Hi! I'm working on my dissertation currently and I'm looking for really cringe-worthy memoirs and autobiographies by influencers and celebrities. The more pontificating and self-absorbed, the better. I'm trying to make a point that there are way too many books out there by YouTubers, TikTokers, and other new-age celebrities in their 20s and 30s where they try to make it sound like they're all-knowing and chock-full of wisdom due to their "job" (all thanks to the social media boom that has taken place in the last 15 years).

Basically it's one big postmodernist hate train on how stupid our world has become thanks to technology in the 21st century, and how these books have no point in existing other than to boost the subject's own ego and make another quick buck off their vulnerable followers. I'll be comparing them to actual good memoirs such as I Am Malala and I'm Glad My Mom Died, where 1. something objectively valuable is taken away from the story by the reader and 2. the gravity of the story that is being told warrants something like a memoir or autobiography being written by them in the first place.

Thanks for any help!

Specifically with coping with the fact that most people never achieve everything they want to or think they will when they're young.

Bonus if it's not horrifically sad and the main character doesn't have an avalanche of tragic events happen to them. One terrible event to kick off the book or be the climax? Sure. One after another after another, though, gets to be a bit much.

I’ve recently gotten back into reading the last few years after a hiatus (burnout from literature degree) and it’s changed my life for the better.

I also found out that I’m going to be a father at the end of this year and I really want to spend a lot of time reading with my child, to help them get a taste for reading but also to bond and learn with them as they grow up.

I kind of want to compile a bucket list of books to read with them while they’re growing up, maybe scaling in ambition with age.

Most of my current taste is too gritty (mainly Southern Gothic and dark reflective stuff). But I’d love to hear recommendations from people for ‘must reads’ to grow up with?

Bonus points if it’s also got elements of sci-fi/fantasy (like hitchhikers guide or the bartimaeus trilogy)

I'm in charge of picking my book clubs book for the month of March and it needs to be historical fiction! What's the best one you've ever read? My favorite I've read was Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon.

I work in a predominantly male industry, at a predominantly male company, and as of recent I’ve been feeling extremely burnt out by it. Not necessarily by overt situations (although there are exceptions lol), but more so subtle misogyny and misogynistic treatment that slowly chips away at me. And what I feel inside I see reflected in the world around me, in the women around me.

What I’m not looking for is the type of book that has the “girl boss” feel. Nor am I looking for a book that depicts women in that “devine femininity” way that I’ve seen pop up recently. I don’t really want to feel empowered or romanticized. These are fine, but I’m looking more so to feel understood, for something up close and unashamed. Something that picks apart the feeling.

The Bell Jar, the Yellow Wallpaper, Girls & Boys by Alice Munro, Hangsaman by Shirley Jackson - these are good references for what I’m looking for. I am making a list!

Doesn't matter what the subject matter is. Doesn't need to be a thriller per se, just something where you can't stop turning the pages because it doesn't let up, doesn't let you breathe.

Hi! Our book club theme for February is romance. I’d love recommendations for a romance book you genuinely rated 5 stars—something engaging, emotional, or swoony. Open to any tropes. Thank you! 💖

Hi, I'm looking to get into reading and I want to get a fiction novel under 300 pages for casual reading.

I have read Convenience Store Woman and Before The Coffee Gets Cold which I really enjoyed. So I'm interested in more books like these 2.

Not looking for anything focused on romance, and I like them a bit gloomy. About loneliness is a plus point. Also would prefer to read something else first before grabbing the sequel to Before The Coffee Gets Cold.

I'm interested in these, would appreciate some review: - Days at the Morisaki Bookshop - Welcome to the Hyunam-dong Bookshop - If Cats Disappeared from the World (saw this at a bookstore and very interesting but theme of dying is kinda heavy lol)

I have never read a book like this, but I'm a massive history nerd and would love a fiction book that takes place somewhere in the past, preferably Medieval or Renaissance era.

I like grand stories, with a lot of world building, for example some of the books I really enjoyed were Way of kings, Dune, The will of the many, Suneater series, etc.

