Books to Read Over Winter Break

As you shut the cover to your textbooks and hand in your final exam paper, you are likely to exhale a sigh of relief. Your first (or second!) term has come to an end and you finally have some time to explore things non-academic. Including all that reading you’ve put off until studying was done! Feel free to hide away the college textbooks this winter break, but take care not to shirk away from all reading.

Reading books is key to expanding your knowledge and empathy for various situations, places, and people. Books also have the ability to inspire, excite, and encourage you forward. This is especially important during these college years as you transition into the self-sustained adult you want to be. The following is a quick look at three must-read books for your early twenties, reading material that’s perfect to cozy up to during this upcoming winter break:

3 Must-Read Books to Devour During Winter Break

Difficult Conversations: How to Discuss What Matters Most. Do you dread the Thanksgiving and Christmas Day dinner talks with the extended family? In today’s increasingly politicalized world, it can be hard to talk politics with family or try and discuss new ideas with old friends. Starting and maintaining difficult conversations is a life skill that you will need for both your work and family life. If this is an area you have trouble in, then this is the book to help you move forward.
This Side of Paradise. This was F. Scott Fitzgerald’s debut novel published in 1920, and yet it continues to remain relevant to today’s college graduates. The book follows a young student who struggles with disillusionment post-graduation and examines his journey in and out of romance, money, and social eminence.
Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. This is one of those books that you can read again and again and still find new meanings, inspirations, and interpretations. And no, you don’t have to like motorcycles to appreciate this book. Nor do you need to be an aspiring Buddhist monk. That’s because while this novel by Robert Pirsig features a primary story about a man’s motorcycle journey across America’s western states, at heart it’s a story about finding yourself and living an authentic life. Something that many college students and twenty-somethings struggle to find.
The Hundred Lies of Lizzie Lovett. Follow along as Hawthorne, the quirky and very flawed main character, tries to solve the disappearance (and possible murder!) of a fellow classmate. There’s so many twists and turns that you’ll get whiplash, and it’s the perfect light read for winter break.
Turtles All The Way Down. Aza, the sixteen-year-old main character, gets a bit obsessed with Russell Picket, a fugitive billionaire. But she REALLY needs the award. It’s hard to be a detective, and the facade of perfection she tries so hard to maintain. From John Green, the author of the tear-jerking The Fault in Our Stars.

Have Your Own List for the Winter? Tell Us About It!

Of course, this is by no means the end-all-be-all of winter break reading. The aisles of your local College Station bookstore are lined with books rich with meaning. Before you leave town for the holidays (and even if you don’t), go down and check out Half Price Books on University Drive. This is quite possibly the best new and used bookstore in the region and a great place to spend a couple hours seeking out your next page-turner. Also, let us know you most anticipated winter reading on Facebook!