20 Good Books for Middle-Aged Women to read in 2024
Discover captivating fiction books tailored for middle-aged women. Explore insightful narratives that resonate with the complexities of middle age.
Welcome to an insightful journey through the '20 Good Books For Middle-Aged Women to Read in 2024,' written by Muhiuddin Alam on the book recommendations and reviews site, ReadingAndThinking.com.
Over the years as a leading Authority, I have written countless articles on the topics of "Books for Women", many of which can be found on this site. I'm also a regular contributor to other websites and publications.
I will recommend some notable books for middle-aged women including here: State of Wonder by Ann Patchett, Hannah Coulter by Wendell Berry, The Girl With All the Gifts by M. R. Carey, The Secret Scripture by Sebastian Barry, Family Trust by Kathy Wang, Inheritance from Mother by Minae Mizumura.
These aren't the only books about this topic. I'm pleased to offer my expert recommendations in this article, which is based on my in-depth study and extensive research in this field.
I provide you with detailed descriptions of each of these outstanding resources, to help you make well-informed decisions in your middle-aged books journey.
When women reach middle age, both psychologically and physiologically, they will be different from when they were young.
Most of the mood will also become upset and irritable, so middle-aged women need to read more to release their stress and achieve a good mood.
Here are a few best fiction books for middle-aged women that are suitable for every woman.
1. State of Wonder by Ann Patchett
Ann Patchett raises the bar with "The State of Wonder", a provocative and ambitious novel set deep in the Amazon jungle. Research scientist Dr. Marina Singh is sent to Brazil to track down her former mentor, Dr. Annick Swenson, who seems to have disappeared in the Amazon while working on an extremely valuable new drug. The last person who was sent to find her died before he could complete his mission.
Plagued by trepidation, Marina embarks on an odyssey into the insect-infested jungle in hopes of finding answers to the questions about her friend's death, her company's future, and her own past. Once found, Dr. Swenson is as imperious and uncompromising as ever.
But while she is as threatening as anything the jungle has to offer, the greatest sacrifices to be made are the ones Dr. Swenson asks of herself, and will ultimately ask of Marina.
"State of Wonder" is a world unto itself, where unlikely beauty stands beside unimaginable loss. It is a tale that leads the reader into the very heart of darkness and then shows us what lies on the other side.
2. Hannah Coulter by Wendell Berry
In HANNAH's twilight years, the children left the farm, and the husband passed away. What is left is the home she and her husband built bit by bit, and the stories and characters of her life, who accompanied her in a rocking chair, night and night Memories.
The first time he read WB's book, he had deep feelings for traditional American farming methods and lifestyles. Very idealistic.
This is his own life background. His father is a lawyer and also runs a farm. WB resigned from the university where he taught, and now runs a farm in KENTUCKY, and writes at the same time.
Many of his novels are based on Port William, starting in 1960, NATHAN COULTER. HANNAH COULTER was published in 2004. Andy Catlett in 2006 is also.
3. The Girl With All the Gifts by M. R. Carey
Melanie is a very special girl. Dr. Caldwell calls her "our little genius".
Every morning, Melanie waits in her cell to be collected for class. When they come for her, the Sergeant keeps his gun pointing at her while two of his people strap her into the wheelchair. She thinks they don't like her. She jokes that she won't bite, but they don't laugh.
Melanie loves school. She loves learning about spelling and sums and the world outside the classroom and the children's cells. She tells her favorite teacher all the things she'll do when she grows up. Melanie doesn't know why this makes Miss Justineau look sad.
The Girl with All the Gifts is a sensational thriller, perfect for fans of Stephen King, Justin Cronin, and Neil Gaiman.
4. The Secret Scripture by Sebastian Barry
Nearing her one-hundredth birthday, Roseanne McNulty faces an uncertain future, as the Roscommon Regional Mental Hospital where she's spent the best part of her adult life prepares for closure.
Over the weeks leading up to this upheaval, she talks often with her psychiatrist Dr. Grene, and their relationship intensifies and complicates.
Told through their respective journals, the story that emerges is at once shocking and deeply beautiful. Refracted through the haze of memory and retelling, Roseanne's story becomes an alternative, secret history of Ireland's changing character and the story of a life blighted by terrible mistreatment and ignorance, and yet marked still by love passion, and hope.
