The How To Be Human Library

We recently asked our Facebook community to recommend their favourite books, podcasts and YouTube channels. Here’s our growing library of human-focused links/recommendations:

Books ?

In The Name of Identity: Violence and The Need To Belong – Amin Maalouf (Recommended by Maria)

The author reflects about his life being a lot of diverse pieces in the puzzle that is his identity. It focuses on how we humans generally get used to seeing the differences in the puzzles of others (and usually generate feelings of hate) instead of choosing to see the similarities and love/accept/get to know the others.

The Wisdom of Anxiety: How Worry And Intrusive Thoughts Are Gifts To Help You Heal – Sheryl Paul (Recommended by Maria)

It walks you through anxiety and how it’s not a symptom, not an illness, and how we have to listen to ourselves to get to the root of it.

My Cat Yugoslavia – Pajtim Statovci (Recommended by Ernest)

A novel about a conservative, traditional Kosovan family that flees to Finland to escape the Kosovan war in the late 90s. It’s written in the point of view of one of the sons (who is also gay) and of the mother.
I loved this book so much, cause it was so well written (very defined POVs, character development, language in general) and I was able to relate to the book quite a lot, coming from a Balkan family.

But it’s also a great book to read if you’ve ever felt like an outsider, as it gives a first-hand account of the life of an immigrant/refugee (and its many difficulties).

Mazzel Tov – Margot Vanderstraeten (Dutch) (Recommended by Jits)

It is an autobiography about her working as a student in a Jewish Orthodox family in Antwerp. She helps the children with their homework and gradually gains access to their world and faith. While working there she is confronted with the very strict rules of the Jewish Orthodox faith.

John Kabat-Zinn – Meditation Is Not What You Think. (Recommended by Kristjan)

It’s a secular, down to earth look at meditation and mindfulness.

Call Me By Your Name by Andre Aciman (Recommended by Ana)

It just captures the raw human ability to love and hate at the same time, the confusions around feelings you have as a teenager and also later on in life… Also the inner monologues and conversations.

Rage of Angels – Sidney Sheldon (Recommended by Aleksandra)

It’s about a young woman attorney that fights very hard for her career, but it’s gets mixed up with a mafia leader.

The Stranger – Albert Camus (Recommended by Aleksandra)