Columbia University is one of the few colleges that asks students to submit a list of books applicants have read outside of required in-class reading. They know you’ve been working — they have seen your transcript — but they still want to know what you’re doing when you’re off the books and no one is shoving a book in your hand followed by quizzes and papers and expectations.
We love this because the reading list offers an opportunity to show a piece of yourself that is truly uniquely you. It’s also a little stressful, though. Where do you even start? If you are already a big reader, you may not need much advice. But if picking up a book isn’t the first thing you do when you finish your homework, some guidance might help. Below is a list of ten books we specifically suggest for prospective humanities majors applying to Columbia College of Columbia University. There are older books and newer books, fiction books and nonfiction books, books that are serious, and books that will have you laughing until you cry. This list represents authors from a diverse array of backgrounds, but they all share one thing in common: they are genuinely exceptional writers. So while you’re bulking up your supplement, you’ll also be learning some writing tricks that will serve you elsewhere in your application as well.
If reading books for fun is not your jam, send us an email. We simplify the college application process, and it may even be enjoyable.
The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao (buy)
By Junot Díaz
This Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Dominican-American writer Junot Díaz grapples with origin, ethnicity, culture, and identity as told through one young man’s journey to make sense of his past.
Americanah (buy)
By Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
This novel tells a wide-ranging love story of two Nigerians seeking out something, but unprepared for what they find. A national bestseller, and a modern classic that explores what it means to be Black in America.
Where the Crawdads Sing (buy)
By Delia Owens
A riveting story of a part of the United States few visit and even fewer understand, this novel is rooted in the North Carolina coast, an area where rural rustic life comes into friction with those who live ‘in town.’ The town in buzzing when ‘Marsh Girl’ Kya Clark is implicated in a murder.
Timeline (buy)
By Michael Crichton
A purely fun mash-up of science fiction and historical fiction, this time-travel novel is a great beach read, or you can listen to the audiobook just about anywhere. There are lessons to be learned from Crichton, too, in how to tell a compelling story. He’s a master of it.
Looking for Alaska (buy)
By John Green
A young man who loves words and fancies himself an intellectual goes to boarding school. No, this isn’t Catcher in the Rye, but it speaks to youth in a similarly powerful way. John Green has captured the hearts and minds of young adult readers for years through stark honesty, raw truth, and a dose of humor.
Braiding Sweetgrass (buy)
By Robin Wall Kimmerer
An indigenous botanist asks questions you may not have been asking, but that we all should be. What can we learn from salamanders, algae, and goldenrod? How can we exist on this earth in a way that improves the lives of other human, plant, and animal beings?
The Kingkiller Chronicle - series (buy)
By Patrick Rothfuss
Beginning with The Name of the Wind and apparently still in progress (if Rothfuss ever finishes the 3rd book), The Kingkiller Chronicle is a true fantasy epic that we love as a way of 1. Enjoying yourself and 2. Learning how to tell an exceptionally engrossing story.
The Devil in the White City (buy)
By Erik Larson
If you like history, true crime, and drama, this book won’t just look good on your reading list — it’ll take over your life until you read the final sentence. Erik Larson is a skilled nonfiction writer known for writing history books that are as attention-grabbing as the best fiction novels.
Finding Me (buy)
By Viola Davis
We don’t spotlight many celebrity memoirs as must-reads for college supplements, but actress Viola Davis’ memoir is one of our rare exceptions. From a run-down Rhode Island apartment to the most powerful and influential rooms in the world, Davis shows how resilience, persistence, and hard work can change your life.
The Nickel Boys (buy)
By Colson Whitehead
Colson Whitehead tells complicated stories in compelling ways that challenge the reader to question their understandings and assumptions. We especially appreciate how he builds immersive worlds that aren’t designed to make you comfortable. Quite the opposite, they challenge you to sit in discomfort.
Pick three to five of these and mix them in with whatever else most excites you, whether you’re really into graphic novels or can’t get enough of Jane Austen.
Applying to college isn’t a walk in the park. Send us an email if you could use a guide.