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Novel Recommendations Based on College Major
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items Finding the perfect book can feel like solving a puzzle, especially when you’re looking for stories that resonate with your academic interests. This list, I’ve matched thought-provoking novels to different college majors—offering stories that not onl...
Sections
11
Mathematics
Political
Literature
Economy
Science
Technique
Mathematics
If math majors ever needed proof that numbers can be deeply emotional, this novel delivers it beautifully. It’s about a brilliant math professor with short-term memory loss and his connection with his housekeeper and her son. Their bond is built thro...
The Housekeeper and the Professor: A Novel
Math majors, this book is a wild ride through dimensions—literally. It’s about a two-dimensional world where shapes are people, and the main character, a square, discovers the existence of higher dimensions. Sounds nerdy? It totally is, but in the be...
Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions
Political
This one hits hard. Political science majors will find it eye-opening because it dives into systemic racism, injustice, and abuse within reform schools. Set during the Jim Crow era, it follows two boys trying to survive a cruel institution while high...
The Nickel Boys
This one’s going to blow your mind. Atwood creates a chilling dystopia where women are stripped of their rights and reduced to their reproductive roles. It’s a powerful critique of authoritarianism and the control of women’s bodies, with themes that ...
The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
Literature
If you’re into languages, translation, and literary theories, this one’s for you. It blends historical fiction, fantasy, and post-colonial critique, diving into the power of language and the violence of imperialism. Lit majors will love how it challe...
Babel: Or, The Necessity of Violence: An Arcane History of the Oxford Translators' Revolution (B&N Speculative Fiction Book Award Winner)|BN Exclusive
Economy
This classic might already be on your reading list, but economics majors will appreciate it on a whole other level. It’s a raw look at poverty, displacement, and survival during the Great Depression, showing how economic policies—or the lack of them—...
The Grapes of Wrath (Pulitzer Prize Winner)
Science
Science majors will get a kick out of this one because it’s basically a love letter to space exploration. It captures the awe and loneliness of astronauts as they circle Earth, blending science with philosophy. The story is poetic yet grounded, explo...
Orbital (Booker Prize Winner) - Samantha Harvey
Technique
This is sci-fi at its smartest. Engineering and tech enthusiasts will appreciate its mind-bending concepts about physics, alien civilizations, and virtual reality. It’s packed with complex theories but still manages to tell an addictive story. It’s t...
The Three-Body Problem (Three-Body Problem Series #1) (Hugo Award Winner)
Anthropology
This one’s a quieter, introspective novel perfect for anthropology students. It’s about how we observe and interact with cultures—sometimes as outsiders, sometimes as participants. Through the protagonist’s observations and relationships, it explores...
The Anthropologists by Aysegül Savas
Medical and Health
Medical majors, especially those into mental health, will find this novel both fascinating and unsettling. It revolves around a clinic that treats Alzheimer’s patients by recreating the past, blurring the lines between memory and reality. It’s a thou...
Time Shelter: A Novel - Georgi Gospodinov
If you’re a medical student—or even just curious about the high-pressure world of anesthesiology—this book is like a backstage pass to the OR. It’s a medical mystery with heart, following Dr. Marie Heaton as she grapples with the fallout of a surgica...
Oxygen a book by Carol Cassella
History
History majors, get ready for an emotional ride. This epic family saga spans generations, covering Korean-Japanese relations, migration, and survival during times of discrimination. It brings historical events to life through deeply personal stories,...
Pachinko by Min Jin Lee
Law
This isn’t your typical courtroom drama, but law students will love its exploration of crime, media influence, and societal judgment. It’s about a woman accused of murdering her lovers and the journalist trying to uncover the truth. The novel digs in...
Butter: A Novel of Food and Murder by Asako Yuzuki
Talk about a courtroom thriller! This one’s a wild ride for law majors because it’s all about a high-powered defense attorney who ends up defending her husband, the prime suspect in a murder case. It’s a page-turner filled with twists, making you que...
The Perfect Marriage - Jeneva Rose
Psychology
Psych majors, this one’s for you. It’s a quirky but deeply moving story about loneliness, trauma, and healing. Eleanor is socially awkward and stuck in routines, but as her layers peel back, you start to see how past experiences shape behavior. It’s ...
Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine (Reese's Book Club)
The Silent Patient is perfect for psychology majors who are fascinated by the complexities of the mind and the darker side of human behavior. The story centers around Alicia Berenson, a woman who shoots her husband and then refuses to speak another w...
The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides