5 Books All 20-Somethings Should Read

1) Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns) by Mindy Kaling

I never watched The Office or The Mindy Project, yet I was drawn in by the title. The book follows Kaling’s life from middle school all the way up until her gig at The Office. Kalling’s book is a series of personal stories or short essays, most of which she uses to explain her current identity, and the process by which she’s come to accept it. What I enjoyed most about this book was that she makes the reader feel as if its okay to be who they are — something that I feel every 20-something needs to hear.

2) The Geography of Bliss by Eric Weiner

I stumbled upon this book through my Goodreads account recommendations — I was really intrigued by this book’s description, and decided to swing by my library to pick it up. At the moment, The Georgraphy Of Bliss is probably one of my favorite pieces of non-fiction out there. It follows Eric Weiner, a former NPR journalist, around the world as he tries to discover “unheralded happy places.” What made this book so interesting was that for every different country that he visited, the means by which each country considered happiness varied quite a bit. While Weiner’s book doesn’t point blank give you “answers” regarding happiness, it does teach us that happiness might be a lot closer than we sometimes think.

3) Not That Kind of Girl by Lena Dunham

Although there is a ton of controversy around a particular story that’s told in the book, I found the overall work extremely comforting. Dunham herself is a rather well known 20-something, so it’s not surprising that the work is largely relatable to her demo. The book is divided into different sections — titled Love&Sex, Work, etc., giving us a glimpse of her thoughts regarding many of life’s different “subdivisions.” Her stories are extremely intimate, and sprinkled with a bit of wit — the latter of which can never hurt.

4) Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert

This book has come under a lot of criticism, but I personally love Liz’s story. Too often we find ourselves in a rut, unhappy in a situation and unwilling to change it because we are scared of the unknown and losing the comfort zone. Gilbert found herself in a crushing depression, and an unhappy marriage. She finally decided to do something for herself, and traveled the world for an entire year. She traveled to Italy for pleasure, India for devotion, and finally Bali for a balance between the two. I think countless lessons can be learned from this book, but taking the risk to really let go of your comfort zone and is something that all 20-somethings can identify with.

5) The Opposite of Loneliness by Marina Keegan

If there is only one book you read during your entire college career, let it be this one. Marina Keegan was an American author, poet, playwright, and journalist who had just graduated from Yale University in 2012 when she tragically died in a car crash. The book is titled after an essay that she wrote for her Yale graduation. All the pieces of writing in this book are honest and heartfelt, and discuss everything from love, to family, to society in general. The title essay “The Opposite of Loneliness” discuss how she has never felt alone during her four years at Yale. I had the honor of hearing her family and friends speak while studying in London, and I still struggle with putting into words what this book means to me. Her mother said she was full of life and was always embracing life. Life is short; there is no way around it. We need to go into it with positivity and joy and live it to the fullest.