5. Family Trust by Kathy Wang
“American literature knows family about as well as anything else...By now the clichés write themselves. Yet debut author Kathy Wang confidently leans into them, spicing up old stories — the tense reunions and fatal betrayals and dying fathers — with fresh faces.” (Entertainment Weekly)
Meet Stanley Huang: father, husband, ex-husband, a man of unpredictable tastes and temper, aficionado of all-inclusive vacations and bargain luxury goods, newly diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.
Meet Stanley's family: son Fred, frustrated that his years of academic striving (Harvard MBA!) haven't protected him from career stagnation; daughter Kate, balancing a capricious boss, a distracted husband, and two small children; ex-wife Linda, familiar with and suspicious of Stanley's grandiose ways; and second wife Mary, giver of foot rubs and ego massages.
For years, Stanley has insistently claimed that he's worth a small fortune. Now, as the Huangs come to terms with Stanley's approaching death, they are also starting to fear that Stanley's "small fortune" may be more "small" than "fortune."
A "study in the difference between expectation and reality" (npr.org), a bittersweet rumination on what we owe our families, and a sharp-eyed look at Silicon Valley's culture of excess, Family Trust is a "dryly cynical" (Globe and Mail) satire of the American dream.
6. Inheritance from Mother by Minae Mizumura
Mitsuki Katsura, a Japanese woman in her mid-fifties, is a French-language instructor at a private university in Tokyo. Her husband, whom she met in Paris, is a professor at another private university. He is having an affair with a much younger woman.
In addition to her husband’s infidelity, Mitsuki must deal with her ailing eighty-something mother, a demanding, self-absorbed woman who is far from the image of the patient, self-sacrificing Japanese matriarch. Mitsuki finds herself dreaming of the day when her mother will finally pass on.
While doing everything she can to ensure her mother’s happiness, she grows weary of the responsibilities of a doting daughter and worries she is sacrificing her chance to find fulfillment in her middle age.
7. The Leisure Seeker by Michael Zadoorian
One of my favorite books for older women this year. My dream is to study creative writing as an author in the future, and then become a writer. When I am old and dying, I will travel and die on the road like the protagonist.
"The Leisure Seeker" is an odyssey through the ghost towns, deserted trailer parks, forgotten tourist attractions, giant roadside icons, and crumbling back roads of America.
Ultimately it is the story of Ella and John: the people they encounter, the problems they overcome, the experiences they have lived, the love they share, and their courage to take back the end of their own lives. and their courage to take back the end of their own lives. and their courage to take back the end of their own lives.
8. The Murder at the Vicarage by Agatha Christie
'Anyone who murdered Colonel Protheroe,' declared the parson, brandishing a carving knife above a joint of roast beef,' would be doing the world at large a favor! '
It was a careless remark for a man of the cloth. And one which comes back to haunt the clergyman. Just a few hours later- when the Colonel is found shot dead in the clergyman`s study. But as MISS Marple soon discovers, the whole village seems to have had the motive to kill Colonel Protheroe.
The first MISS Marple mystery, one which tests all her powers of observation and deduction.
9. The Summer Book by Tove Jansson
When I finished reading it, a hint of coolness suddenly came, and the summer in Hong Kong began to fade...Tove Jansson's little books for women completely captured me, every day on the island is magnificent!
10. This Is Your Life, Harriet Chance! by Jonathan Evison
'As sweet as it is inventive, profound as it is hilarious, unflinching as it is big-hearted.' Maria Semple, author of Where'd You Go, Bernadette Harriet Chance has spent the last seventy-eight years following the rules... Career girl (brief) Wife (fifty-five years)Mother of two (ongoing)Now widowed, Harriet discovers that her late husband had been planning an Alaskan cruise. Ignoring the advice of her children and wanting to make the most of the opportunity, she decides to set sail.
There, amid the buffets and lounge singers, between the imagined appearances of Bernard and the very real arrival of her daughter, Harriet is forced to take a long look back, confronting the truth about pivotal events that changed the course of her life.
What she will discover is that she has lived the best part of her life under entirely false assumptions. Confronted with the notion that her past could have been different, will she take a second chance at life?
