Are you looking for the best books to read as a high school or college student?
These are 6 of the best books every student should read!
From impactful memoirs to life-changing nonfiction, these are the books that every late teen and early twenty-something student should read.
These books will change the way you think, expand your mind, and help you navigate adulthood. I have personally read all of these books and I would highly recommend them to any other student looking for their next book to pick up.
Tip: You can get a free trial of Audible Plus and listen to many of these books in audiobook form if you prefer listening to physical reading!
These are my top book recommendations for students!
1. Becoming by Michelle Obama
Becoming by Michelle Obama is one of the best memoirs I have read. This is an inspiring and uplifting story from the woman that most people only know as America’s First Lady and wife to former President Barack Obama.
But Michelle Obama’s memoir takes readers way back, decades before she ever dreamed she’d be First Lady. It follows her childhood in Chicago, her ambitious student years in high school, college, and law school, and her career as a lawyer that followed.
Eventually, it gets to the part that we’re all familiar with — where she marries Barack Obama and supports his political career all the way to the White House. But I really enjoyed reading about her early life the most, and I think this is a book all students will enjoy.
2. The Defining Decade by Meg Jay
The Defining Decade is an important book that everyone in their early twenties should read. This book, written by a PhD clinical psychologist, is all about how to make the most of your twenties.
It covers topics like work, friendships, love, personality, and identity and what you can be doing in your twenties to make sure you are designing your dream life and setting yourself up for future success.
A lot of people don’t consider these things in their twenties, so it’s a great book to read that will change the way you think. As the title suggests, your twenties are a decade that will define your life for years to come, so this book contains excellent advice for your early twenties.
3. Educated by Tara Westover
Another impactful memoir that all students should read is Educated by Tara Westover. This story is equal parts heartbreaking and hopeful, and it reveals one young woman’s quest to receive the thing that had been denied to her — an education.
Tara Westover grew up in rural Idaho to Mormon survivalist parents. Her upbringing was dangerous and abusive, and even when she was injured, her parents refused to take her to see a doctor. She also had no access to education. She was “homeschooled” but never went beyond the basics, and she wasn’t able to obtain a quality education.
Despite this, she was able to escape her upbringing and enroll in college, graduating with honors and continuing on to get her master’s degree and doctorate degree. This is an inspiring story that everyone should read.
4. I Will Teach You To Be Rich by Ramit Sethi
The name of this book might sound a little cheesy, but silly name aside, I Will Teach You To Be Rich by Ramit Sethi is one of the best personal finance books out there for young adults.
This is the perfect book to read in your early twenties if you want to get your life in order. So many students think that personal finance knowledge is confusing or unattainable, but that could not be further from the truth.
What I like about this book is that it breaks things down in simple and relatable terms. It’s also very actionable, with a six-week plan you can follow to get your financial life in order. I would highly recommend this book to college students and recent graduates.
5. 101 Essays That Will Change The Way You Think by Brianna Wiest
101 Essays That Will Change The Way You Think is exactly what it sounds like. This collection of essays on various topics will open your eyes to new ways of thinking.
Some of the essays cover interesting topics like pursuing purpose over passion, embracing negative thinking, seeing the wisdom in daily routine, and becoming aware of the cognitive biases that are creating the way you see your life.
This is a great book for busy students to pick up since you can read just a few essays in one sitting whenever you have some extra time. You don’t have to commit a ton of time to reading and many of the essays are very short but impactful.
6. I Am Malala by Malala Yousafzai
I Am Malala by Malala Yousafzai is one of those books that will stick with you for a long time. In 2012, Malala Yousafzai was a 15-year-old girl in Pakistan just trying to get an education in her Taliban-controlled hometown.
One day on her way to school, she was shot in the head by a member of the Taliban for daring to advocate for girls’ education. Miraculously, she survived the attack, and she has continued to speak out in support of education for girls and women across the world from her new home in the United Kingdom.
I really liked getting a glimpse into Malala’s everyday world and it was fascinating and heartbreaking to see how everything changed instantly when the Taliban took control. This is a book that is very eye-opening and important for all students to read.
Books Every Student Should Read
These are some of the best books every student should read, from memoirs that will change the way you think to nonfiction containing practical advice for students.
Books have the power to transform the way we think and improve our lives. The books mentioned above are some of the best ones for students to read that will stick with you for a long time after you turn the final page.
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