Is there a book that helped mold your life or transformed your point of view? Can you picture it in your mind? Do you remember what it felt like in your hand or were you listening to it? What did it feel like in your heart? Why and how did it change you?
Inspirational books: They're subjective but powerful.
I wasn't an avid reader as a kid, but I can still remember my favorite pop-up book with a dog and a cat on the cover from when I was five. I can also remember laughing as I pictured myself carrying doughnuts on my head like Imogene from Imogene's Antlers by David Small.
Books and stories-They stick with you.
One that stuck with me happened during lunch in a little sandwich restaurant in San Diego. I had recently graduated college and was working for a non-profit in southern, California, excited for the next chapter of my life. I bought a sandwich and a bowl of soup, then sat down by myself, without caring that I was alone on my lunch break. The grilled turkey sandwich melted in my mouth as I dove into The Life of Mahatma Gandhi by Louis Fisher. I laughed. I cried. I was changed as a person, and I was hooked.
What was a book that changed your life?
Here are five of mine.
1. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. I know it's already been said several times, but I get why, and if you've read it, I know you do too. Little Women is the ultimate coming-of-age story, not just for the main character, Joe, but for her sisters, Meg, Beth and Amy too.
2. Dutch Girl: Audrey Hepburn and World War II by Robert Matzen and Luca Dotti. I always admired Audrey Hepburn, her class-her grace, but I had no idea as to the kind of woman she was nor the life she led. Dutch Girl brought me into the home of a little girl from Holland who only lived a few blocks from Anne Frank during the Nazi occupation. She not only braved the complexities of her families status and affiliation in society but lost loved ones in the resistance and put herself in harms way to save others. She continued in the fight as an adult ambassador for UNICEF and opening her arms to children in war torn countries.
3. Joyful: The Surprising Power of Ordinary Things to Create Extraordinary Happiness by Ingrid Fetell Lee. From the vibrant to the mundane. The visible and tangible spaces around us affect our mood and happiness. We are in large part, a product of our surroundings including the architecture, design and colors we allow into our lives and homes. Joyful is a reminder to seek for spaces and items that bring you joy, feelings of safety and peace.
4. The Giver Series by Lois Lowry. Did you know there are more books than The Giver? There are actually four in total. Each book visits a different type of society, and how it effects the people within them. The Giver Quartet gives us a peek into the power of humanity and the rebellion of the human heart against society's who strive to control and remove emotion and consequences. If you've read The Giver, I recommend follow it up by reading the other three books in the series to tie the storyline together. Prepare to be inspired.
5. The Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis. Have you ever envisioned Aslan roaring and sprinting through the fields as he fights the White Witch? The first time I ever heard of Narnia was when the movie came out in 2005. I remember sitting in the movie theater crying with friends when Aslan died and resurrected—so much symbolism, so much love. The depth of knowledge found within the Narnia series, which there are seven, by the way, is astounding. I have since read the series several times with my children and we usually celebrate with Turkish Delight when we're done.
For a list of more influential books see the list below composed by Alex Roger.
Books that Changed the World:50 Most Influential Titles Ever
Conclusion: Books have the power to change your perspective, persuade, and open your mind and heart. What has been a book that's changed your life?
