How about that for an ambitious title? 18 Books Every 18 Year Old Should Read? really? every 18 years? should? where do I get to be so tall and powerful on a subject so subjective and endlessly debatable? fuck me, right?
well, no. don’t fuck with me because I’m writing this for myself as an 18 year old and pretend it applies to everyone (because it probably does).
You are reading: Good books for 18 year old male
why? well, age is kind of an arbitrary number but also an important one.
18 is an important age in many countries. even cultures that consider you an adult in your early teens or forbid you to drink until your 20s still place a lot of importance on the age of 18.
18 is that age where we are on the cusp of adulthood. our hormones are still going a little crazy. We’re probably considering burying ourselves in a ton of debt so we can have a 4-year hangover and a piece of paper that says “ba in communications.” and we’re probably totally arrogant little shits who piss off the older generation to no end.
so this list is my list of literary love letters to my 18 year old self.
dear ben, 18 years old,
Read these books, you arrogant, ungrateful little bastard. they could make you a better person.
sincerely,
your older self a little less arrogant and a little more grateful.
i. Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor E. frank
man’s search for meaning is the most devastating and life-affirming book you will ever read.
depressed?
anxious?
Suffer under the weight of first world problems?
suffering under the weight of real-world problems?
reading for the meaning of man is the cure for them all.
It really puts life into perspective.
This book taught me that:
- “he who has a why to live can bear almost any how”.
- Without hope, that is, without a future, death will come soon.
- “ man’s salvation is by love and in love.”
- you can resist the influence of your environment.
- there is meaning in suffering.
- you can get used to anything.
… and much more.
I can’t even begin to scratch the surface of how essential this book is for every human being to read.
my book review is here:
- 7 lessons learned from man’s search for meaning by viktor e. frankl (book review)
You can read the man’s search for meaning here.
ii. the millionaire fastlane by mj demarco
If I had read The Millionaire Fastlane by MJ DeMarco just 4 years earlier, I would have skipped the idea of going to Oxford.
I read this book when I was in a state of post-college float and uncertainty. I was wandering around the world supposedly without a care in the world, but actually with a lot of background anxiety about what the hell do I do with my life?
I read this book on a long-haul flight from Tokyo to London. i got on that plane in japan as one man and got off the plane in england a very different man.
To say that it changed my life is an understatement. he fucked my old life, my old worldview, into submission and presented me with a shiny new one. a life where suddenly I was in the driver’s seat.
I’m not very rich or successful yet. but I’m fine getting there. And I have mj demarco to thank.
You can read the millionaire fast lane here.
iii. the power of now by eckhart tolle
Some of the best experiences of my life have been a direct result of practicing the philosophy of mindfulness outlined in Eckhart Tolle’s The Power of Now.
experiences like watching a horse move gracefully in a field. or listening to holst’s planets all the time with tears of joy in my eyes.
These experiences sound simple, but the joy that comes from reading The Power of Now is the ability to turn the simplest pleasures into the greatest pleasures.
The Power of Now takes the best life lessons from powerful spiritual religions like Christianity and Buddhism and shows you a super applicable way to integrate them into your life.
the result of reading the power of now?
- more satisfaction
- more inner peace
- lightning moments
You can read the power of now here.
iv. dharma bums by jack kerouac
on the road is good, but dharma bums has the same passion for life as kerouac’s masterpiece, except more condensed, more readable, and more motivating.
dharma bums is the book to read when you feel like life is getting too serious.
This book makes you want to “go climb that mountain.”
when you feel the weight of responsibility and work weighing you down, dharma bums is a gentle push towards zen, creativity, art and nature.
kerouac is actually wasted on youth. so be sure to continually revisit it throughout its life. especially whenever you find yourself feeling like he’s too teenage for you. that’s a warning sign.
you can read dharma bums here.
v. how to stop worrying and start living by dale carnegie
There are so many periods in my life that have been clouded by unnecessary worry and stress.
and all of them, yes all of them, could have been avoided entirely if only i had read how to stop worrying and start living before dale carnegie.
I recommend this book to people who are stressed out and then get frustrated because they don’t really bother to read it.
With this book, you have the magic key to a relatively stress-free life in your hands.
It’s a workbook, although it looks like a typical self-help book, so you have to cover it in writing, take notes, reread all the chapters, and basically go back to it.
