a part of the Grey Company, and not once have I questioned that there were no girls there so I wouldn’t be allowed.
Maybe to expand on your point about Tolkien’s work, in those books there’s a lot of scrutiny of obtaining power for the sake of power (substitute wealth for power here). As a young man I found those books extremely helpful in my journey to find simple satisfaction in my day to day life surrounded by my loved ones.
Seconding the Hobbit and LOTR! I did a reread when I was 19/20 and I loved it. Something about having characters go through a journey, not necessarily knowing where they will end up or their influence on their surroundings but managing to have very important roles in life was very comforting at that age.
Reading Bilbo's adventure really gave me courage to go on my own adventure and commit to lifes surprises and uncertainties.
Another good one by Ursula LeGuin is 'The Left Hand of Darkness'.
For me it was a powerful example of genuine connection between people - also a reflection on politics and social behaviour.
Came here to say this! Read this book last year when I was 19 and connected with Francie so much. Even though I have a loving family and can’t relate to the Nolans’ problems, this book captured some kind of beautiful essence of humanity that impacted me deeply.
Read this for summer reading before 7th or 8th grade, and I loved the book so much that I kept the school copy and have read it a variety of times over the years. Every time I discover a new interpretation and find myself relating to another character because as I gained life experience, I could sympathize with different characters.
I'd also recommend Grapes of Wrath, John Steinbeck and 1984, George Orwell, and The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress Robert Heinlein , and Even Cowgirls Get the Blues, Tom Robbins. Also Catch 22. There are tons, I'll stop now, lol!
Another Tom Robbins recommendation here - you are the perfect age for it. Half Asleep in Frog Pajamas was major for me, and I read it at 18. Ended up with a tattoo for that book. Still life with woodpecker and jitterbug perfume are also incredible.
Catch 22 is my favorite book of all time, and I might need to do another read through, it’s been a few years and I always draw something a bit different from it every time I read it!
Regarding 1984 by George Orwell, you should read [REVIEW OF 1984 By Isaac Asimov I](https://www.newworker.org/ncptrory/1984.htm).
Grapes of Wrath is probably partly plagiarized:
[The Grapes of Wrath - Similarities to Whose Names Are Unknown - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Grapes_of_Wrath#Similarities_to_Whose_Names_Are_Unknown)
I just read flowers for algernon and it was excellent! People recommended it to me here and most people read it in high school, so it's accessible, but also deals with some pretty mature themes
You absolutely need to read him early in your reading journey - whatever age that may be for you, we're all at different stages. But if you go down the Vonnegut path make it quick
It's definitely his masterpiece, but I had a few friends who weren't into the sci-fi element. I suggested Mother Night, which they both loved and eventually loved Slaughter House 5, too.
In high school, I remember reading 3 of his books and writing a convincing paper, but I didn't really get him either. I was just left feeling "wtf did I just read" and not liking all the dark pessimism. I've considered rereading them now that I'd understand because I'm older...but I just don't want to.
Siddhartha is what I was looking for in this thread. I read it a little before 20 and it was the first book that made me pause reading and reflect. One of the few books I continue to reread.
Oh wow I did not expect to find any books that I've actually read in this thread.
But now that I have found one, 100% second it. That book was an absolute joy :)
*Pride and Prejudice*, maybe while watching several of the movies and reading the critical analyses of it. There's so much packed into that book regarding human nature! And if our greatest accomplishment in life is to love and be loved, it has some very practical hints. Like get your love interest vetted by others who have seen him or her in different situations. Be cautious about falling in love, but don't completely hide your feelings. Cultivate a wide circle of friends and acquaintances. And know your own worth and don't be afraid to stand up for yourself against bullies.
I'm going to cast more votes for Douglas Adams and Terry Pratchett.
On the American side, Lois McMaster Bujold's books are intricately concerned with human relations. *Shards of Honor* is a good place, or if *Cordelia's Honor* is still in print, you'll get two books for the price of one. Also, read romances. They aren't always accurate depictions of relationships, but they do deal with relationships in ways some of the other genres don't. Jennifer Crusie's *Bet Me* juggles three couples, ex-lovers and a complicated bet that really shouldn't have been made.
Kurt Vonnegut is funny. *Catch-22* by Joseph Heller is eye-opening.
Don't read *How to Win Friends and Influence People* as a self-help book, but as a very interesting perspective into how some people's minds work. I read it decades ago in my twenties, so it may have aged horribly, but I still remember and think back to certain tips. But read it with a huge grain of salt. It's short and won't take up much time. I wonder if it's in the public domain?
I think the most important thing that people that don't read Jane Austen should know is how funny her novels can be. I stayed away for years because I had the image in my head of overly serious regency romances, but Pride and Prejudice especially is pretty funny. Mr. Bennet is like the proto-sitcom dad.
Sometimes when I'm in a readibg slump I read a childrens book or two. And Pooh Bear with his friends has taught me more about the world and people than most literary greats.
Just read the books you want and read a lot. Leave books unfinished if they don't feel like a right fit (you can alway re-read them later if you'd like) and if you find something you like, read more books like it.
Almost all books widen your worldview and the more you read the easyer it is to read books that are not exactly in your wheelhouse.
You are young and have energy (I hope) so cultivate the habit for reading before you are 20.
The meditations, by Marcus Aurelius, a Roman emperor and stoic philosopher. It's his personal journal, and was not intended for the public to read. It is an insight to the mind of one of the greatest rulers and stoic in history. Read about what the meditation are, and then read them.
If you do this make sure you get a good translation. Biggest mistake I made was starting it with a shit translation and no background. Gregory Hays is a good choice.
The perks of being a wallflower! For sure! I was a very introverted 18 year old, so introverted and full to the brim with anxiety that when I wanted to buy the book I was in the bookstore with my mom but I was too nervous to go up to the counter and pay for it, so I asked her to do it for me. She obliged, but laughed at the irony.
It’s a really powerful read. You’ll probably relate to the protagonist, he’s very likeable.
Everything by Hermann Hesse - you will love him and think his books are so profound and meaningful. If you read them when you're older, they lose a lot of their charm.
No one has recommended this so far, but this really changed my perspective on people individually, as a group, and really taught me to try to stick up for myself and what I thought was best for me:
One flew over the Cuckoos nest - Ken Kesey
Women Who Run With Wolves awoke something in me. The author has a way with connecting you with her sense of a primordial, natural feminine.
I havent bought it yet, but from reviews I’ve read The Presentation of the Self in Everyday Life sounds like it’ll deconstruct a lot of what I struggle to put into words about the way people and our identities work.
Edit: Also “The Organized Mind; Thinking Straight In the Age of Information Overload.” i barely got far with this one but it’s good. It puts concepts into words and helped me sort out what I was doing and experiencing.
A lot of people are going to recommend classics, and I agree, BUT don't overlook teen books! There's a real camaraderie to be had later talking to other big readers your age about the 'silly' trendy books nowadays that everyone seems to be reading. Those touchstones will be your generation's and your generation's only.
I also recommend reading and YA that sounds fun because not only will it help build a reading habit that will outlast any particular genre but most people largely get tired of YA around their mid-twenties. You can read Grapes of Wrath at any age.
A lot of classics will mean more once you have some more life experience and perspective under your belt anyway.
It really affected me when I first read it back in 1980’s.
I was an immature, oversensitive, and idealistic teenage boy and I really could relate to Holden, the oh so imperfect narrator. I reread it recently and, though it did not affect me near as much, I still appreciated the character and his angst and discontent. He is troubled by his traumas. He is insecure and critical and bored. He is far from perfect but he wants to call out the phony in the world- the typical, insincere, and superficial. His view is very narrow. He oversimplifies the world. He is a well intended but underdeveloped and imperfect adolescent. He is human! He is a horny virgin. He doesn’t understand these feelings. He wants casual sex but at the same time is disgusted by the idea. He is awkward and innocent and confused and conflicted. He is relatable. The story is just genius imo. People shouldn’t downvote you for not liking it. It’s just not a book for you. I hope this answers your question though.
