Is there anything more luxurious than getting cozy and getting lost in the pages of a book? Reading has been one of my favourite past-times since I could hold one in my tiny hands. Yes, the list of books you need to read here is subjective, though aren’t they all?
In Kindergarten, I aspired to be an author. Our babysitter wrote and illustrated her own books (Hi Roz!). I thought she and her creations were amazing. I wanted to be just like her. Growing up, there were countless nights I would read “just one more page” by the closet door’s crack of light.
Recently, I read for 3 hours straight to welcome the day. The “one more page” mantra returned as I pushed off the to do list, and I couldn’t help but smile to myself and think “she’s still in there”. It has been a very long time since I’ve allowed myself uninterrupted hours to sink into the pages of a story. Perhaps you can relate?
There are a variety of topics covered in this list of “books you need to read”, from travel and food, to linguistics, to health and psychology, to finance, and a diverse miscellaneous section. This list will serve as a living document that I’ll update each year. Don’t forget to come back and check out the newly added titles!
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Travel, Culture, & Food Books
A Concise Chinese-English Dictionary for Lovers by Xiaolu Suo
A Pocket Guide to the Wild Atlantic Way by Fiona Bigg
Better than Fiction (anthology)
Cabbagetown by Garner
Confessions of a Pagan Nun by Kate Horsley
em by Kim Thúy
Five Little Indians by Michelle Good
Frying Plantain by Zalika Reid-Benta
How to Pronounce Knife by Souvankham Thammavongsa
Moments of Glad Grace by Alison Wearing
Northern Spy by Flynn Berry
Pick a Colour by Souvankham Thammavongsa
Reading Lolita in Tehran by Azar Nafisi
Return: Why We Go Back to Where We Come From by Yemeni-Canadian Kamal Al-Solaylee
Small Things like These by Claire Keegan
So You Want to Talk About Race by Iljeoma Oluo
The Adversary by Michael Crummey
The Bookseller at the End of the World by Ruth Shaw
The Dictionary of Lost Words by Pip Williams (now in my top 5 favourite fiction books)
The Great Railway Bazaar by Paul Theroux
The Great Typo Hunt by Jeff Deck and Benjamin D. Herson
The Island of Sea Women by Lisa See
The Magical Language of Others by E.J. Koh
The Mermaid from Jeju by Sumi Hahn
The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett
The Waterloo You Never Knew by Joanna Rickert-Hall
‘Tis by Frank McCourt
What We Talk About When We Talk About Dumplings by John Lorinc
World Travel: An Irreverent Guide by Anthony Bourdain
Languages & Linguistics Books
A Stitch of Time by Lauren Marks
Boxcar Librarian by Brianna Labuskes (novel)
Irish Slang by Diarmaid Ó Muirithe
Language Myths
The Great Typo Hunt by Jeff Deck and Benjamin D. Herson
You’re Saying it Wrong by Petras and Petras
Word Freak by Stefan Fatsis
The Dictionary of Lost Words by Pip Williams (now in my top 5 favourite fiction books)
Health, Wellness, & Nature Books
Atomic Habits by James Clear
Bonk by Mary Roach
Born to Run by Christopher McDougall
Gut by Giulia Enders
Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer
The Art of Stillness by Pico Iyer
The Vagina Bible by Dr. Jen Gunter
Daring Greatly by Brené Brown
The Edible City: Toronto’s Food from Farm to Fork edited by Alana Wilcox & Christina Palassio
Think Like a Monk by Jay Shetty
The Brain that Changes Itself by Dr. Norman Doidge
What Happened to You by Bruce D. Perry and Oprah Winfrey
All About Love by bell hooks
Breath by James Nestor
To Speak for the Trees by Diana Beresford-Kroeger
The Soul of a Woman by Isabel Allende
Finance Books
Beat the Bank by Larry Bates
How to Retire Debt Free and Wealthy by Christine Ibbotson
Millionaire Teacher by Andrew Hallam
Memoirs
Educated by Tara Westover
This is Happy by Camilla Gibb
Miscellaneous
Astray by Emma Donoghue
The Wonder by Emma Donoghue
Perennial Seller by Ryan Holiday
NPR’s Podcast Start Up Guide by Glen Weldon
Whereabouts by Jhumpa Lahiri
In a Thousand Different Ways by Cecelia Ahern
Talking to Strangers by Malcolm Gladwell
The Little Book of Color by Karen Haller
The Clothing of Books by Jhumpa Lahiri
Free Food for Millionaires by Min Jin Lee
What’s on Your “Books You Need to Read” List?
It’s fair to say that passing on a book to someone is akin to a love language. Not only are you passing on a part of yourself, but you hopefully understand the person you’re suggesting or gifting as well. Anytime a friend or family member has a book recommendation it goes straight on my list. I’d love to hear yours too! Leave them in the comments below.
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