Year of Words Book Recommendations for Worth

Welcome to week 9 of the Year of Words book club!! This week I’ve chosen the word Worth for my word. You are welcome to choose whatever word you’d like from the list. If you don’t have the list yet, sign up for the book club, and you’ll immediately receive the full list as well as weekly book recommendations. (You can sign up at the bottom of this post!).

This week I’ve chosen 13 different books that would be a great exploration of the word “worth”. I’ve included the reason I’ve chosen them as well as the book description from Amazon.

You’ll also find a new feature this week. You can preview, buy and share each book right from this post! I love being able to read a little bit of the book before I buy it or even commit to it. Now you can just click the “preview” button on the book image and it will open a new tab where you can read the preview.

I’ve also chosen a couple Kindle Unlimited selections, as well as a couple very low priced options. (In case you’re trying to keep your reading budget under control. 😉 )

Now let’s get to the books!

Memoir:

I chose this book because I think looking at life in the face of death is a pretty powerful way to see worth, not only your worth, but the worth of the things we think about, do, and how we spend our lives. This book has come up for a LOT of the words… and I really look forward to reading it. If you When Breath Becomes Air this week, please let me know what you think!

When Breath Becomes Air Description from Amazon:

At the age of thirty-six, on the verge of completing a decade’s worth of training as a neurosurgeon, Paul Kalanithi was diagnosed with stage IV lung cancer. One day he was a doctor treating the dying, and the next he was a patient struggling to live. And just like that, the future he and his wife had imagined evaporated. When Breath Becomes Air chronicles Kalanithi’s transformation from a naïve medical student “possessed,” as he wrote, “by the question of what, given that all organisms die, makes a virtuous and meaningful life” into a neurosurgeon at Stanford working in the brain, the most critical place for human identity, and finally into a patient and new father confronting his own mortality.

What makes life worth living in the face of death? What do you do when the future, no longer a ladder toward your goals in life, flattens out into a perpetual present? What does it mean to have a child, to nurture a new life as another fades away? These are some of the questions Kalanithi wrestles with in this profoundly moving, exquisitely observed memoir.

Paul Kalanithi died in March 2015, while working on this book, yet his words live on as a guide and a gift to us all. “I began to realize that coming face to face with my own mortality, in a sense, had changed nothing and everything,” he wrote. “Seven words from Samuel Beckett began to repeat in my head: ‘I can’t go on. I’ll go on.’” When Breath Becomes Air is an unforgettable, life-affirming reflection on the challenge of facing death and on the relationship between doctor and patient, from a brilliant writer who became both.

 

I read this book a while back. I really enjoyed it. As someone who’s still paying student debt decades after leaving college it really got me thinking. I think this is a great book for the word worth, because it really looks at whether it’s worth it to go into debt for college, and really gets you looking at what you’re willing to do to avoid it.

This is a Kindle Unlimited title.

Walden On Wheels Description from Amazon:

In this frank and witty memoir, Ken Ilgunas lays bare the existential terror of graduating from the University of Buffalo with $32,000 of student debt. Ilgunas set himself an ambitious mission: get out of debt as quickly as possible. Inspired by the frugality and philosophy of Henry David Thoreau, Ilgunas undertook a 3-year transcontinental jour¬ney, working in Alaska as a tour guide, garbage picker, and night cook to pay off his student loans before hitchhiking home to New York.

Debt-free, Ilgunas then enrolled in a master’s program at Duke University, determined not to borrow against his future again. He used the last of his savings to buy himself a used Econoline van and outfitted it as his new dorm. The van, stationed in a campus parking lot, would be more than an adventure—it would be his very own “Walden on Wheels.”

Freezing winters, near-discovery by campus police, and the constant challenge of living in a confined space would test Ilgunas’s limits and resolve in the two years that fol¬lowed. What had begun as a simple mission would become an enlightening and life-changing social experiment. Walden on Wheelsoffers a spirited and pointed perspective on the dilemma faced by those who seek an education but who also want to, as Thoreau wrote, “live deep and suck out all the marrow of life.”

 

What’s it worth to admit you’ve made mistakes, and start over? That’s the question I had in mind when I picked this book this week. This book doesn’t have a ton of reviews, but they’re all really good. It’s also a Kindle Unlimited selection, so if you’re a kindle unlimited member, you can read it for free.

Birth of a New J Description from Amazon:

The head and heart are the most demanding organs. Rid yourself of toxins. Learn to breathe. Julie’s story beings at her own birth, buttocks first – was she trying to make a U-turn back into the womb to learn those “three life lessons”?

Author Julie Guardado takes you into a 6 year period of costly mistakes, toxic relationships and the devastating realities of life in, Birth Of a New J: A Cathartic Memoir. But basic human science lessons provide a way for her to make some sense of her experiences. From the inability to “wow” a man, and lending another man money, to artificial insemination, her story is told with raw emotion,painfully honest portrayals that show her in a less-than-flattering light, and humor, despite the chaos.

An engaging memoir with an innovative approach, Birth Of a New J will take you you on a roller coaster, then uplift you with its story of birth and rebirth.