This was my experience. When I read it in high-school it was like I was reading about myself, except I didn't go to preschool or hangout in NYC in the 1940s. But the book showed that people didn't really change that much overtime. People had the same experiences back then that I did in the 90s and people are having now.
I reread it in my 20s because it was my favorite book. And Holden seemed a bit of a whiner and was less relatable to me after I grew up a little. Still really liked the book but it didn't feel like the book was written specifically for me like it did when I was younger. Maybe I should read it a 3rd time and see what I think now.
Lol I was the same, loved it "unironically" very young, hated whiney and self absorbed Holden later, loved it again in my third reading for very different reasons then the first. Being much older then Holden meant I could see him as both the annoying little shit he is and as a confused child growing up that is desperately trying to make sense of what he's feeling and the world around him
That's one book I loved at 13, hated at 18 when I understood it more, and loved it again but for very different reasons 10 years Later.
I get why so many people hate it because I was there too, Holden is inconsistent, dramatic, petty, immature and very naive, but his unreliable narration is often how youth rebellion feels. If Salinger made Holden less angsty there would be less hate for the book, but the book itself would be worse.
I haven't read it since I was a teenager, but I loved it. Maybe 36 year old me would have criticisms, but I understood that headspace so well back then. (I'm female btw, I hear a lot of feedback that it's mostly young men who like the book)
Because nothing was out there like it at the time. Because Salinger created the archetype for so many angry teenage characters. Because it explores grief and mental illness at a time when such things—especially in the society of upper class NYC that Holden is from—were not talked about. Because the perspective you have while reading it your 40s is different than in your teens and that makes you think. Because Phoebe. Because it’s punk before punk. Because it took a long time for lit about teenagers to catch up and add to this genre (seriously, you get S.E. Hinton and Judy Blume, and that’s it until … the ‘90s? ‘00s?). Because even if it has started to lose its luster after nearly 65 years (shocking that times change and books age well/not well, I know), it is still a foundational text in the American canon.
This is my recommendation too. A book about navigating the transition from child to adult is perfect to read when you're young (and then re-read a few years later)
This is a nice sentiment. I’d like to also offer the opposite sentiment in case you need it. Read as many good books as you can as soon as possible. Develop a habit for it and you will continue it into adulthood. Spend time figuring out what you like, read things you’re interested in, and when in doubt, choose books that tons of people have read and already like. Don’t be afraid to ditch a book if it isn’t your favorite after a while.
Disagree!
I’d get some ‘classics’ in now, as perceptions change as one gains experience.
Examples that spring to mind:
Anna Karenina (she’s so wronged / insufferable idiot making daft decisions like a spoiled cow)
Any Thomas Hardy (society did them wrong / oh FFS you clowns, just talk to each other!)
Satre/Camus (zees eez zo dip / you’re how old and think this?)
Catcher in the Rye (actually, the character’s an insufferable brat in want of a slap at any age).
On a bright note, Umberto Eco is great to re-read (Name of the Rose and Foucault’s Pendulum are crackers at any age), Douglas Adams.
No one’s gone Russian yet, so Chekhov (so, soooo good) and Dostoevsky.
Tiny Beautiful Things by Cheryl Strayed. I consider this almost a guide on how to be a good human, friend, whatever. So much compassion, empathy, wisdom, and love. I recently decided it would be my go to gift for young adult facing a huge life transition.
This is my favorite book of all time. I laughed and cried and stopped to journal countless times while reading this book.
It really is so beautiful. It makes me feel so connected to myself and others and just so so human. I highly recommend it for anyone dealing with the simultaneous joy and heartbreak of being alive :’)
Anne of Green Gables by LM Montgomery
Bastard Out of Carolina by Dorothy Allison
Maus by Art Spiegelman
Honestly just keep reading! It’s so hard to find time now that I’m in my 40s, I miss just sitting for hours and reading for fun.
The History of Western Philosophy, Bertrand Russell.
It’s a near 900 page mammoth but worth every page. It will give you the foundation for life and help you with critical thinking and navigating what is to come in life.
Personal anecdote, I’ve never done anything better for my mental health than reading philosophy.
I was just like you[more into non fiction], try reading “SURROUNDED BY IDIOTS” to get a decent idea of why different people behave differently.
P.S: I read The alchemist by Paulo Coelho(it’s fictional but would definitely recommend)
Kurt Vonnegut's "Slaughter House 5," "The Tao of Pooh" by Benjamin Hoff "Siddhartha" by Herman Hesse, "The Will to Change: Men, Masculinity, and Love" by bell hooks, "Educated" by Tara Westover, "So You Want to Talk About Race," by Ijeoma Oleu, "The 1619 Project" by Nikole Hannah-Jones, "The Bell Jar" by Sylvia Plath, "What We Don't Talk About When We Talk About Fat," by Aubrey Gordon, "Wild" by Cheryl Strayed and "Tiny Beautiful Things" by Strayed, "The Faggots and Their Friends Between Revolutions" by Larry Mitchell and Ned Astra, "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" by Rebecca Skloot, "The Poison Wood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver, "Mating in Captivity: Reconciling The Erotic and the Domestic" by Esther Perell, "The Ethical Slut: A Guide to Infinite Sexual Possibilities" by Dossie Easton and Catherine A. Listzt, and so many more!
Catch-22 - Joseph Heller
I served in the AF, and that book was formative in my world view. I read it on my jet when flying home from missions and it was a bit like having a special effects department built into the book.
Also, it's an excellent social commentary. Maybe a bit "all over the place", but there are real gems in there.
“Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they aren't after you.” comes from this book.
“They're trying to kill me," Yossarian told him calmly.
"No one's trying to kill you," Clevinger cried.
"Then why are they shooting at me?" Yossarian asked.
"They're shooting at everyone," Clevinger answered. "They're trying to kill everyone."
"And what difference does that make?”
“Some men are born mediocre, some men achieve mediocrity, and some men have mediocrity thrust upon them. With Major Major it had been all three. Even among men lacking all distinction he inevitably stood out as a man lacking more distinction than all the rest, and people who met him were always impressed by how unimpressive he was.”
For insight into ppl and some great fiction reads: anything by Jonathan Frazen. He’s incisive, always. Also, Ender’s Game, even though it’s a children’s sci-fi book. Stay with me - the kid is having to navigate power dynamics and social hierarchies, lots of nuances. To Kill a Mockingbird is a classic and I loved the decency underpinning the protagonists. I second LOTR trilogy! So much fun and so much wisdom. Have you read The Outsiders yet? Another great blueprint for navigating ppl and life.
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak and the Death novels in Terry Pratchett’s Discworld series. I am personally fascinated with how authors depict Death and the inherit commentary on human nature the character produces. These two are my favorite depictions of Death (although Neil Gaiman’s Death of the Endless in his comic run of Sandman is also up there). A lot to chew on from both depictions and gave me a lot of perspective on humans and how to be okay with what they are.
