Soon we will all have a few blissful weeks of no homework and lots of cozy time by the fire. You might even find yourself falling into boredom with all the time you have. But don’t worry, because I have you covered! Here is a list of six different books that will keep your brain occupied and your eyes wide open to issues in this country.
1. The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander
This book discusses mass incarceration and the use of prisons are a new – and hidden – form of slavery and control over black citizens. I read this freshman year for a philosophy class and it is truly the most eye-opening book I’ve ever read.
2. How Does it Feel to be a Problem?: Being Young and Arab in America by Moustafa Bayoumi
This book follows the lives of many young Arab Americans as they live their life in a post 9/11 United States. Reading this book will bring to light the various struggles of what it is like for young Arabs to constantly be the scapegoat for terror.
3. The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
The Picture of Dorian Gray is a classic that follows the life of a young gay man. Having been considered quite scandalous when it was first published, this novel addresses the trials and tribulations of homosexuality in a heteronormative world.
4. Killing the Black Body: Race, Reproduction, and the Meaning of Liberty by Dorothy Roberts
This book focuses on the often-forgotten intersectionality of being a black woman. Dorothy Roberts addresses racism and reproductive rights in the United States, especially on how the topics pertain to black women.
5. Between the World and Me by Ta-Nahisi Coates
In this book of essays, Ta-Nehisi Coates writes a letter to his son about race in this country. He explains to his son many heavy topics, including the unjust murders of Trayvon Martin and Michael Brown, in a new and compelling way.
6. Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee: An Indian History of the American West by Dee Brown
This book narrates the tragic, and often overlooked, history of American Indigenous people. Dee Brown brings to light the full history of how our country came to exist, and at what cost.
I hope you can find at least one book in this list that interests you. Books have a wonderful way and bringing to our attention new, and sometimes life-changing, insights. I am wishing you all a happy, restful, and literary winter break!
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