25 Best Thought-Provoking Books

The Life and Crimes of Hoodie Rosen by Isaac Blum

Hoodie Rosen and his Orthodox Jewish community have relocated to a new city to set up roots. But they aren’t feeling welcomed in their new home and are facing antisemitic acts both big and small daily.

As he grapples with his place, not just in the new town but within his own community, Hoodie meets and falls for the mayor’s non-Jewish daughter, Anna-Maria. His friendship with her sends shockwaves through his close-knit community and compounded with the antisemitism, it leaves poor Hoodie struggling with what it means to be a Jewish man.

Why We Love it: With antisemitism on the rise, this poignant novel is so deeply important. But more than that, Hoodie’s narration had me feeling as if I was inside the head of the 15-year-old boy who, while being an orthodox Jew, is just grappling with the worries and fears of every adolescent boy.

Find this book in Books by Jewish Writers / Thought-Provoking Books

The Hate You Give by Angie Thomas

This fantastic and incredibly relevant young adult novel tackles the Black Lives Matter movement. Starr is straddling a line between two worlds. She attends a prestigious prep school where she is one of 2 black children in her grade but she lives in a poor neighborhood 40 minutes down the road.

She switches her personality so that she can fit in wherever she is, never truly being her whole self. When she witnesses her unarmed childhood best friend get killed by a policeman her entire life changes.

She needs to decide what to tell and to whom because her words can have dire consequences for her family and her community. It’s a truly wonderful coming-of-age story from thought-provoking books set in high school that all young adults should read.

Turtles on the Way Down by John Green

Aza is a 16-year-old who, along with her best friend, is searching for a lost billionaire in order to get the reward money. 

Along the way, she finds Davis, the billionaire’s son, and her childhood friend.  Love, loss, and resilience are all themes in this book that will capture you and keep you reading until the last page. This thought-provoking book will make you think long after you have read the last page.

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

This is a magical realism book that is narrated by Death. And in this haunting magical realism book, he tells the story of Liesel, a young girl in Nazi Germany in 1939. Liesel is living with her foster parents and learning to read from stolen books.

She also shares these books with the Jewish man who is hiding in her basement. This book is brilliant, powerful, poignant, and unforgettable. While technically a YA historical fiction book, this book is fiction at its finest and is a must-read from our list of WWII books for kids. This is one of my favorite thought-provoking books.

Push by Sapphire 

Push is a look at life in the poverty-stricken streets of Harlem in the eighties. The main character is an illiterate 16-year-old pregnant with her second child by her father.

The commentary on a life of poverty and the struggles to get out of her situation are horrific but inspiring. It is incredibly difficult, but such a worthwhile, thought-provoking book.

All the Ugly and Wonderful Things by Bryn Greenwood 

This highly controversial book and thought-provoking book was awarded Book of the Month Club Book of the Year 2016 and Second Place in Goodreads Best Fiction of 2016.  

This is an unlikely love story between the daughter of a drug dealer and one of her father’s thugs.  I found it to be a disturbing, extremely well-written, and thought-provoking book.

People either love or hate this book because of the difficult subject matter. Either way, you are sure to feel something when you are done reading it. This is one of the books that will make you think, long after you have finished reading the last page.

The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett

June 2020 GMA Book Club Pick

I adored Bennett’s debut book The Mothers so I was nervous to read her sophomore novel. Sometimes the next novel doesn’t live up to the first, but The Vanishing Half absolutely does with this wonderful and thought-provoking book.

The premise of this book set in the 70s is so unique. Two black sisters are so pale they can pass for white. One embraces her black heritage and her hometown, the other disappears into white suburbia.

When they meet up again 20 years later through their own daughters, the result is a stunning portrayal of the ties that tether us to our families. This is one of the must-read books about sisters and family drama books! It is also an amazing book for book clubs because there is so much to discuss.

An American Marriage by Tayari Jones

February 2018 Oprah’s Book Club Pick

I can see why there are so many people that loved this book. From the very beginning, there were so many things that made me anxious while reading this book, my heart was pounding. Some of the anxiety was for the right reasons (I knew he would be wrongly convicted) and some of the anxiety was for the wrong reasons (the cavalier way Roy talked about his marriage).

The book is well-written and delves into the complexities of love, marriage, and relationships. It is one of the most thought-provoking books on this list.

