1. It’s Kind Of A Funny Story by Ned Vizzini
This has been one of my favorite books since I was 14. It describes the story of a 15-year-old boy, Greg, going through the typical life of a modern day teenager: stress, friends, love, and depression—the whole nine yards. After life gets to be a bit too much for Greg, he checks himself into a psychiatric hospital where things, oddly enough, seem more normal than the outside world.
2. Honky by Dalton Conley
This memoir goes into detail about the childhood of the author, who was one of few white children to grow up in a mostly black neighborhood on the lower east side of Manhattan. After being the minority for the first portion of his life, Conley later describes events from his past, from kidnapping a black baby when he was five, to dealing with one of his best friends being shot. Honky definitely tells a tale from a point of view we don’t often hear.
3. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
Honestly, this book is so weird, but in the best way possible. It’s definitely one of those books you just have to read to truly appreciate. The plot is so all over the place that it’s hard for me to give a summary. Instead, I’ll leave you with one of my favorite quotes from the book: “Funny,” he intoned funereally, “how just when you think life can’t possibly get any worse it suddenly does.” #relatable
4. The Autobiography of Malcolm X by Alex Haley and Malcolm X
Eye opening, frustrating, funny, and insane are few words one could use to describe this autobiography. This book is unique in the way that Malcolm X himself didn’t actually write it, but told his life story to Alex Haley while in jail. In my opinion, everyone should read Malcolm X; you learn a lot about the events that took place in the United States from Malcolm’s first hand experiences, and it really surprises you how many similarities there are from 1965, when the book was published, to today.
5. The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
I know, this book was very trendy and practically everyone was quoting about how they “feel infinite”. However, Perks is more than just a quotable, hipster paperback. It narrates the life of Charlie, a teen boy trying to navigate his way through life while dealing with the typical pressures of trying to find your purpose while on the cusp of adulthood. To me, Perks is one of those books that you have to read two or three times to really appreciate and understand everything that goes on. Plus, the movie is amazing!
6. 1984 by George Orwell
If you haven’t already read this classic in a high school English class, you’re really missing out. This dystopian novel portrays a world where its citizens are constantly being watched by the government, or ‘Big Brother’ as it’s called in the book. Freethinking, sex, and overall individuality in general are all banned. See what happens when Winston, the protagonist, decides he’s had enough and makes some drastic decisions, putting his life, as well as a forbidden lover’s, in danger.
7. Paper Towns by John Green
Everyone has read, or at least heard of, the ever-present novel The Fault In Our Stars. It’s about time we shed some light onto other great books by John Green! Paper Towns, which was also adapted into a movie in 2015, is romantic, adventurous, mysterious, and gripping. Quentin, or Q, is madly in love with his neighbor, Margo. When she crawls through his bedroom window one night and demands he helps her with a secret project involving revenge and a dead fish, his life changes forever.