as social distancing becomes the new norm, you might find yourself running out of things to watch on netflix. or hulu. or HBO. or any of the other online streaming services (hello… quibi? no one needs that).

while i do believe that TV and movies have valuable lessons to teach us about the human condition, our own emotions, and our relationships with others (and provide a good escape from the world), i think that this is a great time to get back into reading.

or, if you already read a lot, to read even more.

before the internet, reading was the way people passed their time. the way people learned. the way people processed information.

i remember being little and finding the greatest joy in going to the library and plucking books from the shelves. of opening it up in the middle, reading a few passages, and either placing it gently back on the shelf or to drop it into my already-heavy library bag.

i’d sort them into piles once i got home and head to my room to enjoy my new treasure.

(yes, i was a bookworm. obviously)

while you can no longer go into bookstores or libraries because coronavirus, you can order books via amazon, small independent bookstores’ websites, or get an electronic copy on your kindle.

side note: while i do prefer a physical copy of all books, i’m grateful for the kindle my employer has provided me with, especially during this time. it’s an immediate, contact-free way to get books.

hence this article – it gives you my favorite books for whatever mood you’re feeling. whether you’re looking to escape, read the book versions of your favorite movies / tv shows, want some comfort in these crazy times, or need to get inspired to tackle your to-do list / spring clean / dive into personal growth, there’s something for you :)

no shame in crying while you read either. even adam levine does it.

enjoy!

when you’re feeling wanderlust:

“reading can take you places you have never been before.” — Dr. Seuss

Wild by Cheryl Strayed (Pacific Crest Trail)

a book about hiking solo? seems appropriate. beyond that, it serves as a beautiful reminder of what happens when you face your fears and yourself.

A Moveable Feast by Ernest Hemingway (Paris)

this dreamy collection of stories about hemingway’s time in paris will take you to a time of the lost generation.

bonus: A Farewell to Arms (Italy) — i read this while on a train ride in italy. 100% recommend.

Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert (Italy, India, Indonesia)

a trio of countries! who doesn’t love eating and loving? (no comment on the praying, but spirituality or religion can help during tough times.)

The Alchemist by Paulo Coehlo (Spain)

one of paulo coehlo’s most famous books. it’ll leave you in the mountains of andaluisa like the young shepard boy.

bonus: Veronika Decides to Die (Slovenia) — this might sound morbid, but it provides an interesting insight into life as told by a 24-year-old girl’s experience in a mental hospital after deciding to kill herself. based on coehlo’s actual experience.

The Night Tiger by Yangsze Choo (Malaysia)

my co-worker recommended this and it remains one of my favorite southeast asian books to this day. it’s part mystery, part history, part fantasy, and wholly intriguing.

Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (Nigeria)

set prior to the nigerian civil war, this novel jumps between a couple of different times, but tells the tangled (in a good, wonderfully human way) story of twin sisters, a village boy, and the people in their lives.

A Hundred Secret Senses by Amy Tan (China)

i may be biased because i’m chinese, but i think this is an important time to practice empathy and understanding rather than live in fear and blame.

look of “coronavirus memes” or anything along those lines and you’ll see a lot of racially insensitive comments and jokes taken at the expense of the chinese people.

that aside, amy tan is an amazing chinese american writer who ties the feelings of a decidedly chinese american girl to that of her fully chinese half sister. together, they journey back to china and find that things are never as they seem.

Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel García Márquez (Colombia)

garcia marquez does an amazing job of incorporating magical realism into all he writes. this love story is no different. set in a little port city (it’s been theorized that it is cartagena), it’ll bring you to a time of riverboats and lost love.

Ten Years a Nomad: A Traveler’s Journey Home by Nomadic Matt (General Travel)

this is a nonfiction book by the popular travel blogger nomadic matt. it made me nostalgic for my time spent backpacking in europe and gave me a sense of wanderlust, but it also had some really good gems about life in there as well.

when you’re looking for personal growth and inspiration:

“staying vulnerable is a risk we have to take if we want to experience connection.” — The Gifts of Imperfection, Brene Brown

if you want to get into running: What I Talk About When I Talk About Running by Haruki Murakami

this book helped inspire me to train for my first marathon while braving the sub 10 deg F Boston winters. beyond that, it’s a really beautifully worded book on the mental clarity you get while running.

if you’re a perfectionist (or recovering perfectionist): The Gifts of Imperfection by Brene Brown

we can all be hard on ourselves from time to time. especially if you’re a type-A perfectionist-in-recovery like i am. this book teaches you the power of vulnerability, of accepting imperfection as a human trait, and of the courageousness that comes with it all.

if you want to dive into your family history: It Didn’t Start with You by Mark Wolynn

one of my fellow yoga teachers recommended this to me. i found it fascinating — it’s about how your trauma gets passed down through generations (hence the title). it teaches you to look back at your family history and how that impacts your life.

