Need a little inspiration? Sometimes a new perspective helps us move forward in our own lives, and reading lets us step into someone else’s shoes to gain empathy, compassion, and motivation from their story. If you’re looking for your next read, check out these five inspiring books and get ready to see the world a little differently.
An Outsider's Guide to Humans: What Science Taught Me About What We Do and Who We Are by Camilla Pang
Living with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Camilla Pang shares a firsthand account of her life through the lens of her work as a postdoctoral researcher in bioinformatics. Sprinkled with hand-drawn notes, and unique analogies (like comparing Myers-Briggs personality types to different proteins), Pang demonstrates how neurodiversity is her superpower.
Bravey: Chasing Dreams, Befriending Pain, and Other Big Ideas Hardcover by Alexi Pappas
Track star Alexi Pappas achieved her goal of competing in the Olympics — but what happens after you live your dream? In her book, Pappas recounts the clinical depression she experienced after returning home, advocates for better mental health resources and education for athletes, and explains how each of us can be a ‘bravey’. For a taste of her story, watch this powerful video.
Between Two Kingdoms: A Memoir of a Life Interrupted by Suleika Jaouad
At 22 years old, promising war correspondent Suleika Jaouad received an unthinkable diagnosis: leukemia. After four years of treatment, Jaouad was deemed cured and embarked on a 100-day road trip across the United States, with only her dog Oscar in tow. Her heartbreaking and captivating memoir follows her journey of returning to the world as a survivor.
Want to tell your own story? Sign up for Jaouad’s project The Isolation Journals to get your creativity flowing with weekly journal prompts.
All You Can Ever Know by Nicole Chung
Raised by white parents in a small town in Oregon, Nicole Chung chronicles her life as an adopted child, the racism she experiences as an Asian American, and the ultimate search for her Korean birth parents. With poignancy and courage, Chung’s story makes us question our own definitions of identity, family, and belonging.
Tiny Beautiful Things: Advice on Love and Life from Dear Sugar by Cheryl Strayed
If you loved Cheryl Strayed’s bestselling memoir Wild, or the movie adaptation starring Reese Witherspoon, you’ll devour the heartfelt advice compiled in this book. Filled with essays Strayed wrote as an advice columnist, topics range from love and loss, to work and family, and everything in between. True to form, her guidance is enlightening and beautifully written.