53 (Grown-Up) Books For Your Own Reading List

Lisa R said:  Beryl Markham was the first person to pilot a plane east to west across the Atlantic, hence the name of her memoir, West with the Night. The book recounts her early 1900's childhood in Kenya and adventures as a young female bush pilot in East Africa. Beautifully written, the book caused Ernest Hemingway to remark "She has written so well, and marvelously well, that I was completely ashamed of myself as a writer...[she] can write rings around all of us who consider ourselves as writers". This book is an inspirational account of an amazing woman and the perfect antidote to a stressful day.

Sue Krawitz Tandoc said:  This touching story by Debbie Macomber is about two best friends and their journey through life. It is a true page-turner told through letters, diaries, and emails. I could not put this book down and couldn't wait to find out what was going to happen next in Jillian and Lesley's lives. By the end of the book, I felt like I knew the characters in real life.

This book will especially resonate with women as it is about the unique power of the female friendships. Between Friends is a book you will want to share with your girlfriends and talk about long after you have finished it.

Shila said:  A very powerful and poetic memoir that looks back at a childhood impacted by abandonment, ruptured family secrets, nomadic living, and emotional distress.

Shila said:  I recommend reading Jeanine Cummins' fiction novel, American Dirt. The very first page of the book will set the tone for the entire novel, so you can decide right away if you like what you're reading. Cummins writes about a mother and her young son seeking asylum from an Acapulco, Mexican cartel after their entire family was murdered. With nothing more than a backpack, pocket money, and their late husband/father's ballcap, they attempt to escape on a dangerous trek to El Norte, in hopes of reaching American soil.

This book does not come without controversy as it relates to refugees, immigration, and even cultural authorship, but I like that it opens up the door to having a really good book club conversation.

Nancy L. said:  In All the Light There Was, by Nancy Kricorian, young Maral Pegorian's family tries to rebuild their lives in Paris after the Armenian Genocide. Just when they think they can live in peace and start fresh in this new city, the Nazis invade Paris. The adults in Maral's life have some idea of what to expect and try to prepare for war accordingly. But Maral, her brother, and friends have no idea how their lives will change. This is a coming-of-age story that has the added dimension of being told from the perspective of an Armenian family.

Yann Martel's novel follows Piscine Molitor "Pi" Patel as his family, who owns a zoo, leaves India. Their ship encounters a storm and Pi finds himself on a lifeboat with a hyena, a zebra, an orangutan, and a tiger. The story unfolds as Pi recounts his journey to shocked officials after making it back to shore. It's a book you won't soon forget, and the motion picture is worth a watch as well.

Sue Krawitz Tandoc said:  The Last Lecture was written by Randy Pausch, a father, husband and professor who was given a terminal cancer diagnosis and later died. He wrote this lecture on life about living it to its fullest, no matter how much time we have. He cherished his family and this book will give the reader a greater appreciation for all that life has to offer. He focused on going after all of his dreams and not worrying about the unimportant things.

It is an inspiring read that may bring a few tears, but the reader will be left with a renewed sense of purpose and love of life.

Shila said:  Jerry Seinfeld is one of my favorite comedians; I've watched all his shows, seen a few live ones too, and have read all his books. Why? Because he's funny and he makes me laugh! Is This Anything? is Seinfeld's most recent.

Lisa R said:  This beautifully written novel by Isabel Allende follows several characters as they survive the Spanish Civil War and start new lives as refugees in Chile, only to be caught up in another conflict. It's a great book for history enthusiasts as well as those looking for a good book about finding love in unexpected places.

Lindsay Fairbrother said:  This is a lovely coming of age story by Delia Owens. Her descriptions of a poor, North Carolina coastal town and its inhabitants will transport you. This is a book about familial and romantic love, but perhaps most importantly, love of self, as loner protagonist Kya learns to accept herself. This book is hard to put down, not only because its compelling overall story but also because of the murder mystery Kya becomes embroiled in.

Lisa R said:  This poetic novel by Italo Calvino is my all-time favorite book. Someone is mixing up the pages in books and you, Dear Reader, are on an ever more ludicrous quest to find out who is behind it. Along the way, you'll read the tantalizing first chapter of ten, very different, novels, which will set the tone for the scenes that lay ahead in your own journey. You may never find out what happens to most of the protagonists you meet, but that's okay. The joy of reading itself turns out to be the entire point.

Lindsay Fairbrother said:  This modern fantasy classic is as good as people say it is, and I'm not a fantasy reader. The HBO series first got me hooked, but it's nothing compared to the books. George Martin's writing is surprisingly lyrical and beautiful. Don't let stereotypes of fantasy literature turn you off or fool you. This is incredible writing. Martin is a very detailed writer, and the books generally get longer (if you decide to go for the whole series, which I highly recommend), but if you can hang with it, it's worth it.

Tim Ponisciak said:  One of the precursors to Erik Larson's most famous book, Devil in the White City, this story is equally intense. It focuses on Isaac Cline, who worked for the U.S. Weather Bureau, and was tasked with tracking one of the worst storms to make landfall in Galveston, Texas. Storm tracking was in its infancy in 1900, and Larson does an impeccable job showcasing how much rode on Cline's knowledge of the weather.

Kelly R. said:  This riveting story by Mark Sullivan is based on the incredible life of Pino Lella, an Italian teenager who is pulled into the fabric of World War II on an unlikely journey that leads him to become the personal driver for one of Hitler's high commanders. Beautiful writing vividly illustrates the collapse of the war, Pino's secret and suspenseful fight to save innocent lives, and the powerful love that drives him onward. I couldn't put it down.

Kelly R. said:  The story of an astronaut stranded on Mars is thrilling, suspenseful, and surprisingly funny. Bravo to Andy Weir for writing a book that dives so deeply into nitty gritty science, but in an engaging and digestible way. This is a (surprisingly plausible) science fiction novel that will appeal to readers of any genre.