11. Why We Can't Sleep by Ada Calhoun
It's such a good topic, such a good entry point, as a middle-aged woman who also wakes up late at night to seize "her own time", it can't be more empathetic. To be honest, I was rather disappointed to read it.
The book for women interviews ten women and discusses topics such as "occupational crisis", "the role of caring for the family", "divorce", "menopause", "reproductive choices", and "peer pressure", but the effect on paper is embarrassing, such as "the interview leads to Topic” + the combination of the topic’s summary loses the strength of the interview itself and the clear advantages of the summary.
The discussion focuses more on the gains and losses brought about by Gen X, that is, the social environment faced by white middle-class women in the 65-80 generation, and involves far more intergenerational comparisons than gender discussions.
Every Gen X woman should read this book. If you can't find yourself in every chapter, then in most chapters, I bet you can feel that you are writing about yourself. Especially the chapter before menopause, I feel that every sentence hits the heart.
12. The Sleep Revolution: Transforming Your Life, One Night at a Time by Arianna Huffington
The book "Sleep Revolution", just like its title, uses a lot of space to tell us the importance of sleep. Everyone may have their own views on where the importance of sleep should be placed, but the key points mentioned in this book are worth referring to.
Sleep is a necessary means for the brain to clear harmful substances. The book mentions that studies have shown that the human brain produces toxic substances in its daily work.
Due to the limited function of the brain, there is too much information to be processed when a person is awake, so there is no time to clean up these harmful substances. Only in a sleep state can the harmful substances accumulated in the brain be effectively processed.
If these harmful substances are not cleaned up in time, the brain cannot enter the optimal state. In fact, this is a bit like the operation mode of a computer. After a long boot time, there will always be a lot of junk files.
If the CPU is running the program all the time, there is not enough computing power to process the temporary garbage generated. Only when the CPU is idle can the memory and other processes be processed? The same is true for people needing sleep.
The books for women also mention that a good night's sleep will improve one's appearance, which is similar to the Buddhist saying that "phases arise from the mind". One possible reason should be that good sleep is a prerequisite for inner peace.
As mentioned earlier, long-term lack of sleep can lead to overexcitement and inability to concentrate, which naturally cannot achieve a peaceful and peaceful state of mind.
On the contrary, good sleep can keep one's mental state in a good state, and it is easier to achieve a peaceful state of mind. When the mind is calm, it will naturally relax.
For people with poor sleep quality or even those who suffer from insomnia for a long time, the book also gives corresponding solutions. The book points out that when there is a situation where it is difficult to fall asleep. Try meditating or remembering things in your life to be grateful for.
In my opinion, the purpose of both methods is to calm the mind. Recalling the things to be grateful for in life is a very maneuverable thing. If you are troubled by insomnia, you might as well try it. I have always had better sleep quality and haven't tried this yet.
As for meditation, the book only covers one generation, and the author has learned about it in other books.
13. The Women's Room by Marilyn French
In fact, I finished reading it years ago and gave myself a period to digest it. After reading the preface carefully. What should I say? It’s limited to “daily life”.
This book’s definition of women’s roles in society and their personal pursuits are not deep enough, and the whole is not macroscopic, but take a step back and think about it.
Although you need not just shelter, a daring mind to break through, and a brave heart to live in it, I still feel the same as when I first read it. A bit biased, but credit to the author for sharing the stories.
The book I have been reading for several months... covers Mira's life from childhood to forty years old, and the fate of women in the group before and after the divorce.
The first half describes Mira's life as a housewife and other housewives in the same community, which is a bit trivial to read;
In the second half, Mira divorces and goes to Harvard, and the women she meets can give each other encouragement and warmth despite their own difficulties.
Entering a new community to establish connections, gradually getting acquainted with a stable connection, and then the inevitable falling apart seems to be an endless cycle.
The same is true of the fate of women. From being imprisoned in the family to seemingly being able to make choices, the background is always bleak.
The meticulous psychological portrayal of different characters in the book can resonate very much.
14. More Than a Woman by Caitlin Moran
A decade ago, Caitlin Moran burst onto the scene with her instant bestseller, How to Be a Woman, a hilarious and resonant take on feminism, the patriarchy, and all things womanhood.