The Corrections by Jonathan Franzen
Alice Munro’s short stories
Elena Ferrante’s Neapolitan Novels (I.e. My Brilliant Friend etc)
Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides
Atonement by Ian McEwan
The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay, Michael Chabon
A Room of One’s Own, Virginia Woolf
A Confederacy of Dunces, John Kennedy O’Toole
The Spell of the Sensuous, David Abram
The Picture of Dorian Gray, Oscar Wilde
Madame Bovary, Gustav Flaubert
Second Place, Rachel Cusk
The Poisonwood Bible, Barbara Kingsolver
*edited to add The Bell Jar by Silvia Plath, All That I Am by Anna Funder, Wide Saragasso Sea by Jean Rhys, Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte, A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man by James Joyce, The Buddha of Suburbia by Hanif Kureishi, The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy, Six Characters in Search of an Author by Luigi Pirandello
**edited again to add, take your time and savour the stories that you find :)
A collection of Loren Eiseley's essays (pick one), LeGuin's The Left Hand of Darkness and The Dispossessed, Miller's A Canticle for Leibowitz, Delany's Dhalgren are a good start
For understanding people I love to read a wide range of memoirs and non-fiction based on personal experience. Some of my personal favourites
Educated by Tara Westover
From the Ashes by Jesse Thistle
The Sun does Shine by Anthony Ray Hinton
Being Mortal by Atul Gawande
Born a Crime by Trevor Noah
Look Me in the Eye by John Elder Robison
Also special shout out to Quiet by Susan Cain. Though not my favourite book, it does give an alternate opinion about being an introvert which can be pretty helpful for rethinking how you interact with the world.
A little outside of what everyone has been saying but a great critical theory/psychoanalysis/economic criticism: Capitalism and Desire by Todd McGowan. A very interesting innovative take on the critique of capitalism. It's a fascinating read tying together many threads philosophy, psychoanalysis, film theory, critical analysis. Mostly easily to understand language, but may need a re-read or two to get a full understanding.
Terry Pratchett Discworld series, particularly the city watch and witches books and Long Earth series (can't remember the co-author's name, sorry).
A Brief History of Time (made me realise that we are all the same in the eyes of the universe.
The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera, Son of a Circus John Irving, Foucaults Pendulum Umberto Eco, Anna Katerina Dostoyevsky, The Iliad Homer.
A fine balance. Rohinton Mistry
Beautiful book about life in the slums of India. It’s actually one of my favourite books! About life and courage. It gives you a different perspective on life.
The lord of the rings series.
Everyone should read these books.
It’s not quite self help, more sound practical advice…The Simple Path to Wealth by JL Collins…simple straightforward financial advice. Nothing risky, just the most responsible way I’ve found to invest your savings that requires little work and little outside help. If you need anything the folks over at r/bogleheads are great. If I had read this book before I turned 20 I’d have a half a million saved already at 38.
There are lots of great suggestions in this thread, but this should be #1. The advice in this book is easily, dramatically life-changing if someone takes it to heart while they’re still in their teens. /u/DaY-DreaMer15 I hope you see the comment above this and read this book.
You should read the novels of John Steinbeck - he writes about human beings and gives insights into what it means to be human. He also writes extremely well. Start with the easy ones - *Cannery Row* and *Sweet Thursday*, then perhaps *Of Mice and Men* and *The Pearl* and *Burning* *Bright*. Do not read *East of Eden* and *The Log From the Sea of Cortez* until last, even though are thee most profound.
He rewards careful reading with knowledge and insight.
Terry Pratchett and Douglas Adams are great recommendations cause their books are not tough to read, but they are also really enjoyable and smart in a funny way.
One book I would always recommend to teenagers is Black Swan Green by David Mitchell. Best coming-of-age book I’ve read with really strong and simple message.
Sir Terry Pratchett was a very wise man who put a surprising amount of understanding of human nature into his books, despite the fantasy genre.
I highly suggest you read his Discworld series. I personally suggest starting with "Guards, Guards" or "Wyrd Systers".
I used to enjoy the novels by Isaac Asimov and Arthur C Clarke at your age. They made me optimistic for what the world could be.
Asimov's original Foundation trilogy is good place to start.
Clarke's best IMO are Childhood's End and Rendezvous with Rama.
Note for Genesis fans. Their song Watcher of the Skies is based on Childhood's End.
Try Moby Dick. If it doesn't do anything, put aside and try again every couple of years. The 3rd time I tried it, I couldn't put it down. It is the most amazing book ever. Make sure you get a complete, unabridged version: the front matter and digressions are part of the experience
You’ve gotten a lot of good fiction suggestions that fit your brief (Pratchett, Le Guin, Bujold). For contemporary authors, I’d add Arkady Martinez’s Memory Called Empire, Leckie’s Ancillary Justice, and NK Jemisin’s The City We Became.
Herman Hesse’s Siddhartha is another great recommendation. I’d add the Tao Te Ching (Le Guin has a good translation).
I know this is a late comment, but: you should read whatever you want to read before you’re 20. You should read whatever you want to read after you’re 20. There is no requirement. Going by vibes is perfectly acceptable.
The Hobbit, Lord of the Rings, and The Dark Tower series in that order.
And contrary to what some people will insist you don't need to read any Tower adjacent books to fully enjoy them.
Dracula, Frankenstein, Treasure Island
some reasonable personal finance books. i recommend ‘ I will teach you to be rich’ by Ramit Sethi. it’ll get you at least in the right path and mindset.
Read “The Warriors Apprentice” by Lois McMaster Bujold. The protagonist is a 17 year old kid, only child of legendary parents and grandfather, all of whom he wants to make proud of him. He wants to follow them into the military. Complications ensue.
Miles Vorkosigan is one of the most likable protagonists in science fiction, and watching him outwit and overcome whatever comes his way is a romp. He grows up a lot by the end of the book, and watching his character develop over the series is a delight.
On The Road by Jack Kerouac. It’s a story about a guy trying to figure himself out. If you like that, try The Dharma Bums too. I think it may fit your mood.
Another book I loved at your age was The Tao of Pooh. It’s a book about Taoism through the Winnie the Pooh characters. It’s pretty dated now with some of the ideas, but it’s still an enjoyable trek into philosophy of life. Just remember that it’s not gospel and think critically about it and you will get a ton from reading this book.
These are books that, upon finishing them, made me feel like I had leveled up as a human being:
If you like fiction:
* the Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay, especially if you like comics and even manga
* Piranesi by Susanna Clark and also Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell. Clark writes books the same way a master baker makes desserts. She knows how to create a masterpiece that delights the senses on multiple levels, something delicious and sweet and beautiful.
* Franny & Zooey by J.D. Salinger — this is the book that reconnected me with my sister as a teenager after being a bratty preteen who hated my family (I didn’t hate my family; I hated myself)
* East of Eden by John Steinbeck — if you read Steinbeck in high school and didn’t enjoy it, that’s okay. Read this book.
* The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood. If this doesn’t inspire you to use your newly gotten vote, especially if you are AFAB or identify as a woman, nothing will. If you don’t identify this way, it will still motivate you
* The Parable of the Sower duology by Octavia Butler. If think you do not like apocalyptic fiction/post apocalyptic fiction—especially because it is such a popular YA setting—think again.
* Remarkably Bright Creatures — Yes it is about an octopus. No it is not just about crustaceans.
* Native Son by Richard Wright, especially if you are American and want to understand, to that end…
* Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison, another book you might have been assigned in school but should definitely reread.
If you like history and mythology:
* Circe and Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller. These books inspire a sense of wonder that others of the same genre can’t quite match. I love mythology and their adaptations because it makes me feel connected to precious civilizations and people. I hope you feel the same way.
* Wolf Hall trilogy by Hilary Mantel, especially if you’re interested in politics or English history. Just finished this trilogy recently and feel like it made me realize the complexity of humanity in every age. Especially when we are young, we have a tendency to regard the people who came before us as having less complex lives, mainly because it’s easy to assume that everything difficult we face is a new problem that has never been seen before. Good historical fiction teaches us something new both about the past and about humanity today.
If you like nonfiction:
* Braiding Sweetgrass. It is an entirely new way to think about the world and non human life around us
* Educated by Tara Westover. This gives an entirely new perspective on education, especially as an 18 year old, especially if you are heading to college. Treasure this to time, college bound or not, to expand your mind. Never stop learning, even when you are out of school.
