21 Comments
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Nicholas Tremblay's avatar

Hey Leah, I'm new to your page. Have you read Human Acts by Han Kang? I found it profoundly moving and definitely recommend it if you liked The White Book (which I haven't read yet but do plan to).

The book that impacted me the most is The Dispossessed by Ursula Le Guin. I went into it with no expectations and it completely blew me away. I had no idea that fiction could talk about concepts that are so wide-reaching and expansive, such as how the economic and social systems we live in impact us. Reading it felt like my brain was being unlocked; it inspired me to become a writer and it reminds me of the importance of making sacrifices for the greater good.

Toni Morrison and James Baldwin's oeuvres have also been greatly influential for how honestly they confront social injustice.

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leah beth's avatar

hey, thanks for reading! i haven’t read human acts yet, although i do own it so i should get to it sometime soon. definitely agree with the works of james baldwin and toni morrison - although i still haven’t read beloved, but i can see that ending up on a list like this.

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Paul Evans's avatar

Wifedom by Anna Funder. Systematically - and imaginatively - demonstrating how Orwell and all his male biographers ignored or diminished his first wife’s intelligence, commitment, empathy and hard work.

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leah beth's avatar

ooh sounds great! i just looked it up and i have seen that book around, i love a good non fiction

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em jay's avatar

I Am I Am I Am by Maggie O’Farrell was one of those books that came just when I needed it, at a point where I felt aimless in life it gave me comfort. I would 100% recommend.

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leah beth's avatar

yes such an incredible book! it made my jaw drop multiple times

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Caroline Beuley's avatar

Secret History changed my life too! Now I need to read Know My Name. It sounds so impactful!

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leah beth's avatar

it really is incredible

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Lucia's avatar

I love seeing book reviews on here it makes me so happy

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leah beth's avatar

🫶🏼🫶🏼

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Stacey's avatar

Just reading Jane Eyre for the first time now and I am so taken by Jane’s interiority. Her longing for freedom, her curiosity!! I know it will stay with me

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leah beth's avatar

she’s an incredible character! i love that the book is still on the uk english lit curriculum so young girls get to read about a character like that

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Willow's avatar

Know My Name is one of the best memoirs I’ve ever read

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allie ailis's avatar

The White Book is a masterpiece

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Kanika Pal's avatar

I have The Secret History, Jane Eyre and The Year of Magical Thinking on my list. A great compilation, Leah.

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poppy's avatar

I really wanna read conversation with friends!!!

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leah beth's avatar

you should! it’s my favourite sally rooney novel

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Sarah's avatar

Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier was my Jane Eyre (though I do appreciate Jane very much as well)

The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint Exupery was the first book I remember that moved me, I must reread every other year or so

Animorphs was the first series I fell heart first into and needed the next book asap and it informed a lot about me that I didn’t realize at the time (anti-war, feminist, etc)

I love Jasmine Guillory for being a soft place to land to get back into reading during COVID when I was stuck at home and newly pregnant and panicking over everything—my usual fare was too intense so I tried romance and got her happy yet grounded interconnected stories that let me feel joy

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leah beth's avatar

i vividly remember reading rebecca for the first time! i finished it on christmas eve and i was so genuinely stressed out but had so much fun

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Emma's avatar

I’m currently rereading the secret history and although I loved it first time it’s been so nice rediscovering all the little details I had forgotten!

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leah beth's avatar

yes i always notice something different each time!

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