This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Aberdeen chapter.
We all have that one book that sticks in your mind and perhaps even changes your life a little. But today, Natascha’s letting you know 10 such books which have really changed her life for a multitude of reasons, take a read and perhaps they’ll do the same for you!
- ‘The Secret’ by Rhonda Byrne – A fortune-teller has recommended this book to me, and to watch the movie. It is more than a self-help guide because it teaches you how the law of attraction works. It helps you to gain a positive attitude about life, and says that you have to replace your negative thoughts with positive thoughts. Visualisation is also one of the most important concepts of the book – it is a must to create your own positive vision board!
- ‘Pygmalion’ by George Bernard Shaw. This fantastic play is one of my favourite books. I just love the story and the intellectual emancipation of Eliza Doolittle. At the beginning she’s a poor flower girl who by chance encounters a linguist called Henry Higgins. Eliza learns how to improve her accent and receives an education in order to become a lady.
- ‘Frankenstein’ by Mary Shelley. Not only is the writing style so beautiful to read, but the topic is timeless. It raises philosophical and ethical questions about the artificial creation of a human being, as well as questions such as ‘how far can science go’?
- ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ by Margaret Atwood. Surprisingly, I didn’t actually enjoy the book when I was reading it for the first time! However, after discussing this book at university, I then realised how thought-provoking it actually is. The role of women in a dystopian regime might seem alienating, but when we take time to think, we actually have to admit that it doesn’t seem far from our reality. Women are sexualised in magazines, TV shows and so on. In this novel, women are reduced to their reproductive role as a woman, rape is used as a means of violence and other issues such as oppression are introduced in this story as well.
- ‘The Little Prince’ by Antoine de Saint Exupéry ‘L’essentiel est invisible pour les yeux.’ In English ‘What is essential is invisible to the eye’. This classic is more than a children’s book – it’s a meaningful story about friendship and love.
- ‘L’Hygiène de l’Assassin’ by Amélie Nothomb Nina. A young journalist interviews a misogynistic, successful writer in his eighties. During this whole interview, we learn the true and horrible character of this award-winning novelist as she gains an insight into his life.
- ‘Fairy Tales’ of The Brothers Grimm. ‘The Frog King’, ‘Red Cap’ and ‘Snow White’ are among my favourites of these tales and I can identify myself with the protagonists. The tales are full of symbols and I always find new ways of interpreting their stories each time I re-read them.
- ‘The Princess Diaries’ by Meg Cabot. Mia’s life as a princess is just so funny and entertaining. She’s the type of girl you just want to have as a friend, and her adventures as a princess living in New York City somehow remind you so much of your troubles of becoming an adult.
- ‘Carrie’ by Stephen King This book isn’t suitable for people with weak nerves because it can definitely cause nightmares! However, I find this book special because King gives the protagonist supernatural powers which she uses revenge against those who have wronged her. It is very extreme, but bullying someone can leave lasting effects on their lives and you will never know what this person has to go through or might do to defend herself. So it also has a strong message behind the horror.
- ‘The Shadow of the Wind’ – Carlos Ruiz Zafón. Zafon created this whole, magical universe set in Barcelona after the war . Reading this book resembles a cinematic experience – the story is so lively and captivating that at the end, you just want to book a flight to Barcelona and follow the routes of the characters.