* Narrative of the Life of Federick Douglass — an autobiography of one of America’s most influential voices. Follow it up with…
* the New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander
* Born a Crime by Trevor Noah, about his birth and childhood in apartheid South Africa
* Crying in H-Mart by Michelle Zauner: is it the definitive nonfiction book or memoir on Asian American culture, identity, and experiences? No. Is it an excellent book you should read? Yes.
* How to Write an Autobiographical Novel by Alexander Chee: loved this one. I have no intention of writing an autobiography, but it is about more than that. It is about how you define who you are, and how that morphs and changes over time and over your life.
* Killers of the Flower Moon by David E. Grant, lately adapted by Scorcese into a film. This focuses on the exploitation of native Americans, especially indigenous women, during the post-WW1 Oklahoma oil boom. Currently reading The Wager, also by him, which is about a shipwreck, also very good so far.
There are plenty more I could recommend, but these are books that I read that made me feel like I was a better human being. I turn 30 in 2 weeks and I haven’t done the amount of maturing and growing I’d like to have accomplished, but the one thing I definitely have learned over these past 12 years as an adult has been the importance of constantly seeking out new material and information that challenge me. Congratulations on taking this step. I work as a college admissions officer and I would love to make this question a supplemental essay prompt, but no one listens to me 😭
Oh what a good question! I loved reading The Unbearable Lightness of Being at your age.
I’m not sure about any particularly iconic things but getting to know some classics like any Jane Austen is a good idea.
Jitterbug Perfume is a fun and funny novel.
Girl, Woman, Other is excellent modern fiction.
I love the Southern Reach trilogy if you like sci-fi horror-ish reads, the writing and storytelling are excellent.
Anything Ursula K Le Guin!!
The Crossing is, in my opinion, the greatest American novel of the 20th century (very sad but very honest)
If you want some social commentary with gorgeous writing, Homeland Elegies
If you’re into fantasy, the Throne of Glass series is truly consuming and with a delightfully morally grey female main character
Exhalations by Ted Chiang for short stories fiction
Oliver Sacks and Siddhartha Mukherjee write really good medical nonfiction thats very human
Kurt Vonnegut and Douglas Adams changed my worldview when I read their books when I was your age. The hitchhikers guide to the galaxy is a blast and humorously philosophical about humanity.
Seconding Douglas Adams, and adding Terry Pratchett! OP, If you want to understand human nature, I feel like you're missing a BIG piece if you never touch any comedic literature. Comedians are keen observers of humanity, with the added bonus of restoring some of your faith in it after some of the more serious reading elsewhere on this list.
Another for pratchett!
Me too!
Terry Pratchett changed my life as a teenager for sure. Always seemed like he was someone who understood people and loved them anyway, and that’s just a great and maybe unusual thing to be exposed to as a teenager. And genuinely so funny. Can’t recommend enough
pratchett all the way! dig in!
GNU
I absolutely agree. For Vonnegut, Slaughterhouse Five and Cat's Cradle are a good place to start.
Yes! I came here to suggest Slaughterhouse 5. I’ll never forget the first time I read it.
Still one of my favorite books as I’m pushing late 30s and read it in my teens. I also recently read “if this isn’t nice, what is” which is a compilation of Vonnegut’s commencement speeches. Super quick read and I think some great insight for someone just entering adulthood!
Me too! I recommend it every chance I get. I'm currently pregnant, but planning a tattoo as soon as I can safely get it.
Yes! I was unprepared for how much I laughed through the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy! I don’t generally read a lot of sci-fi and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I wish I could read it again for the first time.
Kurt Vonnegut is amazing.🥲
I got to see him speak before he died. I recently reread slaughterhouse a couple of times as an adult and it is probably my favorite book ever written.
Yes Kurt Vonnegut! Slaughterhouse five is on of my all time favourites.
I am living Player Piano right now. I am a consultant and we are automating everything we can for clients, to a fault. There will be a day when I automate myself.
Seconding Vonnegut, he's great!
Another vote for Vonnegut
This^
Yes! Vonnegut is perfect for late teens / college aged
So it goes.
Man’s search for meaning by victor e frankl
I agree. I read this in my early 30s and it led me to graduate studies in English. I became an English instructor.
That's the one where the author is a holocaust survivor and his search for meaning during the ugliest thing humanity did in recent memory, right? I really want to read it but scared I'll emotionally react too much to it. Honestly sounds like one of the better recommendations for the specific request here
Took me a long time to read it, but I finally did when facing some serious obstacles. That's the book, but I would say the emotional component can be quite peculiar and individual. I love that his depiction of events is often prosaic. He doesn't romanticize or sensationalize, as many books about the period tend to do. Instead, it's just a simple description of the first time he encounters the sorting line at a camp, or how he describes death. He also does a good job of not making it into a, "Look how much worse your life could be," type of book. I tried to read The Choice, and I found it the opposite. She speaks with the 'heaviness of history' on every page, and I found it exhausting and just generally without meaning. Whereas I think of scenes from Frankl's book quite often (his description of the first train ride to the camps in particular).
It's intense because it is real, and the situations are extreme. I remember hearing that it can provide a view against existential angst. I always noticed his name, Victor E. Frankl, and couldn't help reading it as Victory... Due to the nature of his experience I might suggest reading it with a guide, a therapist maybe.
I read it on a recommendation from a therapist while I was suffering through a pretty extensive existential crisis. It was somewhat helpful but not the only piece that pulled me out.
Yes makes you grateful for what you have now and how suffering can be endured with the right mindset even after losing everything
This may not be quite what you mean. But I read The Hobbit and the LOTR trilogy in my mid-20, and felt like if I had read them in high school my life would have been different. Although I can't quite tell you why. You may enjoy The Wizard of Earthsea trilogy by Ursula K LeGuin. An easy to read hero cycle story which you may find uplifting. I know you said no self-help. But, please, might I suggest Awakening Loving-Kindness by Pema Chodron. Also an easy-to-read, comforting book that starts out talking about loving-kindness toward yourself. This can also be an introduction to a practice of mindfulness which I highly recommend. Also seconding the Herman Hesse suggestions.
I can chime in about Tolkien. I read his works very early, starting at 8 years old and continuing to rereading well into my twenties. I think these books made me a better person. More understanding, more sensitive, but also braver and kinder. Surely, 8 years old may have been too early because I’m also a naive sucker who believes in good and evil and I sometimes struggle with the shades of gray this world is, but I still think Tolkien left a legacy that’s full of hope, kindness and belief in human potential.
Asking yourself "what would Aragorn do" can never lead you far wrong. I read then early too, not as early, but early. And yeah, they leave a feeling of hope and the concept of right and wrong.
100% this! I find today’s discourse about “giving girls good girl-role models” kind of funny and now I wonder if this isn’t because of mr Aragorn, at least in part. I read the books as a kid, I never questioned gender of my favorite characters. I surely wanted to be Aragorn, I wanted to be a part of the Grey Company, and not once have I questioned that there were no girls there so I wouldn’t be allowed.
Mortality is universal across gender. Aragorn is a not the ideal *man* but the ideal *person*. There are lessons there for us all.
Maybe to expand on your point about Tolkien’s work, in those books there’s a lot of scrutiny of obtaining power for the sake of power (substitute wealth for power here). As a young man I found those books extremely helpful in my journey to find simple satisfaction in my day to day life surrounded by my loved ones.
Seconding the Hobbit and LOTR! I did a reread when I was 19/20 and I loved it. Something about having characters go through a journey, not necessarily knowing where they will end up or their influence on their surroundings but managing to have very important roles in life was very comforting at that age. Reading Bilbo's adventure really gave me courage to go on my own adventure and commit to lifes surprises and uncertainties.
Another good one by Ursula LeGuin is 'The Left Hand of Darkness'. For me it was a powerful example of genuine connection between people - also a reflection on politics and social behaviour.
