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You’ve heard of sci-fi, but what do you know about cli-fi?

As global leaders struggle to make firm commitments to reduce emissions and scientists discover ever more dangerous feedback loops and repercussions from climate change, writers are using the power of the pen to show us what the world might look like if we don’t act soon to combat climate change. Dubbed “cli-fi,” these books are as much about the human condition as they are about the state of the planet. In that way, they’re much like traditional literature in that they’re asking questions about how people adapt to and meet potentially devastating challenges.

Here are six great texts for readers to dip their toes into this important genre:

1. Dry by Jarrod Shusterman and Neal Shusterman

As droughts pummel the American West in real life, Dry feels even more timely. The Tap-Out has forced people to limit their water use for years, but when the taps actually run dry, Alyssa’s suburban neighborhood becomes its own kind of dystopia, where friends and neighbors turn on one another in a desperate attempt to survive. Things go from bad to worse when Alyssa finds that she has to care for not only herself but her younger brother as well… and their lives hang in the balance. (Ages 13-17)

2. Orleans by Sherri L. Smith

This book is frighteningly relevant: Sherri L. Smith imagines what the Gulf coast would look like after being battered by devastating storms and suffering from a subsequent disease called “The Fever.” The Gulf coast is quarantined by a wall that separates it from the Outer States. Amidst this chaos and cruelty, young Fen finds herself left with her tribe leader’s newborn. Desperate to give the baby a chance at a better life outside the Delta, she teams up with a scientist named Daniel, and together they fight their way toward survival. (Ages 14 and up)

3. American War by Omar El Akkad

A master of dystopian fiction that feels both real and surreal, Omar El Akkad creates a version of the United States in 2074 where states splinter in the wake of a terrible plague, and a Second Civil War breaks out. Sarat Chestnut, only six at the time the war begins, learns the hard way that powerful forces will seek to take advantage of the crisis. Sarat finds herself in a camp for displaced persons and discovers just how dangerous this new American can be. El Akkad is a journalist, who has reported from conflict zones the world over, which makes this novel feel less like imaginative fiction and more like its story has been ripped from global headlines. (Ages 16 and up)

4. Blackfish City by Sam J. Miller

Part dystopian fiction, part magical realism, part political thriller, and part sci-fi, this novel has it all. It’s set in a floating city in the Arctic Circle, which was created in the wake of the climate wars. Always a hard place to live in, the city is beginning to resemble the world we readers know too well: inequality is growing rampantly, and crime and political corruption are on the rise. Enter “the orcamancer,” a woman riding an orca, who seeks to draw together a band of resistors to fight back against the city’s degradation, but Miller raises questions about the destruction she’s willing to undertake. Miller aims for this narrative to argue for the rights of the marginalized, and he hits the mark, crafting a story that elicits empathy and compassion. Parts of the narrative are fairly violent, but it isn’t without hope. (Ages 16 and up)

5. Ministry for the Future by Kim Stanley Robinson

Kim Stanley Robinson is a giant in the sci-fi/fantasy world, and this novel is his latest feat. Ezra Klein called this novel “the most important book [he’s] read” in 2020. This is a lengthy read, but it feels more contemporary than other cli-fi texts… but not in a comforting way! The world of this novel feels all too plausible: in the wake of government inaction, eco-terrorists desperately try to take out polluters by whatever means necessary. The book asks some weighty moral questions about what kinds of actions are justified in an increasingly unstable world and explores different pathways toward a more stable future: bureaucratic avenues are juxtaposed against radical, violent action, and everything from geo-engineering to terrorism seems to be on the table for one group or another. Readers will find themselves pondering the questions the book raises long after the final page. (Ages 17 and up)

6. The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin

As the first part of Jemisin’s Broken Earth Trilogy, The Fifth Season considers how societies deal with disaster on an epic scale. The book combines both science fiction and fantasy, which makes for the perfect combination to address issues like seismology and volcanology, which can feel other worldly in their devastation. This one’s another lengthy read, but the corollaries to our world in terms of the racial and class politics the novel addresses make it feel hyper relevant. And the gorgeous world-building alone is worth the time investment. WNYC chose this novel as a SciFri Book Club pick in 2019, so there’s lots to think about in this fantasy novel for the science-minded reader. (Ages 17 and up)

 ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Shannon Falkner teaches English Language Arts at Chatham High School in Chatham, NJ. She is a Teacher Consultant at the Drew Writing Project and Digital Literacies Collaborative at Drew University.  Shannon is a passionate advocate for “climate literacy” and has trained with The Climate Reality Project. In addition to teaching English, she volunteers as a climate educator and often writes about both education and climate.

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You’ve seen the headlines.

Melting ice caps, endangered species, wildfires, heatwaves, floods, droughts, dying coral reefs, vector-borne diseases, ocean acidification, and other catastrophes.

Climate change is often framed in terms of its capacities for destruction, but addressing climate change is actually a huge opportunity to create a better, healthier world for us, as well as for the planet. It’s also a chance to renew our connections and commitments to our fellow planet-dwellers. There are so many reasons to be hopeful about our capacities to not only mitigate damage but to build a better world.

If you’re ready to learn about the innovative developments we already have to fight climate change and the exciting tools and movements in the works, here’s a starter list of books to get you up to speed on the solutions we need to implement now to begin building a better future:

1. How to Change Everything: The Young Human’s Guide to Protecting the Planet and Each Other by Naomi Klein

Young people are leading the fight against corporate greed and government inaction on climate change, and Naomi Klein’s book highlights the stories of youth activists from across the globe. Her book offers young readers not only the history of the climate crisis but also actionable ways for young people to plug into the growing youth movement for climate action. This book is laser-focused on climate justice issues and youth activism – it’s the perfect read for young readers who want to be both informed and active.

2. How to Avoid a Climate Disaster: The Solutions We Have and the Breakthroughs We Need by Bill Gates

Bill Gates came to the issue of climate change when he was studying how to address global poverty; he learned that energy and economic prosperity are closely connected…but if we keep powering our world with fossil fuels, everyone and everything will eventually be at risk. Gates divides his book into sections focused on specific aspects of society that require decarbonization – everything from how we power up to how we get around, to how we build to how we eat, and more. In each section, he offers clear and succinct explanations of what tools we already have and what developments and innovations we need to fully decarbonize.

