6 Books to Read Outside of School

The ability to read (and enjoy it) is a valuable tool in your academic career and life in general. Reading expands your vocabulary, educates you about various topics and transports you to other worlds. It’s a good idea to read outside of what you have to read for class, especially when you’re able to make your own selections. Check out some of these great reads your English teacher might not assign you and pick one out to read on your own time. 

Five Star Billionaire by Tash Aw

This novel explores contemporary Asian culture and takes place in Shanghai, centered around four Malaysian characters that are all trying to figure out their lives. It explores ideas of finance in Shanghai, relationships, culture, personal discovery and revenge. If this sounds like a book you’d enjoy or covers topics you’re interested in learning about, consider it for your next after-school read. 

The Idiot by Fyodor Dostoyevsky 

A classic by the Russian author, this 1868 philosophical publication follows Prince Myshkin as his goodness and kind heart fail to bring him anything but the pity of others, who see him as unintelligent. Religion plays a major role in the novel, along with some themes that are more personal to the author, including guilt and mortality. If you don’t see this book on your class syllabus, try it out and you’re guaranteed to gain some profound insight. 

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime by Mark Haddon

Now a popular stage production, this book is told from the perspective of 15-year-old Christopher, who has a disability that shapes the way he experiences life and tells his story. In the book, Christopher decides to investigate the death of his neighbor's dog and finds out many shocking details about his family’s life along the way. This novel explores social disability and its unique narrative style provides insight into the life of someone living with a disability as well. When you want a unique read that shows you the inner workings of someone else’s mind, consider this story.

Night by Elie Wiesel

This nonfiction book tells Wiesel’s personal story of what he and his father experienced in a Nazi concentration camp in Auschwitz toward the end of World War II. This is a firsthand account of Wiesel’s life in Nazi Germany. As World War II and the Holocaust are major topics in high school history classes, this supplementary reading can further your knowledge on the time period. Wiesel’s series also has two other books that follow Night.

The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams

One of Williams’ highly acclaimed plays, The Glass Menagerie is narrated by a man named Tom as he goes through memories of life with his mother and sister. A poet who works at a shoe warehouse, Tom explores themes of love and abandonment in this partially autobiographical Williams piece. This classic American play might lead you to check out other important pieces of theater, and can be great to read alongside many of the other American classics you might see in a high school English class. 

Paradise Lost by John Milton

An epic poem of epic proportions, this 17th-century masterpiece tells the classic biblical story of the fall of man. This well-known Milton piece is a great introduction to epic poetry, especially if you’ve yet to read Beowulf. This poem can help you learn about the many religious concepts you might read about in English class, as well as their importance to literature and how religion has shaped the world today. 

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