Books, books, and more books!

Hey everyone, this is definitely going to be a more fun and relaxed blog! I’m going to be outlining and recommending some books for you. As we are in the midst of Easter break and accordingly have been granted a great deal of free time, it is undeniable that one of the most productive things we can do for ourselves is read; of course, reading on your essay and exam topics is essential, but if you are looking for something outside your comfort zone, here are my recommendations which I will outline and provide a brief summary of for you! Reading has always provided me with an escape from life, I find it relaxing, therapeutic, and also rewarding. 

These books have a range of genres, settings, and tones as I despise restricting myself to a certain type of reading. I will be categorizing these recommendations into different themes so that it is easier for you to go directly to the themes you are most interested in! Please feel free to comment down below if you have read any of these or if you would like to recommend some books as well!  

Books on politics (I am after all a politics student) – these are less on domestic politics but more to do with larger structural ideas and institutions: 

1. Inside/Outside: International Relations as Political Theory by R. B. J. Walker: This book was such an interesting read for me – Walker explores how the American identity is created through the process of ‘othering’, through this process the nation is able to present the outside of the state as dangerous and unsafe, in contrast to the state as a place of security, comfort, and safety.
2. Encountering Development: The Making and Unmaking of the Third World by Arturo Escobar: Another of my personal favorites – Escobar encourages the reader to question why methods of defining growth, success, or development is dominated by the west and how this fails to cater to the landscapes of many other nations.

Books on self-help (let’s be honest, we could all use a bit of these):

1. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey: I personally found this easy to digest and straightforward – the author depicts a lens to being effective through attaining goals by siding oneself to “true north” principles based on character ethics that are presented as universal and timeless.
2. The Secret by Rhonda Byrne: I can remember my mother reading this book when I was very young and mocking it for how old the cover looked, after reading this I can definitely say it has changed my mindset – the author explores how the law of attraction can change a person’s life direction in this inspiring publication.

Fantasy books (for those of you looking for an escape):

1. Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett: I personally found this very funny and entertaining – the authors wrote this book as a comedy about the birth of Satan’s son and the inevitable coming of the End Times.
2. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J. K. Rowling: truthfully, I recommend all of the Harry Potter books as they are the perfect escape into the wizarding world and I find the books extra-thrilling than the movies as some details simply cannot be captured through film. I also love listening to these audio e-books on Spotify as they are super convenient and accessible everywhere. 

As always, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me with any questions and comments. Wishing everyone the best of luck with exams and essays. Please also remember to give yourself a break every now and then!