Welcome To Your Friendly Bookshelf

Reading has not always been a constant in my life, but when I think about books that have impacted me the most, for some reason, I tend to remember books I read when I was younger. I can think of many books that have moved me, or surprised me, or scared me, but if I have to narrow the list, these are the ones:

1. By the River Piedra I Sat Down and Wept by Paulo Coelho

I know Paulo Coelho became super famous for “The Alchemist”, which, in all honesty, is not my favorite, or second favorite, or even third favorite from him. However, this book By the River Piedra I Sat Down and Wept changed me.  I remember reading and having to stop and cry, and resume, just to stop again.  The book narrates the story of Pilar, who reunites with her childhood friend, who is now a spiritual leader. The book is tender, loving, and kind in the most powerful way.  I have reread this book a couple of times through the years (my first time I was a teenager).  It is an absolute delight. 

2. The Turn of the Screw by Henry James

Oh boy! I remember reading this book so vividly that I can feel fear again. I was in my countryside home in Panama. I was going through my father’s library when I found this book. It was so skinny, and I wanted to read something short. My father warned me: It is scary… but no, I did not believe him, because I had never before read a scary book. Did I mention I was in my countryside home, with no surrounding homes around me, towards the end of the day, alone, in the countryside, alone at nightfall… I wanted to die! I was so scared, I was trembling and crying, it was the worst and the best experience reading a scary book. I also understood that a scary book can make you suffer.

3. Hopscotch: A Novel by Julio Cortazar

My dad gave me this book as a gift when I was starting College. I read in Spanish, and this book was the first book I could describe as fun. This was a book I remember reading and thinking, “This writer is a genius artist”. The book storyline follows Horacio Olivera, an Argentine writer living in Paris. This book is unique in that there are two ways of reading it. You can follow up chapter by chapter, or you can do hopscotch and jump from chapter to chapter, each chapter telling you at the end where to jump next. I found this to be fascinating, and expanded my understanding of writers as artists creating their craft with vision and courage.

4. Sophie’s World: a Novel about the History of Philosophy by Jostein Gaarder

This book impacted me because it was the first time I read something that mixed a plot (or saga) with learning. Sophie’s world was lovely. The plot was solid, and the way the history of philosophy was presented was marvelous. I must confess I did enjoy my philosophy classes back in high school, and my intro philosophy class in college, but the most I have learned is from this book. I have lost two hard covers (one I left back home and never saw again, another one I lent and never saw again), and have bought the third one. I recommend this book if you want to learn about philosophy while reading a beautifully written novel.

5. Shark Heart by Emily Habeck

Shark Heart was a lovely, beautifully written story about love, change, acceptance, resolve, sacrifice, and hope. I knew what the book was about as it was recommended in a podcast, but I was not prepared to be torn by sadness and hope the way this book did. The writing was so tender and kind, so delicate as to make us believe this impossible mutation was normal and accepted in this world, but at the same time, feel so much discomfort with the reality of accepting that our loved ones are mutating. This book made me cry, in the saddest and loving way.

These five books are in my permanent library. I see them every time I add or take books off, and they offer me the stability of knowing that they are mine, and they are not going anywhere, and inspire me to continue to read books across all genres and to continue to search for those known and unknown writers poking into the wonderful world of books.

Tell me which books have impacted your reading life? What books do you keep permanently in your personal library? Which books will you recommend over and over?