8 Books that I Will Never Not Recommend
It’s probably obvious, but one of my favorite things in life is talking about books. I’m a fangirl at heart, and I love being able to go on and on with my friends about a good book. I also love just listening to others talk excitedly about their own favorite books, and I’m always looking for book recs. But maybe I love giving recommendations more, because even if you don’t read any of the books I tell you about, the fun is kind of in the telling. So here they are, in no particular order, 8 books that I will never stop recommending. These aren’t necessarily my 8 favorite books (though some of them are definitely up there), but books that I just know you, whoever you are, will love. Just trust me on these. (Oh and look at that, I’ve already linked the titles to Amazon, how convenient 😃)
The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis
“One day you will be old enough to start reading fairytales again.”
-C.S. Lewis
While staying at a professor’s mysterious house in the English countryside, Lucy, Edmund, Susan, and Peter Pevensie step through a wardrobe and enter the magical world of Narnia. Under the reign of the cruel White Witch, Narnia is cursed in an eternal winter, and the White Witch is willing to kill any creature who threatens her power. When the Pevensie children discover that they are destined to break Narnia’s curse, they must seek the help of Aslan, the rightful king of Narnia who is preparing his own army to take back the throne. But to do so, he must face a deeper magic—the deepest magic—that has been engrained in Narnia since before it was created.
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe was one of the most formative books I read as a child, and I went on to read the rest of the series in high school. And there was a moment in every single book that gave me a lump in my throat. They’re children’s books, so they’re light and easy to get through, but they’re beautiful stories filled with so much imagination and truth. And PSA: read the books in their original published order, NOT the new order where The Magician’s Nephew comes first. You’ll thank me later.
2. Emma by Jane Austen
“I cannot make speeches, Emma. If I loved you less, I might be able to talk about it more.”
-Jane Austen
Emma Woodhouse is young, wealthy, beautiful, and the best matchmaker she knows. She sets her sights on a new project when she befriends Harriet: a not-so-beautiful girl with not-so-many prospects. Under Emma’s influence, Harriet is led from mismatch to mismatch, with Emma being under the scrutinizing watch of her brother-in-law, Mr. Knightley. But even though she’s bent on matching others, Emma slowly discovers that she might just have a match of her own.
Pride and Prejudice may be my favorite novel until the end of time, but Emma is one for anyone looking for something more fast-paced and fun. There are so many moments in this book that are genuinely hilarious; it’s Jane Austen’s humor at its best. I also love this book because while the romance is 11/10, there is a lot here about growing up and learning to be a better friend, especially for young women. I found Emma and her struggles with relationships to be so relatable, and that’s part of what makes the novel such a fun read.
Side note: the 2020 movie adaptation is pretty great… very witty and light and quirky. Haven’t seen the 90s version with Gwyneth Paltrow, but I really want to, and I trust that it’s good. And of course, Clueless is one of the most iconic movies of all time (if I’m not quoting Mean Girls, I’m probably quoting Clueless), so if you don’t feel like reading a novel, there are lots of film versions available.
3. Everything Sad Is Untrue by Daniel Nayeri
“Every story is the sound of a storyteller begging to stay alive.”
-Daniel Nayeri
Khosrou (aka Daniel) is a 12-year-old Persian refugee who escaped to Oklahoma with his mom and older sister. In a collection of family histories, Persian legends, and childhood memories presented to his seventh-grade class, Daniel attempts one of the greatest acts of love he knows: sharing a story. Everything Sad Is Untrue is half autobiography, half middle-grade novel, and altogether beautiful.
Like Narnia, this is a book targeted more towards younger readers and is so full of imagination and love. The anecdotes Daniel tells range from myths to heartbreaking tales of refugees to funny poop stories to questions about the meaning of love. I cried, I laughed, I couldn’t put it down. It’s truly a story-telling masterpiece. Also, I had the great pleasure to meet Daniel Nayeri, and he is one of the funniest and humblest people I’ve ever met. His character definitely comes through in his writing and makes his book an absolute delight to read.
4. The Secret History by Donna Tartt
“Beauty is rarely soft or consolatory. Quite the contrary. Genuine beauty is always quite alarming.”
