Here in the UK, during secondary school we’re usually taught texts like To Kill a Mockingbird, Of Mice and Men, or Macbeth. I’m sure that many of you have also heard of the novels, Oliver Twist and Animal Farm.
While these are all fantastic books to read there are many other books as well that are equally powerful and important. There are also a wide range of brilliant writers from different backgrounds and ethnicities who are worth looking into when creating your reading list.
It is so important that we all read texts that are not only entertaining, but help us learn about the workings, prejudices and politics of the world. Not only does it help us understand our position in society better but also makes us aware of the plights of many people who are different to us.
Read books from African authors, Chinese authors, Muslim authors – through this you’ll develop an understanding of the world as you look through the lenses of different people.
Reading a more diverse range of books will also boost your confidence during conversations; you’ll have more to talk about and will also be able to engage in the conversation in a more open-minded way.
I’ve written a post on ways to glow up mentally/ internally with a bunch of ideas to complete. Have a look if you want some more productive, self-growth ideas!
In this post, you will find a list of 10 books that you may not have thought to pick up or read. I’ll be including books from different genres as well as non-fiction books. I’m sure one of these will suit your taste!
Even if reading isn’t your thing, here are some great books to start off with!
1. Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race by Reni Eddo—Lodge
In February 2014, Reni Eddo-Lodge posted an article on her blog, saying:
‘I’m no longer engaging with white people on the topic of race […] I can no longer engage with the gulf of an emotional disconnect that white people display when a person of colour articulates their experience. You can see their eyes shut down and harden. It’s like treacle is poured into their ears, blocking up their ear canals. It’s like they can no longer hear us […]’ (I got this quote from her book).
Eddo-Lodge then created Why I’m No Longer Talking To White People About Race , the book, in order to continue this conversation which many people who had read her blog post also felt passionate about.
Consisting of many insightful chapters such as ‘What is White Privilege?’ and ‘Fear of a Black Planet,’ I am 100% sure that you will find something in there that you had never previously thought about.
This book goes through why Reni Eddo-Lodge will no longer talk to white people about race, and it presents a series of arguments portraying her reasons. It also introduces a range of key concepts like intersectionality and structural racism.
Unlike fiction books, I can’t give the plot line but I would highly recommend for you to read this. In less than 250 pages, you have access to so much information, and to be honest flipping through this book has made me realise I need to read it again, but this time with a pen and notebook!
2. John Halifax, Gentleman by Dinah Maria Mulock
John Halifax, Gentleman is a story about a 14 year old orphan who lives on the streets. What makes him stand out though, is his honesty, integrity and good will when doing his work.
Through his hard work he becomes the apprentice of Abel Fletcher and befriends his son, Phineas Fletcher. The book then continues to show John’s adventures as he lives the rest of his life through honest means, and starts to build his own life, find love and make a name of himself.
Now some of you may be thinking that this sounds like a really bland book, but in fact it is a heart warming tale that oddly inspires you.
John Halifax is a symbol of hard work. He proves that through honest work and a strong will you can be the best version of yourself no matter what your position in society is.
His eagerness and determination to increase his intellect and become a better person overall is inspirational and you can’t help but root for him as you read the book.
This is the perfect book to snuggle in bed and read during winter.
3. Palestine by Joe Sacco
Joe Sacco wrote and drew Palestine after spending time in occupied territories of Palestine during the winter of 1991 to 1992. It is an insightful account of his experience which is made even better because of the visual experience of it.
Being a graphic novel, it really immerses you in the hardships of the Palestinian people but presents it through a western lens. This aspect is what makes it especially an interesting read because it has the ability to bring out inner prejudices which you think you didn’t have.
Through his journeys, he listens to a range of different stories with different perspectives and by the end of the novel; you are left with a renewed understanding not only of Palestine but also about the way you think.
4. Maus by Art Spiegelman
Spiegelman depicts the Jews as mice and the Nazi’s as cats; this creates a unique perspective to the well-known history of the Holocaust.
This graphic novel follows Spiegelman’s father’s story and his experience of the Holocaust; we see Spiegelman’s father in his youth in Pre-war Poland and continue with him into his married life, the dangers he faced as a Jew and eventually imprisonment in Auschwitz.
Again, due to the visual experience of seeing the drawings on the page it helps to immerse you in his life and the animal imagery only adds to the affect of his story.
This is truly a great story of survival, determination and strength.
5. The World’s Wife by Carol Ann Duffy
On the blurb of this book of poetry it says ‘behind every famous man is a great woman,’ and this is truly what the book exhibits!
We get to hear the perspectives of the wives of famous men of history such as Mrs Darwin, Queen Kong and Mrs Lazarus.