3. All We Can Save: Truth, Courage, and Solutions for the Climate Crisis edited by Katharine K. Wilkinson and Ayana Elizabeth Johnson

This is no ordinary anthology – in it, readers will find both essays and poetry focused on climate issues. Wilkinson and Johnson prioritize the voices of the folks too often left out of the national climate conversation: BIPOC and women. For too long, we’ve ignored these voices, to our own peril, and these editors show us exactly why we need to start listening to these groups. The essays included range in focus and are grouped thematically: Root, Advocate, Reframe, Reshape, Persist, Feel, Nourish, and Rise. But the most impactful essays might be those in which the writers share personal narratives about the ways that climate change has impacted them or their communities. The poems tap into both the existential angst so many feel contemplating something as big and amorphous as climate change and the solidarity across groups that the climate crisis has inspired.

4. The Future We Choose: Surviving the Climate Crisis by Christiana Figueres and Tom Rivett-Carnac

These writers led negotiations for the historic 2015 Paris Climate Agreement, and the structure of this book clearly lays out two possible futures for our planet: one half of the book focuses on what life will look like in 2050 if we don’t tackle emissions (spoiler: it’s not pretty!), and the other half of the book paints a picture of all the ways that the world and our lives in it would improve by 2050 if we do address climate change. The final part of the book offers actionable steps for readers to take now to do their part to be part of the solutions.

5. Unstoppable: Harnessing Science to Change the World by Bill Nye

Science buffs and laypeople alike will love this engaging text by Bill Nye (yes, The Science Guy!). Nye’s enthusiasm and excitement for the technological innovations currently underway to combat the climate crisis is as infectious as it is fascinating. And you can’t beat his voice: Nye brings the same warmth and humor to his nonfiction as he did to his show. His short chapters and funny titles make this book especially engaging.

 Check out TED-Ed’s 7-episode series introducing some of the biggest obstacles to avoiding climate disaster — and how to overcome them: 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Shannon Falkner teaches English Language Arts at Chatham High School in Chatham, NJ. She is a Teacher Consultant at the Drew Writing Project and Digital Literacies Collaborative at Drew University.  Shannon is a passionate advocate for “climate literacy” and has trained with The Climate Reality Project. In addition to teaching English, she volunteers as a climate educator and often writes about both education and climate.

Maybe your beach vacation is more rocky coastline than sandy paradise.

Maybe happy endings just aren’t your thing. Whatever the reason, fear not: the books below will let you stay gloomy, if you like. [Note: several of these books are in the public domain and can be downloaded for free, here.]

Behold, your dystopian beach reading list:

1. 1984 by George Orwell

Published in 1949, George Orwell’s bleak dream of a future 1984 depicted a UK (“Oceania”) in which war was perpetual, facts were negotiable, and Big Brother was always watching. Bonus fact: Throughout the writing of this novel, his last, Orwell was extremely ill and often in physical pain. Nevertheless, he finished writing the book, and now we have the word Orwellian, in addition to these Orwellian gifts to the English language: Big Brother, doublethink, memory hole, Newspeak, telescreen, thought police — and more.

Watch: What “Orwellian” really means

2. The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood

Set in the near future, near Boston, Margaret Atwood’s work of “social science fiction” portrays a US in which the Constitution has been overthrown by a religious sect that enslaves women.

Watch: Why should you read the “Handmaid’s Tale”?

3. Brave New World by Aldous Huxley

Who preserves the human spirit in a highly technologically advanced world? Who gets to decide what humanity “should” think or feel? Brave New World is a philosophical cautionary tale about genetic selection, economic inequality, and pharmaceutical solutions to moral despair.

4. All the Birds in the Sky by Charlie Jane Anders

Technology and climate change mix with romance and resilience in this award-winning YA novel, published in 2016. Recommended by film and culture writer Sheerly Avni, “this is the book you give to your friend who agrees that It’s the End of the World As We Know It, but still wants to Feel Fine.”

5. Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

Can you preserve your mind in a society where free will, self-expression and curiosity are under fire? This is the question at the heart of Bradbury’s 1953 classic. Set in a world where books are banned — and possessing, let alone reading them, is forbidden, the protagonist, Montag, is a fireman responsible for destroying what remains. But after meeting a woman named Clarisse, he begins to question everything he has ever known.

Watch: Why should you read “Fahrenheit 451″?

6. Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler

The first in Butler’s Earthseed series, the book follows Lauren Olamina in 2025, in a world that has descended into madness and anarchy. When a fire destroys her family’s compound— the last safe neighborhood on the outskirts of LA— Lauren is forced to make her way north to safety, and into a world of danger.

Watch: Why should you read sci-fi superstar Octavia E. Butler?

Find out why dystopian novels have been popular for centuries, and to learn how to recognize a dystopia:

Want more book recs? Here are 6 books to get you started in cli-fi

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Art credit: TED-Ed.

Every great book is a portal — to adventure, to knowledge, or to new perspectives. Beyond the world’s required reading list, what books do high school and middle school students love to read? We asked TED-Ed Club Members around the globe to share their favorites. Below, check out 10 great books recommended by and for young people:

1. The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton
Susan Eloise Hinton wrote The Outsiders while she was a high school student in Oklahoma. Fifty years later, her fictional account of two rival gangs still provides a riveting look at teen friendship, rebellion, and class issues. Bonus: it “teaches us how to be more tolerant,” says Artem Kotov, a student in Moscow, Russia.

2. The Fault In Our Stars by John Green
This heartbreaking, beautiful novel comes highly recommended by Libby Driscoll, a student in Shropshire, England. “It has a deep, sensitive main character who expresses her emotions so well and brings tears to my eyes every time,” says Libby.

3. Tools of Titans by Tim Ferriss
The author interviewed more than 200 experts, industry leaders, and top athletes about their personal tools for success — and then published their tips in this nonfiction book. It’s recommended by Nguyen Mac, a student in Warsaw, Poland. “This isn’t your typical self-help book,” says Nguyen.

4. The Wrath and the Dawn by Renée Ahdieh
In this retelling of A Thousand and One Nights, the female protagonist is a seriously strong character, capable of more than just defending herself. “I have reread this duology (the first book being The Wrath and the Dawn, the second being The Rose and the Dagger) about 7 times now. I love it more every time,” says Irfhana Zakir Hussain, a student in California, USA.

5. The Labyrinth of Spirits by Carlos Ruiz Zafón
This novel comes highly recommended by Donatella Galeazzi, a student in Puebla, Mexico. “Read it in Spanish” to boost your vocabulary, suggests Donatella.

6. I’ll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson
This bestselling novel about two twins is recommended by Thu Ho, a student in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam. Why? Because the book is beautifully written, says Thu. Also, the language underscores “the realistic imperfection of the two main characters.”

7. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey
Millions of people have read this classic nonfiction book about how to live a principled life. This recommendation comes from Ridhima Behal Bharara, a student in Punjab, India, who calls the book “inspirational.”

8. Looking for Alaska by John Green
The winner of several awards for young adult fiction, this novel is recommended by Simran Malhotra, a student in Georgia, USA. One reason? “It has a great moral,” says Simran.

9. The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
This strange tale has captivated readers since 1891. “The portrayal of Dorian’s struggle with his outer appearance vs. his inner identity is something a lot of people can relate to,” says Vitalia Vazheyevska, a student in Warsaw, Poland. “The characters are well thought-out, and every little element of the story is symbolic.”

10. The Call of the Wild by Jack London
First published in 1903, this novel stars a sled dog named Buck — and describes the cold, brutal reality of the Klondike Gold Rush era. “You feel the raw power in every word,” says Trisha Iyer, a student in California, USA.

To connect students in your community with students around the world, start a TED-Ed Club.

To learn something new every week, sign up for the TED-Ed Newsletter here >>

This compilation of reading assigned to students everywhere will expand your horizons — and your bookshelves.

In the US, most students are required to read To Kill a Mockingbird during their school years. This classic novel combines a moving coming-of-age story with big issues like racism and criminal injustice. Reading Mockingbird is such an integral part of the American educational experience that we wondered: What classic books are assigned to students elsewhere?

We posed this question to our TED-Ed Innovative Educators and members of the TED-Ed Community. People all over the globe responded, and we curated our list to focus on local authors. Many respondents made it clear in their countries, as in the US, few books are absolutely mandatory. Below, take a look at what students in countries from Ireland to Iran, Ghana to Germany, are asked to read and why. [Note: To find free, downloadable versions of many of the books listed below, search Project Gutenberg.]

Afghanistan

Quran
What it’s about: The revelations of God as told to the prophet Muhammad, this is the central religious text of Islam and remains one of the major works of Arabic literature.
Why it’s taught: “Overall, there is no culture of reading novels in my country, which is sad,” says Farokh Attah. “The only book that must be read in school is the holy Quran, and everyone is encouraged to read it starting from childhood.”

Albania

Kronikë në gur (1971) by Ismail Kadare
What it’s about: Known in English as Chronicle in Stone, this novel is told through the eyes of a child and shows how different conquering forces — Italian fascist, Greek and Nazi — ravage a small Albanian city during World War II.
Why it’s taught: Kadare is one of the most critically acclaimed Albanian writers, and was nominated several times for the Nobel Prize in Literature. This book “helps you understand vividly what World War II meant for the people who lived through those events,” says Vaitson Çumaku. “Because it’s from the perspective of a child, it also shows you that there can be optimism during hard times.”

Australia

Tomorrow, When the War Began (1993) by John Marsden
What it’s about: A teenage girl and her friends return from a camping trip to find that an unidentified foreign military force has invaded Australia.
Why it’s taught: This book “speaks to our fear of invasion and our fighting spirit,” says Beth James Waters. It also “beautifully portrays the vastness of and abundant natural dangers in our land.”

Austria

Faust (1787) by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
What it’s about: In this play, a scholar named Faust makes a pact with Mephistopheles — the devil — because Faust is dissatisfied with life. The devil says he will grant Faust a transcendent moment, but in return, Faust must act as his servant for eternity in hell. Through the devil’s intervention, Faust falls in love with a beautiful young girl named Gretchen. Tragedy ensues.
Why it’s taught: It raises many vast philosophical debates, including science versus spirituality, reason versus passion, and salvation versus damnation, and “it can be interpreted in many ways,” says Barbara Paulmayer. “Faust is not as easy to understand as newer pieces of literature, so it stimulates students to think in a different way.” In addition, its plot and themes have gone on to influence many other works.

Bosnia; Serbia

Na drini ćuprija (1945) by Ivo Andrić
What it’s about: Known in English as The Bridge on the Drina, this novel sweeps through 300 years in a small town near the Mehmed Pasha Sokolović bridge. Its story begins in the 16th-century Ottoman Empire, when the bridge was built, to World War I, when it was partially destroyed.
Why it’s taught: Andrić received a Nobel Prize, and so far he has been the only Nobel Prize winner from Serbia, Croatia and Bosnia. “It is truly a timeless book,” says Martin Kondža. “Its themes and stories also apply to humanity today. The bridge acts as a dumb witness to empires being born and crushed, human lives reaching their peaks and depths, and countries being established and destroyed.”

Brazil

Morte e vida Severina (1955) by João Cabral de Melo Neto
What it’s about: Known in English as The Death of a Severino, this play in verse is about the arduous journey of a man who is fleeing the drought- and poverty-stricken northeastern region of Brazil in search of a better situation and the city.
Why it’s taught: “It shows the dual conditions that the country has always presented and still presents — poor lives, inequality, ignorance, and silent people, versus a city population, with all its advantages — and the distance between these two groups,” says Andrea Rodrigues.

Bulgaria

Under the Yoke (1894) by Ivan Vazov
What it’s about: This novel looks at a Bulgarian village under Ottoman rule and depicts a failed insurrection in the 1870s that helped trigger the country’s eventual breakaway. The large cast of characters includes villagers on both sides of the rebellion.
Why it’s taught: For one thing, Vazov is seen as the father of Bulgarian literature. But, adds Kristine O’Malley, “Being enslaved by the Ottoman Empire and the struggle for independence have shaped the national identity of Bulgarians,” making this book a perennially popular read.

Canada

The Wars (1977) by Timothy Findley
What it’s about: Robert Ross, a 19-year-old Canadian, tries to cope with the death of his sister by enlisting to fight in World War I. Beset by his own demons, he travels to France where he fights in the trenches and sees the worst of warfare — and of humanity.
Why it’s taught: “It’s an iconic Canadian novel. It’s so brutally honest in its depiction of war, sorrow, and coming to terms with an uncaring world in one’s own way,” says Karen Goepen-Wee. “This text does not tread lightly around the angst and horror of World War 1 for Canadian soldiers,” says Will Gourley.

Chile

Sub Terra (1904) by Baldomero Lillo
What it’s about: This short-story collection is about the backbreaking, impoverished, dangerous existence of coal miners in southern Chile in the late 19th century.
Why it’s taught: “Sub Terra represents an important part of Chile’s history,” says Natalia Salamanca Moreno. “These stories show students a lifestyle that is completely different from theirs today, which can help them appreciate what they have now. The stories also emphasize important, timeless family values, like being thankful for your parents and their efforts.”