-Donna Tartt
At a small college in Vermont, Richard Papen joins a tight-knit group of Greek students studying under an eccentric and charismatic professor, and he quickly begins to sense that there is something strange and dark about this group… nevertheless, he wants in. The students’ obsession with seeking the beautiful and the true comes at a murderous cost, and Richard narrates the story as an inverted murder mystery, beginning with the killing and backtracking as he faces the questions that have haunted him long after graduating the college. The Secret History is the story of the murder of classmate Bunny, the motive, the cover-up, and the fatal consequences of it all.
This book literally changed my life, and I will never shut up about it. (This. This is my Roman Empire.) It’s definitely the book that I most ask people if they have read. We live in a world that idolizes beauty and knowledge, and this was a brilliant exploration of the consequences of obsession with the idealized. And for such a long book, I flew through it; the murder is revealed on the first page, and yet Donna Tartt still manages to keep you in suspense until the very end.
5. A Room of One’s Own by Virginia Woolf
“So long as you write what you wish to write, that is all that matters; and whether it matters for ages or only for hours, nobody can say.”
-Virginia Woolf
In a brilliant essay, Virginia Woolf details the history of the lack of women’s presence in the literary canon. Her argument is that a woman must have a steady income and a room of her own in order to write, and she implores the next generation of women to pick up the pen or work until they are able to do so.
This is one of my favorite nonfiction reads I’ve ever picked up, and it’s a super short read, too. Woolf’s essay is a brilliant exploration of gender roles, not only in the literary world but in society. It’s a critique of toxic patriarchy, but I never felt like she went to an extreme in either direction; the argument is revolutionary—especially for her time—but she handles it with so much love and care. Truly fascinating and empowering to read.
6. The Road by Cormac McCarthy
“People were always getting ready for tomorrow. I didn’t believe in that. Tomorrow wasn’t getting ready for them. It didn’t even know they were there.”
-Cormac McCarthy
A father and son journey across post-apocalyptic America in hopes of reaching the sea and outrunning those that want to kill them. They have nothing but the clothes on their backs, each other, and the faint hope that they will find some small good that still remains in a ravaged world.
I love a book that will make me cry. And this was maybe the hardest cry I’ve ever had over a book (stayed up late to finish it and literally sobbed myself to sleep). The story is a beautiful exploration of the relationship between father and son and of hope and goodness in the midst of evil. Cormac McCarthy’s writing style is gorgeous, too, and there were so many great lines to hold onto. This is for anyone who wants to enjoy their heart being shattered to pieces.
7. Dog Songs by Mary Oliver
“Every time you wake up and love your life and the world, you’re praying, my dear boy. I’m sure of it.”
-Mary Oliver
In this collection of poems, Mary Oliver writes of all the dogs she has had, met, and loved. From rescues to lifelong companions, each poem is a beautiful exploration of the unconditional love between human and dog.
If you love dogs, or even just like them, or even have just met one dog in your entire life, this is the absolute perfect book. And again, it’s one that might make you cry, but unlike The Road, this one is for the people who want to cry happy tears. Every poem in this collection is stunning; some will bring tears to your eyes, and some will make you giggle and kick your feet in the air. Honestly, if you have a heart, you will love these poems.
8. The Sirens of Titan by Kurt Vonnegut
“The worst thing that could happen to anybody would be to not be used for anything by anybody.”
-Kurt Vonnegut
Malachi Constant, the richest and most depraved man in the world, begins his zany and interplanetary adventure when he is told his future by Winston Niles Rumford, a man living outside of time and pulling earth by puppet strings. Malachi’s life goes exactly as he is told: he is kidnapped and recruited for the army on Mars, has a child, and spends his last years on the moon Titan. But as Malachi’s life unfurls at the hands of forces he has no control over, he learns that that may just be exactly the point.
The best way to describe this book is just fun. Vonnegut is so creative and unhinged, and the story is a wild ride through the universe. But for such a seemingly random plot, there is so much meaning that I took away from it and that I still sit with. If you’re in the mood for something zany and out of the ordinary, this is the book for you.
I hope you found at least one book from this list that you can add to your reading list. Reach out to me if you want more specific recommendations, or if you want to give me your own recs! You can send me a message in the “Contact” page, or find me on Instagram @baileyg_writes. Happy reading!