A few months back, someone asked me, “what is one book that you see yourself in?” The answer is more than just your favorite novel. A book worthy enough to answer this question has to know you like a best friend. It recognizes your deepest emotions and reflects them back to you throughout its pages. I now use this question as criteria for determining my favorite reads.
When looking back on some of the books that have moved me the most, there is a common thread through all of their themes. More often than not, these stories center around young women just trying to get through everyday life. What could be more relatable than that? These books don’t need whirlwind romances or groundbreaking adventures for me to consider them life changing. Instead, their normalcy provides an empathetic comfort as I navigate my own life. These three books have given me a unique kind of support, and I hope that other readers continue to recognize themselves in their pages.
- “The Idiot” by Elif Batuman
This story follows Selin throughout her first year at Harvard while she attempts to answer the impossible question of where she belongs in life. As an overachieving daughter of Turkish immigrants, Selin’s transition to college marks the first time that her once grounded personal identity has been flipped upside down. She learns new languages and seeks worldly experiences that show any promise of sparking passion in her life. However, that strongest guiding force in her first year becomes the pain and confusion of an unrequited first love.
I read this book as a fellow nineteen-year-old, first-year college student in Boston who was searching for many of the same answers that Selin was. The honest nature of this coming-of-age story can be seen in its title alone. Sometimes, it is hard to not feel like a total idiot when you are overwhelmed with so many emotions all at once. The desire for something greater than you, whether it be inspiration or love, can be a deeply humbling experience, and Batuman voices this perfectly. This book could not have found me at a better time, and I think that is why I am so quick to call it my favorite.
- “Interesting Facts about Space” by Emily Austin
This book steps into the mind of Enid: a space-obsessed, true crime podcast listener with an irrational fear of bald men. Enid is also a serial dater with an endless rotation of women from dating apps passing through her life. However, that comes to a halt as Enid faces the consequences of an accidental homewrecking that somehow sparks her first serious romantic encounter.
Austin balances laugh-out-loud humor with serious themes of grief, mental health and queer identity. As Enid stumbles through life, she begins to wonder if something is wrong with her. Although it is a heavy thought, I found the honesty of Austin’s writing comforting. We all have our quirks and bad habits, but what happens when you suspect that your differences may be isolating you from love and support? Enid’s hilarious yet heart-warming journey made me laugh, cry and want to learn more facts about space.
- “A Tale for the Time Being” by Ruth Ozeki
This novel follows two women: sixteen-year-old Nao who lives in Tokyo and a writer named Ruth who discovers Nao’s diary washed up on the shore of her remote island home. Nao Yasutani spent most of her childhood in California, but her family was forced to move back to Japan after her father lost his Silicon Valley job. Nao feels out of place in Tokyo as she is bullied by her peers and witnesses her father’s own mental health struggles. In an attempt to find some purpose, Nao decides to write down the story of the one remaining stronghold in her life — her Zen Buddhist great-grandmother. Across the Pacific Ocean, Ruth immerses herself in the pieces of Nao’s life and embarks on a mission to connect with the Yasutani family.
Ozeki tells a beautiful tale of how two confused strangers can somehow guide each other. Just like Nao, Ruth is also faced with a crossroads of identity as she longs for excitement to reignite her writing career. Nao’s youthfulness acts as a heart-breaking reminder of how scary adolescence can be, especially when you feel like a ghost in your own life. However, Ozeki’s story reminds readers that unexpected fateful connections may just be around the corner, and they may be enough to redefine your understanding of a life’s purpose.
I can confidently say that all three of these novels reflected some part of myself back to me, and I think that many other readers can say the same. I am always drawn to honest stories about imperfect people because they help me learn a little about my own life. Just like a friend, a good book can make you feel less alone in the confusion of everyday life. The beautiful, funny and candid stories crafted by these authors found me in times of need, and I hope that they may do the same for you.