Recommendations based on The Arab of the Future: A Childhood in the Middle East, 1978-1984by Riad Sattouf

* statistically, based on millions of data-points provided by fellow humans

  1. Pyongyang: A Journey in North Korea

    by Guy Delisle
    A graphic novel memoir of a French animator's experiences living and working in North Korea.

    Famously referred to as one of the "Axis of Evil" countries, North Korea remains one of the most secretive and mysterious nations in the world today. In early 2001 cartoonist Guy Delisle became one ... (Goodreads)

  2. The Complete Maus

    by Art Spiegelman
    A graphic novel depicting a Jewish survivor of the Holocaust and his son's journey to understand the past.

    On the occasion of the twenty-fifth anniversary of its first publication, here is the definitive edition of the book acclaimed as “the most affecting and successful narrative ever done about the ... (Goodreads)

  3. The Complete Persepolis

    by Marjane Satrapi
    Autobiographical tale of a girl growing up in Iran during the Islamic Revolution.

    Here, in one volume: Marjane Satrapi's best-selling, internationally acclaimed graphic memoir. Persepolis is the story of Satrapi's unforgettable childhood and coming of age within a large and loving ... (Goodreads)

  4. Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood

    by Marjane Satrapi
    Autobiographical account of a young girl's experience of the Iranian Revolution.

    Note: The summary of the English editions of the novel is divided into two sections, one for each book. Persepolis 1 begins by introducing Marji, the ten-year-old protagonist. Set in 1980, the novel ... (Wikipedia)

  5. Eating Animals

    by Jonathan Safran Foer
    An exploration of the ethical and environmental implications of eating meat.

    Jonathan Safran Foer spent much of his life oscillating between enthusiastic carnivore and occasional vegetarian. Once he started a family, the moral dimensions of food became increasingly important. ... (Goodreads)

  6. Chicken with Plums

    by Marjane Satrapi
    A whimsical story of a man's quest for fulfillment amidst the chaos of life.

    In November 1955, Nasser Ali Khan, one of Iran's most celebrated tar players, is in search of a new instrument. His beloved tar has been broken. But no matter what tar he tries, none of them sound ... (Goodreads)

  7. Maus I: A Survivor's Tale: My Father Bleeds History

    by Art Spiegelman
    A graphic novel depicting the traumatic experiences of a Holocaust survivor and his son.

    The first installment of the Pulitzer Prize-winning graphic novel acclaimed as “the most affecting and successful narrative ever done about the Holocaust” (Wall Street Journal) and “the first ... (Goodreads)

  8. A Room of One's Own

    by Virginia Woolf
    Examining gender roles and societal expectations with an eye to achieving independence and creative freedom.

    A Room of One's Own is an extended essay by Virginia Woolf. First published on the 24th of October, 1929, the essay was based on a series of lectures she delivered at Newnham College and Girton ... (Goodreads)

  9. Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic

    by Alison Bechdel
    An autobiographical story of a daughter's complex relationship with her father and her own journey of self-discovery.

    The narrative of Fun Home is non-linear and recursive. , Incidents are told and re-told in the light of new information or themes. , Bechdel describes the structure of Fun Home as a labyrinth , ... (Wikipedia)

  10. A Tale of Love and Darkness

    by Amos Oz
    A tale of love, loss, and identity set against the backdrop of the tumultuous history of Israel.

    Tragic, comic, and utterly honest, A Tale of Love and Darkness is at once a family saga and a magical self-portrait of a writer who witnessed the birth of a nation and lived through its turbulent ... (Goodreads)

  11. Spinning

    by Tillie Walden
    A graphic memoir about a young figure skater's coming-of-age journey, navigating her sexuality and identity while pursuing her passion.

    Poignant and captivating, Ignatz Award winner Tillie Walden's powerful graphic memoir, Spinning , captures what it's like to come of age, come out, and come to terms with leaving behind everything ... (Goodreads)

  12. Maus II: A Survivor's Tale: And Here My Troubles Began

    by Art Spiegelman
    A graphic novel recounting a Holocaust survivor's harrowing experience and his son's attempt to reconcile with his father's past.

    Acclaimed as a quiet triumph and a brutally moving work of art, the first volume of Art Spieglman's Maus introduced readers to Vladek Spiegleman, a Jewish survivor of Hitler's Europe, and his son, a ... (Goodreads)

  13. The Hidden Life of Trees: what they feel, how they communicate : discoveries from a secret world

    by Peter Wohlleben
    An exploration of the complex relationships between trees and the environment.

    A, New York Times, bestseller,, With more than 2 million copies sold worldwide, this beautifully-written book journeys deep into the forest to uncover the fascinating—and surprisingly moving—hidden ... (Barnes & Noble)

  14. Capital in the Twenty-First Century

    by Thomas Piketty
    An economic analysis of wealth and inequality in the modern era.

    What are the grand dynamics that drive the accumulation and distribution of capital? Questions about the long-term evolution of inequality, the concentration of wealth, and the prospects for economic ... (Goodreads)

  15. Wall and Piece

    by Banksy
    An introduction to the subversive street art of Banksy, with visual commentary on modern life.

