Every now and then, I'll read a book that just resonates. It will stay with me for years after having read it, because the effect of its story is too good and too strong to forget.
The following list includes three books that have had an effect on me, and that I think will have an effect on you as well. These books are in no particular order of rank, and are often missed when compiling lists of the greatest books known to man. They come across genres, but each offers something different to not only capture your attention, but change your life.
1. The Town and the City by Jack Kerouac
Everyone's heard of Kerouac's most famous work, On the Road, but rarely anyone talks about his first novel, The Town and the City. This work, originally published in 1950, tells of the Martin family and gives the coming-of-age tale for each Martin child. Delving through different viewpoints and stories, The Town and the City is the book that manages to accurately depict what it means to grow.
I read The Town and the City over a year a ago, and I never realized at the time that in its nearly 500 pages, it showed the meaning of growth and the transition from being a child to being an adult. The college years are a trying time full of this same growth, with young adults unsure of when it is their time to accept the identity and title of an adult. This book helps with that, and I can honestly say that even now, over a year ago, this book is one that I miss reading. It is a story that has stuck with me, and one that I am always eager to pass on.
2. Something Borrowed and Something Blue by Emily Giffin
These are two separate books that I pair together because they are written with a conjoined story. Something Borrowed comes first, telling the story of Darcy and Rachel, childhood best friends. It follows their friendship through Rachel's point-of-view on Darcy's engagement and the effect it has on their friendship when it goes wrong.
A sequel to Something Borrowed, Something Blue shifts to take on Darcy's point-of-view and the aftermath of her failed engagement. Darcy escapes to London, where she attempts to rediscover herself and find it within herself to forgive and move on.
In spite of being chick lit, I always recommend both of these books when given a chance. The female world is one full of conflict, and these books fully capture that and go on to find out what it means to have a true friendship in spite of that conflict. It covers topics such as betrayal, pregnancy, hookups, dating, and marriage. If you're trying for that ring by spring, you may want to read these books.
Emily Giffin's Something Borrowed was also turned into a movie in 2011, starring Ginnifer Goodwin and Kate Hudson.
3. King Henry IV, Part I by William Shakespeare
I know everyone's immediate reaction to this is, "Shakespeare? Really?" But this list wouldn't be the same without this play. One of Shakespeare's history plays, King Henry IV, Part I, follows Prince Hal, a rebellious young prince looked down upon by his father. Of course, he is expected to ascend the throne, but his father doesn't think he is capable of being king and is constantly seen as inferior to his enemy, a passionate fighter named Hotspur. This play follows Prince Hal's redemption, and how even when no one else thinks you are capable, you can prove them otherwise.
I first read this play in my first semester of my freshman year for my Shakespeare class. I had never read a history play before, and at first, it was confusing - because I mean, come on, everyone is named Henry and how is someone even able to tell what Shakespeare is really saying? But this play quickly took to being my absolute favorite of Shakespeare's. It follows Prince Hal's strategic redemption and how he overcomes society's views of him. I think this work is powerful in showing ability and absolutely a necessary read.
