Books are an essential part of human life. They possess so many benefits that reading becomes a necessity for everyone. Some people claim to hate reading books due to various reasons; either they find it boring, they do not have the patience for books or they hate the font in which the book is printed. However, I do not believe that anyone should hate books because there are so many varieties.
There are many captivating stories for those who find books boring, there are short interesting stories for those who do not have the patience for books and e-reading is now available where you can change the font of your book.
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However, another issue could be not reading the right book at the right age. There are some books that should be read at certain times before you turn 20, before you turn 30 and so on. Reading a book at the wrong age does not have any special effect but it could make you hate books since you might not understand the emotions and purpose of the book.
Turning 30 is considered a big landmark in a person’s life. It is the start of a new phase and it may seem daunting to some. After the exciting and discovering phase of the 20s, turning 30 marks the beginning of new goals and more profound career. It may seem difficult trying to navigate a new phase but reading certain books will surely provide help. These books prepare your mind for what is ahead and help to guide you when making decisions.
10 Books You Must Read Before You Turn 30
There are so many books available to read before hitting the age 30. It is impossible to read all of them but some of these books will be discussed below.
- The Corrections by Jonathan Franzen
This novel is set in the mid to late 20th century. It talks about an elderly couple Alfred and Enid Lambert and their adult children. Alfred is diagnosed with dementia and Enid who becomes frustrated tries to bring her family together for Christmas.
Gary, their first child, is a banker who is depressed and has issues with his wife. Chip, their second child, works as a university professor and is fired due to his sexual relationship with a student. He becomes unemployed and tries to make ends meet. Denise, their last child, is a successful chef who ends up losing her job after having a relationship with her boss.
They all come together during Christmas and try to make amends. This story is beneficial to people who are beginning a new phase of life as we see the children all try to navigate their lives as adults. They make several mistakes along the way but the story ends with them making corrections in their lives. Even their mother Enid, begins a new life after being under her husband for a long time. Gary who refuses to accept corrections ends up losing a lot at the end.
This book points out the joy of accepting one’s mistakes, trying to make remedies and moving on.
- To the lighthouse by Virginia Woolf
This book begins when Mr. and Mrs. Ramsay and their eight children take a trip to their summer house. The book is divided into 3 parts: the window, time passes and the lighthouse.
In the window, the Ramsay’s host their other friends at their summer house. We can see a combination of different characters which causes drama at the dinner party. The dinner later goes well and everyone becomes happy with each other. We can also see love and support between Mr and Mrs Ramsay.
The book progresses to 10 years later and things have changed. The book ends with the characters accepting change and trying to move on despite the time that has passed. This book shows people to appreciate things that happen to us because we could end up losing them someday. It also teaches some other lessons for adulthood.
- The mothers by Brit Bennett
This book centers on a young girl who loses her mother in high school and becomes lonely and depressed. She ends up making some wrong decisions which results in pregnancy and abortion. Years later she finds herself contemplating all the choices she made and questioning if they were right or wrong. This book is an interesting and captivating one. It leads young adults to consider all the choices they make while trying to avoid great mistakes.
- The sleepwalker’s guide to dancing by Mira Jacob
This story is set in India, New Mexico and Seattle. The story centers around a family and its problems which stems from a man who moves his family from India to America in search of a better life. Moving forward to the future, a young lady finds herself surrounded by so many secrets in her family. This book is intriguing and mysterious with so many secrets and answers. It should be read by adults because it concentrates mostly on family life and adulthood.
- Wild by Cheryl Strayed
This novel talks about a young lady whose mother dies unexpectedly and this sets off a chain of bad decisions and events in her life. She ends up making a spontaneous decision to go hiking on the pacific crest trail. She discovers herself and finds peace in her life. This book is suitable for adults because it teaches you how to deal with grief so as not to fall into her mistakes, self discovery and forgiveness when things in your life go awry.
- Attachments by Rainbow Rowell
This book talks about a guy Lincoln, who gets a job that involves reading people’s work emails to prevent slacking off. He gets entranced by a conversation between two female workers about their personal lives and falls in love with one of them. This story is suitable for adults because we can see Lincoln who is about to turn 30 still living with his mother and confused about his career choices. The book talks about how his life turns out and how he also falls in love.
- When breath becomes air by Paul Kalanithi
This book talks about the life of the author when he suddenly becomes diagnosed with cancer. He was a neurosurgeon who suddenly became a patient after his diagnosis. He began to question the worth of life after spending so many years in medical school only to become sick abruptly. He also began to see life in a new light and debated so many things in life. This book must be read before 30 because it shows the true face of life. It teaches one to appreciate the little things because while one’s career is important and you spend a lot of time upgrading it, nothing is guaranteed.
- Boundaries by Henry Cloud and John Townsend
As the title suggests, this book talks about setting boundaries in one’s life. It sheds light on the various types of boundaries and why they are important. It also teaches people how to take control of their lives and when to say yes and no to others. This book is essential to transitioning adults because it prepares them for a lot in their future.
- A little life by Hanya Yanagihara
This book centers on four young men who move to New York after college. They all try to improve their careers and become successful. The book talks about their struggles with life and dwells mostly on one of the characters–Jude. It talks in details about his sexual abuse and struggles to overcome it while learning to accept himself. They all end up making it big in their careers. This story teaches a lot of things to someone who is trying to navigate life.
- Adulthood is a myth by Sarah Andersen
This is a collection of comics that talks about adulthood and its misconception. It is often thought that adulthood is wonderful but the truth becomes clear when we start living it. Adulthood is a phase everyone will get to but it is not just rainbows and this is made clear in this book. The book comes in the form of a comic for those who get tired of prose.
Best Books to Read In a Lifetime
While there are certain books that one should read at a particular age, there are some books that should be read at least once in a lifetime. These books are legacies and everyone should try to bask in their literary richness.
- I know why the caged bird sings by Maya Angelou
- Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
- 1984 by George Orwell
- To kill a mockingbird by Harper Lee
- Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
- The lord of the rings by J.R.R Tolkien
- The diary of a young girl by Anne Frank
- The book thief by Markus Zusak
- Gone with the wind by Margaret Mitchell
- Lord of the flies by William Golding
In conclusion, books are one of the best things one can engage in. You can get lost in a good story and also gain many helpful points from a book. Though a person cannot read all the books available even throughout his or her lifetime, it is wise to read some books before clocking a certain age to prepare us for the unknown.