China

Analects by Confucius
What it’s about: This book is a compilation of the teachings of the ancient philosopher Confucius; it’s believed to have been written sometime between 475 BC and 221 BC.
Why it’s taught: “Teachers want students to learn good morals from the Analects, like showing respect to your parents, learning merit from others no matter their status, and using critical thinking,” says Aylee Lu. “This book remains a cornerstone of Chinese culture.”

Colombia

Cien años de Soledad (1967) by Gabriel García Márquez
What it’s about: This pioneering fictional work of magical realism — known to English-language readers as 100 Years of Solitude — traces the rise and fall of a fictional Colombian town through five generations of the Buendía family, starting in the early 19th century.
Why it’s taught: Márquez is considered one of the most important writers in the Spanish language, and he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1982. This novel depicts the violence that has plagued Colombia for decades, and “shows how much corruption and suffering Colombians have endured,” says Daniela Ramirez Barreto. “Yet there is something about us that refuses to give up.”

Cyprus

The Murderess (1903) by Alexandros Papadiamantis
What it’s about: This novella is about an old woman named Hadoula who lives on the island of Skiathos. She murders poor young girls as a kind of mercy killing, since she views their future prospects to be limited and bleak.
Why it’s taught: “It sheds light on the role of women and on gender roles within marriage; these are of great importance in Cyprus and Greece,” says Evanthia Poyiatzi. “And it makes students decide whether the woman’s behavior is ethical or unethical.”

Egypt

The Days (1935) by Taha Hussein
What it’s about: This book is the autobiography of intellectual and writer Hussein, who lived from 1889 to 1973. He became blind at the age of 3 but grew up to be the minister of education in his country and is one of the most influential figures in Egyptian literature.
Why it’s taught: The book teaches students “the importance of gathering knowledge, the need to rebel against traditions and the negative effects of ignorance upon individuals in a society,” says Mahmoud Attalla.

Finland

Seitsemän veljestä (1870) by Aleksis Kivi
What it’s about: Known in English as Seven Brothers, this book is about a quarrelsome family of seven brothers and their struggles in rural Finland. They eventually grow and mature into decent members of society.
Why it’s taught: It is believed to be the first truly Finnish novel by a Finnish author in the Finnish language about ordinary people. “It’s considered the national novel of Finland,” says Jaani Länsiö. “It’s about Finnish stubbornness.”

Germany

Tagebuch der Anne Frank (1947)
What it’s about: Known in English as The Diary of Anne Frank, this journal was kept by a Jewish girl named Anne Frank as she lived with her family in hiding in Amsterdam under Nazi occupation.
Why it’s taught: “We should never forget what horrors were unleashed by narrow-thinking people,” says Charlotte Böhm.

Ghana; Nigeria

Things Fall Apart (1958) by Chinua Achebe
What it’s about: Set in Nigeria in the 1900s, this novel follows Okonkwo, an Igbo leader and village wrestling champion, his journey to power and glory, and his eventual fall when he fights back against white colonialists.
Why it’s taught: “On the surface, it’s a celebration of African traditionalism and how those ideals were washed away with the coming of the missionaries,” says Ama Y Adi-Dako. “At the heart of it, though, it is a critical look at the concept and drawbacks of African and tribal masculinity.”

India

Autobiography: The Story of My Experiments With Truth (1927-1929) by Mohandas K. Gandhi
What it’s about: The Indian leader’s memoir covers his life from his childhood to his early 50s.
Why it’s taught: “This book upholds the essence of living a life with dignity, which is possible only through truth and nonviolence,” says Bismi Sain.

Indonesia

Laskar Pelangi (2005) by Andrea Hirata
What it’s about: Known in English as Rainbow Troops, this novel is based on a true story about ten students from a remote village in Indonesia who, with the help of a pair of inspiring teachers, learn to stand up for themselves and their community.
Why it’s taught: It teaches “sacrifice, dedication, hard work, passion, brotherhood, friendship, optimism and perseverance in the face of challenges,” says Mahrukh Bashir.

Iran

Poems by writers such as Hafiz, Sa’Addi, Ferdowsi, Rumi and Khayyam
What they’re about: Love, beauty, joy and other themes.
Why they’re taught: “In Iran, the novel is a relatively newer form of literature,” says Ne Da. “But among our literary classics are abundant poets and poetry. Each poem speaks to a different value.”

Ireland

Ice Man: the Adventures of an Irish Antarctic Hero (2003) by Michael Smith
What it’s about: It’s a biography of Tom Crean, an Irish boy who ran away from home at the age of 15 to join Captain Robert Falcon Scott’s Antarctic voyage. He was also a member of Ernest Shackleton’s Endurance expedition.
Why it’s taught: “It shows that the Irish are ambitious explorers who can triumph over adversity and that through hard work, focus and dedication, everything is possible,” says Naoimh Riordan.

Italy

I Promessi Sposi (1827) by Alessandro Manzoni
What it’s about: Known in English as The Betrothed, this novel takes place in northern Italy in the first half of the 17th century. Italy was not yet a nation, and this book shows the lives of villagers living under repressive Spanish rule as well as the impact of a deadly plague that killed many people.
Why it’s taught: “I Promessi Sposi is one of the two pillars of Italian literature,” says Sofia Ramundo. “It is considered the blueprint for historical novels,” says Michela Sacchi O’Brien.

Pakistan

The Reluctant Fundamentalist (2007) by Mohsin Hamid
What it’s about: An international bestseller, this novel follows the story of a Pakistani man as he reflects on his time in the United States before and after the events of September 11, 2001.
Why it’s taught: “These books touch the unique dilemmas faced by modern Pakistanis who are struggling with fundamental ideals and trying to find their own identity,” says Vajiha Atiq.

Philippines

Noli Me Tangere (1887) by Jose Rizal
What it’s about: Rizal went on to be a hero of the Philippine revolution, and his novel — the English-language title is Touch Me Not — shows life in the Philippines society under cruel, repressive, arbitrary Spanish Catholic rule.
Why it’s taught: By combining a dramatic story with an activist message, this novel has been compared to Uncle Tom’s Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe. It is taught to help students “appreciate the efforts of our forefathers in shaping our independence,” says John Eric Uy.

Russia

War and Peace (1869) by Leo Tolstoy
What it’s about: Following the lives and loves of five families, this epic novel begins in 1805 and continues through Napoleon’s 1812 invasion of Russia.
Why it’s taught: War and Peace “is basically speaking about every aspect of our life: how to be valuable in society, how to be forgiving, and how to be respectful,” says Valentina Ishmanova. “I believe everyone goes through the same situations as Tolstoy’s characters Natasha, Pierre, and Prince Andrei.”

