The following is a list of books (in no particular order) I recommend reading before college; each of these books has made me think about life a little differently. But do not worry if you are reading this right now as a college student or older. You still have time to read them!
"Thirteen Reasons Why," by Jay Asher
Clay Jenson, a typical high schooler, is shocked to receive a box of cassette tapes voiced by a dead classmate, Hannah. Clay is one of thirteen recipients, and each of the recipients is a reason why Hannah committed suicide. The tapes reveal the circumstances of why Hannah decided to end her life. This eerie novel sheds light on why we must be mindful of what we say to others, and how our actions not only affect us but also those around us.
"Moby Dick" by Herman Melville
Once you read Moby Dick, you will start to see Moby Dick references everywhere. And I mean everywhere (such as the most famous line, “Call me Ishmael” adaptations). Ishmael meets all walks of life on his journey at sea. When you read about each person he meets, I guarantee you that you’ll be able to relate that person to someone in your life. Ishmael is exposed to greedy, determined and kind-hearted men. At the end of the long voyage, the waves roll on. They always do. No matter what your journey is, no matter how much you struggle, life goes on. It always does.
"The Bluest Eye" by Toni Morrison
This emotionally heavy novel follows Pecola, a young African-American girl, and her desire to have blue eyes. If only she had blue eyes, everything would be perfect. All her life, this “beautiful” image of a blonde haired, blue eyed woman has been thrown at Pecola by society. As humans in this modern world today, with images of the “perfect” body everywhere we turn, our insecurities leave us feeling lonely and confused. Pecola’s desire drives her into insanity and the folks around her can only think, “Wow, what a shame. What a shame this little girl couldn’t just love herself for the way she is.” And that’s when we, as readers, need to take a step back and reevaluate the way we view ourselves.
"The God of Small Things" by Arundhati Roy
Whenever I tell people about this book, I always describe it this way: "The God of Small Things" is like the baby of William Faulkner’s "The Sound and The Fury" and Toni Morrison’s "The Bluest Eye." People give me very strange looks when I say this because most people do not associate Faulkner with Morrison, but in this case, I do. "The God of Small Things" is told in a "Sound and the Fury"-esque way with the emotional deepness of "The Bluest Eye." The novel exposes the “Love Laws” that state “who should be loved, and how. And how much.” The fraternal Indian twins, Rahel and Estha, are controlled by these “Love Laws” and the caste system as they are left helpless when Velutha, a dear family-friend, is accused of murdering a white girl, who happens to be Rahel and Estha’s cousin. This accusation is merely based on Velutha’s low caste ranking. After all the turmoil in Rahel and Estha's lives, they realize the only people in the world they can count on are themselves.
