lou's library

Book preferences are subjective, like so much in life. I might love a novel that you absolutely can’t get on with and I might not see the appeal of your favourite book. And that’s fine. But sometimes you read something you immediately want to thrust into the hands of everyone you meet, simply because it’s that good and you believe its message could benefit everyone. So, today I’m giving you a small pile of books that represent exactly that to me. Enjoy!

Quiet Power by Susan Cain

On the scale between extrovert and introvert, I definitely am closer to the latter and especially while growing up, that could be painful at times. It took me a while to understand that that was in large part because our society loves extroverts and Quiet Power by Susan Cain helped me do so. I read the version for young adults, but there’s also one targeting adults and I think the content is largely the same: It explains what introvertion is and why introverts often struggle in social situations. Now that I’m older and know more about it, I’ve come to grow fond of that character trait of mine, but there were times when I really wanted to be an extrovert and I wish someone had handed me Quiet Power in those moments. A lot of people still believe being introverted is just another way of saying you’re shy, which is a common misconception that isn’t helpful for those involved. This book helped me see that there’s a lot of power and potential in being introverted and I just think our society could do with learning a bit more about this topic. This is not to say that being introverted is in any way superior to being extroverted, but introverts aren’t always met with a lot of understanding from those who aren’t like them, and this book is a great asset in trying to change that.

Sister Outsider by Audre Lorde

Audre Lorde in general, and Sister Outsider in particular, fundamentally shaped my understanding of feminism. And as much as I would like to believe that we all have agreed on how important and relevant this issue remains in the year 2025, a quick look at media headlines and how women are treated every day tells me this is not the case. So, sadly, Audre Lorde and her work remain as relevant as ever. Sister Outsider is an immaculate introduction to intersectional feminism and does a great job at explaining why women facing multiple forms of oppression (so, for example, racial on top of misogynic) are at a greater disadvantage than others and why those issues must always be looked at and solved together. Her argument is that you cannot separate misogyny from racism or classism, because they depend on and uphold one another. This was quite an eye-opening read for me and as a white woman with lots of privileges, it was vital in dealing with my own internal racism and the lies the patriarchy taught me (growing up in this society is fun, in case you couldn’t tell). I guess it goes without saying why I wish everyone read this book, and if you haven’t already, please, please do so (and then give it to someone else!!).

The Uninhabitable Earth by David Wallace-Wells

Ah, the impending doom of climate change. These days, it feels like most people have chosen to ignore this problem, myself included. The state of the world is desperate enough without reminding ourselves that with each passing day, we thrust ourselves a little bit closer to our own demise. When I first read The Uninhabitable Earth (during the very first Covid lockdown, which in hindsight was an interesting choice), I was far more passionate about climate change than I am now. Or maybe not more passionate, perhaps just less disillusioned. But my God, was it a downer. This is not one of those books that try to strike a positive or hopeful note, this is a desperate plea for our attention and a call to action before it is too late. It mercilessly lists everything that is going wrong with our planet right now and why that is the case. There’s so much information in there it is at times hard to process any of it and even harder to wrap your head around it. But in times like these, when even those who are trying their best to be sustainable are showing signs of fatigue, The Uninhabitable Earth is a more important book than ever. Writing this makes me realise I should reread it, as I clearly need to stop living in denial.

The Perks Of Being A Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

Okay, that were a lot of heavy, non-fiction books. So how about a heavy fictional novel instead? I’m sure a lot of you are already familiar with Stephen Chbosky’s brilliant The Perks Of Being A Wallflower but for those of you who aren’t, may I introduce you? This is a gorgeous coming-of-age tale centring on Charlie, a teenage boy with a lot of thoughts and feelings struggling to make sense of them. The book is written in the form of letters and it deals with a lot of intense topics, such as grief and loss and trauma, so please be careful and only read this if you feel comfortable enough to do so. The writing is endlessly quotable and Stephen Chbosky captured the feeling of being a teenager so effortlessly perfectly that I don’t understand how he wrote this as an adult. I don’t revisit The Perks Of Being A Wallflower often, as it brings up a lot of feelings for me, but whenever I do I am reminded that Charlie is one of my all-time favourite literary characters and I think everyone should have the pleasure of meeting him, as there’s so much we can all learn from him. And once you’ve read the book, go and do yourself the favour of watching the flawless movie adaptation starring the one and only Logan Lerman ❤

There you have it, some of the books I wish were mandatory reading for everyone. Do let me know if you agree with my picks and let me know if you think I’ve missed any! If you would like more recommendations, I have a blog post full of the best non-fiction books, as well as one with all my favourite book settings. Happy reading!