Looking for great books? This is my personal selection of the best essays to read. For this book list, I polled several doctors, scientists, authors, and experts in the field on the books they recommend. I try to thoughtfully curate all of my reading lists so that you can be sure that any book recommended on this page is worth your time. On top of that, the page also includes links to notable articles and podcast episodes.
Essays are often written in the first-person, in which writers use their own personal experiences to reflect on a theme or topic for the reader. Many acclaimed authors I love —like James Baldwin and Toni Morrison—combine these pieces into collections of social commentary. The book pickings below are my favorite essays to read and I obviously read every single one of them. Here are some of the best essays to read. ⬇️
The top and best essays to read
Our women on the ground
by Zahra Hankir
Bol.com | Amazon |
Waterstones | Bookshop.org
This essay is a volume of stories describing the unique challenges and advantages of several Arab and Middle Eastern female journalists, reporting from some of the most repressive countries in the world and what it’s like.
Notes of a native son
by James Baldwin
The Book Depository | Amazon |
Waterstones | Bookshop.org
A collection of 10 essays that recollects the lived experience of a black person in the United States and Europe in the 50s.
The Year of Magical Thinking
by Jean Didion
The Book Depository | Amazon |
Waterstones | Bookshop.org
This essay intimately explores the aftermath of her husband’s unexpected death and her daughter’s critical illness, capturing her emotional turmoil and the complex process of grief and healing.
Best personal essays
Goodbye to All That
by Joan Didion
The Book Depository | Amazon |
Waterstones | Bookshop.org
A personal literary essay about living in New York, while feeling disconnected.
Related reading lists
By genre:
- Best Psychology Books
- Best Memoires and Biographies
- Best True Crime Books
- Best Investigative Journalism Books
- Best Science Books
By year:
By specific topic:
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I’ll be regularly updating this roundup to include additional thrilling new offerings.