The poems are, while being works of art in themselves, also bold and strong statements by the women. It is a book inspired by feminism and which finally gives agency to the unheard voices of fictional and non-fictional women of history.
The poems are really entertaining to read and provide interesting perspectives of the wives of this world.
Also, check out ‘Movies to watch on a cosy autumn/ winter day in (Studio Ghibli version)’, where I show you the best Studio Ghibli movies to watch!
6. Milk and Honey by Rupi Kaur
If you haven’t heard of this book of poetry, where have you been?
This is a very quick read and unlike some poems which sometimes may make you feel like your head is spinning; the poems in this book are relatable and deal with modern issues.
Rupi Kaur accompanies the poems with beautiful line drawings which only adds to the artistic quality of it. She also has a second book called The Sun and her Flowers and is currently preparing her third book.
The book goes through a process from, ‘the hurting,’ ‘the loving,’ ‘the breaking’ and finally ‘the healing,’ with each chapter having poems focussed on one of these themes.
The poetry in this book is much different to the poetry I have been used to reading before, but it was worth the read. The poems have a way of summarising feelings that you and many people may have.
It is this sense of universality and togetherness that makes the poems even more special.
7. The Yellow Wall-Paper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman
This work of feminist fiction is again, a very short read. Consisting of only 55 pages (and costing me only 80p hehe) this book focuses on a young woman’s mental health as it deteriorates.
After giving birth to her baby, the narrator of the book enters a state of nervousness and depression. In order to help her get through it, her husband decides that the entire family should move to another house.
Her husband dismisses her condition and says that she will get better with rest. He also dismisses any interests that she has and puts her under a routine that he believes will make her better.
Soon, having nothing else to do, she starts getting obsessed with the yellow wallpaper that covers her room, and it is finally through this she finds her individuality.
I have read this book a couple of times because it is such a quick read and also it is so interesting; you become one with the narrator as you listen to her thoughts and her final escape is a gratifying release.
8. The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga
This is a fantastic book that really gives you an inside view of the life of a poor rickshaw driver’s son who eventually becomes a successful businessman.
Constantly on the prowl for any opportunity that will help him become closer to success and wealth, we follow Balram as he moves from working in a teashop to becoming an employee of a cruel landlord known as ‘the Stork.’
But this success story comes with a range of sinister turns; the businessman Balram has a lot of money but he has a lot to hide as well.
This shows a really interesting viewpoint of a young poor man living in India; it makes you aware of the hardships and prejudices faced by the destitute and despite the many wrong moves Balram takes, his story is definitely an interesting one that you must read.
9. Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
This post-colonial novel not only explores the effects of the colonialist system in Nigeria but also portrays instability in politics, media and even in one’s home.
Kambili’s family are Catholic and very wealthy. Despite this, it is an unhappy home as her father is a strict man who regularly emotionally and physically abuses Kambili, her mother, and her brother Jaja.
The novel shows Kambili and Jaja as they start visiting their aunt, Ifeoma, again. The difference between Ifeoma and Kambili’s father is that Ifeoma’s religious philosophy is not as frigid as her brother’s. She is a figure of confidence and strength and someone who inspires her children to do their best.
As the visits become more and more regular, Kambili and Jaja begin to realise that they have a voice and they also have wants and desires. Soon, they begin to resist their father’s orders.
I just read this book recently, and I couldn’t put it down. The description of Nigeria is so realistic as Adichie beautifully describes the setting, and this makes you feel like you are in Nigeria.
10. The Cry of Winnie Mandela by Njabulo S. Ndebele
In this novel, Ndebele shows the stories of four women living in South Africa who have been waiting for their partners to return after being gone for a period of time.
Each woman is waiting for a different reason; in fact, Ndebele uses the story of Penelope (who waited 18 years for Odysseus) from Greek Mythology and Winnie Mandela who waited for Nelson Mandela for 27 years.
Throughout the book, all four of the women contemplate and question why they have waited for so long; the four stories are intimate and help you to delve into their life even more.
I personally like this book because of the thought processes of the women; it is interesting to peak in someone’s mind and listen to their personal stories and understand the way they are feeling about the situation.
It is perhaps this sense of ‘looking in someone else’s eyes’ which is most interesting of all.
For more ideas relating to reading and self-growth, read the The Ultimate Mind Glow up series (Part 2) – self development, where I give you more ways to enrich your mind.
Once you have a read of these books you may find that you like one particularly; if so, you can find similar books to it just by typing ‘Books similar to Why I’m No Longer Talking To White People about Race’ on Google, for example.
In this way, you’ll be expanding the types of books you read and therefore, your knowledge and your openness to the way you approach subjects that you previously hadn’t known of before.
It is really important to constantly grow your knowledge, especially about the different people around you, and I find that reading books about them is one of the most enjoyable ways to do it.