Whenever I find myself stressed these days, the best thing I can do is gently remind myself to re-read certain chapters in Carnegie’s book.
You can read how to stop worrying and start living here.
how to get these books for free:
all of these books have excellent reads on audible. Sign up through this link and you’ll get 2 free audiobooks and 2 free Audible originals today. you can even cancel right away and keep the free books.
vi. Marcus Aurelius Meditations
I used to read a lot of philosophy.
nietzsche, schopenhauer, kant…
all it did was make me miserable.
See Also: Skills & Skills Books – State of Decay 2 Walkthrough – Neoseeker
but then I got to the Stoics. particularly the meditations of Marcus Aurelius. Now this is a philosophy that really pays off.
You won’t find existentialist, nihilistic, depressing, naval-eyed nonsense here.
meditations was written by one of the greatest emperors of Rome. It was written solely for the benefit of Aurelius himself and was never intended for others to see. As such, it is an intensely powerful guide to managing stress when facing crises at the macro and micro levels.
I recommend reading a new “meditation” every morning to start off on the right foot.
I’ll start with one of my many favorites:
“when others blame or hate you, or people express similar criticism, go into their souls, go inside and see what kind of people they are. you will realize that there is no need to be tormented by the anxiety that they have a particular opinion of you.”
You can read the meditations here.
vii. moby dick by herman melville
everyone should have read at least one good book.
why not make it one of the best, if not the best, book in the history of world literature?
moby dick is an enormous feat of literature and art.
reading moby dick is experiencing a Wagnerian opera, getting lost in the louvre and feeling the touch of our collective humanity, all in one.
I suggest reading a page or two a day and living with moby dick for the long haul.
it will revitalize you.
you can read moby dick here.
viii. i’m malala for malala yousafzai, christina lamb and patricia mccormick
malala is one of the most admirable, courageous and respectable people I have ever read about.
She is the young woman who stood up for education and women’s rights and was shot by the Taliban for doing so.
If each of us could share an ounce of the courage and conviction she possesses, the world would be a tremendously better place.
Whenever you find yourself complaining about some small first world “injustice,” malala’s story is sure to give you a bountiful dose of perspective and motivate you to do better in your life.
We live in a society with many rights. I would like to see copies of malala’s books distributed in schools so that we can grow up with a true sense of what is important in the world.
you can read i’m malala here.
ix. cash advertising by draw eric whitman
ca$hvertising is a great book. It’s not the best book in the world, but it had to include something that taught advertising.
I could have recommended the influence of cialdini or brian tracy’s psychology of sales. no matter. the important point here is that you have to read something about selling.
I used to think selling and advertising were bad.
then I fucking grew up.
everything in the world is advertising. from how you sell yourself to employers, clients, love interests, friends to how you can persuade others to live a better life.
advertising and sales, when they come from a good place, are a very good thing and the most useful thing you could learn.
Why don’t they teach you how to sell in schools?
because they want them to be mindless consumers. take, take, take.
learn to sell. Learn to be a producer. Learn to give back to the world.
you can read ca$hvertising here.
x. The 5 Love Languages by Dr. gary chapman
If you complain about having “relationship problems” but then refuse to take my advice and read this book… I don’t want to know.
The 5 Love Languages is one of those rare books that blurs the view of the world.
Reading it instantly improved not only my love life, but also the way I communicate with everyone.
The most important thing this book taught me is that there are many different ways to show love. Just because someone doesn’t use the words “I love you” doesn’t mean they aren’t yelling at you otherwise you’re missing out.
according to the book, the 5 love languages are:
- giving gifts
- physical contact
- spending quality time
- acts of service (devotions)
- words of affirmation (eg “I love you”)
then your love language could be “words of affirmation”. you show love to your partner with the words you use. as such, you expect me to use words.
but does he give you gifts often? does it touch you a lot? Do you always initiate dates (spend time together)? Does he do things for you (like fix you something to eat or give you a back rub)?
This book makes you realize that you are surrounded by loved ones. it also teaches you how to show love to those close to you in the “love language” they speak.
You can read the 5 love languages here.
xi. cal newport deep work
We live in a distracted world.
how can someone do something with grindr, pinterest and brony forum notifications?
