Books
Books That Will Make You Want To Travel To The 90s
I don't know whether it's the classic fashion trends, the unforgettable romantic comedies, or the incredible pop groups, but there's just something about the '90s that make it one of the best and most nostalgic decades ever. Even though the last day of the decade was over 16 years ago, there will always be those sitcoms, movies, and books that will make you want to travel back to the 90s, because who doesn't dream of reliving those glory days?
The 1990s was a decade filled with grunge music and hip hop, choker necklaces and overalls, and Pokemon and Bop-It. If you were a 90s kid, you probably spent your weekends watching Saturday morning cartoons, playing on your Game Boy, or memorizing the newest Spice Girls dance routine. As a '90s teen, you were most likely found blasting Nirvana from your Walkman, trying on new mood rings, or debating the fate of Joey's love life — would she chose Dawson or Pacy? — with your friends over a bottle of Orbitz. Now that you're older, you look back on the days of TGIF TV, boy bands, and tattoo chokers with a fondness and longing that can only be the result of being a product of the 1990s. Trust me, I know exactly what that feeling is like.
Even though the decade is over, the '90s are making a comeback everywhere you look. From the comeback of flannel and denim jackets to the revival of The X-Files and Full House, the 90s seem to be alive and well in 2016. But if current fashion and pop culture trends still aren't enough of a nostalgic fix for you, here are 10 books that will bring you back to your favorite decade of the 20th century.
1. Girls on Fire by Robin Wasserman
A story about two teenagers, Hannah and Lacey, and their fierce and even obsessive bond, Girls on Fire is an intense and powerful book about the destructive power of female friendship that is relatable in any decade, but set firmly in the 1990s. From the '90s fashion to the music to the girls' particular brand of rebellion, this book, as dark as it is, will have you feeling nostalgic for your own teenage years nearly two decades ago.
2. The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
A moving coming-of-age story so many '90s kids can relate to, The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a world filled with mixed tapes, Truth or Dare, and the typical fixings of a suburban adolescence in the 1990s. Reading Stephen Chbosky's beloved YA novel may not make you want to been a teenager again — who wants to deal with that heartache for a second time, am I right? — but it will make you want to go back to the decade where being a "loser" could be pretty cool.
3. Ghost World by Daniel Clowes
Daniel Clowes Ghost World spoke to an entire audience of disenfranchised '90s youth when it was serialized in Eightball, and it continues to bring people back to that decade with its illustrations, witty dialogue, and unique storytelling. Full of hilarious banter only '90s teens will recognize, Ghost World is a hilarious, cynical, and ultimately touching graphic novel about two best friends trying to evolve from lost teenagers to real, live adults. It's the kind of story that will make you want to throw on your denim and hit the mall with your own BFF.
4. Sex and the City by Candace Bushnell
You can't get much more '90s than Sex in the City. From the fashion to the dating trends, everything in this book-turned-iconic television show screams '90s New York City. Carrie and her friends' adventures in the Big Apple — not to mention their fantastic and fancy lifestyle — will make you want to go back a few decades and find your own Mr. Right — or Mr. Right Now.
5. Angus, Thongs, and Full Frontal Snogging by Louise Rennison
Not only will this uproarious YA novel make you want to be a '90s teen again, but it will also make you want to go to London, where people use words like "snogging." The first in a series of books chronicling the misadventures of Georgia Nicolson, an English teenager dealing with pimples, bras, and uncontrollable crushes, Angus, Thongs, and Full-Frontal Snogging could be the journal of just about any '90s girl, myself included.
6. Bridget Jones's Diary by Helen Fielding
We're not leaving England yet, because Helen Fielding's beloved Pride and Prejudice adaptation will keep you firmly planted in the disastrous world of dating in the 1990s. Hilarious and heartwarming, Bridget Jones's Diary has all the awkward instant messaging and bizarre romantic habits that you miss about the 90s, because really, life was so much easier before Tinder.
7. The Entire Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling
The Harry Potter series may be set in a a fictional, magical world, but it's still a '90s book through and through. Just flipping through the pages of Harry's years at Hogwarts will remind you of a time when being a kid meant impatiently waiting for the next Harry Potter book to be released. A re-read will make you want to travel back in time immediately.
8. The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer
In a book about nostalgia, The Interestings will have you feeling it to the max. Though it covers several decades, the time spent in the 90s will remind you of all of the wild possibilities that decade held for you — you know, before you got old and (even more) cynical. A moving story about a group of friends trying to figure out the messy business of growing up and growing apart, Meg Wolitzer's highly acclaimed novel will make you want to go back to the days where you could still be anything you want to be.
9. In Some Other World, Maybe by Shari Goldhagen
It's December 1992, and three pairs of friends from all over the country head to the movies with a different goal in mind. Some are looking for love, others, escape. As the story progresses, the six individuals of Shari Goldhagen's In Some Other World, Maybe grow older and move away, but for two decades, their paths continue to cross, their lives forever tangled in each others, a destiny that started long ago in the early days of the '90s. Comedic and witty, this is the kind of book that makes you want to travel back in to the '90s, where making out in the back row of a movie theater was still what people considered to be a great date.
10. High Fidelity by Nick Hornby
The perfect blend of '80s and '90s nostalgia, Nick Hornby's High Fidelity is a musical novel that will have you longing for the days of mixed tapes and heartaches. In the bestselling book, Rob, a heartbroken record store owner in London, spends most of his days discussing music with his friends at the shop — that is, until he decides the best way to get over his ex-girlfriend is to re-examine the worst break-ups of his past. Filled with cynicism, sarcasm, and just the right amount of hope, High Fidelity really captures the spirit of the '90s.
Images: Paramount Pictures
