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Books YOU MUST read
10
items For those who believe a great book is a great mixtape, this list is a curated collection of literary soundtracks. The novels recommended here masterfully blend a deep passion for pop culture, music, and the arts with the messy, often hilarious, reali...
It is real life wrapped up in music. The spirit of wit, musical obsession, and flawed but relatable characters. Make for a wonderful read. I have read this so many times, and you don't need to know anything about music to enjoy this book. It is more ...
High Fidelity by Nick Hornby, Paperback
Lethem masterfully weaves in elements of comic books, funk music, and street art. This provides a window into how pop culture and media serve as powerful tools for self-discovery and connection for young people. The characters use these cultural touc...
The Fortress of Solitude by Jonathan Lethem
Murakami has written a lot of great books, but this one has always just edged ahead as one of my favourites. A deeply personal and reflective coming-of-age story, this novel immerses you in the beautiful and melancholic world of 1960s Tokyo. The air ...
Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami
This book is less of a story and more of a shared memory, told from a distance. It pulls you into the collective consciousness of a group of boys who are still, decades later, trying to make sense of the five enigmatic Lisbon sisters. It's a haunting...
The Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Eugenides
I read this in a day, I just couldn't put it down. It isn't just a story about a post-apocalyptic world; it's a stark and beautiful testament to the enduring power of love and a father's unwavering devotion. Reading it feels less like an adventure an...
The Road by Cormac McCarthy
Reading this feels like listening in on a deeply intimate conversation about what it means to be alive. It is filled with a bittersweet melancholy, a sense that every choice we make carries a weight, and yet, in the grand scheme of things, our lives ...
The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera
At my core I am a history teacher, I probably enjoy historical fiction more than most. Wolf Hall is a novel that doesn't just describe history; it lets you live it. Hilary Mantel's masterful prose places you directly inside the mind of Thomas Cromwel...
Wolf Hall (Thomas Cromwell, #1) by Hilary Mantel
This is more than just a historical epic; it's a profound exploration of ambition, loyalty, and the human cost of power. As you delve into the chaotic final years of the Han Dynasty, you'll be captivated by the larger-than-life figures of Liu Bei, Ca...
The Three Kingdoms
I probably shouldn't read alternative histories in my profession, but this novel feels chillingly real. It's a brilliant and terrifying thought experiment that explores how easily a society can descend into fear and xenophobia. By centering the story...
The Plot Against America by Philip Roth
This book is bleak but I could not put it down. Set in the depths of the Moscow Metro, where the last remnants of humanity have taken refuge after a nuclear war. The stations have evolved into city states with their own ideologies, factions, and fear...
Metro 2033: Dmitry Glukhovsky