Sarah Jules Writing

“Think before you speak. Read before you think.” — Fran Lebowitz

All readers have books that stay with them. They may even have books that have fundamentally changed the way in which they view the world. The idea that books are dangerous intrigues me. Books wouldn’t be banned if people weren’t scared of their ability to alter the way we think. “Reading is dangerous, because the more you read, the more you realise how little you know” – SE SEVER. I’m not a snob who thinks that everybody on the planet should be forced to read widely, outside of their own experiences. For some people, reading is a chore, they don’t enjoy it, and that’s fine. What I do think is that people should be encouraged to seek out ideas different from the ones they’ve been brought up believing, whether through books, media, or through forming connections with other people.

The fact that we, as humans, have the ability to seek out new knowledge and change our minds about our beliefs is incredible, don’t you think? If I looked back at the way I saw the world, and the way I viewed my place in the world, a few years ago, I’ve done a full 180 on so many things. I think some people struggle with the idea of changing their minds, or accepting that their own ideas/views were flawed. It shouldn’t be something to be embarrassed by, it is something to be celebrated. We are consistently learning, we are having experiences that alter us, and that’s bound to change the way we think. We shouldn’t think the exact same thoughts for our whole lives, that’s not progression, that’s stagnation. Every now and again I read a book that shifts my perception of the world. These are five books that I consider to have changed my life (in no particular order).

The Perks of Being a Wallflower – Stephen Chbosky

‘We accept the love we think we deserve.’

The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a coming-of-age story that focuses on big issues such as inclusivity and self-acceptance. This book taught me the power of accepting the past, forgiving yourself, and moving towards self-love. It shows how people can blossom when they are accepted for who they truly are.

The Virgin Suicides – Jeffrey Eugenides

“In the end, it wasn’t death that surprised her but the stubbornness of life.”

The Virgin Suicides chronicles the suicides of the five Lisbon sisters, told through the eyes of the neighbourhood boys who loved them. It tells of mundane lives as though to be mundane is horrific. It reminds us that being continuously happy isn’t plausible, that in order to live life, we have to experience all of the emotions life has to offer us.

A Little Life – Hanya Yanagihara

“Wasn’t friendship its own miracle, the finding of another person who made the entire lonely world seem somehow less lonely? Wasn’t this house, this beauty, this comfort, this life a miracle?”

This book absolutely broke me. It also taught me a lot about judgement. This book chronicles the life of Jude St Francis, told in conjunction with the lives of his closest friends. Throughout the book, Jude’s horrific past is revealed to the reader, which explains Jude’s behaviours and interactions. This book teaches us that we never know what a person has been through, and that kindness, patience and compassion are essential aspects of any friendship/relationship. It also shows us that happiness can be found, no matter the circumstances of our lives.

A Prayer for Owen Meany – John Irving

“If you care about something you have to protect it – If you’re lucky enough to find a way of life you love, you have to find the courage to live it.”

I first read this book when I was in college, and it has stayed with me since. A Prayer for Owen Meany is a story about friendship, about spirituality, and about how we’re all walking contradictions. John Irving has such a comic way of approaching serious topics such as faith and sexuality. This book is basically an explanation as to why the narrator is a Christian, as a direct result of his friend (Owen Meany) hitting a foul ball at a baseball game and killing the narrator’s mother. This book isn’t meant to convert you to Christianity or anything like that, so don’t worry. What it does is talk about the power of our beliefs and how they can influence our world.

The Kite Runner – Khaled Hosseini

“A man who has no conscience, no goodness, does not suffer.”

The Kite Runner was on my college syllabus. I read it five or six times in 2011, and a few more times since then. It’s a book that grabs you by the throat and doesn’t let go. It’s not an easy book to read, but it is an important one. It is a book about the cost of war, about the very worst of humanity, but it is also about redemption, forgiveness, and friendship. Often, it is easy for us (who are comfortable and safe) to forget that there are people around the world who live in constant fear; we become detached. It can’t hurt to remind ourselves what it means to be human every once in a while.  

There are certainly more books I could add to this list, but these at the five big ones for me. These books contain stories, characters, and messages that have become a central part of who I am today. I’d love to know what books changed your life, maybe we can swap reading lists?