Whether it is our neurotic behavior, tendency to obsess, or impulsiveness, we can be attracted to rule-breakers or simply nonconformists. To my knowledge, a person does not have to have a rebellious lifestyle to gain the interest of others but can have an individuality that they are willing to defend against social norms. When finding similarities between nonconformists, the number of romantic partners, number of children they have, job position, and income are also taken into account. Someone who doesn’t suffer from nepotism can be a non-conformist, but may also be considered narcissistic.
Depending on what the protagonist, antagonist, deuteragonist, and more characters roles there are in books, it may determine if you can relate to them. In the book, How to Be a Dictator: The Cult of Personality in the Twentieth Century by Frank Dikötter, it makes perfect sense that someone at the top of the hierarchy can’t get fired. George Orwell’s dystopian science fiction novel, Nineteen Eighty-Four, warns the reader of the dangers of totalitarianism and the things he warned us about are prevalent today. By now, there are centuries worth of compelling books about nonconformity, but this list will be narrowed down to books that numerous nonconformists would cherish. Just don’t try reenacting the events in Bret Easton Ellis’s American Psycho. Some people already study Sun Tzu’s The Art of War, so absorb as much knowledge in the world as you can.
Before we dive into the list of seven crowd-pleasing books about nonconformity that you should read right now, remember that you can share your thoughts about the list by commenting on The Bookshop Blog’s Twitter account. The following list will not necessarily be about books that I admire but books with the main theme of nonconformity.
7. The Crossroads of Should and Must: Find and Follow Your Passion by Elle Luna
Elle (a designer, painter, and writer) wrote this inspirational essay-turned-book about deciding between starting out or starting over and making a career change or making a life change. This illustrated manifesto picks up where Campbell left off, in the spirit of Parker Palmer’s emboldening guide to Let Your Life Speak: Listening For The Voice of Vocation and Debbie Millman’s Courage and The Creative Life, which is a visual essay-turned-commencement address.
Are you asking yourself if you should quit your 9 to 5 job? Are you pursuing a career or a system of advancements and promotions over time? Are you a recent graduate, artist, or career changer? In this must-read book, you’ll receive advice on what the wisest decision is.
6. A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin
Basically, the entirety of A Song of Ice and Fire is about overthrowing the government. Martin is the author of the Game of Thrones series and without him, the television series would never exist. Another thing about the television show is it closely follows Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire novels.
5. Loveboat, Taipei by Abigail Hing Wen
One reason not to read the romantic drama, Loveboat, Taipei, is when the rebellious teenagers are drinking snake blood. Another reason to avoid reading Loveboat, Taipei is if you’re a party pooper. Since ACE Entertainment (the company behind To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before) is adapting Loveboat, Taipei into a movie, you can stay updated on the information on Abigailhingwen.com.
All because Ever Wong’s parents sent her 18-year-old Chinese-American self from Ohio to Taiwan to study Mandarin for the summer, the over-achieving students (including Rick Woo, a Yale-bound prodigy profiled in the Chinese newspapers since they were nine) are in an infamous teen meet-market nicknamed Loveboat.
Be prepared to fall in love with the rich culture and glamour that Taiwan has to offer, but that does not mean you’ll be satisfied with every aspect of the book.
The students are not truly into calligraphy and sacred shines. Ever is breaking her parents’ uber-strict rules and the question is, “How far can she go before she breaks her own heart?” After reading Loveboat, Taipei, you’ll have to read Loveboat Reunion, which features the experience of Taipei through the eyes of fan favorites, Sophie Ha and Xavier Yeh.
4. Moxie by Jennifer Mathieu
The same author of The Truth About Alice, which takes a look at the effect of malicious words, brings you Moxie. Maybe you recall seeing the 2021 American comedy-drama film, Moxie, on Netflix, but it is also an adapted screenplay from the 2015 novel and shares the same name.
When a 16-year-old Vivian Carter (who had a controlling, conservative family) is fed up with her small-town Texas high school football team and her friend’s demeaning remarks directed at girls, sexist dress codes and hallway harassment, and following the rules, she takes a page from her mother’s past. Vivian’s tough-as-nails mother was a punk rock Riot Grrrl in the ’90s, so she creates a feminist zine that she distributes anonymously to her classmates. Her popularity increases as she forges friendships with other women in cliques, and then she realizes, she started a girl revolution.
While there are moments of “bump ’n’ grab” action in the hallways and the males having an annual tournament to pursue the easiest female to have sexual relations with, the book leaves out information about contacting law enforcement. It’s a culture of misogyny that the girls are willing to change.
3. Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi
If there’s one good thing that HarperCollins Publishers ever did, it was publishing the adult dystopian thriller, Shatter Me series. The New York Times bestselling author Tehereh Mafi may not be the type of writer you prefer if you despise paranormal mixed with romance, which is found in the first book of the Shatter Me series. The series order is: Shatter Me, Unravel Me, Ignite Me, Restore Me, Defy Me, Imagine Me, Destroy Me, Fracture Me, Shadow Me, Reveal Me, and Believe Me.
One touch from a 17-year-old Juliette Ferrars (also known by her birth name Ella Sommers) is all it takes for a fully grown man to gasp for air. They wouldn’t gasp for air from how much they’re in love but reach their untimely demise. It’s unknown why Juliette has such incredible power, but she feels that it’s a curse. The Reestablishment sees her power as a gift for the purpose of being a deadly weapon. She is left with the choice to kill herself and the man she loves, Adam, or to become a warrior. Realistically, the story involves a love triangle where Juliette is in love with Adam, who is polite, and Warner, who is the anti-hero. If you simply despise love triangles, this is not the book for you.
The entire Shatter Me series should give you a reason to never get off the couch until you are done reading it. Juliette is similar to Rogue from Marvel’s X-Men, where her superpower requires skin-to-skin contact to absorb memories, powers, personality traits, physical talents, and strength. In Shatter Me, Juliette does not necessarily benefit from touching anyone. Take a trip to Madison Street Books at 1127 W Madison St, Chicago, IL 60607 and you can buy the Shatter Me Series.
2. The Art of Nonconformity: Set Your Own Rules, Live The Life You Want, and Change The World by Chris Guillebeau
The same author who gave you the New York Times bestseller The Happiness of Pursuit: Finding the Quest That Will Bring Purpose to Your Life has a book based on his popular online manifesto, A Brief Guide to World Domination. After reading this book, you may find yourself armed with the tools to live differently. This book reads like an egotistical autobiography but will provide you with advice and we’re never too old for advice because most of us learn something every day. The book is a people pleaser. Read the book today and you’ll find tips for traveling, writing, and being true to yourself. Chris abides by four principles:
A. You must be open to new ideas.
B. You must be dissatisfied with the status quo.
C. You must be willing to take personal responsibility.
D. You must be willing to work hard.
Bookie’s – New and Used Books is an independent bookstore at 2015 Ridge Rd, Homewood, IL 60430, where you can pick up The Art of Nonconformity. While you will not be having laugh-out-loud joy, you may find yourself taking notes.
1. Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Most of us watched the Hunger Games movies, which are based on the young adult dystopian novels. In the nation of Panem (once known as North America), it was a shining Capital with 13 outlying districts, until the 13th district was destroyed. Now, there are 12 remaining districts.
One boy and one girl between the ages of 12 and 18 are forced to participate in the annual Hunger Games. The Hunger Games is televised live. Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives at home with her mother and little sister, is ordered to represent her district but views the Hunger Games as a death sentence.
Are you interested in reading any of these or have you read any of them in the past? Let us know in the comments below or on Twitter.
