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If there is ONE thing in my childhood I wish I did more, it was to READ. Reading opens up a new world of imagination and possibilities. Even though my dad would tell us (my siblings and I) to read all the time, we weren’t interested. There were far more interesting movies to watch or other things to do. I discovered the love of reading in my mid twenties and I wish I had earlier. Now that I am older, I feel like I have so many good books to catch up on.
When it comes to reading, we usually have a set of excuses like not having the resources or not having time. I had both of these excuses when I was on the borderline between wanting to read sometime and enjoying to read all the time. In this day and time, where you can access free books at the tip of your fingers, getting a book is not difficult. Time is relative; you have time for what you want to do. Once I realized these two reasons were just excuses, I went and got a library card. I have been consistently going to the library and making time to read almost daily since then.
What are the benefits of reading?
Reading changes everything! It changes what you know and how you see the world. It increases your knowledge and creativity. For young kids, reading helps them calm down, gain focus and improve their vocabulary. As older youth, it aids their decision making skills, improves communication and much more. It’s important to instill a reading habit in kids while they are still young. This habit will grow with them and they will learn to love reading.
Side note: Since libraries have been closed due to the pandemic, I have turned to reading on my tablet. An acquaintance recently told me about the free app called Libby. All you need is a library card and you can connect that library card to the app and to your local library. Then you can check out and read as many books as you like!
Call for ACTION: READ for at least 15 minutes each day. If you have young children, read to them! If are a bit older, allow them reading time before bed, while you read your own book!
On most of my trips, I bring along a good book to read. Sometimes it’s the National Geographic book or travel guide of the place I am visiting. Other times, it is fiction books that I can’t leave behind at home. I usually read if we have long flights, layovers or sometimes I just like to read while sipping on some coffee.
This list of books are not all travel related, except a couple. However, I always learn about a new topic, place or concept each time I read a book. This allows my traveling to become more meaningful and thoughtful. I am more mindful about things and I can easily relate and understand how things around the world work. The following are some of my must read books as well as a few other ones that I enjoyed!
This has to be one of my all time favorite books. Even though I have known about Jodi Picoult, this was when I started loving her books! The storyteller is an intriguing story about an old man, who confides in a young girl about his past. He befriends the young lady and asks her to kill him because he is tired of living with guilt. The reason? You have to find out yourself. This book really taught me about the Holocaust in a way that school never did. Really an eye opener!
This is another one of my favorite books by Jodi Picoult. I loved elephants before I read this book, but after I read it, I love and respect them to another level. This was a book I could not put down. It’s a story about a little girl trying to find what happened to her mother, who was an expert on elephants. With a big twist in the end, this book had me thinking for a week after reading it. I wanted to go back and reread the beginning with the knowledge I had at the end of the book.
Lilly Singh or Superwoman needs no introduction. I used to watch every single one of her videos. I still keep up with her new show on NBC late nights (but during the mornings). This is a great motivational book, especially for young girls who need that extra push or extra word of comfort and advice. It makes a great gift and it’s totally relatable regardless of what race/age/religion you are, what you do and where you live.
I got this book as a gift and started reading it almost instantly. Having read Kite Runner in high school and knowing this was by the same author, I knew this book would not disappoint. I figured this will also be a great book and indeed, it was! A thousand Splendid Suns was more understandable to be because of the culture and characters. It’s an unforgettable story about two women from different generations, who come together and help each other in a unexpected way. It contains many controversial and cultural issues from a woman”s point of view.
This book was another one that really made me think. I read it in just a few days and I burst into tears at the very end of it. Jodi writes in such a way that really captures your mind and until you finish the book, this is all you can think about. What was a big coincidence during the time I read this book was that there was a similar death penalty case going on in the real world. It really made me think about issues such as the death penalty, loyalty and fate.
Paulo Coelho is mostly famously known for his book, The Alchemist. If you had to pick one of his books, make it this one. This book inspired me to travel to Spain and Morocco, which I did the year after reading this. Even though it is a harder to understand, it has many good messages and lessons. There are many parts I re-read and even go back to for reference. It’s one of those books you should have on your bookshelf!
The Aleph was the second book by Paulo Coelho I’ve read. Aleph is about Coelho’s train journey through Russia and the people he meets on the way. It’s main topic is spirituality and makes us think about what path we are on. It also has several good morals and quotes to ponder on. This was a harder read and I probably would not recommend unless you are Coelho fan! “Travel is never a matter of money but of courage” – Aleph
I was a little hesitant to start reading this book but once I started, I finished it rather quickly. This book is about a young lady who decides to take her life, but survives from the attempt. As a result of this, she now has a heart condition and is sent to a mental hospital in a different city. The rest of the story revolves around her realization of the fact that she hasn’t even begun to live her life yet. Some parts of the book relate to the time the author himself was in a mental institution.
I have been tempted to get this collection, which includes 10 of his books. It’s only $40, which comes out to just $4 per book! Which is much better than buying them all separate, which is what most people end up doing anyways.
Even though I still haven’t finished this book, so far it’s great! It’s one of those books you don’t want to read all in a week. There is so much information and good content to absorb that you want to take your time to process it. Tribe of Mentors is a collection of advice and answers to several carefully thought-out questions, by successful people from Neal Stephenson to Tony Hawk.
I read the book Life of Pi a while back, but I still vividly remember it. It was a great book and much better version than the movie. This story is about Pi Patel, a young Indian boy who gets stuck on a boat with a Bengal tiger from his father’s zoo! Yes, I said tiger. The story goes on to show how he survived on the boat for over two hundred days. I saw the first quarter of the movie and stopped it because I felt the book held the surprise element which the movie gave away rather instantly.
The Help was one of the first books I’ve read and I loved it. It tells the story of a African American helper that belonged to a white family. Although it showed the difficult sides of race inequality, it was a hilarious and somewhat comforting book. I remember taking it with me to a clinic so I can read it when I have free time or during my lunch break. It’s an easy read, so it’s a great choice for beginners. If you have to choose between watching the movie or reading the book, always read the book first!
Another winner by Jodi Picoult. Even though it doesn’t top the first two on my list, it’s still one of Jodi’s greatest. Keeping Faith is about a woman who catches her husband cheating and then having to fight for her daughter’s custody. It’s about a mother’s love and about keeping faith through difficult times in life. Although it’s fiction, it made you think about life, death and God, regardless of your religious beliefs.
This is different than the other ones on the list, but I still recommend it! I had to get past the first chapter to like the author, but once I did, the rest of the book went by quickly. For someone like me, who used to take everything so personally and to heart, this book gave me the reality check I needed.
Wow! What a book! This is a brutal story written in the form of letters to God and letters between siblings. I had read this back in high school at some point, but when you’re forced to read something, it doesn’t really stick. When I read it now, I am blown away by this book and it’s brutality. I would definitely recommend putting this on your must read list if you already haven’t read it!
This book changed my whole outlook on finances and money. It’s also changed the way I look at life and I wish I had read it earlier on. If there is a list of must read books before you turn 30, this should be on there. Rich dad, poor dad is about two completely different view points about money and where these outlooks take you. This isn’t the kind of thing you learn in school or college, but somewhere outside of that, if your lucky. I even took notes while reading this book! And without a professor telling me to! Shocked? Yes, me too!
How To Break Up With Your Phone by Catherine Price was a book I needed to read! Check out the full review of the book here!
Did you like this list of book recommendations? This will be a growing list, but in the mean time, if you have any thoughts, comment below! Let me know what your must read books include! Also, check out my Travel Must Have for some great travel necessities and gifts!
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