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What are the best books to read?

U of T student, biology and psychology major. #psychology #college #writing #college-major #criminal-justice

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Himanshu’s Answer

Well in no particular order, I have zeroed down to 5 books. I had to cross out some really good ones in the process. But I guess it had to be done.

1. The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy: It is hauntingly dark. But the good part is you'll never know so until the very end. It is one of those rare books that I never go back to, I like it that much that I don't want to ruin the first impression the plot, the characters and the development had on me. I could write a book on this book.

2. The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini: Magical writing, coupled with a superb plot. I anyway am deeply interested in the Taliban movement and happenings in Afghanistan, and this is as close to a first-hand account as you can get.

3. Room by Emma Donoghue: Long-listed for the Man Booker. Never really made it. It's one of those little sweet plots that hide a dynamite inside them. Very unique style of writing. That's as much as I can say without spoiling it for you.

4. Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare: It is a timeless classic, and despite its relentless use of cliches and what would be deemed illogical in today's times, it remains one of those books I always find myself going back to. I understand that technically it isn't a book, just a play, but you know.

5. Blink by Malcolm Gladwell: I'm not the biggest fan of non-fiction but this is an exceedingly in-depth research of behavior and how it affects us and people and things around us. Better books may exist on the subject, but they cross the thin line between books made for leisure reading and scholarly theses.

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Cheryl’s Answer

# criminal justice- in line with these I would recommend the Dan Brown series

psychology- 7 habits of highly effective people
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EJ’s Answer

I see that you have psychology and criminal justice hash-tagged.
I have very similar interests, and I love Agatha Christie Books. Her stories heavily focus on psychology to solve crimes and mysteries. I would start on any of the Hercule Poirot books. Some good ones are “The Murder of Roger Ackroyd” and “The A.B.C. Murders”. Poirot as a fictional character, was so beloved, that he had his own obituary published by the New York Times, when his character was retired.
The Miss Marple mysteries (also written by Christie) are also very good. But nothing beats Poirot and his “little grey cells”.
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Michelle’s Answer

Ze, there are so many books to read that I found interesting to my career. Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets by David Simon (1991) - is a book about a Baltimore journalist who shadows the Baltimore Police Homicide Unit. He gives a very detailed and frank look at the duties, activities, and situations the detectives handle. It is very powerful and very real. There was a tv show back in the mid-1990s called Homicide that was based on the book. It too was a very frank look at the lives of the Homicide Detectives, the stress, the long hours and relief when they finally solve a case.
I found out about The Killer Department by Robert Cullen (1993), after watching the movie - Citizen X. Both discuss the Russian Detective who hunted for the first known serial killer in the Soviet Union in the 1980s. The change in the department and how it is managed by the governments and then the detective are key in the solving of these horrific murders. Times were different back then, but difficulties with communication and understanding of the chain of command and what priorities are important to both the command and the detective are shown in very frank detail. Today even, what the expectations of the upper command staff are, are not always what the actual feet on the ground patrol officers or detectives and the crime scene unit can achieve clash. This is due in part when the harsh reality of budget limitations and equipment or supplies needed to perform the duties and tasks are not communicated well or ignored by the middle command staff. So some things never change, but the drive and resolve to bring justice to the victims - is always the reason to keep plugging away.

These books were more personal choices, many of the books from my various course work were great in increasing my knowledge of my career and duties/tasks. But these two books/movie and tv show, guided me into the career work I now do.
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Kayla’s Answer

I will send over a few of my favorites:

Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari

On Killing: The Psychological Cost of Learning to Kill in War and Society by Dave Grossman

What the Dog Saw by Malcolm Gladwell

Talking to Strangers: What We Should Know about the People We Don't Know by Malcolm Gladwell


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Palak’s Answer

One of the best books I've read is "The Alchemist" by Paulo Coelho. It's a very inspiring novel about pursuing your dreams. To complement, "How to win friends and influence people" by Dale Carnegie is one of the most influential books in my career. These books will give you a whole difference perspective on life and hopefully bring positive vibes and change to help you professionally and personally.
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