Books for College Graduates Equip Them for a Lifetime
The journey through college and across the stage to receive a hard earned college diploma is the beginning of the journey of a lifetime. Once a college graduate leaves the security of their college campus their quest for success in life has just begun.
Help equip your college graduate by providing rock solid reading material that will help them continue their growth as an individual, family member, and productive member of the community.
The following five books are among the best books for college graduates. These books are packed with wisdom and insight that will help make your graduate’s life more dynamic and fulfilling.
Books to Equip and Encourage College Grads
The first book I’d like to recommend is currently number 6 on the New York Times Best Seller List, Happy for No Reason: 7 Steps to Being Happy from the Inside Out, by Marci Shimoff. There is a reason this book is on the best seller list, with depression rampant in our country. Help the recent college graduate head off the disappointments of our secular society and secular expectations with this book. Marci Shimoff hasn’t uncovered any landmark secrets to happiness, but what she has done in this book is pulled together some of the most common principles and thought processes of happy people.
College graduates face many challenges. Happy for No Reason is one tool to help them overcome the reality of life outside the college campus. You can pick up the book at your local Borders or order it online from Borders. The paperback is $15.00; the hardback is $24.95.
The Last Lecture, by Jeff Zaslow with Randy Pausch is misunderstood by some. There are those who thing it is a book about dying. The Last Lecture is a book about really learning how to live, by a man who was diagnosed with terminal cancer. Little did he know when he gave “The Last Lecture,” that it would truly be his last. It became an instant video sensation and now the context is available in book form. It will inspire college graduates to achieve their childhood dreams. It is available at Barnes and Noble for $14.26. Purchase the book, La última lección,
Best Books to Help College Graduates Discover Their Purpose
I’m partial to Rick Warren’s The Purpose Driven Life, which skyrocketed in popularity when escaped convict, Brian Nichols, who murdered a judge, a court reporter, a sheriff’s deputy, and a federal agent was calmed by the reading of some passages of the book by his hostage, Ashley Smith. Certainly Nichols life lacked purpose, but your college graduate may discover their passion and purpose for life through this highly readable and encouraging book. I think one of the best things that you take away from this book is a reader is that you are here for a reason and your life is part of a much bigger plan. I think it is a great book for graduates. The Purpose Driven Life, by Rick Warren is available at Borders for $13.49. A Spanish translation, Una Vida con Proposito, is $12.99.
John C. Maxwell is one of my favorite authors on leadership and tapping into your God given potential to not only live your best life, but encourage the lives of those around you. Any of John C. Maxwell’s books will provide a wealth of wisdom and direction for college graduates. I specifically recommend Put Your Dream to the Test, which will challenge readers with tough questions that prompt them toward making their dream a reality. A great companion book is My Dream Map, which is Maxwell’s follow-up to Put Your Dream to the Test. It offers practical applications to put feet on your dreams. Both books are available at Barnes and Noble.
Outliers: The Story of Success, by Malcolm Gladwell examines the realm of successful people, those he considers on the outskirts of society for their incredible ability to achieve. Gladwell takes a look at a variety of achievers and what makes them great. Gladwell doesn’t offer a philosophical discourse, for which the college graduate will be thankful. Rather he takes a bit of a sociological perspective in that he examines the lives of those who succeed in terms of their social intuition and prowess. This is an interesting and enlightening read for college graduates, reminding them that success isn’t always about who is the smartest, or even who works the hardest. It is a reminder of the human elements of success.
Sources:
Barnes and Noble
Borders