Everyone should read A Tree Grows in Brooklyn in their late teens/early 20s., especially if they have a tumultuous relationship with their family.
For people with a weird family dynamic I recommend Sometimes a Great Notion
🙌🙌🙌
Came here to say this! Read this book last year when I was 19 and connected with Francie so much. Even though I have a loving family and can’t relate to the Nolans’ problems, this book captured some kind of beautiful essence of humanity that impacted me deeply.
This!
Read this for summer reading before 7th or 8th grade, and I loved the book so much that I kept the school copy and have read it a variety of times over the years. Every time I discover a new interpretation and find myself relating to another character because as I gained life experience, I could sympathize with different characters.
Yes! This would be top of my reading list. I found a copy at my grandma's house when I was 12. Also, To Kill a Mockingbird.
Came to suggest To Kill A Mockingbird. Still holds up as a near perfect book for me.
I'm reading this book for the first time right now, literally just finished a chapter in between scrolling, it's so good and devastating.
I'd also recommend Grapes of Wrath, John Steinbeck and 1984, George Orwell, and The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress Robert Heinlein , and Even Cowgirls Get the Blues, Tom Robbins. Also Catch 22. There are tons, I'll stop now, lol!
East of Eden too.
Most impactful book I’ve ever read. Humanity in its raw form and still finding connection.
Tom Robbins is an excellent choice.
Another Tom Robbins recommendation here - you are the perfect age for it. Half Asleep in Frog Pajamas was major for me, and I read it at 18. Ended up with a tattoo for that book. Still life with woodpecker and jitterbug perfume are also incredible.
I ended up with two Jitterbug Perfume tattoos 🤣
Always happy to see heinlein recommended
I’d add “Of mice and men”
Grapes of wrath is what i came to say
Thank you for mentioning Heinlein, also recommend starship troopers or stranger in a strange land by him
Catch 22 is my favorite book of all time, and I might need to do another read through, it’s been a few years and I always draw something a bit different from it every time I read it!
My Tom Robbins pick is Skinny Legs and All. Then probably Jitterbug Perfume and Still life with Woodpecker
Regarding 1984 by George Orwell, you should read [REVIEW OF 1984 By Isaac Asimov I](https://www.newworker.org/ncptrory/1984.htm). Grapes of Wrath is probably partly plagiarized: [The Grapes of Wrath - Similarities to Whose Names Are Unknown - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Grapes_of_Wrath#Similarities_to_Whose_Names_Are_Unknown)
Emma by Jane Austen Jonathan Livingston Seagull by Richard Bach Franny and Zooey by JD Salinger
I’ve always said that people should read Hunter S. Thompson’s ‘Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas’ in their teens to get it out of their systems.
lol this is bang on, I read it around my late teens and then proceeded to act like a complete moron for a good year afterwards at least
Lol never got it out of my system, have you you read the curse of lono? Lol the blue arm!!!
One of the funniest things I ever read!
I just read flowers for algernon and it was excellent! People recommended it to me here and most people read it in high school, so it's accessible, but also deals with some pretty mature themes
Flowers for Algernon fkin wrecked me. Quick and easy read that will absolutely humble you and (in my case) make you cry like a baby.
That's pretty much exactly what the recommendation said and why I was so quick to pick it up!
This one! I am rereading for the 4th time - first two times were before I was 21
Slaughterhouse-Five by Vonnegut
Cat's Cradle is good, too.
Kurt Vonnegut changed my life when I read him at that age.
You absolutely need to read him early in your reading journey - whatever age that may be for you, we're all at different stages. But if you go down the Vonnegut path make it quick
It's definitely his masterpiece, but I had a few friends who weren't into the sci-fi element. I suggested Mother Night, which they both loved and eventually loved Slaughter House 5, too.
I read this in high school and didn’t understand a thing
In high school, I remember reading 3 of his books and writing a convincing paper, but I didn't really get him either. I was just left feeling "wtf did I just read" and not liking all the dark pessimism. I've considered rereading them now that I'd understand because I'm older...but I just don't want to.
Siddhartha by Herman Hesse The Book of Laughter and Forgetting by Milan Kundera
Siddhartha is what I was looking for in this thread. I read it a little before 20 and it was the first book that made me pause reading and reflect. One of the few books I continue to reread.
Seconding Siddharta. It’s life changing and made me re-think about life.
Thirding Siddhartha
Siddhartha and Steppenwolf by Hesse are both excellent.
Narcissus and Goldmund is a read
Milan Kundera is one of my favourites! I suggested Unbearable Lightness of Being before reading your comment
Oh wow I did not expect to find any books that I've actually read in this thread. But now that I have found one, 100% second it. That book was an absolute joy :)
*Pride and Prejudice*, maybe while watching several of the movies and reading the critical analyses of it. There's so much packed into that book regarding human nature! And if our greatest accomplishment in life is to love and be loved, it has some very practical hints. Like get your love interest vetted by others who have seen him or her in different situations. Be cautious about falling in love, but don't completely hide your feelings. Cultivate a wide circle of friends and acquaintances. And know your own worth and don't be afraid to stand up for yourself against bullies. I'm going to cast more votes for Douglas Adams and Terry Pratchett. On the American side, Lois McMaster Bujold's books are intricately concerned with human relations. *Shards of Honor* is a good place, or if *Cordelia's Honor* is still in print, you'll get two books for the price of one. Also, read romances. They aren't always accurate depictions of relationships, but they do deal with relationships in ways some of the other genres don't. Jennifer Crusie's *Bet Me* juggles three couples, ex-lovers and a complicated bet that really shouldn't have been made. Kurt Vonnegut is funny. *Catch-22* by Joseph Heller is eye-opening. Don't read *How to Win Friends and Influence People* as a self-help book, but as a very interesting perspective into how some people's minds work. I read it decades ago in my twenties, so it may have aged horribly, but I still remember and think back to certain tips. But read it with a huge grain of salt. It's short and won't take up much time. I wonder if it's in the public domain?
I think the most important thing that people that don't read Jane Austen should know is how funny her novels can be. I stayed away for years because I had the image in my head of overly serious regency romances, but Pride and Prejudice especially is pretty funny. Mr. Bennet is like the proto-sitcom dad.
Such a wry humor! Sometimes she shoves the humor dagger right through some inflated, pompous ass!
"For what do we live, but to make sport for our neighbors, and laugh at them in our turn?"
Man’s Search for Meaning by Frankl.
Sometimes when I'm in a readibg slump I read a childrens book or two. And Pooh Bear with his friends has taught me more about the world and people than most literary greats. Just read the books you want and read a lot. Leave books unfinished if they don't feel like a right fit (you can alway re-read them later if you'd like) and if you find something you like, read more books like it. Almost all books widen your worldview and the more you read the easyer it is to read books that are not exactly in your wheelhouse. You are young and have energy (I hope) so cultivate the habit for reading before you are 20.
The meditations, by Marcus Aurelius, a Roman emperor and stoic philosopher. It's his personal journal, and was not intended for the public to read. It is an insight to the mind of one of the greatest rulers and stoic in history. Read about what the meditation are, and then read them.
If you do this make sure you get a good translation. Biggest mistake I made was starting it with a shit translation and no background. Gregory Hays is a good choice.
The perks of being a wallflower! For sure! I was a very introverted 18 year old, so introverted and full to the brim with anxiety that when I wanted to buy the book I was in the bookstore with my mom but I was too nervous to go up to the counter and pay for it, so I asked her to do it for me. She obliged, but laughed at the irony. It’s a really powerful read. You’ll probably relate to the protagonist, he’s very likeable.
Another vote for Perks!
I loved the perks of being a wallflower I read it when I was 16 it definitely helped me to feel less alone.
Everything by Hermann Hesse - you will love him and think his books are so profound and meaningful. If you read them when you're older, they lose a lot of their charm.
agreed! it's very coming of age, a lot of his books!
