I’m a reader. I easily read 60 books in a year, if not more. Reading has been my constant companion during all the hardest stages of my life, I have never felt truly alone when I’ve had a book on my person. That’s why it is sad to me that so many people hate to read and never do so outside of school. The problem, for many highschoolers, is that reading feels like homework, like a punishment. 

But I truly believe that an ability to read changes a person, they gain the ability to grasp and understand media, coping mechanisms, the ability to empathize with those different from them, and a widened perspective of the world around them; science backs my claims here, according to the National Institute of Health reading can slow the effects of Dementia or Alzheimer’s, increase self esteem, improve memory, heighten problem-solving skills, and lower general stress. 

So, to encourage more reading among people my age, I’m going to publish a weekly article giving book recommendations based on what movies, shows, music, or genres you already enjoy. 

Today, I’m going to recommend my 12 books that I think everyone should read before they die:

(In no particular order)

• In the Dreamhouse by Carmen Maria Machado: This memoir is a must if you like stories that really make you feel. Centered around a vile, abusive relationship and written with a unique second person point-of-view, explored through silhouettes, this is a book that challenges what a book can and can’t and should be. This book will dig down into the grimiest parts of you and remind you what it means to be a human.
• The Darkness Outside Us by Eliot Schrefer: This book about two boys alone in space owns the term plot twist. The first half may lead you to think that this book is simple and heartwarming sci-fi but looks can be deceiving. When I first read this book, I found the first half cute, albeit trope-filled, but by the end I was truly left questioning the nature of existence and my own approach to life. This book has everything, romance, sci-fi, world building, and existential themes that will keep you up at night!
• Tender is the Flesh by Augustina Bazterica: A book on the list for my horror readers. What would you do if a mysterious disease made all animal products inedible? Some may say they would convert to veganism but for the inhabitants of the world in Bazterica’s bone-chilling novel, they find other ways to get their fix. Imagine with me, a subsection of humans raised as livestock, no education, no rights, no quality of life, this is the picture Tender is the Flesh paints. It is a grueling book with a valuable lesson on what can occur when our own wants trump human lives. This book is the phrase “capitalism is cannibalism” taken literally. Read at your own risk.
• The Dispossessed by Ursula K. Le Guin: Ever wish you could live on a completely different planet? This is the book for you. Featuring two worlds right next to one another, this book shows us the shortcomings of running society in extremes. With one planet the epitome of capitalism and the other, the epitome of socialism, this book follows Shevek who travels to both planets, the reader is able to discover the inner workings of both societies, it is not a book that tells you what to believe but instead a book that asks you to draw your own conclusions. Beautifully written with complex world building, this book provides an entertaining story alongside plenty of personal reflection.
• The Rose That Grew From Concrete by Tupac Shakur: A book for those who enjoy poetry and those who enjoy rap. We all know about 2pac, or at least, we know his music. But how many know that he was a poet? The Rose That Grew From Concrete will make you laugh and cry in one sitting, it’s a short read and certainly worth it. This book paints a picture of a multifaceted human being who saw both despair and greatness in society. I find myself going back to this book often for inspiration.
• Factfulness by Hans Rosling: How often do you feel that the world is hopeless? This book is a reminder that humanity is always moving forward, sometimes we may backslide but nothing truly halts progress. Rosling poses the argument that, despite all that is wrong in the world, this truly is the best time to be alive. A book for hope and gratitude that I believe anyone can enjoy.
• The Narrative of Frederick Douglass: This book is much, much more than history, it is a piece of humanity. In this book, we hear directly from abolitionist leader Fredrick Douglass, this book paints a harrowing picture of the brutality that was slavery and one man’s courage to survive and to fight no matter what. It is a truly necessary book that should be required reading in any US history class because there is truly no lesson on slavery that could have prepared me for this book.
• Piranesi by Susana Clarke: This book embodies surrealism. Told in the style of diary entries from our titular Piranesi, this book is a fascinating mystery story about small worlds outside our own, and what happens when one person takes advantage of another. This book will grab your expectations and throw them full force into ongoing traffic. It is unique, provocative, funny, heartwarming, and at times tearjerking.
• The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison: A book for my fantasy lovers, this book is a beautiful tale of a sympathetic half-goblin boy suddenly thrust onto the throne after spending his formative years in banishment. This is a book about betrayal, fear, leadership, and what it truly means to be a friend, all wrapped up in a gripping and gorgeous fantasy book.
• Hunger by Roxane Gay: This memoir is about living with an “unruly body”. This book is about how trauma, weight, and race affect our experience with our bodies; this is a book about what it means to be a woman in a world that portrays a proper woman as white and straight and thin. Most of all, this is a book about a human being trying to live in a human body despite the world often being against them.
• Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson: This heart wrenching memoir follows death row lawyer, Bryan Stevenson, in his quest to get innocent people off death row. Told through the lense of Walter McMillan’s racially biased trial, this book covers a variety of problems within our justice system and works as a call to action. This book evokes anger and inspiration; it paints a picture of a group of underappreciated heroes in society, lawyers who work grueling hours for subpar pay in the quest to keep innocent people off death row.
• Know My Name by Chanel Miller: Written by the victim of the infamous Stanford sexual assault case, Miller uses this powerful memoir to take back her story. In this book we are painted a picture of a fiery woman torn down after being sexually assaulted at a party and dealing with harassment for years to come. In this book Miller says she will not stay down, if not for herself then for every sexual assault victim who is empowered, too, by her story. This book is a powerful example of the effects of sexual assault which go far beyond the event itself, Miller is poignant, provocative, and overwhelming human, a living breathing example of moving forwards.

If you’ve reached this point in the article you’ve already read 1,272 words. Stay cool, keep reading.