Moran’s seminal book followed her from her terrible 13th birthday through adolescence, the workplace, strip clubs, love, and beyond—and is considered the inaugural work of the irreverent confessional feminist memoir genre that continues to occupy a major place in the cultural landscape.
Since that publication, it’s been a glorious ten years for young women: Barack Obama loves Fleabag, and Dior makes “FEMINIST” t-shirts.
However, middle-aged women still have some nagging, unanswered questions:
- Can feminists have Botox?
- Why isn’t there such a thing as “Mum Bod”?
- Why do hangovers suddenly hurt so much?
- Is the camel toe the new erogenous zone?
- Why do all your clothes suddenly hate you?
- Has feminism gone too far?
- Will your Do List ever end? And
- WHO’S LOOKING AFTER THE CHILDREN?
As timely as it is hysterically funny, this memoir/manifesto will have readers laughing out loud, blinking back tears, and redefining their views on feminism and the patriarchy.
More Than a Woman is a brutally honest, scathingly funny, and absolutely necessary take on the life of the modern woman—and one that only Caitlin Moran can provide.
15. An Elderly Lady Is Up to No Good by Helene Tursten
Just finished reading the first story, and the feeling is that the quiet old lady meets an annoying neighbor. Finally decided to drop by, eh? How did you kill him!? Why does the old lady seem to do it on purpose?
An 89-year-old granny who lived alone easily killed three people in succession and escaped legal sanctions. A novel that can be read in one sitting in two days. An 89-year-old lady by herself killed 3 people in a row easily. How sad, cold, and bold.
It’s so interesting don’t mess with the old lady, otherwise, she will kill you and then get away with it, isn’t the old lady’s physicality too awesome?
I was really shocked by the last story, and it’s okay to get away with it Pretending to be old and confused and weak and hard of hearing, she has no worries about food and clothing, is healthy, and can often travel alone in his later years. The single life is so ideal. I envy him all the way.
16. Breathing Lessons by Anne Tyler
I bought it without thinking because of my trust in Anne Taylor. I know that she will choose the most unremarkable scenes and the most subtle narratives in ordinary life to hit a point in the reader's heart with the same amplitude and let the annoyingly familiar life pictures awaken the readers' deepest and unfathomable thoughts.
The protagonist of "Breath, Breathe" is a kind-hearted, reckless middle-aged woman Maggie. The 200,000-word length actually tells about her one-day experience.
She and her husband went to the funeral of their best friend and husband and visited After her son's ex-wife and daughter convinced them to come home with her, then the son and ex-wife's expectant reunion and disappointment at her home, Maggie ultimately failed to make life the way she envisioned.
Between the transitions of different scenes, Anne Taylor undoubtedly inserted a large amount of memory and psychological activities and showed the reader Maggie's life in front of readers.
This woman is enthusiastic, kind, sloppy, and clumsy, but She has the kind of wisdom of the heart that George Gissing said, her life is neither great joy nor great sorrow, we can understand all her emotions, and she is just like us, what she is looking for all day long is love—— ——Giving love and receiving love, understanding her emotions, is actually insight into ourselves.
Exhale, inhale, gain, lose, there are many times when we can't seem to face everything in life, some things make us breathless, and some things make us hold our breath, Taylor binds the characters in precise details.
In the most real and clear scenes of life, from the brand of canned soup to the lyrics of popular songs, in this extremely real background, we find helplessly that the only true meaning of life is to live and die.
I think Annie is actually saying that life is an irreversible journey. The travel expenses are paid by God, and the journey is ordered by God. No matter what we encounter on the road, as long as we don’t reach the end, we can’t stop moving forward.
17. Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov
Lolita, the wayward little goblin. I like her very much. Only she can casually eat cherry chocolate ice cream after torrential rain, look at you with seductive eyes, and giggle. Charming without bones.
On that afternoon many years ago, if it wasn't for her, lying in the garden innocently looking at the picture album, water splashing through the light yellow skirt, there would be no long-term fascination for future generations.
She is a little demon girl, and the biggest career in her life is to make people fascinated. I took her all over the United States, and even though the hero ended up badly, I still think he has no regrets in his life.
The only pity is that the little demon girl did not die well, and the ordinary life she chose after the splendor did not allow her to return to stability. Seeing her in full bloom, I was deeply saddened.