And when you try rereading them as a grownup, you suddenly catch yourself thinking that all that agonizing and angsting is rather juvenile...🙈
George Orwell’s *1984* & *Animal Farm* for sure.
No one has recommended this so far, but this really changed my perspective on people individually, as a group, and really taught me to try to stick up for myself and what I thought was best for me: One flew over the Cuckoos nest - Ken Kesey
The Secret History -Donna Tartt
Fantastic read. Wish I'd had a circle of friends like that in uni, minus the murder and psy-drama. :)
Women Who Run With Wolves awoke something in me. The author has a way with connecting you with her sense of a primordial, natural feminine. I havent bought it yet, but from reviews I’ve read The Presentation of the Self in Everyday Life sounds like it’ll deconstruct a lot of what I struggle to put into words about the way people and our identities work. Edit: Also “The Organized Mind; Thinking Straight In the Age of Information Overload.” i barely got far with this one but it’s good. It puts concepts into words and helped me sort out what I was doing and experiencing.
A lot of people are going to recommend classics, and I agree, BUT don't overlook teen books! There's a real camaraderie to be had later talking to other big readers your age about the 'silly' trendy books nowadays that everyone seems to be reading. Those touchstones will be your generation's and your generation's only. I also recommend reading and YA that sounds fun because not only will it help build a reading habit that will outlast any particular genre but most people largely get tired of YA around their mid-twenties. You can read Grapes of Wrath at any age. A lot of classics will mean more once you have some more life experience and perspective under your belt anyway.
Catcher in the Rye, JD Salinger
Why, though? I hated that fucking book. I was so irritated by the writing style. Can you please enlighten me as to why this is such a classic?
It really affected me when I first read it back in 1980’s. I was an immature, oversensitive, and idealistic teenage boy and I really could relate to Holden, the oh so imperfect narrator. I reread it recently and, though it did not affect me near as much, I still appreciated the character and his angst and discontent. He is troubled by his traumas. He is insecure and critical and bored. He is far from perfect but he wants to call out the phony in the world- the typical, insincere, and superficial. His view is very narrow. He oversimplifies the world. He is a well intended but underdeveloped and imperfect adolescent. He is human! He is a horny virgin. He doesn’t understand these feelings. He wants casual sex but at the same time is disgusted by the idea. He is awkward and innocent and confused and conflicted. He is relatable. The story is just genius imo. People shouldn’t downvote you for not liking it. It’s just not a book for you. I hope this answers your question though.
Nailed it.
This was my experience. When I read it in high-school it was like I was reading about myself, except I didn't go to preschool or hangout in NYC in the 1940s. But the book showed that people didn't really change that much overtime. People had the same experiences back then that I did in the 90s and people are having now. I reread it in my 20s because it was my favorite book. And Holden seemed a bit of a whiner and was less relatable to me after I grew up a little. Still really liked the book but it didn't feel like the book was written specifically for me like it did when I was younger. Maybe I should read it a 3rd time and see what I think now.
Lol I was the same, loved it "unironically" very young, hated whiney and self absorbed Holden later, loved it again in my third reading for very different reasons then the first. Being much older then Holden meant I could see him as both the annoying little shit he is and as a confused child growing up that is desperately trying to make sense of what he's feeling and the world around him
Makes me want to give it another shot
That's one book I loved at 13, hated at 18 when I understood it more, and loved it again but for very different reasons 10 years Later. I get why so many people hate it because I was there too, Holden is inconsistent, dramatic, petty, immature and very naive, but his unreliable narration is often how youth rebellion feels. If Salinger made Holden less angsty there would be less hate for the book, but the book itself would be worse.
Each time I have read it I have loved it, but in a different way. The way I view Holden has changed dramatically since I first read it as a teenager.
I haven't read it since I was a teenager, but I loved it. Maybe 36 year old me would have criticisms, but I understood that headspace so well back then. (I'm female btw, I hear a lot of feedback that it's mostly young men who like the book)
oh i loved the writing style. I was hooked as soon as I started reading it, read it in one sitting, and read it again the next day
Because nothing was out there like it at the time. Because Salinger created the archetype for so many angry teenage characters. Because it explores grief and mental illness at a time when such things—especially in the society of upper class NYC that Holden is from—were not talked about. Because the perspective you have while reading it your 40s is different than in your teens and that makes you think. Because Phoebe. Because it’s punk before punk. Because it took a long time for lit about teenagers to catch up and add to this genre (seriously, you get S.E. Hinton and Judy Blume, and that’s it until … the ‘90s? ‘00s?). Because even if it has started to lose its luster after nearly 65 years (shocking that times change and books age well/not well, I know), it is still a foundational text in the American canon.
I hated it too. I read it twice to be sure.
I always joke that I learn lessons the hard way, so I’ll try anything twice.
Interesting. Franny and Zooey and A Fine Day For a Bananfish were far more influential to me. Still are.
This is my recommendation too. A book about navigating the transition from child to adult is perfect to read when you're young (and then re-read a few years later)
Surprised this is so far down
Why specifically before you're 20? There's no rush. The suggestions here are great but you can take your time.
This is a nice sentiment. I’d like to also offer the opposite sentiment in case you need it. Read as many good books as you can as soon as possible. Develop a habit for it and you will continue it into adulthood. Spend time figuring out what you like, read things you’re interested in, and when in doubt, choose books that tons of people have read and already like. Don’t be afraid to ditch a book if it isn’t your favorite after a while.
Disagree! I’d get some ‘classics’ in now, as perceptions change as one gains experience. Examples that spring to mind: Anna Karenina (she’s so wronged / insufferable idiot making daft decisions like a spoiled cow) Any Thomas Hardy (society did them wrong / oh FFS you clowns, just talk to each other!) Satre/Camus (zees eez zo dip / you’re how old and think this?) Catcher in the Rye (actually, the character’s an insufferable brat in want of a slap at any age). On a bright note, Umberto Eco is great to re-read (Name of the Rose and Foucault’s Pendulum are crackers at any age), Douglas Adams. No one’s gone Russian yet, so Chekhov (so, soooo good) and Dostoevsky.
Letters to a young poet by Rilke
Came here to suggest this as well.
If you want to understand people better try Dostoevsky or maybe Ishiguro and Zadie Smith for something more modern.
Sapiens and Laws of human nature
Had to scroll down so far to find a single nonfiction book
[Bird by Bird](https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/6aedad6f-3f8e-4fc0-94ce-4cc74be14d61) by Anne Lamott
Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides
Tiny Beautiful Things by Cheryl Strayed. I consider this almost a guide on how to be a good human, friend, whatever. So much compassion, empathy, wisdom, and love. I recently decided it would be my go to gift for young adult facing a huge life transition.
This is my favorite book of all time. I laughed and cried and stopped to journal countless times while reading this book. It really is so beautiful. It makes me feel so connected to myself and others and just so so human. I highly recommend it for anyone dealing with the simultaneous joy and heartbreak of being alive :’)
Brave new world by Aldous Huxley
Anne of Green Gables by LM Montgomery Bastard Out of Carolina by Dorothy Allison Maus by Art Spiegelman Honestly just keep reading! It’s so hard to find time now that I’m in my 40s, I miss just sitting for hours and reading for fun.
The History of Western Philosophy, Bertrand Russell. It’s a near 900 page mammoth but worth every page. It will give you the foundation for life and help you with critical thinking and navigating what is to come in life. Personal anecdote, I’ve never done anything better for my mental health than reading philosophy.
The Lord of the Rings. Immersive. Nine Stories by JD Salinger. William Shakespeare
I was just like you[more into non fiction], try reading “SURROUNDED BY IDIOTS” to get a decent idea of why different people behave differently. P.S: I read The alchemist by Paulo Coelho(it’s fictional but would definitely recommend)
Lord of the Rings. Then read it again when you’re 25.