If you want to create habit change: Better than Before by Gretchen Rubin

this is one of my all-time favorite books. it’s about habits, understanding yourself, and how to live a happier, more productive life. it’s not about changing who you are; rather it’s about how to work with who you are and your strengths.

gretchen rubin also has a podcast and other resources on her site if you want to explore more.

bonus: The Four Tendencies — this helps you dive deeper into what tendency you are (learn more on her site!).

if you’re looking to maximize your work potential: Deep Work by Cal Newport

this was a required onboarding read from my current employer, and it’s also one of the books that changed the way i think.

i realized that i already do deep work pretty much every day, but i never knew that this was a word for it. it also helped me organize my day better to prioritize deep work and to not beat myself up for not being able to do deep work all day (because no one can).

bonus: Digital Minimalism — i didn’t enjoy this as much as deep work to be honest, but perhaps that was because i already practice detaching from digital devices quite frequently. if you have trouble doing so, i’d recommend a read.

if you’re curious about how people work: The Laws of Human Nature by Robert Greene

to be honest, i am less than halfway through this. but i read The 48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene a few years back and loved how he used history in tandem with his insights and “laws” to teach you how humans work.

it provides an interesting insight whether or not you choose to use these laws in your favor (to be honest, sometimes it sounds like manipulation aka something a politician would love), because it helps you understand how people, including yourself, think.

note: i recommend buying a physical copy of this book (whereas kindle versions of the other books work better) if you’re a fan of physically annotating books. you can annotate in a kindle, but i find that a little clunkier. if the idea of marking up a book is sacrilegious to you, i’m sorry (not really).

if you want something to help you pass the day and find calm in a crazy world: The Daily Stoic by Ryan Holiday

i was always interested in philosophy and stoicism but found it a hard subject to dig through (flashback to when i took an “ethics of healthcare” philosophy class and found it to be one of the hardest classes i ever took in college.

ryan holiday does a great job of taking quotes from famous philosophers and stoics and breaking it down into day-by-day chunks. he gives his own insight below, leaving room for you to journal if you want (something i do that i learned from the skinny confidential podcast).

the added bonus of it during this time? you can use it as a calendar of sorts so that the days don’t blend together as much as they currently do.

bonus: Stillness is the Key — now is probably the best time to understand how to be still and realizing that stillness doesn’t necessarily mean physically being still. it’s a state of being.

if you want to clean up your finances: I Will Teach You to Be Rich, Second Edition by Ramit Sethi

this can be a tough time financially. the economy has taken a down turn; a huge number of Americans have been laid off or furloughed, and it can be stressful to think about money.

take it from me: avoidance does not help.

take this time to organize your finances and take a real look at what’s going on. then you can take steps to do what you need to do.

i first heard about this on the listen money matters podcast and after reading the book, i agree that ramit sethi is one of the few financial voices / books that is not disparaging, dense, or boring to read.

when things seem hopeless:

"no, the opposite of happiness is hopelessness, an endless gray horizon of resignation and indifference.” — Everything is F*cked, Mark Manson

Everything is F*cked: A Book About Hope by Mark Manson

this was less of an easy read than the subtle art of not giving a f*ck, but it drew in interesting people from history to tell a story about hope in a decidedly unconventional way.

Tiny Beautiful Things by Cheryl Strayed

this is a compilation of letters from strayed’s time as “sugar,” an advice columnist.

Modern Love by Daniel Jones

similar to tiny beautiful things, this is a collection of stories submitted by readers (a new york times column). also an amazon prime TV series.

Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankel

this chronicles frankel’s experience as in the nazi concentration camps during world war II and his theory (logotherapy) that it is not pleasure that drives us, but rather meaning.

My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh

a girl who seemingly has it all, but feels overwhelming alone, alienated, and empty. seems pretty appropriate for this time tbh.

Depression & Other Magic Tricks by Sabrina Benaim

it’s okay to not feel okay. we all need space to face and process our emotions, especially during these difficult times. benaim’s poetry provides a place for us to do just that.

when you need to escape from the present day:

“let us step into the night and pursue that flighty temptress, adventure.” — Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, J.K Rowling

Song of Ice and Fire (Game of Thrones) series by George R.R. Martin

you could rewatch the entire game of thrones series, but then you’d have to rewatch that disappointing last season.

skip the disappointment and read the series instead — season 1 follows book 1 almost word by word, but it starts to change after that.

Sword of Truth series by Terry Goodkind

if you like game of thrones, i recommend this fantasy series. it’s a pretty hefty series, but it was my favorite fantasy series until the song of ice and fire books came along. it also has a TV show (legend of the seeker).

Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling

you’ve likely read the harry potter series. now’s a great time to re-read. it’s deeply comforting to revisit the old world of hogwarts… and to remind yourself that no matter how bad things get, at least you don’t have to deal with a snake-faced, split-soul evil megalomanic.

