So – just like you – I love books and, yes, I do believe that books can transform people for the better. And that’s why I have created this snazzy little list of 7 books that I believe you need to read if you want to witness that change for yourselves. They include some wonderful memoirs and some interesting novels. So, read on and get inspired:
Pick No. 1: Being Mortal by Atul Gawande
Why was it picked: We cannot escape the states of aging and death. And what does medicine achieve? Mostly not we want to achieve for our health. Doctors who pledge to spend their lives extending other peoples’ lives perform scary medical procedures on patients that ultimately bring more suffering to the latter. Packed with insightful research and beautiful storytelling, Being Mortal states that medicine can bring in comfort to our existence, assuring us of not just a decent life but also a decent death.
Pick No. 2: The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg
Why was it picked: This insightful book teaches us why certain people and businesses find it very difficult to change, even though they have been trying for years, whereas some others appear to transform themselves overnight. It lends us a look within P&G, Target, Saddleback Church, NFL locker rooms, and the country’s biggest medical facilities and shows us the way in which adopting certain keystone habits can bring home billions and signify the difference between failure and success, life and death. Allow Charles Duhigg to demonstrate how making the most of this new science can change our companies, our societies, and ourselves.
Pick No. 3: Happiness for Beginners by Katherine Center
Why was it picked: This book takes us along on the weirdest adventure of the protagonist (Helen)’s “good girl” life: Almost a month in the extreme wild of the mountains in Wyoming, she emerges a winner through mosquito infestations, an unexpected summer blizzard, and a bunch of sorority girls. Thanks to all her experiences, Helen learns how to make her voice heard loud and clear. Most importantly, she learns that there are times when being lost is quite important to being found.
Pick No. 4: The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank
Why was it picked: This book was published in 1947. Right since then, it has been a favorite of many readers who see the work as an ode to the unbreakable stuff that the human spirit is made of. The book has been read by millions and already translated into over 55 languages. Anne Frank was just a teenager when her family had to remain contained within the “Secret Annex.” It is during this phase of her life that we see her grow up to be a young woman and become a wonderful connoiseur of human nature.
Pick No. 5: The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch
Why was it picked: Think about your death and reflect upon what matters the most to you: This is what a lot of professors are asked to do. The same was expected of Randy Pausch – a computer science professor at Carnegie Mellon. Upon being asked to deliver his “Last Lecture,” Pausch didn’t have to use his imagination much, as – unfortunately – he had recently been diagnosed with terminal cancer. But the actual talk he delivered conveyed a summary of all things that Pausch had come to believe in about life – not about death. This book is here to stay. This book will be loved and shared by every generation.
Pick No. 6: Furiously Happy by Jenny Lawson
Why was it picked: Terrible ideas? Yes, this book is full of those! In this book, Lawson says: “Don’t sabotage yourself. There are plenty of other people willing to do that for free.” And there’s more of these adorable gems in there. I love every single line in this book!
Lawson is massively adored around the globe for her undeniable humor and sincerity. With Furiously Happy, she has delivered her funniest best. And this book makes perfect sense, ‘cuz hey, at times crazy is the only way to be.
Pick No. 7: It’s OK to Laugh by Nora McInerny Purmort
Why was it picked: Purmort gets engaged to Aaron – a charismatic comic-book enthusiast. Where does the engagement take place? In Aaron’s hospital bed when he gets diagnosed with brain cancer. They also have a baby while Aaron is on chemo. They publish an obituary on Aaron during the period of his hospice care, which announces his real identity: he is Spider-Man. Truly touching.
The book reaches out a hand to life and accepts it with all the tears, pains, and joy. The book reads like someone is conversing with a BFF, and sends some magic pixie dust our way. All you people in this world who have had their life do a 180 out of the blue and have learnt to live with it? This book is for you.
Well, that’s just my short list. If you have more books to recommend to me, please drop a line below and let me know.
Happy reading, beautiful world!
A Wanderer's Postcards 