How to Be a Better Human Recommends

The Makioka Sisters by Jun'ichirō Tanizaki is a classic Japanese novel that follows the lives of four sisters from a once-wealthy Osaka family as they navigate the challenges of tradition, family obligations, and personal desires in the years leading up to World War II. The story focuses on the family's efforts to marry off the sisters, particularly Yukiko, while dealing with the societal changes and personal struggles of the time.

My Tender Matador es una novela que explora la historia de un travesti que se enamora de un joven guerrillero del Frente Patriótico Manuel Rodríguez, mientras Chile se encuentra en un punto de inflexión histórico. La obra combina elementos de romance, política y drama, ofreciendo una visión única de la sociedad chilena bajo la dictadura de Pinochet.

Fiebre Tropical es una novela que narra la historia de Francisca, una adolescente colombiana que se muda a Miami y se enfrenta a un mundo nuevo y confuso. La novela explora temas de identidad, inmigración y religión, utilizando un estilo único de Spanglish que refleja la experiencia bilingüe de la protagonista. A medida que Francisca se adentra en un mundo de evangelismo y primeros amores, debe navegar las complejidades de su nueva vida en Estados Unidos.

Middlemarch, written by George Eliot, is a novel that delves into the complexities of provincial life in 19th-century England. The story revolves around the intersecting lives of its characters, particularly Dorothea Brooke and Dr. Tertius Lydgate, as they navigate marriage, vocation, and social class. Eliot critiques the conventional romance narratives of her time by portraying marriage as a complex and often problematic institution. The novel also explores themes of idealism, self-interest, hypocrisy, and the constraints on women's lives. Set in the fictional town of Middlemarch between 1829 and 1832, the novel incorporates historical events such as the Great Reform Act of 1832 and early developments in medicine. Eliot's realistic portrayal of ordinary human life, with its quiet tragedies and small triumphs, has made 'Middlemarch' a masterpiece of English literature.

In 'Invisible Man,' Ralph Ellison tells the story of a nameless black protagonist who navigates the surreal and often hostile world of 20th-century America. The novel begins with the narrator living in an underground room, reflecting on his life and the various ways he has experienced social invisibility. He recounts his journey from a small Southern town to Harlem, involving experiences with racism, a brutal 'battle royal,' and his involvement with the Brotherhood, a civil rights group. The narrative delves into themes of identity, power, and the struggle for self-definition in a society that refuses to see him. Through his experiences, the narrator grapples with the complexities of being a black man in America, ultimately leading to a profound exploration of invisibility and the search for one's true self.