10 books that have changed the world for the better

From Virginia Woolf’s Orlando to Malala Yousafzai’s memoir, Bath Spa University has compiled a list of the literary works that have positively impacted society
A customer reads the autobiography of Malala Yousafzai
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Liz Connor17 November 2016

There are books that we read for pleasure, and then there are books that can touch us profoundly, open our eyes to injustices and even act as a catalyst for social change.

Few writers can say that they’ve penned a novel that changed the course of history, and so to celebrate the UN’s International Tolerance Day, Bath Spa has looked to the literary world to highlight a list of tomes that have changed the way we think about religion, culture, race, mental health issues or disability.

The list, which is diverse in itself, spans modern works like Emma Healey’s Elizabeth is Missing and classics like The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath and The Story of my Life by Helen Keller.

Students and academics came together to compile the top ten, which is part of Bath Spa University Library's 'Reads and Rights' campaign, which highlights the world-changing books everyone should have on their shelf.

Wondering how many you have read from the list of ten?

Here are the books they chose - and if you haven't already ticked these important books off your literary bucket list, the ones you've yet to read are certainly worth a trip to a bookshop on the way home tonight.

1. Two Boys Kissing, David Levithan

Levithan’s young adult book tells the based-on-true-events story of Harry and Craig, two 17-year-olds who are about to take part in a 32-hour marathon of kissing to set a new Guinness World Record—all of which is narrated by a Greek Chorus of the generation of gay men lost to AIDS.

2. Nevada, Imogen Binnie

Nevada is the hilarious and gritty story of Maria Griffiths, a young trans woman living in New York City and trying to stay true to her punk values while working retail. When she finds out her girlfriend has lied to her, the world she thought she'd carefully built for herself begins to unravel.

3. The Reason I Jump, Naoki Higashida

Written by Naoki Higashida when he was only thirteen, this memoir provides a rare insight into the behaviour of autistic children. Using a question and answer format, Naoki explains things like why he talks loudly or repeats the same questions, what causes him to have panic attacks, and why he likes to jump.

4. The Story of My Life, Helen Keller

An American classic rediscovered by each generation, The Story of My Life is Helen Keller’s account of her triumph over deafness and blindness. Published when Keller was only twenty-two, the book has become a symbol of hope for people all over the world.

5. I am Malala, Malala Yousafzai

This memoir tells the story of a 16-year-old girl who risks her life to speak out for her right to an education after the Taliban took control of the Swat Valley in Pakistan.

6. Orlando, Virginia Woolf

Virginia Woolf’s Orlando constructs the protagonist Orlando as the fictional embodiment of her close friend and lesbian lover, Vita Sackville-West. The book describes the adventures of a poet who changes sex from man to woman and lives for centuries, meeting the key figures of English literary history.

7. Elizabeth is Missing, Emma Healey

This haunting description of mental illness sees an elderly woman descending into dementia embark on a desperate quest to find the best friend she believes has disappeared.

8. The Bell Jar, Sylvia Plath

Plath’s semi-autobiographical novel is often regarded as a roman à clef since the protagonist's descent into mental illness parallels her own experiences with what may have been clinical depression.

9. If this is a Man, Primo Levi

If This Is a Man describes Italian Jewish writer Primo Levi’s arrest as a member of the Italian anti-fascist resistance during the Second World War, and his incarceration in the Auschwitz concentration camp until liberation.

10 books every feminist should read

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10. Ain’t I a Woman, Bell Hooks

This groundbreaking work of feminist fiction examines the impact of sexism on black women during slavery, the historic devaluation of black womanhood, black male sexism, racism within the recent women's movement, and black women's involvement with feminism.

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