Impactful Books for Young Adults

HaveUHeard of Any of These Books?

Impactful books for mom and dads too! I am that mother, that aunt; that friend, that sister, that always sends books as gifts. I mean, books don’t go out of style, can be read and reread, and may very well be filled with anything from adventure, philosophy, emotion, and imagination. What other gifts can you give that may have all that and more? Giving books to recent graduates, or young adults that may have a little more time on their hands these days may actually impact their lives as they begin their new journey is one of my favorite gifts. Choosing just the right book might provide an impact as well as long-lasting enjoyment. HaveUHeard of any of these?

We think these are pretty impactful and highly recommend:

• How to Skimm Your Life by The Skimm, Elise Randall
• Who Moved My Cheese? By Spencer Johnson, MD- My former boss gave all the employees this book to read as a way to deal with change in our workplace. (also deals with change in our lives- quite apropos these days)
• My Own Words by Ruth Bader Ginsburg
• The Path Made Clear: Discovering Your Life’s Direction and Purpose by Oprah Winfrey
• Becoming by Michelle Obama
• Educated by Tara Westover
• The Defining Decade – Why Your Twenties Matter and How to Make the Most of Them Now by Meg Jay, PhD
• The Tassel is Worth the Hassle – This humorous book is filled with encouraging words and sayings by Anita Wood
• The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom Based on ancient Toltec wisdom, The Four Agreements offer a powerful code of conduct that can rapidly transform our lives to a new experience of freedom, true happiness, and love.
• The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life
• You are a BadAss: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life (part of a 3 book series)

Of course, it’s also nice to send things that may positively influence young adults in other ways. For instance, The Lifechanging Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo, totally helped my own daughter downsize and organize when she moved into a tiny New York City apartment.

Life Lessons

Learning to cook and budget – or both – can be rather advantageous books to read. The idea may sound a bit trite, as do some of the titles, frankly, but the truth is; they are packed with lots of good stuff. The key is making each book appealing enough for someone to crack it open. We like:

• Do Your Laundry or You’ll Die Alone by Becky Blades
• How to Cook Everything: The Basics by Mark Bittman
• The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook by Deb Perelman

Books that may sit on a coffee table can be nice, but only if they have significance. A treasured one that has started many conversations, as well as adventures, is 1,000 Places to See Before You Die by Patricia Schultz. Gmorning, Gnight!: Little Pep Talks for Me & You by Lin-Manuel Miranda is filled with short, inspirational messages. Actually, this may be better suited for one’s nightstand so each new day can be started with motivation and ended with comfort.

Escape with Books

Just a good escape is always nice too. There are many books I have read over the years that have stayed with me. Here are some of the more recent ones:

• Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
• This is How it Always Is by Laurie Frankel
• The Running Man by Stephen King (as Richard Bachman)
• A Woman is No Man by Etaf Rum
• Ask Again Yes by Mary Beth Keane
• American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins
• The Illness Lesson: A Novel by Clare Beams

I have to admit; I love to read. Here’s hoping the next generation will too.

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