I’m sure when we get a list of books college students should read, many of us (myself included) imagine a long list of classics or cheesy self-help books. If you are anything like me, you might share the love-hate relationship I have with classic literature and usually stick to more contemporary work. When it comes to self-help books especially, I avoid them like the plague, finding them a tad cliche and not very helpful. So below, I have compiled a list of books I think navigate the boring cliches and read as much more genuine. These are by no means the only good college student books out there but happen to be some of my personal favorites.
For someone who hates classics, it’s a bit ironic that the majority of my recommendations fall under the umbrella of “classic literature,” but I really think these are worth the read.
1. The Iliad, Homer
The Iliad is essentially a long-form poem written by none other than Homer. It follows several Greek gods during the last year of the Trojan War. The entirety of the poem is centered on our main man Achilles and deals with the idea of “Honour,” but more importantly what happens when our honor is challenged. I’m all for some Greek drama, so this was right up my alley. It deals with love, loss, and an insane amount of bickering amongst the gods. This poem is a great depiction of war and all the different characters you find there, as well as a tale of humans, and how tragic and flawed we are. It’s a classic and a building block of modern literature, so I think everyone should read this at least once. For anyone looking to get more involved in classics or with an interest in Greek history, I can’t recommend this book enough.
2. The Odyssey, Homer
This book, also written by Homer, picks up where the Iliad left off and follows the main character Odysseus as he tries to travel back home after the end of the Trojan war. Yes, this is another classic, so it may not be everyone’s cup of tea. However, this poem is a great tale of loyalty as well as loss. In my opinion, Odysseus is a great inspiration for never giving up, even after life has thrown countless curve balls at you. Again, this is a classic cited throughout all sorts of modern literature and for that reason, if you like The Iliad, I think you should definitely give it a go.
3. The Picture of Dorian Gray, Oscar Wilde
Now this is a book I can talk about for hours. The picture of Dorian Gray follows the main character, surprise surprise, Dorian on his journey of self-discovery through life. Dorian essentially sells his soul to the devil so that he may stay forever young, all the while an infamous painting of him bears all the signs of his life and sins. When reading Wilde it’s difficult to fully explain a book, as everyone gets such different meanings from his work. In my opinion, however, the novel is a depiction of humans and how easily we succumb to temptation, and how without moderation it will lead us to our downfall. Wilde and his writing is literally *chef’s kiss* and I will likely go to my grave rambling about just how bloody amazing his work is. So, if you’ve not read The Picture of Dorian Gray yet I suggest you go and order it right now!
4. The Book Thief, Markus Zusak
Okay, to take a little break from the classics, let’s talk about another one of my all-time favorite books! The Book Thief follows our main character, orphaned Liesel Meminger, at the beginning of the second World War. Now I tend to dislike reading actual recounts of wars, so this work of historical fiction is a great little novel on what it might have felt like to grow up during this time. For a book about such a dark period in time, it’s chock-full of sweet moments which will pull at your heartstrings, but will shatter your heart by the time you finish it. I personally think historical fiction is a great way to learn a bit about history without having to fry your brain reading a textbook, so for anyone looking for books centered around World War II, this one’s for you!
5. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Ken Kesey
Okay, back to a classic everyone and their mum has heard about. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest is a novel set in a psychiatric hospital in the 1960s. It deals with topics surrounding mental health and the cruel treatments patients suffered in psychiatric hospitals, as well as topics like power and control. This book is still widely relevant today, because although we have come a long way in terms of mental health and the support, we provide for those struggling with it, there’s still countless people in need of support being neglected. Aside from its intricate meaning, this is a novel full of characters with boundless personality. You’ll laugh and cry with these characters and ultimately, no matter how flawed they may be, you grow to care for them.
So, there we have it folks, my top five books every college student should read. Again, these are by no means the only, or even the best, books out there. These are in fact pretty subjective to my own tastes, but what all these books have in common is a message for every reader!