This year, you’ll want to feed your soul with a series of juicy reads that are sure to challenge your thinking.
Through a wide range of voices and perspectives, these books unabashedly launch you into stories about climate change, the refugee crisis, body positivity, institutional racism, sex workers, mental health, politics …basically everything you need to soak up today’s world.
You are reading: Books that change the way you think
sit back and bury your head in these books that will change the way you think.
atomic habits
by james of course
Ask anyone, anywhere in the world, which book absolutely changed their life and we bet eight out of 10 will say James Clear’s Atomic Habits. If you’ve skimmed through this book, you know exactly what we’re talking about, but if you’re not, you’re in for a cathartic read. The book is exactly what it sounds like, a directory of easy, proven ways to develop good habits and break the ones that don’t work for you. buy it here.
who becomes intelligent: privilege power and knowledge
by bri lee
you may have seen bri lee as a guest on abc’s qanda or you may have read her multiple award winning eggshell skull in 2018. will be challenged, so her new book, Who Becomes Smart: Privileging Power and Knowledge, is absolutely obvious. In a very ‘bri’ way, Lee is able to speak openly about another institution that has been a part of her life as she questions educational systems and her role in serving (as she might guess) privilege, power, and knowledge. it’s a solid read and will have you rethinking western forms of politics and society in a number of ways.
performance
by tara june winch
Say hello to what will undoubtedly be one of the best reads of your life. Written by Wiradjuri author Tara June Winch, The Performance is an exceptional novel of a dispossessed people and culture. Knowing that he will soon die, Albert “Poppy” Gondiwindi sets to writing: He has spent his life on the banks of the Murrumby River and is determined to pass on the language of his people and all that he was ever remembered for. this one also just got the franklin miles award, so go ahead and dig into its pages.
the inner self: the joy of discovering who we really are
by hugh mackay
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It’s not often that we stop and ask “how can I become myself?” hint: this is not a superficial question. The Inner Self is a deeply thoughtful book (one we can’t recommend more highly for 2020) and dives into how, with all the white noise going on around us and the distractions we face on a day-to-day basis. , we can actually achieve psychological freedom. Trust us, this is a powerful read and you can look forward to closing that final page with a whole new perspective on your life.
our house is on fire
by greta thunberg
we’re sure you know climate change advocate greta thunberg. At age 11, his parents realized that he had stopped eating and speaking, and, along with his diagnoses of autism and selective mutism, they slowly became aware of another source of his anguish: his future in jeopardy on a planet that is changing. heats up quickly. Guided by her determination to understand the truth, the family begins to see the deep connections between her own suffering and that of the planet.
willa & hespe
by amy feltman
in willa & hesper, two young people fall in love. when they fall apart, they take the same path to heal from their brokenness, seeking answers in the lands of their ancestors. From Tbilisi, Georgia to the war sites of Germany, discover what can be broken and what can be fixed when you look back to understand where you are now. Told from alternate perspectives and ending in the shadow of the trump presidency, this book is an epic read and one you need to avoid, stat.
growing up aboriginal in australia
by anita heiss
As challenging as this one can be, Growing Up Aboriginal Australia is an absolute must read. Gathering the perspectives of many people including Tony Birch, Adam Goodes, Deborah Cheetham, Terri Janke, and many more, this groundbreaking anthology reveals, to some degree, the impacts of invasion and colonization: on language, on country, on ways of life, and how people are treated on a daily basis in the community, the educational system, the workplace, and friendship groups.
the coconut kids
by vivian pham
Set in 1990s Cabramatta, Sydney, The Coconut Children follows the story of Sonny and Vince. the duo are two Vietnamese teenagers, one an avid reader, the other fresh out of reform school. their love story is an honest and complex portrait of the impact of the vietnam war, filled with sexual trauma, violence and drugs. Written by 19-year-old Vivian Pham, this is a moving performance partially inspired by her father’s refugee experience.
barracuda
by christos tsiolkas
where do we start with the barracuda? This book is an unflinching look at modern Australia that encompasses concepts of class, sport, politics, migration, and education. it is a strong focus on identity. danny kelly has only had one dream, to win olympic gold in swimming. however, his parents fight to send him to the most prestigious private school with the best swimming program and there they reject him as an outsider. this book ultimately looks at what it means to be a good person. It can be brutal, but we guarantee you won’t be able to put it down.
come: memories
by rita teresa
rita is an escort, one of the best in australia and enjoys how taboo her life is. However, after significant tragedy and trauma, the line between Rita’s persona as a “gia” sex worker and her true self begins to blur in an endless cycle of pain, work, sex, love, and heartbreak. but fear not, this is a darkly funny narrative and a super refreshing read.
palette: the beauty bible for women
by funmi fetus
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Innovative, one-of-a-kind, influential – these are just a few of the words that have been thrown onto the palette: the beauty bible for women. The idea for the palette came to Vogue, contributing beauty editor Funmi Fetto, after years of being asked by friends, family and strangers on the street for advice on suitable products for women of color, who are often left out of coverage. conventional beauty. feto, in 320 pages of goodness covers every hair, skincare, makeup and body product available today that really works for women of color.
the future we choose: surviving the climate crisis
by christiana figueres and tom rivett-carnac
The climate crisis is the biggest threat facing humanity, so it’s understandable if you’re feeling a little hopeless about the whole thing. its authors describe two possible scenarios for our planet. In one, they describe what life on earth will look like by 2050 if we don’t meet the Paris climate goals. in the other, they expose what it will be like to live in a regenerative and carbon-neutral world.
the collected schizophrenias
by esme weijun wang
in a series of essays, esmé weijun wang shares her experience of living with chronic lyme disease and schizoaffective disorder. Wang notes that it’s rare to hear stories of people with mental illness directly from the source rather than from a caregiver’s point of view. she tackles everything from how the health care system fails the chronically ill to fighting the stigma of mental illness through outward appearance.
pleasure activism
by adrienne marie brown
If you thought your relationship with politics didn’t need healing, think again. In this mind-blowing read, Adrienne Marie Brown will challenge you through a series of short essays to rethink the ground rules of activism around sex work, climate change, race, gender, and drugs. she absolutely flips the table and reworks the standard narrative most people have with politics, instead of sharing how it can actually make you feel good. It sounds complicated, but it really isn’t.
big: stories about life in plus size bodies
by christina myers
pop culture stereotypes, shopping frustrations, fat jokes, and health misconceptions are all ways society systematically rejects large bodies. big is a collection of personal and intimate experiences of plus size women, non-binary and trans people in a society obsessed with thinness. Revealing ideas that are at once funny and traumatic, surprising and challenging, familiar and unexpected, 26 different writers explore body image, fashion, fat activism, food, sexuality, diet culture, motherhood, and much more. plus.
and here are a bunch of the most inspiring travel books to dive into.
image credit: urban list
editor’s note: urban list editors independently select and write about things we love and think you will too. urban list has affiliate partnerships, so we earn revenue from your purchase.
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