 

Is it worth it to go after our dreams, even if the road is hard? This is the question that came to mind when I found this memoir. I think this is going to be a really interesting one, especially for those who are fans of youtube and wonder what it’s really like to be a youtube star. It has excellent reviews (4.8 out of 5 stars) and is a New York Times bestseller.

A Work in Progress description from Amazon:

In this intimate memoir of life beyond the camera, Connor Franta shares the lessons he has learned on his journey from small-town boy to Internet sensation—so far. Here, Connor offers a look at his Midwestern upbringing as one of four children in the home and one of five in the classroom; his struggles with identity, body image, and sexuality in his teen years; and his decision to finally pursue his creative and artistic passions in his early twenties, setting up his thrilling career as a YouTube personality, philanthropist, entrepreneur, and tastemaker.

Exploring his past with insight and humor, his present with humility, and his future with hope, Connor reveals his private struggles while providing heartfelt words of wisdom for young adults. His words will resonate with anyone coming of age in the digital era, but at the core is a timeless message for people of all ages: don’t be afraid to be yourself and to go after what you truly want.

This full-color collection includes photography and childhood clippings provided by Connor and is a must-have for anyone inspired by his journey.

 

“Anything worth doing is worth overdoing”, is the mantra of the book. Which is not my mantra at all lol, which makes it something really interesting to explore. This book has a 4.7 our of 5 star rating, and looks really good. If you liked Wild, or books similar to Wild I’d say this one is a good choice.

Anything Worth Doing Description from Amazon:

Anything Worth Doing tells the unforgettable true story of larger-than-life whitewater raft guides Clancy Reece and Jon Barker, two men who share a love of wild rivers and an unbending will to live life on their terms, no matter the cost.

Clancy’s motto, ‘Anything worth doing is worth overdoing,’ leads them into a decade of beautiful—and beautifully strange—river adventures. Then, on June 8, 1996, in pursuit of a 24-hour speed record they intend to share only with a handful of friends, the men launch Clancy’s handmade dory, his proudest possession, onto Idaho’s renowned Salmon River at peak flood of an extreme high water year. This time the odds catch up with them.

With clarity reminiscent of Krakauer’s Into the Wild, whitewater veteran Jo Deurbrouck carries us down the West’s great rivers and into the hearts, minds and homes of that rare breed for whom security is optional but freedom and passion are not. Anything Worth Doing—taut and efficient, yet rich with insight—is destined to become an adventure classic.

Fiction:

Just what is equality worth? Just what is self esteem worth? This is a pretty controversial book/choice. People either loved or hated this book. I think it’s an interesting place to explore… what are you willing to do?

Dietland Description from Amazon:

The diet revolution is here. And it’s armed.

Plum Kettle does her best not to be noticed, because when you’re fat, to be noticed is to be judged. Or mocked. Or worse. With her job answering fan mail for a popular teen girls’ magazine, she is biding her time until her weight-loss surgery. Only then can her true life as a thin person finally begin.

But when Plum notices she’s being followed by a mysterious woman in colorful tights and combat boots, she finds herself falling down a rabbit hole into the world of Calliope House, a community of women who live life on their own terms. Reluctant but intrigued, Plum agrees to a series of challenges that force her to deal with the real costs of becoming “beautiful.” At the same time, a dangerous guerilla group begins to terrorize a world that mistreats women, and as Plum grapples with her own personal struggles, she becomes entangled in a sinister plot. The consequences are explosive.

Part coming-of-age story, part revenge fantasy, Dietland is a bold, original, and funny debut novel that takes on the beauty industry, gender inequality, and our weight loss obsession—from the inside out, and with fists flying.

 

What’s it worth to be popular? Is it worth your own life? Does it change anything if you’re rich? Intriguing book, with questions worth exploring.

Butter Description from Amazon:

A lonely 423-pound boy everyone calls “Butter” is about to make history. He’s going to eat himself to death live on the Internet – and everyone will watch. When he makes this announcement online, he expects pity, insults, or possibly sheer indifference. Instead, his classmates become morbid cheerleaders for his deadly plan. But as their dark encouragement grows, a few voices begin to offer genuine support and Butter starts to have doubts. His suicidal threat brought his newfound popularity–and a taste of what life could hold for him–but can he live with the fallout if he decides not to go through with his plan? Emotionally raw and darkly humourous, this is an all-consuming look at one teen’s battle with himself.

 

I read She’s Come Undone way back in 1997 when it was selected for Oprah’s book club. That’s a long time ago, and i still remember how much I enjoyed this book. I recommended it to anyone I thought would read a 500 page book back then. I recommend it to you now. What’s it worth to give yourself a second chance, no matter how far gone you think you are? (What’s it worth to knock out a 500 page book?!)

She’s Come Undone Description from Amazon:

“Mine is a story of craving: an unreliable account of lusts and troubles that began, somehow, in 1956 on the day our free television was delivered. . .”

