I reached my twenties a few months ago, and the first thing my little brother said was: “You’re in your roaring twenties now and after that, it’s just the great depression.” At first, I laughed at the amount of creativity in that sentence, but when I took a moment to think about what it actually meant I realized that it was more than just a joke.
The Roaring ’20s signified a time of economic, cultural and social changes. It is very similar to how we, as teenagers transform into young, mature adults. We go through changes within our identity, our academics and our jobs. But most importantly, we make mistakes and we learn from them and we grow as individuals. With this being said, here are a few books I recommend you read during your own roaring twenties.
- “52 Cups of Coffee: Inspiring and Insightful Stories For Navigating Life’s Uncertainties”
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This book, written by Megan Gebhart, is about a young woman who graduates from college and decides that she does not want to live the rest of her life with a 9-5 job. Instead, she decides to drink a cup of coffee each day with a new person. Out of the ordinary, I know. However, through this experiment, she learns more about other people’s struggles and their personal growth, as well as why they choose the career they did. She speaks with all sorts of people, from the co-founder of Apple to the former vice president of Starbucks. I recommend this book as a way to gain wisdom from different people. Everyone has a story, and this book will allow you to learn from each of them from the comfort of your own home.
- “Year of Yes”
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This novel was written by the very famous Shonda Rhimes. Rhimes is known for her work with “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Scandal” and “How to Get Away with Murder.” In this novel, she embraces a new challenge where she says yes to everything that scares her for a year. This journey allows her to see and explore her true self.
- “How Should a Person Be?”
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This novel is written by Sheila Heti, and it revolves around her being the main character of her own story. She tries to answer the most important question—how should a person be? This question determines her identity and how she wants the world to perceive her. The story also highlights the importance of female friendships.
- “Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail”
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This story is a memoir of the author, Cheryl Strayed. Cheryl lost her mother and her marriage at a very young age, and to recover from that grief, she impulsively decided to go on a hike—a long, thousand-mile hike. This novel shares her experiences and struggles she went through on a journey by herself.
- “The Opposite of Loneliness”
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Marina Keegan was a young woman set to graduate magna cum laude from Yale University in 2012. She was an all-star and even had a job awaiting her at “The New Yorker.” Unfortunately, she passed away in a car crash just five days after she graduated. This novel is an assemblage of all of Marina’s essays and stories. Her stories discuss the struggles individuals face as they decide on a career path, and they teach us how to be resilient and how to reach our highest potential.
All of these books share an empowering message: to not be afraid of challenges and to go above and beyond to find your truest self. Our twenties are about making mistakes, learning from them and growing. These novels share a story about another person’s life and how they navigated through career decisions, relationships and personal insecurities.