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Recommendations based on The Lonely City: Adventures in the Art of Being Aloneby Olivia Laing
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Between the World and Me
by Ta-Nehisi Coates
A letter to his son, exploring the realities of racism in America.
“This is your country, this is your world, this is your body, and you must find some way to live within the all of it.” In a profound work that pivots from the biggest questions about American ... (Goodreads)
Just Kids
by Patti Smith
Chronicles of two young artists in New York City, finding friendship and inspiration in each other.
In Just Kids , Patti Smith's first book of prose, the legendary American artist offers a never-before-seen glimpse of her remarkable relationship with photographer Robert Mapplethorpe in the epochal ... (Goodreads)
M Train
by Patti Smith
A memoir of Patti Smith's travels, musings, and creative inspirations, from cafes in New York to graves in Paris.
M Train begins in the tiny Greenwich Village café where Smith goes every morning for black coffee, ruminates on the world as it is and the world as it was, and writes in her notebook. Through prose ... (Goodreads)
H is for Hawk
by Helen Macdonald
A journey of grief and healing, told through the eyes of a goshawk.
Obsession, madness, memory, myth, and history combine to achieve a distinctive blend of nature writing and memoir from an outstanding literary innovator. When Helen Macdonald's father died suddenly ... (Goodreads)
Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life
by Anne Lamott
A witty and honest guide to writing and life, encouraging writers to embrace imperfection and find their own voice.
A newer edition of this title can be found, here., "Thirty years ago my older brother, who was ten years old at the time, was trying to get a report on birds written that he'd had three months to ... (Goodreads)
Consider the Lobster and Other Essays
by David Foster Wallace
Collection of essays exploring the human experience in a humorous, thoughtful and often absurd way.
Do lobsters feel pain? Did Franz Kafka have a funny bone? What is John Updike's deal, anyway? And what happens when adult video starlets meet their fans in person? David Foster Wallace answers these ... (Goodreads)
You Don't Have to Say You Love Me
by Sherman Alexie
A memoir about the troubled relationship between a Spokane Indian father and his son.
A searing, deeply moving memoir about family, love, loss, and forgiveness from the critically acclaimed, bestselling National Book Award-winning author of, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time ... (Barnes & Noble)
On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft
by Stephen King
A series of personal reflections on the art of writing, and the power of story-telling.
"Long live the King" hailed Entertainment Weekly upon the publication of Stephen King's On Writing. Part memoir, part master class by one of the bestselling authors of all time, this superb volume is ... (Goodreads)
The Elements of Style
by William Strunk Jr.
A practical guide to written English, providing guidance on grammar and style.
This style manual offers practical advice on improving writing skills. Throughout, the emphasis is on promoting a plain English style. This little book can help you communicate more effectively by ... (Goodreads)
Weapons of Math Destruction: How Big Data Increases Inequality and Threatens Democracy
by Cathy O'Neil
Exploration of the perils of automated decisions made with mathematical models and big data.
We live in the age of the algorithm. Increasingly, the decisions that affect our lives–where we go to school, whether we can get a job or a loan, how much we pay for health insurance--are being made ... (Goodreads)
Slouching Towards Bethlehem
by Joan Didion
Collection of essays exploring the cultural landscape of 1960s America.
The first nonfiction work by one of the most distinctive prose stylists of our era, Joan Didion's Slouching Towards Bethlehem remains, decades after its first publication, the essential portrait of ... (Goodreads)
A People's History of the United States
by Howard Zinn
An examination of American history from a perspective of marginalized people.
In the book, Zinn presented a different side of history from the more traditional "fundamental nationalist glorification of country". Zinn portrays a side of American history that can largely be seen ... (Goodreads)
We Were Eight Years in Power: An American Tragedy
by Ta-Nehisi Coates
An exploration of the Obama years, and the racial injustices that still plague America.
"We were eight years in power" was the lament of Reconstruction-era black politicians as the American experiment in multiracial democracy ended with the return of white supremacist rule in the South. ... (Goodreads)
Reading Lolita in Tehran: A Memoir in Books
by Azar Nafisi
Memoir of a professor's struggle in Iran, using literature to find freedom.
The book consists of a memoir of the author's experiences about returning to Iran during the revolution (1978–1981) and living under the Islamic Republic of Iran government until her departure in ... (Wikipedia)
The Untethered Soul: The Journey Beyond Yourself
by Michael A. Singer
A spiritual exploration of the soul and its connection to the world.
What would it be like to free yourself from limitations and soar beyond your boundaries? What can you do each day to discover inner peace and serenity? The Untethered Soul offers simple yet profound ... (Goodreads)
The Opposite of Loneliness: Essays and Stories
by Marina Keegan
Collection of essays and stories exploring love, loss, and the complexities of life.