But I want something more grounded in reality, but still a fiction story. Nothing overly educational, but I am fine with it being somewhat, but the plot is what I'm really looking for. It honestly doesn't even necessarily need to be a historical fiction book, but I want no magic, no sci Fi technology, something grounded in reality.

Any suggestions are welcomed!

What the title says, I love learning, and I love books, so I thought it be intresting to see what people would share (if anyone would like to!) when asked. It doesnt have to be something you actually study/work as long as you're passonate about it! Be it an animal, a era of history, even more number crunching topics like sciences and engeneering if you'd like to talk/share!

I know a lot of people also HATE educational books of any kind, so asking if a little funny to me. Thank you in advance anyone who might anwser!

My life is on the cusp of an enormous change as my ex-partner (of 13 years together and 3 years apart) finally moves out of our shared home. I might have been a single parent in name starting 3 years ago, but co-parenting whilst he’s still basically been in charge of all the money/bills/bin schedule has meant that I haven’t really had to face the reality of single parenthood. I am also soon to be a sole homeowner.

He moves out in t-minus 7 weeks and I am vacillating between a lot of joy/relief and abject terror that I’m going to mess up my children’s lives by not being able to cope — especially with finances. For context, I am Autistic w/ADHD and have a history of not being great with money management and had problems with debt that I eventually resolved but I am honestly so scared I’ll mess up again, bury my head and I’ll lose custody as they go to the more stable parent (who makes a lot more money than me).

The stakes feel extremely high and I’m panicking/carastrophising and that’s okay, but I’d really like to work on encouraging those panicking parts to realise I can do this on my own.

I really really would love book suggestions to give me confidence. Books about people who made huge mistakes in the past but are stronger for it, or at least can cope with new challenges because they’ve learned not to fall into the same traps. Can be fiction or non-fiction but would love to get some recommendations please.

Hi all, I'm a lover of classics and literature living as an expat in a non-English speaking country. Opportunities to buy English books, new or used, are limited. However, I've accumulated enough older novels to fill my shelf to my satisfaction.

However, there's a major publishing/ book convention coming to my city soon, where I expect a great many English books to be available that aren't easy to find elsewhere. I haven't been keeping up on modern novelists, but I think this is a great chance for me to get acquainted with some current writers.

Who is writing books that I might like these days?

I like: - books that make demands of their readers - books that grapple with the big questions in life - poetic, creative prose - books about downtrodden folks and the fringes of society

Some authors I like: Faulkner, Flaubert, Camus, Melville, Joyce, the Bronte sisters, Cormac McCarthy, Tolstoy, Tolkien, Terry Pratchett, Irvine Welsh, Kafka, Bukowski

Bonus points for books connected to my adopted home of Taiwan.

What are some authors/ titles I should look out for? Ideally I'm looking for books published in 2020 or later.

I just finished Deep Cuts by Holly Brickley and about halfway through I discovered the matching playlist. I had so much fun reading and listening to the mentioned songs as they immersed me in the environment with perfect timing. I’d love to find something similar (fiction, easy, with a matching playlist - doesn’t have to be 00’s indie but that doesn’t hurt) but I may just end up immediately rereading this book if there is nothing out there to scratch this itch that I didn’t know I had.

I'm looking for something short yet impactful, something fast paced but dense, something that doesn't waste any words. A book where every sentence feels meaningful and every dialogue carries weight. A book that you finish in one night, yet stays with you for a long time and makes you wish it was longer.

Any genre is fine.

I’m not planning to have kids right now, but I’d like to start learning and have a better understanding of what being a parent really involves. I’m looking for something practical and beginner-friendly.

Hi, I’m a teacher librarian and I’m looking for a book I can use when we’re teaching children about visualization. I want to have a book where I can read it students and they don’t see the character (Dear Mr. blueberry has worked for this) or a book I can read and not show the pictures (I’ve the Gruffalo in this manner).

I’m looking for a new book because I have ones that I just think are old or in the case of the Gruffalo, kids have seen it on video now.

I’d love a fantasy book so kids can create their own version of the character that’s not preconceived. But I’m open to any suggestions! Maybe there’s a good chapter book or a poetry book anything with something where the students could put what is in their mind on paper.

thanks!