    Banksy, Britain's now-legendary "guerilla" street artist, has painted the walls, streets, and bridges of towns and cities throughout the world. Not only did he smuggle his pieces into four of New ... (Goodreads)

  16. Survival in Auschwitz

    by Primo Levi
    True story of a man's struggle to survive in a Nazi concentration camp.

    The true and harrowing account of Primo Levi’s experience at the German concentration camp of Auschwitz and his miraculous survival; hailed by The Times Literary Supplement as a “true work of art, ... (Goodreads)

  17. Notes from a Small Island

    by Bill Bryson
    A humorous travelogue of Bryson's final tour of Britain before moving to the US. He reflects on the quirks and charms of British life.

    "Suddenly, in the space of a moment, I realized what it was that I loved about Britain-which is to say, all of it." After nearly two decades spent on British soil, Bill Bryson - bestselling author of ... (Goodreads)

  18. Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea

    by Barbara Demick
    Exploration of the lives of North Koreans during the famine and repression of the 1990s.

    Nothing to Envy follows the lives of six North Koreans over fifteen years—a chaotic period that saw the death of Kim Il-sung, the unchallenged rise to power of his son Kim Jong-il, and the ... (Goodreads)

  19. Epileptic

    by David B.
    Graphic novel exploring a family's struggle with a son's epilepsy.

    The book tells the story of the artist's early childhood and adolescence, focusing on his relationship with his brother and sister. His brother develops severe and intractable epilepsy , causing the ... (Wikipedia)

  20. When You Are Engulfed in Flames

    by David Sedaris
    Humorous reflections on everyday life, navigating the absurdities of the human condition.

    It's early autumn 1964. Two straight-A students head off to school, and when only one of them returns home Chesney Yelverton is coaxed from retirement and assigned to what proves to be the most ... (Goodreads)

  21. Ain't I a Woman: Black Women and Feminism

    by bell hooks
    A critical analysis of the intersectionality of race, gender, and class in the experiences of Black women in America.

    A groundbreaking work of feminist history and theory analyzing the complex relations between various forms of oppression. Ain't I a Woman examines the impact of sexism on black women during slavery, ... (Goodreads)

  22. Burma Chronicles

    by Guy Delisle
    A graphic novel memoir of a cartoonist's year in Burma with his family, exploring the country's culture, politics, and daily life.

    'Burma Chronicles' presents a personal and distinctively humorous glimpse into a political hotspot, putting a popular spin on current affairs. ... (Goodreads)

  23. The Book of Tea

    by Kakuzō Okakura
    A philosophical treatise on the art of tea and its role in Japanese culture, exploring the harmony between nature, art, and humanity.

    Now available in a gorgeous hardcover slipcase edition, this "object d'art" will be sure to add grace and elegance to tea shelves, coffee tables and bookshelves. A keepsake enjoyed by tea lovers for ... (Goodreads)

  24. Women & Power: A Manifesto

    by Mary Beard
    A look at the history of female power and the cultural obstacles preventing women from achieving it.

    At long last, Mary Beard addresses in one brave book the misogynists and trolls who mercilessly attack and demean women the world over, including, very often, Mary herself. In Women & Power , she ... (Goodreads)

  25. A People's History of the United States

    by Howard Zinn
    An examination of American history from a perspective of marginalized people.

    In the book, Zinn presented a different side of history from the more traditional "fundamental nationalist glorification of country". Zinn portrays a side of American history that can largely be seen ... (Goodreads)

  26. My Friend Dahmer

    by Derf Backderf
    A graphic novel memoir of the author's high school friendship with future serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer.

    The novel depicts the author's teenage friendship with Jeffrey Dahmer, who later became a serial killer, during his time at Eastview Junior High and Revere High School . The story follows Dahmer from ... (Wikipedia)

  27. Are You My Mother? A Comic Drama

    by Alison Bechdel
    An exploration of identity and family dynamics, as a daughter seeks to understand her mother.

    A graphic memoir of Alison Bechdel becoming the artist her mother wanted to be. Alison Bechdel’s Fun Home was a pop culture and literary phenomenon. Now, a second thrilling tale of filial sleuthery, ... (Goodreads)

  28. The Best We Could Do

    by Thi Bui
    A family's journey of remembrance, reflecting on the immigrant experience.

    National bestseller 2017 National Book Critics Circle (NBCC) Finalist, ABA Indies Introduce Winter / Spring 2017 Selection, Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers Spring 2017 Selection, ALA 2018 ... (Barnes & Noble)

  29. The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals

    by Michael Pollan
    Exploration of the modern food chain, examining the impact of food choices on our health and the environment.

    What should we have for dinner? The question has confronted us since man discovered fire, but according to Michael Pollan, the bestselling author of The Botany of Desire , how we answer it today, at ... (Goodreads)

  30. Men Explain Things to Me

    by Rebecca Solnit
    Examines the cultural phenomenon of men explaining things to women without full understanding of the topic.

    In her comic, scathing essay “Men Explain Things to Me,” Rebecca Solnit took on what often goes wrong in conversations between men and women. She wrote about men who wrongly assume they know things ... (Goodreads)