Books are an amazing part of life. With every book you read you can discover more knowledge about the world and about yourself. I truly believe that with every book you read you gain more insight into life. Every genre carries a different experience, but in this article, I am going to talk about books that have opened my eyes and given me a different perspective on life.
1. The Alchemist
“And, when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.” ― Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist
The Alchemist will always be my favorite book because of how much it shifted my perspective on life. The Alchemist is a book about an Andalusian shepherd boy, Santiago, who wants to leave his homeland in Spain in search of a treasure buried in the Egyptian desert. His journey is not an easy one because he does not have very much money and the only valuable thing he really owns is his sheep. Santiago is in search of a better life and hopes the buried treasure will be his answer. He meets a lot of characters throughout his journey which all teach him valuable lessons. No one really knows exactly what the treasure Santiago is looking for is or where it is. While Santiago starts his journey in search of worldly possessions, he ends up finding a treasure that was much greater. This book is a spiritual journey that will open your eyes to life’s real meaning. It deals with the idea of omens and destiny. That no matter what you think you want out of life; life will present you with your real purpose.
2. Call Me by Your Name
“We had the stars, you and I. And this is given once only.” ― André Aciman, Call Me by Your Name
Call Me by Your Name will always have a special place in my heart. Most people have heard of the movie, but I recommend reading the book as well. The book paints a love story between Elio, an adolescent boy, and Oliver, his father’s research assistant. The language in this book is beautifully written and describes perfectly what it is like falling in love with someone in such a short duration of time. This story takes place in Italy at Elio’s parents’ mansion. The book is told from Elio’s perspective which lets the readers into all his thoughts. This book is about passion, fear, shame, love, and desire. Elio is confused with his feelings towards Oliver at first and is constantly inside his head and overthinks everything. Elio soon develops a fascination and obsession with Oliver. When Elio finally finds out his feelings towards Oliver are reciprocated the characters are in utter bliss and infatuation. This book tells the story of two people who fall in love so deeply it hurts. This book/movie was the first portray of love that seemed so raw, innocent, and natural to me. I think this book did an excellent job of showing just how real, and life-changing falling in love with someone can be. This book shows that love has no confines regardless of age, gender, or the situation two people can be in.
3. Tweak: Growing Up On Methamphetamines
“And though I have done many shameful things, I am not ashamed of who I am. I am not ashamed of who I am because I know who I am. I have tried to rip myself open and expose everything inside – accepting my weaknesses and strengths – not trying to be anyone else. ‘Cause that never works, does it? So my challenge is to be authentic. And I believe I am today. I believe I am.” ― Nic Sheff, Tweak: Growing Up On Methamphetamines
I first heard of Tweak: Growing Up on Methamphetamines from the movie Beautiful Boy. I was so intrigued by the characters in the movie, knowing that it was a true story, that I decided to get the book. The movie is based on the book Beautiful Boy, which is from the dad’s perspective of what it is like having an addict as a son. The book Tweak: Growing Up on Methamphetamine is from the son’s perspective of his life. I got the book Tweak: Growing Up on Methamphetamine because I wanted to know more about what was going through the son, Nic’s head. This book is a memoir following the life of Nic, a young man, battling through his addiction to methamphetamine. This book tells the raw story of Nic’s road to recovery and the many relapses before he gets clean. The road to recovery is not an easy one and no matter how much love and support you have; at the end of the day you won’t get clean unless you want it for yourself. This book shows that someone could have an ideal life, with a loving family, and still fall into the trap of addiction. Addiction has no limits on who it chooses; anyone can become an addict. It starts off as fun, then you start to take higher doses because you can’t feel the high anymore, and after a while, it becomes a means of survival. This book shows just how real the road to addiction is along with the road to recovery.
Books are not only a form of entertainment to pass time but also a way to gain knowledge. With each book comes new experiences and lessons to be learned. Books can open your eyes to new ideas and thoughts. All three books I went over are completely different in nature but all have important messages and stories to tell.