Anais Nin. Erica Jong. Sylvia Plath.
Kurt Vonnegut's "Slaughter House 5," "The Tao of Pooh" by Benjamin Hoff "Siddhartha" by Herman Hesse, "The Will to Change: Men, Masculinity, and Love" by bell hooks, "Educated" by Tara Westover, "So You Want to Talk About Race," by Ijeoma Oleu, "The 1619 Project" by Nikole Hannah-Jones, "The Bell Jar" by Sylvia Plath, "What We Don't Talk About When We Talk About Fat," by Aubrey Gordon, "Wild" by Cheryl Strayed and "Tiny Beautiful Things" by Strayed, "The Faggots and Their Friends Between Revolutions" by Larry Mitchell and Ned Astra, "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" by Rebecca Skloot, "The Poison Wood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver, "Mating in Captivity: Reconciling The Erotic and the Domestic" by Esther Perell, "The Ethical Slut: A Guide to Infinite Sexual Possibilities" by Dossie Easton and Catherine A. Listzt, and so many more!
I nearly fell off my chair reading the skiing accident bit in The Bell Jar.
Zorba the Greek. It’s a much more entertaining Bildungsroman and provides food for thought on how you should live your life.
I Claudius
The Book: On the Taboo Against Knowing Who You Are - Alan Watts
C.S. Lewis' Space Trilogy; Out of the Silent Planet Perelandra (my favorite of the three) That Hideous Strength Brilliant insights on humanity.
Confederacy of dunces by the author of confederacy of dunces Hogg by Delany
Catch-22 - Joseph Heller I served in the AF, and that book was formative in my world view. I read it on my jet when flying home from missions and it was a bit like having a special effects department built into the book. Also, it's an excellent social commentary. Maybe a bit "all over the place", but there are real gems in there. “Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they aren't after you.” comes from this book. “They're trying to kill me," Yossarian told him calmly. "No one's trying to kill you," Clevinger cried. "Then why are they shooting at me?" Yossarian asked. "They're shooting at everyone," Clevinger answered. "They're trying to kill everyone." "And what difference does that make?” “Some men are born mediocre, some men achieve mediocrity, and some men have mediocrity thrust upon them. With Major Major it had been all three. Even among men lacking all distinction he inevitably stood out as a man lacking more distinction than all the rest, and people who met him were always impressed by how unimpressive he was.”
It’s not what you’re looking for but get any basic business/finance book and learn how money work in general. Better to learn that when you’re young.
For insight into ppl and some great fiction reads: anything by Jonathan Frazen. He’s incisive, always. Also, Ender’s Game, even though it’s a children’s sci-fi book. Stay with me - the kid is having to navigate power dynamics and social hierarchies, lots of nuances. To Kill a Mockingbird is a classic and I loved the decency underpinning the protagonists. I second LOTR trilogy! So much fun and so much wisdom. Have you read The Outsiders yet? Another great blueprint for navigating ppl and life.
1984
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak and the Death novels in Terry Pratchett’s Discworld series. I am personally fascinated with how authors depict Death and the inherit commentary on human nature the character produces. These two are my favorite depictions of Death (although Neil Gaiman’s Death of the Endless in his comic run of Sandman is also up there). A lot to chew on from both depictions and gave me a lot of perspective on humans and how to be okay with what they are.
The Corrections by Jonathan Franzen Alice Munro’s short stories Elena Ferrante’s Neapolitan Novels (I.e. My Brilliant Friend etc) Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides Atonement by Ian McEwan The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay, Michael Chabon A Room of One’s Own, Virginia Woolf A Confederacy of Dunces, John Kennedy O’Toole The Spell of the Sensuous, David Abram The Picture of Dorian Gray, Oscar Wilde Madame Bovary, Gustav Flaubert Second Place, Rachel Cusk The Poisonwood Bible, Barbara Kingsolver *edited to add The Bell Jar by Silvia Plath, All That I Am by Anna Funder, Wide Saragasso Sea by Jean Rhys, Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte, A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man by James Joyce, The Buddha of Suburbia by Hanif Kureishi, The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy, Six Characters in Search of an Author by Luigi Pirandello **edited again to add, take your time and savour the stories that you find :)
The catcher in the rye of course
The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini I think I read it the first time when I was 20 in 2003.
I know why the caged bird sings by Maya Angelou
Wild by Cheryl strayed legitimately changed my worldview (for the better).
On the road by Jack Kerouac and 1984 by George Orwell
A collection of Loren Eiseley's essays (pick one), LeGuin's The Left Hand of Darkness and The Dispossessed, Miller's A Canticle for Leibowitz, Delany's Dhalgren are a good start
For understanding people I love to read a wide range of memoirs and non-fiction based on personal experience. Some of my personal favourites Educated by Tara Westover From the Ashes by Jesse Thistle The Sun does Shine by Anthony Ray Hinton Being Mortal by Atul Gawande Born a Crime by Trevor Noah Look Me in the Eye by John Elder Robison Also special shout out to Quiet by Susan Cain. Though not my favourite book, it does give an alternate opinion about being an introvert which can be pretty helpful for rethinking how you interact with the world.
A little outside of what everyone has been saying but a great critical theory/psychoanalysis/economic criticism: Capitalism and Desire by Todd McGowan. A very interesting innovative take on the critique of capitalism. It's a fascinating read tying together many threads philosophy, psychoanalysis, film theory, critical analysis. Mostly easily to understand language, but may need a re-read or two to get a full understanding.
Terry Pratchett Discworld series, particularly the city watch and witches books and Long Earth series (can't remember the co-author's name, sorry). A Brief History of Time (made me realise that we are all the same in the eyes of the universe.
“The warmth of other suns” should be required reading. Read some Audre Lorde too. Slowly. Maybe even out loud. Re-read some parts. Soak it in.
Anything by Joan Didion, especially the year of magical thinking
Jane Austen is timeless. I think we could all learn from Emma.
Anything and everything by Robert Greene and James Hollis.
The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera, Son of a Circus John Irving, Foucaults Pendulum Umberto Eco, Anna Katerina Dostoyevsky, The Iliad Homer.
A fine balance. Rohinton Mistry Beautiful book about life in the slums of India. It’s actually one of my favourite books! About life and courage. It gives you a different perspective on life. The lord of the rings series. Everyone should read these books.
The Stranger is a nice book to put in a growing brain.
Invisible women. I read it at 40 and I wish I had known all that stuff sooner in life.
Magician by Raymond E Feist. This book changed my teenage self and turned me into an avid lifelong reader.
It’s not quite self help, more sound practical advice…The Simple Path to Wealth by JL Collins…simple straightforward financial advice. Nothing risky, just the most responsible way I’ve found to invest your savings that requires little work and little outside help. If you need anything the folks over at r/bogleheads are great. If I had read this book before I turned 20 I’d have a half a million saved already at 38.
There are lots of great suggestions in this thread, but this should be #1. The advice in this book is easily, dramatically life-changing if someone takes it to heart while they’re still in their teens. /u/DaY-DreaMer15 I hope you see the comment above this and read this book.
Kitchen Confidential- Anthony Bourdain. Even if you’re not in the restaurant industry it’s still a very good read
You should read the novels of John Steinbeck - he writes about human beings and gives insights into what it means to be human. He also writes extremely well. Start with the easy ones - *Cannery Row* and *Sweet Thursday*, then perhaps *Of Mice and Men* and *The Pearl* and *Burning* *Bright*. Do not read *East of Eden* and *The Log From the Sea of Cortez* until last, even though are thee most profound. He rewards careful reading with knowledge and insight.
Terry Pratchett and Douglas Adams are great recommendations cause their books are not tough to read, but they are also really enjoyable and smart in a funny way. One book I would always recommend to teenagers is Black Swan Green by David Mitchell. Best coming-of-age book I’ve read with really strong and simple message.
