5 Books That Changed My Life
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Since I’ve been having lots of 2014 recap posts lately, I thought I would mix things up by sharing some books that have changed my life. Okay, maybe not in a big way, but I couldn’t find another more appropriate title for the post, and “5 Books that Made an Impact on Me and I Kind of Think of Them, Sometimes” just didn’t have the same cachet.
I hope that some of you find this list interesting, and as always I’d love to hear all of your favorite books. Please! I’m a fiend!
1. The Millionaire Next Door: My mom made me read this book when I was a teenager and had just started my first time job as a hostess at a restaurant. I don’t subscribe to everything in the book, and I don’t think the authors would at all approve of what’s on my credit card statements. But I’ve thought of it more than a few times when making larger financial decisions. It’s literally stopped me in my tracks a few times before big splurges and I moved the money to my investment account instead. What power, huh? Ha!
2. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn: My favorite book of all time. Mr. Feather thoughtfully gifted me a first edition of this for my last birthday, but it’s too precious to take out so I just keep reading my old ratty paperback.
It sounds a little cheesy, but I always think of this book when facing adversity and it’s pushed me through some tougher times. Thinking about the fictional heroine – Francie’s – determination is always inspiring to me. She’s real to me, if that makes sense.
3. The Handmaids Tale: The book that introduced me to Margaret Atwood (and I’ve read almost everything from her since). A reminder that not every woman lives in a country where women have equal rights to men. An absolute shame and injustice.
4. Nothing To Envy: I’m fascinated by North Korea and go through any and every kind of video/reading on the country. This book however is the strongest reminder to me that this “weird” country is led by not just some cartoonish regime, but one that is actively and currently responsible for the suffering of so many people.
5. The Godfather: This may be kind of cheesy, but I think about The Godfather all the time when I’m in difficult situations. There’s that one scene, where the Don is asking Hagel if the producer Jack Woltz is a “real Sicilian” – if he has the balls to risk everything for what he wants. I don’t think I’m a real Sicilian, but I do try to fake it when I’m entering a situation I feel nervous about (like a salary negotiation!). For some reason that particular scene has always stuck with me. Man oh man do I wish I could be like Don Corleone sometimes!
What are some books that have changed your lives?
