If you’re like me, you reach for books that stretch your perspective and leave you thinking long after you’ve closed the cover. Stories can give us a tiny window into lives impacted by war, poverty, and injustice. They challenge how we see the world and ourselves, sparking compassion and a desire for enduring advocacy. I’m sharing a few gems here in case you’re looking for something that will birth reflection, stir empathy, and inspire your own journey of art or activism as you seek to respond to the narratives that are rendered below. If you’ve read any of these, I’d love to hear your reflections!
1. Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela
Mandela’s autobiography traces his life from rural childhood to political activism, twenty-seven year long imprisonment, in which he missed his children growing up as well as so many other life events. Through this entire experience, he works in a political capacity, eventually leading South Africa out of apartheid. It’s both a personal narrative and a national history of struggle, resilience, and transformation.
As Mandela was a Lawyer, his wording is often very technical. He’s not out to entertain his readers — he’s sharing the story of his life from the voice and perspective that is true to him. I found this both a challenge, but an honour to read the narrative that was so clearly meant to be expressed according to his personality, and not necessarily the preferences of the reader.
Why I think every artist should read this book - Mandela’s persistence in holding to vision despite oppression teaches about the art of resistance, about patience with long processes, and about the power of personal narrative to become collective memory.
2. Say You Are One of Them – Uwem Akpan
Say You Are One of Them is a collection of five short stories, each told from the perspective of a child in a different African country, depicting the harsh realities they face. In Kenya, a young girl is forced into prostitution to help her family survive. In Nigeria, siblings are groomed for child trafficking, and a boy disguises himself to survive religious riots. In Ethiopia, two girls—one Christian, one Muslim—are torn apart by religious conflict. In Rwanda, a child witnesses the impact of ethnic violence on her family. Across these stories, Akpan portrays the resilience, loyalty, and small acts of hope that persist amid trauma and injustice. This is one of the heaviest, most rewarding books I’ve ever read. Kleenexes are mandatory.
Why I think every artist should read this book
For artists, this collection offers lessons in perspective, empathy, and emotional truth. By centering the stories through children’s eyes, Akpan weaves together the tragic relationship between innocence and trauma. Artists can explore contrasting tones—fragility against brutality, hope amid despair—and experiment with storytelling that captures unseen or silenced voices.
3. On the Way to Casa Lotus – Lorena Junco Margain
Summary: Written in arrestingly beautiful prose, this is a visual artist’s memoir of healing after an experience of medical malpractice leads to lifelong medical complications. This generously honest and heartfelt read explores themes of forgiveness, vulnerability, identity, and resilience.
Why I think every artist should read this book - The book models how a creative mindset and an open heart can lead to personal transformation and inner healing, despite extraordinarily difficult circumstances. For artists, it’s a reminder that a rich, poetic perspective on life can be birthed out of the deepest brokenness and despair. It’s a beautiful reminder that our bodies deserve our attention, unconditional love, and advocacy.
4. 1000 Years of Joys and Sorrows – Ai Weiwei
Summary: Memoir of Chinese artist Ai Weiwei, intertwining his father’s persecution as a poet during China’s Cultural Revolution with his own journey as a dissident artist under surveillance and imprisonment. It’s about bravery, freedom, art, and truth in the face of authoritarianism.
Why I think every artist Should read this book: Weiwei shows how art and politics are inseparable when it comes to human rights. His story urges artists to be fearless truth-tellers, and to see their practice not just as personal expression, but as a tool for social change and legacy.
5. Ishmael’s Oranges – Claire Hajaj
Summary: A poignant novel about a love story between Jude, the daughter of a Jewish Holocaust survivor, and Salim, the son of Palestinian exiles. The book explores the impact on their children, the racial biases they face, and their struggles against inherited trauma, cultural divisions, and political realities.
Why I think every artist should read this book - The novel wrestles with identity, belonging, and inherited conflict — themes artists often engage with. It demonstrates the complexity of love across divides and how personal and political stories are deeply entangled. For artists, it inspires ways to explore contradictions and tensions in their own work, seeding compassion for those caught in racial and political divides.