3 Books That Have Made A Difference To Me

I've been very fortunate to have amazing books come into my life. Some have been funny and entertaining, but then there have been a few that touched my life in a way that I may not have necessarily expected. So I've decided to share 3 books that have made a difference to me - have you had any books that have made a difference in your life? Enjoy!



To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

It's difficult to pinpoint what it is that I love most about this book because there is so much to celebrate. Strangely, I find the rhythm of the language soothing even though I'm not a southerner. I see this book as the quintessential coming-of-age story, set in a small southern town, in which racial injustice is seen through the clear eyes of a child. But it is also about the prejudices and preconceptions we all have of those who are different from ourselves. The story of Boo Radley, of course, is the most poignant example of this. I truly think that this book played a huge part in shaping who I am as a person today.




Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy


Some people say that Anna Karenina is the single greatest novel ever written. I think that is a difficult title to live up to - but if any novel comes close, this is it. Set against a vast and richly textured canvas of nineteenth-century Russia, the novel's seven major characters create a dynamic imbalance, playing out the contrasts of city and country life and all the variations on love and family happiness. I find this book to be both beautiful and vigorous, which explains why it has left such an impression on me.





Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston


At the height of the Harlem Renaissance during the 1930s, Zora Neale Hurston was the preeminent black woman writer in the United States. Her novel, Their Eyes Were Watching God, enraged other African American writers due to her use of dialect in the story. The other African American writers during this time accused Hurston of pandering to white readers by giving them the black stereotypes they expected. In my opinion I think Hurston breathes tremendous humanity into both her men and women, and allows them to speak in their own voices. I loved this book because it was the first book I read where I was inspired to read aloud.