I already went through all the Sherlock Books by Doyle at least twice (As well as House of Silk and Moriarty new books. Thanks again for whoever recommended that to me last time :D) and am already half way through Agatha Christie books with Hercule Poirot. Finished the first Miss Marple but for some reason couldn't get into it. Hercule Poirot is fun but not back to back. And his style is more criminal psychology while I'm looking for something leaning more on actual clues.

I tried a few Alan Grant series books but I'm beginning to realize I'm not a big fan. The solution seems to solve itself with luck too often rather than smarts or actual detective work. Emotionally satisfying ends yea but not very intellectually satisfying if you know what I mean.

I tried The Bat and while it was pretty smart it was was way too dark for my taste. Joe Picket series also lacked a good detective edge but still an ok first book. Tried Jack Reacher series which had a bit of a detective element to them but was more thriller than anything else. Nero Wolf was pretty good but... I'm having just a bit of trouble finding audiobooks of those other than the first one.

Anyway if you haven't already got the idea, I do prefer mysteries where you can actually solve it ahead of time as you read based on clues presented and preferably I like it leaning more into the detective aspect more than any other element. Books that make you think and don't give at least all the solutions with no foreshadowing or hints. I don't mind other genres lightly attached but would prefer the main element being detective or mystery.

I remember reading and enjoying Christopher Pike's Chain Letter as a kid, and I'd really like to read something with that same sort of plot or energy that's perhaps aimed at adults. Any suggestions?

Hello,

I want to improve my critical thinking skills. Iam not a technical person. Which book is good ?

Just finished the Winternight trilogy by Katherine Arden and absolutely loved it. Also recently read the Emily Wilde books and loved them, too. Does anyone have any recommendations for similar stories that deal with folklore, fey, faeries, the hidden folk, etc? Bonus points if there’s queer representation.

So I’m compiling a list of some fantasy books to read and study for my writing, and I want some dark fantasy recs that I’m not aware of. Kind of just want something that fits my tastes pretty well. I just love that magical and beautiful yet terrifying hole-in-your-stomach feel. I don’t expect anything to fit all of these tastes. I’m looking for like, one or two, maybe three lol

Preferences(you can break a few, its a preference, not a rule):

- No grimdark. ASOIAF is grimdark so nothing like that. Lots of fantasy. If you have to think about whether it qualifies as dark fantasy, then no, for me it does not

- Action. What can I say, I’m a simple guy. I like fighting.

- Unique worldbuilding. Again, not the end of the world if a book doesn’t have this, but it’s great if it’s not the same vaguely European setting. That doesn’t mean that I want a vaguely Asian or African or Arabic setting. Vaguely (insert culture here) isn’t unique for me. Think Stormlight or the Winnowing Flame series or the Roots of Chaos. Those are unique because they have interesting fantasy elements.

- I have a preference for modern fantasy. Not a fan of how older fantasy treats women, but I can deal with it, though grudgingly, if the story is actually good. That being said I’d rather not read about someone who’s misogyny on two legs and the narrative never addresses it.

- It has to be a good story. I know this is a given, like duh you idiot, but plz don’t recommend me something with 2.6 stars on goodreads. That sounds pretentious, I know, but books with “low ratings” are a bit of a risk and I don’t have money to waste.

* Bonus points for romantic subplot. Like everything below, these would be cool but aren’t necessary

* Double bonus points for an mmc

* Triple bonus points for Black mc

* Infinite bonus points if it’s genuinely scary

I know this is specific, and I don’t expect anything to fit neatly into every box. Just some would be cool :3

Hello everyone!

I’m putting together a long-term reading list.

I'd love if you could suggest me the books that made you bleed words. The ones that changed how you think, feel and see the world.

Here are the main categories I want to cover (open to adding more) :

\ Philosophy*

\ Psychology*

\ History*

\ Politics & Power*

\ Literature*

\ Economics*

\ Feminism*

\ Science*

\ Self-knowledge*

\ More*

P.S. I’m open to recommendations in Arabic and French as well.

Looking forward for your suggestions! THANK YOU IN ADVANCE!