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“This commencement address will never be given, because graduation speakers are supposed to offer encouragement and inspiration. That’s not what you need. You need a warning.” That’s how Carl Hiassen begins this hilarious guide to planning a future in a world where everything could go wrong. It’s illustrated by Roz Chast, making for a pitch-perfect pairing. These two skeptics with hearts of gold deliver real-talk that’s cynical on the surface but also a lot more motivating and empowering than the cover lets on.
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Jason Reynolds sat down to write For Every One after reflecting on a setback early in his writing career. It’s a letter to every person of any age — but especially every young person — who needs convincing they can get up after falling down. As he told us in a recent interview, the message of the book is “that the gift is in the dream itself, not necessarily in the fruition of said dream.” Give it to anyone who needs to hear they have what it takes. |
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Mari Andrew’s doodles took Instagram by storm, earning the artist a devoted following for the candid, emotionally honest way she portrays everyday milestones from starting a career to chasing a dream to falling in (and out of) love. This collection, interspersed with bits of memoir about Andrew’s own path, will delight and inspire anyone who’s technically an adult but isn’t feeling quite ready to claim the label “grownup” yet. |
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This book includes 50 nuggets of advice from thoughtful, accomplished leaders in their fields, including Bill Gates, Judi Dench, the Dalai Lama, Margaret Atwood, David Attenborough, Annie Lennox, Richard Branson, Jude Law, Harry Belafonte, James Corden and more. Reading it will take you far less time than tracking them all down in person, and you’ll come away with all the insight and none of the restraining orders. |
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Listen to this NPR interview, and you’ll want to read anything Questlove writes. The musician, designer, producer, culinary entrepreneur, professor, and all-around Renaissance person for the modern age shares what he has learned on his own life adventure and from brilliant collaborators including Ava DuVernay and David Byrne. |
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Katherine Schwarzenegger interviewed public figures from John Legend to Gayle King to amass this handy collection of guidance for anyone who finds themselves out of school, in the real world, and totally clueless about what to do next. |
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Get a copy of this for the graduate in your life, and also get one for yourself (and every Hamilton fan you know). Leslie Odom, Jr.’s musings on adversity, lifelong learning, and surrounding yourself with people who mean you well are as smooth and enjoyable as his vocals. |
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Forget Jolene — we will always love you, Dolly. This little book fits in a pocket and packs inspiration as big as the superstar’s blonde wig. Perfect for anyone facing an obstacle, feeling like an island in a stream, or getting ready to start workin’ 9 to 5. |
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George Saunders’ graduation address to Syracuse University from a few years ago still stands out for its unique message: your success as a person isn’t about what you gain or how much you achieve, but how kind you are. We need it today more than ever before. (Would it be wrong to mail copies to a few public figures?) |
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“I’ve had ups and downs. I’ve had successes and senior slumps. I’ve been the girl who has the lead, and the one who wished she had the bigger part. The truth? They don’t feel that different from each other.” That’s from a commencement speech given at her hometown high school by Lauren Graham, Gilmore Girls actress and author of the memoir Talking as Fast as I Can. It’s just the pep talk anyone needs when they’re starting out. |
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Parnassus is the place to get signed copies of What Now? — which has become a classic for good reason. Based on Patchett’s commencement address at Sarah Lawrence College, this rousing ode to finding your way, making mistakes, and carving out a path will get even the most ambivalent graduate fired up to take his or her next steps. |
| Two practical guides to living in the real world, for when what someone really needs to know is how to make a budget, build a wardrobe, get a job, and make their darn bed.
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Full of writing prompts, creative exercises, and colorful illustrations, Meera Lee Patel’s Start Where You Are offers a hands-on experience in visualizing what lies ahead. (Also by Patel: My Friend Fear) |
| Come check out our array of tiny books, too — with plenty of pocket-size wisdom, ranging from odes to Michelle Obama to quotes by Cheryl Strayed! |
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Assume the Worst: The Graduation Speech You’ll Never Hear 
For Every One 
Am I There Yet?: The Loop-De-Loop, Zigzagging Journey to Adulthood
If I Could Tell You Just One Thing . . . Encounters with Remarkable People and Their Most Valuable Advice
I Just Graduated . . . Now What?: Honest Answers from Those Who Have Been There
Failing Up: How to Take Risks, Aim Higher, and Never Stop Learning
What Would Dolly Do?: How to Be a Diamond in a Rhinestone World
Congratulations, by the Way: Some Thoughts on Kindness
What Now?
Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life . . . And Maybe the World 
Stuff Every Graduate Should Know: A Handbook for the Real World (Stuff You Should Know) 
Start Where You Are: A Journal for Self-Exploration 
Musing 