US

To Kill A Mockingbird (1960) by Harper Lee
What it’s about: A classic novel about the American South in the 1930s that illustrates how racism, sexism and injustice have shaped US history (and still cause harm today).
Why it’s taught: “We’re still dealing with racism and systematic prejudice, especially in the legal system in the US,” says Shaun McGovern. [Extra Resources: Teaching Mockingbird.]

Vietnam

Truyện Kiều (1820) by Nguyễn Du
What it’s about: It’s an epic narrative poem about a young woman named Thuý Kiều who is driven to sacrifice herself to save her family.
Why it’s taught: Known in English as The Tale of Kiều, the poem shows “the humanity and the beauty of my country,” says Joy Truong, who adds that she likes its positive qualities, a stark contrast to most other stories and poems which “focus on the difficulties of the Vietnamese.”

What should you read next? From art history to science fiction, here are 50 fantastic books recommended by TED speakers and TED-Ed educators:

ART AND ART HISTORY

Ways of Seeing by John Berger – “This is a classic art text first published in 1972 to accompany a BBC series by the same name. If you are a student, teacher, or fan of the visual arts, and you haven’t read this book yet, be sure to put it at the top of your reading list. Today more than ever before, it is critical that we teach students how to decipher and interpret visual media. Ways of Seeing, even though published long before the internet, will shift the way you think about how to process visual information.” *Recommended by TED-Ed Educator Laura Morelli

Art as Experience by John Dewey - “I love that he pulls the aesthetic out of the rarified and into the everyday. He makes the point of art as absolutely accessible and essential.” *Recommended by TED Speaker BJ Miller

Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert - “Gilbert has a phenomenal lens on how creativity really works. Throughout the book, she reminds you that if you take creativity off a precious pedestal and just keep working on something, magic does happen.” *Recommended by TED Speaker Rachel Botsman

The Singing Neanderthals: The Origins of Music, Language, Mind and Body by Steven Mithen - “This is a brilliant read for anyone who is passionately connected to music. Mithen brings together psychology, evolutionary biology, neuroscience, archaeology and more to uncover just how deeply music is embedded in our species. Immensely readable, quirky and full of insight into our human condition, this book drops my jaw at least once per chapter.” *Recommended by TED Speaker Meklit Hadero

Lost in Learning: The Art of Discovery by Eva Timothy - “This art book offers an unique perspective on the Age of Discovery, exploring what the great scientists, artists and thinkers of that age have to teach us about the art of learning. Through stories and photographs of the original manuscripts and artifacts, the tales of these larger than life figures like Galileo, Columbus and Newton become reminders that great genius springs from seeds of imagination and curiosity. A great read for the life long learner or those students and teachers looking to infuse education with greater purpose and inspiration.”
*Recommended by TED-Ed Educator Eva Timothy

BIOGRAPHY

Trashed by Derf Backderf - “I spotted this graphic novel on a shelf at my favorite indie bookstore and it blew me away. A fascinating and gritty autobiographical account of working on a sanitation truck in a small town, it overflows with great characters and moments (including a few memorable ones involving maggot-infested trash cans). It’s the perfect gift.” *Recommended by TED Prize winner Dave Isay

My Bondage and My Freedom by Frederick Douglass - “‘No man can put a chain about the ankle of his fellow man without at last finding the other end fastened about his own neck.’ To me, this quote perfectly illustrates the effect that slavery had on those who were raised to uphold its tenets. That a system can be a detriment even to those that may benefit from it I find incredibly poignant even in today’s society. It’s so important that we recognize the implications of our beliefs both in how they affect ourselves as well as others. My Bondage and My Freedom not only taught me about the cruel reality of slavery but also showed that in the most depraved systems humanity will seek to reach its potential no matter what obstacles are placed in its path.” *Recommended by TED speaker Zak Ebrahim

Barbarian Days: A Surfing Life by William Finnegan - “Sometimes I just want to read a book that makes me want to quit my job and travel the world to look for adventures. This is that kind of book. Framed in his lifelong addiction to surfing, Finnegan writes raw and beautifully about growing up as a haole in Hawaii, coming of age and exploring the world in search of waves and purpose, and later the complex question of balancing family, work and hours spent doing what you love the most. He is also one of the very few writers around who is able to explain the often absurd dedication and driving addiction surfers have for breaking waves, without getting tangled up in clichés and at the same time making it understandable for a wider audience.” *Recommended by TED speaker Anders Fjellberg

Unjust Deeds: The Restrictive Covenant Cases and the Making of the Civil Rights Movement by Jeffrey D. Gonda - “This book tells the story of six African-American families who won a landmark Supreme Court case attacking housing discrimination in the years after World War II. I love it because of the richness of the writing, the timeliness and importance of the topic, but most of all because of the people whose stories it tells. It’s a reminder of the extraordinary power that individuals can have when they decide to take a stand for justice.” *Recommended by TED Speaker Jedidah Isler

Romantic Outlaws: The Extraordinary Lives of Mary Wollstonecraft and Her Daughter Mary Shelley by Charlotte Gordon - “Wollstonecraft and Shelley are two of the most important women most people have rarely thought about. They believed passionately (and at great cost) in the equality of women and the vital, distinctive contribution women should be able to make to human history. Their stories alone are remarkable, but Charlotte Gordon’s idea to interweave the two biographies brilliantly explores the deep relationship between the mother and the daughter who never knew each other. In their search for a richer and more liberated way of life, the Romantics cherished Wollstonecraft’s writing and the daughter they hoped would embody the life of imaginative emancipation. What a legacy — but what an inspiration.” *Recommended by TED Speaker Margaret Heffernan

The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch - “This book, like all good books, asks you to think about the important things in your life. It makes you consider what it is you value and requires you to consider whether or not your life mirrors those values. Finally, it is short. It could easily be read in one sitting, but you’ll think about it for weeks.” *Recommended by TED-Ed Educator Zack Patterson

Writing My Wrongs: Life, Death and Redemption in an American Prison by Shaka Senghor - “After a few pages, I knew this book was going to alter my perception on incarceration in America, as we need to hear first-hand stories straight from people who were systematically put there rather than through Hollywood movies or researchers or journalists. Throughout the whole book, I was like, ‘This is happening right in my backyard?’ Shaka spent 19 years transferring from one prison to another and experiencing each one’s subculture and unwritten rules. His words are honest and very necessary, and I hope they will help humanize incarceration policies. Or, better, to use education and mentorship to find a way to prevent young kids from being incarcerated. Their bodies do not belong to any system or country but themselves, and it is our responsibility to listen.” *Recommended by TED Speaker Christine Sun Kim

Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption by Bryan Stevenson - “This book showed that you can tell the stories of the roughest, the most searing, the most inhumane parts of our world, and leave your audience feeling more human and more hopeful than before.” *Recommended by TED Speaker Jake Barton

Wangari’s Trees of Peace by Jeanette Winter - “This is one of my daughter’s favorite books. I like it too because it is never too early to teach children about protecting the environment, social activism and standing up for what is right.” *Recommended by TED Speaker Benedetta Berti

ENGLISH AND WRITING

The Mother Tongue: English and How It Got That Way by Bill Bryson - “Pure linguistical pleasure, now available in paperback. Soaked in wit, saturated with literary dexterity, and steeped in a deep, tender delight in the way we communicate, this is a nearly euphoric 272 pages.” *Recommended by TED-Ed Educator Jessica Oreck

The Books in My Life by Henry Miller - “A book about books and how reading is part of an expansive life. From an essay on Balzac, to praise for the Indian teacher Krishnamurti, to an exploration of Madame Blavatsky — the Russian traveler turned clairvoyant — he looks over the books that he loved over a long life. Along with great reading recommendations, the essays quietly encourage a kind of intellectual egalitarianism. For Miller, reading widely is more vital than reading the acclaimed masters when it comes to developing our own sensibilities, and he reminds us that as much as great books carry us away, they ultimately bring us more into the world.” *Recommended by TED-Ed Educator Courtney Stephens

FICTION

Journey by Gheysika Adombire Agambila – “Journey recounts the coming of age of Amoah, a teenage school leaver keen to make his mark on the world. Sex and girls are high on the adolescent’s list, as are going to live with his uncle and getting a job in Accra, far away from his grandfather’s traditional village. But as reality bites, Amoah begins to lose his prefect’s swagger and realize there is more to life in contemporary Ghana than his neo-colonialist boarding school could hope to prepare him for.” *Recommended by TED Speaker Ann Morgan

Foundation by Isaac Asimov - “Asimov was a masterful fringe thinker, and this first book in the Foundation series shows just how attuned he was to possible and plausible future scenarios. Although it’s 50 years old, Foundation is especially provocative reading given our current state of world affairs — in order to save humankind and the vast knowledge we have accumulated, the main character gathers the smartest thinkers and forms a secret society. But that doesn’t go exactly as planned, either.” *Recommended by TED Speaker Amy Webb

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë - “I read this when I was eight. And I’ve read it a few times since, and watched it onscreen too. Nothing dulls it or stops me loving small, plain Jane, a Yorkshire lass like me, who had more spirit and fire in her 150 years ago than I probably do today, with all my modern freedoms and privilege. I love the story because it is a tale of a woman becoming free, while still being a classic love story. I mean, there’s even a madwoman in the attic. But I love Jane because I love Charlotte too: a woman who triumphed in a deeply patriarchal world, getting published and getting famous, while living in a cold, glum vicarage on the edge of the moors. Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heightsis seen as a trickier, better book by many, because they are fooled by the romance of Jane Eyre. Look behind that, and you find a character as complex and wonderful as any Cathy or Heathcliff, in little, plain Jane, who would always ‘rather be happy than dignified.’” *Recommended by TED Speaker Rose George

What Is the What by Dave Eggers - “An epic odyssey of a young ‘lost boy’ from Sudan, Valentino Achak Deng, who, along with tens of thousands of other children, escapes a brutal civil war and faces attackers, wild animals, hunger and thirst along his trek. He ends up in sprawling refugee camps in Ethiopia and Kenya and is finally resettled to the U.S., where opportunity awaits him but also a series of shocking setbacks. But nothing dampens his spirit and wisdom, and the reader turns page after page, hoping he makes it unscathed, and emerges with a profound understanding of the driving will for survival, the resilience of the human spirit and the transformative power of helping refugees.” *Recommended by TED Speaker Melissa Fleming

Gabriella’s Song by Candace Fleming - “Whenever I am asked to do a writer’s workshop with elementary-aged students, I always bring this book along with me. Gabriella’s Song is a great example of how to incorporate sensory writing—describing sights, sounds, smells, touch, and taste—into your stories. The illustrations are beautiful, and of course, the subject matter is near and dear to my heart!” *Recommended by TED-Ed Educator Laura Morelli

American Gods by Neil Gaiman – “Bold, baggy and mind-boggling, the novel traces the fate of the gods brought to the land of the free by immigrants, right from the arrival of the earliest prehistoric visitors to the refugees and fortune-hunters of the present day.” *Recommended by TED Speaker Ann Morgan

The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway - “I love this book because it is a literal tour de force, written in simple and powerful language. Set primarily at sea, it follows the struggle of an aging fisherman and his quest for success. It’s a story of the human spirit in the face of adversity, which is something everyone can relate to, even at different ages. It’s a short novel, purposefully written, and perfect for summer reading. Even if you don’t make it to the beach, this book transports you to the wilderness of  the sea and the adventure that awaits.” *Recommended by TED-Ed Educator Claudia Aguirre

Solar by Ian McEwen - “What motivates scientists? This dark thriller collides human fallibility with revolutionary physics. Disturbingly convincing yet highly readable — a bleak vision deftly carried by McEwen’s light touch.” *Recommended by TED-Ed Educator Andrew Pontzen

The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison - “The complexities and intersectionality of race and gender are so detailed in this novel. What does it mean to be black and a girl growing up in the US is something that scholars and women are still trying to address in current debates.” *Recommended by TED-Ed Educator Christina Greer

Akata Witch by Nnedi Okorafor - “I love fantasy and science fiction, but people of color are sorely underrepresented across the speculative fiction universe. This young adult coming-of-age story’s main character struggles with her bi-cultural identity, which resonates with me. (She also struggles with understanding her magical powers, which I can also relate to.) I read this book to my daughter, and we both couldn’t wait to get to it every night.” *Recommended by TED Speaker Mia Birdsong

Super Sad True Love Story by Gary Shteyngart - “In his third novel, Shteyngart combines the self-absorbed pathos of the immigrant experience explored in his previous work with an imaginative rendering of a near-future dystopia that is at once absurd and all too familiar. A sadly believable modern romance weaves through a masterful satire that touches on everything from passively-accepted mass surveillance and the ubiquity of social media to the inability of technological promises to forestall economic and political decline. Both darkly comical and piercingly poignant, the story is a seamless merging of the personal and the universal.” *Recommended by TED-Ed Educator Alex Gendler