Life of Pi by Yann Martel

When a boat sinks in the Pacific, the only survivors are a 16-year-old boy named Pi, an orangutan, a hyena, a Bengal tiger, and a zebra. And while this book was written less than 20 years ago, it is already a modern classic.

This is not a sailing novel that once read can be forgotten. I know that some people look at the story as an extended metaphor in which each animal represents a person but personally, I like the book exactly the way it was written, one of the best magical realism books I have read.

There is magic in the pages of this book in all meanings of the word. First, read this book, then, rethink everything. This is a perfect example of a thought-provoking book because no two people view it the same way. If you are looking for animal fiction books, this one is a must.

The Glass Castle: A Memoir by Jeanette Walls

This is an amazing recount of Jeanette Walls’s upbringing and childhood.  She is a successful journalist and writer living in New York City. 

Her parents also live in New York; however, they choose to be homeless. Jeanette Wells’s upbringing was unconventional and her parents did not offer her a structured childhood. This is a fantastic pick from books about mothers and as non-fiction books go, this one reads like fiction. This pick from thought-provoking books is so readable that I would even recommend it to young teens.

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skoot

As I read this book, I was absolutely stunned.  With each page I kept thinking to myself “This can’t be true” and yet, somehow, in the 1950’s an African-American woman named Henrietta Lacks unknowingly had her cells taken. These cells, known as HeLa, were the first human cells that lived outside the human body and could reproduce indefinitely.

HeLa cells became the basis for medical breakthroughs from the creation of the Polio vaccine to cancer and AIDS research. To this day, nobody in the Lacks family has ever received compensation for her contribution to medicine and they cannot afford health insurance. 

Years later, I still think about this book- you cannot ask for a more thought-provoking book.

Nickel and Dimed by Barbara Ehrenreich

I read this book about poverty in college and I still think of it today. For one year, Barbara set out to live off minimum wage at the lowest-paying jobs in America.

Over the course of the year, she is a hotel maid, a waitress, a cleaning woman, a nursing home aid, and a Wal-Mart associate. Her stories of the conditions she lives in and what people need to do to get by on the poverty line fundamentally changed the course of many people’s thinking over the years.

It shows how hard people are working for minimum wage and how little those salaries get you. This is one of those books that make you think about what is wrong with what we value in this country.

Empty Mansions by Bill Dedman

The book outlines her life, her struggles, and the people who took advantage of her good nature. I couldn’t put it down! The splendor of her life reads like a soap opera and the photos of her homes included in the book are jawdropping.

Empty Mansions reads like a novel for sure. Huguette Clark’s life was one of opulence and riches, but she died a recluse with a $300 million dollar estate and a vast number of decrepit homes in her portfolio.

When it comes to books like Downton Abbey, this one is a hit if it’s the house itself you are most interested in and it is definitely one of the books that will make you think about it long after you have finished it.

Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann

While this is about the start of the FBI and its role in solving the brutal Osage murders in the 1920s, it also tells the story of the exploitative, disgusting treatment of the Osage tribe. It was shocking to read about the brutal way the Osage were manipulated – from the overcharging of goods to the corruption of the justice system, to flat-out murder, this is a stark, eye-opening story of our country’s racist roots.

Why We Like it: I read this non-fiction book before it became a movie. The plot is juicy and thought-provoking. It was hard to believe I was reading a true story, the plot twists and characters came to life in a cinematic way.

Find this book in Books set in the 1920s / Thought-Provoking Books

Brave New World by Aldous Huxley

I won’t say how many years it has been since I read this book. But I will tell you that I haven’t forgotten any of it. It is one of those thought-provoking books that will have you thinking about it for years to come.

Set in a future in which all humans are genetically bred to uphold a particular place in society without question, the cost has been freedom in all aspects of the word.

The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood 

Offred is a Handmaid in the Republic of Gilead. She may leave the home of the Commander and his wife once a day to walk to food markets whose signs are now pictures instead of words because women are no longer allowed to read.

She must lie on her back once a month and pray that the Commander makes her pregnant because, in an age of declining births, Offred and the other Handmaids are valued only if their ovaries are viable.

Offred remembers when she had a job, money of her own, and access to knowledge, her husband Luke, and her daughter But all of that is gone now….

