Books We All Need
By WILLIAM INOUE ‘27
Throughout my childhood, books were the one thing that never changed, no matter where I lived, who I talked to, or how old I was. Scrolling through photos, I still find pictures of my younger self holding books. The books I read would vary from fantasy to historical novels to science fiction and meant the world to me. I would spend hours and hours divulging in books. As my age grew, so did the complexity of the books I read. I drifted away from fantasy and science fiction to nonfiction and personal development books. The shrinking of text size could essentially summarize my growth in books.
I assume that many others hold a viewpoint similar to mine regarding books. It is indisputable that books are the best way to learn and develop yourself. When I applied to Phillips Exeter, I was hoping that Exeter would introduce me to new literature that I had not yet seen. I held hope that I would be able to expand my knowledge and mental bookshelf further under the guidance of the Academy and its extensive English and History classes.
I was mistaken. The reading we do here lacks luster and is repetitive. I am not arguing about the significance of Shakespeare or poetry, as both are key aspects of human literature. I am arguing that Exeter has an extremely limited and narrow viewpoint regarding the books and genre of books we read during English class. I find this especially true through the countless courses we use to discuss poetry repeatedly. It is important to read and discuss books that hold genuine meaning to us in the future. Literature such as poetry has less significance in our lives after finishing. We are wasting Exeter’s Harkness on repetitive books that hold less and less meaning as we move on. We should use Harkness to discuss and become better people through selective literature. The following five books are what I consider to be essential readings for middle and high school students. The reasoning is that these books are based on my own opinions. I may not seem like the most credible advice on literature, but I have learned so much from them, even just by reading alone. I cannot imagine how much I could have drawn out of the books if I had read them and had Harkness discussions about them. The books are listed below in no specific order, but merely in the order I have thought of them:
WAR AND PEACE by Leo Tolstoy
A SECULAR AGE by Charles Taylor
SAPIENS by Yuval Noah Harai
ATOMIC HABITS by James Clear
POWER by Robert Greene
I am deliberately not writing a summary or hook for the books. I should not be the one to influence or convince you to read them. Literature should only be done by free will, as that is the only time you would learn. These books would provide far more value for the time you put into them. It is especially the viewpoints that you would garner after reading these books. These five books physically changed how I approach life and see the world. The genres of the books vary greatly. I have listed only one fiction book, two nonfiction books, and two personal development books. Fiction books are extremely important for developing one’s views and opinions, and no better authors exist than Tolstoy. Even beyond that, Harari’s method of explaining human nature in such a way that is uncontaminated by any modern influence makes the book unique. Even though Clear’s book contrasts with the rest on the list, I argue it is the one that would change your life far the most. I truly hope that Exeter will be able to realize the true beauty of Harkness and expand its book selection to incorporate books that would benefit us in the future.