HISTORY

1491 & 1493 by Charles C. Mann - ”Both books are about the connections between the Old and New Worlds. 1491 tells about the great and small civilizations on this side of the Atlantic, in most respects as complex and advanced as those of Europe. 1493 is the story of the exchange of foodstuffs, tools, people, diseases, and knowledge that began with Columbus’ “discovery.” You will find something on every page that you never knew before.” *Recommended by TED-Ed Educator John Bellaimey

The City in History by Lewis Mumford - “This is a deservedly long read looking at the history of the city, and/or at all of human history as seen through the city experience. You’ll come out of it with a new perspective on people’s relationships with their surroundings, their government, and each other. You’ll also have more informed ideas on how we might find some way to all live together in an increasingly urbanized future.” *Recommended by TED-Ed Educator Addison Anderson

The Swerve: How the World Became Modern by Stephen Greenblatt - “It’s a history book that reads like a tale of discovery. It’s the story of an Italian book hunter who rediscovers a long poem named “On the Nature of Things,” long since forgotten by Europeans, in the archives of a German monastery. The poem goes on to influence Botticelli, Montaigne and Shakespeare and help an entire culture fall back in love with beauty, happiness and humanity in general.” *Recommended by TED-Ed Educator James Earle

The Discoverers by Daniel Boorstin - “A wonderfully readable history by former Librarian of Congress, Daniel Boorstin. This is a history book that emphasizes story, weaving an engaging narrative of the characters and episodes that define humankind’s exploration of the world and the uncovering of its secrets.” *Recommended by TED-Ed Educator Eva Timothy

Marco Polo: From Venice to Xanadu by Laurence Bergreen - “Currently I’m reading Laurence Bergreen’s account of Marco Polo’s journey to the court of Kublai Khan in the thirteenth century. It’s easy to become engrossed in this tale of adventure, and I’ve especially enjoyed reading about the unexpected predicaments that must have been guaranteed for anyone embarking on a long journey during the Middle Ages.” *Recommended by TED-Ed Educator Laura Morelli

Exodus: How Migration Is Changing Our World by Paul Collier - “This fall in Sweden, this was a must-to-read book. From his position as a truly independent thinker, Collier analyzes migration from the perspectives of all involved: receiving country, the migrant and the nation left behind. He provides no policy blueprint, but makes everyone think in new ways.” *Recommended by Hans Rosling

When Asia was the World by Stewart Gordon - “An amazing read that looks at the world from a refreshing perspective through the personal tales of merchants who traveled the Silk Road!” *Recommended by TED-Ed Educator Shannon Castelo

MATH

How to Lie with Statistics by Darrell Huff – “Personally, I think all students should have some basic literacy in statistics. Here is an old one that is still highly relevant today in the ‘data age.’” *Recommended by TED-Ed Educator Eric Berlow

Is God a Mathematician? by Mario Livio – “This book looks into the argument as to whether Mathematics is discovered or invented.  There is a ton of history of mathematical thought here with references and quotes galore. This book gives one much food for thought as we look at where math might have actually come from and what is its true nature. Is it a purely a human construct, the actual true language of the universe or something in-between?” *Recommended by TED-Ed Educator Jeff Dekofsky

SCIENCE

Crystal Giants by Giovanni Badino - “This book shows clearly how the reality of nature can go far beyond human imagination. Badino and the explorers of La Venta bring the reader on the exploration of one of the most astonishing places of the world, the Giant Crystal Cave of Naica, discovered in a silver mine in Chihuahua, Mexico, in 2000. This underground cave hosts the biggest crystals found on Earth, up to 11-meter-long transparent prisms of selenite.” *Recommended by TED Speaker Francesco Sauro

Animal Madness: How Anxious Dogs, Compulsive Parrots, and Elephants in Recovery Help Us Understand Ourselves by Laurel Braitman - “TED Fellow Laurel Braitman’s smart history of animal psychosis is both personal and vast. She manages to weave in her own personal love of animal with strong medical facts and research (she has a PhD from MIT). The result is a strong summer read that I’d recommend to anyone who’s loved an animal.” *Recommended by TED-Ed Educator Damon Brown

A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson - “This book is one of my favorites because it offers a very entertaining introduction to some of the most profound scientific discoveries of our time — and some not-so-profound, like trying to turn pee into gold. It’s cleverly researched, often humorous, and full of fascinating tales about geology, physics, biology, and well, nearly everything.” *Recommended by TED-Ed Educator David Laskin

Mindset by Carol Dweck - “One of the most problematic pieces of programming that traditional education gives kids is that there is such a thing as “smart.” By the time they’re in high school, “not smart” kids have already self-written their inability to succeed upon their identity, and “smart” kids develop anxiety trying to defend and maintain this artificial label. Dweck’s research changes the conversation completely: success is not based on innate ability, but on mindset. Teach this book, or teach excerpts of this book, or share experiments from this book, and watch the climate of your classroom change…” *Recommended by TED-Ed Educator Aaron Sitze

Against Method by Paul Feyerabend - “I love this book very much because it helped me reconsider how I think, how knowledge is produced, organized, what is science, what is belief and how the logic of play and chaos can be fertile grounds to a healthy living culture.” *Recommended by TED Speaker Cesar Harada

Chaos: The Making of a New Science by James Gleick – “This book is an absolute MUST READ for anyone at all interested in mathematics or science … any science.  This book details the incremental and often completely disconnected people, fields and discoveries integral to the creation/discovery of the science of Chaos Theory. This book reads like a novel for the most part. I was hooked after just the introduction. Gleick helps us get to know each “character” as he takes us through the process of a completely new science being born. We see Chaos Theory taken from a glimmer of an idea to a shunned concept and then to a widely accepted science, used today in almost every field in some significant way. I have read this book over and over again … at least once a year for the past decade or more.” *Recommended by TED-Ed Educator Jeff Dekofsky

Where Wizards Stay Up Late by Katie Hafner - “It’s the remarkable and rarely told story of the people who created the internet. For all its ubiquity and importance in the modern world, we tend to forget that the internet was the result of imagination, hard work and remarkable feats of engineering from a relatively small group of brilliant people. One day the people behind the first networked computing in the late 1960s and early 1970s might be held in the same regard as Fleming, Faraday or Edison. Where Wizards Stay Up Late tells their story in meticulous (and occasionally quite funny — such as the very first word ever transmitted online, which was ‘lo’ before the system crashed) detail. Anyone who is interested in where the internet came from, and why it was designed like it was — which really should be all of us — must read this book.” *Recommended by TED Speaker Jamie Bartlett

