Hi all,
Today I wanted to share a list of my favorite books about books and reading. I’ve noticed a lot that writers tend to write a lot about reading, assuming because most writers are also readers. And it certainly is great as a reader to read about how great books and reading are. I thought it’d be fun to compile a list of my favorite books that are focused on books and reading, as I imagine fellow book-lovers out there would like them as much as me.
So, here we go.
The Library Book by Susan Orlean
My first and obvious choice. Described as “a love letter to libraries,” this book is about the importance of libraries and the role they’ve played throughout American history. Paired along with a mystery about the burning of a library and who committed that crime, Orlean delves into the importance of libraries as a community hub, the power of books, and issues of censorship. Equal parts informative and entertaining, this is a must-read for book lovers. (link)
The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern
This is a book about a massive, secret underground library system, full of fantasy and adventure and vibes. One of my favorite books of all time, this is a book for the daydreamer, the over-thinker, the reader who wishes they could crack open their book and slip into it’s world. This is also adult fantasy and follows a grad student, so if you’re looking to read something outside the realm of YA, I definitely recommend. (link)
The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
An old favorite, The Perks of Being a Wallflower is definitely a book for book lovers. The main character, Charlie, reads many books recommended by his English teacher throughout the book, which covers about one year’s time. The books, and the English teacher (because we all know English teachers are the best ones) help Charlie navigate his first year of high school. If you haven’t read it, I highly recommend. If you have read it, I recommend a reread, as I feel I get something new from this one each time I read it. This is a must-read book for me, especially for book readers. (link)
Reading Lolita in Tehran: A Memoir in Books by Azar Nafisi
This book is about Nafisi’s secret literature course that she taught to young women in Iran. While reading and discussing forbidden books, Nafisi and her class navigate all sorts of issues such as politics, education, censorship, and marriage. It felt part-class, part-book club to me; what I mean is that in book clubs, often half the conversation is about the book, and the other half is about what members may be going through at the time. Nafisi’s book stressed the importance of having a core group like this come together to support one another, and how books can often open doors to these conversations and relationships, help us understand out situations and the world around us, and offer comfort during difficult moments of our lives. (link)
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
Another popular one, this is a book that begins with a girl stealing forbidden books destined for the pyre. Throughout the book, she shares these books with others and learns herself to read and write and share her own story of living in Nazi Germany. This is another book that deals heavily with censorship and the power not just of books but of our right to read and write and tell our own stories. (link)
Honorable Mentions:
The Magnolia Palace by Fiona Davis
This book does not really deal too much with books, but the love interest is a (hot) archivist who helps the main character solve a decades-old mystery with his knowledge of a museum’s paintings and the history of the family who lived there. So it’s not so much about books but is is about archival paintings and documents. As both a reader and an archivist, I really enjoyed this one and think fellow book and history lovers will enjoy it too. (link)
Babel by R.F. Kuang
This is a book about translation (among other things, of course). While the main plot doesn’t deal with the translation of books, I think Babel says a lot about translation, colonization, regionalization, and systems of power. It was a reminder for me that any translated book, story, poem, anime subtitles, anything, will never be 100% accurate. It made me really rethink translation and my relationship to media that is originally in a language other than English, and also what it means for English to be a dominate language, and what it means for me to be a monolingual speaker, and how that might affect my media consumption. All in all, while not about books and mainstream media necessarily, this book definitely makes you think about all of those things in the real world. It was one of those books that is very entertaining, but also makes you think about the world around you long after you put it down. (link)
Kiss Her Once for Me by Alison Cochrun
This book is largely about a disastrous holiday due to fake-dating and real past flings, but the main character meets the love interest in a bookstore (they both want a copy of the same book, if I remember correctly….) and that has always stuck out to me as being particularly charming as a reader. If you’re looking for a holiday romance to read this year, I definitely recommend this one. (link)
I hope ya’ll liked this list, and maybe found something to add to your TBR! If you know of any books that might fit this topic, please let me know in the comments so I can check them out!
As always, thank you for reading! Be sure to check back next week for something new!
The Infinite Bookcase 