April 23rd is celebrated as World Book Day (with the exception of the UK), and I want to use this opportunity to name 5 books that have had a huge influence on my life. It is actually difficult for me to narrow it down to such a small list because truth be told, every single book I read is in one way or the other a valuable addition to my life. There is always something to learn and to take away from the story, even though I might not realize it right away.
World Book Day
Interview with the Vampire – Anne Rice
My first ever book about vampires. I read it about ten years ago, in German, and I was so in love with it that I devoured every single other book by Rice that I could lay my hands on. To date, I prefer her vampires over all the others. "Interview" isn’t even my favourite because I find other "Vampire Chronicles" novels even more fascinating, but this one was the birth of my undying (pardon the pun) love for everything vampire. It also inspired me to read books in English because I wanted to know how the whole magic sounded in Anne’s very own words.
The God of Small Things – Arundhati Roy
My first book by an Asian / Indian author and set in a world close to my Sri Lankan roots. I can safely say that this masterpiece inspired me to read other oriental writers. It also deepened my love for language and was one of the first books that I read many times over, always discovering a new gem to treasure. This novel is one of the few that I dare to call 'perfect'. The way Roy uses languages makes me want to revere her like a writing goddess.
Pride and Prejudice – Jane Austen
I had read English classics before, but mainly during schooldays and out of a sense of duty or only a little here and there, because I grew up in Germany. P&P was the first time that I consciously decided to delve deeper into the world of timeless world literature. I read the book roughly a year ago, with high expectations but also worried that I might not enjoy it. This is one of the stories that rekindled my love for romance and that made me search for additional reading / studying material on the internet. And let me conclude with this: Mr. Darcy!
The English Patient – Michael Ondaatje
One of the few occasions where I saw the movie and was moved to read the book. This prize-winning novel ranks high on my list of all-time favourites because I love the way each and every character is portrayed and interwoven into the fabric of the story. The way history is presented and the way Ondaatje uses words to do his bidding still leaves me spellbound.
The Alchemist – Paolo Coelho
Until I discovered "The Alchemist", I had shied away from books that were (marketed as) rather philosophical and more non-fiction than fiction or a mix of both. This book, however, changed my opinion on that genre. Together with many other novels by Coelho, especially "The Devil and Miss Prym" as well as "The Prophet" by Khalil Gibran, it is a read a find wonderfully inspiring. The author himself and his quotes are something to treasure, too.
My first ever book about vampires. I read it about ten years ago, in German, and I was so in love with it that I devoured every single other book by Rice that I could lay my hands on. To date, I prefer her vampires over all the others. "Interview" isn’t even my favourite because I find other "Vampire Chronicles" novels even more fascinating, but this one was the birth of my undying (pardon the pun) love for everything vampire. It also inspired me to read books in English because I wanted to know how the whole magic sounded in Anne’s very own words.
The God of Small Things – Arundhati Roy
My first book by an Asian / Indian author and set in a world close to my Sri Lankan roots. I can safely say that this masterpiece inspired me to read other oriental writers. It also deepened my love for language and was one of the first books that I read many times over, always discovering a new gem to treasure. This novel is one of the few that I dare to call 'perfect'. The way Roy uses languages makes me want to revere her like a writing goddess.
Pride and Prejudice – Jane Austen
I had read English classics before, but mainly during schooldays and out of a sense of duty or only a little here and there, because I grew up in Germany. P&P was the first time that I consciously decided to delve deeper into the world of timeless world literature. I read the book roughly a year ago, with high expectations but also worried that I might not enjoy it. This is one of the stories that rekindled my love for romance and that made me search for additional reading / studying material on the internet. And let me conclude with this: Mr. Darcy!
The English Patient – Michael Ondaatje
One of the few occasions where I saw the movie and was moved to read the book. This prize-winning novel ranks high on my list of all-time favourites because I love the way each and every character is portrayed and interwoven into the fabric of the story. The way history is presented and the way Ondaatje uses words to do his bidding still leaves me spellbound.
The Alchemist – Paolo Coelho
Until I discovered "The Alchemist", I had shied away from books that were (marketed as) rather philosophical and more non-fiction than fiction or a mix of both. This book, however, changed my opinion on that genre. Together with many other novels by Coelho, especially "The Devil and Miss Prym" as well as "The Prophet" by Khalil Gibran, it is a read a find wonderfully inspiring. The author himself and his quotes are something to treasure, too.
Now it's your turn! Share what books have left a special impression on you or even influenced your writing.
RSS Feed