A few months ago, I shared photos on my Instagram story highlighting pages in a book I was reading, Trevor Noah’s Born A Crime. I shared the photos because I was so struck by the writing, and I thought that more people needed to be exposed to the information I was receiving through the pages of the book. I was surprised and thrilled with the response – more DMs than I had ever received from a post or story! These direct messages resulted in several book recommendations, thought-provoking dialogues, and even a conversation about the possibility of starting a digital book club (anyone else interested?)!

One of the most valuable things about travel is the opportunity to escape our everyday routines, to see the world anew, and, oftentimes, to forge connections with people with whom we would never cross paths in our “normal” lives. This strikes at the heart of why I travel: to remind myself that deep down, despite manufactured barriers like language, religion, or other cultural traditions, we are all human. Similarly, books can have that impact. In fact, a well-written and/or well-translated book can instantly cut across the barriers that could otherwise complicate story-sharing, and enable the reader to become immersed in the world as described through the lens of the author’s experience. Below, I’ve compiled a list of some of my favorite books that have helped to broaden my horizons and offer me fresh perspectives.

1. I Shall Not Hate by Dr. Izzeldin Abuelaish: This heartbreaking and inspiring account chronicles the life of a Palestinian doctor living in the Gaza Strip and working at a hospital in Israel. Rather than turn to violence and rage as a response to the killing of several members of his family in an Israeli shelling of his home, Dr. Abuelaish turned his story into a rallying cry for peace in the region. As a Jewish American, I was particularly struck by Dr. Abuelaish’s description of living conditions inside of Gaza that give rise to animosity and perpetuate the vicious cycle of war in the region.

2. I Am Malala by Malala Yousafzai: The Nobel Peace Prize winner shares her remarkable account of her brush with death at 15 years old at the hands of the Taliban and why she still has hope for the future. Like Dr. Abuelaish’s memoir, Malala’s allowed me to understand why and how the Taliban came to power in the region, something I had not considered before.

3. We are Displaced by Malala Yousafzai: After the success of I am Malala, Yousafzai traveled the world, meeting other displaced young women. This book is a collection of their harrowing stories.

4. We Fed an Island: The True Story of Rebuilding Puerto Rico, One Meal at a Time by Jose Andres: Celebrity chef Jose Andres shares his incredible tale of the power of human connection and its power to circumvent bureaucracy to save lives after hurricane Maria ravaged Puerto Rico. The official roadblocks to helping people and descriptions of companies profiting off the misfortune of others described by Andres in this book were utterly shocking to me. If I was granted a wish to have dinner with one person in the world, it would be Jose Andres. Until such time, I will continue to proudly patronize his many delicious restaurants.

5. When in French: Love in a Second Language by Lauren Collins: Reading this at the beginning of my relationship with now-husband (!!!) was a revelation about the inextricable link between language and culture. This book humorously explains how the author navigated her bilingual love story and how cultural connections are strengthened through language. I am bringing this book with me to re-read on my honeymoon.

6. I Married Adventure by Osa Johnson: Though some of the language used in this book is outdated, the humor and intrigue holds up incredibly well. Osa grew up in Kansas at the turn of the century. After marrying Martin Johnson, the two embarked on several around-the-world voyages, becoming some of the first professional international explorers, and the first Americans to visit several developing parts of the world.

7. Born A Crime: Stories of a South African Childhood by Trevor Noah: The book that inspired this post was written by The Daily Show host Trevor Noah, who was born in post apartheid-era South Africa to a black mother and a white father. His birth was, quite literally, considered a crime. In this book, Noah explains the complex world he navigated for much of his life.

8. Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis by J.D. Vance: A Yale law grad and former Marine explains the societal problems faced by his family of working-class whites in the US region of Appalachia. So much of what I hear, see, and read is about racial divides, but this book opened my eyes to the objective reality of poor white America and the struggles faced by so many in America’s heartland.

To sum it up, in an era when our planet seems to be more connected by technology, yet more divided by rhetoric than ever before, it is important that we make every effort to understand our neighbors, near and far – whether they’re next door, in the next zip code, the next state, or even another country. These books helped to do that for me. With only 11 days left IN. THIS. DECADE and a critical presidential election just months away, I hope you will consider reading and/or gifting these books over the holidays. Each of the book titles listed above contains an Amazon Affiliate link directly to purchase the book. I’d love to know your thoughts on these books and hear your other recommendations in the comments below!