Here’s a short list of books that have affected me deeply over the years:
Lying by Sam Harris. Harris argues that we can radically simplify our lives—and improve our society—by merely telling the truth in situations where others often lie.
Freedom by Jonathan Franzen. The best realist fiction I’ve read, this book is this generation’s Great American Novel.
10% Happier by Dan Harris. This book finally helped me understand the everyday benefits of meditation. (You can also read my interview with Dan.)
The Art of Memoir by Mary Karr. I can’t tell whether Mary is a poet or a memoirist—because she’s both. While all three of her memoirs are astounding, this book is useful if you’re interested in writing narrative nonfiction.
Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace. The best novel you’ll never read. Yes, it’s a long and complicated book, but reaching the end proves that the real payoff arrives only after drudging through the drudgery.
A Supposedly Fun Thing I’ll Never Do Again by David Foster Wallace. Wallace is the writer who influenced me more than any other, so it’s only right that he have two books on this list. Although he’s best known for his fiction, I think this collection of essays is his masterpiece—especially the title essay, as well as my favorite piece, “Getting Away from Pretty Much Already Being Away from It All.” No one is able to capture absorptive detail quite like Wallace.
Making Nice by Matt Summell. A few years ago, my favorite contemporary short-story writer finally published his first novel, Making Nice, which not-so-surprisingly reads like a loosely connected short-story collection. This novel is mimetic of everyday life—funny, sad, fragmented, and so alive I can feel it on my nerve-endings.
Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey. The most practical pick on this list. If you have consumer debt, this book is your blueprint to break free. Last year, I bought an entire case of this book and handed it to anyone in my life searching for a detailed plan to get out of debt.
Dead I Well May Be by Adrian McKinty. This is the book I credit most for igniting my desire to write fiction back in my 20s. It is a crime novel, but it isn’t trope-laden genre fiction. Its prose is beautiful, its plot is enthralling, and its characters are so real you’ll forget you don’t know them personally.
–JFM