Why We Love This Book: This dystopian novel is scary because of how convincing it is. There is a reason this novel by Canadian Author, Margaret Atwood, has won awards. It will make you think differently about everything.
Find This Book in Thought-Provoking Books / Book Adaptations on Netflix / Dystopian Novels

Hula by Jasmin Iolani Hakes

Hula is not only one of the best beach read of 2023, but it’s also one of the best books of 2023! I picked up this book based on the cover and the thoughts of the hula dance competition, but instead of the fun read I was expecting, I got a coming-of-age story about a light-skinned Hawaiian who is trying to prove she belongs by learning to Hula.

But this Hula isn’t just a dance, it keeps the legends and legacies of the Hawaiian culture alive. Sprinkled throughout this story, while Hi’i is fighting to prove her worth, we see glimpses of her mother and grandmother’s lives, as well el as vignettes that explain Hawaii’s history, colonization, and the struggle of native Hawaiians today.

There is so much to uncover in this book, so many layers to absorb. I was entertained while reading it, but more importantly, I learned so much. I’ll be raving about this for years to come! This is one of the best thought-provoking books I have ever read.

The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead

August 2016 Oprah’s Book Club Pick

I loved this book and it was one of the first reviews we ever did on the blog. I love the way this book examined the underground railroad with a touch of magical realism. If you are looking for thought-provoking books, look no further.

The story is about Cora and Caesar, two run-away slaves in the South who run away to the underground railroad which, in this book, is an actual railroad.

Each stop along the way is reminiscent of a different place in history and it is interlaced with actual ads placed for runaway slaves. This book is profound and beautiful and a must-read.

Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly 

Based on the true story of New York socialite, Caroline Ferriday, this fictionalized account of the war is told from three perspectives.

The novel alternates between Caroline in New York, Kasia, a Polish prisoner, at Ravensbruck, and Herta, the only female doctor at that same camp.

Herta’s perspective, she was a real doctor at Ravensbruck, was particularly fascinating to read. Hearing her thoughts left a deep impact since authors rarely write from the perspective of the Nazi party members. That perspective makes this novel unique among these books about WWII and is truly a thought-provoking book.

Find this book in Books About WWII / Books Set in France / Thought Provoking Books / Books With a Color in the Title

The Measure by Nikki Erlick

July 2022 Read With Jenna Book Club Pick

This is one of the most unique books I’ve ever read. One day everyone over the age of 22 wakes up to find a string on their doorstep. It’s soon clear that the length of one’s string determines the length of their life.

Soon short stringers are being discriminated against around the globe which begs the question – what is the true measure of a valuable life?

Why We Love This Book: This would be a fabulous book club book. There is so much to talk about and you will love this pick from summer reads 2023! Don’t let the fact that this is a sci-fi book deter you if it is not your usual genre.
Find This Book in Best Books for Book Clubs / New Dystopian Novels

The Husbands by Chandler Baker

August 2021 Good Morning America Book Club Pick

Ladies, get your book clubs geared up for Chandler Baker’s newest novel. It’s part mystery, part social commentary, but it’s the latter that packs a punch in this contemporary fiction.

Baker examines the mental load that women carry as wives and mothers, particularly working women, and how it differs from what society expects of men.

Murder in the desirable Dynasty Ranch neighborhood has lawyer and prospective buyer, Nora, looking into what happened. With all the Stepford-style husbands she is meeting, she’s starting to wonder what kind of place Dynasty Ranch is after all. This is a perfect book for book clubs, it is such a thought-provoking book. You will have such a great discussion about this book about motherhood.

Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck

This book is another one of my favorite books I read in high school and this thought-provoking book also happens to be a short one.  George and Lennie have stuck with me for the last 20-plus years.

There is something about Lennie’s innocence that is haunting.  There is a moment (if you have read it, you know what I am talking about) that makes this book unforgettable. I re-lived this book again this year when my son read it in middle school.

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

I cannot count the number of times I have read this book.  It is a coming-of-age book that was ahead of its time and is even more relevant to the world today.  

It’s about a young girl named Scout, whose father (Atticus) is a lawyer in her Southern town. As she grows, she realizes the prejudices within her town – culminating in her watching a trial as her father defends Tom Robinson, a black man falsely accused of raping a white woman.

This book won the Pulitzer Prize in 1961 and was also made into an Academy Award-winning movie.  It’s unforgettable and a must-read. If you are looking for books that make you think, this pick from thought-provoking books will fit the bill.