It’s happening. Another birthday in lockdown and this one is a big one. I’m not always excited about my birthday but this one was going to be special. I was going to go to New York City and celebrate my 40th birthday in style. I, however, will be celebrating at home alone.
Maybe a Zoom brunch. Possibly some cake with my bubble (the one perk of living alone is I’m allowed to have one household I can visit). And lots of reading. That is my plan. I have a four day weekend so I will drink tea, maybe reflect on life, and read all of the books.
This got me thinking about the books you should read before turning 40. My list is going to be very different from what most people might think but that’s why it’s my list, and not yours. (If you get that reference, listen to our episode on Trixie and Katya’s Guide to Modern Womanhood.)
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Jette’s Top 5 Books You Should Read Before Turning 40
1. Eating the Dinosaur by Chuck Klosterman
I know most people would pick Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs if they were putting a Klosterman book on a list like this. However, if you listened to our episode on Eating the Dinosaur, you know how much Klosterman’s essay, “Tomorrow Rarely Knows”, blew our minds.
Time travel and all accompanying notions are something that Gen and I end up talking about a lot on podcast episodes and in life. When thinking about turning 40, the idea of travelling back in time to that one moment, that one place… It gives me lots to think about nonetheless, and it’s why I picked this collection of essays.
2. Another Country by James Baldwin
My first Baldwin will always be my favourite. I now have a stack of Baldwin’s books but Another Country still has my heart. Yes, we’ve talked about it a lot and done an episode on it but that is because it’s that good.
If you’ve read Baldwin, you probably haven’t read this one. It’s not the book everyone automatically associates with Baldwin but it will change your life and the way you think about relationships. When hitting a life milestone like turning 40, relationships are more important than ever.
Another Country shows you many different types of relationships and it brought my own into perspective. No matter what, if you’re turning 40, you need to read something by Baldwin, and this is my suggestion.
3. Like Streams to the Ocean by Jedidiah Jenkins
We have done two podcast episodes talking about books by Jedidiah Jenkins and I knew one of the books had to be on the list. His memoir, To Shake the Sleeping Self, takes you on a journey from Oregon to Patagonia and much deeper into his soul.
Like Streams to the Ocean, however, is filled with little tidbits to ponder with friends. As we discussed this book for the podcast, I had a realization that there is no one path everyone has to follow. You don’t have to hit certain accomplishments by the time you turn 40 – you just need to do your thing and follow your passions. That is what true accomplishment is.
4. The Martian by Andy Weir
This book may not be life changing or have some deeper meaning that I think you need to feel before turning 40. It’s simply a really great book. I remember waking up super early one summer, making tea, and heading out to my balcony to read before work. I’m talking like 6:30 am just to read in the quiet before the city wakes up.
Being on Mars with Mark Watney as he tried to figure out a way to survive gave me a sense of kinship I suppose. We’re all just trying to figure out how to survive on the planet we’re on. Do we have more supplies and access to help? Definitely. But I really believe we’re all just scientists stuck on a giant rock flying through space trying to make sense of things.
5. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Controversial? Sure. Worth it? Absolutely. I had a copy of this for years but never actually read it until last summer. Listening to the audiobook, narrated by Jake Gyllenhaal [#WhispersJakeGyllenhaal], I was fascinated by the story.
It’s over 100 years old now. The themes are still relevant today. It’s a book I want to own 20 different copies of on a special shelf just for Gatsby. It’s hard to put into words why I think this book is important but as a writer and a reader, it has to be on my list of books to read before turning 40.
40 is the new 30
Turning 40 is certainly a milestone but a milestone of what? That’s what I’m still trying to figure out. Age is merely a number, and 40 isn’t so scary, right? That’s what I’m telling myself at least.
Reflecting on all the books I’ve read and the realizations I’ve had along the way is making turning 40 feel like a good thing. Like I’m in the right place and doing the right things for me. I think that’s what good books do – they make you think, feel, and gain perspective on life.
If you were making this list, what book would you include? Tell us in the comments below!
