Ever since I was young, I have loved to read. I finished multiple books each week. As I've gotten older, I've had less time to read, but still, there are certain books that have lived in me over the years. While I've read far more wonderful books than the handful in this list, these are a few that made me who I am in one way or another.
The Idiot by Elif Batuman
I'm gonna be honest, this book is a drag, the first half especially. Although it is long-winded, I think it's definitely worth reading if you have even the slightest interest in inter- and intrapersonal relationships. This book had several stunning lines that reminded me that everyone thinks they're the protagonist of their story — or, at the very least, an object of pity.
Startup by Doree Shafrir
This is a much easier book than The Idiot, and I haven't read anything like this in ages. I read this in the summer of 2017 and I raced through it. It had been forever since I'd been desperate to continue reading, to turn the page and find out what happens next. The themes of this book are heavy, but the delivery is funny and warm, and as cheesy as that sounds I've come to realize that's how most things in life are.
Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson
Oh my, this book's a real kicker. I cried so much reading this book, and while that's not uncommon for me, I found myself crying rare rivers of frustration. It has completely revolutionized my view of the world and of the justice system. It's prompted several donations and long conversations and I think that's exactly what a good non-fiction should do.
My Name is Bilal by Asma Mobin-Uddin
My parents read this book to me as child, and I definitely intend to share this book with any and all children in my life. It speaks directly about identity crisis and then conviction as an American Muslim. I can't imagine this ever being irrelevant to any minority communities in the United States.
Wild by Cheryl Strayed
This is the book you need to read when you need a revolution in your life. Unlike most of the books on this list, I've only read this book once, but it has truly, truly stuck with me. I read this for the first time while drowning in everyday stresses and it opened my eyes to the absolute triviality of pointless panic.
Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass by Meg Medina
I originally read this novel only because the author came to speak at our school. She was captivating and made her book sound decent at the very least. Yaqui Delgado showed me the multitude of ways in which all people of color are the same, and that's a lesson that has timelessly served to save me over the past couple years.
Does My Head Look Big in This? by Randa Abdel-Fattah
I have read this book more times than I can count. Truth be told, it is not even written well; it's a strange time capsule from the early 2000s. Despite that, it touches me every time I pick it up — there is something so comforting about Muslim, hijabi protagonists whose problems are on the basic level the same as mine.
Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson
This book was one of the first to really open my mind to the heartbreak that exists not only in the world, but in good writing. It's dry and cold, but that's exactly what it's supposed to be. It should be required that everyone read something that talks about something taboo —whether it be eating disorders, drugs, sex — because it makes you far more empathetic than you thought possible.
The Junie B. Jones series by Barbara Park
These are a classic and an obvious favorite. This series is what interested me in reading in the first place, and for that, I'm forever grateful to Barbara Park.
