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“It’s the possibility of having a dream come true that makes life interesting.” College is an overwhelming time where life moves at a rapid pace and is constantly becoming more complex . Reading can help students improve vocabulary and cognitive skills, broaden their world view, or they can help give an escape from the constant pressures of attending school. And what a better time to start a new book then during spring break. Here are some essential coming of age novels that may have lessons and themes that are helpful and relevant to college students.

This Side of Paradise- F. Scott Fitzgerald

Fitzgerald’s debut novel follows a college student Amory Blaine in post-WW1 Princeton who finds himself bewildered after graduation and more lost than ever. Although this novel was published in 1920 the themes of status seeking, greed, love, and college angst Fitzgerald explores still holds plenty of relevance and importance today. We all had to read Great Gatsby in high school and despite if you loved or hated it This Side of Paradise’s story of self-realization will sound more familiar and inspiring to any student.

“It is not life that’s complicated, it’s the struggle to guide and control life.”

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/This_Side_of_Paradise)

Hitchhikers Guide To the Galaxy-Douglas Adams

This is my personal favorite book. Never have I read something so unpredictably brilliant, hilarious and absolutely strange at the same time. Arthur Dent is the most average man on earth until earth is destroyed to make way for an intergalactic highway. Arthur and his friend Ford than take part in an adventure pulling them all over the galaxy in a search for the meaning of the universe and trying to cope with the absurdities they finds. The way Adam’s frames our world and the unpredictability of daily life is extremely unique. It will make you look at the world in a new light.

“You know,” said Arthur, “it’s at times like this, when I’m trapped in a Vogon airlock with a man from Betelgeuse, and about to die of asphyxiation in deep space that I really wish I’d listened to what my mother told me when I was young.”
“Why, what did she tell you?”
“I don’t know, I didn’t listen.”

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hitchhiker%27s_Guide_to_the_Galaxy)

Norwegian Wood- Haruki Murakami

Named after the Beatle’s song with the same title this Japanese novel translated to English is about a quiet, intense college student named Toru and his challenges with love, loneliness and isolation he feels on campus. This is a beautifully written story about a coming of age and the new pressures and problems in life he now faces.

“Don’t feel sorry for yourself. Only assholes do that.”

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norwegian_Wood_%28novel%29)

Lucky Jim- Kingsley Amis

Jim Dixon is a young medieval history professor teaching at a redbrick university in post WW2 England. This novel deals with the bizarre and the clash of old and new ways of thinking in the setting of a college campus. Lucky Jim has sort of a cult following and if you like British humor this book is perfect. If none of the themes resonate you may benefit simply from seeing the perspective of a professor searching for tenure.

“… all his faces were designed to express rage or loathing. Now that something had happened which really deserved a face, he had none to celebrate it with. As a kind of token, he made his Sex Life in Ancient Rome face.”

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucky_Jim)

The Alchemist- Paulo Coelho

Santiago is an Andalusian shepherd boy who has a recurring dream of treasure. He decides to sell his sheep and head to Egypt in search of the treasure. This novel focuses around finding ones ‘Personal Legend’ or what you have always wanted to accomplish. The lessons of finding true self worth and treasure are extremely valuable to college kids and that playing it safe can be more harmful to ones freedom that taking a risk.

“It’s the possibility of having a dream come true that makes life interesting.”

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Alchemist_%28novel%29)[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column][/vc_column][/vc_row]