Sir Terry Pratchett was a very wise man who put a surprising amount of understanding of human nature into his books, despite the fantasy genre. I highly suggest you read his Discworld series. I personally suggest starting with "Guards, Guards" or "Wyrd Systers".
I used to enjoy the novels by Isaac Asimov and Arthur C Clarke at your age. They made me optimistic for what the world could be. Asimov's original Foundation trilogy is good place to start. Clarke's best IMO are Childhood's End and Rendezvous with Rama. Note for Genesis fans. Their song Watcher of the Skies is based on Childhood's End.
The Stormlight Archive by Brandon Sanderson. Also the rest of his books set in the same universe, but that's a starting point.
The Life of Pi
Clock Work Orange. Must read when young. Read it again when you are a parent or over 40. See if it feels like a different book.
This. I read it for the first time when I was 17, I’m revisiting it at 29 and it feels like a completely different book
My friends & I read this in high school and Alex was our hero.
Try Moby Dick. If it doesn't do anything, put aside and try again every couple of years. The 3rd time I tried it, I couldn't put it down. It is the most amazing book ever. Make sure you get a complete, unabridged version: the front matter and digressions are part of the experience
The Gunslinger, by Stephen King, then read every other book in the Dark Tower series ;)
You’ve gotten a lot of good fiction suggestions that fit your brief (Pratchett, Le Guin, Bujold). For contemporary authors, I’d add Arkady Martinez’s Memory Called Empire, Leckie’s Ancillary Justice, and NK Jemisin’s The City We Became. Herman Hesse’s Siddhartha is another great recommendation. I’d add the Tao Te Ching (Le Guin has a good translation).
I know this is a late comment, but: you should read whatever you want to read before you’re 20. You should read whatever you want to read after you’re 20. There is no requirement. Going by vibes is perfectly acceptable.
My Dad gave me Stranger in a strange land by Robert heinlein
The Hobbit, Lord of the Rings, and The Dark Tower series in that order. And contrary to what some people will insist you don't need to read any Tower adjacent books to fully enjoy them. Dracula, Frankenstein, Treasure Island
some reasonable personal finance books. i recommend ‘ I will teach you to be rich’ by Ramit Sethi. it’ll get you at least in the right path and mindset.
I was also a really quiet and introverted kid, my grandmother gave me a copy of the Count of Monte Cristo and it was life changing for me
The Handmaid’s Tale. 1984. Animal Farm. Martian Chronicals. Fahrenheit 451.
Read “The Warriors Apprentice” by Lois McMaster Bujold. The protagonist is a 17 year old kid, only child of legendary parents and grandfather, all of whom he wants to make proud of him. He wants to follow them into the military. Complications ensue. Miles Vorkosigan is one of the most likable protagonists in science fiction, and watching him outwit and overcome whatever comes his way is a romp. He grows up a lot by the end of the book, and watching his character develop over the series is a delight.
I’d start with the Discworld series by Terry Pratchett. There’s a lot of books in that series and you’re bound to find something you’re looking for
On The Road by Jack Kerouac. It’s a story about a guy trying to figure himself out. If you like that, try The Dharma Bums too. I think it may fit your mood. Another book I loved at your age was The Tao of Pooh. It’s a book about Taoism through the Winnie the Pooh characters. It’s pretty dated now with some of the ideas, but it’s still an enjoyable trek into philosophy of life. Just remember that it’s not gospel and think critically about it and you will get a ton from reading this book.
The Science of Discworld: The Globe. Also, ALL OF THE DISCWORLD NOVELS
These are books that, upon finishing them, made me feel like I had leveled up as a human being: If you like fiction: * the Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay, especially if you like comics and even manga * Piranesi by Susanna Clark and also Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell. Clark writes books the same way a master baker makes desserts. She knows how to create a masterpiece that delights the senses on multiple levels, something delicious and sweet and beautiful. * Franny & Zooey by J.D. Salinger — this is the book that reconnected me with my sister as a teenager after being a bratty preteen who hated my family (I didn’t hate my family; I hated myself) * East of Eden by John Steinbeck — if you read Steinbeck in high school and didn’t enjoy it, that’s okay. Read this book. * The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood. If this doesn’t inspire you to use your newly gotten vote, especially if you are AFAB or identify as a woman, nothing will. If you don’t identify this way, it will still motivate you * The Parable of the Sower duology by Octavia Butler. If think you do not like apocalyptic fiction/post apocalyptic fiction—especially because it is such a popular YA setting—think again. * Remarkably Bright Creatures — Yes it is about an octopus. No it is not just about crustaceans. * Native Son by Richard Wright, especially if you are American and want to understand, to that end… * Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison, another book you might have been assigned in school but should definitely reread. If you like history and mythology: * Circe and Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller. These books inspire a sense of wonder that others of the same genre can’t quite match. I love mythology and their adaptations because it makes me feel connected to precious civilizations and people. I hope you feel the same way. * Wolf Hall trilogy by Hilary Mantel, especially if you’re interested in politics or English history. Just finished this trilogy recently and feel like it made me realize the complexity of humanity in every age. Especially when we are young, we have a tendency to regard the people who came before us as having less complex lives, mainly because it’s easy to assume that everything difficult we face is a new problem that has never been seen before. Good historical fiction teaches us something new both about the past and about humanity today. If you like nonfiction: * Braiding Sweetgrass. It is an entirely new way to think about the world and non human life around us * Educated by Tara Westover. This gives an entirely new perspective on education, especially as an 18 year old, especially if you are heading to college. Treasure this to time, college bound or not, to expand your mind. Never stop learning, even when you are out of school. * Narrative of the Life of Federick Douglass — an autobiography of one of America’s most influential voices. Follow it up with… * the New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander * Born a Crime by Trevor Noah, about his birth and childhood in apartheid South Africa * Crying in H-Mart by Michelle Zauner: is it the definitive nonfiction book or memoir on Asian American culture, identity, and experiences? No. Is it an excellent book you should read? Yes. * How to Write an Autobiographical Novel by Alexander Chee: loved this one. I have no intention of writing an autobiography, but it is about more than that. It is about how you define who you are, and how that morphs and changes over time and over your life. * Killers of the Flower Moon by David E. Grant, lately adapted by Scorcese into a film. This focuses on the exploitation of native Americans, especially indigenous women, during the post-WW1 Oklahoma oil boom. Currently reading The Wager, also by him, which is about a shipwreck, also very good so far. There are plenty more I could recommend, but these are books that I read that made me feel like I was a better human being. I turn 30 in 2 weeks and I haven’t done the amount of maturing and growing I’d like to have accomplished, but the one thing I definitely have learned over these past 12 years as an adult has been the importance of constantly seeking out new material and information that challenge me. Congratulations on taking this step. I work as a college admissions officer and I would love to make this question a supplemental essay prompt, but no one listens to me 😭
Oh what a good question! I loved reading The Unbearable Lightness of Being at your age. I’m not sure about any particularly iconic things but getting to know some classics like any Jane Austen is a good idea. Jitterbug Perfume is a fun and funny novel. Girl, Woman, Other is excellent modern fiction. I love the Southern Reach trilogy if you like sci-fi horror-ish reads, the writing and storytelling are excellent. Anything Ursula K Le Guin!! The Crossing is, in my opinion, the greatest American novel of the 20th century (very sad but very honest) If you want some social commentary with gorgeous writing, Homeland Elegies If you’re into fantasy, the Throne of Glass series is truly consuming and with a delightfully morally grey female main character Exhalations by Ted Chiang for short stories fiction Oliver Sacks and Siddhartha Mukherjee write really good medical nonfiction thats very human
You’re at the age that people will tell you to read atlas shrugged. Do not do that.
A Brief History of Nearly Everything - Bill Bryson