10 Books I (Tentatively) Recommend
My 25th issue of Anxious Millennial—and I got my first-ever request!
This is the 25th issue of Anxious Millennial, and I got my first-ever request! A subscriber asked me to share book recommendations. This was tough, so I limited myself to 10 books—ones I’ve read in the last three years—and aimed for a variety of genres. Recommending books is nerve-wracking because it’s hard not to take it personally if someone doesn’t like what you suggest. But luckily, most people just lie and say they did. Everyone has different tastes in books, and that’s okay.
Please keep recommending books to me, too! I love a good read and getting to discuss it with others… I guess that’s what a book club is.
Book Recommendations
Bright Young Women by Jessica Knoll
Shoutout to Julia (if you’re reading this) for the recommendation! This novel is a fictionalized story about Ted Bundy, but instead of centering him, it’s told from the perspectives of the women he murdered—or their friends. I appreciate how it focuses on the victims rather than trying to humanize the killer. Instead of leading up to the infamous sorority house attack in Florida, the book begins there and follows the women as they track the murderer down.
Stay True by Hua Hsu
A nonfiction memoir by professor and critic, Hua Hsu. What I love about this book is that it doesn’t feel like a traditional memoir filled with life events in chronological order. Instead, it focuses on his college years, exploring friendship, grief, and coming of age. I read this while doing my MFA and still figuring out my writing style, and Hsu’s use of pop culture references to place us in time really stuck with me. He’s observant, self-reflective, and honest about his flaws—qualities I admire in memoir writing. Some of my classmates thought he was pretentious but he acknowledges that about himself, which makes it work for me.
Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt
You’ve probably seen this book at your local bookstore—it’s been popular for a few years, and for good reason. The writing is beautiful, the imagery will make you want to visit the Pacific Northwest, and the characters are fantastic. Oh, and one of the main characters is an octopus with thoughts and empathy. Some people I know struggled with the multiple storylines, but it all ties together in a really satisfying way.
Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan
This is a tiny tiny book that I listened to which I highly recommend for the Irish accent to fully place you in the setting. I listened to this book during the course of two long walks. It’s dark, it’s wholesome, it has you questioning morality, it takes place at Christmas time, and it’s in Ireland. Enough said. Oh, and I guess there’s a movie with Cillian Murphy but I haven’t heard much about it TBH.
Pastoralia by George Saunders
A collection of darkly humorous, fictional short stories. A professor recommended it to me when he noticed I was trying to write humor into my fiction—a first for me. I’ve always found it easier to be funny in nonfiction, usually by telling self-deprecating stories, but adding humor to an imagined world is a whole different skill.
My favorite story in the collection is Sea Oak, where the narrator’s aunt, who lives in a poor neighborhood, dies—only to come back to life as her decaying body demands he “show your cock” for money. It’s bizarre, sad, and absolutely hilarious. George Saunders is a genius.
Fun fact: This book inspired probably the weirdest story I ever wrote in my fiction workshop—about a guy who adopts a dog on the anniversary of his dad’s death, only to realize the dog is his abusive, alcoholic father reincarnated.
Happy-Go-Lucky by David Sedaris
If you know me, you know how much I love David Sedaris. I’ve been a fan since high school, when my creative nonfiction class read Me Talk Pretty One Day. He’s the funniest nonfiction writer I’ve ever read. His earlier books are more depressing, reflecting on growing up gay in the South in an Orthodox Greek family, struggling with addiction, and trying to make it as an artist. His later books, including Happy-Go-Lucky, are full of reflections on aging, family, and, in this case, handling the pandemic. If my deep love for his recent work proves anything, it’s that I have the soul of a 60-year-old.
The Brothers: The Road to an American Tragedy by Masha Gessen
Another non-fiction book but this one is a little more educational and dark. It tells the story of the brothers who were responsible for the Boston marathon bombing. But it didn’t just tell the story of the day of. It was the story of their history, going back to how their parent’s met and their family history up to the present day. Masha Gessen is a journalist who dives into the concept of “radicalization” and the understanding of terrorism in American culture. It’s an interesting book to say the least.
The Crane Wife: A Memoir in Essays by C.J. Hauser
A collection of beautifully written creative nonfiction essays that explore love, identity, and what truly matters in life. Right up my alley.
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin
Apparently, I love books about friendship because this one is all about a beautiful, complicated one. When I saw that the plot revolved around video game creators, I was hesitant, but it actually helped me understand why people love gaming so much—how it allows them to escape reality. Fair warning: this one has its heartbreaking moments.
Beartown by Fredrik Backman
Okay, so while I did read this in the last three years. I had read it before and this was a re-read to prepare for the third of the series. I absolutely love the Beartown trilogy. I’m often nervous about recommending this book since I know a few people who've recommended this to who didn’t like it as much as me. But clearly some people like it if Backman keeps writing more of them! This novel is about a small, fictional town in (Sweden?) where everything and everyone in this town revolves around the town’s hockey team. I’m a sucker for a good sports story because it usually involves some heartwarming team camaraderie moments as well as some classic bullying moments. I guess I love novels that develop loveable characters, because that’s something I really like about this trilogy. Of course it has its sad and even pretty messed-up moments but it comes back to the heart-warming moments between characters that make it worthwhile.
Other Quick Recommendations
📚 Romcom: Anything by Emily Henry (Beach Read is my favorite)
👻 Horror: Holly by Stephen King
🔪 Thriller: The Only One Left by Riley Sager
🎧 Best Audiobook Experience: Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner (listening to her tell her own story adds another layer of impact)
☕ Comfort Read: Thursday Murder Club series