10 Books to Blow Your Mind According to College Students

Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World Picture this—Your phone broke. Your laptop died. There’s not a TV with cable for miles. Your roommates went out clubbing. What else is there, besides that New York Times bestseller you bought in the hopes of actually motivating yourself to read? Or maybe you just really love to read and have finally found the time. What novel are you going to pull out? CM asked, and you answered.

Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World

By Haruki Murakami

“I’d recommend Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World by Haruki Murakami. I’m not sure it’s a ‘lesson’ type of book, but it will definitely get you thinking.” –Liz Bujiwid, University of Connecticut Class of 2018

Firestarter

By Stephen King

“I’ve been rereading Stephen King’s Firestarter every year or two since I was eight, and understand more and more each time I read it. I’m a huge fan of anything by Stephen King, but, dear Lord, nobody should go through life without reading The Shining and Misery.” –Jay Leichtman, Vassar College Class of 2018

True Compass

By Senator Edward M. Kennedy

“True Compass by Ted Kennedy was an interesting read because of all the life experience.” –Ejuma Adoga, Boston College Class of 2018

Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns)

By Mindy Kaling

“Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? by Mindy Kaling is really funny, and I laughed out loud—which rarely happens while reading!” –Ejuma Adoga, Boston College Class of 2018

The Love Affairs of Nathaniel P.

By Adelle Waldman

“The Love Affairs of Nathaniel P. is the all-time greatest thing I’ve ever read. The novel basically follows the trajectory of Nate’s [the protagonist’s] love life and all the ways he responds to the various women who come in and out of it. So if you’re looking for a real understanding of how men perceive their ex-girlfriends, the girls they are currently dating and love as a general concept, read this damn book. You will not be sorry.” –Alexia LaFata, Boston College Class of 2016

East of Eden

By John Steinback

“East of Eden is the best book I’ve ever read. It taught me that we never don’t have a choice in a matter, and we can be whomever we want to be no matter what the influences we have around us. It shows that the ability to choose to be is the greatest power man has.” –Jack O’Reilly, Boston College Class of 2018

Tuesdays with Morrie

By Mitch Albom

“Tuesdays with Morrie is a book that shows us the power of relationships, even with those once important people whom we may have lost touch with. I reread the book multiple times, which I seldom do with books, because it truly captures the essence of the human experience, which includes family, friendship and coping with the loss of a loved one.” –Chris Aguiar, Boston College Class of 2015

Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption

By Lauren Hellenbrand

“A book I like very much is Unbroken by Lauren Hillenbrand. They have the movie but it sucked—the book is 10 times more interesting.” –Idrissa Bangura, Boston College Class of 2018

Watchmen

By Allen Moore (writer), Dave Gibbons (artist), John Higgins (colorist)

“It doesn’t get more influential than Watchmen. I can’t go back to it too often because it’s so emotionally intense, but when I read it for the first time it showed me new depths of characterization and moral complexity. [Writer Alan] Moore played around with out concept of time to show off new ways of telling a story, with events recounted out of order yet perfectly intertwined. The movie version has its flaws, but does a really good job on its own merits—and for a long time people considered the book unfilmable, period.” –Matt Gruby, Boston College Class of 2016

Green Eggs and Ham

By Dr. Seuss

“Personally, I would recommend Green Eggs and Ham. I don’t know where I’d be without it.” –Matt Mahoney, Boston College Class of 2018