Things

 

1. The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger

It follows sixteen-year-old Holden Caulfield’s adolescent journey of angst and alienation as he leaves his prep school and moves to New York City. I chose this book because it poses an interesting idea about coming an age while also presenting a new perspective on wealth that I rarely see in literature. This book is appealing to me becuase it widens my idea of what humans think of themselves and their surrondings.

2. Animal Farm by George Orwell

Orwell tells a fairy tale of a revolution against tyranny that ends in even more unjust totalitarianism. The animals on the farm are rife with idealism and desire to create a world of justice, equality, and progress. However, the new regimen attempts to control every aspect of the animals’ lives. Similar to our own world George Orwell is the most prominent author when it comes to ideas of authortanism and I was interested in how a fairytale spin might make this story more compelling and much more emotionally draining than a typical novel. 

3. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

This is a tale of four sisters with their own very different and very prominent personalities. The novel draws the reader deep into their lives as we get to know each of their flaws, joys, struggles, and fears. Little Woman offers 4 different contrasting personalities that collide in a kaleidoscope of different ideas.

4. The Intelligent Investor by Benjamin Graham

If I want to learn how to invest, add this to my list of must-read books. Author Benjamin Graham is considered one of the greatest investment advisors of the twentieth century. In The Intelligent Investor, you’ll learn about Graham’s philosophy of ‘value investing’ and how to develop long-term strategies that are used by the most successful investors in the world. Learning how to invest is an important skill to attain something close to generational wealth.

5. The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business by Charles Duhigg

 This is a change in a habit unsuccessfully, this is a must-read books. In The Power of Habit, Charles Duhigg reveals the empowering nature of how habits are formed and – crucially – how you can change them. Habits are said to make or break an individual and they have large influences over your lifestyle (according to my mother). I would like to change my lifestyle to be significantly more productive than it already is. 

6. A Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking

A Brief History of Time is one of the most famous books in science. It discusses the history of cosmology and its development from Ancient Greece through to the 1980s. As space has become more and more important to our modern world it is key to learn what has motivated our species to seek out the world beyond our minuscule planet. 

7. The Age of Surveillance Capitalism: The Fight for a Human Future at the New Frontier of Power by Shoshana Zuboff

The Age of Surveillance Capitalism is one of the top must-read books on technology. The author gives us a look at how personal data has become a new form of capital. For our generation the exploration of intimate personal information has become a normality for us. I would like an in-depth analysis as to how exactly it’s being used for the profits of multibillion companies. 

8. Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Har

       This novel details the development of human beings from the earliest stages until now. The author also shows how our current world systems will banish natural selection and adaptation. Normally novels on evolution lack any reference to the modern world but this novel lists out the tangible effects of our lifestyle, economy and our culture.

9. Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela

Mandela started writing this autobiography in prison and finished it right before becoming the president of South Africa. This inspiring story provides a glimpse into the end of apartheid and the blatant inequality in the country. The detailed history of one of the most celebrated human rights activists of our time is something that has intrinsic value to anyone who reads it. I have no idea what I’ll learn but I’m certainly interested. 

10. A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson

In A Short History of Nearly Everything, Bryson attempts to summarize the history of the Earth. He talks about nearly every aspect of the planet – how it formed, how much it weighs, it’s size, the stages it went through, the dangers inherent to it, and how humans have evolved. I enjoy reading about history and can often tell us about the present. I’m interested on what I can learn about history that I’ve either forgotten or can learn