An affecting and hope-filled posthumous collection of essays and stories from the talented young Yale graduate whose title essay captured the world’s attention in 2012 and turned her into an icon for ... (Goodreads)
Persepolis 2: The Story of a Return
by Marjane Satrapi
A graphic novel memoir of Marjane Satrapi's return to Iran after living in Europe, exploring her struggles with identity and belonging.
Note: The summary of the English editions of the novel is divided into two sections, one for each book. Persepolis 1 begins by introducing Marji, the ten-year-old protagonist. Set in 1980, the novel ... (Wikipedia)
The Art Spirit
by Robert Henri
A collection of essays on the philosophy of art, emphasizing the importance of individual expression and creativity.
2019 Reprint of 1923 Edition. From 1915 to 1927, Henri was a popular and influential teacher at the, Art Students League, of New York. He provided for each student not a style so much as an attitude, ... (Barnes & Noble)
My Life on the Road
by Gloria Steinem
Steinem's memoir of her travels as a feminist activist, sharing stories of the people and experiences that shaped her life and work.
Gloria Steinem—writer, activist, organizer, and one of the most inspiring leaders in the world—now tells a story she has never told before, a candid account of how her early years led her to live an ... (Goodreads)
The Year of Magical Thinking
by Joan Didion
A woman's reflections on life and death after the sudden loss of her husband.
'An act of consummate literary bravery, a writer known for her clarity allowing us to watch her mind as it becomes clouded with grief.' From one of America's iconic writers, a stunning book of ... (Goodreads)
The Feminine Mystique
by Betty Friedan
A groundbreaking exploration of the dissatisfaction felt by women in the 1950s and beyond.
Landmark, groundbreaking, classic—these adjectives barely do justice to the pioneering vision and lasting impact of The Feminine Mystique . Published in 1963, it gave a pitch-perfect description of ... (Goodreads)
The Secret History of Wonder Woman
by Jill Lepore
The story of the origins and evolution of Wonder Woman and her creator, William Moulton Marston.
A cultural history of Wonder Woman traces the character's creation and enduring popularity, drawing on interviews and archival research to reveal the pivotal role of feminism in shaping her ... (Goodreads)
Girl in a Band
by Kim Gordon
A memoir of a female rock musician's struggles to find her identity in the music scene.
NEW YORK TIMES, BESTSELLER Kim Gordon, founding member of Sonic Youth, fashion icon, and role model for a generation of women, now tells her story—a memoir of life as an artist, of music, marriage, ... (Goodreads)
The Architecture of Happiness
by Alain de Botton
A philosophical exploration of how architecture shapes our emotions and how we can create living spaces that are both beautiful and meaningful.
The Achitecture of Happiness is a dazzling and generously illustrated journey through the philosophy and psychology of architecture and the indelible connection between our identities and our ... (Barnes & Noble)
Me
by Elton John
Autobiography of Elton John, chronicling his rise to fame, struggles with addiction, and personal relationships.
In his only official autobiography, music icon Elton John writes about his extraordinary life, which is also the subject of the film Rocketman . Christened Reginald Dwight, he was a shy boy with ... (Goodreads)
Trick Mirror: Reflections on Self-Delusion
by Jia Tolentino
A collection of essays exploring the complexities of self-delusion in modern society, from social media to religion.
Trick Mirror is an enlightening, unforgettable trip through the river of self-delusion that surges just beneath the surface of our lives. This is a book about the incentives that shape us, and about ... (Goodreads)
Hunger Makes Me a Modern Girl
by Carrie Brownstein
Music memoir of a punk rock pioneer, her struggles and triumphs in the music industry.
From a leader of feminist punk music at the dawn of the riot-grrrl era, a candid and deeply personal look at life in rock and roll. Before Carrie Brownstein codeveloped and starred in the wildly ... (Goodreads)
Upstream: Selected Essays
by Mary Oliver
A collection of essays on the beauty of nature, and the importance of a mindful life.
Comprising a selection of essays, Upstream finds beloved poet Mary Oliver reflecting on her astonishment and admiration for the natural world and the craft of writing. As she contemplates the ... (Goodreads)
Zami: A New Spelling of My Name
by Audre Lorde
A powerful autobiographical account exploring themes of gender, race, and sexuality.
Audre Lorde grows up in Harlem in the 1930s and 1940s, a child of Black West Indian parents. Lorde is legally blind from a very young age, isolating her even further from her surroundings and a ... (Wikipedia)
