Books You Can’t Forget
According to my friends from Instagram
In times dim and distant, I asked followers on my Instagram account to share “Books that they couldn’t forget!”, and they didn’t disappoint. The past me was lazy and compiled them in a Google Doc, but here goes nothing!
Disclaimers:
- I haven’t read most of these books.
- I also haven’t dared to sort them into genres owing to my unawareness of their content.
- It is an eternal WIP and I would be more than happy to add your unforgettable books to this list. I would also like to mention your name along with the recommendation for tracking purposes — only if you are ok with that.
- The post is hastily put together and would improve considerably — both in terms of visuals and formatting — in future.
The Book Recommendations — in no particular order:
- Shoe Dog by Phil Knight <- read it and it is good and kinda motivates you, if you are struggling to “Just Do It” this might be the push you need.
- Factfulness: Ten Reasons We’re Wrong About the World — and Why Things Are Better Than You Think by Hans Rosling, Ola Rosling, Anna Rosling Rönnlund <- could have used a shorter title, haven’t read it to have an opinion beyond this.
- 21 Lessons for the 21st Century by Yuval Noah Harari
- Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari
- 1984 by George Orwell <- Makes you think a lot and is not just about totalitarian governments. I rather thought that was just a small bit of it.
- The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*#K by Mark Manson
- A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini <- Really emotional and moving. It is about a women in Afghanistan and her courage and sacrifice. Don’t want to spoil it much but emotions were felt.
- The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseni <- Similar scene (Afghanistan under Taliban) as the above but a very different story. Reading both makes you realise how a situation impacts everyone differently.
- Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer
- “Surely You’re Joking, Mr. Feynman!” by Richard P. Feynman
- How to Get Rich and Retire Early by Raja Sekharan
- Nudge (couldn’t resolve the exact book)
- The Leader Who Had No Title by Robin S. Sharma
- The Checklist Manifesto by Atul Gawande
- A Stranger in the Mirror by Sidney Sheldon
- Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes
- Deep Work by Cal Newport <- Started it and I think it is crucial in the current times, but due to some other priorities couldn’t finish and had to return my copy to the library. But it is quite high in my non fiction TBR list.
- If Tomorrow Comes by Sidney Sheldon
- The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
- Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami
- To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee <- An American classic, views racism from a white kids POV. Though you can find much better reviews online.
- Becoming by Michelle Obama <- Loved it. A strong, ambitious and smart women. Really enjoyed reading it and how she navigates life. Honestly could re-read it!
- When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi
- Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom
- Gone With The Wind by Margaret Mitchell
- The Innocent Man: Murder and Injustice in a Small Town by John Grisham
- Outliers by Adam Grant
- The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
- Blonde Bombshell by Tom Holt
Series
- Harry Potter by JK Rowling <- It is a childhood crush that I read at the cusp of adulthood. It might not be the best/most immersive fantasy but it made me love reading and you can’t deny it feels nice to be a part of the Potter-verse, with the memes and references.
- Warbreaker by Brandon Sanderson <- I have read Mistborn trilogy and really enjoyed it, from the reviews I have found it is supposedly even better.
- The Belgariad series by David Eddings
- The Clifton Chronicles by Jeffrey Archer <- I have read a few of his books and they are good and but there are usually too many in a series for me to commit to.
- Millennium by Steig larsson <- You might know its first book, the girl with the dragon tattoo.
Thank you everyone!
Some bonus recommendations from my side — because ain’t no thing as too many recommendations:
“Becoming is better than being”
- Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Carol C. Dweck
The idea might get a little repetitive for people by the end but basic premise is sound.
“It was when he tried to talk about ‘the boat’ that his words began to falter and tears welled up in his eyes…Finally, watching Joe struggle for composure over and over, I realised that ‘the boat’ was something more than just the shell or its crew. To Joe, it encompassed but transcended both — it was something mysterious and almost beyond definition. It was a shared experience — a singular thing that had unfolded in a golden sliver of time long gone, when nine good-hearted young men strove together, pulled together as one, gave everything they had for one another, bound together forever by pride and respect and love. Joe was crying, at least in part, for the loss of that vanished moment but much more, I think, for the sheer beauty of it.”
- The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown <- never thought I would care much about rowing but here we are, that’s the power of good story telling.
“Happiness comes from moving toward something. When you run away, ofttimes you bring your misery with you.”
- The Riyria Revelations by Michael J. Sullivan <- the richer fantasy I was talking about earlier. This is a good example.
Want to add your books to this list?
Just reach out to me anywhere or leave a note on this post, and I will add your book recommendations to this list. :)
