The 15 best books I've ever read
So good you'll read them twice
For the last thirty years, other than brushing my teeth, drinking water, and eating, there is only one thing I know I’ve done every single day:
Read.
I read the way we breathe, or reach for our phone…without thinking. Yes, reading is a hobby, but I find it more of a condition of being alive.
I grew up as an only child of immigrant parents who were trying to rebuild life in America and often working and this made books my first, and often only, companions.
As an adult, books remain my companions. I read every single night to decompress. It’s like brushing my teeth; I can’t imagine not doing it. I am a chronic re-reader, forever returning to favorite books with dogeared pages and underlined passages. I usually have three books going at once. I DNF books ruthlessly because I refuse to believe reading should ever feel anything but joyful. I have lost embarrassing amounts of sleep because I told myself, just one more chapter, but we all know, it’s never just one more chapter.
I love a book-to-film adaptation so much that I’ll do an adaptation sandwich: book, then film, then book again, always curious to see what a screenplay author believed would serve the story. I appreciate a beautifully written biography or memoir. And prose—God, I love prose. There are sentences so precise, so observant, so GD true that I read them multiple times until my eyes fill with tears, sometimes from the idea itself, but often, because I appreciate the craft.
There’s a world in which AI reduces our humanity, and our attention spans dwindle to that of a fruit fly, and our books come from agents not authors and I just want to state, for the record, that I am not interested in this world.
The most revolutionary act is to continue to read deeply, support authors, and celebrate craft. So stay up too late, press a beloved book into a friend’s hand, and go into the neighborhood bookstore where they know your dog’s name.
Choose that world.
If you want to read more, there were so many lovely suggestions in this recent piece, “How to Read More,” on Jenna Bush Hager’s Voices at the Table by Grace Atwood. I particularly appreciate the nudge to audio books.
At the end of the day, though, the most simple advice is often the best: read what you love. If you’re looking for your next read or find yourself in a reading rut, I wanted to share the 15 best books I’ve ever read.
A note: None of these books are new, so check your libraries! For ease, you’ll see a Bookshop.org link which ships to you but routes the full profit to an independent bookstore (!!) and an Amazon link because sometimes budget trumps.
Fiction You Can’t Put Down: Top 5
Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts: A convicted Australian bank robber escapes prison and disappears into the underworld of Bombay. It’s adventure, survival, love and philosophy. Apple TV attempted to bring this to the screen, and it was heartbreaking to see it fail because this story has everything.
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin: I’d been in a fiction reading rut when I picked this up and proceeded to not sleep for 3 days. You likely already know it’s about two childhood friends who reconnect and build a video game company together. There’s friendship and love and many things unsaid. It’s brilliant and haunting.
Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir: I love human ingenuity; I love space. Andy Weir is a master of pacing. Do a screen adaptation sandwich with this one and look for all the things that did not make it to the big screen.
Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan: A professor travels to Singapore with her boyfriend, who somehow fails to mention he is from one of the wealthiest families in Asia. The richness of culture, texture, the sheer unfathomable wealth! Also makes for a delicious screen adaptation sandwich.
Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus: A female chemist in the 1960s is pushed out of science and unexpectedly becomes the host of a cooking show. Unlike all of the horrible female protagonists we get, Elizabeth Zolt, is so sharp–you’ll be inspired to be a stronger human who doesn’t let idiots stand in your way.
Non-Fiction Favorites: Top 5
Home Game by Michael Lewis: Michael Lewis makes mortgage-backed securities interesting. Imagine what he can do with a parenting book. It’s so witty, hilarious, and true. And, the prose! I’ve read this at least 4x.
Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott: Regardless of whether you want to be a writer, Anne Lamott will crack your heart open with the sheer craft that writing requires. Perfect read for when you want to believe in humans over AI.
Geography of Bliss by Eric Weiner: A journalist travels to 10 different countries (including Switzerland, Bhutan, Qatar, Iceland, Moldova) trying to answer a deceptively simple question: what makes a country happy? One of the books that first sparked my fascination with how culture shapes wellbeing so it’s not a far stretch this influenced my research and career.
Endurance by Alfred Lansing: The true story of Ernest Shackleton’s failed Antarctic expedition and the survival story that ensued. It reads like a thriller, but you’ll also learn more about leadership from Shackleton than any leadership book. If you have a middle grade kid, this is a great companion read.
Bad Blood by John Carreyrou: The rise and fall of Theranos and founder Elizabeth Holmes. If you haven’t read this, please go ahead and cancel all plans for the next two days.
Best Bios & Memoir: Top 5
Open by Andre Agassi with J.R. Moehringer: Agassi tells the story of becoming one of the greats of tennis while hating tennis. What makes this a re-read is the writing of Moehringer, a Pulitzer Prize winning journalist.
Kissinger by Walter Isaacson: A doorstopper of a biography; this book follows Kissinger from immigrant Jewish refugee to powerful diplomat. If you want to understand more about the Vietnam War, Nixon, and the Cold War, this is it.
A Year in Provence by Peter Mayle: An English couple buys a farmhouse in the South of France and slowly adapts to the rhythms, food, and eccentricities of village life. I have read this once a year, every year since I was in my mid-20s.
The Shephard’s Life by James Rebanks: A memoir about a modern sheep farmer living in England’s Lake District. It’s so beautiful and will make your heart and soul slow down.