To be honest, before reading Cal Newport’s in-depth work, I’m surprised I did anything.
but now, after applying your “deep work” methods, I have been able to…
- learn Japanese
- learn computer programming
- write several complete novels
Whether you decide to screw up your life and go to college or do the sensible thing and start a business for yourself, or dedicate your life to any intense and competitive passion, deep work is a must read.
read more:
- how to do more by working less: deep work by cal newport (book review)
You can read the deep work here.
xii. voices of chernobyl by svetlana alexievich
you may have noticed a common theme in this list.
I like and appreciate books that put life in perspective.
books that force you to stop complaining about your own comfortable position and see a side of life that is made of nightmares but is a reality for many people around the world.
voices from chernobyl by nobel prize winner svetlana alexievich, besides being a unique work of art, is such a work.
The book tells the story of the worst nuclear reactor meltdown in history from the real-life accounts of people who experienced hell.
See Also: Books for Visually Impaired | Audio Books for Blind People | Braille Institute of America, Inc
This is one of the most brutal, revealing and emotional books I have ever read.
you can read the voices of chernobyl here.
xiii. ray bradbury tells 100 of his most famous tales
Why am I suggesting a storybook to every 18 year old?
well… what i really suggest is that you take the bradbury trio challenge and read 1 story, 1 poem and 1 essay every day for the next 1000 days.
I know that sounds very difficult. so let’s start easy and just read a storybook.
a short story a day = 10 minutes.
but with just 10 minutes a day, at the end of 100 days, you’ll have more creativity than you’ll know what to do. your mind will be filled with new ideas.
and why bradbury?
well i chose bradbury because he is the master of the short story. his stories exude verve and joie de vivre. he understands the human condition. he writes great sci-fi “what if” stories that really make you think. and he is fucking funny.
but feel free to choose another author (i also recommend alice munro as another short story teacher) or an anthology.
the point is = a short story every day. You’ll thank me later.
you can read the bradbury stories here.
xiv. a blow to the side of the head of roger von oech
here’s another great book to stimulate creativity.
Creativity is important because soon all manual and data entry work will be taken over by robots.
the only thing they can’t program (yet) is creativity.
so you better spend your time being super artistic and then learn a bit of business skills so you can sell your art to the world.
a bump on the side of the head is a great book for thinking differently. is packed with fun little thinking exercises that really get your mind working.
In fact, I had to stop reading it before bed because I felt like my brain was growing. and that distracted me while I tried to get carried away in the land of sticky sheets.
Instead, now I like to read a creativity exercise before I get in the shower. I think repetitive motion and problem solving go well together.
and by repetitive movements I obviously mean lathering the soap… not the other.
You can read a bump on the side of the head here.
xiv. lincoln in the bard by george saunders
lincoln in the bard is one of the most moving, emotional and unique books I have ever read.
and the world, particularly the united states, needs this book more than ever right now.
If you hate your neighbors for their political or religious beliefs, you need this book urgently.
If you feel alienated from your family and friends because of opinions, you desperately need this book.
review of my book:
- lincoln in the bard book review
you can read lincoln in the bard here.
xi. the denial of death by ernest becker
death denial completely dismantles human nature and then leaves you with some of the most vital advice you’ll find:
who knows what form the impulse of life will take in the time to come or what use it will make of our anguished search. the most any of us seem to do is model something, an object or ourselves, and let it fall into disarray, making an offering, as it were, to the life force.
This is one of the philosophies I live my life by.
sure, life is full of anguish, confusion and suffering.
but why not make good art and become a good human being just for the sake of it?
You can read the denial of death here.
xii. the rise of theodore roosevelt by edmund morris
Whenever you feel like something beyond your control is holding you back…
maybe you have a disability.
maybe you don’t have a propensity towards a certain effort.
Or maybe you just lack self-confidence and are full of self-doubt.
read about theodore roosevelt.
This is a prime example of a man who could have given up time and time again. he was a sickly child, thin, weak and with severe asthma.
But he didn’t let that stop him from climbing mountains, going on expeditions, writing books, courting the woman of his dreams, and becoming the best goddamn president America has ever seen.
so what’s stopping you?
you can read the rise of theodore roosevelt here.
xviii. your life
This is the most important book on the list.
It’s the book of your life.
or maybe it’s a movie.
or a broadway play.
How would you like your life story to be told in the years to come?
is it a mission? a rags to riches narrative? a love story? a comedy? maybe all of those.
now go live it.
Live a life you’re proud of.
Live a life others will want to read about.
See Also: How Many Books Does The Average Person Read? Best Update [2022]