We are living in a world where politicians and parents don’t want their kids to be “uncomfortable” — in the classroom, in the bookstore, in the library. And excuse my language, but that’s bullshit. Education and books are supposed to make you uncomfortable. Supposed to challenge you and make you reconsider long-held beliefs that perhaps need to be evaluated. Supposed to provide information for you to explore, examine, and reflect upon — and then form your own thoughts. Growth is not comfortable — even physically, we have growing pains in childhood. If we are always comfortable and never reconsider or evaluate anything, we don’t get anywhere. This list could have been so much longer — books like Tomboyland by Melissa Faliveno, Minor Feelings by Cathy Park Hong, and A Mind Spread Out on the Ground by Alicia Elliott are among the collections that I’d add, as well. These books are powerful, they make you think, and they (hopefully) lead you to make changes in some sort of way, whether it’s with yourself or in the larger world. If you’re looking for even more essay collections to explore, check out this post on recent essay collections not to be missed and this list of 100 must-read essay collections.