Meet Dolores Price. She’s thirteen, wise-mouthed but wounded, having bid her childhood good-bye. Beached like a whale in front of her bedroom TV, she spends the next few years nourishing herself with the Mallomars, potato chips, and Pepsi her anxious mother supplies. When she finally rolls into young womanhood at 257 pounds, Dolores is no stronger and life is no kinder. But this time she’s determined to rise to the occasion and give herself one more chance before really going belly-up.

At once a fragile girl and a hard-edged cynic, so tough to love yet so inimitably lovable, Dolores is as poignantly real as our own imperfections. She’s Come Undone includes a promise: you will never forget Dolores Price.

 

Young Adult Fiction

I read this book a while back, it was only my second YA book ever. It’s amazing, and had me thinking about what someone’s life is worth, and what actions we take make our own lives worth for a long time. You can read my full review of 13 Reasons Why here.

Thirteen Reasons Why Description from Amazon:

You can’t stop the future. 
You can’t rewind the past.
The only way to learn the secret . . . is to press play.

Clay Jensen returns home from school to find a strange package with his name on it lying on his porch. Inside he discovers several cassette tapes recorded by Hannah Baker—his classmate and crush—who committed suicide two weeks earlier. Hannah’s voice tells him that there are thirteen reasons why she decided to end her life. Clay is one of them. If he listens, he’ll find out why.

Clay spends the night crisscrossing his town with Hannah as his guide. He becomes a firsthand witness to Hannah’s pain, and as he follows Hannah’s recorded words throughout his town, what he discovers changes his life forever.

 

What are secrets worth? What’s it worth to be popular? What’s it worth to quit being bullied? All questions explored in this book. It’s also a bargain priced book, with a 4.6 our of 5 star rating.

If I Could Be Like Jennifer Taylor Description from Amazon:

Carolyn Samuels is obsessed with the idea of being popular. She is convinced that the only thing keeping her from happiness is her too heavy for fashion body and not being a cheerleader. Hyperventilating when she gets nervous doesn’t help. When she is paired for a math project with the girl who tormented her in middle school, Jennifer Taylor, she is sure it is going to be another year of pain. With Carolyn’s crush on Jennifer’s hunky junior quarterback, Brad her freshman year in high school looks like a rerun of middle school. When Jennifer is the only student who knows why she fell in gym class, Carolyn is blackmailed into doing her math homework in return for Jennifer’s silence. Jennifer takes on Carolyn as a pity project since she can’t be seen with someone who dresses in jeans and sweatshirts. When Jennifer invites Carolyn to spend the night to make her over and teach her to tumble, Carolyn learns Jennifer’s secret and lies to her own friends to cover it up. Will Carolyn become a cheerleader and popular? Does she continue to keep Jennifer’s secret? Or will she be a target of this mean girl again?

 

I bet there isn’t a woman out there who at some point in time hasn’t said, if I could just lose a couple inches. Well, Just a Few Inches takes a different tack when it comes to answering that question. It gets you thinking about what it’s worth to be happy with your body.

Just a Few Inches Description from Amazon:

All Carrie Roberts wants is to be a little bit smaller.

To fit into the perfect dress for the Valentine’s Day Dance. To look beautiful for her boyfriend, the school’s star basketball player. To keep his jealous ex-girlfriend, a rival cheerleader, away from him. And to be noticed by her classmates.

Exercising and dieting don’t work, but an advertisement for weight loss pills promises a quicker solution to her problem. As time runs out, she takes more than the recommended dose until she’s just a few inches slimmer. Heads turn when she arrives at the dance, and the wonderful night with her boyfriend is beyond what she dreamed it would be.

Days later, Carrie discovers that her body is changing in ways that should be impossible. While her doctor searches for a cure, she desperately turns to her friends and family for support. Everyone is noticing her now whether she likes it or not, and even the media is intrigued by her incredible story. Getting everything she once wanted has created new problems—problems that are growing more terrifying every day.

Because Carrie Roberts is shrinking.

What I’m Reading this Week:

What’s it worth to bring yourself back from the abyss? What’s it worth to learn to love yourself again? What’s it worth to see horrible things, and try to help? All questions explored in this book. I’m really looking forward to reading this one this week. 🙂

No Tourists Allowed Description from Amazon:

For Shannon Egan, what began as a desperate bid to break from her strict religious upbringing and recover her sobriety—via a one-way ticket to Sudan, a country in the midst of genocide and civil war, and, due to Islamic law, seemingly alcohol-free—would evolve into a headlong plunge into the surreal politics of faith: the world of freelance journalism and nonprofit aid in a war zone, where big hearts and big talent compete to tell all the gory details, where children bring guns for class show-and-tell, AIDS-affected proudly proclaim their status, and a black market for hooch is hidden in plain sight.

No Tourists Allowed is a story of self-discovery leading outward. From her fight with alcoholism to the global media system that often puts in jeopardy the lives it wants to protect, Shannon sings of despair and celebration, relapse and recovery, and learning, finally, to love the unlovely.

 

If you haven’t joined the Year of Words book club yet, it’s not too late. Join us, pick a word, and choose a book! There’s no right/wrong way to do it. Just enter your email below. You’ll be taken directly to our private online book club group where you can track and chat about your books (and everyone else’s too!). 🙂