Youth share reading picks and we stacked it for you

April Marie Antenor (Philippines)
Wonder by Raquel J. Palacio

I have to say a big thank you to my friend, Charlie Perez for sharing this book with me when he visited me in Cebu [Philippines] a few years ago. It’s a very easy read and a novel that anyone can relate to: in Auggie's quest to be ordinary, he tries to hide his true self. But in doing so, his extraordinary character and strength shine even brighter. We don't need super powers to change others and ourselves for the better. What we need is to show kindness in everything that we do and everything else will follow.

I usually bring a book when I travel or go trekking and so this was one of those days. We were having a day-long trek up in the mountains, just an hour away from the city. We were having a quick lunch break at the shoulder of a ridge before pushing for our final assault to the summit.

Kanak Barman (Bangladesh)
Mother by Maxim Gorky

Since I first got involved in politics during my high-school days, we used to meet once a week at a reading circle. It was there that I heard about Gorky. I was a mere teenager when I first read the book and was introduced to the world of movements for workers’ rights and social change. The ideas were lodged in my brain since then and still inspire me.

It was 1993 when I was studying for my Higher Secondary Certificate. I used to live in a dorm with other students. Every night I went to bed with the book and fell asleep while reading it. However, there were a couple of instances when I was up all night, wrought with excitement.

Kaltrina Beqiri (Kosovo)
Between Stabilisation and Democratisation - Elections, Political Parties and Intra-Party Democracy in Kosovo by Adem Beha

I heard about the book through the FES Office in Pristina. My main interest area is the subject of political parties. This book is the first one of its kind, which deals with the intra-party democracy of the political parties in Kosovo and their role on the democratisation process.

I use the book very often for study purpose. During the FES Summer University last month, I strongly recommended the book to my international friends who were interested in the political party system and the political situation in Kosovo.

Justine Dinglasan (Philippines)
Discipline and Punish by Michel Foucault

I first read a chapter of Discipline and Punish for an English class in college. I’m glad it was a required reading because it genuinely changed the way I understand power in society. I finally got a copy of the actual book six years after, because it was always sold-out!

I was in different places as I read and reread the book: at home, school, the office, the mall etc. Foucault actually likened some of these places to the "Panopticon”. As I went about my day reading his narrative, I realized that I was living it. #bookception

Nelisa Jojo (South Africa)
Rape: A South African Nightmare by Pumla Dineo Gqola

Prof Gqola had tweeted about the book being published and I later heard her unpack key points in the book on KAYA FM with John Perlman. I had been following her work from A Renegade Called Simphiwe and the book also presented a well-researched perspective on rape in South Africa and how our everyday interactions perpetuate rape culture.

I read the book from home and later talked about it with friends: we shared our own experiences and practical ways of dismantling rape culture in our individual spaces.

Kimuyu Titus Kaloki (Kenya)
Thinkers of Social Democracy by Christian Krell (Ed.)

I got the book from our Resident Representative in FES Kenya office. I was motivated to read it because it gives very informative and historical accounts of various Social Democracy Thinkers. It is also important for me as a Social Democrat.

I read the book at home in Nairobi, Kenya. I was relaxing during my days off.

Mluleki (Republic of South Africa)
We need new names by NoViolet Bulawayo

A friend of mine suggested it. It is a lovely book told by an African of Zimbabwean descent about the lives of Zimbabweans when Zimbabwe plummeted into poverty. It also talks briefly about the Zimbabwe-China relations.

I was working as a researcher at a public interest law centre in South Africa when I was reading the book.

Aphiwe Nkosimbini (Republic of South Africa)
My own Liberator by Dikgang Moseneke

Dikgang Moseneke is the former Deputy Chief Justice of South Africa and seasoned anti-apartheid activist. He conducted a series of book launches around the country and it was through the media that I came to learn of his book.

Shahnaz Parven (Bangladesh)
Shatkahon by Samaresh Majumder Sharkoon

I have been reading novels by Samaresh Majumder since I was in grade 7, but I read this book in my early twenties. I immediately felt drawn to the main protagonist of the book, Dipaboli. She is a strong female character who successfully overcomes a multitude of obstacles that the society places in her path and comes out shining and victorious. “Shatkahon” is the story of her life.

I was a student when I first read the book 12 years ago, seeing the book with a classmate and developing an interest in it as I was familiar with the author. I borrowed the book and used to read it at night in bed, tucked safely under the mosquito-net. I could deeply relate to Dipaboli and she still inspires me. I recommend every woman to read this book to draw inspiration and strength from Dipaboli’s undefeatable character.

Alejandro Ross (Costa Rica)
Eichmann in Jerusalem by Hannah Arendt

I was taking a lecture in a class on Theory of State at the University of Costa Rica. We were talking about the influence of political liberalism and learned about Hannah Arendt and the introduction of her concept “banality of evil”. After reading the summary of the book and knowing that it dealt with the trials of an ad hoc tribunal in Israel I had to read it.

It took me several months to read the book. You need to read and investigate all the situations that are explained in the book. Understanding “banality of evil” as a concept is the most important part of reading the book. I read it from November to April, at my house and when at university, whenever I had a moment to read it. I'm sure you'll get submerged in the words of Arendt and end up buying more of her books.