3 Answers2025-07-08
There are many books that look at being a teenager and deal with the many issues that go along with growing up. This novel, ‘All the Bright Places’ by Jennifer Niven is about love, loss and mental health and really dealt with all of these tough issues well. Another novel I loved was ‘Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda’ by Becky Albertalli which was a really sweet novel about self-acceptance and identity.
For practical advice on how to be a better person, I highly recommend How to Be a Person by Catherine Newman (go to her site for her blogs and other books too – very useful). And for a graphic novel memoir about growing up with an addicted parent and about finding his way to being an artist, I recommend Hey, Kiddo by Jarrett J. Krosoczka. These books are fun and can also help you grow.
4 Answers2026-03-29
'The Institute' by King is a children facing extreme horror story, albeit without Pennywise. It’s interesting to note how a group of kids can form relationships under duress, much like the Losers Club. The children in the story are simply laboratory subjects, and how the system can attempt to break their spirits is real and deadly. That fire extinguisher from Chapter 1 still haunts me to this day, months after I read the book.
9 Answers2025-08-20
For sheer fun and creative stimulation, consider speculative fiction. “Project Hail Mary” by Andy Weir is another great library novel that makes science and cooperation look heroic and fun. It’s inspiring to read of such problem-solving and of so much science leading to such wonderful solutions and adventure. Or “The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet” by Becky Chambers, which is all about found family and kindness in space. Fun inspiration doesn’t have to be serious.
5 Answers2026-02-19
'Mini Habits' by Stephen Guise is another great read that provides more insight into 'Kaizen' - in this book he describes how to bypass resistance by setting tiny goals, such as doing one push-up a day. I applied the tips from the book last year and as a result I read more books than ever before. 'Flow' by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi is another great read that provides more insight into 'Kaizen' - in this book he describes the psychology of the optimal experience, and describes how people can get into a state of flow while working on their mastery of a skill in small, gradual steps. So, two more great books on improvement, that make it less of a chore.
4 Answers2025-09-09
I'm not sure how true or reliable it is unfortunately, but if you haven't read the song of achilles i would highly recommend it! it is the story of patroclus and achilles, and it's told from patroclus' point of view. it's by Madeline Miller and honestly one of the best books i've ever read.
12 Answers2026-03-15
Recommendations are often too vague and I prefer people to say “Like” and then recommend something specific. For example, if someone loved learning about a shocking and complex interconnected history, then they might enjoy “The Warmth of Other Suns” by Isabel Wilkerson, a national epic that chronicles the Great Migration of African Americans from the South and will change the reader’s perspective of American history through the individual stories of three people.
'Big-picture' stories about the collective human experience also provide great insights into our nature and the wider forces that drive us as a species, such as Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari, which tells the history of our species from a novel perspective. Or The Silk Roads: A New History of the World by Peter Frankopan, which successfully re-centres world history on Asia. While neither of these books is an exposé, they are both ambitious attempts to present a big new synthesis of history, to challenge our conventional understanding of the world and its evolution.
4 Answers2026-03-13
Other books that capture a similar sense of positive energy in the midst of life’s ups and downs are Lauren Wolk’s Echo Mountain, which is quieter and also extremely powerful, and The Truth About Twinkie Pie by Kat Yeh. That book is chock full of recipes and finds a positive way to depict sisterhood and includes a big-hearted story at its core. All of these books take a look at life’s lemons and find a way to make them into something sweet.
9 Answers2025-06-02
This brings us to the question of the audiobook. I mentioned the reading by Aidan Gillen, but there’s also a full cast version which runs through historical examples. This is a documentary-style production which can be quite engaging, but often feels overly produced with lots of swelling music and dramatic sound effects. Depending on your tastes, this can help to immerse you in the world of the book, but it can also take away from the text itself. As with many historical non-fiction audiobooks, there are often several narrators to choose from. I find the huge amount of historical non-fiction read by Ralph Lister to be excellent – he has a clear, calm and authoritative voice that lets you know you’re in good hands. He’s a seasoned professor-type and reads at a great pace to allow for the densest of material. Listen to samples of different narrators to find one whose voice in your ear will faithfully convey the tone of the book –.sinister, scholarly or dramatic, for example.
4 Answers2026-07-02
Moebius’ art books are incredible resources for fans of the artist, offering amazing insights into his unique storytelling. Arzach is a classic and deserves to be read as it was intended – in silence – allowing the viewer to absorb the Stunning and unique vistas in lengthy, surreal soaring sequences. The Incal is another must-read, as it delves deeply into his blend of Science Fiction and Metaphysical themes. For a more in-depth look at his work, The Art of Moebius is the perfect primer, while fans of his work can lose themselves in The World of Edena. Moebius’ linework alone could furnish a museum with enough art to keep them occupied for years to come. Each book transports the reader to another world that is often strange but is always beautiful.
3 Answers2026-03-31
I’ve become obsessed with apps for books because they allow me to save so much shelf space. I still get a little boost from the notifications from Libby when a title I’ve placed on hold is ready for download. Scribd has a great selection of magazines, and I’ve found that I enjoy flipping through issues of The New Yorker between longer novels. Kindle Unlimited does a great job with recs, too – last week it recommended a bizarre “cozy vampire” novel, but I actually ended up really enjoying it. And the best part of all of these apps? That they sync up between all of my devices, so I can start reading a book on my phone and pick up where I left off on my tablet. Of course, there’s nothing quite like the smell of real books, but my wallet is thankful for the alternatives.