I can't wait to go back to the beginning of the story, everything has not yet started, everything can still be expected, everything is still the sun rising, and not afraid of sunset.
On a rainy night, I finally finished the part where Lolita met for the last time. It hurts to see. I have always believed in the concept instilled in the 97 movie version,
that is, I believe that Lolita is a savage girl who indulges in life and does not cherish herself, and believes that Humbert's love is sincere and deep. So I have always agreed, and I agree with all sincere love.
However, after reading that chapter, Humbert was finally willing to admit his heart, which also forced us, readers, to finally wipe our eyes to know the real Lolita.
That capricious, rude, rough nymphet, her deep confusion, her suppressed tears, her inner world that she never revealed, "my most conformist Lolita finally understood: a No matter how messy a family is, it is better than unclear incest.
And the latter is actually the only thing I can give this homeless child.". "He just broke my heart and you ruined my life". This girl who died at the age of seventeen did not know when the only happy life she lived was.
Humbert's unforgivable lies in the fact that he knew Lolita's pain but did not save it, to satisfy his own selfish desires, regardless of the other's feelings.
Even if he really loves her, he can't forgive his selfishness. All those who are in love should also keep in mind, don't think that you have given the other the best world, but you don't know that it is not the case in the eyes of the other.
18. Less by Andrew Sean Greer
I really like the tone of this novel. On the one hand, It was told in a direct and detailed way that as a reader, I could depict the scene with flesh in my mind. On the other hand, despite the closeness, all the Emotions in the story are still slightly detached from their readers.
I am amazed by the descriptions in the novel. Vivid, intriguing, filled with humor and imagination. Although I was bored once or twice by the long and seemingly endless murmuring of the scenes and memories, how I wish I could have the ability to write like this!
If there is anything I feel the novel is unsatisfying, I believe it is the unclear theme of the novel. Undoubtedly the author has a lot to say and indeed has said a lot of things deep and meaningful, but I am not sure what the author really wanted to convey, or what the core of the novel is.
The author seems to copy and paste all kinds of his feelings throughout the entire novel, rendering the story a melting pot of various ideas, but no outstanding flavor.
Some paragraphs about writing, some sentiments about getting old, some paragraphs about love, some stories about travel, and some retrospection about youth... They are scattered somewhere or other in the novel and wait for readers to discover and pick.
Thus, I think every reader will finish the novel with a different feeling, and different readers may think of the themes differently.
19. Ivanhoe by Walter Scott
This book describes the religious conflicts caused by different ways of belief in the Middle Ages, the corruption of the Christian church, the use of religious power to turn black and white, the crime of witchcraft to cover up the persecution of heretics, the embarrassing situation of Jews being displaced, and why they were arrested.
Christians discriminate so much, and of course, the Christian Church does this to all pagans, but not all of them.
The conflict left over from history between the Normans and the Saxons is also the background of the novel. The vivid portrayal of historical figures such as Lionheart and Robin Hood shows the power of chivalry and justice.
Although the novel is fictional, it expresses the author's hope for peace, and humanitarianism and humanism are fully displayed in this book.
Athelstan's resurrection does seem a bit abrupt. Personally, I think it would be better to write him dead. Although he is lazy and unambitious, the bloodiness shown at the critical moment of life is more real, which is embarrassing.
Brian is a complex character worthy of analysis. This is how his death is described: "He was not stabbed to death, he died in a fierce struggle of his own emotions."
His identity does not allow him to be with pagans At the same time, he chose to obey the corruption of the church, but he didn't agree with it, which is a bit pitiful. If he lived in another era, he might gain love.
I don't know when and why I bought the book. This is a historical novel worth reading. It can give you a good understanding of the history of Britain in the 12th century. The story is complete, but it feels a bit short and unsatisfactory.
20. The Sense of an Ending by Julian Barnes
History is that certainty produced at the point where the imperfections of memory meet the inadequacies of documentation. A smart and brilliant statement.
A historian of early Christianity quoted the line in her lecture--this inspired me to read the book. up memories about the enigmatic life. A well-written novel.
Memory is like the black box of an airplane. The memory will be cleared automatically after a safe and sound flight, and what can be seen is often the problematic part.
This is a book about memories. The first part can be called fluent, a person's life flows into the tip of the pen through his own dictation.
