by Iris
It’s that time of year again: graduation season! Do you have anyone in your circle of friends and family who is flying their school bag along with the flag (a time-honoured Dutch tradition to signify someone in the household has graduated)? And are you in need of inspiration for a graduation gift? Look no further, because we are here with our top 10 recommended reads for fresh graduates.
Starting off strong, there is the classic Oh, the Places You’ll Go by Dr. Seuss. While this is technically a children’s book, its wisdom and humor have made it a beloved gift for occasions exactly like this. And if you’re looking for customization options, the picture book format leaves plenty of room for you to insert a personal message here or there.
We all have goals, but knowing how to start working towards them can be difficult. Atomic Habits by James Clear is here to help everyone build the – you guessed it – habits we need to achieve the change we’re looking for. This book has been one of our most popular ABC Favorites in the past few years, and comes highly recommended for anyone trying to work towards something in a long-term, sustainable way.
The Courage to Be Disliked by Ichiro Kishimi and Fumitake Koga is all about becoming your truest self, which is an incredibly valuable lesson for someone stepping into their adult life. The book is written as a dialogue between a philosopher and a young person, and this structure makes for very accessible reading. The focus on autonomy, self-acceptance, and self-reliance is very empowering!
These days, Lin-Manuel Miranda is mostly known as the creator of hit musical Hamilton. But before that, he was already inspiring his online followers with words of comfort and encouragement at the beginning and end of each day. Gmorning, Gnight! gathers some of these daily affirmations in a book with illustrations by Jonny Sun, and is the perfect pick-me-up for anyone looking for a quick dose of wholesomeness.
After all that time spent cramming facts and figures in school, philosopher Alain de Botton offers “a crash course in emotional maturity” with his book The School of Life. Understanding yourself and your relationships with other people, dealing with the stresses imposed by the modern world, and finding calm are great skills to set someone up for life in the world of grown-ups.
At 160 pages, Man’s Search for Meaning by psychologist and Holocaust survivor Viktor Frankl is a very slim volume, but its lessons are nevertheless very impactful. It’s not just a book about the horrors of WWII and the depth of human suffering, but it also looks at the other side of the coin: the power of hope, and the power our thoughts hold in shaping our lives.
A relatively new release, The Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins and Sawyer Robbins aims to set you free from the opinions, drama, and judgements of others by teaching you how to stop wasting energy on things you can’t control. Focus instead on the ones you can, and fill your life with things that give you energy instead.
In Dare to Lead, Brené Brown teaches us that leadership is not about ruling with an iron fist or having all the answers. It’s much more important to listen, stay curious, be brave, and share the power instead of jealously hoarding it. While primarily directed at companies, the lessons from this book can be adapted as needed to apply to all kinds of situations.
Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman has been an ABC Favorite for almost 15 years now, and continues to be popular. Exploring two modes of thinking and how these come together to shape our decisions and judgments, this book offers valuable insight in when to go with our intuition and when to listen to logic, setting the reader up to make good decisions.
Despite its unassuming cover, The Creative Act by Rick Rubin has been in incredibly high demand ever since it first came out a few years ago. In this “collection of musings”, the legendary music producer encourages people to embrace creativity, not just as a tool for a specific purpose, but as a fundamental part of life. This is a great book to have close at hand and flip through from time to time.
Still not sure what to give the graduate in your life? Let them choose their own present with our ABC Gift Certificates! They come in a variety of denominations, are redeemable on all stock and in-store services, and can be ordered from our website as well as bought in our stores.
