January 2026
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    I am at a crossroads in life. I am not old, I have no major decisions to make. I am not financially comfortable but I am no longer impoverished. I have been sober from alcohol for over two years and now about a month sober from all substances.

    This has resulted in me realizing: I’ve never known who or what I am. I’m 30, queer, and I’ve only ever enjoyed reading & writing. I am on a self discovery journey. It’s startling to realize I’m only 15 years younger than when one of parents died. Yet, I’ve never developed routines, coping mechanisms, discipline let alone hobbies. I want to learn who and what I am so I continue to grow, not just age. Then, once I know who & what I am, I can be me: fully and unapologetically.

    The place I find myself is emotionally painful, yet it’s full of optimism. I am blessed with community yet feel very isolated.

    So what books, fiction or nonfiction would you recommend to somebody at a crossroads in life or is seeking true self discovery?

    Books I’ve read and loved within the last couple years:

    Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl

    Meditations by Marcus Aurelius

    Letters on the Shortness of Life by Seneca

    Siddartha by Herman Hesse

    Just Kids by Patti Smith

    East of Eden & Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck

    The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath

    I know why the caged bird sings by Maya Angelou

    Nearly half of James Baldwin’s bibliography, favorites being Giovanni’s Room, Another Country, and The Fire Next Time.

    Tl;DR: Books for self discovery or being at a crossroads, fiction or non fiction. See books above I’ve already read

    by justathrowawayforth

    6 Comments

    1. Think like a Monk

      Let Them Theory

      Into Thin Air

      The Four Agreements

      The Guncle

      The House in the Cerulean Sea and sequel

      The Midnight Library

      Before the Coffee gets Cold

      The Five People you Meet in Heaven

      My Friends, Fredrik Backman

      Tuesdays with Morrie

      Flowers for Algernon

    2. “Designing Your Life” is an excellent book about figuring out how to design the life you want. Some of the exercises may help you figure things out. 

    3. The Ambassadors, by Henry James. Perfectly captures the terror and freedom of finding yourself turning into a different person well into your adulthood.

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