Gossip Girl series by Cecily von Ziegesar

this is purely an indulgent read. lose yourself in the world of new york city’s richest. bonus points if you watch the TV show too. (apparently there’s a reboot coming soon??)

Circe by Madeline Miller

i’m obsessed with greek mythology and have read 90% of the books on it, i swear. madeline miller does an amazing job of telling one of the villainized women in the odyssey and gives it a refreshingly feminist twist.

bonus: Song of Achilles

American Gods by Neil Gaiman

similar to circe in that this is in the mythology vein. this is set in the modern day world, is a little dark, and tells the story of the old gods who meet the new gods of today’s world.

bonus: Anansi Boys (book 2)

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

definitely dark, but also definitely a page turner. i finished it almost in a single sitting because i had to know who the killer was. (dark without being scary — important because i cannot with horror.)

bonus: Dark Places

when you’re trying to get into the spring cleaning mood:

“the space in which we live should be for the person we are becoming now, not for the person we were in the past.” — The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, Marie Kondo

Outer Order, Inner Calm by Gretchen Rubin

why creating outer order results in inner calm… pretty self-explanatory.

The Minimalist Home by Joshua Becker

so you can declutter your entire home.

The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo

so you can declutter your entire home and feel great doing it.

to read before you watch:

“most of the time, everyone deserves more than one chance. We all do things we regret now and then. You just have to carry them with you.” — Little Fires Everywhere, Celeste Ng

Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng

my friend gave me this book at a conference and it was AMAZING. i love that it’s by an asian woman author, but also because it genuinely is a compelling, mystery-driven story.

watch: Hulu

bonus: Everything I Never Told You

The Witcher series by Andrzej Sapkowski

these books were originally written in polish and have been translated. then they were made into comic books and video games, and now a netflix series.

it’s one of the few shows where i watched the show before i read the books, but either way, it’s good. if you’re a game of thrones fan, i think you’ll enjoy this.

watch: Netflix

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

my all-time favorite book and ultimate comfort read. there’s something just so wholesome about this. if you haven’t heard by now, it’s about the lives of four sisters: Jo, Meg, Beth, and Amy.

watch: Amazon Prime Video (rent or buy)

Crazy Rich Asians series by Kevin Kwan

apparently the 2nd movie is coming out soon! crazy rich asians was a movie that broke all boundaries for asians in hollywood and finally gave us the representation we needed. the books are a delightful read too — think gossip girl but set in asia.

watch: Crazy Rich Asians on Amazon Prime Video (rent or buy)

The Last Letter from Your Lover by Jojo Moyes

if you’ve watched me before you, then you know that magic that is jojo moyes’ romantic storytelling.

watch: Netflix (not yet released; TBD 2020)

Where’d You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple

bernadette disappears. where’d she go???

watch: Hulu

Five Feet Apart by Rachael Lippincott

the return of cole sprouse in film!! but also… really really relevant re: social distancing (but stay SIX feet apart, people).

watch: Hulu

Looking for Alaska by John Green

i actually liked this book more than the fault in our stars (though the movie soundtrack was great). it’s now become TV series.

watch: Hulu

To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han

another win for the asian americans in hollywood. this is what i had wished happened to high school me…

bonus: P.S. I Still Love You (just released on Netflix)

watch: Netflix

Altered Carbon by Richard K. Morgan

a sci-fi book series based on an “anti-hero” and set in the future where humans have basically achieved immortality. it gets wild, in typical sci-fi fashion.

bonus: Season 2 based on Woken Furies

watch: Netflix

All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven

two high schoolers — a popular girl and a boy labeled as a “freak” — are tied together by their desire for death. violet has survivor’s remorse and finch has bipolar, but they end up saving and finding comfort in each other.

watch: Netflix

The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood

i read this a few years ago in college and thought LOL great book, but there’s no way this would ever happen. then all the events from 2016 and beyond happened and… well. here we are.

it’s now a hit Hulu original show (that goes beyond the books, to be honest).

bonus: The Testaments — what happens after the handmaid’s tale. i didn’t enjoy it was much as the first book, but it provided some good closure.

watch: Hulu

Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn

from the author of gone girl comes another edge-of-your-seat thriller that’s now an HBO series featuring amy adams.

watch: HBO

Hidden Bodies by Caroline Kepnes

if you’ve watched the hit TV show you and wanted more, go read this. it’s what the show was based on… though you don’t get the ridiculously-creepy-but-somehow-attractive penn badgley in it.

watch: Netflix

covid-19 reading list

when you’re feeling wanderlust:

when you’re looking for personal growth and inspiration:

when things seem hopeless:

when you need to escape from the present day:

when you’re trying to get into the spring cleaning mood:

to read before you watch: