Personal Development

6 Books to Read in Your Thirties

posted on October 2, 2019 | by Megan Lierley

Some of my earliest memories include lying on a couch, zooming through a Babysitter’s Club book over the course of an afternoon, and excitedly jumping up to tell my mom about Kristy’s latest adventure (if you know, you know). I’ve always loved to read, and finishing a book always gives me an inexplicably giddy sense of accomplishment, even purpose.

I get so much joy from giving articles and book recommendations to friends that I even started a newsletter just to share what I’ve been reading that week. While it’s so tricky to narrow down all the books I love into a quick list, I genuinely think all six of these picks are worth reading—or rereading—as a 30-something.

For when you want to make sense of it all…

Odds are, you’ve read “The Alchemist“. Or you’ve heard about it from 30 different friends but still haven’t picked it up. But whether or not you’ve read it before, I’m going to recommend it…again. This allegorical tale can be enjoyed by all ages, and in reading it several times throughout my life, I’ve found that I get something new from it every time. It’s about an Andalusian shepherd boy traveling the world looking for treasure, but really it’s a reminder to trust your instincts and follow your heart—and can’t we all use that reminder from time to time?

When you’re watching the news and don’t quite know how we got here…

If you’re anxious like I am, “Good and Mad” is a book you may want to read in small chunks. In it, Rebecca Traister, the brilliant editor and writer for The Cut, walks us through decades of women’s anger. How did we get to the 2016 election and the Women’s March? To #MeToo and salary inequity? It can be daunting and infuriating (hence, the small chunks!), but it’s an incredibly enlightening and insightful read for any modern American woman.

When you’re searching for meaning…

Ever feel like you need to take more time to stop and smell the roses? Eckhart Tolle agrees. In
“ A New Earth“, he expounds on his classic, “The Power of Now”, guiding the reader into a life that is less ego-driven and more aware and appreciative of what is happening in the moment, which can be as simple as just remembering that we’re alive. Not to mention, Tolle is BFF with Oprah and she thought this book was important enough for a 9-episode special on her podcast—one for each chapter. And if it’s good enough for Oprah, well, it’s good enough for me.

To awaken your creativity and purpose…

As a writer, I am all too familiar with the fear of failure that comes from creating. As someone who has wanted to try pottery for years and has never stepped into a studio, I’m aware of how this fear of failure can even be paralyzing. In “Big Magic” Elizabeth Gilbert gives you a pep talk like your favorite aunt might: You are already a creator, you deserve to be creating, you are capable of so much—while also reminding you that success is not necessarily the end goal of creating.

For when you’re finally ready to take the next step, financially…

What I like about “You Are a Badass at Making Money“, and why I’d recommend it to anyone, is that it doesn’t make any assumptions. It’s not a guidebook for the broke college student, nor a financial encyclopedia for someone making six figures and looking to make seven. It’s for anyone who has some kind of mental block about money—what it means, who deserves it, how much is enough, and if it’s OK to want more of it (so, um, hi, everyone!). Then she helps you work through these blockers and get honest with yourself about the kind of financial freedom you want, and how to get there.

For when you’re finally ready to read those classics you skipped in high school…

Every January, I make a list of classics I want to get through in the new year. Some I still haven’t been able to get through and probably never will (hello, “Crime and Punishment”), while others make me realize just how many allusions I was missing in modern culture while shedding brilliant insight on another time and place (“Jane Austen”).

But my all-time favorite, if there’s any book you choose to revisit from your high school reading list, is “To Kill a Mockingbird“. Not only is Scout Finch my favorite character in literary history, but the racial tensions depicted in this fictional Alabama town in the 1930s serve as a reminder of some of the worst parts of our history—what we can learn from them and just how recent they were. (And honorable mentions go to “The Great Gatsby” and “Catcher in the Rye”—so much more fun to read as an adult!)

For when you want to remember why you wanted to read more in the first place…

One of the best things about being in your thirties? You’re likely finished with school, which means no more assigned readings (and you never need to think about Cliff’s Notes again!). Reading can—and should—be fun. And remember that there’s no such thing as “beach reads” or “chick lit”—you don’t need to justify your tastes to anybody! Some books I’ve read lately that I couldn’t put down are “Daisy Jones and the Six“, “The Turn of the Key“, and “My Friend Anna“. And I give weekly recommendations in my newsletter if you find you’re always on the lookout for new authors and book inspo.

What books would you add to this list? I’d love to hear!