What Are 5 Books Everyone Should Read

"Oh my goodness, Laurie, you have to tell me – what are the top five books everyone should read?" This is a question I get asked. A lot. And honestly, it's a tough one because, well, "everyone" is a big crowd, and what resonates with one soul might just be background noise for another. But hear me out. After years of diving deep into stories, into human experiences on pages, and listening to countless conversations about what truly moves us, I've landed on a handful that, I genuinely believe, offer something profound to nearly every single one of us. So, pull up a cozy chair, put that phone on silent (mostly), and let's talk books. The kind that stick.

The Midnight Library by Matt Haig

Okay, so imagine this: you're at rock bottom. Your life feels like a series of wrong turns, missed opportunities, and "what ifs." Then, poof! You find yourself in a library, but not just any library. This one exists between life and death, and every single book on its shelves is a different version of your life – a life where you made a different choice. A different career, a different partner, a different anything. Sounds a bit heavy, right? But Matt Haig handles it with such a light, almost whimsical touch, it's pure magic. What I love about The Midnight Library isn't just the fantastical premise; it's the deep, resonant question it poses: Are our regrets really as heavy as we make them out to be?

"It is easy to invent a false self that is as alluring as a siren and as destructive as a hurricane."

This book is a warm hug for anyone who's ever felt stuck, regretted a past decision, or wondered "what if?" It reminds us that often, the life we're living right now, with all its beautiful messes and imperfections, is pretty darn good. And honestly, it’s a brilliant way to explore the idea of self-acceptance without being preachy or saccharine. Plus, it's a truly compelling story that keeps you turning pages faster than you can say "existential crisis."

Untamed by Glennon Doyle

If you haven't read Untamed, please, for the love of all that is wild and wonderful, pick it up. Glennon Doyle is a force. She writes with such raw honesty, such unflinching vulnerability, that it feels like she's speaking directly to your soul. This isn't just a memoir; it's a roar of a book about shedding the expectations, the "shoulds," and the masks we wear to please everyone else. It's about finding and trusting your own inner voice, your "Knowing," as she calls it.

I mean, who among us hasn't felt the pressure to be palatable, to shrink ourselves to fit into someone else's idea of who we should be? Glennon dismantles all of that with a sledgehammer made of love and fierce truth. It gave me permission to look at my own life, my own relationships, and ask, "Is this truly mine, or is it something I inherited from a script I didn