Recs if you like The Things They Carried...

Books you will find on any given thrift store shelf in the US, for better or worse 😂 For books in a series or by prolific authors, I’ve only included one book so as not to overwhelm the list.

Suggestions welcome!

I think it goes without saying but just in case… I’m not necessarily recommending these books by having them on this list. (In fact I wouldn’t recommend many of these.) This is for fun!

Based on the list/book published in 2006, general editor Peter Boxall.

Project 2025 of the Trump administration included 18 mentions of Venezuela along with China, North Korea and Russia "The US has an opportunity to lead these democratic nations in the fight against these external pressures" The list includes historical books with the addition of a few works of fiction based on stories of a similar political climate, the main themes being • The US history of enforcing foreign governments • The economics of an "empire" • The media of expansion and propaganda

You've built up your skills as an engaged reader - now it's time to start reaping the benefits! Every book on this list was chosen because it's genuinely enjoyable AND hiding something underneath the surface worth finding. The goal isn't to find the "right" answer, but to trust your own instincts as a reader and see where that takes you. Start in your favorite genre - it makes close reading feel like a game, not homework. Happy Reading Boundlings!!

novels where reality bends and distorts, both narrators and memories deceive, and the truth becomes slippery. these stories blur the line between what is real and what is imagined, between fact and fiction, until we are unable to distinguish truth from the author’s own fabrication. a blend of autofiction, historical fiction, and “non-fiction fiction.”

as always welcome to suggestions !

For when you need to wallow in melancholy and misery: a collection of pessimistic, cynical, downbeat, depressing, doom and gloom fiction for my disillusioned friends.

More to come!

Got the holiday blues? Check out my list Christmas with the Cranks!

This list highlights the influential books that have been banned, censored, or widely discouraged at various times and places due to their provocative ideas, controversial content, or challenges to authority. These stories preserve critical thinking, protect intellectual freedom, and remind us why questioning dominant narratives is essential now more than ever.

History is really just a convenient story if it's the government or a company pushing the narrative. Investigative and alternative perspectives to popular history.

Works of fiction that remind of their author's life.

A type of novel among other things called autobiographical fiction as I have learnt.

Recommendations always welcome!

Dive into these historical fiction books that are shorter than 300 pages! Selections here tried to stay away from historical fiction with fantasy or magical realism elements.

As always, open to any suggestions for additions to this list! 🙂

Introspective books by people who observe a lot, ponder a lot, feel a lot, and write about it. Creative memoir, self-indulgent navel-gazing, or "wan little husks" (as Joyce Carol Oates once put it)... whatever you personally think about autofiction, including whether or not it really is a genre, this somewhat experimental form of writing most definitely gives both writers and readers a chance to engage in narratives in a different way.

Books that are banned/challenged most often in the United States, based on data from the American Library Association. Resist censorship 🛑

For the gurlies that want to read more classics but finish in a day

The Vietnam War was the high water mark of American power and prestige. Before Vietnam, Americans believed in the honesty and decency of their leaders, that American values could be easily exported, that our mission would succeed. That faith bled away in the jungles of Southeast Asia. This list covers the origins of the war to its closing consequences, from the Mekong Delta to the Central Highlands to the skies over Hanoi and conference rooms in Paris.

Books that leave a lasting impression long after you’ve returned them to the shelf. Romance is not required to break your heart - this list also includes fantasy, fiction, and nonfiction compiled by my own heartbreak, friends, and social media recommendations to hurt your feelings. Happiness? Don’t know her, I need to call my therapist for a higher antidepressant dose. [Never take these away from me.]

If any of these novels or authors are problematic in any way please let me know.

Can a collection of fragments reveal a hidden masterpiece? Just like a mosaic, the composite novel (AKA novels-in-stories) uses small, distinct pieces to build a singular, striking image (or, in this case, a novel). Note: I’m still reading through these, so we’re exploring together! Some picks may lean toward story cycles (thematic links) rather than the tighter arcs of a traditional novel-in-stories.

The Primary Works section of the Reading List of Thomas C. Foster's How to Read Literature Like a Professor

It's the semiquincentennial! (1776-2026) One book for each of the 50 states, Presidents & First Ladies, other American authors & works of note... (List first published by Summer M. Smith)

Ongoing list of books by Minnesota authors or about Minnesota, the best state in the union.

Books I genuinely enjoy, but likely only read because I thought it would make me look/be smarter