Top 10 Books

Racism without Racists (2003) by Eduardo Bonilla-Silva

This book is a must-read for anyone trying to figure out why, in a world that has linguistically and legally moved beyond Jim Crow racism and one in which the vast majority of white people do not call themselves racist, there is so much animosity around the subject of race.

 

Bonilla-Silva outlines the new racism, what he calls "color-blind racism," the real effects that hold back black people, and how everyone can bridge the gap between what many wish was true, that race is no longer an inhibitor to black success, and what is actually true, that black people are excluded socially and economically​ from the American dream.

11.22.63 (2011) by Stephen King

This book is, in my humble opinion, the magnum opus of the King of suspense and horror, the product of decades of research and crafting of a fairly simple premise: A man finds a portal to 1960 where his actions in the past affect the future unless he uses it again, and attempts to use it to save President Kennedy on 22 November 1963 in Dallas, TX. The catch is he has to live out three real years of his life in the 60s, getting a job, buying a home, trying not to make waves or friends, meanwhile planning for the day that he came for and hoping he doesn't spend all that time just to mess up when it matters most.

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This book is so hard to oversell. It's a master's hand at work, and you can't regret it.

The Perfect Girlfriend (2018) by Karen Hamilton

Juliette loves Nate so immensely that despite the fact that he broke up with her months ago, she still enters his apartment while he is at work with the key she stole from him, keeps up with his life by logging into his Facebook because he has blocked her, and, yes, she even started a job as a flight attendant so as to be near him while he's flying all around the world as a pilot. She is only biding her time until Nate is ready to get back together with her. Just a little longer, and this silly hiatus will be over and they can go back to their happily ever after.

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I loved this book. Every chapter kept me hooked, and I found myself unable to concentrate on anything else until I finished it. True to the name, the book was perfect.

Inside Mari (2012-2016) by Shuzo Oshimi

This series is a fascinating exploration of identity told through a mystery. How did Isao, a college dropout with no prospects, end up in the body of a popular teen girl, Mari? He suddenly needs to learn who Mari is, what she is like, and try to find out what happened to the real Mari's mind, as well as whether he can return to being Isao.

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While this story isn't about being transgender, it touches on a lot of the way gender dysphoria feels. In addition, it is very tasteful in its discussions of bodily autonomy and trauma. If you're going to read one manga, this would be a great choice.

I'm Glad My Mom Died (2022) by Jeanette McCurdy

This isn't just any ordinary celebrity memoir. Jeanette McCurdy, former Nickelodeon child star, tells the story of the abuse she suffered primarily at the hands of her narcissistic mother, who taught her to hate her body, become bulimic, and roll over for every acting opportunity.

 

Her story isn't unique, as many child stars have similar issues as a result of their parents forcing them into it, but the way in which she manages to lay the struggle out bare naked made me so uncomfortable in the ways I needed to be.

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She reads the audiobook, which is how I experienced it. I highly recommend doing that, too.

Circe (2018) by Madeline Miller

Ever read the Odyssey and wondered about the witch Circe who turned men into pigs? This book is the very plausible back story of the character everyone writes off.

 

Born the daughter of Helios, the titan of the sun, Circe is raised in a realm of the gods. But between being belittled by Olympus and too immortal to relate with the humans she prefers the company of, she finds herself a piece in a political game.

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Although Circe is a villain in the Odyssey, this book explores themes of kinship, love, life purpose, and self-empowerment through her side of the story. If you love the drama of Greek mythology, this is right up your alley.

Pride and Prejudice (1813) by Jane Austin
It was once a truth universally acknowledged that a single woman not in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a husband, and the Bennet family with their five daughters were no exception. Thankfully, two single, young, wealthy men are coming to town. Seems like a match made in heaven for the eldest daughters, right? Maybe not, as this story is filled with characters who are too prideful to admit their feelings and too prejudiced to look past the surface.

 

Jane Austin is by far my favourite author of the 19th century. She doesn't add unnecessary details, has a writing style more akin to hearing a story from a friend than a stranger, and, most importantly, fills these characters with passion and attitude that make them as relatable today as they were in the 1810s.

Normal People (2018) Sally Rooney

This is a psychological exploration of the complexity of a relationship between two youths with bundles of potential and trauma. Rooney's characters are real in that they lie to each other to spare feelings and hurt each other while trying to help and bounce between appreciating their time together and distancing themselves because things get too hard or too real. These characters and their relationships are imperfect, and without giving spoilers, the way their lives twist and turn like vines made me more emotional than any rom-com third-act misunderstanding ever could.

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Truly the best book I've read from the 21st century, Rooney is in a league above her peers.

The Hunger Games series (2008-2010) by Suzanne Collins

The Hunger Games is a yearly event where two kids from each of the subjugated districts of Panem are forced to battle to death for the amusement of the rich. During the reaping for the 74th games, Katniss volunteers in her little sister's place to protect her, but now she must learn the ropes of surviving from a veteran of the games and not make enemies.

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I fully believe the Hunger Games series will become classic lit because not only was it insanely popular when released, but it still holds up as solid story writing to this day with a well-developed world and analogies to the real world. Let's face it, every year, the world of Panem seems a little less unrealistic.

The Book Thief (2005) by Markus Zusak

This book was haunting and beautiful. It's the story of a little girl in Nazi Germany, narrated by Death himself. Her mother leaves her to the care of a couple who are rough around the edges but care for her and hide a Jewish man in their basement, knowing that at any time, they could be caught and their lives destroyed. ​She doesn't initially know how to read, but slowly learns by stealing books and getting lessons from her new papa, all the time, befriending the Jewish man and learning how evil the Nazi regime and Hitler are.

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I'm not sure what more I can say. It is hard to read, and I left it emotionally drained. Maybe I'm weird for loving that.