When I was a child, we didn't have a television in our home. Not because we didn't want one but because we could not afford. This did not made me feel poor in any way, as it caused me to develop something even better.
What is that you may ask? Well, that is my love for reading and the world of creativity it brought.
Back in my days at primary school, the government would provide story books to all schools across the island of Jamaica and I remember enjoying the stories. I would reread them at home over and over. Every year you got a different one and I would save all of mine. I was the kind of person who cared for her books-hated seeing dogears on them or ripped covers.
When I got to high school, my love for reading expand even more when we were introduced to more indepth stories, which I call Classic Literature. What I found I loved most about these books was how there was always something that you could learn from the characters to help you improve your own character and some life lessons from their experiences as well.
These are the kinds of books that helped me build a foundation of how I write my own novels, wanting readers to take something of value they can apply to their own lives.
Here is a list of some of the books that impacted my life in a positive way and helped shaped the person I am today. I hope you will enjoy them as well.
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First on my list is my favourite is Jane Eyre. Jane Eyre spent her early years with her aunt and cousin because she had lost her parents. However, they didn't really made her feel loved or a part of the family. Because she was outspoken, her aunt called her rebellious and sent her away to a boarding she and advice the headmaster that she was a terrible child. The headmaster made sure her early days were miserable, but just as the scripture said, what the devil meant for evil God will turn around for our good and his glory.
Jane grew to have a better outlook on life than when she started, even when her said aunt sent her a letter some year after she started school asking her to visit because she was gravely ill, Jane did not hold grudges and went bitter. She went to her aunt right away and cared for her and even forgave her. That taught me something I never forget. I learned forgiveness from Jane Eyre.
My next and another favourite is Les Misérables. This one made me cry a lot. Jean Veljean was a man sent to prison for stealing a loaf of bread to feed his family. After years of imprisonment he escaped and found his way to a house own by a priest and his two sisters. The priest was the only one who had not turned him away and offered him a meal and a bed for the night. The priest took out his best silver dishes and candlestick even against his sisters advice.
Even though Jean Veljean had only stolen because of hunger to feed his family, the nature of being a thief was now in him and even without wanting to, when everyone went to bed he got up and took all the silver and left. It the morning the priest's sisters discovered the missing silver and complained to the priest and while that was happening they heard a knock at the door. It was the police with Jean Veljean. The police said he told them the old priest had given him the silver dishes and they didn't believe him. Can you believe what that priest did? He told them he did and also took one of the candlestick that was left back and gave to Jean veljean asking him if he had forgotten he had also given him that as well. The shock of this act transformed his live for the rest of the book but in that act God taught me what mercy was. Purchase here
A tale of two cities is my next favourite. There is so many things you learn from this book but the one that I never forgot was what a character named Sydney Carton did. He was in love with the daughter of a man who was imprisoned in France by the marquis for his stance against the injustice of the French people. Sydney Carton was a good lawyer but a drunk and he represented the imprisoned man and won the case. It is during the time he was around his daughter that his attitude towards life changed and he started taking care of his appearance.
He loved the qualities of the man's daughter. However she was engaged to a French man related to the said marquis who has imprisoned her father but who had changed his name and fled France to not be associated with the evil deeds of his uncle. When Sydney later found out that this young man was captured by the revolutionaries who were executing everyone of royal blood, because both men look very similar in appearance and wanting the young lady to be happy, Sydney did what he thought was the best gift he could offer. he switched places with the young man and took his execution instead. This was where I learn what sacrifice meant. Purchase here
The Count of Monte Christo This is another of my favourite. I learned so much about God from this book. Learning that despite all our trials, God is right there with us.
If we would just take our eyes off the problem and keep on Him we would know he's there. Even when we think we aren't enough God sees us differently. I learned not to belittle myself and trust that God has a purpose for me
Have you read any books that impacted you in such a way?
Here are some other honorary mentions that had an impact as well.
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