They made me make a list!
Recently, a job application required me to include, as part of the application, three of my favourite books. If you are a bookworm, like me, then you can appreciate just how much, we loathe this question. Narrowing down the list of books, you love, to just include three, is crazy difficult, and frankly, when asked in conversations, which book is my favourite, I dodge the question and change the subject. However, when asked this sort of a question for a job application, I guess you find a way
So, I wrote down a list of three books I’ve enjoyed for years now. Many others lay cast aside, but not forgotten, maybe I’ll write about them here someday.
Until then, here is my list, in no particular order. I didn’t get the job, but I figured the list shouldn’t go to waste 🙂
1)The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
Sometimes in life, we are lucky enough to stumble upon a book that has the power to change our life. These books are so powerful that all you really want to do is sit with a pencil and underline each sentence that speaks to, or sit with some page markers and mark every passage that moves you. Of course, you might end up stopping at every other page if you do that with The Alchemist. To me, this book is fascinating, because every time I read it, I find new meaning. I find myself able to comprehend new perspectives about life, dreams, hope, and the true meaning of success. Every time I think I have extracted every bit of magic this book has to offer, it manages to surprise me with new ideas about concepts I thought I had understood. In this book, I find comfort and relatability-no matter what is going on in my life; this book has the power to speak to me and help me make sense of the world. Books are the closest things we have to magic, of that I have no doubt. To me, The Alchemist goes to prove just that.
2)The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka
It’s a common misconception that if a book is your favourite, it’s one you’ve loved since the first time you read it. The truth is, it doesn’t have to be love at first sight. The first time I read The Metamorphsis, I must confess I didn’t enjoy it. It made me unhappy and truthfully, slightly uncomfortable. A few years later, I decided to give it another shot, and WHOA! I love this novella because instead of focusing on black and white, it explores the shades of grey. The harsh realities of the modern world, the complexities of the human spirit, and the grotesque, albeit truthful depiction of ties that bind humanity together, especially that of family. It’s a thought-provoking bit of fiction, with many elements that mirror the attitude of the world today, leading the reader down a road that is not necessarily joyful, funny, or even inviting, but always, always, truthful.
3) A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
I am one of those Christmas-obsessed people. Anything holiday-related probably has my attention anyway. I love everything about A Christmas Carol. Dickens’s style of writing, the fantastic characters he creates, and yes, the elements of Christmas. But more than anything, I love that it’s so much more substantial than a lot of other light holiday-themed books out there. Not to say, I don’t enjoy a nice fluffy, cute holiday-themed novel, because I do, but I don’t think any book comes as close to this one in capturing the true spirit of Christmas. It also goes beyond whether one celebrates the festival of Christmas from a religious perspective, because, the lessons it offers the reader, are ones that all of the human race can appreciate. There is nothing better than using the end of the year to reflect on the kind of person you were, the person you have become, and most importantly the person you want to be. The story’s focus on kindness, empathy, and support for all those around us, irrespective of the difference that tries to keep us apart, is more important a lesson today than perhaps it ever was before, and perhaps all of humanity could use a refresher.