This Is the Story of a Happy Marriage by Ann Patchett: A collection of essays in which Ann Patchett writes about marriage, friendship, writing, ambition, and building a meaningful life. My copy is full of underlined sentences.
From the Writers’ Shelves
I couldn’t close this list without a few picks from writers I admire (the best writers are always great readers). Here’s what to borrow from their shelves:
Elyse Chambers | ChickLits
Elyse’s pick: Villa Coco by Andrew Sean Greer
A young American takes a job as assistant to a wildly charismatic baronessa at her crumbling villa in the Tuscan hills—there are olive groves and Lambrusco and gelato and a stolen urn—and the whole thing reads like a long, delightful afternoon you never want to end.
(And if you’re in Napa Valley, pick up your copy at Elyse’s bookstore Wild Plum Books!)
17. Darby Saxbe | Natal Gazing
Darby’s pick: Flashlight by Susan Choi
I’m a psychologist who loves to read (and write!) non-fiction, but fiction often gives me the best perspective on the human mind. I loved Susan Choi’s latest novel, Flashlight, a father-daughter story that spans Japan, Korea, and the United States.
(And if you want to read the latest science on fatherhood, Darby’s new book, Dad Brain, is out now! Bookshop | Amazon)
18. Rosie Spinks | What Do We Do Now That We’re Here?
Rosie’s pick: The Beginning Comes After the End by Rebecca Solnit
I will pretty much read whatever Solnit writes. But this book in particular blew me away. In my newsletter, I am always gingerly offering idea that the way we live now is perhaps the anomaly. That even though our broken political and economic systems feel immovable and inevitable, they are perhaps in their twilight. Solnit puts this argument front and center, with a wide range of historical, social, and cultural proof to boot. And she does it all in 130 pages. You will feel, against literally all odds, optimistic after reading this.
(We’ll soon be able to read Rosie’s book too! She’s writing How to Build a Village, which will examine the declining role of “the village” in our culture and offer strategies for rebuilding it.)
Afoma Umesi | Reading Middle Grade
Afoma’s pick for adult readers: Who Is Maud Dixon? by Alexandra Andrews
This literary mystery is probably the most unhinged thing I read this year–I had to pick my jaw up off the ground. When a twenty-something-year-old becomes the executive assistant to a writer known only by the pseudonym Maud Dixon, she unwittingly embarks on the wildest ride of her life. Don’t read any reviews or spoilers–just dive in, and hold on until the 25% mark.
Afoma’s pick for middle grade readers (bonus pick!): The Sweet Spot by Elaine Vickers
A sporty, summery, action-packed coming-of-age story. Trip is the new captain of his Little League baseball team, and a girl has just joined them for the first time. He receives unexpected advice to think about his legacy and starts optimizing himself to get better at baseball—but is baseball all that matters? And what does it even mean to have a legacy? Perfect summer novel for sports-loving kids! Ages 8+
Amelia Wilson | Happy on Purpose
Amelia’s pick: Whistler by Ann Patchett
This summer I’m in the mood for cheerful, comforting books, and my favorite so far is Whistler, Ann Patchett’s latest novel. It’s a heartwarming tale about family, friendship, love, and the unexpected, unsung heroes amongst us. I couldn’t put it down: the writing is lovely, and I fell in love with the characters, and didn’t want their stories to end!
This post was a delight to write because it made me realize that many of my favorite books are about the influence culture, and in particular place, has on our lives. This makes total sense when you think about how much of my own research centers on using Denmark to understand more about the US. If you make a list of your favorite books, you might learn something unexpected about yourself.
Your turn: tell us in the comments about a book that kept you up all night, the one you’ve told everyone else in your life about already, or simply, tell us the best book you’ve ever read.
Your bookworm friend,
P.S. You can do something to help me that will take you less than 1 second. Please give this post a ❤️ if you found it valuable. It really, truly helps with discovery. 🙏
Writing this Substack—nudging our culture away from overworking, overparenting and overconsuming—is the most important work I do. If you believe in this mission too, become a Paid Subscriber.
Weekly paid posts like When everything sounds fun, but you can’t do it all
Private community-only comments on posts like I reduced stress for 3 months and my body transformed in ways I never expected
My gratitude—you are directly supporting the Off Duty community
This post does contain affiliate links and I may earn a commission if you make a purchase through these links. That supports the work I do, so thank you!
Speaking of reading the book and then watching the movie…have you read Station 11? It’s the only time I have ever liked a show better than the book. There was a miniseries done based off the book and it was SO good!!!
Thank you for this list! I have always l loved reading, and my favorite thing to do, which doesn’t happen as often as it did when I was a kid, is to read a book all in one day. I still try to schedule a day or two a year to do just that!
A recent read that was haunting beautiful and that I read slowly to savor (usually I’m a fast reader) was Theo of Golden.
Other re-reads are:
Pillars of the Earth—a sweeping historical novel that feels a bit like world-building with romance and well-written characters (even the bad guys). The sequels are good but Pillars of the Earth is the best of them.
These Is My Words—I have lost count of how many times I’ve re-read this book. It was my first adult novel in high school and I come back to it again and again. Set in frontier Arizona in the Edwardian period, it’s a fictional journal of a girl coming of age.
Looking forward to reading books on your list, especially Endurance and Shantaram!