What kind of person is this? A calm life, still a sincere reflection, in general, this is an above average person, not annoying, not interesting, and occasionally likable.
Then comes the second part, where the mystery arises. Is everything we remember really what we think it is? Are those who have hurt us and fought against us really so hateful?
I thought I knew how to think, I thought I was not a mediocre person, but in fact, it is just that I live such a mediocre life.
When Tony started to face his life again, he must have been moved and wept bitterly. God, I am so sincerely introspective, I am so willing to understand others.
The ending is a resounding slap in the face of everyone. As for whether they will wake up, I am pessimistic.
Conclusion: Finding Balance in Middle Age: Insights from Literature and Life
When women reach middle age, various life problems will follow. The aging or even departure of parents, the growth of the next generation, the pressure of one's career, and other problems can make women feel fear and anxiety, and even rethink the meaning of life.
After experiencing years of burning passion and expressing sorrow at a young, their mentality begins to become stable, and their life perceptions also increase.
My suggestion is, once you get away from rice, oil, and salt, read some history and philosophy!
As life enters the next stage, you should make a summary for yourself and think about the future.
I think that women are in middle age, have life experience, and have precipitation if you want to push, you will push the classics, if you want to see, you can see that the polishing of so-called masterpieces is fun for people of all levels.
The above are 20 books that are suitable for middle-aged women brought by Inspiration. I hope you like them.
Books for Middle-aged Women: Focusing on Genre and Themes:
Popular books
Some popular book recommendations for middle-aged women include:
- The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce
- The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
- The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
- Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
- The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
- The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson
- The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
- Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
- Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
- Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
- To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
- The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
- Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty
- The Little Paris Bookshop by Nina George
- The Red Tent by Anita Diamant
- The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin
- A Single Man by Christopher Isherwood
- In Our Prime: The Invention of Middle Ages by Patricia Cohen
- In Midlife by Murray Stein
- Summer Hours at the Robbers Library By Sue Halpern
- Dirt Music By Tim Winton
- Love Among the Recipes By Carol M. Cram
- The Sportswriter by Richard Ford
- Gray Hair Don't Care By Karen Booth
- The Slaves of Solitude By Patrick Hamilton
- To Throw Away Unopened
- The Rough Patch
- Mrs. Fletcher
- The Dangerous Age
- Lost Connections
- Hard to Love
- Blackout
- The Antidote: Happiness for People Who Can’t Stand Positive Thinking
- Menopause Confidential
- Flash Count Diary
- Aroused
- Hot and Bothered: Women, Medicine, and Menopause in Modern America
- The Book of Longings
- Naamah
- Rodham
- Hamnet
- The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie
Best books for book club
Here are some books for middle-aged women to read with their book club:
- Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
- The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
- The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab
- The House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune
- The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon
- The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
- The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
- The Help by Kathryn Stockett
- Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
- The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
- The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson
- The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Fiction books
Here are some more good fiction books for middle-aged women:
- The House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune
- The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
- The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
- All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
- A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles
- The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead
- The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen
- Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng
- Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
- The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon
- The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
- A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini
Historical Fiction
- Pachinko by Min Jin Lee
- The Alice Network by Kate Quinn Davies
- The Kitchen House by Kathleen Flynn
- Cilka's Journey by Heather Morris
- The Paris Orphan by Katharine McMahon
- The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah
- Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood
- The Huntress by Kate Quinn Davies
- The Personal History of Jane Maxwell by Hilary Mantel
- The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
Uplifting Books
- The House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune
- Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman
- The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
- Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery
