We asked the BuzzFeed Community to tell us what book every twentysomething should read. Here are their recommendations.
1. Wild by Cheryl Strayed
A story of loss, disillusionment, and, ultimately, healing while on a 1,000-mile solo journey along the Pacific Crest Trail.
Submitted by Bergin Smith, Facebook
2. Yes Please by Amy Poehler
Trials, triumphs, and a taste of Poehler's brilliant comedy. It's an honest look at the comedy queen's rise to the top.
Submitted by Molly Bruh, Facebook
3. On the Road by Jack Kerouac
A 1950s classic, this novel is the embodiment of the terrifying energy young people feel after launching into the world on their own.
Submitted by Malena Dinwoodie, Facebook
4. My Year with Eleanor by Noelle Hancock
When life as she knew it ended, the author embarked on a "Year of Fear," deciding to take Eleanor Roosevelt's advice to "Do one thing every day that scares you."
Submitted by Brie Lowrey, Facebook
5. The Answer to the Riddle Is Me: A Memoir of Amnesia by David Stuart MacLean
A memoir of a man's struggle to rebuild his life after suffering from amnesia while also dealing with the depression that comes along with it.
Submitted by Claire Koleske, Facebook
6. Beloved by Toni Morrison
Haunting, gripping, beautiful, this novel is the story of the lingering effects of slavery and how characters, once freed, come to terms with their past, their present, and their future.
Submitted by Deborah Czarnecki, Facebook
7. The Opposite of Loneliness by Marina Keegan
Shortly after graduating from college in 2012, Marina Keegan died tragically in a car accident, leaving behind a trove of beautiful short stories. The title essay is a look at the unique experience of college and, given the circumstances, a poignant reminder of the preciousness of life itself.
Submitted by Julianna Haubner, Facebook
8. Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom
Listening to elders give advice isn't always easy. Tuesdays with Morrie turns the trope on its head, as an old college professor offers profound advice on life's greatest lessons — and even the meaning of life itself.
Submitted by Megan Jordan, Facebook
9. The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
Set in a dystopian, totalitarian state, The Handmaid's Tale is the story of one woman's struggle for self-determination against all odds and at the risk of losing the very life she seeks to define.
Submitted by dnolley14
10. The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
A timeless novel about pursuing your dreams and listening to the still, small voice within you along the way.
Submitted by Candice Darden, Facebook
11. The Secret History by Donna Tartt
The Secret History ponders what happens when boundaries give way and life as one knows it changes forever.
Submitted by kristyw3
12. The Art of Asking by Amanda Palmer
Learning that it's OK to ask for help is one of life's hardest, yet most important lessons. Your twenties are a difficult time. Better to learn that lesson now.
Submitted by sydneys11
13. The Marriage Plot by Jeffrey Eugenides
The Marriage Plot wonders what happens when books — with their idealized depictions of love — and college — strange utopias that they are — come to an end.
Submitted by marcelac4ad45c69c
14. Walden by Henry David Thoreau
In a world teeming with distractions and notifications, Thoreau's decision "to live deliberately" may be more important now than ever before.
Submitted by Brianna Sunflower, Facebook
15. Not That Kind of Girl by Lena Dunham
The author's sometimes frighteningly honest stories offer an insightful take on the world we live in now. By a twentysomething, for twentysomethings.
Submitted by savannahdub
16. His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman
The fantasy series asks what it would be like if our souls manifested themselves in physical form for all to see.
Submitted by maineelaine
17. The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion
A reminder to appreciate your family, to travel, and to seize opportunities — because you never know how quickly your life can change.
Submitted by Mary Iannone, Facebook
18. The Myths of Happiness by Sonja Lyubomirsky
A much-needed course correction on finding happiness in an anxiety-ridden world.
Submitted by EmRoseLA
19. American Gods by Neil Gaiman
A brilliant novel that explores the idea of going on a journey and discovering who you truly are. Like Strayed's Wild, it's a reminder of the connectedness of travel and self-discovery.
Submitted by tashamelina
20. The Defining Decade by Meg Jay
Your twenties matter. A lot. The Defining Decade is an accessible, scientific look at how to make the most of them and set yourself up for the life you actually want.
Submitted by amandaat
21. Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
What happens in the future when the world becomes so dark that people exclusively seek out an online utopia? Even more, what happens when users are pulled back into the ugly world they've been avoiding?
Submitted by Stacey Grant
22. Of Human Bondage by W. Somerset Maugham
Maugham's masterpiece ponders three elements of love — love for oneself, love for someone else, and the love of others — in a way that's still relevant today.
Submitted by samanthaadamsmiller
23. Giovanni's Room by James Baldwin
A deeply moving story of love, heartbreak, and alienation, and a classic in LGBT literature.
Submitted by Jordan Riley Johnson, Facebook
24. Hyperbole and a Half by Allie Brosh
A look back on the strange, unfortunate, even wacky circumstances of young adulthood. A reminder of the importance of perspective — that, if nothing else, you'll have some great stories down the road.
Submitted by Zev Palatnik, Facebook
25. Exit Here by Jason Myers
Exit Here is not a happily-ever-after story, but it is an honest look at what happens when you realize your life isn't exactly everything you've always dreamed it would be.
Submitted by Bailey Butts, Facebook
26. Half Broke Horses by Jeannette Walls
A story of one woman's perseverance against setbacks of all kinds. A story that makes "you think it just might be possible to get a handle on this old world after all."
Submitted by Leo Francis Valdez, Facebook
27. A Single Man by Christopher Isherwood
A single day in the life of a single man, yet a beautifully complex story of loss, grief, and the joy that persists even in the most difficult of circumstances.
Submitted by elizabethmelissafloyd
28. One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez
The insanity of your twenties can distort your perception of time. One Hundred Years of Solitude is a deeply profound look at the nature of time, history, solitude, and an ever-present past.
Submitted by Deborah Czarnecki, Facebook
29. Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life by Anne Lamott
Your twenties are a tumultuous time. Here's a guidebook on taking things step by step — and making your dreams come true.
Submitted by Joshua Anahonak, Facebook
30. East of Eden by John Steinbeck
A contemplation on an inescapable, cyclical past and a future that's new, different, and uniquely one's own.
Submitted by Karen Canfield Maskens, Facebook
31. Native Son by Richard Wright
Social psychology meets racism in America. A plea to consider the effects of society on the disenfranchised and oppressed.
Submitted by Kayla Yandoli
32. Demian by Hermann Hesse
A fight for self-awareness in a darkly superficial world, Demian has only become more relevant with time.
Submitted by retrogade
33. The Solitude of Prime Numbers by Paolo Giordano
Who among us hasn't wondered if it's our actual destiny to be alone? Giordano's novel contemplates this solitude, as well as its opposite and the dance between the two.
Submitted by Stephanie Allison, Facebook
34. The Fall by Albert Camus
A look at the nature of truth and an exploration of what it means to be "good." The Fall brings to life the soul-crushing idealism that twentysomething post-grads face — and the sense of loss that comes with it.
Submitted by VeryRare
35. Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns) by Mindy Kaling
Advice, but not the unsolicited kind a parent would give you — more like the entertaining kind you actually want about things you actually care about.
Submitted by Tatiana Hernandez, Facebook