This summer, I had the pleasure of taking NJ Transit every morning from my train station in New Jersey to Penn Station to get to my internship. This journey took 40 minutes (given there were no delays) and occurred around 7 a.m. Every morning, I dedicated myself to reading a book. Here are my favorites from that time.
“Everything I Never Told You” by Celeste Ng (2014)
I first discovered Celeste Ng with the 2020 Hulu drama “Little Fires Everywhere” based off her 2017 novel of the same title. I was sucked into her world immediately and fell in love with the complicated family dynamics portrayed in the show. “Everything I Never Told You” is even stronger as it tells the heartbreaking story of the Lee family, whose daughter, Lydia was found drowned in a lake near their home. Lydia is the classic case of the perfect child who carries the weight of her parents’ unfulfilled dreams. Her father James wants her to be the most popular girl at school, while her mother Marilyn wants her to become a doctor, not a homemaker like her. It is an engaging page-turner filled with twists and turns, making it a must-read.
“Just Kids” by Patti Smith (2010)
Patti Smith has always been a favorite of mine through her collaboration with Bruce Springsteen in her 1977 hit song, “Because the Night.” Drawn by her poignant lyrics, I needed to read her whole story. In this memoir, Smith transports you into a New York City filled with artists from the lates sixties and seventies. I never felt bored with every name drop from Janis Joplin to Andy Warhol but instead respected the artistic immersion of Smith’s life — described in the book was filled with odd jobs and making the most of very little. The book also details her complex relationship with provocative artist Robert Mapplethorpe. Smith is an expert wordsmith, and her tales are poetic and strangely comforting amid the chaos of the era. With every chapter, I grew more and more jealous of her and Mapplethorpe’s escapades at the iconic Chelsea Hotel.
“Funny Story” by Emily Henry (2024)
Whenever I want to turn my brain off, I pick up an Emily Henry book. In this story, Daphne, a children’s librarian is engaged to Peter. Everything in their relationship is going well until he realizes that he is actually in love with his childhood best friend, Petra. It is an already traumatic way to begin a story, but Henry hooks us immediately as we meet Miles, who happens to be Petra’s ex. Daphne and Miles decide to live together and the rest is history. It is the perfect slow burn story, and it makes you want to pick up everything and move to a small town in Michigan. Although this book isn’t my all-time favorite of Henry’s (that would be “Book Lovers”), it is a perfect rom-com filled with witty and semi-realistic lines.
“Everything I Know About Love” by Dolly Alderton (2018)
Dating stories are truly my kryptonite. I love hearing about other people’s trials and tribulations from the safety of my bed. Dolly Alderton is a genius who speaks to women everywhere. Alderton is boy-obsessed, she loves to party and she feels weird that her friends are starting to get married. I am a bit jealous of her life in early 2000s London as she describes her twenties as “rambunctious, restless, and ramshackle,” words I’m sure resonate with many students here. Her memoir is deeply honest, letting you know that it is okay to make mistakes no matter the age. It is not just male-focused however but displays the true love that comes from female friendship. In good and in bad, Alderton’s memoir is poignantly entertaining.
“Long Island Compromise” by Taffy Brodesser-Akner (2024)
In this story, successful Long Island factory owner and businessman Carl is kidnapped and held for ransom. A few days later, he is freed without much injury, but his family is not the same. This story follows his children roughly forty years later and we see how they are impacted by this trauma. Spoiler alert, they don’t cope well with it. Every single person in this book is unlikeable and that is the beauty of Taffy’s writing. It is not the easiest of reads, but worth the time. Although inherited wealth sounds perfect, this piece shows its true perils.