How We Got to Now: Six Innovations That Made the Modern World by Steven Johnson - “This book really showed me the amazing pathways that led to innovations that make our lives work today. The stories are told almost like a dramatic mystery to make the history come to life with excitement and aha moments.” *Recommended by TED Speaker Bill Gross

Lives in Ruins: Archaeologists and the Seductive Lure of Human Rubble by Marilyn Johnson - “Johnson is an absolutely delightful writer. She follows the story of archaeologists working in different parts of the world and asks: What would drive people to do this? What guides people to travel to godforsaken places all over the world and spend all this time preparing to go into the field when the risk is so great and the payoff is often not much. All of us are driven by our passion. She does a beautiful job of explaining why we do what we do.” — Recommended by TED Prize winner Sarah Parcak

Brilliant Green: The Surprising History and Science of Plant Intelligence by Stefano Mancuso - “Some books just change the way you look at the world. This book that asks, ‘are plants intelligent?’ is one of them.” *Recommended by TED Speaker Sugata Mitra

King Solomon’s Ring by Konrad Lorenz – “There is so much we know now about the animal kingdom, but there are very few people who have inspired that journey. For me, Jane Goodhall and Konrad Lorenz have opened minds to the possibility of connecting to animals and investigating beyond the accepted laws. This book was my summer reading when I was 10 years old and it opened my mind and heart to possibilities. ” *Recommended by TED-Ed Educator Natascia Radice

The Emperor of All Maladies by Siddhartha Mukherjee - “This book provides a broad coverage of the history of cancer. Starting from the first recorded case of cancer in Egyptian times, this book describes the metamorphosis of human’s understanding of cancer. Guaranteed to surprise you with facts about cancer and treatments that you never knew, the book is an entertaining yet educational read. Be inspired by the featured works of many physicians and scientists who have fought hard in this war against cancer and perhaps you will one day join them too.” *Recommended by TED-Ed Educator Ivan Seah

This reading list was remixed for TED-Ed from 3 longer book collections at Ideas.ted.com and Ed.ted.com. For more suggestions on what to read next, check out the full book collections: 58 books recommended by TED speakers; Your guide to reading the world; and 40+ books recommended by our educators.

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In honor of National Poetry Day, TED-Ed asked writing teachers at the San Francisco Writers Grotto to recommend their favorite poems worth sharing. Below, a short poetry reading list for TED-Ed learners of all ages.

Constance Hale, author of Sin and Syntax: How to Craft Wickedly Effective Prose, recommends:

“Design” by Robert Frost
For younger readers, I would go with some of the easier Robert Frost poems, which would set the stage for the more complex ones. “Design” is a great one for middle school students, allowing a good discussion of imagery and metaphor and rhyme (when it works and when it doesn’t) and structure … and the lessons of nature. Pair with the TED-Ed Animation: The art of the metaphor.

Caroline Paul, author of Lost Cat: A True Story of Love, Desperation, and GPS Technology, recommends:

Billy Collins, in general
Poetry is about concision, beauty — and the sudden swerve that tweaks the reality we thought we knew. With Billy Collins, there’s no pedantic tone, no overwrought adjectives. His poems are the verbal equivalent of a swimming hole — simple yet revelatory, familiar yet surprising, speaking right to the most primal parts of us. Pair with the YouTube animated video of “The Country” by Billy Collins.

“Percy and Books” by Mary Oliver
I love the way Mary Oliver pokes fun at herself, realizing that poetry is paltry next to a day romping about in nature. But her dog has also provided the very essence of the poem, so the joke is a bit on him too. 

Ethan Watters, author of Crazy Like Us: The Globalization of the American Psyche, recommends:

“The Snow Man” by Wallace Stevens
Pair with this audio recording of the NPR All Things Considered episode in which American linguist Samuel Jay Keyser explains why he thinks this Wallace Stevens poem is the best short poem in the English language.

Julia Scheeres, author of A Thousand Lives: The Untold Story of Jonestown, recommends:

“The Raven” by Edgar Allan Poe
This poem is creepy as hell and even after all these years, it still makes the hair stand on the back of my neck. Kids love a good scare, and this one is very atmospheric. Pair with the TED-Ed Lesson: A refresher on Edgar Allan Poe.

Grace Rubenstein, multimedia editor of TED Books, recommends:

“What the Living Do” by Marie Howe
Marie Howe wrote this poem to her younger brother after he died of AIDS. To me, the poem captures how mundane are the details of everyday life, and how flawed and absorbed we humans are in the business of our daily selves — and yet at the same time it manages to step back and see all of that from a grand perspective and thus illuminate its beauty. For high school students, who are often even more wrapped up in their own worlds, perhaps it would give them some sense of the fleetingness and tenderness of life, and of each life’s place within the greater whole. Pair with the TED Talk: Sarah Kay: If I should have a daughter ….

Thaisa Frank, author of Finding Your Writer’s Voice: A Guide to Creative Fiction, recommends:

“Assurance” by William Stafford
I love this poem because it is a simple message and ends simply (and surprisingly) because some of the language is beautiful and complex. Stafford creates a sense of the world he is talking about and pulls the reader in to participate. This poem has never failed to move people when I’ve shared it. Pair with the TED-Ed Animation: Become a slam poet in five steps.

Susan Ito, author of The Mouse Room, recommends:

“Kindness” by Naomi Shihab Nye
I have many favorite poems but here’s one. It acknowledges the suffering we all feel, and offers a response. Pair with the TED Talk: Clint Smith: The danger of silence.

Lorraine Sanders, tech journalist, recommends:

“Harlem” by Langston Hughes
There is a mix of pathos and power in this poem. It reads, to me, both like a suggestion and a warning. Something that says, ‘Here are the options you face. Which fate will be yours?’ Pair with the Crash Course educational video: Langston Hughes & the Harlem Renaissance.

Bridget Quinn, whose sports memoir was excerpted in The Best American Sports Writing 2013, recommends:

“A Dialogue of Self and Soul” by William Butler Yeats
I’ve loved this poem since I first read it as a teenager, in a collection of English language poetry I found in the high school library at Kristiansand Katedraleskole in Norway. The last stanza became sort of a pole star of how I wanted live my life. In rock star terms: No Regrets! A sweet ending, might seem too sweet, but it’s earned by the grit of previous lines. Thirty years later, at age 47, I still think it’s a great life ideal to strive for. Sometimes I recite it to myself when things feel dark. And it helps. If that’s not the power of poetry, what is? Pair with the TED Talk: Stephen Burt: Why people need poetry.

What’s your favorite poem worth sharing? Let us know in the comments. »