- The Hundred-Foot Journey by Richard C Morais
- The Color Purple by Alice Walker
- Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
- When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi
- Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom
- The Light Between Oceans by M. L. Stedman
Funny Books
- Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan
- The Wife of the Rabbi by Rabbi Lynn Bretheim
- Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams
- Furiously Happy by Jenny Lawson
- The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson
- Bridget Jones's Diary by Helen Fielding
- She Writes a Murder by Jessica Brody
- The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde
- Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris
- Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty
Mystery Books
- The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman
- The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides
- Behind Closed Doors by B.A. Paris
- The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson
- Verity by Colleen Hoover
- One by One by Ruth Ware
- The Local by Sarah Stewart
- Lucy Foley's novels (The Guest List, The Hunting Party)
- The Dry by Jane Harper
- Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson (Series)
Romance Novels
- The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
- The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang
- The Flatshare by Beth O'Leary
- It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover
- The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood
- The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks
- Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
- Persuasion by Jane Austen
- The Wedding Date by Jasmine Guillory
- The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion
Books About Friendship
- The Enchanted Broccoli Forest by Marian Keyes
- Friendship and Forgiveness by Joyce Maguire Pavao
- The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares (Series)
- The Book Club by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
- Golden Girls: Golden Friends by Dorothy Parker, Beatrice Arthur, Rue McClanahan, Betty White
- The Chilbury Ladies by Elinor Lipman
- Eight Perfect Murders by Peter Swanson
- The Ya-Ya Sisterhood by Rebecca Wells
- Little Beach Street Bakery by Jenny Colgan
- The Storied Life of AJ Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin
Self-Help Books
- Younger Next Year by Henry S. Lodge
- Rising Strong by Brené Brown
- How Not to Die by Michael Greger
- The Power of Vulnerability by Brené Brown
- Daring Greatly by Brené Brown
- I Thought It Was Just Me (But It Isn't) by Brené Brown
- The Gifts of Imperfection by Brené Brown
- In the Florescence by Martha Beck
- Option B: Facing Adversity, Building Resilience, and Finding Joy by Sheryl Sandberg
- The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin
Books on Menopause
- Menopause: The Complete Guide by Dr. Sarah Gottfried
- What No One Tells You About Menopause by Dr. Libby Weaver
- The HRT Handbook by Dr. Louise Newson
- She Comes First by Dr. Jennifer Gunter
- Younger by Sara Gottfried
- The Menopause Manifesto by Jen Gunter
- The Period Power by Maisie Hill
- Pandora's Box: Rethinking Menopause by Louise J. Kaplan
- Natural Hormone Balance for Women by Dr. Claudia Welch
- Hormone Harmony by Aviva Romm
Career Change Books
- Pivot by Jenny Blake
- Do What You Are by Paul Tieger and Barbara Barron-Tieger
- Repurpose Your Career: A Guide for the Second Half of Life by John Tarnoff
- I Could Do Anything If I Only Knew What It Was by Barbara Sher
- The Pathfinder: How to Choose or Change Your Career for a Lifetime of Satisfaction and Success by Nicholas Lore
- What Should I Do With My Life? by Po Bronson
- Cruising Altitude: Navigating Transitions to a New Career by Caroline Ceniza-Kline
- Design a Life You Love by Bill Burnett and Dave Evans
- The Second Mountain: Climbing Higher in Yourself and Leading a Life That Matters by David Brooks
- The Encore Career Handbook: How to Make a Living and Make a Difference in the Second Half of Life by encore.org
Travel Books
- Wild: A Journey from Lost to Found by Cheryl Strayed
- Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
- The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
- Under the Tuscan Sun by Frances Mayes
- A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson
- Blue Highways: A Journey into America by William Least Heat Moon
- The Geography of Bliss: One Monk's Search for the Happiest Places in the World by Eric Weiner
- Travels with Charley: In Search of America by John Steinbeck
- The Places in Between by Rory Stewart
- The Signature of All Things by Elizabeth Gilbert
Non-Fiction
- Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert
- Born a Crime by Trevor Noah
- Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer
- Entangled Life: How Fungi Make Our Worlds, Change Our Minds & Shape Our Futures by Merlin Sheldrake
- Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City by Matthew Desmond
- Factfulness: Ten Reasons We're Wrong About the World – and Why Things Are Better Than You Think by Hans Rosling
- Hidden Figures: The Story of the African-American Women Who Helped Win the Space Race by Margot Lee Shetterly
- Lab Girl by Hope Jahren
- Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari
- Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers by Mary Roach
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About Muhiuddin Alam
Muhiuddin Alam is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of ReadingAndThinking.com. He serves as a consistent contributor to various websites and publications, including Medium, Quora, Reddit, Linkedin, Substack, Vocal, Flipboard, and Amazon KDP. Alam personally read numerous books and, for the past 10 years, has been providing book recommendations and reviews. Find Me: About Me & Google Knowledge Panel.
